Best Motherboards 2020: For Gaming, by Socket and Chipset

Graphics cards and CPUs often get more attention, but your motherboard is in many ways the most integral part of your PC build. Every part of your PC plugs into it, its form factor dictates the size of your computer, and its chipset and CPU socket dictate what kind of processor you can install.

If you’re not sure which chipset you’re after, or have more basic questions, you can visit our motherboard basics and motherboard buying guide features to help narrow down your buying options.

The first section of this page contains our recommendations for buying a motherboard with Intel's mainstream LGA-1151 socket. These include boards designed for Intel's 9th Generation "Coffee Lake Refresh," as well as the lower-cost H370 alternative.

Below our mainstream picks, you’ll find our recommendations for motherboards with Intel's high-end desktop (HEDT) LGA-2066 socket and X299 chipset supporting the X-Series and Extreme line of processors.

Quick Shopping Tips

When choosing a motherboard, consider the following:

• Get the right socket for your CPU: You can find great CPUs from either Intel or AMD, but whatever processor you choose, make sure that your board has the correct socket to support it. The latest mainstream AMD chips use AM4 CPU sockets while current Intel 8th Gen and 9th Gen Core CPUs require LGA 1151v2 sockets.

• Smaller boards = fewer slots and features. Motherboards come in three main sizes--for more info see our diagram and explanation of motherboard parts. From largest to smallest, there’s ATX, Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX. (Yes, Mini is smaller than Micro). You can use a smaller chassis with the micro or mini boards, but you'll have to settle for fewer card expansion slots, sometimes fewer RAM slots, and other connectors.

• You can spend under $100/£100: You can find a good motherboard for less than $100 (£80), but if you want to overclock an Intel chip or you need a lot of ports, you will have to spend more, usually up to $150 (£130) or more. High-end desktop CPUs like AMD Threadripper and Intel Core X require expensive $200 (£220)-plus motherboards.

• Pay for built-in Wi-Fi and high-end ports only if you need them. Don't spend extra for wireless if you are using a wired connection. You can future proof your PC by getting USB 3.1 Gen 2 and / or Thunderbolt 3 support.

Best Intel motherboards at a glance: 

1. Gigabyte Z390 Designare
2. ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming ITX
3. Gigabyte Z390 Gaming X
4. ASRock H370M Pro4
5. Gigabyte X299X Designare 10G
6. ASRock X299E-ITX/AC

Best Intel Motherboards 2020: Z390, H370, and X299

1. Gigabyte Z390 Designare

Socket: LGA 1151 | Chipset: Intel Z390 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 13 Phases | PCIe x16: (3) v3.0 | USB Ports: 10 Gbps | Warranty: 3 years

The Z390 Designare beats its closest rival on features for the price, has similar overclocking limits to its closest rival but beats it in overclocked DRAM performance, and has at least enough extra value to justify its premium over cheaper boards. We have to consider whether the “workstation replacement” PC market will tolerate a board with mediocre CPU overclocking. But given that there’s so little to gain from overclocking the Core i9-9900K, we feel that more often than not the answer is yes.

Read: Gigabyte Z390 Designare Review

2. ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming ITX

Socket: LGA 1151 | Chipset: Intel Z390 | Form Factor: Mini ITX | Voltage Regulator: 7 phases | PCIe x16: (1) v3.0 (full bandwidth) | USB Ports: 10 Gbps | Warranty: 3 years

Even if you never use its Thunderbolt 3 port, it’s hard to deny the supremacy of a board that does everything else better than the competition, while costing less. The Z390 Phantom Gaming-ITX/ac is even cheaper than the non-Wi-Fi version of MSI’s ATX MGP Z390 Gaming Pro Carbon, though that won’t matter to anyone who needs the extra DIMM and PCIe slots afforded by the larger form factor. But for those looking for a Mini ITX board to support Intel’s Core i9-9900K, the Z390 Phantom Gaming-ITX/ac is easily our first choice.

Read: ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming ITX Review

3. Gigabyte Z390 Gaming X

Socket: LGA 1151 | Chipset: Intel Z390 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 11 phases | PCIe x16: (2) v3.0 (x16/x4) | USB Ports: 10 Gbps | Warranty: 3 years

An alternative to its award-winning Gaming SLI, Gigabyte's Z390 Gaming X offers similar overclocking capability on substantially similar layout, at a noticeably lower price that garnered it the same value award. After Gigabyte stopped distributing the SLI model in USA, the Gaming X became our only option for budget overclocking of Intel's K-series unlocked LGA-1151 processors.

Read: Gigabyte Z390 Gaming X Review

4. ASRock H370M Pro4

Socket: LGA 1151 | Chipset: Intel H370 | Form Factor: Micro ATX | Voltage Regulator: 10 phases | PCIe x16: (2) v3.0 (x16/x4*) (*Shares upper PCIe x1) | USB Ports: 10Gbps | Warranty: 3 year

Priced around $80 (£78) and at times dipping below $70 (£70), the ASRock H370M Pro4 brings Intel’s more-advanced H370 feature set to buyers who thought they could only afford a lesser B360 model. ASRock splits the H370’s extra HSIO (high-speed input/output) pathways across two rear-panel USB 3.0 ports and two internal SATA headers. Buyers who don’t need RGB or a 10Gb/s USB 3.1 Gen2 front-panel header will be pleased to find that the H370M Pro4 offers more of nearly every other port than its closest competitor, for a lower price.

Read: ASRock H370M Pro4 Review

5. Gigabyte X299X Designare 10G

Socket: LGA 2066 | Chipset: Intel X299 PCH | Form Factor: EATX | Voltage Regulator: 12 phases | PCIe x16: (4) v3.0 (@48: x16/x8*/x16/x8), (CPU @44: x16/x4*/x16/x8), (CPU @28: x16/x4*/x8/x0) | USB Ports: 10Gbps: (2) Type-C via Thunderbolt 3 | Warranty: 3 years

Fully equipped for the 48 lanes of Intel's 10th generation Core Extreme processors, the X299X Designare 10G comes loaded to the brink with Intel X550 dual 10Gb/s Ethernet and a pair of Thunderbolt 3 headers with dual DisplayPort passthrough on Intel's 40Gb/s controller. A four-drive M.2 expander card and 2.4Gb/s Wi-Fi 6 finish a package of which the added component value far outweighs the price difference over its closest competitor.

Read: Gigabyte X299X Designare 10G Review

6. ASRock X299E-ITX/AC

Socket: LGA 2066 | Chipset: Intel X299 | Form Factor: Mini-ITX | Voltage Regulator: 7 phases | PCIe x16: (1) v3.0 | USB Ports: 10Gbps | Warranty: 3 years

By being the only LGA 2066 motherboard available to Mini-ITX builders, the ASRock X299E-ITX/ac automatically becomes the best choice for these builds. Despite its lack of competition, the price is reasonable and the performance level is spot-on for the Core i9-7900X, even with the board’s lower-than-average default power ceiling. It’s not perfect, but if you’re looking to build a compact high-power Intel X299 desktop, this board should serve you well.

Read: ASRock X299E-ITX/AC Review

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