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The newest processor iteration from Intel is packed with 10 cores and 20 threads, two more than the previous generation which sported 8 cores and 16 threads. This processor was marketed by Intel as the fastest gaming processor. Its performance is a testament to the additional cores, along with it being pre-overclocked out the gate to an impressive 4.9Ghz speed.
The previous generation of processors, the Core i9-9900K, falls a bit short in comparison to other processors, such as Ryzen 9 3950X. The 10900K competes with the Ryzen in both performance and price.
This processor is one of the fastest on the market, with excellent overclocking abilities. For such a powerful processor, you’ll need the right motherboard that has enough juice to handle it. For the best usability, you’ll need the best motherboard.
In the hands of a capable motherboard, the Core i9 10900K can take your gaming and video editing experience completely to the next level. It’s already dominated the gaming market because of these features and capabilities.
Once introducing this chip, Intel was finally able to stand its ground against AMD. This powerhouse of a processor can compete with big names and high-end equipment like AMD’s RYZEN 5800x.
This guide will give you a good starting point to work with on choosing the right motherboard for your needs. It would be quite difficult to look at every motherboard that fits the i9 10900k. This will be a major timesaver for you.
The newest powerhouse from GIGABYTE supports 10th gen Intel Core processors. It has a gorgeous look, with Next Generation VRM cooling fans and a direct touch heat pipe with Nanocarbon coating. This gives it a nearly futuristic vibe with a sleek body that is covered in classy black with aesthetic RGB lighting.
This is probably your current best option for motherboards. Stainless steel connectors offer strong connectivity to graphics cards. BIOS has a new user interface complete with storage information and changelogs.
This is a flagship motherboard, so it has a next-generation network, storage, and WiFi connectivity – as well as an AQUANTIA ethernet controller, which supports up to 10BG of network connectivity.
This board is basically an all-in-one deal, promising you maximum performance with dazzling aesthetics. In conclusion, this is overall the best premium motherboard for the i9 10900K.
To meet the energy demands of modern-day computing, the MSI MEG z490 ACE brings to the table a 17-phase VRM with a 90A power supply. This ensures not only stable temperature control but also massive overclocking capabilities.
The VRM boasts an integrated heat sink that comes with an affiliated thermal pad, giving the board optimal heat dissipation. To maximize this, it also comes with a base plate at the back. Not to mention you also get three fan headers. The genius VRM solution from MSI can withstand even the harshest conditions.
You can’t go wrong with this board in terms of gaming. 4 dual-channel DIMM slots that support up to 128GB of DDR4 memory at a frequency of 4800+ MHz. Said slots are protected with MSI’s Steel armor.
If you’re opting for a single graphics card, this is your best option.
The ASUS ROG Maximus XII Apex is one high-performing motherboard. It’s designed specifically to unleash the maximum potential of the 10th Generation Intel Core processor. It boasts 16 teamed power stages, alloy chokes, and durable capacitors. Its entire purpose is to break limits, pushing your system to the absolute cutting edge of power and durability with its record-breaking overclocking performance, overclocking toolkit, and multiple fans with AI cooling.
Not only is it powerful and durable, it’s eye-catching as well. The X-shaped PCB will definitely grab some attention from the rest of the crowd, and those ASUS-exclusive Aurora Sync RBG lights will be even more stand out, giving your system an edge in aesthetics and performance.
This is a flagship MSI motherboard and comes with high-end connectivity and top-of-the-line accessories. The following features make it one of the best motherboards for i9 10900K. The hefty price tag that comes along with this processor is most definitely targeting those extreme gamers and professionals and anyone wanting superior top-notch performance.
It has a z490 chipset, which makes room for intensive CPU and memory tweaking and upgrading. With a dedicated audio processor and headphone amplifier, you’ll have no better sound experience as the quality stands far above the crowd in the current market.
Massive overclocking potential isn’t common in mid-range boards, which is exactly what makes this one stand out from the competition of other similarly priced mid-range boards. It uses DG+VRM 14+2 power stages, which allows you to completely maximize your system’s overclocking potential.
The cooling is really where this board shines. There are three heatsinks around the CPU socket, and all of them are connected with a heat pipe to ensure the heat is dispersed evenly. The heatsinks cover the VRM, the MOSFETs, and the M.2 slots.
This is another mid-range board that works well with the i9 10900K. IT’s a low-budget mobo with an irresistible price tag. This board comes with a lot of customizability, which is great for those gamers that want to truly make their system their own.
The M.2 SHIELD FROZR is a thermal solution from MSI that keeps the whole board cool during intense gaming sessions or large video editing projects. If you enable Extreme Memory Profile in the power settings, you’ll be able to maximize the memory speed and stability.
To start off with, the aesthetics of the motherboard are a super classy matte black with aluminum-silver coated heatsinks. Said heatsinks feature RGB accents around the I/O shield and the chipset. You’ve got 3 onboard RGB headers to work with here.
Once we get into the performance, you’ll find that this motherboard really shines. With a 13-phase power system sporting a 50A power supply and a reinforced 8-pin EPS connector, and an optional 4-pin connector, you’ll have everything you need to get your system set up with your new board.
With the outstanding overclocking potential of this mobo, you’re gonna need some serious airflow and heat dissipation. GIGABYTE does not disappoint on this matter. The primary heatsink that covers the VRMs also extends to the rear I/O. They’re connected with a heat pipe which ensures optimal heat dissipation and evenness. For those users looking to push things even further, there are also either 4-pin fan headers.
Storage is covered, as you’re given 6 SATA connectors for 2.5-inch SSDs and dual M.2 slots for NVMe SSDs. Vision D is focused on content creation and offers 3 PCIe x16 slots. The top slot offers x16 bandwidth, while the others provide 8x and 4x as you go down.
If you want to overclock the performance without worrying about extra cooling, Vision D wouldn’t be a bad choice at all.
This is a quality motherboard to use with i9 10900K. It boasts an efficient and fast boot time, with correctly and efficiently placed connectors and ports. This is a Micro-ATX that’s a definite standout because of its boosted power, top-notch cooling design, and ROG software that gives you access to the most advanced 10th Gen Intel core processors around.
Users have commonly stated that the packaging is stellar and of high quality, and the board overall is very attractive. However, the M.2 slots seem to be seated quite close together, and some users might find this cumbersome.
This board really is made for the most extreme gamers and performance seekers, as it has massive cooling solutions and supports WiFi 6 with efficient wireless networking speeds and better virtual performance.
The ASUS ROG Strix has some powerful features like the Intel LGA 1200 socket, which facilitates maximum performance of 10th gen processors. It has an optimized thermal design, with impressive fan headers and cooling with reduced fan speeds. This motherboard is ideal for high-performance gaming.
Yet another mid-range mobo designed for gamers and PC enthusiasts alike. This is the best MITX motherboard for i9 10900K, as it offers incredible performance and speed.
The Thunderbolt 3 port boasts faster connectivity and data transfer. It also comes with a Twin Turbo M.2 connector for those high-speed data transfers. And as far as cooling goes, this is one of the best you could choose. It comes along with Zero Frozr technology, which keeps the SSD cool and helps prevent temperature-triggered throttling. The fully aluminum I/O cover provides better heat dissipation as well.
When looking for a motherboard for a 10th Gen processor, all the options and excellent choices can make the search overwhelming. Every major manufacturer has great selections, but it’s hard to know the best option to pair with your i9 10900K.
The answer to the question “what is the best motherboard” is a tough one to answer. If you’re looking for a cheaper mobo that has all the performance of the expensive higher-end premium motherboards, you can’t go wrong with the MSP MPG Z490 Gaming Edge. If the board you need has to fit an ATX case, you’ll do no better than the ASUS Z490-E ROG Strix Gaming board.
There’s a lot to consider when going into your mobo purchase and you’ll need to take all your desires and system needs into consideration. It’s also highly important to ensure all your current components will fit or are compatible with the board you choose. Otherwise, you’ll need to get upgrades and swap some things out.
There are many motherboards on the market today that are highly compatible with the needs of every gamer. Whether you’re a casual just looking to run your games, an enthusiast looking for the most features and compatibility, or even professional gamers looking for top-of-the-line performance.
The ASUS ROG Maximus XII Apex will be a dream come true for most gamers. It was designed with gaming performance in mind, capable of handling all the power needs of just about any 10th gen compatible system. The structure is robust and strong, with a black-gray body that is highly aesthetically pleasing to most. On top of that, the heatsink has RGB lighting strips that create quite an eye-catching effect, along with AURA syncing capabilities.
The performance isn’t the only thing that’s great about this motherboard. The durable capacitors provide outrageous power and performance, with onboard buttons that help make sense of the overclocking process. For under 500$, you really can’t go wrong with this choice. You get the best of both worlds, performance, and aesthetics.
This is the buying guide section, try and touch on the points that the competition has. Use H3 headings for each sub-topic. This section may or not be needed, depending on the word count of the article and what the competition has done. The “people also ask” sections are more important.
The platform is the first thing you’ll need to think about before diving into your new motherboard purchase. The two companies, Intel and AMD, both offer boards CPU and GPU that meet the needs of everyone, whether you’re a casual consumer looking for smooth web browsing or an enthusiast looking to build an ultra beast that can handle the most demanding of games and processes without breaking a sweat.
Both of these companies are constantly upgrading their components to keep up with the rising demand of the market. Intel is now on its 10th generation of processors as of this writing. Which company is right for you will depend entirely on what you’re looking for in a motherboard. It depends on your needs, such as how many processes you need running, how many cores in your PCU, and which games you’ll be running, or what software you’ll be using the most.
With an i9 10900K processor, you’ll need to be aware of the sockets and chipset so you can choose the motherboard that has the right matching components. The processor socket is the mechanism that seats the processor on the motherboard.
The chipset is the software and hardware used by the motherboard that allows all the various components and tech to communicate with each other. The motherboard is the “brains” of the operation, basically. And you gotta make sure all your components match up.
It’s not entirely important to know everything about the chipsets and sockets, but it’s pretty vital to understand which chipset and socket your CPU uses in order to match it perfectly to the mobo you’ll be choosing. It’s also worth knowing that different chipsets provide different support to combinations of components like the RAM, GPU, and so on.
Do your research when choosing a board for the i9 10900K. There are plenty of tools around that can show you what components are compatible with what.
You’ll also need to make sure the board has your desired audio outputs. If, for example, you’ve got a surround sound system set up, you’ll need to ensure that it has a rear and center port for the speakers. You’ll need an HDMI if you have a monitor with built-in speakers.
Though if you really need to, you can purchase separate cards or adapters to add to the motherboard if it lacks the exact port you require.
The chipset, the number of PCIe lanes, the version of the PCIe lanes, the VRM design, the USB version, and so many other things determine if your motherboard will work for you or not.
And it’s worth noting that a motherboard doesn’t directly increase the performance of your software or game. It affects the performance quality of the various components installed on it. Depending on the budget you have and what your needs are, having a board with too many bells and whistles and features may be a detriment to you because you may not ever use the board’s full capabilities and high-end features.
The most important factor when buying your motherboard for an i9 10900K is the CPU socket. If you get the wrong one, you won’t even be able to use it as the CPU won’t be compatible.
A premium chipset is something worth putting a little bit more of your budget into. Every generation of motherboards have different chipsets that are intended for varying budgets. If you can, go for a more premium option.
This will give you more options for peripheral installations, but also in terms of how much power you can run through the board to run your machine. The better the chipset, the better CPU you can use. You can even overclock your processor for blistering speed and unbeatable performance, depending on other factors in your build.
Another important thing to keep in mind when choosing your motherboard is the form factor. This is the size of the board and tells you what type of case your board will fit into. If you have a lot of space available, you’ll likely want to optimize that space and get yourself a full-size case. However, if space is definitely a concern, you should opt for a smaller case.
Motherboards come in many different sizes, allowing you a lot of wiggle room in terms of customization. The larger the motherboard, the more components they’ll likely be able to run and support. There are variations in all choices, of course. But generally speaking, larger tends to mean more support. Not all cases support all sizes, so you’ll definitely need to make sure your choice matches your current or eventual build.
The different size form factors are Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, and ATX. Mini-ITX is the smallest, with typically 1 expansion slot, 2 RAM slots, and supports up to 1 GPU. The micro-ATX is the midsize model, supporting up to 4 expansion slots, 4 RAM slots, and up to 3 GPUs. Finally, the ATX is the largest, supporting 7 expansion slots, up to 8 RAM slots, and 4 GPUs.
These aren’t steadfast rules, just guidelines for common configurations. The most important thing is to know the size of your computer or future build, how many components and add-ons you want, then choose the motherboard that will support those needs.
The PCIe is important because the more PCIe lanes your motherboard offers, the more expansion cards can install. The more premium your chipset, the more PCIe lanes you will be offered. While this isn’t exactly a steadfast rule, in general, you can tell you’re dealing with a higher premium motherboard if you have multiple PCIe lanes.
This is particularly the case for x16 slots. A lot of the time, an x16 slot will only offer 4 x PCIe lanes even though it’s compatible with the full x16 size. A more premium motherboard won’t do this and will instead offer true x16 slots.
The version of the slots matter as well, almost as much as how many there are. If you were to install a next-gen device into an older gen slot, the device would get bottlenecked. This will negatively affect the overall performance of your system.
Some lower-budget mobo will only have certain connectors conform to v4.0. Motherboard chipset connected slots will conform to PCIe 3.0. A more premium mobo will have those 4.0 connectors across all available PCIe lanes instead of cheaping out on just one primary 4.0 lane. Some boards will even go above and beyond, sporting support for PCIe 5.0 slots.
The next thing you need to know is the RAM – or Random Access Memory. The type of mobo you buy will determine how much RAM you’ll be able to expand to in your build. It’s worthwhile to be mindful of how many RAM slots your motherboard has. If you’re after a ton of memory for video editing or intensive gaming, you’ll need a board that lets you upgrade.
It’s best to choose a board that can support more than you currently need, so if you ever need to expand further in the future, you aren’t confined to inferior hardware or even forced to buy a new motherboard altogether.
It’s also good practice to get a board with far more slots than you require as well. Find one with 4 RAM slots instead of 2, because in the future, you can simply install more RAM sticks instead of getting a whole new motherboard. This will save your future self a lot of time and a lot of money.
When you’re considering what type or size of motherboard you’ll need, an important step is to consider the number of SATA ports you’ll be needing. Each port allows you to connect an optical drive and storage devices, such as an HDD or SSD. It’s important to make sure your choice of motherboard can support all the upgrades and storage space you require.
Be careful and check that it’s offering the SATA 6 gigabyte standard, which will read as SATA 3.0. Also worthy of consideration are your peripherals. Your USB connectors like keyboards, computer mice, and headphones.
NVMe M.2 cards are the most recent adaptation of the SSD storage. But if you need more than one, you’ll need to check with the motherboard for the necessary slots.
The i9 10900K lacks an “F,” which indicates this CPU has integrated graphics support. This means that there is a GPU built directly into the processor – you won’t necessarily need another GPU installed. Especially if you only plan to use your computer for general tasks like work and web surfing. If you want some additional power and desire a GPU addition, you’ll need to make sure the motherboard in question will support this with a video output port, such as an HDMI.
Having dedicated integrated graphics is helpful because if you primarily run your displays off the added GPU, you can use the dedicated onboard graphics to help troubleshoot any problems with your graphics card.
The number and quality of VRM (Voltage Regulator Modules) is an often overlooked feature, but it’s an extremely important characteristic that defines a good motherboard for the i9 10900K. A poor quality mobo will have a lower amperage VRM.
The VRM are sub-components that provide stable power to the CPU and RAM. If you like to overclock your systems, getting a motherboard with the best and highest-rated VRM is crucial.
The number of VRM a motherboard sports is referred to as Phase Power Design or Power Stages and often formatted such as 8+1, 10+2, and so on. The first digit refers to the amount of VRM for the CPU, and the 2nd digit refers to the CRM for the RAM. A cheaper board usually has a phase power design of 6+2, while higher-end boards offer 12+2 and more.
The construction quality and layout of the overall board is a very important factor that is often overlooked. A good board will be well built and capable of holding even the heaviest of GPU and other cards.
The heatsink design is another thing you’ll need to keep an eye out for. The higher-end boards will do well with dissipating heat off the board and have well-placed and thoughtful heatsink locations and heat dispersion layouts. The more powerful a system is, the more airflow it will need to keep things cool and running at optimal levels – even more so for overclocked systems.
If you opt for a motherboard that already has built-in features, you won’t have to stress out about buying additional expansion cards. Something that’s included in almost all motherboards is onboard audio, but this is usually limited to lower-midrange speakers.
Better boards will bundle in WiFi and Bluetooth as well, but they’ll also drive up the price a bit to match the added connectivity.
Some of the connectors are situated directly on the board and inside the case, meant to connect to ports on the top, sides, front, or even rear of the case. Something that’s important to consider about your board compatibility with your build is the connections.
Make sure the mobo you choose offers the appropriate internal connections for all the peripherals you’ll need. Said connections typically include onboard headers that support peripherals such as fans, USB ports, RGB lighting systems, and a wide variety of other manufacturer-specific products.
This may not be the most important thing you’ll need to consider, but it’s definitely something you’ll need to be careful about checking before you make your purchase. As an example, if your case has multiple USB ports, you’ll require multiple internal USB headers from your motherboard.
Some water-cooling systems need very specific headers to connect to the controlling and monitoring software for the lighting and thermal sensors. Take care to ensure the motherboard you end up purchasing includes all the required headers to support all of your add-on components and case features.
The motherboard is the brains of the operation and connects a large variety of components on top of the CPU. These include graphics cards, sound cards, networking cards, storage devices, and a laundry list of other components.
Back in the early days of custom computer builds, there were many different types of confusing connectors. Thankfully, modern-day computing has simplified things down quite a bit. You’ll be dealing almost primarily with PCIe ports (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express). Some motherboards also include PCI slots for outdated legacy devices.
The PCIe is the most important port on the motherboard and the one you’ll be using the most for connecting parts. The current standard is the PCIe 3.0, with 4 distinct port sizes: x1, x4, x8, and x16, with x4 and x16 being the ones you’ll see the most often. The number of slots available on a board varies a lot, so you’ll want to be extra certain that the board you choose has the slots you need.
Overclocking a CPU is a really good idea if you want extra speed and performance out of your rig. You won’t have to waste money on expensive component upgrades with this strategy, and you can get some pretty serious performance boosts out of less than optimal components.
The i9 10900K can be overclocked, and you can tell by simply looking at the name. Intel adds a “K” to all CPUs that can be overclocked, and this one is no exception.
You can do manual overclocking, which involves using software tools often supplied by the CPU or motherboard manufacturer or by digging into the system BIOS. The latter is the preferred method, in general. You can get better and far more stable performance boosts this way. However, the exception to this rule is with GPU overclocking. However, that won’t be discussed here.
Once you’ve figured out all the components you have and want and which board type you’ll need, you’ll want to give one final thought to the manufacturer. Some manufacturers only make boards aimed toward gamers with a ton of space for powerful GPU upgrades and memory and LED lighting. In contrast, others will focus on mainstream applications and useability for the general consumer.
ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, and ASRock are some of the most well-known motherboard manufacturers out there, and each has pros and cons and specifications unique to its brand.
There are a lot of things you need to keep in mind when shopping for a motherboard that’s compatible with the i9 10900K. The type of peripherals you’ll be using, how you’ll be cooling the system, and what kind of GPU you’ll be adding if you plan to upgrade your graphics capabilities. It can be overwhelming to the typical computer user, especially if you’re building a rig from scratch for the first time. All the options and high-quality choices can be dizzying. That’s why this guide is here, to help tidy up your options and get down to the meat and potatoes of your build and what you’re after.
If you’re after a good performing motherboard for a budget, the MSP MPG Z490 Gaming Edge is a tough one to beat. It has all the necessary component connectors and features, and you don’t even need to be a hardcore gamer to appreciate what it can do for you. Even a general user will find this board a great option for their budget-conscious wallets.
In short, while there are a seemingly unlimited amount of excellent options available, there’s going to be a motherboard out there that suits the exact needs of everyone – it just takes a bit of looking to find the diamond in the haystack.
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