Motherboards can be compared with a car chassis; if the chassis isn’t strong enough, no matter how powerful the engine is, the car won’t stay stable at high speeds. Motherboards are the most crucial part of the computer as they house every single piece of hardware which is needed to run a computer. Graphics card, RAM, hard disk, and even processor, all the hardware gets installed on the motherboard. It’s the motherboard that runs all the different hardware in unison to deliver the optimal computing performance.
10 Best Motherboards That You Should Consider in 2022
Given below is the list of handpicked motherboards for you. These motherboards are the best in their class and are bang for their bucks. You need to go through their specifications to find out the one that fulfills all your needs.
1. Asus ROG Maximus XII Extreme
If you are looking for the best of everything and have a significant budget, Asus ROG Maximus XII Extreme is the one that will cater to all your gaming and professional needs. It is the best motherboard for all the latest Intel processors. It has an intelligent cooling system and comes with DDR4 memory support.
If you are making an Intel system in 2022, then Maximus XII Extreme needs to be on your radar. You are not only getting raw power to handle powerful hardware but also enjoy the benefits of AI overclocking, AI networking, which supports the latest Wifi 6 configuration along with Asus’s Aura Sync illumination. There is only one issue with this motherboard, and that is it is not cheap at all. Other than that, we couldn’t find any significant drawback of this motherboard and recommend this to everyone who wants to build a high-performance PC.
Specifications
- Form Factor: ATX
- Socket: LGA1200
- Chipset: Intel
- Memory: 4 DIMM slots with maximum support of 128 GB.
- Multi GPU Support: 2 way SLI support, AMD 3-Way CrossFireX technology.
2. GIGABYTE Z490 Gaming X
For people who want a powerful motherboard while still being less flashy, Gigabyte’s Z490 makes a great option. This motherboard comes with all the new features which one expects from the team blue motherboard in 2022. It is undoubtedly an entry-level motherboard for gaming enthusiasts, but it has all the power that you need to make a competitive gaming rig. In addition to this, it has 3 PCIe 3.0 slots along with x4 M.2 slots and six SATA ports.
The IO shield comes preinstalled in the motherboard, and an extra 4-pin connector is available in the box. Also, you are getting four expansion slots for your DDR4 memory RAM. If we have to conclude this motherboard’s performance in a single sentence, we would say, “It’s a great motherboard which doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket and still offers all the necessary features along with solid performance.
Specifications
- Form Factor: ATX
- Socket: LGA1200
- Chipset: Intel Z490
- Memory Support: 4 X DIMM slots up to 128GB
- GPU Support: AMD Quad GPU CrossFire and 2 Way AMD CrossFire
3. Asus ROG Strix Z490 Phantom Gaming ITX
There was a time when building a computer was simple, but now people are finding ways to make the CPU and the whole rig aesthetically unique. That’s why we now have mini ITX motherboards which can be easily fit in compact spaces and provide maximum power in the smallest of the spaces. If we look at the market of mini ITX motherboards, the range is relatively small, and there are only 6 options to choose from. One particular model is the Asus’s ROG Strix Z490 Phantom which is an updated version of the previous model Z390. It has all the features from the Z390, but it is designed for Intel’s LGA1200 socket.
On the other hand, from the handful of mini ITX motherboards, only two of them include thunderbolt 3 connectivity at the back end, and Z490 is one of them. The motherboard is packed with rich features; aside from having a thunderbolt 3 connector at the back, you are also getting Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5 GbE ethernet controller along with a WiFi 6 network card to meet all your networking needs. Moreover, at the back, you are also getting a 3.5mm jack for audio output, and there is a total of three USB 3.0 ports at the rear end of the motherboard. The CMOS button is placed in the right spot to make it reachable. The Thunderbolt 3 port can also be used for pairing a screen with the motherboard.
Specifications
- Form Factor: mini ATX
- Socket: LGA1200
- Chipset: Intel Z490
- Memory Support: DDR4 X DIMM slots 4266 MHz+, the RAM capacity can be extended up to 32 GB
- GPU Support: 2 Way AMD CrossFire
4. Asus ROG Strix B550-E Gaming
Allow us to showcase to you the best AMD motherboard, which you will surely be going to admire if you are a team red enthusiast. But yes, this AMD motherboard comes with a hefty price tag. You might think spending $300 for a motherboard is just too much, but if you don’t have it, you are missing out on something big. Indeed, a B550 model is the second-tier variant of AMD 500 series motherboards. But you are not missing a lot with your 550 motherboards. Also, it comes with a big heat sink for your VRMs, a dedicated power header for your water cooler pump if you are opting for water cooling. The other feature which makes it a great motherboard is its six-layer PCB design which offers users a decent 14+2 power stage.
Furthermore, you are getting a double-digit debug display to notify you if there is any problem with the booting. For RGB lovers, the motherboard comes with 2 RGB points, which can be controlled by Asus’s Aura sync to make the RGB effects sync with the other hardware. Both the gaming and the workstation performance of this motherboard are not the best in its league, and you might find other motherboards that are available for almost half its cost and pack more performance. But when you consider its overclocking capability, you will see why you are paying extra money to get this motherboard. This motherboard can handle any CPU overclocking with its AMD laissez-faire software approach. The BIOS interface gives you control and access to every setting related to overclocking that one could wish for. As a result, you can choose to go down and play with voltages and timings, or you could bump the core ratios up.
Specifications
- Form Factor: ATX
- Socket: AM4
- Chipset: AMD 550
- Memory Support: 4 DDR4 X DIMM slots 4266 Mhz+, the RAM capacity can be extended up to 128 GB
- GPU Support: 2 Way AMD CrossFire
5. MSI MEG Z490 Godlike
This high-end Intel motherboard has a name that makes it clear that you only want it in your office if you require to accomplish some highly demanding tasks like editing 4k videos without any lags. The MSI has brought the big guns with this MEG Z490 as it is their flagship Intel motherboard which is directly competing with Asrock’s Z490 Taichi along with Asus’s Z490 Extreme XII in terms of both price and features. The extended-ATX size makes it a bit daunting to install for newcomers. In contrast, there is a bit of light which you can find in the I/O shroud, which illuminates to show a dragon image of the logo of MSI.
Also, there is an OLED panel on the motherboard. Yes, there is a screen in the motherboard right alongside RAM DIMM slots. MSI likes to call it “Dynamic dashboard II”, and it has a resolution of 176 x 48 pixels. There are preloaded animations for this panel, and you can also add your own Gifs. It also provides valuable information about the system, such as temperature, load, and core usage. There are two aluminum heatsinks and heat pipes to cool down the motherboard and its components. The other side of the motherboard, which you are not going to see that much, is covered by the metal plate to give its body structural integrity. There are no issues we could find in this one, apart from it being super expensive. If your budget has no bar, you should definitely consider this one without having any second thoughts.
Specifications
- Form Factor: E-ATX
- Socket: 1200
- Chipset: Intel Z490
- Memory Support: 4 DDR4 X DIMM slots 5000 Mhz OC, the RAM capacity can be extended up to 128 GB
- GPU Support: SLI support and CrossFire enabled
6. MSI Creator TRX40
Now let’s talk about the best AMD Threadripper motherboard, which is MSI Creator TRX40. This motherboard can handle every single generation thread ripper, including 3990X, which has 64 cores along with 128-threads of processing power. The TRX40 has four full-length PCIe 4th generation slots that supports up to three PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 drives. There is a 10 Gigabit Ethernet controller and a WiFi 6 wireless adapter, so there’s no lack of network connectivity. This motherboard is manufactured for the creators who want to have the flagship experience and looking for the best of the best. There are a total of 13 different types of motherboards to choose from, and some are designed specifically for gaming nerds.
The new motherboards of the TRX40 lineup are manufactured in such a way that they can quickly provide enough juice to users to work without any boundaries. You can add up to 4 graphic cards, 4 channel DDR 4 memory, 6 SATA hard drives, and 3 M.2 SSDs. The price you are paying for such a massive extended ATX motherboard is $700, which is quite competitive if you look at its competitors. The aesthetics of the motherboard looks good, and it doesn’t look too flashy once you put it inside the CPU cage.
Specifications
- Form Factor: E-ATX
- Socket: sTRX4
- Chipset: AMD Ryzen
- Memory Support: 8 DDR4 X DIMM slots 4000 Mhz OC, the RAM capacity can be extended up to 256 GB
- GPU Support: 4 graphics card support, SLI support, and CrossFire enabled
7. ASRock H370M Pro4
If overclocking is your thing while staying on a budget, then ASRock H370M is a good option for overclocking i3 processors. This Z370 motherboard is one of its kind, which can be overclocked at such a low cost without any worries. One thing that makes it less expensive is the lack of USB 3.1 gen 2 controllers, which you can easily find in Z370 boards, but they are priced over $150. Instead, with this motherboard, you are getting proper color codes of the newer USB standard, which are used for connecting Type-A and Type-C ports to Gen 1 pathways. You can run a second graphic card in this motherboard, but then it will be a tough job to get it installed as you will need an extra PCIe extender cable.
Also, you are getting two M.2 slots for your SSDs, and one of them supports legacy SATA drives, so you don’t have to worry about transferring your data to the new SSD. You can just plug in the old SATA drive, and you are good to go. The cable management of this motherboard is pretty impressive as the front panel audio header is placed about an inch forward from the traditional corner location. If you are new to installing a motherboard, then ASRock has got you covered with their printed user manual on how to install different hardware on the motherboard and to install the motherboard into the computer case.
Specifications
- Form Factor: Micro-ATX
- Socket: LGA 1151
- Chipset: Intel Z370
- Memory Support: 4 DDR4 X DIMM slots, the RAM capacity can be extended up to 128 GB
- GPU Support: 2 graphics card support, SLI support, and CrossFire enabled
8. MSI MAG Z590 Tomahawk
The MSI MAG Z590 was no afterthought when we were creating this list of best motherboards. This motherboard goes well beyond your CPU compatibility and it has more to do with the capabilities of your gaming PC and with MSI MAG. It has WiFi 6E and PCIe 4.0 support, which gives you the advantage of using the latest graphic cards and the ones which are still yet to release in the market. With this motherboard, users will be able to build a great system that is a perfect balance of a gaming rig and a workstation.
Specifications
- Form Factor: Micro-ATX
- Socket: LGA 1200
- Chipset: Z590
- Memory Support: Dual Channel 4 DDR4 X DIMM slots with 5,333 Mhz maximum speed, the RAM capacity can be extended up to 128 GB
- GPU Support: 2 graphics card support, SLI support, and CrossFire enabled.
9. ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4
If you admire AMD Ryzen processors, then ASRock’s B550 is the best budget motherboard out there in the market. The motherboard has the AMD 550 chipset, which ensures that it gives you full support to the latest features from the modern Ryzen chipsets. The motherboard allows you to connect with six SATA drives and you can go with air cooling or liquid cooling depending on your preferences. Despite having an affordable price tag, the motherboard also offers an RGB control header.
Specifications
- Form Factor: Mini ATX
- Socket: AM4
- Chipset: B550
- Memory Support: 4 dual-channel support with 4,733 Mhz and the maximum capacity can go all the way up to 128 GB.
- GPU: Single graphic card support with PCIe 4.0 X16.
10. Z390 AORUS PRO WiFi – Best For i9 9900k
Coming to the end of our list, we want to finish off with a bang, and the motherboard we are talking about is Z390 AORUS PRO WiFi, which can handle the beast of a processor like i9 9900k with ease. The Z390 is one of the best options when you are using processors like Intel i7 and i9. The motherboard comes with dual-channel non-ECC unbuffered DDR 4 memory slots to give processors unprecedented speed. On the other hand, this non-ECC DDR 4 memory helps the system to detect and correct all the single-bit errors automatically. Also, you are getting Intel’s Optane memory-ready motherboard which can boost the performance of all the hardware components, including RAM and graphics card.
Likewise, it has multiple temperature sensors that alert the user in case the temperature rises significantly. The RGB strips installed in the motherboard have addressable headers. Lastly, it supports Intel’s Gigabit LAN network with cFosSpeed.
Specifications
- Form Factor: ATX
- Socket: LGA 1151
- Chipset: Z390
- Memory Support: 4 dual-channel support with 4,733 Mhz and the maximum capacity can go all the way up to 128 GB.
- GPU: double graphic card support with PCIe 4.0 X16.
Conclusion
When it comes to buying a motherboard for your computer, you may find yourself balancing on a tightrope. You want to have all the I/O that you ever wish while still keeping the cost of the motherboard realistic. However, with a little bit of critical thinking, you will be able to plan and build a great setup that works fine with your motherboard and doesn’t cost you much. We have already provided you with the top 10 best motherboards that you can consider while building your custom PC. As you might have noticed, each motherboard has its own set of advantages. Some are great for Intel processors, while some can handle beasts like Threadripper. However, the choice is always yours and it’s advisable to buy a motherboard that can meet both your budget and performance expectations.