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You might have seen that Intel, along with their Comet Lake Processors, has recently released the latest 400 series chipset. But for many people, a motherboard with 200 and 300 series chipsets are actually more than capable of building powerful and first rate gaming systems with Intel processors.
And they come at a much more budget-friendly price point. In fact, if you have a Core i7-7700K or a Core i5-7600K, a Z270 motherboard is highly recommended. Since Z97 motherboards, Z270 motherboards have massively improved performance, with big leaps forward with CPUs.
Most Z270 motherboards have various x4 PCIe Gen3 M.2 slots, plenty of PCIe lanes, improved overclocking capabilities and other improved features. They are backwards compatible with 6th Gen Skylake CPUs. If you are looking for a Z270 motherboard, you have come to the right place.
We have searched the market and listed the top 9 Z270 motherboards out there. Dig into their features below to choose yours.
The Asrock Z270 killer is a high quality super alloy motherboard. It is an ATX motherboard meaning it is robust and easy to access and operate. It can work for you if you have a 6th or 7th generation Intel Core i7, i5 or i3 Processor as it is compatible with them all, as well as Pentium and Celeron processors.
One of the great things about this motherboard is that it has two of the fastest PCIe Gen 3 x4 Ultra M.2 slots that each deliver up to 32GB/S transfer speed. The system uses DDR3 RAM memory and the maximum system memory is 64GB.
It has an advanced PCIe Steel slot, 2 PCIe 3.0 x 16 slots and 4 PCIe 3.0 x 1 slots. These have a solid cover that stops any interference with graphics cards so everything will run smoothly.
It also has dual graphics output with DVI-D and HDMI ports and the motherboard is VR ready. This motherboard is great for overclocking.
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If you need a mobo with the highest transfer speeds possible, you might consider the MSI Pro Series Z270 motherboard. It has an X-boost feature that boosts your USB performance, increasing transfer speeds of data by 30%.
It automatically detects and optimizes the USB devices connected which is great. We also love how this motherboard has 6 fan headers meaning you have full cooling control. Need good audio? This board is great for gamers that want unbeatable Hi-Fi sound.
The audio unit by Audio Boost is super high quality. The mobo uses DDR4 SDRAM, and the new, enhanced DDR4 Boost gives you great stability at higher memory speeds. The form factor is a large ATX and the board has an impressive 4 memory slots.
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If you are looking for a top quality micro ATX motherboard, this PRO4 Z270M motherboard from ASRock is a great choice at a budget-friendly price point. It is easy to install and quick to update the BIOS.
It is compatible with 6th and 7th generation Intel Core i7, i5 or i3 processors. It has DDR4 RAM with up to 64GB of maximum memory with 4 different memory slots. The memory is dual channel meaning that it provides RAM with two dedicated high-throughput data channels.
It has plenty of SATA connectors for various devices. ASRock is a reliable electronics manufacturer that specialize in motherboards at reasonable prices. It was spun off from ASUS in 2002 and is a great option for Z270 motherboards.
Although this board is easy to install however, some people felt it lacked clear instructions in the manual.
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Looking for a motherboard with stable overclocking potential? The MSI Gaming Z270 could be the answer you are looking for. The ATX board has great overclocking potential which is a huge plus for gamers that want to make the most of their processor.
Another great thing about this mobo is that it has loads of customization options and is really user friendly. That means it’s a great choice for anyone that wants to make their own personalized gaming PC.
It supports DDR4 memory and has DDR4 boost with Steel Armor. Steel Armor technology offers better EMI-shielding and even better signal strength for optimal memory performance. It has 3 turbo M.2 slots.
The motherboard is VR ready so if you want to play VR games with good visuals and performance, this board will have no problem supporting it.
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For a reliable and long-lasting ATX motherboard, try the ASUS Prime Z270-P. It has 5x protection III Hardware level safeguards meaning that it is totally durable and helps project each component so they last longer.
It has integrated Dual M.2 which maximizes your connectivity and speed. It is compatible with Intel Optane Memory and it also has USB 3.0 connections. It supports DDR4 RAM with maximum memory of 64GB, and has 4 memory slots.
If you like to customize your build and create unique designs, you will love the on-board 3D printing mounts. Also this motherboard performs well regarding cooling, it delivers advanced fan control for dynamic and powerful cooling using FanXpert 2 Core.
Don’t worry about causing damage with heavyweight GPUs as the Dual Patent-pending Safe Slot Core fortified PCIe slot will prevent any damage.
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If you love making your own personalized design and customizing the look of your unique gaming rig, you must get the MSI Performance Gaming motherboard. It has multiple colours available as well as LED effects that can really make your system as bright and attractive as you want.
You can do this through the Gaming APP which is available on PC phone or tablet. Another great thing about this motherboard is the cooling system it uses. It includes plenty of fan headers, a total of 6, to make sure the system runs smoothly always, especially when overclocking.
It is now safer and easier to connect M.2 devices due to the M.2 shield. This has cooling pads to stop your M.2 device from overheating and stop any throttling.
It is a solid performer that is easy to install and allows you to connect to even the fastest storage devices. This is great for gamers as it means you can start your games faster, load levels faster and get a real one up on opponents.
It is also Intel Optane ready. This motherboard supports DDR4 SDRAM with a maximum memory of 64GB. It has 4 memory slots, 4 x USB 3.1 slots and 4 x USB 2.0 ones.
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Asus Rog Strix 7270E is a durable and smooth-working motherboard, perfect for those looking to overclock and take high-end gaming to the next level. It uses 5-Way Optimization with auto tuning to automatically tailor overclocking profiles to your unique build, this helps you get the ultimate overclocking performance out there.
It also uses FanXpert 4 to cool the system down and ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible and without glitches. It also means you can save energy and your power will be ultra stable. The ATX motherboard has a maximum memory of 64GB and it supports DDR4 RAM.
Another great thing about the Asus Rog Strix Z270E is that it has amazing personalization options. It has an ASUS exclusive AURA Sync RGBlighting as well as 2 extra RGB headers as well as a 3D-printing friendly mount. This gives you loads to play with to create your own unique gaming system.
The two M.2 slots mean you can maximize your connectivity and speed, it also has a USB 3.1 slot on the front panel and onboard WiFi as well as Optane Memory compatibility. There is also a heavy duty PCIe slot built for heavyweight GPUs and two patent-pending Safe Slots that use an injection molding process to help the frame stay strong.
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The ASRock Z270 is a motherboard with a stable performance and a clean design. It is compatible with 6th and 7th generation processors and supports both Skylake and Kabylake.
One thing some people love is that it has a RAM overclock feature that can run at the maximum of 3000Mhz. This is also a great choice for people who like VR games or are interested in running VR at the highest level.
There is a Dr. Debug code screen and many people found this a helpful feature when building and running their own personalized gaming systems. The board has a whopping ten SATA ports so you can connect to as many connections as you need.
There are three USB 2.0 headers perfect if you have an AIO or power supply that connects or front panel ports. It supports DDR4 SDRAM and has up to 64GB RAM with four memory ports.
It has an LGA 1151 CPU socket and the form factor is a decent sized ATX which is easy and straightforward to use. AsRock’s design for the TAICHI has really hit the nail on the head in terms of aesthetics.
Many motherboards follow a typical red and black color scheme, but this one comes in black and white which is unique for the features it has. The quality of this motherboard is also ensured as they have performed rigorous testing while it was being developed.
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Also Read: Intel H170 vs Z170: Which is Better Chipset for Gaming?
Our final board on the list is the ASUS Maximus IX and it is a great option for high-end gamers. Designed for 7th generation Intel Core processors this motherboard is great for anyone who needs maximum speed or connectivity.
With dual M.2 access this means it is capable of the most efficient and smooth speeds. It has 5-way optimization which totally improves overclocking capabilities and is great for any gaming enthusiasts who want a smoother overclocking experience.
This includes Auto-tuning to tailor your overclocking profiles and dynamic system cooling. FanXpert 4 cools the system and the Cross Chill EK II VRM block makes for optimal cooling.
This motherboard supports DIMM RAM technology and has a maximum RAM memory of 64GB. It also has 4 memory slots available and an LGA 1151 socket. The styling of this motherboard is customizable, so you can alter it to be totally unique.
The AURA Sync lighting means you can maximize styling, while the backplate gives it structural support. This motherboard also has a patent-pending integrated I/O shield.
This pre-mounted shield protects against any electrostatic discharge of 12kV, and the fact that it is pre-fitted means it is super easy to install. It also has a sleek design.
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The chipset is one of the main elements that defines compatibility with CPUs. Z270 chipset motherboards are compatible with Intel Celeron Dual Core processors, Intel Core i3 processors, Intel Core i5 processors, Intel Core i7, Intel Mobile Celeron Dual-Core processors.
Also Read: Micro ATX vs ATX: Which is Better Motherboard?
You certainly can overclock on a Z270 motherboard. However it is actually the only motherboard in the 200-series chipset that does support overclocking.
It has more HSIO lanes, PCI lanes and USB 3.0 ports which allow it more advanced capabilities than others in the series. If you want to overclock, we recommended the Z270 or a motherboard from the 300 or 400 series.
If you are on the market for a motherboard you may have seen both the H270 and the Z270 and wondered what the difference is. The main difference is that the Z270 chipset supports overclocking while the H270 does not. There is also some variation in how the CPU PCIe lanes can be used.
Also Read: Z170 vs Z20 Motherboards: What’s The Difference?
So there you have it, the 9 best Z270 motherboards on the market. The Z270 still holds up as a great motherboard for gamers today for anyone using the 6th or 7th generation Intel Core processors. They are able to overclock, have plenty of USB ports, a standard of around 64GB RAM, and sophisticated cooling systems.
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