The Best Motherboards for Intel Core i9 13900K

The Intel Core i9 13900K (or 13900KS) is a 24-core, 32-thread number-crunching behemoth that excels at both gaming and productivity, offering strong synthetic benchmarks and excellent single-core performance that dominates games in a neat package. It does turn up with considerable power requirements, however, in addition to cooling requirements for the same, making most of its motherboard choices ones that are higher-end Z690/Z790 options.

Exceptions do exist in the form of some B660 and B760 motherboards, but the former chipset-based motherboards remain a safer choice when being paired with Intel’s 24-core juggernaut which can draw as much as 400W under certain workloads.

The Integrated GPU, an Intel UHD 770 series iGPU, does get the job done for entry-level gaming needs for some users, but the overwhelming majority of users will lean towards a discrete GPU for gaming and productivity use cases that need graphics horsepower. This makes a PCI-E 5.0 x16 slot a crucial offering, allowing for future-proofing down the line without looking at a GPU’s compatibility thanks to the backward-compatible nature of the slot.

The Intel Core i9 13900K requires some research from gamers and enthusiasts alike to maximize their value from Team Blue’s finest. The team at Game Rant has stepped up to talk about some of the best motherboards that can be paired with Intel’s last-generation flagship CPU to get the most out of it without compromise. If you are still considering your options, don’t forget to check out Game Rant’s list of the best gaming motherboards, too!

The MSI MPG Z790 Edge Wi-Fi Gaming Motherboard is an excellent mid-range 13th generation Intel motherboard that sports the high-end Z790 chipset along with decent VRMs. This allows it to handle the Intel Core i9 13900K with some overclocking headroom while meeting its power needs. It offers a PCI-E 5.0 x16 slot, making it a future-proof option for gamers looking to spend in the sub-$300 region while covering themselves for future upgrades down the line.

RELATED: The Best Intel CPUs in 2023

It offers a full suite of connectivity options, including Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and 2.5G Ethernet in a neat package while offering as many as five M2 slots for users looking to expand their storage options. With an excellent aesthetic design that also offers an integrated I/O plate, something that is reserved for more premium motherboards at times, it has users covered if they want to splurge on RGB lighting or on looks for their Intel Core i9 13900K-based build.

With plenty of expansion potential, decent memory overclocking, and a premium feel and look, the MSI MPG Z790 Edge Wi-Fi Gaming Motherboard is a complete package for a price that is agreeable to most users in the market looking for Intel’s highest-end chipset. It does have an issue with connectivity drivers not being available out of the box on some Windows install media, so it does help to be prepared for that eventuality.

Users looking for a more up-to-date feature set including support for Intel’s 14th generation CPUs out of the box, Wi-Fi 7, and potentially better memory overclocking can go with the updated MSI MPG Z790 Edge TI MAX Wi-Fi instead for $10 more even as the Edge checks all the boxes currently.

The ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Formula is a contender for both the most premium motherboard for the Intel Core i9 13900K as well as one of the best overclocking ones in the business that meets the needs of all but the most ardent overclockers. It offers excellent power delivery, high memory overclocking, and ASUS’s AI overclocking built into the motherboard which happens to be one of the most user-friendly solutions for overclockers with different levels of experience.

It integrates a differential-sensing circuit to detect, account for, and rectifies differences between reported and actual voltages provided to the CPU, allowing for better and more fine-tuned reporting, and by proxy, control of the overclocking process. It matches this by offering a dedicated passive and liquid-cooled solution for its VRMs, something ASUS brands as ‘HybridChill’.

With a dedicated 2-inch OLED display on the motherboard that hosts information about the entire boot process and can be configured or customized to deliver personal messages or stats depending on user needs, the Z790 Maximus Formula does have its wow factor covered with ease compared to the competition. It also delivers on the aesthetic end with ease without compromising on connectivity or functionality.

With USB 4 (Thunderbolt) support in play along with Wi-Fi 7 and support for as much as 5 Gigabit Ethernet speeds in play in addition to as many as 5 M2 SSD slots, the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Formula is a complete package, marrying the highest-end current gen tech with that of the future, making it a great future-proof motherboard that also supports Intel’s latest 14th generation CPUs from the get-go, making it a premium, but excellent choice for users looking for the best in the business.

The ASRock B760M Steel Legend Wi-Fi Motherboard happens to be the most cost-effective gaming motherboard out there that can handle the 13900K reasonably well while offering reasonable memory overclocking potential. It comes with a full networking stack, including Wi-Fi 6E, BT 5.3, and Ethernet 2.5G while also featuring an I/O plate, which is a rarity for budget gaming motherboards.

While its VRM configuration isn’t the best in the business (12+1+1), it is better than what one would expect from a budget gaming motherboard that can also fit in mATX cases. However, it limits the number of fan headers as well as the number of available M2 slots to two unless users want to remove the M2 Wi-Fi slot. While this might not be the biggest issue, power users and enthusiasts might want more in terms of connectivity and expansion options.

The ASRock B760M Steel Legend Wi-Fi Motherboard rounds its offerings off with a PCI-E 5.0 x16 slot for GPUs that allows users to plug in a next-generation GPU when available on the B760-based motherboard. It is fairly future-proof versus more restricted budget motherboards in its price range.

It does see a price uptick primarily thanks to strong demand for budget B760 motherboards even as it receives the requisite firmware upgrade to support Intel’s 14th generation CPUs to make it a better consideration in 2023.

The ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero is a refresh of the older Z790 Hero which offered a premium, but excellent, well-rounded approach to the LGA 1700 socket with Intel’s latest consumer-grade chipset. It bakes in support of Intel’s 14th-generation CPUs while offering better connectivity upgrades in tow. It switches out the Wi-Fi 6E support for better, future-proof Wi-Fi 7 support while moving the M2 slots the Hero once had to use a PCI-E adapter to run onto the board itself.

This is done while maintaining the the Dark Hero at an ATX spec instead of its larger E-ATX alternatives even as it upgrades its design slightly to a more aggressive look this time around. With excellent VRMs in tow, it should be able to handle Intel’s Core i9 13900K chip without breaking a sweat in multiple productivity and gaming scenarios, but gamers and enthusiasts tend to benefit more from the prominent ROG branding’s aesthetic value than most power users.

The ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero is geared towards performance and gaming enthusiasts. It has no illusions about this even as it prices itself an additional $100 over the ROG Hero which can be had at a small discount at retailers such as Amazon for as low as $550. It offers an incremental upgrade to its predecessor much like the 14th generation Intel Core processors do versus the 13th generation Raptor Lake CPUs like the 13900K.

The ASRock Z790 PG-ITX/TB4 Gaming Motherboard offers a complete Z790-based Intel motherboard option that makes no compromises when it comes to functionality and expansion relative to its form factor. The mITX motherboard allows for excellent memory overclocking and has a capable 10+1+1 phase VRM solution under the hood. It also features dual USB4 ports with Thunderbolt support out of the box. This makes it one of the cheapest options with a Z790 chipset.

Thanks to its form factor, the ASRock Z790 PG-ITX/TB4 Gaming Motherboard can be used in a variety of builds and in Small Form Factor (SFF) PC cases. It does however still offer three M2 slots, a PCI-E 5.0 GPU slot, and a fair amount of USB ports for an m-ITX motherboard while also offering the latest in networking specs (Wi-Fi 6E, 2.5G Ethernet, and BT 5.3 support out of the box).

ASRock’s mITX offering does tend to have considerable advantages, however. It is a well-priced alternative to more mainstream options while retaining a smaller size that allows for more flexibility with what builds it can be used with. On the flip side, with the larger RTX 4000 series GPUs, the PG-ITX can easily be dwarfed by a significantly larger GPU cooler, something that can make it a tricky aesthetic recommendation for most gamers.

The Intel Core i9 13900K remains one of the fastest Intel-based CPUs currently available (the better-binned, but similar 13900KS being superseded by the Intel Core i9 14900K), and it offers a whopping 24 cores handling 32 threads. This makes it a productivity juggernaut with excellent single-core performance driving its gaming prowess considerably. It does however continue to demand aggressive cooling options versus the competition and high amounts of power to sustain it at full load. This results in a CPU that requires an excellent supporting cast of PC hardware including a capable cooler, memory, and a motherboard to allow it to truly shine.

RELATED: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D vs Intel Core i9 13900K

The 13900K’s 6GHz Successors: The Intel Core i9 14900K & 14900KF

• Intel Core i9 14900K 24-Core, 32-Thread CPU

  The Fastest Intel CPU In 2023

  $592 $625 Save $33

  The Intel Core i9 14900K 24-Core, 32-Thread CPU is Intel’s highest-end 14th generation CPU and offers the highest boost clocks for a consumer-grade CPU from Intel to date, clocking in at an impressive 6 GHz natively.

  It succeeds the limited-release Intel Core 13900KS as the first mainstream 6 GHz CPU, even as it brings a large power draw and thermal requirement in tow to reach said clock speed.

  Brand

  Intel

  CPU Model

  Core i9 14900K

  CPU Socket

  LGA 1700

  Cores

  24 (8P + 16E)

  Threads

  32

  Architecture

  Raptor Lake (Refresh)

  Process

  Intel 7 (10 nm)

  Base Clock Speed

  3.2 GHz

  Boost Clock Speed

  6 GHz

  Cache

  32MB L2 + 36MB L3 Cache

  PCIe

  PCI-E 4.0/5.0 supported

  Graphics

  Intel UHD Graphics 770

  TDP

  253 W

• Intel Core i9 14900KF 24-Core, 32-Thread CPU

  The Fastest Intel CPU In 2023 Without an iGPU

  The Intel Core i9 14900KF 24-Core, 32-Thread CPU is Intel’s highest-end 14th generation CPU sans an iGPU and offers the highest boost clocks for a consumer-grade CPU from Intel to date, clocking in at an impressive 6 GHz natively.

  It trades at a small discount over the 14900K while skipping an iGPU under the hood, requiring a discrete solution for system builders and end users to provide a functional PC experience.

  Brand

  Intel

  CPU Model

  Intel Core i9 14900KF

  CPU Socket

  LGA 1700

  Cores

  24 (8P+16E)

  Threads

  32

  Architecture

  Raptor Lake Refresh

  Process

  Intel 7 (10 nm)

  Base Clock Speed

  3.2 GHz

  Boost Clock Speed

  6 GHz

  Cache

  32MB L2 + 36MB L3 Cache

  PCIe

  PCI-E 5.0/4.0 Support

  Graphics

  No

  TDP

  253W

Both the Intel Core i9 14900K and 14900KF build on the success of the Intel Core i9 13900K’s impressive performance by offering a higher clock speed, AI overclocking support, and Intel’s Application Optimization (APO) tech, making them a great alternative to users considering the 13900K as a CPU even as the latter trades as a discount currently.

With Intel’s 14th generation CPUs already in play, the 13900K’s position at the top of the table is no longer in play as Intel aims to take the performance crown for gaming back from AMD since the Ryzen 7000 X3D CPUs launched. Given that the 14th-generation CPUs retain the same socket, they also work with the above motherboard recommendations while having their own recommendations from Game Rant, allowing for an easy upgrade from the previous Intel king of the hill.

MORE: The Best CPUs to Pair With an RTX 4090

FAQ

Q: What is the fastest Intel CPU?

The Intel Core i9 13900K happens to be the fastest Intel CPU on offer. A better binned version of the same (Intel Core i9 13900KS) does offer higher clocks thanks to it being a cherry-picked version of the former.

Q: What RAM is compatible with the Intel Core i9 13900K?

The Intel Core i9 13900K supports both DDR4 3200MHz and DDR 5600 MHz memory modules. It does happen to function well with XMP-enabled memory that can push as much as 8200 MHz on DDR5 RAM, depending on an accompanying capable Z790-based motherboard.