Does intel make motherboards: Intel’s Desktop Motherboard Business to Ramp Down Over Next 3 Years

Today Intel made a sobering, but not entirely unexpected announcement: over the next 3 years Intel will be ramping down its own desktop motherboard business. Intel will continue to supply desktop chipsets for use by 3rd party motherboard manufacturers like ASUS, ASRock and Gigabyte, but after 2013 it will no longer produce and sell its own desktop mITX/mATX/ATX designs in the channel. We will see Haswell motherboards from the group, but that will be the last official hurrah. Intel will stop developing desktop motherboards once the Haswell launch is completed. All Intel boards, including upcoming Haswell motherboards, will carry a full warranty and will be supported by Intel during that period.

This isn’t a workforce reduction. Most of the folks who worked in Intel’s surprisingly small desktop motherboard division will move on to other groups within Intel that can use their talents. Intel’s recently announced NUC will have a roadmap going forward, and some of the desktop board folks will move over there. Intel will continue to produce barebones motherboards for its NUC and future versions of the platform.

Intel will also continue to produce its own form factor reference designs (FFRDs) for Ultrabooks and tablets, which will be where many of these employees will end up as well. As of late Intel has grown quite fond of its FFRD programs, allowing it a small taste of vertical integration (and the benefits that go along with it) without completely alienating its partners. This won’t be a transfer of talent to work on smartphone FFRDs at this time however.

The group within Intel responsible for building reference designs that are used internally for testing as well as end up as the base for many 3rd party motherboards will not be impacted by this decision either. The reference board group will continue to operate and supply reference designs to Intel partners. This is good news as it means that you shouldn’t see a reduction in quality of what’s out there.

It’s not too tough to understand why Intel would want to wind down its desktop motherboard business. Intel has two options to keep Wall Street happy: ship tons of product with huge margins and/or generate additional profit (at forgiveably lower margins) that’s not directly tied to the PC industry. The overwhelming majority of Intel’s business is in the former group. The desktop motherboards division doesn’t exactly fit within that category. Motherboards aren’t good high margin products, which makes the fact that Intel kept its desktop board business around this long very impressive. Intel doesn’t usually keep drains on margins around for too long (look how quickly Intel exited the de-emphasized its consumer SSD business).

The desktop motherboard business lasted so long as a way to ensure that Intel CPUs had a good, stable home (you can’t sell CPUs if motherboard quality is questionable). While there was a need for Intel to build motherboards and reference designs 15 years ago, today what comes out of Taiwan is really quite good. Intel’s constant integration of components onto the CPU and the resulting consolidation in the motherboard industry has helped ensure that board quality went up.

There’s also the obvious motivation: the desktop PC business isn’t exactly booming. Late last year word spread of Intel’s plans for making Broadwell (14nm Core microprocessor in 2014) BGA-only. While we’ll continue to see socketed CPUs beyond that, the cadence will be slower than what we’re used to. The focus going forward will be on highly integrated designs, even for the desktop (think all-in-ones, thin mini-ITX, NUC, etc…). Couple that reality with low board margins and exiting the desktop motherboard business  all of the sudden doesn’t sound like a bad idea for Intel. 

In the near term, this is probably good for the remaining Taiwanese motherboard manufacturers. They lose a very competent competitor, although not a particularly fierce one. In the long run, it does highlight the importance of having a business not completely tied to desktop PC motherboard sales. 

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Why Intel stopped making motherboards

For nearly two decades, Intel was a go-to brand not just for CPUs but also for motherboards. Then, in 2013, Intel pulled out of the market, ending an era. Here’s why Intel stopped making motherboards.

Intel saw motherboard production as a way to protect its brand identity more than as a profit center. Once the industry had several other companies producing motherboards that met acceptable quality standards, Intel had little reason to stay. The key to understanding Intel’s motherboard business is understanding Intel’s mindset. Intel will introduce products just to sell or protect another product, then leave that market when the product no longer needs that support.

The Intel Inside campaign was about more than CPUs

This Intel Aladdin motherboard appeared in computers from Gateway and other manufacturers. Selling quality motherboards helped Intel protect its brand reputation. But by 2013, the problem Intel motherboards solved had pretty much gone away.

Intel started life as a maker of memory, not CPUs. CPUs literally didn’t exist. But after two different companies asked Intel to produce them, Intel agreed to give CPUs a try, mostly because they knew it would make it easier to sell memory. The first desktop computer wasn’t marketed as such, and in the end it didn’t end up using Intel’s CPU, but it wasn’t long before a young computer scientist named Gary Kildall got his hands on the chip. Kildall created the CP/M operating system and that helped popularize early Intel 8-bit CPUs.

Intel quickly moved on to a 16-bit CPU. One of the chips in that new line ended up powering the IBM PC. IBM wanted to ensure it would have a reliable, steady supply of CPUs, so IBM required Intel to license the 8088 to other companies. That way IBM could buy identical chips from someone else or make them themselves if Intel couldn’t supply enough for whatever reason. Intel lined up several alternative sources, including AMD. Yes, AMD started out making Intel CPUs under license, not as a company who cloned Intel’s CPUs.

Early Intel clones

While AMD was making chips as an official licensee of Intel, other companies were cloning Intel chips. Zilog produced a chip called the Z-80, which was completely compatible, software-wise, with the Intel 8008, 8080 and 8085 CPUs. It also contained some enhancements. CP/M was created on Intel CPUs, but the majority of CP/M computers ended up running on a Z-80 instead.

NEC made its own clones of the Intel 8086 and 8088 CPUs, called the V30 and the V20, respectively. These chips were completely pin-compatible with their Intel counterparts and were slightly more efficient, so they ran 15-20 percent faster when running at the same clock speed. The NEC chips were a cheap upgrade for XT-class PCs, and some clone makers used NEC chips instead of Intel 8088s.

This may have been a bit of an annoyance to Intel, but Intel didn’t see itself as a CPU maker, even in the early 1980s. Intel was selling CPUs so it could sell memory. Intel even sold memory expansion boards for IBM PCs that plugged into the ISA expansion slot, providing up to 8 megabytes of memory. It was populated with Intel memory chips, of course.

If companies wanted to buy a non-Intel CPU, Intel was still happy to sell the memory. But things started to change in the late 1980s. Two things happened.

Japanese memory and the Intel 386 CPU

Prior to the mid 1980s, almost every US company who made chips also made memory. Intel made RAM chips. AMD made RAM chips. So did Texas Instruments, Motorola, and a scrappy company in Idaho named Micron, among others.

As the 1980s wore on, Japanese chipmakers started entering the memory market. And one by one, the US chipmakers concluded independently that the Japanese were better at making memory than they were. Intel was neither the first nor last to come to this conclusion. By 1989, Micron was the only US company still making memory chips on its own. The rest either partnered with Japanese companies or left entirely.

Meanwhile, the Intel 386 provided an opportunity. IBM refused to use the chip when Intel first released it in 1986. But Compaq did. IBM’s rejection probably seemed like a huge blow to Intel at first, but it ended up transforming both companies in ways few expected at the time. Intel rose to new heights, and it was the start of IBM’s fall.

Since IBM didn’t want to use the 386, Intel had no reason to license it to anyone else. Compaq wasn’t big enough to make that kind of a demand in 1986. Intel had the 386 market all to itself. Andy Grove recommended that Intel focus on CPUs, which was a controversial decision at the time, but it transformed Intel from just another chipmaker to a Fortune 50 company.

But in the meantime, Intel had a problem. Two problems.

The Intel Inside campaign

Intel didn’t license the 386 design to anyone else. But AMD wasn’t willing to quietly fade away, just selling 8088 and 80286 CPUs until the market for those chips disappeared. AMD decided to produce 386 CPUs without Intel’s blessing. Of course Intel sued, but AMD bet it could win. It took some time, but for a couple of years, Intel had to share the lucrative 386 market with AMD. And by then, Intel didn’t have much to sell you if you bought the CPU from AMD.

But the clone market provided both a problem and an opportunity for Intel. Starting in the mid 1980s, lots of companies sprung up producing motherboards to supply small PC clone makers like Dell. Dell isn’t small anymore of course, but Dell started out as one of dozens of companies building PCs from off-the-shelf parts that were just knockoffs of the parts IBM used. Michael Dell was hardly unique. Every major city had at least 50 Michael Dells, buying parts to build knockoff PCs. They just didn’t sell them over the phone to a national audience like Dell did.

For Intel, this was good and bad. Of course there was tremendous opportunity, with thousands of storefront-type dealers selling cut-rate PCs. But if they all used AMD CPUs, that was going to be a problem. And if they were all the quality of the white-label canned peas you find on the bottom shelf of the grocery store, that was going to be a problem.

Dealing with AMD

Intel sued AMD of course, but didn’t get many concessions in court, especially with the 386 CPUs. And the relief wasn’t immediate. So Intel started advertising heavily. It devised a logo, “Intel Inside,” and supplied stickers with the logo to PC makers who used their chips. Intel’s advertising strongly suggested that if you wanted a great PC at a great price, all you had to do was look for a PC with an Intel microprocessor in it.

IBM and Compaq hated it. Both IBM and Compaq sold expensive, high-quality PCs, and suddenly, their key supplier was telling millions of people that the differences between them and Packard Bell were insignificant, since they all used Intel CPUs. Intel’s message was that you could buy the cheapest PC you could find with an Intel CPU, and everything would be OK. Well, at least that’s what everyone remembered Intel saying, even if that’s not quite what Intel said.

And that wasn’t true.

The quality issue

The trouble was, while Michael Dell actually was making a reasonable effort to sell PCs of acceptable quality, those local storefront clone shops weren’t necessarily. In St. Louis, we had computer stores who had poor ratings with the Better Business Bureau because they sold computers that made Packard Bell quality look top-drawer. It was just a race to the bottom on price, and whoever found the cheapest suppliers won. Some even cheated by overclocking the CPU. Some stores told you they were doing it, and it was a great way to save you money. The less honest stores didn’t, and still charged a premium for a 33 MHz CPU even if they were overclocking a slower chip.

The result was predictable. These PCs had high failure rates. That was a big inconvenience while the computer was still in warranty. But once the warranty expired, you were facing an expensive repair to get the computer running again. And if the replaced component was comparable quality to the original, the computer wouldn’t last very long before it needed another repair.

In the early and mid 1990s, I had several people ask me to repair computers they bought from a store called Better Business World. They all had the cheapest components imaginable and the only real way to fix them was to gut the machine and replace virtually everything inside the case except the floppy drives. But every city had at least one store like that.

How Intel motherboards solved the quality issue

The problem for Intel was that its advertising was encouraging people to go into any computer store and ask for a computer with an Intel CPU in it, and everything would be OK. Depending on the computer store you went to, that might or might not be the case.

That’s why Intel started producing motherboards. This gave Intel control over one of the most critical components in the system. It was far more important to the overall quality and longevity of the system than who made the CPU, in spite of what Intel’s marketing said. Intel motherboards were more expensive, but not outrageously so. If you bought a system with an Intel motherboard in it along with a reasonable quality hard drive and power supply, it would be comparable in quality to an IBM or a Compaq, and probably a bit cheaper.

It also let Intel combat overclocking. Intel motherboards weren’t good for overclocking, and soon gained a reputation for that. This was intentional. It kept shops that used Intel boards from selling 25 MHz CPUs as 33 MHz versions. Tom’s Hardware Guide hated this, but Intel wasn’t going after the hardware enthusiast community. They were chasing the mass market. Enthusiasts overclocking Intel CPUs so Quake would run faster usually weren’t buying AMD CPUs. And they weren’t buying cut-rate motherboards either, because the cut-rate boards weren’t as good for overclocking as boards from companies like Asus and Abit.

Some large companies, including Micron, Gateway, and even Dell, used Intel motherboards at least some of the time.

Why Intel left the motherboard market

Over the course of building motherboards for two decades, Intel built up a portfolio of supporting products. One of the keys to driving PC prices down was integrating the chips on the board into a smaller number of chips. Intel started buying up companies who made those kinds of chips. It increased their control, and it also increased their profit margins.

For about 20 years, Intel provided a safe choice. If you didn’t know anything else, you could ask for an Intel motherboard and an Intel CPU when you bought a computer, and you’d get reasonable quality and value. Sure, you could do better if you knew what to ask for. But you could also do a lot worse. And Intel boards provided those small computer stores with a good upsell. If you asked for an Intel CPU, they could say the CPU didn’t make a big difference if you didn’t also buy an Intel motherboard, and talk you into buying a more expensive computer there instead of a cheaper computer at another clone shop, or a Packard Bell from a big-box store.

Over time, the rest of the industry improved. Thanks to hardware enthusiast sites, people started paying attention to brands and quality. Companies like Asus and Gigabyte, who made quality boards, started putting their names on the product and the packaging so people would ask for it.

And while low-tier parts certainly still exist, even the cheapest boards are better than they used to be. I still don’t recommend them, but they don’t fail as quickly as they used to.

By 2013, the original reasons Intel started producing motherboards didn’t really exist anymore. Intel could exit the market, keep selling the chipsets like they always had been, and treat companies like Asus and Gigabyte as partners rather than partner/competitors.

One other big thing changed. In 1998, if someone bought a cheap PC and had a bad experience with it, there was very real danger of that person going to Apple. In 1998, that Apple computer had a Motorola CPU in it. But in 2013, that Apple computer had an Intel CPU and chipset in it. And an expensive, high-margin Intel CPU and chipset at that.

Intel coming full circle

Intel is a tough competitor, and has certainly been accused of anticompetitive practices. But Intel’s use of new products is different from that of, say, Microsoft. It’s illegal to use your monopoly to try to get another monopoly. Intel has certainly released products to try to grow the market for its existing products. That was the case with Intel getting into CPUs so it could sell more memory chips, and into motherboards so it could sell more CPUs.

But once its motherboards weren’t really helping Intel sell CPUs anymore, it made sense to leave. Intel probably wasn’t losing money on motherboards but they aren’t a huge profit center either. Like memory in the 80s, Intel decided it was time to cede that market to other companies.

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MSI Motherboards: What to Expect from the Z790 Series vs. the Z690 Series

Intel’s 13th Gen Raptor Lake processors are on the way! As expected, they will be accompanied by a completely new chipset that will better match these chips in terms of bandwidth and supported technologies.

The previous generation Intel Z690 chipset already offered many advanced features such as PCIe 5.0 and DDR5. Uncompromising Z790 takes it one step further in this direction.

PCIe 5.0 takes speed to the next level

PCIe Gen 5 doubles the speed of the previous standard, ushering in a new era in graphics and storage peripherals.

The Intel Z790 platform supports both PCIe 16x and M.2 slots in PCIe 5.0 mode, making it easy to upgrade to the next generation of components. Combined with cutting-edge DDR5 RAM, this gives gamers and professionals a wide range of options that will only get better in the future.

Powerful Power System: Get the Most out of Intel Raptor Lake

MSI Z790 series motherboards boast powerful power systems that allow power users and overclockers to get the most out of their hardware without compromising computer stability. These systems are strengthened compared to the Z690 series models and have up to 26+2 phases with SPS intelligent power modules that support current up to 105A.

Optimized criss-cross heatpipe heatsinks

More power comes with more heat. The stacked heatsink did a good job of cooling the power components on previous MSI motherboards, but there’s room for improvement in the Z790 series.

The heatsink now has wavy fins for faster heat dissipation due to the increased surface area. In addition, a criss-cross heat pipe has been added, which further accelerates heat dissipation from the power system components, reducing their temperature and increasing the stability of the computer.

LGA1700 socket: compatible with 12th and 13th generation Intel processors

Due to the continued use of the LGA1700 socket, the Z790 chipset is compatible with both 12th and 13th generation Intel Core processors. This means that any of these processors can be installed on the Z790 series motherboard.

Toolless SSD Installation

Installing or replacing an SSD in an M.2 slot usually involves fiddling with a tiny mounting screw, however on some MSI Z79 series boards0 has screwless M. 2 slots — no screwdriver required!

MSI Z790 Series Motherboard Line-Up: Switching to Intel Raptor Lake Processors!

Intel has implemented many improvements in its new processors, but MSI has not been idle. We are pleased to present you the results of our work — excellent motherboards based on the Z790 platform!

MEG Z790 GODLIKE: top notch

GODLIKE motherboards are regularly featured in world speed record lists, and it’s no coincidence. This series embodies the pursuit of superior performance without any compromise, so the MEG Z790 GODLIKE features the best technology, components and engineering available today.

The power system includes as many as 28 phases (26+2) based on 105A power modules. It has a heatsink with wavy fins, whose increased area increases the efficiency of heat dissipation. The criss-crossing heat pipe also contributes to efficient cooling.

One detail that immediately catches the eye is the small M-Vision IPS touchscreen. It serves not only to display all sorts of information, but also allows you to manage various system parameters. The screen is easily customizable to the user’s taste.

Built-in 10G and 2.5G Ethernet controllers allow you to make the most of your high-speed Internet bandwidth and/or local file servers. They are complemented by a Wi-Fi 6E wireless controller, which also features stable operation at high speeds.

The MEG Z790 GODLIKE based computer will cope with any task, be it games, professional work or extreme overclocking. If only the best suits you, the only choice is the MEG Z79 motherboard0 GODLIKE from MSI.

MEG Z790 ACE: Feed Through

Although a more modest model compared to the majestic GODLIKE, the MEG Z790 ACE still boasts excellent performance and functionality — and at a more affordable price. It will serve as a powerful platform for 13th generation Intel processors that can handle both heavy workloads and overclocking.

Stable power supply to the processor is ensured by a 27-phase power supply system made according to the 24+2+1 scheme based on 105A power modules.

The Z790 platform supports next-generation technologies such as PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 that will be key to building computers of the future. Thus, you can easily upgrade and move to faster drives and video cards.

Like GODLIKE, the MEG Z790 ACE offers a 20Gbps USB 3.2 Gen2x2 port with up to 60W of power. Using the front USB Type-C connector, you can supply power or charge all sorts of peripheral devices.

Network interfaces are fast and stable 2.5G Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6E controllers.

MPG Z790 CARBON WIFI: Discreet Design, Incredible Features

The MPG Z790 CARBON WIFI board offers serious performance and looks just as serious with its carbon-dark colors. Despite top-end features including DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 support, it comes at an affordable price point, making it a great choice for gamers and professionals looking for a future-proof platform.

To power any Intel processors, the board is equipped with a 21-phase power system (19+1+1) based on 105-amp power modules. An oversized heatsink with a heat pipe is responsible for efficient cooling.

MPG Z790 CARBON WIFI motherboard supports PCIe 5.0 mode for both PCIe slot and M.2 slot, so your PC based on it will be ready for next generation components. For high-speed data exchange with peripherals, there is a built-in USB 3.2 Gen2x2 interface with a bandwidth of 20 Gb / s — both front and on the I / O panel.

Built-in 2.5G Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6E controllers let you choose between wired and wireless networking without compromising on speed or stability.

Thus, if you are looking for a particularly reliable motherboard that can easily power even the most powerful 13th generation Intel processors, MPG Z790 CARBON will be a very profitable purchase.

MPG Z790 EDGE WIFI: the perfect balance

Gamers looking for a balance between performance and price should also look into the MPG Z790 EDGE WIFI.

Although its power system is based on a more modest 18-phase (16+1+1) scheme with 90A power modules, it will easily cope with any 13th generation Intel processors. At the same time, large radiators with a heat pipe will ensure a comfortable temperature of its elements even under high gaming loads.

The M.2 slots on the MPG Z790 EDGE WIFI card support PCIe 4.0 mode, while the full-size main PCIe slot supports PCIe 5.0 mode for next generation graphics cards.

The MPG Z790 EFGE WIFI motherboard is available in two versions: with DDR4 or DDR5 memory support. So you can either get compatibility with previous generation components or build a new system with DDR5.

As far as network capabilities are concerned, the board provides high-speed connection both via cable and without wires according to 2.5G Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6E standards, respectively. It also offers 20Gb/s USB ports, ideal for connecting external storage devices.

MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK WIFI: the popular workhorse

The name TOMAHAWK has become synonymous with value, and the MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK continues that tradition by offering gamers and system integrators a relatively low cost option to the Z790 platform.

Like previous TOMAHAWK models, this board boasts a powerful power supply system. 18 phases (16+1+1) based on 90A power modules will provide enough power even for the most «gluttonous» 13th generation Intel chips.

MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK is available in two versions: with support for DDR4 or DDR5 memory. The first is more budgetary and is suitable for those who do not seek to switch to new technologies as quickly as possible. However, even in this variant, the board offers a PCIe 5.0 mode for the main graphics slot, which will allow you to use the next generation graphics card without any performance loss.

The M.2 slots on the MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK board are equipped with convenient EZ M.2 latches that allow you to install the SSD without tightening the screws.

Like all previously described boards, this model offers modern network interfaces, namely 2.5G Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6E, so you don’t have to wait long for a fresh game from Steam to load.

Next

More information about MSI Z790 series motherboards can be found on the official website: https://www. msi.com/Landing/intel-13th-gen-raptor-lake-z790-b760-motherboard. Check back regularly for the latest Z79 motherboard news.0.

Best Motherboard for Intel 12th Gen 2022

The motherboard is the core of your system, and it can be hard to figure out exactly what makes a motherboard the best and why. But we did all the hard work and found the best motherboard for Intel 12th Gen.

It’s time to move on to the next generation of computing power. Intel’s 12th generation processors, codenamed «Alder Lake», have brought Intel back into the game, and we now have a worthy competitor to AMD’s Ryzen processors. Alder Lake offers new advances and technologies such as «Little BIG» architecture not previously seen in desktop processors. With the simultaneous launch of 12th generation Alder Lake processors and DDR5, enthusiasts have never been so important choose a good, brand new 12th generation motherboard .

It is worth noting that AMD has already released its flagship AM5 motherboards, which are superior to Intel’s 12th generation motherboards.

The new motherboards feature a range of new technologies, including DDR5 support, 24 PCIe lanes that support Gen 5 speeds, and 14 ultra-fast 20Gb/s USB ports, just to name a few.

Three AM5 chipsets have been announced, they are X670E, X670 and B650. Of course, just like the current generation, these motherboards will come with different features and target different users in the market.

Selecting a motherboard that can handle all that power at no extra cost is an integral part of getting the best performance out of the new 12th generation processor. The best 12th generation processors need the best motherboard , we have selected the best 12th generation motherboards in the industry.

Best Motherboards for Intel 12th Generation

1. ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero is the best high-end board

   ASUS is well known for making premium products, and the Maximus Hero line of motherboards is no exception. This Z690 motherboard is premium, expensive and only reserved for the best 12th gen CPU.

   What We Liked :

   • Thunderbolt 4 Dual USB-C
   • Q-release PCIe slot
   • 20+1 power stages (90A)

   What disappointed us :

   • No 10Gb Ethernet
   • Fewer power stages than more premium

   models

   The

   ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero is one of the best Z690 variants on the market right now. This is an incredible option, despite the fact that it may lack the power stages and Ethernet bandwidth.

   ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero design is very different from previous generation Hero motherboards. Incredible personalization with the Polymer Lighting I/O cover and accompanying fully customizable RGB lighting. Z690 Hero comes with 20+1 power cascading and intelligent control, which is ASUS AI overclocking feature, which is practically unmatched in the industry today.

   Cooling is done by a very large all aluminum heatsink and an integrated aluminum I/O cover, of course with a very well conductive thermal pad to increase the contact surface area. The M.2 SSD is well-cooled thanks to three M.2 heatsinks and two rear panels. With an additional ROG water cooling zone for further customization.

   In addition, there are many features that are really important for all gamers. Full PCIe gen 5 support, ultra-fast DDR5 RAM slots supporting up to 6400MHz. Two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports and a ROG Hyper M.2 PCIe Gen 5 card.

2. GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS Master is the Best Enthusiast Board

   Few other motherboards can compete with the look and feel of the GIGABYTE Aorus Extreme. This motherboard comes loaded with premium features designed to enable enthusiasts to take their system to the extreme

   What we like :

   • 20+1+2 direct digital VRM
   • 10 GB BASE-T LAN
   • Thunderbolt 4

   What disappointed us :

   • Dear

   The

   Gigabyte Aorus motherboards are definitely excellent when it comes to design and functionality. Despite the high cost, Aorus Master is one of the best options for the most avid PC game enthusiasts.

   The design of this generation of Aorus Master is greatly improved over the previous one, boasting a sleek and stylish I/O cover and matching heatsink. The Aorus Master features an incredible 20+1+2 Direct Digital VRM design that makes power delivery much cleaner and more efficient. Tantalum polymer capacitors store power where it’s needed. The thermal «reactive» armor uses nano-carbon fins to greatly increase the thermal armor’s cooling capacity, as well as a direct-touch heat pipe and nano-carbon backplate.

   With the Z690 supporting the all-new DDR5 RAM, Aorus Master is ready to support up to 6600MHz and delivers exceptional speed, aesthetics and functionality.

3. ASUS TUF Gaming Z690 Plus — Mid-Range Motherboard

   The

   ASUS TUF Gaming Z690 brings near-unbeatable price and performance to the equation, armed with a reputation for reliability and quality, TUF Gaming falls into our mid-range spot. While we recommend that you only choose a motherboard that supports DDR5, we understand that this is not for everyone.

   What we liked :

   • 14+2 power stages
   • Thunderbolt 4
   • 4x M.2/NVMe SSD

   What disappointed us :

   • DDR4

   The ASUS TUF Gaming motherboard remains a favorite among gamers. It offers incredible value for users on a budget with an almost unbeatable price-to-performance ratio.

   The TUF Gaming Z690 offers a redesigned and improved power solution over previous generation boards. With 14+2 DrMOS power stages and Digi+ VRM for incredible reliability and performance. Of course, the cooling is more than enough, as the motherboard is equipped with a fanless PCH heatsink, VRM heatsink, M.2 heatsink and hybrid fan headers, as well as an Asus Fan Xpert 4.

   Unfortunately, this is a DDR4 model, which is one of the ways ASUS managed to keep the cost of this motherboard down. So you can’t have DDR5 RAM, but the motherboard has enhanced DDR4 capabilities, allowing DDR4 up to 5333MHz.

4. ASUS ROG Strix Z690-I Gaming is the best Mini-ITX board

   If you’re looking to build a compact gaming rig with a 12th generation Intel processor, the Strix Z690-I is a good place to start.

   What we liked :

   • 10+1 power steps
   • 2x Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C

   What disappointed us :

   • Less power and features than similarly priced ATX models

   The

   ASUS ROG Strix Z690-I is definitely one of the best Mini-ITX motherboards for this chipset. It’s incredibly well designed, loaded with features, and more reliable than most.

   The

   Strix Z690 is equipped with support for DDR5 memory and PCIe Gen 5, as well as two full Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports. Here we see 10+1 and it could be better, but this is an ITX motherboard. With that in mind, this is still an incredibly feature-packed motherboard. The thermal design has been revised with an integrated I/O cover and massive VRM heatsinks with high conductivity thermal pads.

   This motherboard also supports HDMI 2.1 in addition to industry-leading sound. This little board is really effective.

5. ASUS Prime Z690-P is the best budget motherboard

   For those on a smaller budget but still want to take advantage of all this new technology, we recommend the ASUS Prime Z690-P, a budget motherboard that packs all the features a budget gamer could ever need.

   What we liked :

   • 14+1 power stages
   • 2.5 Gb LAN
   • Thunderbolt 4 support

   What disappointed us :

   • Only supports DDR5 up to 6000 MHz

   The budget pick on the list is the ASUS Prime Z690-P. This is as low as we recommend while maintaining DDR5 compatibility, and is limited to a supported frequency of 6000 MHz. However, Z69The 0-P is a significantly upgraded version of one of the most reliable motherboards on the market.

   With support for DDR5, PCIe 5.0 and Thunderbolt 4, this motherboard won’t disappoint anyone anytime soon. It’s the makings of a quality board that still packs good features. These include 14+1 power stages, Wi-Fi 6 and 2.5Gb Ethernet.

   The

   ASUS Prime Z690-P delivers performance and versatility without being as expensive as some of the other boards we’ve listed above.

Chipset for Intel 12th generation

There are not many options at the moment, the only chipset released at the moment is the Z690. The H670 and B660 boards should soon follow suit. The Z690 chipset is aimed at PC enthusiasts. It offers a richer feature set compared to other lower end chipsets. This includes PCIe Gen 5, overclocking support, and high-speed USB or Thunderbolt connectors, which may be rare or even absent on H670 or B660 boards.

Since the Z690 is a more feature rich chipset, it is fully equipped to work with any Core i9-12900K/KF , Core i7-12700K/KF or Core i5-12600K/KF processor.

Z690 vs. Z590

The most notable change between the Z590 and Z690 is the socket type, the transition from the LGA 1200 to the brand new LGA 1700 , which is the new standard. But it is not known whether this socket will be more durable than Intel’s 12th generation processors.

The Z690 motherboards bring the next generation of PCIe, Gen 5, with double the bandwidth for 16X slots.

Another important difference between Z690 and Z590 chipsets is support for DDR5 RAM. A huge advance in RAM technology that delivers speeds that surpass even the world’s fastest DDR4 kits.

With 12th generation Intel processors designed with lightning-fast clock speeds and a brand new socket, you’ll need a brand new motherboard to handle all that raw power. Currently the only chipset available are the high performance Z69 boards0. They come at a cost, but they are worth the many features you get when choosing the best high-end boards.

Motherboard Shape Factor

No matter which motherboard you choose, its form factor is one of the most important factors (pun intended) as you may be missing out on some important features or bells and whistles when downsizing.

Motherboards come in all shapes and sizes, from E-ATX to incredibly small Mini-ITX. The form factor you choose is usually the same as your chassis choice. It doesn’t make sense to choose an E-ATX motherboard for an ITX case, it just won’t fit. More often than not, the smaller the motherboard, the less feature rich it will be, you only have what you can pack into such a compact piece of silicon.

We tend to lean towards the ATX form factor because that’s the form factor standard and most cases support it or are built around it. For the most part, there are no feature compromises in the ATX form factor either. Intel first introduced the ATX form factor in 1995, and it has been the industry standard ever since.

Motherboard Processor Socket

With a new generation of chipsets and processors often comes a new generation of sockets. Now we are talking about the LGA 1700. This socket replaces the LGA 1200 socket used in previous generations. LGA 1700 is present on Z69 motherboards0 with an additional 500 contacts. This increased the socket size from the traditional 37.5mm x 37.5mm (LGA 1200) symmetrical square to 45mm x 37.5mm (LGA 1700).

This means that your current cooler will most likely not fit the Z690 motherboard socket, you will need to purchase additional LGA 1700 compatible mounting hardware. Some cooler manufacturers offer mounting hardware as separate upgrade products, but this varies by manufacturer. .

Sorry, this time it’s not just plug and play, unless you want to buy a brand new cooler.

DDR5

RAM Not only is Intel updating its hardware, RAM makers are making headway in the industry with their new blazing fast DDR5 DIMMs. However, there are Z690 boards that still support the older and more affordable DDR4 memory.

Closing Words

The launch of Intel’s 12th Gen Alder Lake processors has brought a host of new features and technologies to get excited about, and with the launch of the 12th Gen chips coinciding with the launch of DDR5 RAM, we have an opportunity to consider some major upgrades .