Best Motherboards for i5 9600k in 2021

The i5-9600K is one of Intel’s current mid-range gaming CPU offers. It is a powerful 6-core/6-thread processor that gives a decent performance in most modern games. The CPU gives the green signal to overclocking, with potentials of up to 5.2GHz alongside a high-end AIO cooling.

What is Overclocking in this case?

Overclocking will add about 10 percent in terms of overall gaming performance, which could make a huge difference for some die-hard gamers out there. With a decent mid-range cooler, one can get to about 4.9/5GHz which accounts for close to 6-8 percent of a performance boost.

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What CPU Do You Need to Overclock your i5 9600k?

You would have to get a Z390 board to overclock your midrange i5. Fortunately, there are quite a few decent boards in the market that won’t break your bank. You can get a great board that is powerful enough to host even the Core i9 9900K or i7 9700K for about half the price you would pay for the CPU and a decent cooler.

Does Motherboard Affect Performance?

Should You Get a High End or Mid Range Board?

It is to be known that a high-end model that cost as much as the CPU+cooler combo or more are in abundance in the market. While we can recommend getting mid-range boards since they do offer some extra features, high-end choices are reasonable to get only if you plan on overclocking the CPU to its limits or upgrading to a more powerful processor later on.

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Keeping the budget aside, mid-range, and high-end ATX choices we also included one mATX and one Mini-ITX board, for those who want to build a premium gaming tower. Without further ado, you can check the best motherboards for the i5-9600K, in almost every price range.

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Our recommendations:

IMAGE	PRODUCT	DETAILS
Best Budget Motherboard	Best Budget Motherboard	Gigabyte Z390 UD	SOCKET: LGA 1151 CHIPSET: Intel Z390 MEMORY: 128 GB	Check On Amazon
Best Budget Motherboard	Best Budget Motherboard	GIGABYTE Z390 M Gaming	SOCKET: LGA 1151 CHIPSET: Intel Z390 MEMORY: 128 GB	Check On Amazon
Mid-Range Product	Mid-Range Product	ASUS Prime Z390-A	WI-FI: No CHIPSET: Intel Z390 MEMORY: 64 GB	Check On Amazon
Mid-Range Product	Mid-Range Product	Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO	SOCKET: LGA 1151 CHIPSET: Intel Z390 MEMORY: 128 GB	Check On Amazon
High-End Product	High-End Product	ROG Maximus XI Hero	SOCKET: LGA 1151 CHIPSET: Intel Z390 MEMORY: 128 GB	Check On Amazon
High-End Product	High-End Product	Gigabyte Z390 AORUS MASTER	WI-FI: Yes CHIPSET: Intel Z390 MEMORY: 128 GB	Check On Amazon
Micro-ATX Board	Micro-ATX Board	Gigabyte Z390M Gaming	SOCKET: LGA 1151 CHIPSET: Intel Z390 MEMORY: 128 GB	Check On Amazon
Mini-ITX Board	Mini-ITX Board	ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming-ITX/ac	SOCKET: LGA 1151 CHIPSET: Intel Z390 MEMORY: 64 GB	Check On Amazon
Budget Motherboard	Budget Motherboard	MSI Z390-A PRO	WI-FI: No CHIPSET: Intel Z390 MEMORY: 128 GB	Check On Amazon
Budget Motherboard	Budget Motherboard	MSI MPG Z390M Gaming Edge	WI-FI: No CHIPSET: Intel Z390 MEMORY: 128 GB	Check On Amazon

Best Budget Motherboards for i5-9600K

When keeping in mind both budget and performance, there are a few great options for your 9600K. We have chosen two that provide a solid combination of features alongside decent VRMs (voltage regulating module) – the Gigabyte Z390 UD and MSI Z390-A PRO.

1. Gigabyte Z390 UD

The Gigabyte Z390 UD is one of the best budget motherboards out there in the market. The board can run with 9900K fully unleashed without suffering VRM throttling. For its price, the board gives you pretty much a lot. If you only have around $120 to spend but you want a Z390 motherboard then Gigabyte’s UD model should be your choice.

Specifications:

SOCKET
CHIPSET
MEMORY
STORAGE
MULTI-GPU SUPPORT
EXPANSION SLOTS
USB PORTS
WI-FI

Details

LGA 1151
Intel Z390
4 × DDR4 DIMM, max. 128 GB
1 × M.2, 6 × SATAIII
AMD CrossFire
2 × PCIe 3.0 x16, 3 × PCIe 3.0 x1
8 × USB 3.1 Gen 1, 2 × USB 2.0/1.1
No

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2. GIGABYTE Z390 M Gaming

The Z390 M Gaming Motherboard from Gigabyte is an mATX motherboard for the 9th Gen processors from Intel. It shares quite a similar design and style to the Z390 Gaming X and Gaming SLI that features a classy black and grey theme with red accents on its power delivery heat sink.

Specifications:

Specifications:

SOCKET
CHIPSET
MEMORY
STORAGE
MULTI-GPU SUPPORT
EXPANSION SLOTS
USB PORTS
WI-FI

Details

LGA 1151
Intel Z390
4 × DDR4 DIMM, max. 128 GB
1 × M.2, 6 × SATAIII
AMD CrossFire
2 × PCIe 3.0 x16, 3 × PCIe 3.0 x
8 × USB 3.1 Gen 1, 2 × USB 2.0/1.1
No

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3. MSI Z390-A PRO

The biggest difference between the MSI Z390-A PRO and the other MSI Z390 series models is that this board isn’t particularly targeted towards gamers. The design is simple with a coffee themed PCB which does include silver patterning across it; primarily around the edges of the board and around the silver and black heatsinks. The highlight of the MSI Z390-A PRO is in its value with a good selection of controllers including an Intel I219V Gigabit Ethernet controller and a Realtek ALC892 HD audio codec handling the onboard audio.

Specifications:

Specifications:

CHIPSET
MEMORY
STORAGE
MULTI GPU SUPPORT
WI-FI

Details

Intel Z390
4 × DDR4 DIMM, max. 128 GB
1 × M.2, 6 × SATAIII
AMD CrossFire
No

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4. MSI MPG Z390M Gaming Edge

The MSI MPG Z390M Gaming Edge AC is the smaller sibling to the ATX sized Gaming Edge AC model (mATX) and as a result, a smaller PCB means less slot space available. Like the bigger sized model, the main feature of the Gaming Edge AC range is Wi-Fi connectivity and this is provided by an Intel 9560 802.11ac 2T2R Wi-Fi adapter which is surprisingly higher spec than the one integrated (Intel 9462) onto the ATX variant.

Specifications:

Specifications:

CHIPSET
MEMORY
STORAGE
MULTI GPU SUPPORT
WI-FI

Details

Intel Z390
4 × DDR4 DIMM, max. 128 GB
1 × M.2, 6 × SATAIII
AMD CrossFire
No

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Regardless of which of the two boards you go for, you’d be getting quite a lot with the money that you pay. Both have decent VRM that should be able to run even the i9-9900K without any issues.

Which Supports More Memory Speed?

Talking about the memory speed capacity, the MSI model supports DDR4 memory up to 4000MHz while the Gigabyte board can run memory up to 4266MHz.

Design Comparison:

I personally like the Z390 UD more. All black design of the MSI board looks decent, but black and grey coloring of the UD gives it a more defined impression.

Storage Comparison:

Storage-wise, the boards are identical. The solitary M.2 slot alongside with six SATAIII connectors. The MSI Z390-A Pro does give an additional M.2 slot that can host a Wi-Fi module, which could be a big bonus for users who prefer wireless connectivity with gaming. The main PCIe x16 slot on both boards work at maximum, x16 speed while the secondary works at x4. There are two secondary x16 PCIe slots on the Gigabyte model and one on the MSI board. The Z390 UD comes with 3 PCIe x1 slots while the MSI board comes with 4 PCIe x1 slots.

Audio:

Realtek ALC892 Codec can be found on the MSI board and the Realtek ALC887 codec is powering the audio on the Gigabyte model. They are very similar in quality and both support 7.1 channel setups. Both boards have Gigabit LAN. Realtek on the Gigabyte and Intel on the MSI. Finally, the MSI Z390-A PRO comes with an HDMI, DVI-D, and DisplayPort on the back panel while the Gigabyte Z390 UD features only a single HDMI port

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Best Mid-Range Motherboards for i5-9600K

The two mid-range boards, the ASUS Prime Z390-A and the Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO are incredibly sweet spots for the i5 9600K. Both boards have the capability of running any 9th gen Intel CPU. For the amount of money that you’re paying, which is almost identical in both cases, you’re getting quite a lot.

1. ASUS Prime Z390-A

ASUA Prime Z390-A is one of the Best Mid-Range Motherboard For i5-9600k. you can see here a lot of Features and Specifications.

Specifications:

CHIPSET
MEMORY
STORAGE
MULTI-GPU SUPPORT
WI-FI

Details

Intel Z390
4× DDR4 DIMM, max. 64 GB
2× M.2, 6× SATAIII
Nvidia SLI, AMD CrossFire
No

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2. Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO

Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO is the second product of Best-mid Range Motherboard For i5-9600k. This product has a lot of Features and Specifications that you can see this.

Specifications:

SOCKET
CHIPSET
MEMORY
STORAGE
MULTI-GPU SUPPORT
WI-FI

Details

LGA 1151
Intel Z390
4 x DIMM, DDR4, max. 128 GB
2 x M.2, 6 x SATA
MULTI-GPU SUPPORT: 2-Way SLI, 3-Way/2-Way CrossFire
No

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Again, these are very similar boards. Both can run the i9-9900K without issues.

Design Comparison:

Design-wise, both boards look pretty decent. Gigabyte has the trademark orange and black theme that looks pleasing to the eyes nice while ASUS features slick white and gray design that looks fabulous.

Storage Comparison:

ASUS board supports 4266MHz DDR4 memory while Aorus Pro can take DDR4 up to 4133MHz. Both boards come with two M.2 slots and six SATAIII connectors. Similarly, they come with 3 PCIe x16 slots where one runs at x16, one at x8 (x8/x8 mode in Crossfire/SLI), and the third at x4 speed. Lastly, there are also three PCIe x1 slots featured on both boards.

Network and Audio:

Intel Gigabit LAN is present on both models. The audio is quite similar. Realtek ALC S1220A codec powers the audio department on the ASUS board while the Gigabyte model features the Realtek ALC1220-VB codec. On the back panel, you can find both DisplayPort and HDMI on the ASUS board while the Aorus Pro features just one HDMI port. Both boards come with support for various RGB effects and features and allow users to update BIOS directly from flash drives. The Aorus Pro also supports dual BIOS.

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Best High-End Motherboards for i5-9600K

The most powerful board for 9th gen Intel CPUs is the MSI Z390 MEG Godlike. However, if there’s one big problem. You can get a couple of i5 9600K CPUs along with three solid coolers for the price of just one MEG Godlike. In simpler words, the board isn’t worth it for this CPU. So, we have chosen two brilliant boards that meet all your needs and can be acquired for less than half the price of the MSI board.

1. ROG Maximus XI Hero

The ROG Maximus XI Hero is a top-class Z390 board. It can overlock the i9-9900K at high OC clocks which means running the 9600K will be a piece of cake.

Specifications:

SOCKET
CHIPSET
MEMORY
STORAGE
MULTI-GPU SUPPORT
WI-FI

Details

LGA 1151
Intel Z390
4 x DIMM, DDR4, max. 128 GB
2 x M.2, 6 x SATA
2-Way SLI, 3-Way CrossFire
Yes

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Design:

The board looks fantastic. Black PCB with stylish, dark heatsinks and RGB effects are balanced and very pleasing to the eye.

Memory:

The board can run DDR4 memory at 4400MHz and it comes with two M.2 slots and six SATAIII ports. In the Graphics department, you receive three PCIe x16 ports. One works at x16, the second works at x8 mode (x8/x8 mode works in SLI and Crossfire configuration), and the third is an x4 port. There are also three PCIe x1 ports.

Network:

Intel Gigabit LAN is available alongside a wireless module and a Bluetooth 5.0 module. ROG SupremeFX S1220 is responsible for the audio section. On the back panel, you get one HDMI and one DisplayPort for multimonitor setup when using GPU. You also receive support for all kinds of RGB effects as well as other goodies such as installing BIOS from a flash drive, BIOS flashback, lots of diagnostic LEDs, and Clear CMOS and BIOS Flashback buttons on the back panel. All in all, the ROG Maximus XI Hero is a top-class board and is worth the money you are paying for it.

2. Gigabyte Z390 AORUS MASTER

The Gigabyte Z390 AORUS MASTER costs pretty much the same as the ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero and quite frankly, the overall features are not that different either.
The Master features excellent VRM, sufficient enough for proper i9 9900K OC. It comes with three M.2 slots and six SATAIII connectors. If you need plenty of M.2 slots, this might be your board.

Specifications:

CHIPSET
MEMORY
STORAGE
MULTI GPU SUPPORT
WI-FI

Details

Intel Z390
4 × DDR4 DIMM, max. 128 GB
3 × M.2, 6 × SATAIII
Nvidia SLI, AMD CrossFire
Yes

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Memory:

DDR4 memory speed capacity is 4400MHz and the board comes with three PCIe x16 ports. Out of those three one works at x16, one at x8 (x8/x8 mode is on when using SLI or Crossfire), and one at x4. There are also three PCIe x1 ports.

Network and Audio:

Intel chip provides Gigabit LAN and you also get Wireless and Bluetooth 5.0 modules. The board features the Realtek ALC1220-VB codec that commands the audio along with the ESS SABRE 9118 DAC for jacking audiophile-grade headphones. The back panel features a single HDMI port so there’s no multimonitor support when running an iGPU setup.

The Aorus Master comes with the Clear CMOS button on the back panel. The board supports dual BIOS, and it has Q-Flash support.

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Best Micro-ATX Board for i5-9600K

One problem with mATX Z390 boards is that you won’t find many to compare on the market. Now, if you have the budget to buy one, go for the Asus ROG Maximus XI Gene. This is a world-class board with a variety of features but it also sports extremely high prices. For most users, the Gigabyte Z390M Gaming should be more than enough.

Gigabyte Z390M Gaming:

The Gigabyte Z390 M Gaming is a top-class board with decent VRM capable to run all 9th gen Intels.

Just make sure you run slower memory in case of an i9 9900

Specifications:

SOCKET
CHIPSET
MEMORY
STORAGE
MULTI-GPU SUPPORT
WI-FI

Details

LGA 1151
Intel Z390
4 x DIMM, DDR4, max. 128 GB
2 x M.2, 6 x SATA
2-Way CrossFire
No

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Design:

In terms of its looks, the board looks pretty awesome. The conventional Orange Aorus details are replaced with a couple of red lines and the rest of the board features the classic Gigabyte black and grey theme.

Memory:

The board supports DDR4 memory up to 4266MHz and It comes with two M.2 slots and 6 SATAIII connectors. Graphics-wise you get one PCIe x16 slot running at x16 and one PCIe x16 slot running at x4. There are also 2 PCIe x1 slots and a third M.2 slot for Intel Wireless and Bluetooth CNVi module. You can run a multimonitor setup with iGPU since the board comes with an HDMI and DVI ports on the back panel.

Network and Audio:

The Realtek ALC892 codec takes care of the audio department with an Intel chip powering the Gigabit LAN. The board also features dual BIOS support alongside Q-Flash.

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Best Mini-ITX Board for i5-9600K

When considering getting Mini-ITX boards, you need to know that VRM is the most crucial thing to keep in mind. Decent VRM in a small package is needed to overclock K-series CPUs. The ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming-ITX/ac has the best VRM out of all Z390 Mini-ITX boards. This is our pick for the best Mini-ITX board for the Core i5 9600K.

ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming-ITX/ac

The 5 phases and 60A power stages on the Phantom are sufficient for all 9th gen Intel processors.

Aside from the best VRM when it comes to the Mini-ITX market, the ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming-ITX/ac boasts a variety of other mouth-watering features.

Specifications:

SOCKET
CHIPSET
MEMORY
STORAGE
MULTI-GPU SUPPORT
WI-FI

Details

LGA 1151
Intel Z390
2 x DIMM, DDR4, max. 64 GB
2 x M.2, 4 x SATA
None
Yes

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Memory:

Memory can run at 4500MHz and the board comes with two M.2 slots (always a plus on a Mini-ITX board) and four SATAIII connectors. There’s only one PCIe x16 port running at x16 speed but that’s normal for a Mini-ITX board.

Network and Audio:

Realtek ALC1220 Audio Codec is taking care of the audio section. This is a decent audio setup that supports the 7.1 channel. The back panel features one Thunderbolt 3 slot and comes with one HDMI and one DisplayPort inputs for multimonitor support on iGPU systems. With the Thunderbolt 3, you can run three monitors with an integrated GPU, which is great for a Mini-ITX board. Intel chip is powering Gigabit LAN and the board also comes with a Wi-FI and Bluetooth 5.0 modules. There’s also support for RGB LED strips, and installing BIOS from flash drives. The design of the board is solid. All-black coloring with lots of heatsinks. It looks nice but it’s nothing special.

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