A high-performance CPU such as the Intel i9-12900K needs a top-tier motherboard. The Z690 chipset is what you need in order to get the most out of your high-performance LGA 1700 CPU. In this article, we are going to go over the best Z690 motherboards that you can pair with the Intel i9-12900K.
Z690 adds support for DDR5 memory and PCIe Gen5 for the storage and graphics cards. You also get better connectivity features such as Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth, and 2.5Gb Ethernet. Z690 motherboards also support memory and CPU overclocking to get better performance out of your memory and CPU.
Best Z690 Motherboards For Intel i9-12900K 2022
The following are some of the best Z690 motherboards that you can pair with the Intel i9-12900K in 2022:
- ASUS ROG Strix Z690-E
- MSI MEG Z690 ACE
- GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS MASTER
- MSI MPG Z690 Edge WiFi DDR4
- ASUS ROG Strix Z690-I
ASUS ROG Strix Z690-E – Best Premium Motherboard
Socket: LGA 1700 | Form Factor: ATX | Memory Type: DDR5 | Memory Speed: 6400MHz | Max RAM: 128GB
Asus is known for making some of the best motherboards that you can buy and the ROG Strix Z690-E covers all the bases. It performs well, has decent cooling, provides great overclocking potential and looks great.
As this is an ATX motherboard, you get 4 DIMM slots that are reinforced and the motherboard supports DDR5 RAM up to 6400MHz. The top PCIe slot is reinforced and the motherboard supports PCIe Gen5. For storage, you get three M.2 slots and 6 SATA ports.
For connectivity, you get Intel 2.5Gb Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6E. As this is a premium motherboard, you get plenty of armor and RGB lighting. All things considered, this motherboard offers all the bells and whistles without being overly expensive but this is a premium product with a premium price tag.
The Breakdown
The following is what we like and dislike about the ASUS ROG Strix Z690-E:
Pros:
- Impressive overclocking
- Unique design
- Great VRM cooling
Cons:
- Relatively costly
MSI MEG Z690 ACE – Best EATX Motherboard
Socket: LGA 1700 | Form Factor: EATX | Memory Type: DDR5 | Memory Speed: 6666MHz | Max RAM: 128GB
The MSI MEG Z690 ACE is an EATX motherboard so it is a but larger than more traditional ATX motherboards. You should check case compatibility before committing to buying one. The larger size does have its advantages such as plenty of fan and RGB headers as well as 5 M.2 slots for high-speed storage.
The motherboard comes with a lot of armor and has reinforced PCIe slots and DIMM slots. The motherboard supports DDR5 RAM up to 6666MHz. For connectivity you get a pair of 2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 and plenty of I/O including a pair of Thunderbolt ports.
The motherboard looks great in black and gold. It also has a debugger and plenty of LED lights to help you troubleshoot in case something goes wrong. While this is an expensive motherboard, it does come loaded with features and has a robust build.
The Breakdown
The following is what we like and dislike about the MSI MEG Z690 ACE:
Pros:
- Impressive overclocking potential
- Great VRM design
- 5x M.2 slots
- Plenty of fan and RGB headers
Cons:
- Relatively expensive
- EATX form factor
GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS MASTER – Best Overall
Socket: LGA 1700 | Form Factor: ATX | Memory Type: DDR5 | Memory Speed: 6400MHz | Max RAM: 128GB
Aorus motherboards are known for premium quality and top-tier features and the Z690 AORUS MASTER is no exception. The motherboard has a 22 phase power design and 19 of them are dedicated to the CPU so you can expect to get some serious overclocks.
As this is an ATX motherboard, you get 4 DIMM slots that are reinforced and the motherboard supports DDR5 RAM up to 6400MHz. For connectivity, you get Aquantia 10 Gigabit LAN and WiFi 6E. You also get 11 USB ports including 2 USB Type-C ports.
For high-speed storage, you get 4 M.2 slots that support PCIe Gen5. The PCIe ports are all reinforced for better GPU support. As this is a premium motherboard, you get plenty of armor and RGB lighting. All things considered, this is an expensive motherboard but you can get it at a discounted price which makes it better value for money.
The Breakdown
The following is what we like and dislike about the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS MASTER:
Pros:
- 22 Phase VRM
- Impressive rear I/O
- Aquantia 10 Gigabit LAN
- Unique RGB lighting
Cons:
- Relatively expensive
MSI MPG Z690 Edge WiFi DDR4 – Best DDR4 Motherboard
Socket: LGA 1700 | Form Factor: ATX | Memory Type: DDR4 | Memory Speed: 5200MHz | Max RAM: 128GB
DDR5 memory is fairly expensive and with that in mind, you might be interested in saving some money and sticking with DDR4 memory instead. The MSI MPG Z690 Edge WiFi DDR4 is a great motherboard that supports DDR4 memory.
The motherboard has a nice design, comes with plenty of armor and RGB lighting. It has 4 M.2 slots for high-speed storage and the top PCIe slot is reinforced for better GPU support. The design and color scheme should blend in well with the rest of your build.
The motherboard features 18 Phase power delivery and you get decent overclocking potential. The Wi-Fi is limited to Wi-Fi 6 but you also get 2.5 GbE. You also get plenty of USB ports including Type-C.
The Breakdown
The following is what we like and dislike about the MSI MPG Z690 Edge WiFi DDR4:
Pros:
- 4x M.2 slots
- Great power delivery
- Decent overclocking potential
Cons:
- Limited to Wi-Fi6
ASUS ROG Strix Z690-I – Best ITX Motherboard
Socket: LGA 1700 | Form Factor: ITX | Memory Type: DDR5 | Memory Speed: 6400MHz | Max RAM: 64GB
If you are interested in building a small form factor PC and do not want to compromise on performance then you can pair your Intel Core i9-12900K with the ASUS ROG Strix Z690-I ITX motherboard. Since this is a smaller motherboard, there are some limitations such as a single PCIe slot for the graphics card and two DIMM slots.
Asus has not cut corner when it comes to VRM design and the motherboard comes wth 10+1 phase VRM with 105 amp power stages. You might not get the highest overclocks with his motherboard but you can still get some decent clock speeds.
The small motherboard supports DDR5 memory up to 6400MHz which is pretty fast and you also get connectivity features such as 2.5 GbE LAN port and WiFi 6E. For high-speed storage, you get a pair of M.2 slots and other features include Clear CMOS button, BIOS flashback, 12v and 5v lighting headers. Out of the box, you get two PCBs that can be used for extensions such as SATA ports for HDDs.
The Breakdown
The following is what we like and dislike about the ASUS ROG Strix Z690-I:
Pros:
- Great VRM design and cooling
- Ideal for small form factor builds
- Impressive rear I/O
Cons:
- Limited expansion
- Relatively costly
These are some of the best Z690 motherboard that you can pair with the Intel Core i9-12900K. If you are interested in a graphics card for your build then you can check out our recommended Nvidia RTX 3090 Ti and AMD RX 6950 XT graphics cards.
