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Looking for the best motherboard for the Intel Core i5 13600KF?
The 13600KF is ideal for budget gaming rigs right now, thanks to recent price drops of nearly a hundred bucks. The chip offers a 6P+8E core configuration with up to 5.10 GHz boost and 125W base TDP which is decent for any AAA gaming titles and productivity workloads these days.
In this guide, I’ll break down my top three motherboard picks for the i5 13600KF. Each one offers a great mix of features, reliability, and value for money.
First, we have a budget-friendly option that delivers excellent performance without breaking the bank. Next, we’ll look at a premium choice that offers top-tier features and exceptional performance and finally, my top pick combines outstanding performance, a rich feature set, and great value.
So let’s get started!
Number 3. MSI MAG B660M Mortar WiFi DDR4 – Best Budget Motherboard for Intel Core i5 13600KF
The MSI MAG B660M Mortar is arguably the best B660 motherboard out there in terms of overall value. It’s like a smaller brother to the B660 Tomahawk. However while it does cut some corners here and there, it is still a great motherboard that will be quite a good pair for the Intel Core i5 13600KF.
Of course, this is a microATX motherboard, so there will be some compromises here and there. However, if you can get by with just two M.2 slots, don’t need multiple fan headers, and need something more compact, then this is the board to get. The cherry on top is that you save a lot of money in the process.
While the B660M Mortar is affordable, that does not mean it looks “cheap”. The Mortar series has always had an interesting design language, and the same is true here for the B660 version. Thanks to the metallic silver finish on the heatsinks, the motherboard gives off a minimalist and industrial look.
This is a board that can fit well into an all-white theme. All of the heatsinks complement each other beautifully, and even the rear-panel cover goes along with the theme. Branding is minimal, with just an MSI logo on the rear cover and Mortar branding on the chipset heatsink.
As for storage, this microATX motherboard is equipped with two M.2 slots and six SATA ports. It would have been nice to see another M.2 slot here, but the form factor did not allow for that. Apart from that, there are four fan headers, which is a considerably lower number compared to other high-end ATX b660 motherboards
Still, that might not be a big issue if you already have a fan controller. Apart from that, there are no real compromises with this motherboard. You’re getting a robust 14-phase VRM configuration, and 12 of those phases are dedicated to the V-Core. It’s good to see that nearly all B660 motherboards are decent in terms of power delivery, and this one lives up to the standard.
Memory overclocking is also quite good compared to other micro-ATX motherboards. It can handle 128 gigs of DDR4 memory, with a maximum speed of up to 4800MHz. Even though Intel processors work fine enough with lower frequency memory compared to Ryzen, this sort of performance is nice to see on a microATX board.
Finally, this motherboard is not lacking in terms of connectivity either. You’re getting 2.5Gbps Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and plenty of USB ports.
Overall the B660M Mortar compares well against the competition. The ASUS Prime B660M-A is a close competitor, but the Mortar has a better build quality. In fact, it comes close to the quality of the B660 Tomahawk. The only difference is that this one is microATX. Either way, it’s hands down the best budget B660 motherboard for the i5 13600kf.
Ratings
VRM Design: 8/10
Aesthetics: 8/10
Connectivity: 8/10
Value for Money: 8/10
Overall Rating: 8/10
Number 2. Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Pro X – Best Premium Motherboard for Intel Core i5 13600KF
Premium motherboards don’t make sense for everyone, but the Z790 Aorus Pro X will definitely entice a lot of you. This board has beefy VRMs, plenty of RGB, all the ports and connectivity options you could need, and a bunch of extra features. All those bells and whistles don’t come cheap, but it’s an excellent board for those who want a high-end experience from their Intel rigs.
Starting with the design the Z790 Aorus Pro X is an all-white motherboard with a grayish PCB along with a loud RGB “Aorus” badging on the rear panel coupled up with a silver matte VRM heatsink exhibiting the “Aorus Designlab” logo. The board looks extremely well designed because of the gigantic M.2 slots cover that works as a heatsink and showcases Gigabyte’s famous eagle logo for the Aorus series motherboards.
Continuing with the white/silver theme, Gigabyte has implemented stainless steel shielding for the PCIe, RAM, and M.2 slots, reinforcing them while enhancing the motherboard’s overall aesthetic appeal. However, a POST code debugging display is missing here.
Furthermore, the motherboard boasts a unique feature that Gigabyte calls the “Ez-Latch design”. This design enables users to install the heatsink of the M.2 slot without needing a screw. A similar implementation can be seen on the PCIe slots, featuring an easy-detachment mechanism for the graphics cards as well.
On top of that, the Z790 Aorus Pro X includes the Sensor Panel Link feature for enthusiasts who wish to connect a mini-screen internally to the motherboard. This allows users to monitor temperatures, FPS, and various system information separately.
When it comes to performance, this is where things get really convincing for this motherboard. It features a very unique 18+1+2 phase VRM setup for all sorts of overclockers out there and I can confidently say that this board can push the 13600KF to its limit without breaking a sweat. Thankfully, those large VRM heatsinks should keep things nice and cool even when other higher-end processors are being overclocked.
The port and slot selection is also excellent. You get three PCIe slots, the topmost slot is PCIe 5.0, while the other two are PCIe 4.0. Additionally, with five M.2 slots, you’ll never face storage issues. The first M.2 slot closest to the CPU supports PCIe 5.0, catering to fast storage speed enthusiasts, while the remaining M.2 slots operate at PCIe 4.0 speeds.
On the rear, you get two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports one of which is a USB Type-C hybrid display port. You also get two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, enabling blazing-fast file transfers. Other than that, there are four USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and two USB 2.0 ports. You also get 5.0 Gigabit Ethernet and Wi-Fi 7.
In terms of competition, the MSI PRO Z790-A MAX WiFi and ASUS TUF Gaming Z790-Plus WiFi primarily compete with the Aorus Pro X based on price. The overall aesthetic and beefier VRM performance of the Aorus Pro X, along with unique features like the Ez-Latch M.2 slots, overshadow both offerings from MSI and Asus, making it the best out of the bunch.
Lastly, the Aorus Pro X series has been exclusive to a few AMD chipsets only. This marks its debut in Intel’s lineup, with no predecessor models for this motherboard.
All in all, if you really want a motherboard that can stand out with its unique aesthetics, excellent performance, and intuitive features that are genuinely useful and free of gimmicks, the Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Pro X is everything you need, if you can afford it.
To sum up, what I like is…
Impressive 21-phase VRM setup
Unique ez-latch features
Great for white PC builds
Abundance of storage ports and slots
On the downside
Expensive
No debugging display
RATINGS:
VRM Design: 9/10
Connectivity: 9/10
Aesthetics: 9/10
Features: 9/10
Value for Money: 7.5/10
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
Number 1. ASUS ROG Strix B760-A Gaming WiFi – Our Top Choice
ASUS’s ROG Strix line is a step above your usual budget options, but it also manages to be less expensive than some more enthusiast-focused options. The ROG Strix B760-A walks the fine line of price and performance perfectly, and it doesn’t compromise on features either. It’s the sweet spot for people who are building a mid-range or high-end system. Surprisingly, it’s enough for the enthusiasts as well.
The older model, B660-A GAMING WIFI, had a 13-phase VRM design. The B760-A version upgrades this to a 12+1+1 phase setup, making it a better option in terms of performance. It also comes with the latest BIOS, which is ideal for the new 13th and 14th gen intel CPUs.
In terms of design, this model features the classic ROG Strix aesthetic we are all familiar with. Asus seems to be following the saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The rear panel cover is the star of the show here, with aggressive ROG and Strix badging along with a substantial A-RGB Asus Strix eye logo. Aside from this, there isn’t much RGB lighting on this model.
Additionally, the dark-colored PCB enhances the overall aesthetic, creating a contrast that would look great in a sleek and understated gaming rig. However, we don’t see any large M.2 covers or heat sinks since this motherboard is not geared toward extreme enthusiasts seeking the ultimate in design. Nonetheless, it still features decent silver matte VRM and M.2 heatsinks that add to the overall aesthetic appeal of the motherboard.
As for the special features, the Strix B760-A Gaming WiFi comes equipped with a handful of handy features such as the PCIe-Q release, M.2 Q-latch, and four onboard debugging LEDs to identify problems with CPU, memory, graphics card, or boot device.
When it comes to performance, this board is more than sufficient to run the 13600KF with ease, thanks to its 14-phase VRM, each rated to handle up to 60A. It’s safe to say that this board can handle almost all Raptor Lake CPUs without breaking a sweat. However, for the enthusiasts, memory overclocking isn’t the best on this motherboard, and higher-end Z790 boards fare better. Nevertheless for the price, RAM performance is still decent.
Finally, let’s talk about connectivity and ports. You get three M.2 slots, four SATA ports, Wi-Fi 6E, and 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet along with Bluetooth. On top of all that, you get your usual array of USB 2.0, 3.0, and 3.2 Type-A ports. The real kicker is that you also get one USB 3.2 gen Type-C port with 20 Gbps transfer rates and another type-c port with a transfer rate of 5Gbps, allowing for ultra-fast file transfers.
The competition for this motherboard is tough. The GIGABYTE B760 AORUS Elite AX comes close, and it is priced a bit lower however while it has a similar set of features and a great design, it lacks the 20 Gbps USB port that’s present on the Strix.
All in all this motherboard nails it on many fronts. It’s competitively priced for a fully loaded B760 board and ticks off all the essential features. It’s a smart buy no matter which CPU you pair with it.
To sum up, what I like is…
Reasonable price tag
Impressive VRM setup
4 Debugging LEDs
Robust design
On the downside
Memory overclocking is a bit limited
RATINGS:
VRM Design: 9/10
Connectivity: 9/10
Aesthetics: 9/10
Features: 8.5/10
Value for Money: 8.5/10
Overall Rating: 9/10
So what do you think? Which of these is the best motherboard for you?
Or do you think another motherboard is better for the i5 13600kf?
Tell us in the comments below.
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