The Z790 motherboards feature the LGA 1700 socket, which can accommodate three generations of Intel CPUs. This also means there are many motherboards to choose from, ranging from enthusiast to pocket-friendly options, but which one will suit your requirements depends on the processor.
For example, if you have an Intel Core i9-14900K, it’d make sense to invest in a high-end motherboard capable of handling the performance of this flagship CPU, even if it’s overclocked. However, if you’ve got an “F” processor like the i5-13400F, a mid-range or even budget Z790 motherboard should work well as that CPU can’t be overclocked and doesn’t need many fancy features.
That said, we’ve selected a handful of Z790 motherboards after reviewing their performance in-house. We’re always testing motherboards, CPUs, and GPUs to see which pairing works best so we can recommend only the best.
Products at a glance
- Best Z790 motherboard
ASUS PRIME Z790-A WIFI
- Socket: LGA 1700
- Chipset: Z790
- Form Factor : ATX
- PCIe Version : PCIe Gen 4 Storage – PCIe Gen 5 GPU
- Memory speed : DDR5 7200+(OC)
- Memory capacity : 192GB
- Best enthusiast Z790 motherboard
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 DARK HERO
- Socket: LGA 1700
- Chipset: Z790
- Form Factor : ATX
- PCIe Version : PCIe Gen 5 storage, Gen 5 GPU
- Memory speed : 8000+(OC)
- Memory capacity : 192GB, DDR5
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Best value Z790 motherboardMSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk
How we picked
We researched the market and found various options from different manufacturers. We filtered those options based on price, compatibility, performance, and other features. We also have a PC Guide Testing Lab in which we’ve mentioned our testing process for various components. If you’re wondering how we select and review products, we’ve got your back there as well.
Our top picks
- Socket: LGA 1700
- Chipset: Z790
- Form Factor : ATX
- PCIe Version : PCIe Gen 4 Storage – PCIe Gen 5 GPU
- Memory speed : DDR5 7200+(OC)
- Memory capacity : 192GB
- It comes at an affordable price point
- It has excellent value
- Its performance rivals that of enthusiast-level boards
- The I/O shield isn’t pre-installed
- It doesn’t have extensive overclocking support
- Other boards at the same price point offer more
The ASUS Prime Z790-A WiFi is one of the best Z790 motherboards available, and when we tested it for our Prime Z790-A WiFi review, it performed excellently.
To begin with, this is an ATX motherboard with dimensions of 12 inches x 9.6 inches (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm), meaning you’ll need a mid-tower or the best full-tower PC case to house it comfortably. In addition, it supports PCIe 4 for storage devices and PCIe 5 for graphics cards, meaning that you’ll get much faster data speeds for the GPU, resulting in excellent gaming performance.
However, that doesn’t mean the storage devices would be slow, as PCIe 4 has a maximum data rate of 16 GT/s (Gigatransfers per second). If you want to learn more about the difference between these two versions, our PCIe 5.0 vs. PCIe 4.0 guide has you covered.
This motherboard has a maximum memory capacity of 192GB DDR5 RAM running at a maximum frequency of 7,200 MHz. This frequency is on the higher end, and if you use the full 192GB capacity, there shouldn’t be any task that’d give you trouble memory-wise. It might even quench Chrome’s thirst for RAM.
That said, even with 32 or 64GB of RAM, you shouldn’t experience any performance issues in even the most demanding tasks, and gaming would be a breeze. I, personally, use 16GB of DDR4 RAM running at 3,600 MHz.
The ASUS Prime Z790 is a no-thrills motherboard that can give you the best price to performance ratio of any Z790 on the market. It’ll allow your CPU to stretch it’s wings, and the design fits almost any build aesthetic.
PC Guide
While I only play competitive shooters, like Battlefield 2042, Insurgency: Sandstorm, Apex Legends, CS2, and the like, I haven’t ever run into performance issues. The performance of DDR5 RAM is leagues above that of DDR4, so you shouldn’t be worried about stuttering issues.
As for its power phase design, it has a 14 + 1 DrMOS power delivery system. This means that power goes through 14 phases in the first layer, gets filtered, and then goes through one more phase at the second layer, which makes it very stable and clean.
How stable the power is directly impacts how a CPU performs, as unstable power delivery prevents it from hitting the frequencies it needs to hit to deliver maximum performance.
Regarding its performance, we paired it up with the Intel Core i5 14600K and saw that it was pulling a maximum of 281.7W from the wall socket, and the CPU was getting an average of 150W. While this is okay, this processor’s PL1 limit is 181W, so there was definitely some overhead, but this motherboard was limiting it from hitting that.
That said, its performance didn’t take much of a hit as the benchmark results ran with this motherboard are neck and neck with the enthusiast-level Dark Hero Z790, which tells you everything you need to know about this motherboard’s value.
What users say
According to Amazon reviews, this motherboard has an excellent power delivery system, offers plenty of expansion options, and has reliable performance. One reviewer said: “The ASUS Prime Z790-P WiFi D4 LGA 1700 motherboard stands out as a top choice for those seeking a high-performance motherboard with future-proofing capabilities. Whether you’re a gamer, content creator, or power user, this motherboard delivers on both functionality and reliability, making it a worthwhile investment for your next PC build.”
- Socket: LGA 1700
- Chipset: Z790
- Form Factor : ATX
- PCIe Version : PCIe Gen 5 storage, Gen 5 GPU
- Memory speed : 8000+(OC)
- Memory capacity : 192GB, DDR5
- It has excellent performance
- It has a 20+1 power delivery system
- It has great aesthetics
- It costs a premium
- It weighs a good bit due to the backplate
- The ASUS Armory Crate experience isn’t the bed
If you’re looking for one of the best Z790 motherboards money can buy, we recommend the ASUS ROG Maximum Z790 Dark Hero. This is an enthusiast-level motherboard with features that do that title justice. In our Z790 Dark Hero review, it had excellent performance and robust features, making it a great board for high-end processors.
For starters, this is an ATX motherboard with dimensions of 12 inches x 9.6 inches (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm), which is a good size as ATX motherboards have plenty of expansion options. That said, this board has a maximum memory capacity of 192GB, but unlike our top pick, it supports a maximum memory speed of 8000 MHz, which can be overclocked to run even faster.
DDR5 running at 8000MHz is undoubtedly one of the highest-end options. While these are nice to have for normal usage, this is overkill, and even stress testing your PC shouldn’t put it in a position where it’d need so much memory. However, if you’re interested in exploring some options, check out our best DDR5 RAM guide for the top picks.
The motherboard’s robust power delivery system facilitates this beautifully, and it’s packed with all the lastest high-end features and connectivity.
PC Guide
This Dark Hero Z790 also has a 20 + 1 power delivery system, meaning the power has to go through plenty of filters before reaching the CPU. This is great, especially if you plan on overclocking your processor. In addition, it has a backplate to protect it from shorts and gives it a layer of protection from bends, but it also increases its overall weight.
It has two PCIe 5.0 slots that can be used simultaneously. We recommend using the top one for the GPU, as it’ll get access to the complete 16 lanes. However, you can use both of them, but they’ll work in an x8/x8 configuration, reducing the performance. A neat feature of the main PCIe slot is the quick-release button, which means you no longer have to guess where to latch it and try to press it to release the GPU.
As for its performance, we used the same test bench as before with the 14600K paired with the RTX 4070 Ti Super, which we’ve reviewed. This board was drawing a maximum of 311W from the wall socket, which allowed the 14600K to hit its upper limit of 181W, meaning it was performing at its best. That said, the temperatures were also manageable, as the max VRM and mobo temperature went up to 50°C and 37°C, respectively.
Overall, this motherboard has excellent aesthetics, build quality, features, and performance. That said, it does come at a cost, and since the LGA 1700 socket will end with Intel’s 14th-generation processors, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to invest a high amount or wait for the LGA 1851 mainboards to drop.
What users say
According to Amazon reviews, this is an exceptional motherboard with good thermal management, plenty of expansion slots, and top-notch performance. However, plenty of reviewers weren’t pleased with its price point. One reviewer said: “Very nice and all, but for the value of it this is unacceptable.”
- It has great VRM and onboard cooling
- It has versatile I/O connections
- It supports WiFi 6E
- It doesn’t have a PCIe 5.0 M.2 socket
- It doesn’t have any RGB
For those operating on a budget or simply don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a motherboard, we recommend the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk. This motherboard has excellent features, a 16+1+1 power delivery system, and 7,200 MHz DDR5 RAM support, all without burning a hole in your pocket.
It offers quality onboard audio with Realtek’s ALC4080 codec, seven SATA 6Gbps ports, and a ton of additional I/O support. What this means is whether you’re a creator or a casual user, you’ll get plenty of connectivity options and on-board technologies to make professional and gaming sessions a breeze.
With heatsinks on each M.2 port and incredible VRM cooling, the MAG Z790 is certainly one of the best Z790 motherboards. Remember that all this comes at a very affordable price point.
This motherboard is only priced at $196.70 at the time of writing, making it relatively affordable for those looking to tap into all-new builds. The MAG Z790 also has a maximum memory support of 256GB, which is very high. So, for those looking to future-proof their PC with next-gen components like DDR5 RAM, this board also has you covered there.
Overall, this is a great motherboard with plenty of features and functionalities, and its price makes it a steal for anyone looking for the best performance out of their 12th, 13th, and 14th-generation Intel processors.
What users say
According to Amazon reviews, the MSI MAG Z790 motherboard is a beast and has excellent value for the price it comes at. One reviewer said: “Considering the feature set and performance you get, the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi offers excellent value for the price. It’s a fantastic option for gamers and content creators on a budget who don’t necessarily need all the bells and whistles of higher-end models.”
How to pick the best Z790 motherboard
Selecting a motherboard isn’t just about picking the option with the most bells and whistles, as those options can cost an arm and a leg. On top of that, depending on your processor, you might not even need all the features it is offering.
So, before investing in a Z790 motherboard, there are a couple of factors you need to keep in mind. They’ll help you make an informed decision and operate within your budget.
Budget
The first and most important factor you need to consider is the budget. There are plenty of motherboard options with fancy features like RGB displays and robust power phases, but depending on your processor and usage, you might not need all these features, and they also cost quite a bit.
So, it’s always better to filter the available options based on your budget. This should give you a list of motherboards you can afford that strike a good balance between performance and value.
Power phases
The power delivery design is usually mentioned, like “14+1” or “12+1+1.” What this means is how many layers and filters the power has to go through before reaching the processor. The more filters there are, the cleaner and more stable the power will be, and that is important if you plan on overclocking the processor.
Cooling solutions
The Intel 12th, 13th, and 14th-generation processors are known for their top-notch performance but aren’t exactly popular in the efficiency department. They have high TDPs, meaning they draw more power, which generates more heat.
To deal with that, we recommend using the best CPU cooler, but it’s also important that the motherboard has good cooling solutions, such as VRM heatsinks and M.2 thermal shields, as these modern devices can get hot given their high clock speeds. This will ensure that your motherboard is running at an optimal temperature. If you’re using a flagship processor, we recommend using the best AIO cooler to ensure the heat doesn’t dissipate or affect other components.
Is Z790 better than Z690?
While PCIe 3.0 lanes have been slashed from 16 on the Z690 to 8 on the Z790 boards, the total number of PCIe 4.0 lanes has been bumped from 12 on the Z690 to 20 on the Z790. Thus, the Z790 has a wider range of connectivity options.
