Choosing thebest motherboardto pair with the Intel’s Core i9 14900K is no easy task. Intel’s14th generation CPU lineupis already trading at a small discount over MSRP when it comes to its unlocked CPU offerings and its flagship CPU, the Intel Core i9 14900K, has muscled its way to the top as the successor to the Core i9 13900K with performance that essentially mirrors the limited-release Core i9 13900KS processor. Unlike the previous generation, Intel’s newest CPUs do not come with a new chipset or socket iteration. Instead, they are compatible with Intel’s older 600 and 700 serieschipsets and motherboards.
However, this does not necessarily mean that older models that worked well with their predecessors are the best options if you’re looking to pair the best motherboard with your brand-new Intel Core i9 14900K CPU. Intel’s motherboard partners are all gearing up their refreshed and upgraded motherboards for the new Intel Core series CPUs. These also come with newer features such as better optimization for higher-clocked memory, Wi-Fi 7 and newer USB standards, often making them better suited for modern PCs in 2024.
MSI PRO Z790-A WiFi Gaming Motherboard
Intel Core i9 14900K 24-Core, 32-Thread CPU
This makes picking a good motherboard for the 14900K a complex task given the sheer number of options. Both new and old motherboards support the new CPU, though some might need a BIOS update to do so. Luckily, the team at Game Rant has done the heavy lifting for gamers, professionals, and enthusiasts in their hour of need with a curated list of the best motherboards currently available.
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero
The Hero Players Need
The ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero is the latest in a series of well-established Z790 Motherboards in the ROG lineup. It adds native Wi-Fi 7 support as one of the first motherboards in the industry to do so while throwing in better memory overclocking and power delivery.It comes with a bolder aesthetic in addition to cutting down to four available SATA ports from the original Hero with an otherwise identical arsenal as it integrates its additional M2 slots on the board itself, eliminating the need for users to get space for the ROG Hyper M2 card its predecessor uses.
Oour choice for the best motherboard for the Intel Core i9 14900K is the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero. It is a premium motherboard from ASUS and is timed to capture new high-end users looking to go for the 14th-generation Intel CPUs. While it natively supports CPUs from the 12th to the 14th generation out of the box, it caters to the highest tier of Intel CPUs, given its price point.
It does pack in some goodies and upgrades versusthe older Maximus Z790 Hero, which currently trades at a discount. ASUS has bundled in Wi-Fi 7 as part of the package while integrating the five M2 slots on offer directly on the motherboard while improving the look to be bolder than its predecessor. It also retains the new Thunderbolt-based USB4 ports while offering the ability to charge as much as 60W via the front USB port (requiring a compatible case).
The large heatsinks offer adequate cooling to the Dark Hero’s VRMs, which offer excellent power delivery suited to the 14900K’s high power demands. That’s in addition to an all-black aesthetic that appeals to gamers and professionals alike. ASUS’s bundled memory profile (AEMP II) as well as its fine-tuned DIMM Flex capabilities allow it to offer better gaming performance by keeping memory thermals in check by dynamically altering frequencies to maximize performance.
The ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero trades at a small discount over its previous MSRP at multiple retailers, trading at $650 over its launch price of $700, even as its slightly higher-end, white-themed Z790 Maximus Formula sibling continues to tradeabove the $700 mark with minor discounts in play occasionally.
Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Master
A Masterclass
The Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Master offers excellent I/O options, a well-designed VRM configuration (20+1+2) to support the demands of even the most taxing Intel Core i9 CPUs, and throws in plenty of USB ports into the mix to ensure PC gamers and enthusiasts alike are well-accounted for.With built-in support for Wi-Fi 6E, BT 5.3, and 10GB of Ethernet in play, the Z790 Aorus Master delivers extensively on connectivity even as it trades at a sizeable discount in 2024, making it an excellent alternative to most of its pricier siblings that accompanied Intel’s 14th generation Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs.
Another option for the best motherboard in 2024 for the 14900K, if you aren’t a fan of ASUS, is the Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Master. It’s the gift that keeps on giving if you’re looking for a value-centric premium motherboard for your brand new Intel Core i9 14900K CPU in 2024. It offers improved transient response as part of an already well-designed and equipped VRM set in a 20+1+2 configuration that should allow overclockers and enthusiasts to easily push Intel’s fastest CPU even further using the bundled XTU utility even as it can handle it at current boost clocks without breaking a sweat.
Unlike most of the motherboards it competes with in the $450 range, the Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Master offers a 10-gigabit ethernet port which puts it ahead of the curve by a considerable margin, even as it offers 5 M2 NVMe slots, one of which offers PCI-E 5.0 bandwidth shared with the primary PCI-E x16 slot (which is also PCI-E 5.0) on the motherboard. For users needing a lot of USB ports, there are plenty of both, USB A and C ports at the rear of the motherboard which also packs in Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity out of the box.
It already trades at a significant discountbut users can opt for its newer siblingwhich offers compatibility for the 14th generation Intel CPUs out of the box (the Aorus Master can be upgraded via USB without needing to install the CPU using the built-in Q-Flash Plus utility) while throwing in Wi-Fi 7 compatibility into the mix, albeit at a sub-$30 increase in its asking price.
This is an E-ATX motherboard and requires a compatible casing or enclosure that supports that motherboard size. The team at Game Rant offers acomprehensive guide if users need recommendationsfor picking a compatible option.
MSI MEG Z790 ACE Gaming Motherboard
A True Maverick
The MSI MEG Z790 ACE Gaming Motherboard is a well-endowed gaming-centric motherboard that delivers on MSI’s promise of a high-end MEG class product offering.With Support for Wi-Fi 6E, integrated dual 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, and USB4 ports with thunderbolt support, it does cut close to cutting edge compared to the competition.With excellent power delivery, high memory overclocks in play, and a premium look thanks to metal heatsink shrouds covering all M2 slots the MSI MEG Z790 ACE offers power and reliability in a good-looking package.
The MSI MEG Z790 ACE Gaming Motherboard is our pick for the best performance motherboard in 2024 for the 14900K and it’s also a mainstay for Intel CPUs simply because of its value compared to its competition. While it is relatively inexpensive compared to the competition, which costs as much as $1000, it offers USB4 ports out of the box along with other features that make it such a formidable offering.
It also offers a complete solution for gamers, professionals, and hobbyist overclockers not able to spend on the premiumMSI Z790 Godlikecommands instead. With plenty of M2 slots in play in addition to dual gigabit Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6E, connectivity is aplenty on MSI’s penultimate motherboard offering beyond the Type-C-based Thunderbolt connectors it offers.
On the overclocking front, MSI delivers an extensive 24+1+2 phase power delivery that should be able to handle and max out the 14900K’s needs and then some. Only overclocking enthusiasts would lean towards a higher-end unit to push boundaries further. This is in addition to a considerable discount on the ACE, which more than makes up for the fact that it requires users to update the BIOS before being able to use the 14900K as intended.
While the MSI MEG Z790 ACE requires a BIOS update to recognize 14th-generation Intel CPUs including the 14900K,the alternative, MSI’s 14th-generation MEG Z790 ACE MAXoffers support out of the box for Intel’s current generation flagship in addition to Wi-Fi 7 and minor aesthetic upgrades in tow. While it offers a more complete package, it does cost an additional $170 for what are arguably minor upgrades, making the older Z790 ACE a better value purchase even as it continues to trade about the $500 mark as a premium Z790 motherboard.
ASRock Z790 PG-ITX/TB4 Gaming Motherboard
The ASRock Z790 PG-ITX/TB4 Gaming Motherboard is an excellent mITX motherboard that brings a host of new features including USB4, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3 to a Z790 chipset in a compact but potent form factor while clocking in at a considerable discount to its closest Z790-based competition.
Our pick for the best compact motherboard to pair with the Intel Core i9 14900K, the ASRock Z790 PG-ITX/TB4 Gaming Motherboard, offers a lot of power condensed into an m-ITX form factor while packing in some interesting features for its price point. The Z790 PG-ITX is aimed at system builders and SFF enthusiasts who have limited space for a large chassis or simply prefer a more minimalist approach. However, it does not come with a lack of features, with the motherboard packing more than the bare essentials.
The motherboard uses its limited space creatively, offering two M2 slots at the rear while skipping on a full-body backplate, in addition to one in the front for more mainstream users. It also offers Wi-Fi 6E support in addition to 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet on offer while throwing dual Thunderbolt USB4 connectors into the mix. The ASRock PG-ITX also offers users the ability to push the RAM with modest overclocking.
It does, however, cut corners on the cooling for its VRMs. They have an audible fan noise when running under load and require a BIOS update out of the box to support Intel’s finest with current units on the market not updated to the latest version. Users need BIOS version 7.03 or higher to run the 14900K out of the box with this motherboard.
With better pricing since it was first recommended by the Game Rant team in addition to many of its competing options going out of stock, the ASRock Z790 PG-ITX/TB4 Gaming Motherboard offers better value for money in 2024 even as it allows for some degree of tweaking for users interested in leveraging the 14900K’s unlocked state in 2024.
This is a mITX motherboard and can be fit in smaller, purpose-built cases than the standard ATX models. The team at Game Rant offers acomprehensive guide if users need recommendationswhen it comes to picking a suitable Small Form Factor (SFF) option.
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Formula
A White Odyssey
The ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Formula is the successor to its well-received Z690-based predecessor, offering a cleaner aesthetic and plenty of upgrades under the hood.With Wi-Fi 7 under the hood in addition to the ability to overclock RAM better than previous models thanks to DIMM Flex as well as a 5Gb Ethernet port in play, the ROG Maximus hits a nice balance between form and function thanks to its excellent OLED display that can be customized using the bundled armory crate software.
The ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Formula is an excellent premium motherboard for enthusiasts, gamers, and professionals alike who can pay a premium at the door. It does offer plenty of bonuses for the cost, throwing plenty of features into the mix at a price tag that is just $50 north of ASUS’s Dark Hero offering.
The successor to the highly popular Z690 Formula retains the all-white aesthetic while throwing in an updated Z790 chipset, Wi-Fi 7 support, and better memory compatibility out of the box. It also packs in support for ASUS’s new AEMP II memory profile and DIMM Flex functionality that allows it to eke out more performance out of higher-end RAM modules.
At the same time, the Z790 enjoys many of the same features that the Dark Hero does, including dual USB4 ports, excellent power delivery, and support for the 14900k out of the box. It builds onto this with the LiveDash OLED, which is a Formula-tier motherboard exclusive, while offering an optional water block cooling option for its VRMs for users aiming to build a complete liquid-cooled PC.
At an MSRP of $750, it isn’t as expensive as some of ASUS’s highest-end motherboards. However, it comes close both in terms of price and feature set as a solid upgrade to the Z690, which was until recently, far harder to find at multiple retailers. It does however trade at a small $25 discount at some retailers which could be a sign of things to come even as itsblack-themed Dark Hero Z790 sibling sees a more aggressive $50 discountat multiple retailers.
This could be because ASUS is cognizant of the Z790 Formula currently being the uncontested king of the hill when it comes to white-themed Z790 motherboards as it packs in features, aesthetic changes, and upgraded internals that make it a unique, yet impressive option for gamers, enthusiasts and power users alike in 2024.
A No-Nonsense Performer
The MSI PRO Z790-A Wi-Fi Gaming Motherboard is an excellent, well-rounded Z790 motherboard with plenty of connectivity features while supporting Intel’s 12th and 13th-generation processors. In addition, it has a decent 16+1+1 phase power delivery system at a price that makes it comparable to Intel’s more budget B760 motherboards.
The MSI PRO Z790-A WiFi Motherboard is essentially a motherboard that delivers on its promise as a mid-range Intel motherboard even as it pushes ahead of the cheapest entry-level Z790 motherboards that trade under the $200 mark. It offers excellent connectivity, including Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and a 2.5G ethernet port. It also offers a decent VRM configuration that should allow users to get the most out of the Intel Core i9 14900K’s clocks without any issues along with a PCI-E 5.0 GPU down the line thanks to it having support for the newer tech.
With balanced memory overclocking on offer, as well as regular BIOS updates, the Pro Z790-A Wi-Fi delivers an excellent value-centric motherboard that does make a few compromises versus some of its more premium alternatives. It does not offer a PCI-E 5.0 M2 socket and requires a BIOS update to be compatible with the Intel Core i9 14900K.
Thankfully, MSI supports updating the BIOS without installing the CPU itself, also offering a dedicated flash BIOS button to do so. This makes it an excellent motherboard to pair with the Intel Core i9 14900K for gamers and enthusiasts not looking to overclock it, or for those looking for a budget motherboard that still holds its own in 2024 without making any major compromises.
The MSI PRO Z790-A WiFi Motherboard does have acredible 14th-generation alternative that only trades at a $20 premiumwhile offering users the convenience of not having to upgrade their BIOS to get the motherboard to recognize the 14th generation Core i9 14900K while throwing in support for the newer Wi-Fi 7 standard into the mix.
The Intel Core i9 14900K: 24 Cores Of Unbridled Power
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 to reach said clock speed.
The Intel Core i9 14900K is Intel’s fastest CPU to date. It offers significant amounts of power thanks to its 8-performance, 16-efficiency core configuration that handles as many as 32 threads simultaneously. What many decry as just a better tweaked 13900K does have its perks, with better single-core and multi-core performance in tow.
It can push 6 GHz speeds on a single core, making it the world’s first readily available 6 GHz CPU; The 13900KS was a more limited release and often hard to find at MSRP at retailers. It also trumps most, if not all, of its competition in gaming and productivity benchmarks. AMD’s Ryzen 9 7950X and Ryzen 7 7800X3D hold their own in productivity and gaming benchmarks, respectively.
The 14900K is more than just the pinnacle of Intel’s Raptor Lake (and Refresh) CPU lineup that currently rules the roost in terms of CPU sales in various markets. It is a marked change in the way Intel does things when it comes to chipsets, with it being the first in a long line of processors to support a socket that is older than two years. Intel previously regularly changed sockets and chipsets, making upgrades both a hectic and a costly affair for gamers and enthusiasts.
This, when compared to AMD’s aging AM4 socket that saw 4 different generations of AMD chips through, seemed to be a poor tradeoff. The 14900K and its lower-end siblings seem to be a welcome change that might predicate how the next-generation CPU launches (which are tipped to use a different socket) might behave with their respective chipset offerings even as Raptor Lake sets new benchmarks to break.
How To Pick The Best Motherboard For The Intel 14900K
Picking a suitable motherboard for the Intel Core i9 14900K requires users to look well beyond the socket to find a good fit for Intel’s most demanding desktop-grade CPU chip to date. Some of the key factors one needs to look at when considering getting a matching motherboard for Intel’s fastest desktop-grade CPU are:
Power Delivery: With Intel’s 14900K regularly pushing past its 253W turbo power limit set in certain benchmarks and applications, it requires a matching power delivery mechanism that can keep up without throttling it, especially at high all-core workloads. A motherboard with good VRMs is required to avoid limiting the CPU to lower clocks, especially when the 14900K is currently Intel’s performance king and can be pushed even higher thanks to its XTU utility with users showing small performance uplifts across a variety of PC builds.
Hardware Features: While modern motherboards come much more well-equipped out of the box today, premium versions bring in more features and perks, such as support for the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard, USB 4 (Thunderbolt) ports, and more M2 expansion slots as well. This can be useful for gamers, power users, and enthusiasts alike, looking for a better experience down the road, while allowing users to eke out more utility from one of the best CPUs on the market.
Software Support: Not all motherboards to date support the Intel Core i9 14900K out of the box. Many require BIOS updates that need to be done manually to get it to recognize the chip thanks to it leveraging older chipsets. At the same time, some might have limited overclocking profile customization or support for a newer CPU like the 14900K that can prevent enthusiasts from overclocking, undervolting, or tweaking their new Raptor Lake Refresh chip as per their needs.
FAQ
Q: Does the Intel Core i9 14900K require a new motherboard?
The Intel Core i9 14900K works with existing 12th and 13th-generation motherboards as well as motherboards released along with the 14th-generation. Older motherboards, however, will require BIOS updates to detect and support the 14900K.
BIOS updates for some motherboard manufacturers can be found on their sites below:
MSI
Q: Should buyers get an E-ATX or an ATX motherboard?
While E-ATX motherboards tend to have more space and therefore more ports and expansion options, they do require larger cases and can often have issues with certain fan mounting positions in cases that do the bare minimum to support them out of the box.
Buying an E-ATX motherboard should always be considered based on the PC case you plan to use it with to avoid issues down the line.
