We rated, reviewed, & compared 17 of the best motherboards for gaming across various budgets, including the best AM4 motherboards and the best Coffee Lake motherboards.
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Name | Rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Z370
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MSI Z370 GODLIKE |
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/10 | |
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AM4
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MSI X370 XPOWER |
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/10 | |
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2066
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GIGABYTE X299 |
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/10 | |
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1151
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ASUS ROG IX Hero |
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/10 |
The motherboard is the central communication center for your computer. It’s where all of your components plug into and are able to communicate with each other. The motherboard you choose for your gaming computer will have a huge impact on the quality of your build. If you choose a low-end cheap motherboard, you will be stuck having to get low-end cheap components.
However, if you choose a feature-rich and powerful motherboard, you will not only experience the benefits now, but you will also set yourself up with plenty of room to upgrade in the future.
While a motherboard isn’t going to have a direct impact on your gaming experience, it does play a huge role in your computer. Therefore, you need to consider allotting a decent portion of your budget towards your motherboard.
In this post, I will take a look at the best motherboards for gaming in 2018. I’ve broken down the categories into four different motherboard socket/chipset categories: the best AM4 motherboards (AMD), the best Coffee Lake motherboards (Intel), the best LGA 2066 motherboards (Intel Extreme), and the best older LGA 1151 motherboards (Intel 100 and 200 series).
I’ve taken a look at multiple motherboards within each socket and looked at the best options in different price ranges as well. So, whether you’re looking for a cheap gaming motherboard or a high-end overclocking motherboard, there will be a motherboard option for you on this list.
BEST COFFEE LAKE MOTHERBOARDS
Intel finally stepped up and delivered more cores to its fanbase. Where quad-core processors were the norm for their mainstream CPUs before, Intel’s new Coffee Lake chips (other than their Core i3 CPUs) are all six-core processors.
And, even their Core i3 processors got a boost, going from dual-core CPUs, to quad-core CPUs, making them more viable than they have ever been before for building a budget gaming PC with.
However, while the chips have been met with much applause, the biggest problem with the new Coffee Lake processors is the fact that there are no budget-friendly motherboards currently available for the platform.
Right now, you can only get a Z-series motherboard for Coffee Lake, which is designed to accommodate unlocked processors. The problem is that Intel’s champion budget chips—like the i5-8400 and i3-8100—can’t be overclocked.
And, so, with only Z-series motherboards available, in order to get one of the best value chips from Coffee Lake (the i3-8100 or i5-8400) you have to overspend on your motherboard, making the platform not as suitable for entry-level and slightly higher-budget gaming PC builds.
So, ultimately, Coffee Lake isn’t the greatest option currently out there for budget builds. However, if you have a moderate-to-high-end budget, Coffee Lake is the platform to be on. And, below, we go over the best Z370 motherboards currently available on the market.
Coffee Lake Motherboard Comparison Chart
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MSI Z370 GODLIKE |
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/10 |
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Recommendation
MSI’s Z370 GODLIKE motherboard is a high-end option made only for extreme users who have an unlimited budget. Most users will never need this monster of a board, especially considering it’s huge pricetag. Still, for those advanced users out there, this is a very attractive motherboard that will allow you to build a high-end, extreme overclocking, multi-GPU setup.
TECH SPECS
| CHIPSET | Z370 |
| SOCKET | LGA 1151 |
| DDR | DDR4 |
| FORM | Extended ATX |
| OC? | Yes |
MSI Z370 GODLIKE Overview
In about 99% of cases, the MSI’s Z370 GODLIKE motherboard likely isn’t a worthy option. It’s a super sexy motherboard with a lot of extreme and over-the-top features that comes in at an enormous price.
So, the only people who should really be considering this motherboard are people who have an unlimited budget and who want to build an extreme gaming PC.
Becasue, most users will never have the need for all of the extra features that this motherboard has to offer.
In fact, there are boards that are priced at less than half of the MSI Z370 GODLIKE that will be more than enough for the majority of users.
Again, though, this is not a board that is made for the masses. This board is built to appease high-end users who don’t mind paying a huge premium to get extreme quality.
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ASUS ROG Maximus X Hero |
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/10 |
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Recommendation
At almost half the price of MSI’s Z370 GODLIKE motherboard, the ASUS ROG Maximus X Hero is a solid high-end motherboard option that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Although, it is still one of the more expensive Coffee Lake motherboards available. In the end, though, if you’re looking to build a high-end dual-GPU setup and you don’t quite have an unlimited budget, this board should suit you well.
TECH SPECS
| CHIPSET | Z370 |
| SOCKET | LGA 1151 |
| DDR | DDR4 |
| FORM | Standard ATX |
| OC? | Yes |
ASUS ROG Maximus X Hero Overview
For almost half the price of the MSI Z370 GODLIKE, the ASUS ROG Maximus X Hero is another high-end option.
It’s a well-build motherboard that supports ASUS’ Aura Sync RGB lighting, has multiple M.2 SSD ports (including one with a heatsink), and will accommodate dual-GPU setups.
On the other hand, if you’re looking to build a quad-GPU setup, this motherboard will not support that and you will need to look at the MSI GODLIKE for that kind of support.
In the end, though, if you want a high-end motherboard for your Coffee Lake build, the ASUS ROG Maximus X Hero is a solid option that won’t cost you nearly as much the extreme motherboard from MSI that is listed above.
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Gigabyte AORUS Gaming 5 |
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/10 |
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Recommendation
Gigabyte’s AORUS Gaming 5 LGA 1151 motherboard is another high-quality option if you are looking to build a Coffee Lake-based gaming PC. It essentially has all of the same core features that the ASUS ROG Maximus X Hero does, except that it will cost nearly $70 less. However, the motherboards below will also perform similarly and, so, if you are looking to save more money, you might want to check them out as well.
TECH SPECS
| CHIPSET | Z370 |
| SOCKET | LGA 1151 |
| DDR | DDR4 |
| FORM | Standard ATX |
| OC? | Yes |
Gigabyte AORUS Gaming 5 Overview
If you don’t want to spend top dollar for one of the premium Z370 motherboards, that doesn’t mean you can’t get a high-quality, nice-looking option.
Gigabyte’s AORUS Gaming 5 motherboard is a high-quality option that has RGB Fusion support, three M.2 ports, support for front panel USB 3.1, and support for a dual-GPU setup.
And, it comes in at just under $200, making quite a bit cheaper than ASUS’ ROG Maximus X Hero, despite offering a lot of the same features.
Of course, there are less expensive Z370 motherboards that will serve most users well, too, so if you want to save a little bit of money, you might want to check out some of the options below.
Ultimately, Gigabyte’s AORUS Gaming 5 motherboard is a solid option for anyone who is looking to get a quality motherboard to put inside of a high-end gaming PC build.
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ASUS PRIME Z370-A |
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/10 |
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Recommendation
The ASUS PRIME Z370-A motherboard is priced about $25 less than Gigabyte’s AORUS Gaming 5 motherboard, but offers most of the same features. The only difference is that Gigabyte’s board has some more RGB lights on it. If you can forego the RGB lighting, though, the PRIME Z370-A is a solid option.
TECH SPECS
| CHIPSET | Z370 |
| SOCKET | LGA 1151 |
| DDR | DDR4 |
| FORM | Standard ATX |
| OC? | Yes |
ASUS PRIME Z370-A Overview
In my opinion, the ASUS PRIME Z370-A motherboard is probably the sweet spot for anyone looking to build a Coffee Lake system.
And, for that matter, most of the motherboards in the $150-$180 price range fit the same bill.
The ASUS PRIME Z370-A comes with support for AURA Sync RGB lighting, multiple M.2 slots (including one with a dedicated heatsink), the ability to support multi GPUs, and the ability to hold up to 64GB of RAM with a maximum clock rate of up to 4000MHz.
Or, in other words, it offers a lot of the same stuff (at least the core features) that Gigabyte’s AORUS Gaming 5 motherboard offers, but it comes int at about $25 less. Gigabyte’s board does offer quite a bit more in the way of RGB lighting, but that’s probably the main difference that will concern most users (and, for those who don’t care about RGB lighting, it won’t be a concern at all, of course).
Ultimately, though, this is a solid motherboard that will accommodate most users who are looking to build a high-end gaming PC with one of Intel’s new Coffee Lake chips.
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MSI Z370-A Pro |
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/10 |
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Recommendation
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly Coffee Lake motherboard, unfortunately, there really aren’t any options out there. The MSI Z370-A Pro is one of the more affordable Coffee Lake motherboards available, but even then it still comes in at a bit over $100. Still, though, if you’re looking for an inexpensive Z370 chipset board and you don’t want all the bells and whistles, the Z370-A Pro should get the job done.
TECH SPECS
| CHIPSET | Z370 |
| SOCKET | LGA 1151 |
| DDR | DDR4 |
| FORM | Standard ATX |
| OC? | Yes |
MSI Z370-A Pro Overview
While Intel’s Coffee Lake chips offer incredible performance, the unfortunate part about their release is that there is still no budget motherboard’s available for the platform.
Intel typically releases a few different types of chipsets with each new processor architecture or refresh they come out with.
However, for Coffee Lake, the only boards that were released were their more expensive and overclocking-friendly Z-series motherboards. There has been no release yet of the more budget-friendly H-series or B-series motherboards.
This is unfortunate, because if you want to build a mid-range gaming PC with an i5-8400 or i3-8100, you will have to overpay for a motherboard designed for overclocking, when both of those processors can’t be overclocked.
So, at the moment, MSI’s Z370-A Pro is one of the only Coffee Lake motherboards that could even be considered a “budget-friendly” board. And, that’s because it is the only Coffee Lake board to come close to the $100 price point.
And, it’s not hard to see why this motherboard is the cheapest of the Z370 motherboards out there. It’s stripped down quite a bit, it doesn’t support RGB lighting, and it doesn’t look quite as flashy as the other options out there.
However, if you are looking to build a budget-friendly Coffee Lake build and you don’t care about RGB lighting or the aeshetics of your motherboard, the Z370-A Pro should get the job done for you. Although, if you can hold out, the word around the industry is that there should be some H-series or B-series Coffee Lake boards available at the beginning of next year.
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BEST AMD AM4 RYZEN MOTHERBOARDS
AMD’s Ryzen CPUs their new AM4 motherboards released earlier this year. The brand new AMD architecture is exciting because it has been a long while before AMD has pushed the high-end of the CPU market.
And, despite the fact that Intel’s Coffee Lake CPUs are outperforming AMD’s Ryzen processors in gaming-specific use-cases, for other purposes like video editing, graphics design, and streaming, Ryzen’s extra cores and threads help make them viable options.
So, if you’ve been waiting a long time for AMD to finally offer something worthwhile at the top of the desktop CPU market, you now have what you have been waiting for.
If that’s the case and you are looking for the best Ryzen CPU for gaming, then you will also need a new AM4 motherboard to pair with it. In this section, I’ve listed the four best AM4 motherboards currently on the market.
And, unlike the problem that is plaguing Intel’s Coffee Lake motherboards right now, there are plenty of high-end and affordable (but quality) motherboard options available for the AM4 socket.
AM4 Motherboard Comparison Chart
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MSI X370 XPOWER TITANIUM |
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/10 |
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Recommendation
The MSI X370 XPOWER TITANIUM is currently the beefiest AM4 motherboard available. Of course, as other AM4 motherboards start to hit the market, there will be more competition, but as of right now MSI’s board is the option to go for if you are looking for the best AM4 motherboard.
TECH SPECS
| CHIPSET | X370 |
| SOCKET | AM4 |
| DDR | DDR4 |
| FORM | Standard ATX |
| OC? | Yes |
MSI X370 XPOWER TITANIUM Overview
In about 99% of cases, the MSI’s Z370 GODLIKE motherboard likely isn’t a worthy option. It’s a super sexy motherboard with a lot of extreme and over-the-top features that comes in at an enormous price.
So, the only people who should really be considering this motherboard are people who have an unlimited budget and who want to build an extreme gaming PC.
Becasue, most users will never have the need for all of the extra features that this motherboard has to offer.
In fact, there are boards that are priced at less than half of the MSI Z370 GODLIKE that will be more than enough for the majority of users.
Again, though, this is not a board that is made for the masses. This board is built to appease high-end users who don’t mind paying a huge premium to get extreme quality.
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ASUS ROG Crosshair VI Hero |
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/10 |
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Recommendation
The ASUS ROG Crosshair VI Hero is a more affordable option if you don’t want to spend quite as much on the MSI X370 XPOWER. In fact, it comes in at nearly $100 less than its MSI counterpart. And, for all sakes and purposes, the ROG X370 board will offer a similar experience to MSI’s more expensive offering. So, if you want to save a good chunk of change without sacrificing too much performance, this is the board for you.
TECH SPECS
| CHIPSET | X370 |
| SOCKET | AM4 |
| DDR | DDR4 |
| FORM | Standard ATX |
| OC? | Yes |
ASUS ROG Crosshair VI Hero Overview
A cheaper alternative to the MSI X370 XPOWER board listed above is the ASUS ROG Crosshair VI Hero. ASUS’ Republic of Gamers line of components and products has always been among the top of their prospective categories simply because they are well-built and feature-packed.
The same is true for their ROG X370 motherboard.
It’s a standard ATX motherboard that can support up to 64GB of DDR4 memory (at a max of 3200MHz), it can run a triple video card setup, and it has one M.2 slot as well.
Ultimately, if you don’t want to spend quite as much on your AM4 motherboard, but you still want a high-end option, this is one of the best ATX motherboards in this socket and it offers a solid alternative over MSI’s X370 XPOWER board.
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MSI X370 GAMING PRO |
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/10 |
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Recommendation
If you’re looking for an even more affordable X370 motherboard, then the MSI X370 GAMING PRO might be your best bet. It has just about everything the other two X370 boards listed above have, but it comes in at a significantly lower price. It doesn’t sport the build quality of the other two, but it is still a higher-end board and will be more than enough for most gamers/PC enthusiasts.
TECH SPECS
| CHIPSET | X370 |
| SOCKET | AM4 |
| DDR | DDR4 |
| FORM | Standard ATX |
| OC? | Yes |
MSI X370 GAMING PRO Overview
For an even more affordable option than the ASUS ROG Crosshair VI Hero, you can look at the MSI X370 Gaming Pro AM4 motherboard.
It doesn’t have quite as heavy duty of a design as the X370 POWER or the X370 ASUS ROG board, but it will definitely be enough if you want to run a multi-GPU setup and do some overclocking as well.
Like the other two boards, it can support up to 64GB of DDR4 memory and has a standard ATX form factor.
Ultimately, if you’re not looking to spend over $200 on your motherboard, but you still want to be able to hit high overclocks, this board will get the job done.
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ASUS Prime B350M-A |
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/10 |
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Recommendation
The ASUS Prime B350M-A/CSM is a budget friendly AM4 motherboard that can do virtually everything an X370 motherboard can do, except that it can’t run dual video cards. Overall, for the AM4 socket, the B350M-A/CSM is probably the best motherboard under $100.
TECH SPECS
| CHIPSET | B350 |
| SOCKET | AM4 |
| DDR | DDR4 |
| FORM | micro-ATX |
| OC? | Yes |
ASUS Prime B350M-A/CSM Overview
I’ve got some pretty good news for those of you who want a new Ryzen CPU, but don’t want to break the bank getting one. You can pair your Ryzen processor with a sub-$100 motherboard and be completely fine.
That is, of course, if you don’t want to run dual video card setups now or in the future.
The B350 chipset is similar to the X370 chipset in that pretty much everything is the same (supports up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM, can be overclocked, has plenty of USB 3.1 ports, etc.), except that with the B350 chipset you can’t run multiple video cards.
And, for 99% of gamers, multi-GPU setups aren’t necessary, especially if you go with a high-end GPU like a GTX 1080 or 1070.
So, if you don’t want to run multi-GPUs, you can save a considerable amount of money by going with an option like the ASUS Prime B350M-A/CSM.
The ASUS Prime B350M-A/CSM is a micro-ATX option, but there are also standard ATX options available in the B350 chipset.
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BEST INTEL LGA 2066 MOTHERBOARDS
If you’re looking for a cheap LGA 2066 motherboard, you can forget about it.
The LGA 2066 socket is not for the casual PC builders who are just looking to build a typical gaming computer.
Rather, LGA 2066 is designed to handle Intel’s extreme edition processors and therefore is only recommended if you want to go all out on your next PC build.
Prices for LGA 2066 motherboards start in the $200s and go well into the $300s and $400s.
And, as such, I really wouldn’t recommend going with the LGA 2066 socket unless you’re planning on spending at least $1,500 total on your system.
With that being said, if you still want to build an Intel-Extreme-based PC, here is a list of the best Intel motherboards for the LGA 2066 socket…
LGA 2066 Motherboard Comparison Chart
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GIGABYTE X299 Gaming 7 |
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/10 |
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Recommendation
The X299 Gaming 7 from Gigabyte is a motherboard that supports Skylake-X and Kaby Lake X CPU’s. It has 8x DIMM XMP, an 8-phase power design, and a max capacity of 128 GB. It’s operating speed is 4400MHz, and it uses the Intel Gbe LAN network for connectivity. The five separate USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports that have backwards capabilities maximize your connectivity options. The digital LED platform, RGG Fusion, lets you further customize the appearance of your system.
TECH SPECS
| CHIPSET | X299 |
| SOCKET | LGA 2066 |
| DDR | DDR4 |
| FORM | Standard ATX |
| OC? | Yes |
GIGABYTE X299 Gaming 7 Overview
The X299 series Gaming 7 motherboard from Gigabyte combines the latest in gaming technology’s bells and whistles to help you build a streamlined and completely custom system. It supports Skylake-X, and Kaby Lake-X CPU’s and has an 8x DIMM XMP-ready memory support and with 8-phase IR2556-50A power design.
The motherboard has a max capacity of 128 GB and up to 4400MHz and operates on the Intel GbE LAN network.
Where this model really stands out is in its connectivity options. It includes five USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports located on the rear I/O as well as one along the front panel. This connectivity option boasts twice the bandwidth of the previous generation and has backwards capability with USB 2.0 and 3.0. In addition, the USB 3.1 protocol is available over both the new USB Type-C and traditional USB Type-A connector allowing you to connect with a wider range of devices than ever before.
From a speed standpoint, the motherboard has many built-in features to make it easy to maximize its performance. There is overclock performance tuning that allows you to tweak your MHz from anywhere between 90 to 500, without limiting you to the traditional 5% ranges in most straps. Through the DDR4XMP support you reach up to 4333MHz, and the X299 series is compatible with over 1000+ different modern and previous generation memory modules, making it a versatile choice.
A final notable feature is RGG Fusion. Through the technology, you can control the digital LED’s in each zone of the motherboard independently from each other, and as the series now supports RGBW & UV lights, you have access to vibrant colors across the spectrum for your configuration.
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MSI X299 TOMAHAWK |
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/10 |
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Recommendation
The MSI X299 Tomahawk is compatible with the Intel Core X-Series processors and the LGA 2066 socket. It supports 128GB of memory and uses quad-channel memory support DDR4. It has two USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports, and a host of other connectivity options to accommodate devices, an advanced GPU, and other gaming-essential components.
TECH SPECS
| CHIPSET | X299 |
| SOCKET | LGA 2066 |
| DDR | DDR4 |
| FORM | Standard ATX |
| OC? | Yes |
MSI X299 TOMAHAWK Overview
The X299 Tomahawk is MSI’s design that supports the latest in Intel Core X-Series processor capabilities and is compatible with the LGA 2066 Socket.
The motherboard supports DDR4-4266+ (OC) memory and is marketed as a VR ready system. Gamers can capitalize on the virtual reality experience without having issues with latency, and the system offers additional features to help reduce motion sickness among players.
This motherboard designed with gaming in mind is LAN powered by Intel and has extra bells and whistles that enhance the performance. Features like Turbo Socket, Game Boost, and Digital Power Design give you an edge against the competition technologically. In-game weapons like Game Boost, Gaming Hotkey X-Boost and more provide you with time-saving advantages during game play.
To boost the speed of gaming, MSI combines twin turbo M.2 with USB 3.1 Gen 2 connectivity and gaming LAN to give you the lowest latency and best bandwidth management available. The motherboard also houses seven USB 2.0 ports and numerous both front and rear USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type A ports.
The multi-GPU with steel armor PCI-e slots support 3-way NVIDIA SLI and 3-Way AMD Crossfire, which gives you configuration options. The sound is provided through Audio Boost 4 with NAHIMIC2+ which gives you a studio-grade experience that is not only realistic but also immersive.
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ASUS TUF MARK 2 |
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/10 |
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Recommendation
The ASUS TUF X299 MARK 2 supports the Intel LGA 2066 socket and the X299 chipset. It has two USB 3.1 Type-C ports and operates at 3600MHz max capacity.
The memory slot includes 8x DIMM 128 GB DDR4 capabilities, and the Thermal Radar 3 technology keeps the system cool and stabilized.
TECH SPECS
| CHIPSET | X299 |
| SOCKET | LGA 2066 |
| DDR | DDR4 |
| FORM | Standard ATX |
| OC? | Yes |
ASUS TUF X299 MARK 2 Overview
The ASUS TUF X299 MARK 2 is designed to support the 7th generation LGA 2066 socket in the Intel Core X-series processors. This set-up has several features that maximize connectivity and speed like the dual M.2, two rear-panel USB 3.1 Type-C connections, and Intel Optane Memory capability.
With a 3600MHz max capacity and an 8x DIMM 128GB DDR4 memory slot, the X299 Tomahawk gives you the juice you need to power your game play.
One perk of the system is the connection speed and flexibility. The backwards-compatible USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A gives you data transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps, and the x4 PCI Express 3.0/2.0 bandwidth, M.2 supports up to 32 Gbps of data transfer rates.
To keep the system both cool and stable, ASUS uses its Thermal Radar 3 technology. This allows you to both customize your cooling during regular operations, and when overclocking. If you’re planning to add a heavyweight GPU, the dual SafeSlot mounts that use a patented injection molding process to integrate the metal framing better to create a firmly anchored PCIe slot are a nice feature.
If you like a little visual enhancement, the AURA Sync RGB lighting technology allows you to configure your motherboard with an endless spectrum of colors and synchronize your effects.
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BEST OLDER LGA 1151 MOTHERBOARDS
With the release of Intel’s new Coffee Lake chips, we have seen Intel shy away from making their chips backwards compatible with older sockets.
That’s because the new Coffee Lake chips are not compatible with Kaby Lake or Sky Lake motherboards, despite the fact that they are all on the same socket.
This means that anyone who built a Kaby Lake or Sky Lake gaming PC will not be able to simply swap out their CPU for a new Coffee Lake chip.
Still, though, if you are looking to build a new gaming PC, you might be able to find some decent deals on those older LGA 1151 processors.
And, so, in the chart below, I’ve listed the top motherboards available for the LGA 1151 socket (prior to Coffee Lake) at various feature sets and price points. The price is sorted from high-to-low, as well, to make it easier for you to find a board that meets your exact requirements.
LGA 1151 Motherboard Comparison Chart
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ASUS ROG Maximus IX Hero |
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/10 |
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Recommendation
If you are deadset on an Intel build, and you want to build a powerful setup, the ASUS ROG Maximus IX Hero is a solid high-end motherboard option. It’s got the heavy-duty build quality of the ROG line of products and it will allow you to run multi-GPUs and overclock your Intel CPU to pretty high levels.
TECH SPECS
| CHIPSET | Z270 |
| SOCKET | LGA 1151 |
| DDR | DDR4 |
| FORM | Standard ATX |
| OC? | Yes |
ASUS ROG Maximus IX Hero Overview
Are you staying true to Intel? And, do you have a large budget that you want to use to build a ridiculously feature-packed and high-powered gaming computer?
Then you should probably look at the best ASUS motherboard available for the LGA 1151 socket: the ROG Maximus IX Hero.
ASUS Republic of Gamers line of products is a huge hit in the gaming community and their motherboards are no exception. ASUS is easily one of the best motherboard brands around.
With more features than most people will ever use, the Maximus IX Hero is definitely one of the best Intel motherboards for gaming on the market. And, with Z270 currently being the best Intel chipset available for enthusiasts and overclockers, you can use this board in anything from a moderate-to-extreme setup.
So, if you’re sticking with Intel and you want to build a PC a cut above the norm, then you might want to consider this board.
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ASUS PRIME Z270-A |
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/10 |
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Recommendation
I may have a biased towards ASUS motherboards, but the ASUS PRIME Z270-A is a solid all-around motherboard if you are looking for something that will let you overclock your Kaby Lake processor and/or run dual video cards. It probably wouldn’t qualify in the highest tiers of motherboards out there, but it isn’t too far behind.
TECH SPECS
| CHIPSET | Z270 |
| SOCKET | LGA 1151 |
| DDR | DDR4 |
| FORM | Standard ATX |
| OC? | Yes |
ASUS PRIME Z270-A Overview
There are quite a few options for LGA 1151 motherboards in the $150-$200 price range.
However, the ASUS PRIME Z270-A currently looks like one of the best options in that price range, as it is cheaper than similarly-specced options and it has all of the features most people will ever use.
With support for up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM (max O.C. at 3866MHz) and the ability to run dual video cards, the PRIME Z270-A is a solid all-around board.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a high-end Z270 motherboard without getting into the “extreme” territory, this ASUS gaming motherboard is worth a look. It has a nice balance of features (and perhaps even more than you will ever use) to go with it’s competitive price point.
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GIGABYTE GA-Z270-HD3P |
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/10 |
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Recommendation
The Gigabyte GA-Z270-HD3P is a mid-priced motherboard that offers a lot of the same features you’ll find in more expensive models. It supports 6th and 7th generation Intel Core Processor technology and includes a Z270 chip, LGA 1151 socket, and uses DIMM RAM technology. The integrated AMD CrossFire technology gives you options for graphics upgrades and allows the motherboard to accommodate your evolving needs as a gamer.
TECH SPECS
| CHIPSET | Z270 |
| SOCKET | LGA 1151 |
| DDR | DDR4 |
| FORM | Standard ATX |
| OC? | Yes |
GIGABYTE GA-Z270-HD3P Overview
The GA-Z270-HD3P motherboard from GIGABYTE offers a lot of bang for less than a $140 buck. It can support both 6th and 7th generation Intel Core Processor technology with a Z270 chip. It has an LGA 1151socket and supports DIMM RAM technology.
The dual-channel non-ECC unbuffered DDR4 coupled with the 4 DIMMs mean fast processing speeds. The motherboard also supports USB 3.1 Gen 2 with USB Type-C and Type-A ports.
To maximize your AV gaming experience, this Gigabyte model includes high-quality audio capacitors and audio noise guard technology. It’s also equipped with LED Trace Path Lighting to customize the look of your PC. The motherboard has triple display interfaces and supports high definition multimedia interface allowing you to run titles with advanced graphics and HD needs.
The GA-Z270-HD3P incorporated the 2-way CrossFire technology from AMD to give you lots of graphics options with your system. CrossFire allows you to run two or more graphics cards through your system simultaneously, giving you options to grow your graphics capabilities as your needs evolve as a gamer.
The Intel GbE LAN with cFosSpeed Internet Accelerator software will ensure you always have a fast internet connection helping your data packets transfer without issue for streamlined gaming.
To ensure that your motherboard can keep up with the performance needs of your system, it’s equipped with five multiple temperature sensors and hybrid fan headers to keep it cool.
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MSI H270M BAZOOKA |
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Recommendation
If you aren’t planning on overclocking and you want to save some money by choosing a locked Intel LGA 1151 CPU, you can also cut costs by choosing an H270 motherboard. The MSI H270M BAZOOKA is a solid—but affordable—H270 motherboard that should do the trick if that is the case for you.
TECH SPECS
| CHIPSET | H270 |
| SOCKET | LGA 1151 |
| DDR | DDR4 |
| FORM | micro-ATX |
| OC? | Yes |
MSI H270M BAZOOKA Overview
Let’s face it, overclocking isn’t what it used to be. Once upon a time, games were much more CPU dependent than they are now and so the ability to overclock your CPU was really important.
Now, however, most games rely far more heavily on their GPU and, as such, don’t see much of a benefit when running on a machine with an overclocked CPU.
What this means is that if you want to save some money and choose a locked Intel CPU (like the i5-7600 or i7-7700), you can definitely do so.
And, along with the locked versions of the CPUs being a little less expensive, so are the motherboards that don’t accommodate overclocking. The MSI H270M BAZOOKA is one such board.
Ultimately, the MSI H270M BAZOOKA is one of the best micro-ATX motherboards in the H270 chipset and it is a really good motherboard for gaming or other purposes. Ultimately, if you aren’t planning on overclocking and you want a decent motherboard that won’t break the bank, this might be one of the best motherboards for you.
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ASRock H110M-HDS |
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Recommendation
While the ASRock H110M-HDS isn’t going to blow you away with incredible performance, it has just enough in it to allow you to build a pretty awesome single-GPU setup. So, if you want to allocate more money to your GPU—and you don’t mind losing some of the features on the higher-end motherboards—you can choose a motherboard like the ASRock H110M-HDS to maximize your budget.
TECH SPECS
| CHIPSET | H110 |
| SOCKET | LGA 1151 |
| DDR | DDR4 |
| FORM | micro-ATX |
| OC? | Yes |
ASRock H110M-HDS Overview
If you’re working with a tight budget and you need a decent motherboard to pair with an Intel Pentium processor—or even if you want a cheap motherboard to pair with a locked Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU—you can choose an affordable H110 chipset motherboard.
Obviously, at under $50 you shouldn’t be expecting the best-built motherboard on the market.
However, even the ASRock H110M-HDS can support up to 32GB of DDR3 memory (which can accommodate memory kits with clock rates of up to 2133MHz) and will allow you to build a pretty awesome single-GPU setup.
So, if you’re working with limited funds and you want to maximize every cent for optimal in-game performance, you can definitely save some money and choose an H110 chipset motherboard like the ASRock H110M-HDS, as it is one of the best budget motherboards for an Intel-based build.
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WHICH MOTHERBOARD IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
While your motherboard isn’t going to have any kind of direct impact on your in-game experience, it will play a large role in determining what components you can put into your build. The cheaper the motherboard you choose, the more limited you will be.
However, if you are working with a tight budget, you can definitely choose a less-expensive motherboard. And, if all you are planning on doing is building a single video card setup then you don’t necessarily have to spend hundreds of dollars on a quality motherboard.
Ultimately, though, your motherboard is an important part of your computer and you should definitely take the time to choose one that will serve your needs and even will give you upgrade options in the future.
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