Best Motherboards for Intel i9-13900KF

Till the debut of the 14th generation processor later this year, the i9-13900KF is the highest-end processor offered by Intel as of now. Its blazingly fast speed and record-shattering performance with an unmatched number of cores provide its customers with a complete upliftment in performance compared to the previous generation.

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The Intel Core i9-13900KF is a 13th-generation processor based on an LGA 1700 socket with 24 Cores (8 Performance and 16 Efficient Cores) and 32 Threads combined with a max turbo frequency of 5.8GHz. The max memory size it can support is 128GB with the DDR5 type supporting up to 5600MHz and the DDR4 type supporting up to 3200MHz.

While we have talked enough about the processor, it is also important to honor its power with a suitable motherboard that can push its capabilities beyond its limits. That said, in this post, I have made a list of the 5 best motherboards for Intel i9-13900KF.

Best Motherboards for Intel i9-13900KF

As the name suggests, being a ‘KF’ variant, the i9-13900KF is an unlocked processor but doesn’t come with an integrated graphics card for display. So make sure you also invest in a high-end graphics card.

Before we move on to the detailed study of the motherboards in this post, the below table will give you a quick overview of all these motherboards.

1. ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme

The ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme is the top-tier motherboard for LGA 1700-based processors on the market. And being a top-tier, the pricing is also a premium one, which amounts to above $1000 (at the time of writing). While this price might sound too much, one thing we should not forget is that the processor is also a top-tier one, so it’s obvious to one motherboard too.

The ASUS ROG Maximum Z790 Extreme is an E-ATX motherboard that supports 12th and 13th-generation Intel Core, Pentium Gold, and Celeron processors, based on LGA 1700 sockets. It comes onboard with four DDR5 DIMM slots that can take up to 192GB of memory and support a memory speed of up to 7800+MHz. Regarding display connectivity options, it has one HDMI 2.1 port, supporting a max resolution of 4K@60Hz, and two Intel Thunderbolt 4 ports, supporting both DisplayPort 1.4 and Thunderbolt video outputs.

The expansion slots of this motherboard include two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots and one PCIe 4.0 x4 slot. Other features are five M.2 slots, six SATA III ports, 10GbE LAN, built-in Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.3, ten USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 headers (support additional 4 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports), and two USB 2.0 headers (support additional 4 USB 2.0 ports).

What We Like

The super overclocking features of this motherboard paired with 192GB of memory support and a platform built to be used by professionals, make it one of the top-notch motherboards to have ever been produced. It has PCIe 5.0 support, 10GbE LAN, built-in Wi-Fi/ Bluetooth, and plenty of USB ports. Above all that, the attractive design, solid build quality, and RGB make it something to watch over and over again.

What We Don’t Like

The most important factor which most people would agree on is its extreme pricing. While Z790 chipset motherboards are available at a much cheaper price of $200-$300, this one costs over $1000 which is a bit too much for gaming enthusiasts. Unless you are a professional whose work involves lots of heavy software usage, you might not need this many features to play games only.

Summary

The ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme is a top-tier motherboard for LGA 1700-based processors on the market. It is ideal for professionals who require a top-notch motherboard with super overclocking features and plenty of USB ports. However, its extreme pricing might not be suitable for gaming enthusiasts who do not require this many features for playing games.

Pros

• Attractive design and solid aesthetics
• 192GB memory capacity
• High-speed memory support
• Extreme overclocking capabilities
• 10GbE LAN
• Plenty of USB ports

Cons

• Too pricey

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2. MSI MEG Z790 ACE

For most gaming enthusiasts, a $1000 motherboard might be an overkill. In that case, this $700 motherboard (at the time of writing) might come in handy. The MSI MEG Z790 ACE is a solid gaming motherboard with lots of overclocking options and delivers exceptional performance at this price.

The MSI MEG Z790 ACE is an E-ATX motherboard that supports 12th and 13th-generation Intel Core, Pentium Gold, and Celeron processors, based on LGA 1700 sockets. It comes with four DDR5 DIMM slots that can hold up to 192GB of memory and support a memory speed of up to 7800+MHz. For display connectivity options, it has only one Type-C DisplayPort that supports a max resolution of 4K@60Hz and two Thunderbolt 4 ports that supports a max resolution of 8K.

The expansion slots of this motherboard include three PCIe x16 slots (also supports PCIe 5.0 version). It also features five M.2 slots, six SATA III ports, 2.5GbE LAN, built-in Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.3, ten USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, four USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and four USB 2.0 ports.

What We Like

This motherboard is the sweet spot for gaming enthusiasts who don’t want to spend $1000. It delivers exceptional performance combined with a high-memory capacity of 192GB and two Thunderbolt 4 ports that supports 8K resolution. It has ample M.2 slots for storage expansion and a good number of USB ports. In terms of connectivity, the board is quite rich.

What We Don’t Like

While there’s not much to complain about this motherboard, the only thing it is lacking is a 10GbE LAN.

Summary

Overall, the MSI MEG Z790 ACE is an ideal gaming motherboard with lots of overclocking options and delivers exceptional performance at a reasonable price. It supports up to 192GB of memory with a memory speed of up to 7800+MHz and has two Thunderbolt 4 ports that support up to 8K resolution. It also has plenty of M.2 slots for storage expansion and a good number of USB ports.

Pros

• 192GB memory capacity
• High-speed memory support
• Two Thunderbolt 4 ports
• 8K support
• PCle 5.0 support
• Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Cons

• No HDMI port
• Lacks 10Gbe LAN

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3. ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I

If you want to save some space within your PC case so you can house larger triple fan RTX graphics cards, a mini-ITX motherboard can easily do that job. For this, the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I is a perfect choice, a compact-size motherboard with spectacular performance delivery.

The ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I is a mini-ITX motherboard that supports 12th and 13th-generation Intel Core, Pentium Gold, and Celeron processors, based on LGA 1700 sockets. It comes onboard with two DDR5 DIMM slots that can take up to 64GB of memory and support a memory speed of up to 7600MHz. For display connectivity, it has one HDMI 2.1 port, supporting a max resolution of 4K@60Hz, and two Intel Thunderbolt 4 ports, supporting both DisplayPort 1.4 and Thunderbolt video outputs.

It has one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and features two M.2 slots, two SATA III ports, 2.5GbE LAN, built-in Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.3, six USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, three USB 2.0 ports, and two USB 2.0 headers (supports additional 3 USB 2.0 ports).

What We Like

With a compact size, the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I offers great connectivity, PCIe 5.0 support, great performance, high-speed memory support, and triple video outputs (including Thunderbolt 4).

What We Don’t Like

For a mini-ITX motherboard, the price is a bit too much compared to other minI-ITX motherboards. Another disadvantage is that it has only two SATA III ports.

Summary

Summing up, the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I is a great choice for compact PC builders who don’t need a motherboard that takes up too much space. In that way, you can take care of other important components as well. So if you prefer a smaller-sized motherboard, then this one can be your best bet.

Pros

• 64GB memory capacity
• High-speed memory support
• PCIe 5.0 support
• Thunderbolt 4 ports
• Great connectivity options
• Compact in size

Cons

• Quite expensive for a mini-ITX motherboard
• Only two SATA III ports
• No 10 GbE LAN

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4. ASRock Z790 Taichi Carrara

The ASRock Z790 Taichi Carrara is a well-equipped motherboard with all the features required to overclock the i9-13900KF, at a reasonable price. The motherboard currently costs $499 on Amazon (at the time of writing) and has a unique marbled appearance. At this price, you won’t find such a well-balanced motherboard like this one.

The ASRock Z790 Taichi Carrara is an E-ATX motherboard that supports 12th and 13th-generation Intel Core, Pentium Gold, and Celeron processors, based on LGA 1700 sockets. It comes onboard with four DDR5 DIMM slots that can take up to 192GB of memory and support a memory speed of up to 7400+MHz. For display, it has one HDMI 2.1 port, supporting a max resolution of 4K@60Hz, and two Intel Thunderbolt 4 ports, supporting a max resolution of 8K@60Hz.

Apart from that, the motherboard also sports two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, five M.2 slots, eight SATA III ports, 2.5GbE LAN, built-in Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.3, three USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, ten USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and six USB 2.0 ports.

What We Like

The motherboard is well-equipped with features and gives a better price-to-performance ratio. Hence, from a customer’s point of view, this motherboard is a better value for money. Apart from that, it has 192GB of memory capacity, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and ample USB ports.

What We Don’t Like

Just like most other motherboards, it also lacks 10GbE LAN and surprisingly, for a motherboard of this value, it consumes too much power.

Summary

If you are looking for a more balanced purchase with all the required features without paying anything extra, the ASRock Z790 Taichi Carrara is the right choice. With PCIe 5.0 support, built-in Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, 192GB memory capacity, and Thunderbolt 4 ports, this motherboard can definitely compete with a flagship motherboard.

Pros

• 192GB memory capacity
• High-speed memory support
• PCIe 5.0 support
• Thunderbolt 4 ports
• 8K support
• Value for money

Cons

• Lacks 10GbE LAN
• High default power consumption

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5. MSI MPG Z790 Edge

If your budget is not high enough to spend on the above-mentioned motherboards, then the MSI MPG Z790 Edge might be your bet. This $350 motherboard will pair perfectly with the i9-13900KF under a tight budget so you can spend that extra cash on another important component like graphics cards.

The MSI MPG Z790 Edge is an ATX motherboard that supports 12th and 13th-generation Intel Core, Pentium Gold, and Celeron processors, based on LGA 1700 sockets. It comes with four DDR5 DIMM slots that can take up to 192GB of memory and support a memory speed of up to 7200+MHz. Regarding display connectivity options, it has one HDMI 2.1 port, supporting a max resolution of 4K@60Hz, and one DisplayPort 1.4, supporting a max resolution of 8K@60Hz.

Other notable features include two PCIe x16 slots, one PCIe x1 slot (also supports PCIe 5.0 version), five M.2 slots, seven SATA III ports, 2.5GbE LAN, built-in Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.3, seven USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, six USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and four USB 2.0 ports.

What We Like

For those who are under a tight budget, nothing can be better than having the MSI MPG Z790 Edge at your disposal. It has great overclocking capabilities, high-speed memory support, plenty of SATA III ports, and PCIe 5.0 support.

What We Don’t Like

The only disappointing feature I found on this motherboard is the absence of a 10GbE LAN.

Summary

The MSI MPGZ790 Edge is a suitable choice for budget gamers who don’t want to spend more than $400 on a motherboard. A decent motherboard with superb overclocking capabilities and plenty of USB and SATA III ports.

Pros

• 192GB memory capacity
• High-speed memory support
• PCIe 5.0 support
• 8K support
• Inexpensive

Cons

• No 10GbE LAN

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Conclusion

Best Motherboards for Intel i9-13900KF: ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme

While there are plenty of options available for the Intel i9-13900KF, I would recommend the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme to be the best option for this processor. The motherboard is ideal for professionals who require a top-notch motherboard with super overclocking features and plenty of USB ports. Even for gaming enthusiasts, it is perfect but seeing its price, it’s better to consider other options too.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is the i9-13900KF good for gaming?

Yes, the i9-13900KF is a top-tier processor that delivers exceptional performance and is ideal for gaming enthusiasts.

2. What generation of Intel processors is i9-13900KF?

The i9-13900KF is a 13th-generation processor.

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