5 Best motherboards for Intel Core i7 9th & 10th gen
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Key notes
- i7 processors offer great performance, but you need to have a proper motherboard to use them.
- Picking up a new motherboard isn’t an easy task, and in this article, we’re going to show you the best motherboards for i7 CPUs.
- Want to learn more about motherboards? This dedicated motherboard article has all the information you need.
- Looking to buy a new motherboard? Check our other buying guides in our Motherboard Hub.
Intel has recently released its latest generation of processors, and while they offer great performance, you’ll need a new motherboard to use them.
In today’s article we’re going to show you the best motherboards for i7 processors from the latest 10th generation and the older 9th generation, so let’s get started.
What is the best motherboard for i7?
MSI Z390-A PRO
- LGA1151 socket
- Four DDR4 slots
- M.2 slot, 6x SATA3 ports
- 2x PCI-E x16 slots
- Audio Boost HD audio processor
- Minor issues when using M.2 slot and SATA drives
This motherboard comes with an LGA1151 socket, and it can use Intel processors from the 8th and 9th generation. As for the memory, there are four dual-channel DDR4 memory slots available that can support memories up to 4000MHz.
Regarding the maximum memory, the motherboard can support up to 128GB. The motherboard has an M.2 slot that can deliver up to 32Gb/s bandwidth thanks to the PCI-Express Gen3 x4 technology.
Of course, there are six SATA3 ports available, allowing you to connect additional storage. It’s important to mention that the motherboard has two PCI-E x16 slots available allowing you to use the Crossfire feature.
Additional features include four USB 3.1 ports on the front and 1x USB Gen2 Type-C port, 1x Gen2 Type-A, and two Gen1 Type A USB 3.1 ports on the back.
MSI Z390-A PRO is a great motherboard if you want to use an i7 processor from the 9th or 8th generation, so be sure to consider it.
Asus Prime Z390-A
- LGA 1151 socket for 9th and 8th generation processors
- Four DDR4 slots, support up to 4266MHz
- 2x M.2 sockets, 6x SATA3 ports
- Two PCI-e x16 slots
- Integrated Intel HD Graphics, HDMI, and Display port 1.2
- Pin and screw locations could be better placed
Another great motherboard for i7 processors from the 9th and 8th generation is Asus Prime Z390-A. The motherboard comes with LGA 1151 socket, so it won’t work with the 10th Gen of Intel CPUs.
The motherboard supports Intel Boost Technology 2.0 and it uses Intel Z390 chipset. Regarding the memory, there are four DDR4 slots that support modules up to 4266MHz (OC).
As for the storage, there are two M.2 sockets as well as six SATA3 ports. Support for Raid 0, 1, 5, and 10 is also available.
There are two PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 slots, 1x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16, and 3x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x1 slots. The motherboard also has integrated Intel HD Graphics, and it fully supports HDMI and DisplayPort 1.2 at 4K resolution.
Asus Prime Z390-A is an amazing motherboard, and if you’re looking to get an i7 processor, this motherboard will be perfect for all your needs.
MSI Z490-A PRO
- LGA1200 socket, support for 10th generation of Intel CPUs
- 4x DDR4 memory slots
- Two M.2 slots, six SATA 3 ports
- Two PCI-E x16 slots, 3x PCI-E x1 slots
- Two USB 3.2 Gen2 ports, seven USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
- No major cons
MSI Z490-A PRO comes with an LGA1200 socket, and it’s fully compatible with the 10th Generation of Intel CPUs. Regarding the memory, this motherboard supports dual-channel DDR4 memory up to 4800MHz.
The motherboard has two M.2 slots that offer transfer speeds up to 32GB/s. Of course, there are six SATA3 ports available for SSDs and hard drives.
As for expansion, there are two PCI-E x16 slots with Crossfire support and three PCI-E x1 slots. It’s important to mention that there’s also an HDMI port as well as DisplayPort available.
Regarding the ports, there are two USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps ports, Type-A on the front, and Type-C on the back. Also, there are seven USB 3.2 Gen 1 Gbps ports and six USB 2.0 ports available.
MSI Z490-A PRO is a great solution if you want to purchase Intel i7 10th generation processor, so be sure to consider it.
MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk
- LGA 1200 socket, supports 10th generation of Intel processors
- Support for up to 128GB of DDR4 at 4800MHz
- Two PCI-E x16 slots with Crossfire support
- Two M.2 slots, six SATA3 ports
- Easy to overclock
- Some minor issues with legacy SSD/HDD
This motherboard comes with an LGA1200 socket, and it can support the 10th generation of Intel processors. As for memory, the board can handle up to 128GB of DDR4 memory at 4800MHz.
Regarding the storage, this motherboard has two M.2 slots and six SATA3 ports available. Of course, support for RAID is also available.
The motherboard supports Crossfire thanks to the two PCI-E x16 slots, and there are also three PCI-e x1 slots available. As for the USB ports, there are three USB 3.2 ports available on the front, one Type-C, and two Type-A.
On the back, there’s a single Gen 2×2 Type-C port, Gen 2 Type-A port, and four Gen 1 Type-A ports. As for additional ports, there are both DisplayPort and HDMI ports available.
MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk is a great motherboard, and if you’re planning to get an i7 CPU from the 10th generation, then this motherboard will be perfect for you.
ASUS ROG Strix Z490-E
- Uses LGA1200 socket and supports 10th generation of Intel CPUs
- Two PCI-E x16 slots with support for CrossFireX and SLI
- Support for DDR4 memory with clocks up to 4800MHz
- Integrated graphics processor and wireless LAN
- Two M.2 slots and six SATA3 ports
- Memory slots are too close to the CPU
If you’re a gamer and you’re looking for a motherboard for your i7 CPU, then ASUS ROG Strix Z490-E might be what you need. This motherboard comes with an LGA1200 socket, so it works with the 10th generation of Intel CPUs.
The motherboard uses the Intel Z490 chipset, and it supports dual channel DDR4 memory. There are 4 memory slots available and the motherboard can work with memory up to 4800MHz.
Regarding the expansion slots, there are two PCIe x16 slots with support for CrossFireX and SLI technology. There are also three PCIe 3.0 x1 slots and a single PCIe 3.0 x4 slot.
As for the storage, there’s a single M.2_1 socket and a single M.2_2 socket as well as six SATA3 ports available. Features such as RAID and Intel Optane Memory Ready features are also available.
ASUS ROG Strix Z490-E is an amazing motherboard for gamers and advanced users alike, and it’s one of the best choices for the latest generation of i7 processors.
Purchasing a new motherboard can be a daunting task, but we hope that our guide helped you find the right motherboard for your new i7 processor.
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