With the release of the Intel 12th generation Alder Lake CPUs, you are going to need a compatible CPU cooler if you are interested in buying one. In this article, we go over the LGA 1700 mounting kits from Noctua and Corsair, so that you can use your existing coolers with the Intel 12th generation CPUs.
We have also included some new colors from Noctua that come with the LGA 1700 mounting kit if you are interested in buying a new CPU cooler rather than using an older one.
Noctua CPU Mounting Kits For Intel 12th Gen LGA 1700
The following are the Noctua CPU mounting kits that you can buy for the Intel 12th Gen LGA 1700 socket if you want to use your existing CPU cooler.
If you are interested in buying a new CPU for your Intel 12th generation Alder Lake CPU then you can buy one with the LGA 1700 mounting kit. The following are the different options that you can choose from.
The Noctua NH-D15 is a classic when it comes to custom PC builds and is a tried and tested CPU cooler that plenty of enthusiasts can vouch for. This is a pretty beefy cooler and should work fine with even the top-of-the-line Intel i9 CPUs provided that you are not going to do any extreme overclocking.
The Noctua NH-D15 comes with 6 8mm heat pipes and a nickel-plated base. The fin design allows you to install RAM on either side. There is 64mm of clearance on either side, so installing RAM is not going to be an issue unless you are going for really tall RAM sticks. As this is a pretty beefy cooler, you will need ample room in your case.
The Noctua NH-D15 Chromax Black is the same as the above-mentioned CPU cooler but it comes in all black. This should blend in well with the rest of your build.
If you are interested in building a small form factor PC then the Noctua NH-L9x65 is a great solution. It is pretty inexpensive and very small. The size is almost the same as an Intel stock cooler and comes with a single 90mm fan. The fan is PWM compatible and you can control the speed. There are rubber pads on the corners in order to reduce the noise and vibrations.
There are 4 heat pipes made of nickel-plated copper in order to dissipate heat despite the small footprint of the CPU cooler. The ends are rounded off and they are looped around the heatsink to maintain the small form factor.
Corsair CPU Mounting Kits For Intel 12th Gen LGA 1700
The following are the Corsair CPU mounting kits that you can buy for the Intel 12th Gen LGA 1700 socket if you want to use your existing CPU cooler.
These are the mounting kits that you can get for Noctua and Corsair CPU coolers. If you are interested in learning more then you can check out our recommendations for the best Z690 motherboards that you can buy for the new Intel 12th generation Alder Lake CPUs.
The new Intel 12th Generation Alder Lake CPUs use the new LGA 1700 CPU socket, so you will need to buy the Z690 motherboards in order to use it. Right now only the high-end K series CPUs and Z series motherboards are available for purchase. In this article, we are going to go over some of the best Z690 motherboards that you can buy right now.
Asus is known for making some of the best performing and aesthetically pleasing motherboards and the Asus ROG Maximus Z690 Hero is the next evolution of just that. Asus ROG Maximus Z690 Hero provides the features of the ultra-premium motherboards such as the Formula or Xtreme without the higher price tag. This is a premium motherboard and comes with all the bells and whistles that you will need.
The motherboard has very beefy cooling for the VRM and there is a mirror I/O shroud that features RGB lighting. The motherboard supports DDR5 RAM, so you will need the newer standard of memory in order to make things work. The motherboard has a pair of 8-pin pro cool connectors, so you will be able to get some serious overclocks on your new Intel 12th generation CPU. There is an extra 6-pin connector next to the 24-pin power connector to provide some extra supplementary power to the motherboard.
There are three M.2 slots on the motherboard. It comes with a Hyper M.2 card out of the box with an included heatsink for further storage expansion. The motherboard has a small button next to the DIMM slots that unlocks the GPU latch. This is a cool feature that will come in handy if you test a lot of graphics cards and need to change them often. This is a very simple and effective feature that is very useful.
There are plenty of fan heaters and RGB headers for cooling and lighting. There are three PCIe slots, two of which are reinforced and support PCIe Gen5. The last one is not reinforced and supports PCIe Gen5.
There is no armor on the back which is something that I would have liked to see but there is plenty of I/O on the back including 2.5G ethernet. You also get a CMOS and BIOS clear button. The motherboard also comes with Wi-Fi 6e.
The Breakdown
The following is what you need to know about the Asus ROG Maximus Z690 Hero:
The Gigabyte Z690 AORUS Master is one of the premium motherboards that the company has to offer right now and comes with all the bells and whistles that you can ask for in a motherboard.
The motherboard has plenty of armor and a futuristic design that matches the price point. There is RGB lighting on the motherboard and plenty of RGB connectors to sync the lighting with other parts of your build.
The motherboard has everything that you want in a build including support for PCIe Gen5 and DDR5. The motherboard has five M.2 slots for SSD storage and there are 3 PCIe slots, all of them are reinforced for better graphics card support. The four DIMM slots are reinforced as well.
There are dual 8-pin power connectors that come with metal shielding to provide power to the CPU. You will be able to get some decent overclocks on your CPU and RAM. There is a beefy cooler for the VRMs that is integrated with the I/O shroud. The motherboard has power and reset switches.
The motherboard does come with Wi-Fi out of the box and even has a BIOS Flash and Clear CMOS buttons. It has plenty of USB and USB SuperSpeed ports along with DisplayPort, USB Type-C, 10G Ethernet, and audio codec.
The Breakdown
The following is what you need to know about the Gigabyte Z690 AORUS Master:
The MSI MPG Z690 Carbon is significantly cheaper than the Asus ROG Maximus Z690 Hero but still looks great and manages to provide similar functionality. The motherboard has a 16+2 power delivery system and a beefy heatsink to keep the VRMs cool. The motherboard does have armor but there is nothing over the top. The dragon on the I/O shroud and the Carbon branding on the chipset heatsink light up.
The motherboard has a pair of 8-pin connectors, so you will be able to get some serious overclocks on your new Intel 12th generation CPU. There are three PCIe slots, two of which are reinforced and support PCIe Gen5. The last one is not reinforced and supports PCIe Gen3.
There are 5 M.2 slots in total. 4 of which support PCIe Gen4 while the last one supports PCIe Gen5. All of them come with heatsinks and there is an easy locking mechanism so you do not have to screw them in if you do not want to. The motherboard supports DDR5 memory up to 6666 MHz.
The motherboard has the troubleshoot LEDs and error code LED indicator as well. It has plenty of PWM fan headers as well as RGB headers. This is a mid-range motherboard and should be pretty popular. There is an integrated I/O shield for easy installation and the motherboard comes with integrated Wi-Fi 6e.
The Breakdown
The following is what you need to know about the MSI MPG Z690 Carbon Wi-Fi:
The Asus ROG Strix Z690-F Gaming WiFi is a much cheaper and budget-friendly variant from Asus compared to the Hero. This is a mid-range motherboard that features 16+1 power stages and plenty of cool-looking armor on the motherboard.
The motherboard support DDR5 memory up to 6400 MHz when overclocked. There are 4 M.2 slots on the motherboard with heatsinks. So there is plenty of high-speed storage options for you.
The motherboard has an integrated I/O shield for easy installation and comes with Wi-Fi 6e. There is a velcro strap on the motherboard which is odd and not something that we have seen before. The Strix Z690-F also features the quick-release switch for the graphics card just like the Hero. Just like other Asus motherboards, there is RGB lighting on the board itself and there are plenty of RGB headers for RGB customization.
The Breakdown
The following is what you need to know about the Asus ROG Strix Z690-F Gaming WiFi:
The GIGABYTE Z690 Gaming X DDR4 comes in a nice metallic theme and there is plenty of armor on the motherboard that extends to the I/O shroud. The armor is integrated with the M.2 cooling which gives a nice cohesive look to the motherboard.
It has a 16+1+2 Twin Hybrid Digital VRM power design with 60A DrMOS. The motherboard does not come with Wi-Fi but do you get plenty of USB ports on the back including USB 3.2 and Type-C. You also get 2.5G Ethernet and a dedicated BIOS USB port.
The Breakdown
The following is what you need to know about the GIGABYTE Z690 Gaming X DDR4:
The ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-Plus WiFi D4 is one of the cheaper motherboards that Asus has to offer right now. You could call it an entry-level Z690 motherboard. It does have armor on it but it is nothing flashy. The overall aesthetic of the motherboard is pretty sleek and there is lighting on the right side. But you do get RGB headers for customization.
The budget-friendly option still has an integrated I/O shield and comes with integrated Wi-Fi out of the box. The D4 at the end of the name means that the motherboard supports DDR4 memory unlike some other motherboards on this list. The first PCIe slot is reinforced and comes with support for PCIe Gen5. The other PCIe slot does not support PCIe Gen5 nor is it reinforced.
There are 4 M.2 slots on the motherboard and 3 of them come with heatsinks. There is no PCIe Gen5 support for storage but that should not be an issue, at least not for now. All of the M.2 slots support the easy-lock mechanism so that you do not have to screw them in. Improvements include 10GB Type-C and an excellent audio chip. There are no post code LEDs or debugger LEDs or any physical buttons for BIOS or CMOS clearing but it is still a well-rounded motherboard if you want to save some money.
The Breakdown
The following is what you need to know about the ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-Plus WiFi D4:
The MSI PRO Z690-A DDR4 is meant for content creators that do not need the flair that gamers want. The DDR4 means that the motherboard supports DDR4 memory. The memory can be overclocked to 5200 MHz if that is something that you are interested in.
The motherboard does not have a lot of armor but the VRM cooling is decent. The motherboard has a 14+1+1 phase power design and has dual 8-pin power connectors to provide power to the CPU.
As this is a budget-friendly motherboard, there is no RGB, integrated I/O shield, or Wi-Fi 6e. The top PCIe slot is reinforced while the others are not. The top one supports PCIe Gen 5. There are 4 M.2 slots but none of them support PCI Gen 5.
The motherboard supports 20G USB and 2.5G Ethernet. It comes with plenty of PWM fan headers for case fans and cooling.
These are some of the best Z690 motherboards that you can pre-order now for the Intel 12th generation Alder Lake CPUs. We will keep updating this list as more models are listed at retailers, so stay tuned for more!
With the release of the new Intel Alder Lake 12th generation CPUs, the new Z690 chipset and motherboards have now been announced. So what is the difference between the new Intel Z690 chipset as compared to the previous Z590? In this article, we are going to go over everything that you need to know about that.
What Is The Difference between Intel Z690 And Z590?
Intel Z690 chipset adds new PCIe 4.0 lanes. The new CPUs have a better PCIe Gen4 link to the chipset which doubles the bandwidth to 15.76 GB/s compared to 7.88 GB/s on X570 and 7.70 GB/s on Z590. The new chipset supports up to 24 Gen 4 lanes. This makes things better when it comes to the integrated Wi-Fi 6E and 2.5G Ethernet to co-exist with other features such as 10G Ethernet and 20G USB ports.
Intel Z690 is the first chipset to support DDR5 but DDR4 support is there as well. While the controller supports both, it is worth mentioning that you cannot run both at the same time. With DDR5 internal bottlenecks have been removed and the power management has been moved to the DIMMs rather than taking up space on the motherboard itself. You also get better-overclocking control.
The new XMP 3.0 allows memory manufacturers to have 3 Vendor profiles. You also get 2 rewritable profiles. Voltage can be controller per module. Z690 motherboards such as the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero are available for pre-order right now and more are going to pop up in a few days as we get closer to the November 4th release date.
These are the major differences that you need to know about the Intel Z690 chipset compared to the older Z590 chipset. If you are interested in getting the new Intel 12th generation CPUs then you can check out our article on where you can pre-order them right now.
Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake CPUs have officially been announced and they are now available for purchase. In this article, we are going to provide you with links for the Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake CPUs from sites such as Amazon.
Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake Purchase Links
The following are the different Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake that were announced and where you can buy them from.
Intel Core i5-12600K
The Intel Core i5-12600K features 10 cores, 6 of which are performance cores while the remaining 4 are efficiency cores. It also comes with 16 threads. The max turbo speed of the CPU is 4.9GHz. A single performance core can go up to 4.9 GHz while a single efficiency core can go up to 2.8 GHz. It has 20MB of L3 smart cache and 9.5MB of L2 cache.
The processor supports up to 4800MHz of DDR5 RAM and up to 3200 MHz of DDR4 RAM. It has 2 memory channels along with 16 PCIe 5.0 lanes and 4 PCIe 4.0 lanes for the CPU. It comes with Intel UHD 770 graphics. You can use the following links to order the Intel Core i5-12600K:
The Intel Core i5-12600KF is the same as the Intel Core i7-12600K but it does not come with a graphics part, so you will need a dedicated graphics card in order to get video output. You can use the following links to order the Intel Core i5-12600KF:
The Intel Core i7 i7-12700K features 12 cores and 20 threads. It has a max turbo clock speed of 5 GHz. The single performance core clock speed can go up to 4.9GHz while a single efficiency core can go up to 3.8GHz. It has 25MB of L3 smart cache and 12MB of L2 cache.
The processor supports up to 4800MHz of DDR5 RAM and up to 3200 MHz of DDR4 RAM. It has 2 memory channels along with 16 PCIe 5.0 lanes and 4 PCIe 4.0 lanes for the CPU. It comes with Intel UHD 770 graphics. You can use the following links to order the Intel Core i7-12700K:
The Intel Core i7-12700KF is the same as the Intel Core i7-12700K but it does not come with a graphics part, so you will need a dedicated graphics card in order to get video output. You can use the following links to order the Intel Core i7-12700KF:
The Intel Core i9-12900KF features 16 cores, 8 of which are performance cores while the other 8 are efficiency cores. It also comes with 24 threads. It has a max turbo speed of 5.2GHz. A single performance core boosts to 5.1 GHz while a single efficiency core boosts to 3.9GHz. It has 30MB of L3 smart cache and 14MB of L2 cache.
The processor supports up to 4800MHz of DDR5 RAM and up to 3200 MHz of DDR4 RAM. It has 2 memory channels along with 16 PCIe 5.0 lanes and 4 PCIe 4.0 lanes for the CPU. This is a KF series CPU so there is no graphics part. You can use the following links to order the Intel Core i9-12900KF:
The Intel Core i9-12900K has the same specifications as the Intel Core i9-12900KF but it also comes with integrated graphics. You can buy it using the following links:
With the introduction of the new 11th generation Intel CPUs, we have new chipsets coming out. These include H510, H570 and Z590 chipset motherboards. The Z590 is the top-of-the-line series while the H510 is the entry-level and the H570 is between them. In this article, we are going to go over the differences between H510, H570, and Z590 chipset motherboards.
What Is The Difference Between H510, H570, And Z590 Motherboards
The following are the specifications of the H510, H570, and Z590 chipsets so that you know what the difference between all of them is:
Features
H510
H570
Z590
DMI
DMI Gen3 x4
DMI Gen3 x8
DMI Gen3 x8
Maximum SATA 6 Gb/s Ports
4
6
6
Maximum PCIe Gen3 Lanes
6
20
24
Total USB 2.0 Ports
10
14
14
Max USB 3.2 Gen 1×1 (5 Gb/s)
4
8
10
Max USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 (10 Gb/s)
0
4
10
Max USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20 Gb/s)
0
2
3
Intel Smart Sound Technology
No
Yes
Yes
Intel CSME Firmware
Intel CSME 1.5 Consumer
Intel CSME 1.5 Consumer
Intel CSME 1.5 Consumer
Intel Optane Memory Support
No
Yes
Yes
Intel Rapid Storage Technology
Yes
Yes
Yes
Intel RST For PCIe Storage
0
2
3
PCIe Raid 0,1,5 Support
No
Yes
Yes
SATA Raid 0,1,5,10 Support
No
Yes
Yes
eSPI Chip Select
2
2
4
Processor PCI Express 3.0 Lane Configuration Support
1×16
1×16+1×4
1×16+1×4 or 2×8+1×4 or 1×8+3×4
Simultaneous Independent Display Support
2
3
3
The Z590 motherboards are more expensive than the others but you also get:
2 more SATA 6 Gb/s Ports than H510
4 more max PCIe Gen3 Lanes than H570
4 more total USB 2.0 Ports than H510
A higher number of USB 3.2 Gen ports
Intel Smart Sound Technology
Intel Optane Memory Support
Intel RST For PCIe Storage
With that in mind, the mid-range H570 motherboards are also pretty compelling. If you are interested in getting a high-end CPU but is not unlocked then you can make do with an H570 motherboard.
The new Z690 chipset has been announced to support the 12 generation of Intel Alder Lake CPUs. You can check out our Z690 vs Z590 article to learn about the differences between the two. You can also check out our recommended Z690 motherboards if you are interested in buying one.
This is what you need to know about when it comes to the differences between H510, H570, and Z590 chipset motherboards. If you are interested in getting a Z590 motherboard to go with your unlocked Intel 11th generation CPU then you can check out our recommended Z590 motherboards.
The new Z590 motherboards support the LGA1200 based Intel 11th and 10th generations processors. These motherboards support PCIe gen4 and allow for faster bandwidth for graphics cards and PCIe SSDs. Here we are going to look at some of the best Z590 motherboards that you can buy right now.
Best Z590 Motherboards For Intel 11th Generation CPUs
The following are some of the best Z590 motherboards that we can recommend for the 11th generation Intel CPUs:
Asus is known for making some of the best motherboards on the market and here we have the ROG Maximus XIII Hero which is one of the higher-end models. You are expected to pay a bit more for Asus products but you get those bells and whistles that you expect for the price.
The motherboard comes with a couple of goodies such a the ROG keyring. Also includes in the box are all the cables, crews, and cable ties that you are going to need for your build. This is the Wi-Fi version of the motherboard so it comes with an antenna to catch those Wi-Fi signals. Inside the box, you also get a GPU support bracket to prevent GPU sag.
The Asus ROG Maximus XIII Hero comes in black but there are texture differences that make the different parts of the motherboard stand out. It does have a unique look if you are interested in showing it off.
The motherboard has a 14+2 power design. It has 8+8 pin power connectors for the CPU so you should be able to overclock your unlocked CPU pretty well. There should be no power delivery issues. There are three fan headers at the top of the board. One is for the CPU and there is another one of the AIO if you are interested in getting an AIO liquid cooler.
Next to that, you have the code display that is going to give you an error code in case something goes wrong. This should make troubleshooting a bit easier. You also get the power and reset buttons of the board itself along with addressable RGB headers.
On the side, you get a pair of USB 3 connectors along with 6 SATA 6 ports. At the bottom, you have headers for your water cooling including the temperature sensors and the pump.
At the bottom of the board, you also get plenty of headers for case fans along with RGB lighting headers and USB 2.0. Next to the RGB headers, you get a retry button which will come in handy if something goes wrong during overclocking.
There are 4 M.2 slots for PCIe SSDs but it is worth noting that only the top one supports PCIe Gen4. All of them are covered in heatsinks so thermals should be fine but if you are interested in getting an aftermarket cooler for your SSD then you can check out our recommended SSD heatsinks. Note that this motherboard does have 6 SATA6 ports but 2 of them will be disabled if you are using all the M.2 slots. This is due to the PCIe lanes limit.
The motherboard has an integrated I/O shield for easy installation and talking about the ports and connectivity options that you get at the back. YOu get a Clear CMOS and BIOS reset button. You also get a BIOS USB port so that you can flash the BIOS without having to install a CPU. You also get an HDMI port if you need it. You have the Wi-Fi antenna connections at the back as well.
You get plenty of USB 3.2 ports but you also have some USB 2.0 ports if you need them. You also have the audio ports at the back which do light up so that you know what you are looking for in the dark.
The Breakdown
The following is what you need to know about the Asus ROG Maximus XIII Hero
The TUF series is Asus’s budget-friendly option which ensures durability. The TUF Gaming Z590-Plus WiFi is one of the new models that support overclocking of the 11th generation Intel CPUs and also features PCIe Gen4.
This version does not have all the options as compared to the Asus ROG Maximus XIII Hero but it is going to get the job done for most people. The WiFi version uses a wireless CNVi module and that is the only difference when compared to the non-WiFi variant.
The motherboard has a clean design with black armor and plenty of cooling on the chipset. As this is a budget-friendly option, you only get 8+4 pin power connectors for the CPU. This can limit the amount of power that the CPU gets and the overclocking results that you get as compared to 8+8-pin power connectors but you should still be able to get away with some decent overclocks on an unlocked CPU.
As is the case with the Maximus, only the top M.2 slot supports PCIe Gen4. The same is the case for the top PCIe slot which is reinforced for better GPU support. There are 4 DIMM slots on the board and it supports RAM speeds up to 4800 MHz. You can have up to 128 GB of RAM on this motherboard with all the slots populated.
The motherboard does come with an integrated I/O shield. You get a single USB 3.2 G2 Type-C, 2 USB 3.2 G2 Type-A, 2 USB 3.2 G1 Type-A, and 2 USB 2.0 ports. You also get an HDMI port and a DisplayPort. You also have your audio jacks. There is a non-WiFi model that is a bit cheaper.
The Breakdown
The following is what you need to know about the ASUS TUF Gaming Z590-Plus WiFi:
Pros:
Great for overclocking
PCIe Gen4 support
Integrated Wi-Fi 6
Intel 2.5 GbE
Comparatively budget-friendly
Cons:
Only the top M.2 slot supports PCIe Gen4
These are the best Z590 motherboards that we recommend you buy in 2021. If you are interested in similar content then you can check out our recommendations for the best custom RTX 3070 graphics cards.
The GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS Elite AX is one of the more affordable options as compared to the Asus models. You still get the Z590 chipset along with other premium features but the pricing is a bit lower than other models here.
The motherboard does have some weight to it and looks pretty nice. The motherboard comes with plenty of armor and all the DIMM slots, as well as the top PCIe slot, are reinforced. There are 3 M.2 slots but only the top 2 come with heatsinks.
The Aorus logo on the motherboard does indeed light up as you can see in the image below and the motherboard has other RGB lighting zones as well. All the things you expect to see on a high-end motherboard.
Other than that you get AMP-UP audio and 6 SATA ports for your storage. At the top, there are 8+4 pin power connectors to provide enough power to the motherboard when overclocking.
The motherboard comes with an integrated I/O shield for easy installation. At the back, you get some USB 3.2 ports and USB 3.0 ports as well as a Type-C port. You also get your audio jacks as well as 2.5G ethernet, Wi-Fi connectors, and DisplayPort.
If you are interested in saving a few bucks then you can opt for the GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS Elite that is the version of the same motherboard that does not come with Wi-Fi.
The Breakdown
The following is what you need to know about the GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS Elite AX:
This is a smaller ITX motherboard so the features that are you get are not as many as that of an ATX motherboard. There are only 2 DIMM slots but you can get 64GB sticks to get to 128GB of RAM. You also have a single PCIe slot for your graphics card. Both the DIMM slots and the PCIe slot are reinforced for better support.
The motherboard comes with plenty of armor and cooling. There is a single 8-pin power connector to provide power to the CPU which can limit the overclocking potential of your build but if you are going for a small form factor PC then you do not want too much heat in your small case.
You get 3 SATA6 ports and there is an integrated I/O shield for easy installation. t the back, you get some USB 3.2 ports and USB 3.0 ports as well as a Type-C port. You also get your audio jacks as well as 2.5G ethernet, Wi-Fi connectors, HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort. You also get a Q-Flas button and a dedicated BIOS USB port so that you can flash the BIOS without having to install a CPU.
The Breakdown
The following is what you need to know about the Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra:
Pros:
Great for overclocking
PCIe Gen4 support
Integrated Wi-Fi 6
Intel 2.5 GbE
Ideal for powerful small form factor builds
Cons:
Limitations due to smaller form factor
These are some of the best Z590 motherboards that we can recommend for now in 2021.
To get the best performance out of the new 11th generation Intel CPUs you are going to need a Z590 motherboard. Especially if you are interested in overclocking and are getting an unlocked processor. So, what is the Intel Z590 motherboard price going to be like?
We have some leaked numbers that show that the price could go up to $1000. Which is pretty high, even for a top-of-the-line motherboard that comes with all the bells and whistles that you could ever ask for.
Intel Z590 Motherboard Price Leak
Z590 motherboards are going to use the same LGA1200 socket but they are going to support 20 PCIe lanes for the CPU rather than 16. The new motherboards also support PCIe gen4.
We have seen a couple of different models from motherboard manufacturers such as Gigabyte, MSI, and Asus but little is known about the pricing. We do not really even have the full specifications of these motherboards yet.
The following are some of the models that we know about and their price tag:
Interestingly the MSI MEG Z590 Godlike is listed at $1000, which is pretty high even for a top-of-the-line motherboard. We also have the prices of some of the Intel H560 and H570 motherboards which will come in handy if you are not interested in overclocking or getting an unlocked CPU.
This should give you an idea of how much the Intel Z590 motherboard that you want is going to cost you. Note that these might not be the final prices. You might need to add taxes depending on where you live and if there is no guarantee that you will be able to buy these at MSRP assuming that these are the recommended price tags of the Intel Z590 motherboard models that we have here.
Let us know what you think about the pricing of the Z590 motherboards and whether or not you are interested in upgrading to 11th generation Intel CPUs in 2021.
Nvidia RTX 3090, 3080 and 3070 graphics cards have been announced and they are coming out later this month. This the new graphics cards around the corner you might be interested in upgrading your system to take advantage of PCIe Gen4 and the higher bandwidth that it has to offer. Here we are going to look into the best PCIe Gen 4 motherboards that you can pair with the Nvidia RTX 3090, 3080 and 3070 graphics cards.
Before heading into the article, it is worth mentioning that PCIe Gen4 is backward compatible with PCIe Gen3. This means that you can install the RTX 30 series cards in your current PCIe Gen3 motherboard.
Do you need PCIe Gen4 for RTX 30 series graphics cards? To answer this question, you should know that the RTX 2080 Ti is able to take full advantage of PCIe Gen3 X8 slots but it is still not able to use all the bandwidth of the X16 slots which you should use for gaming.
The RTX 3080 is going to be more powerful than the RTX 2080, not the Ti. If you are going to play games at 4K then you are not going to have any issues whether you run the RTX 30 series using PCIe Gen3 or 4.
You will feel the difference when you are making use of the different PCIe lanes and are playing at higher refresh rates at a lower resolution than 4K. For example, if you have an M.2 SSD which is sharing the PCIe lanes with your graphics card and are playing games at 1080p or 1440p at 144+ FPS.
All those frames per second can cause issues when using PCIe Gen3 and you might need PCIe Gen4 but that is a very extreme case and the general consumer is not going to need a new motherboard with PCIe Gen4.
On the other hand, with PCIe Gen4, you can take advantage of the higher bandwidth of the supporting graphics cards and the PCIe Gen4 SSDs if you are interested in super-fast transfer speeds, the kinds that the PS5 is boasting right now. If that is something that you are looking for then you can upgrade your motherboard and go with PCIe Gen4.
AMD Vs Intel: Which Should You Pick?
Right off the bat, you have to decide between Intel and AMD platforms. Both are very different right now as Intel does not offer PCIe Gen4 support at the CPU level but there are motherboards that support the feature.
AMD on the other hand offers the feature even on the more mid-range B550 series motherboards. So you do not have to spend a lot of money on a motherboard in order to take advantage of the feature.
If you do take the Intel route then there is a silver lining. You can keep the same motherboard, upgrade to the 11th generation CPUs when they come out and be able to make use of PCIe Gen4. But you will obviously have to wait. With that in mind, we are going to mention
With that out of the way, we can move on to the recommendations.
Best PCIe Gen4 Supporting Motherboards For Nvidia RTX 3090, 3080, 3070
The following are the best PCIe Gen4 supporting motherboards for Nvidia RTX 3090, 3080, 3070:
Intel
The following are the best PCIe Gen4 supporting motherboards from Intel for Nvidia RTX 3090, 3080, 3070:
ASUS ROG Maximus XII Extreme Z490 is one of the best motherboards that you can buy on the Intel side of things. This is a premium motherboard and comes with a pretty high price tag but it does come with all the features that you could ask for plus the overclocking potential and built quality is worth the money.
If money is no object and you want the best of the best especially if you are going to the Nvidia RTX 3090 then this is the motherboard that you can look into for your build. Intel has confirmed that 11th generation CPUs will support the same LGA 1200 socket and that they will work on the Z490 motherboards. So if you are interested in sticking to Intel and are willing to wait a while for PCIe Gen4 support then this is an interesting option.
For the price, the ASUS ROG Maximus XII Extreme Z490 offers a robust build and looks great too. It has all the features that you could ask for. You even get a DIMM.2 riser that you can use to install your extra Nvme storage and they fit next to the DIMM slots where your RAM is installed. You also have M.2 under all the armor.
The motherboard has plenty of armor and beautiful RGB lighting zones. Ther is an OLED screen as well which you can customize to show all kinds of different information. The motherboard features 6 Infineon TDA21490 power stages, and an outclass thermal design which is ideal for overclocking high-end CPUs like the 10900K.
The motherboard even has Wi-Fi. Out of the box you get a USB, ROG DIMM.2 for that extra M.2, a fan extension card, a VRM fan along with a bracket for its installation and all kinds of different cables that you might need.
All things considered, the ASUS ROG Maximus XII Extreme Z490 is a very well-built motherboard that offers intense overclocking potential and not only does it look great but it is highly functional as well. You get plenty of goodies out of the box which is another plus.
The Asus ROG Maximus XII Hero Wi-Fi can be seen as the little brother to the Extreme edition. It is priced significantly lower and offers similar features. The overclocking potential is not as great as that of the Extreme edition but you can still get a decent overclock on this motherboard.
You get that incredible Asus bio with the motherboard and the great build quality. The motherboard also has a 14+2 Power Stage design which makes it great for overclocking. While you do not get the DIMM.2 slot next to the RAM, you get M.2 slots under the armor so you have the slots for the high-speed storage.
All the DIMM slots and the two PCIe slots on the top are reinforced for better graphics card support. You get impressive connectivity options such as Dual Ethernet with 5Gb and gigabit Ethernet, LANGaurd, USB 3. 2 Gen 2, and Intel WiFi 6 AX201 (802. 11 ax). Just like the extreme and other high-end motherboards, it comes with the integrated I/O shield for easy installation.
All things considered, it is a very capable motherboard and even though it is pricy, it is something that we can recommend for enthusiasts.
The ASRock Z490 Taichi is one of the best value for money motherboards that you can get on the Intel side of things. It comes in Black and Grey with Bronze accents with all three PCIe slots reinforced for better GPU support and protection of the slots in general.
The design of the motherboard is very unique as it comes with plenty of armor but there are design elements on said armor that looks very appealing to the eyes. This is going to look great is you have a side panel and want to show off your build. If you are getting this motherboard and are interested in getting the RTX 30 series graphics cards then chances are that you have a decent case that is going to have a side panel of some kind.
There are three RGB lighting zones on the motherboard. Two of them are on the heatsinks while there is an additional one as a strip on the edge of the motherboard. All this lighting can be customized and synced with other compatible parts. An interesting thing about the motherboard is that it comes with a backplate which is one of the reasons why the RGB strip on the side of it is accommodated perfectly.
The motherboard has a 14 phase Dr.MOS power design and offers M.2 drives. This is a standard ATX motherboard so it is going to fit into any ATX case. You get 4 DIMM slots for your RAM. The motherboard comes with Wi-Fi out of the box and you even get a Wi-Fi antenna out of the box.
The heatsinks on the motherboard have active cooling. The one at the top has two fans while the one on the side has a single fan. Couple that with all that armor and you are looking at some serious overclocking potential.
Here we have the GIGABYTE Z490 AORUS Master which is one of the premium motherboards from Gigabyte. The company is known for making some really great gaming products and our recommendations would not be complete without an AORUS motherboard.
The motherboard looks great and you can get some money off on it if you are interested in getting one. It is PCIe Gen4 ready so you can use it with Gen4 SSDs and the RTX 30 series graphics cards and rest assured that you are getting the best possible performance.
The only thing is that you will have to change your CPU to Intel 11th generation in order to have that feature active. The motherboard does support the feature but the latest 10th generation Intel CPUs do not.
The motherboard has a very subtle design and while from the looks of it, it seems that the motherboard does not come with RGB lighting but turn it on and it is right there. There are plenty of lights to play around with and sync with the other parts in your build.
The 4 DIMM slots are reinforced and so are the 3 PCIe slots. There is plenty of armor in the motherboard and you get 3 M.2 slots for super-fast storage.
The heatsinks are pretty beefy and the motherboard features a 14 Phases Digital VRM with 90A Smart Power Stage so overclocking potential is impressive indeed. You can overclock those 10 core CPUs without any issues. The motherboard has 2 8-pin power connectors for the CPU which should provide enough power for your overclocking needs.
The motherboard even comes with a sleek looking backplate to provide that extra rigidity. It comes with an integrated I/O shield for easy installation and comes with Wi-Fi out of the box.
All things considered, this is a very impressive motherboard especially if you consider the discounted price.
Next up, we have the MSI MEG Z490 ACE which is also a very premium motherboard from MSI. The motherboard features a Black design with accents of Bronze. The motherboard looks really great and it should blend in well with the rest of your build. The motherboard has 4 reinforced DIMM slots and supports up to 128 GB of RAM just like the other motherboards that we have looked into above.
The motherboard has plenty of armor and beefy heatsinks to keep it cool so it should have no issues when it comes to overclocking an unlocked K series CPU from Intel. There are three PCIe slots that are also reinforced and you also get three M.2 slots with heatsinks.
It comes with an integrated I/O shield for easy installation and features buttons at the back such as Clear CMOS and Flash BIOS. There are plenty of RGB lighting zones on the motherboard and you can sync the lights of other parts with these lights in order to create a really good looking PC build. The motherboard also has a backplate. Out of the box, it comes with Wi-Fi as well which is a nice feature to have in case you need it.
AMD
Now that we have the Intel options out of the way we can move on to the motherboards that support AMD Ryzen. AMD Ryzen latest gen CPUs support PCIe Gen4, so X570 and B550 motherboards support PCIe Gen4 out of the box. The following are the best PCIe Gen4 supporting motherboards from AMD for Nvidia RTX 3090, 3080, 3070:
Here we have an X570 motherboard from Asus. This is from the TUF series so it is going to be of robust quality while still being relatively cheaper than what is available on the market. The motherboard is not all that fancy when compared to the high-end models but it comes with everything that you are going to need for your RTX 3070, 3080 or 3090 graphics card.
The motherboard comes in Blac and Grey with White accents and looks pretty cool. You have some RGB options to sync with other supporting parts as well. You get active chipset cooling, 4 DIMM slots and two PCIe slots. The top one is reinforced. You also get two M.2 slots for really fast SSD storage.
It does not come with the integrated I/O shield that the higher-end models have but you do get Wi-Fi out of the box. If you need PCIe Gen4 and robust build quality but are not interested in spending a lot of money then this is an interesting option for you to consider.
The Asus ROG Strix X570-E is a more expensive motherboard when compared to the TUF model but it does come with more armor and fancy RGB lighting zones which you do not get on the TUF model.
It also has an integrated I/O shield and integrated Wi-Fi out of the box. The motherboard has plenty of RGB lighting as well as headers so that you can sync other supporting parts. The motherboard comes with 4 DIMM slots for your RAM, 2 M.2 slots for your fast SSDs and 3 PCIe slots. Only the top two are reinforced but you should not have to use the lower one if you are gaming.
You get the Wi-Fi antenna for better connectivity inside the box along with all the things that you are going to need for the motherboard installation and your PC build along with some other Asus branded goodies for gamers.
If you are interested in spending a bit of money on a higher-end motherboard then this is something that you should consider for your RTX 3070, 3080, or 3090 graphics card.
Here we have an X570 motherboard from MSI. The gaming Edge Wi-Fi comes with all the features that you can ask for and also look great while doing its job. The motherboard comes in Black with White accents and it is going to blend in with the rest of your parts unless you are going for a really unique custom build.
This is a standard ATX motherboard and will fit into any ATX case. It features 4 DIMM slots and 2 PCIe slots but only the top one is reinforced. It also comes with dual M.2 slots but only the top one comes with a heatsink. If you are interested in getting a heatsink for your SSDs then you can check out our SSD heatsink guide.
The chipset has active cooling and there is plenty of armor and beefy heatsinks so you can get away with some decent overclocks on your CPU. With PCIe Gen4 this is one of the motherboards that we can openly recommend for Nvidia RTX 3070, 3080 and 3090 graphics cards.
The motherboard comes with an integrated I/O shield for easy installation and comes with Wi-Fi out of the box. All things considered, it is an impressive option to consider if you are looking for a premium motherboard that does not cost a lot of money.
These are some of the best motherboards on the AMD and Intel platforms that we can recommend for the Nvidia RTX 3070, 3080 and 3090 graphics cards.
Intel 11th Gen 1165G7 has been announced and during the announcement, the company did point some fingers at AMD and compared the product to the AMD 4800U which is a power-efficient CPU and hence the U suffix. Intel showed how well the Intel 11th Gen 1165G7 performed against the “competition” and while you should wait for 3rd party benchmarks to validate all and any claims, there is the AMD 4800H CPU in the mobile market that is a high-performance CPU. So how well does the Intel 11th Gen 1165G7 compete against the AMD 4800H?
AMD 4800H Vs Intel 11th Gen 1165G7
While picking at the little brother 4800U makes the Intel 11th Gen 1165G7 look like a big boy, the fact is that according to the new benchmarks that we have at our disposal, the AMD 4800H completely destroys the Intel 11th Gen 1165G7 in most benchmarks.
Polish website ithardware.pl published a few benchmarks on how well the Intel 11th Gen 1165G7 stacks up against the AMD 4800H and from what we see, the AMD 4800H holds it own very well and has the upper hand in most benchmarks. You can check them all out below:
Right off the bat we have some VR benchmarks and we can clearly see that the AMD 4800H has a major lead over the 11th generation CPU from Intel. But that is not the only area in which the older CPU is able to pull ahead. There are more benchmarks in which the mobile chip from team Red takes the win.
During its presentation, Intel claimed that Cinebench is no longer relevant. While that might possibly be the case, we see that the Intel CPU is faster when it comes to the single-core performance but the AMD chip comes out on top in the multi-core test.
We see a similar result in Blender where the mobile chip from team Red takes the clear win. There are plenty of other tests in which you will see the same trend and you can check them out below:
Here the AMD CPU has the lead in both the single file and multiple file tests.
The trend is pretty clear here and it seems that the new 11 generation is not all that great. Keep in mind that the 4800H is not a new CPU. You can rest assured that when AMD is able to integrate the performance of Navi into these chips, then the performance will be much better indeed. In other news, Intel is not going to leverage the full potential of Nvidia RTX 30 series graphics cards.
Let us know what you think about these benchmarks and whether or not you would be interested in buying a laptop powered by the new Intel 11th generation CPUs.
B460 Motherboards are ideal for pairing with locked Intel 10th generation CPUs such as the 10400. This is because these CPUs do not support overclocking and the B460 series motherboards do not support this feature. Instead of getting a more expensive Z470 motherboard, you can stick with B460 and save some money which you can spend on other parts of your build such as faster storage, more RAM, or a better graphics card. In this article, we are going to go over some of the best B460 motherboards that you can get right now for Intel 10th generation CPUs.
With that out of the way you must be thinking that the H470 chipset also does not support overclocking so why what is the difference between that and B460. The difference is that the B460 chipset features 16 PCIe lanes while the H470 chipset supports 20. Another difference is that H470 supports 4 USB 3.2 ports while the B460 does not natively support any at all.
Note that at first glance it might look like the B460 motherboard supports USB 3.2 but if you look closely you will notice that the official specifications mention “0 USB 3.2 Gen 2” which you can clearly see in the image below:
Note that this can get a bit confusing and even though the Intel specifications are a bit misleading, it comes down to your motherboard manufacturer and the specific model. There are certain models that do indeed have this feature in the form of USB Type-C. Also, note that this chipset does not support Nvidia SLI, there are some models that support AMD CrossFire. If that is the case then it will clearly be mentioned on the box. You can check out all the specification details that you need to know in the table below:
Z490 Chipset
H470 Chipset
B460 Chipset
Overclocking
Yes
No
No
PCI 3.0 Lanes
24
20
16
SATA 6Gb/s Ports
6
6
6
RAID Support
0, 1, 5, 10
0, 1, 5, 10
0, 1, 5, 10
USB 3.2 Gen1 Ports
10
8
8
USB 3.2 Gen2 Ports
6
4
0
USB 2.0 Ports
14
14
12
Intel Optane support
Yes
Yes
Yes
Integrated Intel Wi-Fi 6
Yes
Yes
Yes
So the difference is not all that major if you really think about it. It is not going to be worth the extra money to get additional PCIe lanes and USB 3.2 ports for the general consumer.
Best B460 Motherboards For Intel 10th Gen CPUs
The following are some of Best B460 Motherboards that you can buy right now:
ATX
The following are some of Best ATX B460 Motherboards that you can buy right now:
The AORUS branding marks the premium Gigabyte products and here we have the Gigabyte B460 AORUS PRO AC. The motherboard has a relatively high price tag but it has all the features that you are going to need for your 10th generation CPU.
It comes with a Direct 8 Phases Digital VRM Solution and has 4 DIMM slots for your RAM. The motherboard has 3 PCIe slots and the top one is reinforced for better GPU support. The motherboard comes with 2 M.2 slots for fast SSDs and both have a heatsink.
There is plenty of armor around the chipset and around the socket for cooling and optimal thermals. The motherboard features Smart Fan 5 multiple temperature sensors and hybrid fan headers. These will help you monitor your thermals and customize the fan curves in order to have a balance between silence and cooling.
Out of the box, the motherboard supports Intel 802.11ac Wave2 2T2R WIFI and BT 5. These are great for wireless connectivity and wireless peripherals such as keyboards, mice and controllers. You have some RGB zones on the motherboard and some headers with which you can connect and sync your other RGB compatible parts.
All things considered, the Gigabyte B460 AORUS PRO AC is a bit expensive compared to all the other B460 motherboards out there but this is a premium product and it comes with all the bells and whistles that you could ask for.
Here we have the ASUS ROG Strix B460-H Gaming motherboard which is also on the higher-end side of things but it is cheaper than the AUROS one that we have looked into above. It is certainly on par with the Gigabyte board and offers similar features excluding Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support. We do not recommend a wireless connection for gaming so that is not a major dealbreaker for us but the lack of Bluetooth support could be a big deal for you, depending on what you are looking for in a motherboard.
As we mentioned above, some motherboards can support USB 3.2 Gen 2 and this motherboard does. Other than that, it also supports AMD CrossFire. So you can install a pair of AMD graphics cards and have them work together but that is not something that we recommend for gaming.
There is plenty of armor around the chipset and around the socket for cooling and optimal thermals. You have some RGB zones on the motherboard and some headers with which you can connect and sync your other RGB compatible parts.
It features 4 DIMM slots for your RAM. The motherboard has 2 PCIe slots and the top one is reinforced for better GPU support. The motherboard comes with 2 M.2 slots for fast SSDs but one of them has a heatsink. If you are interested in getting a heatsink for your SSD then you can check out some great options in our NVMe SSD heatsink guide.
There is an additional M.2 slot if you are interested in adding Wi-Fi, Bluetooth support or both down the line. So while it does not come with these wireless connectivity features out of the box the option to add them is there.
All things considered, the ASUS ROG Strix B460-H Gaming motherboard is a great option to consider if you are interested in a premium motherboard with the majority of the features as the high-end models but are not interested in spending too much money.
Next, we have the ASROCK B460 Steel Legend. This motherboard comes in Black and White and is great if what you are going for is a Black and White build. It features 4 DIMM slots for your RAM. The motherboard has 2 PCIe slots and the top one is reinforced for better GPU support.
The motherboard has 9 power phases and high-end capacitors with black caps. The motherboard comes with 2 M.2 slots for fast SSDs and both have a heatsink. There is an additional M.2 slot if you are interested in adding Wi-Fi, Bluetooth support or both down the line.
The motherboard supports CrossFire, so you can install 2 AMD graphics cards and have them work. The motherboard has some RGB lighting zones and even comes with 2 RGB and ARGB headers so that you can connect and sync other RGB parts in your build.
The ASROCK B460 Steel Legend is a great option for 10th generation Intel CPUs that do not have an unlocked multiplayer. The motherboard looks good and is not priced as high as the other motherboards that we have looked into above. While it does not come with Wi-Fi and BT out of the box you can add those down the line.
This is our budget pick and while the Gigabyte B460 HD3 does not have armor or fancy RGB lighting it does offer all the functionality of the other motherboards that we have looked into above.
This might be a barebones entry-level motherboard but it comes with It features 4 DIMM slots for your RAM. The motherboard has 2 PCIe slots but none of them are reinforced. You also get 2 M.2 slots without the heatsinks.
The Gigabyte B460 HD3 is part of the Ultra Durable series so it is not going to give out on you and will do its job perfectly fine. It does feature 8118 Gaming LAN with bandwidth management and onboard ALC1200 audio.
Just like the higher-end Gigabyte AUROS motherboard it features Smart Fan 5 multiple temperature sensors and hybrid fan headers to monitor thermals of your hardware. This is a great budget motherboard that does not compromise on build quality and functionality.
The ASUS TUF Gaming B460-PRO WiFi is a mid-range motherboard and does not come with the integrated I/O shield like the more premium Asus models. It does have plenty of armor and chipset cooling along with RGB lighting zones and RGB headers for syncing your RGB lighting with other supporting parts.
The motherboard comes in Black and should blend in with the rest of your parts easily. It features 4 DIMM slots for your RAM. The motherboard has 2 PCIe slots and the top one is reinforced for better GPU support.
You also get 2 M.2 slots just like the other motherboards but only the one at the bottom has a heatsink. Out of the box you get Wi-Fi which is an added bonus if you need it. All things considered, this is a very decent mid-range motherboard that does not break the bank and provides all the features that you might need.
MATX
The MATX boards are a bit smaller than the ATX ones and that is why some of the expandability is limited. You will get fewer PCIe slots for example for your graphics cards. that is obviously not going to be an issue if you are going to stick with just one for gaming.
The following are some of the Best MATX B460 Motherboards that you can buy right now:
The Gigabyte B460M DS3H is part of the Ultra Durable series and while it is not a fancy motherboard, it does not cost a lot of money and has all the functionality of the higher end motherboards excluding Wi-Fi and BT.
It features 4 DIMM slots for your RAM but only has a single PCIe slot. There is also only a single M.2 slot for the fast storage which does not come with a heatsink.
All things considered, the Gigabyte B460M DS3H is a solid motherboard that does not have fancy RGB lighting or armor but it has all the essentials. if you are on a budget and do not want to build a full tower PC then this is an option that is worth looking into.
The MSI MAG B460M Mortar is the complete opposite of the Gigabyte model above. It is a relatively smaller yet premium motherboard that comes with plenty of armor and features and hence the higher cost of the motherboard.
It comes in Black with White accents and has 4 DIMM slots for your RAM. Unlike the Gigabyte model above, this MATX motherboard comes with 2 M.2 slots which is great and it even comes with an extra PCIe slot. Only the top one is reinforced and that is the one in which you should install your graphics card.
While there are two M.2 slots you should note that only the top one comes with a heatsink. It also comes with USB 3.2 Gen 2 out of the box which is another added bonus.
The MSI MAG B460M Mortar is a premium motherboard which is why it not only does its job well, it also looks great doing it. If you are interested in building a relatively smaller PC then this is a great motherboard to consider.
The ASUS Prime B460M-A is priced between the budget Gigabyte board and the premium MSI one. It is pretty much a bare-bones motherboard but it comes with a reinforced PCIe slot. There is only one because of the smaller footprint but unlike the Gigabyte budget model, this one comes with 2 M.2 slots even though the heatsinks are not included.
It comes in Black with White accents and has 4 DIMM slots for your RAM. While it might not look like much it is functional and very durable. So it is going to last you a long time provided that you do not abuse it. This is a great option to consider if you are willing to spend a but more for that additional M.2 slot and the Asus brand.
ITX
The following are some of Best ITX B460 Motherboards that you can buy right now:
For small form factor gaming PCs that have a locked Intel 10th generation CPU, we recommend the ASUS ROG Strix B460-I Gaming motherboard. This particular model comes with Wi-Fi out of the box which makes sense as it is going to be a relatively portable PC and you will be able to take it with you. The wireless internet is going to allow you to connect to the internet without hassle.
The smaller footprint means that the features are fairly limited. You only have a single PCIe slot and 2 DIMM slots rather than 4 like the bigger boards. Even though this is a very small motherboard, you still get 2 M.2 slots. One is under the socket and comes with a rather cool heatsink. The other one is on the back and does not come with a heatsink.
Just like the other premium Asus motherboards, this little thing has plenty of armor and an integrated I/O shield for easy installation. It even supports USB 3.2 Gen 2 via USB Type-C. There is RGB lighting on the motherboard and it comes with headers so that you can sync the lighting with other RGB compatible parts.
All things considered, this is a great motherboard for small form factors PCs. it has 2 M.2 slots and not only is it functional, but it also looks very cool too.
