Greatest gaming motherboards 2023: Picks for Intel and AMD

In case you’re after a premium motherboard on your Intel Thirteenth-generation CPU, the Asus ROG Z790 is among the greatest selections available on the market. The Intel i9 13900K makes a superb pairing right here, with twin 20+1 energy phases providing overkill efficiency.

Packing DDR5, PCIe Gen 5, and a great deal of USB ports, it has loads of I/O, too. M.2 drive slots are loads—with three onboard, plus an included ROG M.2 PCIe card that permits you to add two extra. Different standout options embody Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 6E, 2.5Gb networking, and extra “heatsinks” than you rely.

Packaging is properly carried out, with a premium field and accent inclusion to match the $629.99 MSRP. The motherboard can be very well-built and feels substantial within the arms, with a weighty heft.

The ROG, or “Republic of Gamers,” branding has been common with fanatic players. A part of the reason being the gamer-centric design, which this motherboard has in spades. Like RGB? You’ll be at house right here, with an exquisite I/O space show. The remainder of the motherboard is adorned with high-quality finishes and loads of thermal “armor” covers, too. The VRM heatsinks look downright imposing—and do their job tremendously properly.

With efficiency to match the aesthetics, players will discover a great deal of overclocking options right here too. An incredible BIOS, Clear CMOS, and an onboard energy button all make your overclocking life simpler!

This motherboard is little doubt amongst the dearer, however for the fanatic who doesn’t thoughts spending a bit extra to get some additional options and properly carried out particulars, it gives worth—with few compromises on aesthetics or efficiency.

You’ll get some mighty bang on your buck within the midrange section: sufficient options and aesthetics to impress, however at a value you’ll be able to abdomen. 

The MSI Edge WiFi Z790 is a first-rate instance. Apart from boasting a wholesome characteristic set, the board is available in both DDR5 or DDR4 variations, providing you with much more flexibility in your price range, must you select to stay with reminiscence you have already got or to avoid wasting on buying last-gen modules. (We’d go for the DDR5 model ourselves, as a way of future-proofing, however you’ll be able to count on to pay about $30 additional for that assist.)

Each variations assist Twelfth-gen and Thirteenth-gen Intel CPU—the 16+1+1 part VRM can deal with even the i9 13900K for gaming. Nonetheless, a midrange CPU such because the 13600K or 13700K would make a superb pairing right here. You’ll additionally get plenty of I/O—with 10 USB ports, together with quick 20Gb/s. 5 M.2 slots and PCIe Gen 5 within the type of a 16x slot spherical out the choices.

Aesthetics are king with this board—the white and silver design will likely be a chic basis for any construct. The whole motherboard is roofed with good thermal armor and tasteful accents. The construct high quality is strong, besides. 

With a value of $369, and the flexibility to pair with cheaper DDR4 and an older Intel Twelfth-gen CPU, there may be nice worth right here. Whereas it doesn’t have the flowery field or accouterments of dearer motherboards, it’s acquired the options you’ll want at a superb value vary. 

If you wish to get pleasure from practically the identical next-generation efficiency in video games as you’ll in way more costly motherboards, the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk has you lined. Certain, it’s not a premium $500-plus behemoth, however it has precisely the options you’ll must have a terrific expertise. And positive, there are some cheaper choices on the market, however this board offers you a great deal of options for the worth. 

As with the Edge WiFi Z790 above, choosing DDR4 helps minimize the construct prices significantly. Assist for Twelfth- and Thirteenth-gen Intel CPUs provides you plenty of choices and value flexibility You’ll get the identical 16x PCIe Gen 5 discovered on many dearer motherboards, plus Wi-Fi 6E and a couple of.5Gb LAN. No skimping on M.2 slots right here, both—you’ll get a complete of 4 PCIe Gen 4 slots! That’s adopted by 10 USB ports on the again, (20Gb/s) and even BIOS Flashback and Clear CMOS. All advised, it ought to depart solely essentially the most demanding players needing extra. 

High it off with a clear, no-frills design, and also you’re a lot of the manner there by way of options in comparison with pricier choices. The motherboard is primary by way of RGB, however you do get RGB headers. You additionally get PWM fan headers and even nice VRM efficiency, with a fancy-sounding 16+1+1 “Duet Rail Power System” that may deal with even an i9 Intel CPU! 

When it comes to worth for what you’re getting, it’s a terrific bundle. You’ll even have a considerably cheaper platform value by combining the $309 MSRP, cheaper DDR4, and big selection of Intel CPUs to pair with. 

AMD’s new AM5 platform brings with it some mighty-fast CPUs such because the Ryzen 9 7950X. With this energy, you’ll want a premium motherboard to pair with it: Enter the Asus ROG X670E Hero. Repeating a lot of what makes the Hero an fanatic favourite on Intel and previous AMD X570, it’s again with much more options. 

DDR5, PCIe Gen 5, all there—and these PCIe lanes are very expansive on the X670E chipset. Not solely will you get two PCIe Gen 5 16x slots, however you’ll additionally get 4 onboard M.2 NVMe slots. Two of them are PCIe Gen 5, and two are Gen 4—now that’s storage efficiency! Wait, there’s extra! With the included accent PCIe Gen 5 card, you’ll be able to add a further NVMe drive. 

Nestled amongst the 12 rear USB ports, you’ll discover USB4, which has related 40Gb/s speeds to Thunderbolt 4. The same old Wi-Fi 6E and Intel 2.5Gb LAN are right here too, plus a couple of good usability options: Asus Q-Launch and Q-Latch, for the PCIe slot and M.2 slots, respectively. These make swapping out elements easy. 

However you need a ROG Hero due to the aesthetics and RGB, proper? With a resoundingly weighty construct high quality, the general design can be beautiful. There are shiny and matte finishes all through, however your eye will shortly be drawn to the showy RGB as a substitute. Properly carried out—and better of all, it utterly suits the design and makes for a premium expertise. 

With new Ryzen CPUs such because the 7950X3D fashions popping out, these in search of most efficiency will do properly with the ROG Hero, which has the 18+2 teamed energy phases to deal with blazingly quick CPUs.

The mix of wonderful options and mouth watering eye-candy definitely justifies its $699 MSRP. This board is for fanatic players wanting a premium expertise. With DDR5 getting cheaper, and extra Ryzen CPU fashions being launched, there are extra alternatives for total decrease platform prices, too. 

AMD provides us varied choices with AM5—equivalent to B650E, which has barely diminished performance in comparison with X670E. The value can be diminished—and in our opinion, you’ll nonetheless get a lot of the goodies. It simply has a couple of much less PCIe Gen 5 lanes, USB ports, and SATA ports. Take into account that AM5 solely provides you entry to Ryzen 7000 CPUs, because it’s a totally new platform. (Sorry, Ryzen 5000 followers, you’ll have to stay to X570 Or B550)

The Gigabyte B650E Aorus Grasp brings its $349 MSRP to the Ryzen AM5 lineup. Whereas it solely has 4 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, it’s greater than you’ll get with B650—because of the “E” designator. They’re used optimally right here, with 4 onboard M.2 NVMe slots. SATA ports prime out at 4—however given the beneficiant NVMe storage, you’ll doubtless by no means saturate these choices for many gaming builds. 

The I/O doesn’t cease there, with a whopping 13 USB ports on the again, as much as 10Gb/s USB Gen 2. Whilst you received’t get USB4, you’d need to pay extra for the privilege. Different nice choices embody Wi-Fi 6E, 2.5Gb LAN, and HDMI-out for the combine iGPU. 

The Gigabyte B650E Aorus Grasp nonetheless seems premium—even when it’s cheaper than its X670E brethren. With a simple monochromatic design, it has the appropriate nuanced touches simply in the appropriate locations. 

Loads of these visible niceties additionally translate to efficiency—with the spectacular VRM heatsinks having some actual presence. You’ll even have thermal pad “armor” masking the NVMe slots, for purposeful aesthetics. 16+2+2 Digital VRM not solely seems nice, however it will probably deal with the wonderful efficiency of even the Ryzen 9 CPUs. 

Actually, players who selected the B650E Aorus Grasp received’t really feel like they’re lacking something. It’s a premium design with a good value for subsequent era know-how. 

Whereas the launch of AM5 initially introduced with it a bevy of pricier motherboards, we’re beginning to see extra reasonably priced choices, too. We’ll chorus from calling these “budget,” however they do characterize a terrific bang-for-buck worth.

The MSI MAG B650 Tomahawk enters the fray at $239 MSRP and packing the B650 chipset. You’re not paying for costly overhead options right here that you could be by no means use, equivalent to these discovered on X670E. As a substitute, you’re getting simply the appropriate praise of specs that can maintain your gaming construct buzzing alongside.

It’s all DDR5 right here—so when you can’t get monetary savings by utilizing DDR4, you’re a minimum of on the identical degree floor because the dearer motherboards for capabilities. You’ll additionally get the identical Wi-Fi 6E and a couple of.5Gb LAN as on dearer motherboards. Add to that three PCIe Gen 4 NVMe M.2 slots, however no PCIe Gen 5. That’s okay—the tradeoff is price it since nothing can saturate PCIe Gen 5 slots at present.

The board’s USB is not any slouch, with as much as 20Gb/s Sort C accessible. Efficiency continues with the 14+2+1 VRM energy system, completely able to taming the Ryzen CPUs— though the Ryzen 5 and seven pair greatest with this value-oriented providing.

How about aesthetics? They’re minimalist, in a great way. Engaging design with stealthy darkish colours abounds. Granted, you don’t get the RGB social gathering or overkill armor plates on the PCIe space of dearer motherboards, however that’s high quality. The VRM heatsinks are greater than enough and look nice. The understated look has the bonus of becoming virtually any construct’s design aesthetic.

Total, it’s a terrific performer with simply the appropriate options—with out skimping on necessary components. Better of all, it retains the worth considerably decrease than different choices.