Best Motherboards For Intel i5-13600KF

The i5-13600KF, being the latest-generation processor by Intel, can easily perform a wide range of operations without breaking a sweat. Whether you want to play games or edit videos, this processor can handle anything you throw at it.

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On paper, the Intel i5-13600KF is a 13th-generation processor with 14 Cores (6 Performance and 8 Efficient Cores) and 20 Threads. It runs on a base frequency of 2.6GHz but can be overclocked to 5.1GHz. One thing to note here is that it doesn’t have an integrated graphics card so you would need a separate graphics card for display. Apart from that, it is an unlocked version which means you can extract the best out of this processor with overclocking.

That said, with all that power at your disposal, it is important to invest in a suitable motherboard capable of pushing its limits. Keeping that in mind, I have reviewed the 5 best motherboards for i5-13600KF that you can bet on.

Best Motherboards for Intel i5-13600KF

Since the Intel i5-13600KF is an unlocked processor, we would need a motherboard that can overclock its capabilities and for that, any Z or X series supporting Intel processors can do that. With all the latest features you can expect in a motherboard, like DDR5 support and PCIe 5.0 version, these motherboards are well equipped with all the necessary features required to overclock a processor.

But before we hop on to the brief discussion of the 5 best motherboards, the below table will give you a quick overview of all these motherboards (along with the buying link) we are going to talk about later in this post.

Best Motherboards for Intel i5-13600KF	Form Factor	Chipset	Wi-Fi/Bluetooth	Buy Now
ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E	ATX	Z790	Yes	Check On Amazon
MSI MPG Z790 Carbon	ATX	Z790	Yes	Check On Amazon
ASRock Z790 PG-ITX/TB4	ITX	Z790	Yes	Check On Amazon
GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS Elite AX	ATX	Z790	Yes	Check On Amazon
MSI PRO Z690-A	ATX	Z690	No	Check On Amazon

Best Motherboards for Intel i5-13600KF	Form Factor	Chipset	Wi-Fi/Bluetooth	Buy Now
ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E	ATX	Z790	Yes	Check On Amazon
MSI MPG Z790 Carbon	ATX	Z790	Yes	Check On Amazon
ASRock Z790 PG-ITX/TB4	ITX	Z790	Yes	Check On Amazon
GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS Elite AX	ATX	Z790	Yes	Check On Amazon
MSI PRO Z690-A	ATX	Z690	No	Check On Amazon

1. ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E

The ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E is a high-end gaming motherboard with impressive overclocking capabilities and a premium price. If budget is not an issue for you, you can easily bet on this $500 motherboard to run your i5-13600KF processor.

Talking about specifications, the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E supports 12th and 13th-generation Intel processors based on LGA 1700 sockets. It comes with four DIMM DDR5 slots that support up to 128GB of memory and a max memory speed of up to 7800+MHz. For display connectivity options, it has one HDMI 2.1 port supporting 4K@60Hz resolution and one DisplayPort 1.4 supporting 8K@60Hz.

Apart from that, it also features built-in Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.3, one PCle 5.0 x16 slot, two PCle 4.0 x16 slots, five M.2 slots, four SATA III ports, nine USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, six USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and two USB 2.0 ports.

What We Like

Loaded with the best overclocking capabilities, 8K display support, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, five M.2 slots for storage expansion, PCle 5.0 support, and solid aesthetics makes it one of the best motherboards for the Intel i5-13600KF. Hence, if gaming is your preference, then this one should be your choice.

What We Don’t Like

The $500 price tag could hurt a lot of buyers who have a very limited budget to spend on a motherboard. Also, being an expensive motherboard, it still doesn’t have USB 4 and just four SATA ports which could be a disappointment for many.

Summary

Even though with fewer SATA ports and a premium price tag, it isn’t a deal breaker and you can still bet on this board for its impressive features that I stated above. The point here is that if you are looking for something that delivers the best performance, the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E is one board to be considered.

2. MSI MPG Z790 Carbon

The second-in-command yet equally capable motherboard on this list is the MSI MPG Z790 Carbon. Priced at $59 less than the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E, this motherboard could be your best bet if you want to save a few bucks.

The MSI MPG Z790 Carbon supports 12th and 13th-generation Intel processors based on LGA 1700 sockets. It comes with four DIMM DDR5 slots that support up to 192GB of memory and a max memory speed of up to 7600+MHz. For display connectivity options, it has only one HDMI 2.1 port supporting 4K@60Hz resolution.

It also sports built-in Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.3, one PCle x1 slot, two PCle x16 slots (also supports PCle 5.0 version), five M.2 slots, six SATA III ports, nine USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, four USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and four USB 2.0 ports.

What We Like

There are very few motherboards that offer 192GB memory support and luckily, the MSI MPG Z790 Carbon is one of them. Unlike the ROG Strix, it comes with six SATA ports, offers loads of USB ports, five M.2 slots, and supports PCIe 5.0 as well.

What We Don’t Like

The lack of DisplayPort at this price is something that I didn’t like as even cheaper motherboards are coming with that. No DisplayPort also means that it can’t support 8K resolution. Having that option could have made it one of the best motherboards to be picked for the i5-13600KF.

Summary

The availability of 192GB memory support could be useful for workstations that involve heavy RAM usage and if you are one of those who are looking to build your PC for such purposes, you will be more than happy to buy this motherboard. And all of this is available at a reasonable price of $440 on Amazon (at the time of writing).

3. ASRock Z790 PG-ITX/TB4

If you require a mini-ITX motherboard for your mini PC build, then the ASRock Z790 PG-ITX/TB4 should be your choice. Being smaller in size, it can easily fit into your PC case without consuming too much space that can be used to house bigger graphics cards.

The ASRock Z790 PG-ITX/TB4 supports 12th and 13th-generation processors based on LGA 1700 sockets. It comes with two DIMM DDR5 slots that support up to 96GB of memory and a max memory speed of up to 7000+MHz. For display, it has one HDMI 2.1 port supporting 4K@60Hz resolution, one DisplayPort 1.4 supporting 8K@60Hz, and two Intel Thunderbolt 4 supporting 8K@60Hz.

Other features include built-in Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.3, one PCle 5.0 x16 slot, three M.2 slots, three SATA III ports, seven USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, two USB 2.0 ports and two USB4 Thunderbolt 4 ports.

What We Like

Even though the ASRock Z790 PG-ITX/TB4 is a mini-ITX motherboard, it sports tons of impressive features that can give tougher competition to even bigger motherboards. The 96GB memory support gives the option to support the i5-13600KF with more power. Apart from that, it also comes with two Thunderbolt 4 ports that support a max resolution of up to 8K@60Hz. So that gives you three options — one DisplayPort and two Thunderbolts — that can support 8K resolution.

What We Don’t Like

There’s not much to complain about here as its smaller size restricts some of the features that bigger ATX motherboards can have. But four SATA III ports instead of three could have been better.

Summary

If you are trying to save a lot of space inside your PC case to house bigger RTX graphics cards, then undoubtedly, the ASRock Z790 PG-ITX/TB4 could serve you well for this purpose. Its impressive features and plenty of overclocking options make it a worthy choice.

4. GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS Elite AX

While all the above motherboards are good with plenty of overclocking options, they lack a few features which would have been great at their respective price point. So that doesn’t make them a true value-for-money product. And that’s why, I have picked this motherboard, the GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS Elite AX, a value-for-money board, with all the necessary features for a $250 price tag.

The Gigabyte Z790 AORUS Elite AX supports 12th and 13th-generation processors based on LGA 1700 sockets. It comes with four DIMM DDR5 slots that support up to 128GB of memory and a max memory speed of up to 7600MHz. For display connectivity options, it has one HDMI 2.0 port and DisplayPort 1.2 supporting 4K@60Hz.

Other than that, it has built-in Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.3, one PCle 5.0 x16 slot, one PCle 4.0 x16 slot, one PCle 3.0 x16 slot, four M.2 slots, six SATA III ports, four USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, five USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and eight USB 2.0 ports.

What We Like

High-speed memory support, two display ports, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and four M.2 slots are some of the few features that make it an ideal choice. It’s not something extraordinary that the above motherboards lack but its features at such a competitive price make it one of the best choices for those who are looking to make their every penny count.

What We Don’t Like

Few numbers of USB ports and an average audio codec can be disappointing for some computer enthusiasts.

Summary

For those who aren’t too picky about certain features which they don’t even need, the GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS Elite AX is the best bet. It has what every gamer needs, it delivers fast performance and overclocks well. Above all of this, its $250 (at the time of writing) price tag makes it an attractive deal for budget gamers.

5. MSI PRO Z690-A

If you can not afford to spend more than $200 on a motherboard but still desire to overclock your processor, the MSI PRO Z690-A should be your choice. Though not as capable as the Z790 processors, the MSI PRO Z690-A is still a good choice for budget gamers who aren’t looking for an extreme option.

On paper, the MSI PRO Z690-A supports 12th and 13th-generation processors based on LGA 1700 sockets. It comes with four DIMM DDR5 slots that support up to 192GB of memory and a max memory speed of up to 6400+MHz. For display connectivity, it has one HDMI 2.1 port and DisplayPort 1.4 supporting 4K@60Hz.

The board also features four M.2 slots, six SATA III ports, three PCle x16 slots (also supports PCle 5.0 version), one PCle 3.0 x1 slot, three USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, six USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and eight USB 2.0 ports.

What We Like

The max memory support of up to 192GB, dual ports for display, six SATA III ports, four M.2 slots, and plenty of USB ports are some of the best features which I like on this motherboard. In spite of being inexpensive, it is still a worthy motherboard for overclocking your processor.

What We Don’t Like

The board lacks built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support which might disappoint certain buyers. But it is not something too necessary to break a deal.

Summary

The MSI PRO Z690-A is a great choice for those who don’t want to spend more than $200 on a motherboard. At the time of writing, it is available on Amazon at a price of $189. It works great with i5-13600KF and suits the pocket of budget gamers.

Conclusion

The best motherboard for the Intel i5-13600KF is the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E!

After carefully reviewing all the 5 best motherboards for Intel i5-13600KF, I found ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E to be the best choice. It has the best overclocking capabilities, supports high-speed RAM and 8K resolution, comes with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support, has solid aesthetics, and features lots of expansion slots for storage. Hence, for anyone looking for the best option for i5-13600KF, the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E is my pick.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the frequently asked questions that people usually have about the Intel i5-13600KF!

Is i5-13600KF good for gaming?

Yes, the i5-13600KF is good for gaming, all thanks to its high cores and thread count.

What is the difference between Intel K and KF?

The ‘Intel K’ means that this processor is unlocked and can be overclocked beyond its limits while ‘KF’ means this processor is unlocked but doesn’t have any integrated graphics for display.

How many cores does the i5-13600KF have?

The i5-13600KF has 14 Cores (6 Performance and 8 Efficient Cores).

Does i5-13600KF have integrated graphics?

No, the i5-13600KF doesn’t have integrated graphics.

Does i5-13600KF support DDR4?

Yes, the i5-13600KF supports up to DDR5 memory.

How much RAM does the i5-13600KF support?

The i5-13600KF can support up to 5600MHz for DDR5 memory and 3200MHz for DDR4 memory.

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