Z890 motherboards are the successors of the high-end Z790 motherboards. They were released with Arrow Lake processors and feature the LGA 1851 socket. The Z890 is a high-end chipset, and many were worried about the price of upgrading to the new platform, given the high prices of the new processors and the accompanying boards.
However, pocket-friendly Z890 motherboards are also available, and while they might not have a high number of VRMs or expansion slots, they get the job done. As usual, we’ve put some Z890 motherboard through their pacing here at PC Guide with our rigorous in-house testing. However, since we’re still in the process of reviewing more Z890 boards, we’ve included a budget option that stood out based more on its specs and price point, that we think is worth considering too.
We’ll be updating our selection with more reviewed Z890 motherboards soon, so be sure to check back in with us. Until then, here are what think are the best Z890 motherboard so far.
Products at a glance
- Best Z890 motherboard
ROG Maximus Z890 Hero
- Socket: LGA1851
- Chipset: Z890
- Form Factor: ATX
- PCIe Version: Gen 5 PCIe and Gen 5 NVMe
- Memory Speed: 9200+MT/s (OC)
- Memory Capacity: 192GB DDR5
- Best mid-range Z890 motherboard
MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi
- Socket: LGA 1851
- Chipset: Z890
- Form Factor: ATX
- PCIe Version: Gen 5 PCIe and Gen 5 NVMe
- Memory Speed: 9200+MT/s (OC) / 6400MT/s (JEDEC)
- Memory Capacity: 256GB DDR5
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Best budget Z890 motherboardASRock Z890 Pro-A
- Socket : LGA 1851
- Chipset: Z890
- Form Factor: ATX
- PCIe Version: Gen 5 PCIe
- Memory Speed: 9066+ MHz (OC)
- Memory Capacity: 256GB DDR5
How we picked
We researched the market and found various options from industry giants. 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.
- Socket: LGA1851
- Chipset: Z890
- Form Factor: ATX
- PCIe Version: Gen 5 PCIe and Gen 5 NVMe
- Memory Speed: 9200+MT/s (OC)
- Memory Capacity: 192GB DDR5
- Great EZ release features on PCIe and NVMe slots
- Plenty of fast connectivity with PCIe Gen 5 and DDR5 support
- Incredible cooling performance with massive heatsinks across the board
- Incredibly expensive, even more than the top CPU that fits it
- Plenty of overkill for most builds with features that won’t be used
One of the best Z890 motherboards is the ROG Maximus Z890 Hero. We tested this motherboard in-house for our ROG Maximum Z890 Hero review, and it had excellent power delivery and cooling and enabled the Core Ultra 9 285K to unleash its potential without any issues.
This is an ATX motherboard measuring 12 inches x 9.6 inches (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm). So, if you’re aiming for a low-profile build, it most likely won’t fit inside a small PC case. However, its size does have advantages. It has plenty of heatsinks for the I/O and NVMe, for example. It also features four RAM slots, which give it a maximum memory capacity of 192GB DDR5 RAM.
Most overkill builds max out at 64GB or 128GB RAM; it is nice to know that you can take it further. In addition, it has a maximum memory speed of 9,200+ MT/s (OC), but you’ll have to enable XMP to get these speeds, which is a simple option you have to enable in the BIOS, and your RAM is overclocked.
The ROG Maximus Z890 Hero ticks all the right boxes for both experienced and first-time builders. It’s packed with features that make for easy installation, offers incredible cooling performance, and plenty of ports and connectivity.
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This motherboard also supports PCIe 5.0 for the GPU and storage devices. This means you can opt for a PCIe 5 NVMe SSD for super-fast load and boot times. In addition, you get the latest WiFi standard, WiFi 7, which has the fastest speed and bandwidth of all the standards.
So, you should be able to game, stream, or work on a wireless connection without running into interference, stuttering, or lag issues. As for its performance, we paired it with the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and the RTX 4070 Ti, both of which we’ve reviewed.
During our testing, the 285K and the motherboard had maximum temperatures of 84°C and 38°C, respectively. This is normal for a CPU, and the motherboard is cooler. When we ran Furmark 2, the average package power was 236.7W, which is close to the 285K’s turbo power of 250W.
The stable and high power delivery combined with its cooling performance is courtesy of its 22+1+2+2 VRM design. Overall, this is an excellent motherboard with a hefty price tag, but if your budget allows it, it should last you through multiple generations of Intel processors.
- Socket: LGA 1851
- Chipset: Z890
- Form Factor: ATX
- PCIe Version: Gen 5 PCIe and Gen 5 NVMe
- Memory Speed: 9200+MT/s (OC) / 6400MT/s (JEDEC)
- Memory Capacity: 256GB DDR5
- Great overclocking support for processor and RAM
- Fast and next-gen connectivity in wireless and PCIe systems
- Handy and useful easy installation features for multiple items
- Still, a rather expensive motherboard for more budget builds and overkill
- No power buttons unlike BIOS and CMOS so you still have to rely on pins
For those who don’t want to spend more than what a processor would cost on a motherboard, we recommend the MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi. This motherboard has excellent features, and during our testing for the MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi review, it was able to easily handle the power requirements of the Core Ultra 5 245K.
For starters, this is an ATX motherboard with dimensions of 243.84mm x 304.8mm. However, it has a significantly higher memory capacity of 256GB DDR5, so you shouldn’t be running into low system memory issues any time soon.
On top of that, it also has a maximum memory speed of 9,200+ MT/s (OC), meaning that by simply enabling XMP, you can boost your system’s performance and efficiency. However, 256GB of RAM is overkill for any task, whether gaming or rendering; it is nice to know that such a huge overhead is available.
In general, the MSI MAG motherboard is a great choice for speed and connectivity. It features the latest gen of wireless and PCIe, making it as future-proof as it gets at this time, likely giving you at least a couple more Intel CPU generations of support.
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It also has a 16+1+1+1 90A SPS power design, which means four layers and different phases regulate the voltage from the PSU to the CPU. More VRMs mean the power is stabilized and regulated before reaching the CPU, which is vital if you plan to overclock the CPU.
However, remember that doing so will increase its performance, power draw, and temperature. So, we recommend using the best thermal paste in combination with the best AIO cooler to keep it from thermal throttling and performing optimally.
For performance, we used the Core Ultra 5 245K and the RTX 4070 Ti. Since these processors are energy efficient, we saw the maximum temperature during the Furmark 2 test at 68°C, while the average package power was 147.3W. This means the motherboard was not holding back 245K and could almost reach its maximum turbo power of 159W.
This is a solid Z890 motherboard with high-end features and it doesn’t cost a lot. It can handle even more powerful CPUs than the 245K, like the Core Ultra 7 265K or the Core Ultra 9 285K.
- Socket : LGA 1851
- Chipset: Z890
- Form Factor: ATX
- PCIe Version: Gen 5 PCIe
- Memory Speed: 9066+ MHz (OC)
- Memory Capacity: 256GB DDR5
- It has a maximum memory capacity of 256GB
- It comes at an affordable price point
- It has a 16+1+1+1+1 Power Phase
- It has PCIe 4.0 for storage devices
For those operating on a budget, we recommend the ASRock Z890 Pro-A, as it is pocket-friendly, features the LGA 1851 socket, and has top-notch features. This motherboard has a maximum memory clock speed of 9066+ MHz (OC) and four RAM slots, giving it a maximum memory capacity of 256 GB.
It also features a 16+1+1+1+1 VRM design, which means that it should easily handle high-end Arrow Lake processors and support overclocking efforts. Five layers to regulate the voltage through multiple phases mean clean and stable energy for the CPU, and processors need a stable power supply to achieve high clock speeds.
This motherboard also has a PCIe 5.0 slot for the graphics card. While there are no PCIe 5.0 GPUs right now, the GPUs available should be able to unleash their full potential by leveraging the high bandwidth of the PCIe 5.0 slot.
On top of that, there are plenty of connectivity options, such as Thunderbolt 4 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C, and more. So, there are plenty of ports that you can use to connect various peripherals. Overall, this motherboard has good features, doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket, and can handle the full range of Arrow Lake processors.
How to choose the best Z890 motherboard
Selecting a motherboard isn’t just about picking the option with the most amount of 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.
Budget
The most important factor you need to consider is your budget. To avoid overspending, it is best to filter the available options based on your budget, which should narrow down the options to a couple of motherboards with a good balance between performance and value.
While the Z890 is a high-end chip, depending on the VRMs, expansion slots, and PCIe version, even a motherboard with a high-end chip could land in the budget or mid-range category.
Compatibility
The Z890 motherboards were launched with the Intel Arrow Lake processors that require the LGA 1851 socket to operate. So, only the Core Ultra 200S processors will work with this motherboard. If you were planning on shifting from the Intel 12th, 13th, or 14th-generation processor or jumping from Team Red, you’d have to purchase a new motherboard and DDR5 RAM as these processors aren’t compatible with DDR4 RAM. Be sure to check out our best motherboard CPU combos for some easy and effective pairings.
VRMs
VRM stands for Voltage Regulator Module. VRMs on a motherboard regulate the voltage the PSU generates and convert and simmer it to meet the CPU’s requirements. The more VRMs there are, the more heat and load are divided, resulting in better efficiency and stability. This is important while overclocking a CPU, and the more stable the power is, the easier it is to overclock it.
