The Best Motherboard for the I9-9900k

The Intel Core i9-9900K is one of the best choices for gamers on a budget. At around $380, the CPU still packs a punch even if it turned two years old. Whether you’re building a new gaming PC or just trying to replace the motherboard, you may be wondering which is the best motherboards for I9 9900k?

You’ll find the complete answer to this question in this review of the Best Motherboard for I9 9900k, where ProClockers take a look at several options and ultimately lands on a winner. But we’re happy to offer a summary.

Before we start, you must first know that all the motherboards compatible with an Intel Core i9-9900K have an Intel Z390 chipset. Manufacturers like Gigabyte, ASUS or MSI offer some of the best Z390 motherboards for I9 9900k.

We added in our list the best motherboards that fit different types of users: there is a high-end board, a mid-range board, a budget-friendly board, a mini-board and a best-overall board. Let’s take a look at them.

5. Contents

   Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO

Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO – Specs

• Chipset: Intel Z390
• Memory: 4 × DDR4 DIMM, max. 128 GB
• Storage: 2 × M.2, 6 × SATA
• Multi GPU Support: Nvdia SLI, AMD CrossFireX
• Expansion Slots: 3 × PCIe x16, 3 × PCIe x1
• Back Panel Ports: 1 × HDMI, 1 × USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C, 2 × USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A, 3 × USB 3.1 Gen 1, 4 × USB 2.0/1.1, 1 × LAN, 1 × optical S/PDIF Out, 5 × audio jacks

With a Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO, you’ll never have to worry about space or cooling. The big motherboard only needs 3.33 volts of power, can run your CPU at full 5GHz and it’s under $200.

4. ASRock Z390 Taichi Ultimate

ASRock Z390 Taichi Ultimate – Specs

• Chipset: Intel Z390
• Memory: 4 × DDR4 DIMM, max. 128 GB
• Storage: 3 × M.2, 8 × SATA
• Multi GPU Support: Nvdia SLI, AMD CrossFireX
• Expansion Slots: 3 × PCIe x16, 2 × PCIe x1
• Back Panel Ports: 2 × Antenna Ports, 1 × PS/2, 1 × DisplayPort 1.2, 1 x HDMI, 1 × USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C, 3 × USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-A, 4 × USB 3.1 Gen1, 3 × LAN, 1 × Optical S/PDIF Out, 1 × Clear CMOS Button, HD Audio Jacks
• Wi-Fi

For a bit more than the Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO, the board from AsRock also adds built-in 1.73Gbps Wi-Fi. This board may not look flashy enough for the RGB fans out there, but it will let you overclock your i9-9900K processor and it’s not even expensive ($270).

3. Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Xtreme

Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Xtreme – Specs

• Chipset: Intel Z390
• Memory: 4 × DDR4 DIMM, max. 128 GB
• Storage: 3 × M.2, 6 × SATA
• Multi GPU Support: Nvdia SLI, AMD CrossFireX
• Expansion Slots: 3 × PCIe x16, 2 × PCIe x1
• Back Panel Ports: 2 × SMA antenna connectors, 1 × HDMI, 2 × USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C, 4 × USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A, 2 × USB 3.1 Gen 1, 2 × USB 2.0/1.1, 2 × LAN, 1 × optical S/PDIF Out, 5 × audio jacks
• Wi-Fi

This beautiful piece of art from Gigabyte looks great and offers impeccable specs. It runs cooler than most motherboards and lights up prettier than a Christmas tree. Seriously, there’s no flaw to this motherboard, and there should be none, considering it’s around $650!

2. Asus ROG Maximus XI Gene Z390

Asus ROG Maximus XI Gene Z390 – Specs

• Chipset: Intel Z390
• Memory: 2 × DDR4 DIMM, max. 64 GB
• Storage: 2 × M.2, 2 × ROG DIMM.2, 4 × SATA
• Multi GPU Support: None
• Expansion Slots: 1 × PCIe x16, 1 × PCIe x4
• Back Panel Ports: 1 × Wi-Fi antenna, 1 × PS/2, 1 × HDMI, 3 × USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A, 1 × USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C, 6 × USB 3.1 Gen 1, 2 × USB 2.0, 1 × LAN, 1 × Clear CMOS
• Wi-Fi

The Asus ROG Maximus XI Gene Z390 is aimed at those looking for great performance but in a small form factor. This micro ATX board is a premium motherboard that has great ERM cooling and can easily overclock your CPU. However, the only downside would be the price – in the range of $890.

1. ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero

ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero – Specs

• Chipset: Intel Z390
• Memory: 4 x DDR4 4400(O.C) DIMM, max. 128GB
• Storage: 2 x M.2 Socket 3, 6 x SATA 6Gb/s port(s)
• Multi GPU Support: Nvdia SLI, AMD CrossFireX
• Expansion Slots: 2 x PCIe 3.0 x16, 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16, 3 x PCIe 3.0 x1
• Back Panel Ports: 1 x PS/2 keyboard/mouse combo port(s), 1 x DisplayPort, 1 x HDMI, 1 x LAN (RJ45) port(s), 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x Optical S/PDIF out, 1 x Clear CMOS button(s), 5 x Gold-plated audio jacks, 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (red), 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (blue) Type-A, 1 x USB BIOS FlashBack™ Button(s)

Last but not least, the best motherboard you could choose for your i9 9900k is the ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero, which costs around $350. We think this is the best overall motherboard because it packs all the features you need in a high-quality build that is not even very expensive. There’s great cooling, fast memory support, AI overclocking, a gaming-ready integrated sound card and many other great features that make the ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero a gamer’s best friend.

Top 5 Motherboards for I9 9900k – Final Words

Choosing the right PC components can be intimidating, but with a bit of research, you’ll see that building your own PC is not that difficult. All you need to know first is how much you’re willing to spend on you PC and what you’ll be using it for.

When looking for a motherboard, you need to know whether you want to overclock your CPU or not (most users that are not overclocking enthusiasts don’t need to overclock the CPU). You will also need to decide whether you want extra features, such as Wi-Fi and RGB lighting.

In the end, a good motherboard must have good cooling, all the ports you need, enough RAM slots (to support at least 16 GB RAM) and PCIe slots (two PCIe x16). Then, you can compare boards and see which one is the best in terms of price-per-performance.