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Looking for the best motherboard for your Intel Core i9 14900KF?
Intel Core i9 14900KF is just shy of Intel’s flagship 14900KS. This “KF” variant lacks integrated graphics and boosts up to 6GHz, unlike the “KS” version’s 6.2GHz. Regardless, this CPU is an absolute powerhouse that can handle the most demanding games, productivity workloads, and anything else you can throw at it with ease. But to get the most out of it, you need to pair it with a decent motherboard.
In this guide, I’ll break down my top three picks to help you find the perfect match for your powerful CPU.
The first option offers excellent performance at a budget-friendly price, perfect for those looking to maximize value.
The second is a premium choice with top features and overclocking capabilities, ideal for enthusiasts.
And the last one offers top-tier power delivery and advanced features for high-end builds.
So let’s get started!
Number 3. ASRock B760M Steel Legend Wi-Fi – Best Budget Motherboard For Intel Core i9 14900KF
While high-end motherboards are great, you don’t necessarily need an ultra-high-end one to get great performance out of your CPU. ASRock B760M Steel Legend is a perfectly capable DDR5 motherboard that has almost everything you need for an i9 14900KF at an affordable price. While it may lack some enthusiast features, it’s more than enough for the average gamer.
Compared to its predecessor, the B660M Steel Legend, the B760 version now supports DDR5 memory and a beefier 14-phase VRM setup than the B660’s 9-phase design. It also has 3 M.2 slots instead of 2.
ASRock maintains the classic Steel Legend design here, making it similar to their previous boards. The PCB is black and white, while all the heatsinks are silver. Additionally, there are some white accents on the heatsinks here and there, making the board look more attractive. The bottom M.2 heatsink and the top-right edge of the motherboard feature RGB lighting.
Moving on to the power delivery, you normally would not expect a beefy VRM setup from a B-series board. Fortunately, that’s not the case here. You get a 12 + 1 + 1 power phase design, with Dr.MOS chips that deliver stable power. This 14-phase design uses incredibly robust VRM components, making the Steel Legend great for almost any Intel chip out there.
However, even though it has a great power delivery design, there is a slight caveat. As it’s a B760 board, there’s no overclocking support. You can still pair it with a 14700K or 14900K if you need the extra boost clocks but just know that you won’t be able to push those chips beyond the factory settings.
In some cases, that is a good thing. A lot of CPU coolers can barely handle Intel’s high-end chips at full throttle, and with overclocking, the situation would only get worse. If your only concern is gaming, running these Intel chips at stock speeds is better for stability.
As for the rest of the board, it is solid all-around in terms of features and connectivity. You get three M.2 slots, Wi-Fi 6E, 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports on the rear, and plenty of headers on the front of the motherboard. It would be nice to see some debugging LEDs on here, but that’s usually missing on cheaper boards anyway.
There are cheaper microATX B760 boards, like the Gigabyte DS3H B760M and the ASUS Prime B760M. However, the ASRock one has a better design, better power delivery, and three M.2 slots instead of two.
It’s a highly competitive motherboard that offers everything you could need as a gamer. While the lack of overclocking and debugging LEDs might bother some folks, the Steel Legend won’t disappoint most people.
To sum up, what I like is…
Competitive price
Strong VRM design
3 M.2 slots
On the downside…
No overclocking support
No debugging LEDs
RATINGS:
VRM Design: 8.5/10
Connectivity: 9/10
Aesthetics: 8.5/10
Features: 8/10
Value for Money: 9/10
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
Number 2. Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Master – Best Premium Motherboard For Intel Core i9 14900KF
The Gigabyte Z790 AORUS Master offers a remarkable power delivery system and exceptional features that make it a powerhouse and ideal for premium builds with the i9 14900KF. While it has a high price tag, it worths every penny for those who are looking for top-tier performance.
One of the most impressive features of this motherboard is its VRM setup, which boasts a remarkable 23-phase architecture. Of these 23 phases, 20 are devoted to providing clean and reliable power to the CPU. Each phase provides 105A directly to the CPU, ensuring that even the i9 14900KF can be overclocked with ease.
Moreover, the VRM components are effectively cooled with multiple heatsinks, which means that temperatures won’t ever be a problem, even when running an overclocked i9 14900KF on a day-to-day basis. This makes the Z790 AORUS Master an excellent choice for gamers and enthusiasts who want to push their systems to the limit without having to worry about overheating issues.
Apart from its potent power delivery system, the Z790 AORUS Master also offers an extensive feature set that caters to the needs of gamers and creative professionals alike.
This DDR5 model works seamlessly with the latest intel processors, and supports DDR5 memory up to 8000MT/s. It also features four M.2 slots, a host of high-speed USB ports, and support for up to six SATA drives for your storage devices.
Networking is a standout feature of the board, as it includes a 10 GbE LAN port for wired connections as well as the WiFi 6E standard for reliable wireless networking. The Marvell 10 GbE LAN is a great contributor to the board’s overall capability and versatility, making it the perfect choice for enthusiasts and professionals.
The absence of an HDMI output on the rear I/O may be a minor inconvenience, but it’s not a deal-breaker, especially considering the other features that this motherboard has to offer. You can find the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E at the same price point, but I prefer the AORUS Master due to its overclocking potential and superior networking features.
In terms of appearance, the Z790 AORUS Master has a sleek and contemporary design, with a simple layout, attractive lighting, and a neutral color scheme. The RGB lighting is skillfully implemented, and the overall appearance of the board is quite modern and attractive.
At the end of the day Gigabyte Z790 AORUS Master is undoubtedly one of the very best high-end motherboards to pair with the Intel core i9 14900KF
So, if you’re looking for a top-tier motherboard that can deliver exceptional performance and reliability, the Z790 AORUS Master is the one to get.
RATINGS:
VRM Design: 9.5/10
Features: 9.5/10
Aesthetics: 8.5/10
Value for Money: 8/10
Overall Rating: 9/10
Number 1. ASUS ROG Strix Z790-A – Our Top Choice
Budget motherboards are great, but they often lack in the features department. On the other hand, high-end motherboards have all the features you could need, but the price might push you away. Fortunately, there are plenty of motherboards that combine value, features, and overall performance in a comprehensive package. The ROG Strix Z790-A is a great example.
Compared to its predecessor, the Strix Z690-A, the newer version doesn’t necessarily have a lot of changes. The core functionality between both motherboards is quite similar, but the Z790-A has slightly better heatsinks and a more aggressive ROG eye logo on the rear panel cover. Considering both are priced the same these days, you’re better off going with the Z790 for better futureproofing.
As far as the design goes, this motherboard looks just as slick as any previous Strix board. This version we’re looking at has a black PCB with silver/white heatsinks. There’s also a Z790-E version which has an all-black design. Both boards have a fantastic appearance and will look good in almost any build.
It should be no surprise that this board has a very robust power delivery design. You get 16 + 1 power stages rated for 70 amps per stage. The VRM components and MOSFETs are of very high quality, making this motherboard more than enough for overclocking. On top of that, the massive heatsinks do a great job of dissipating heat. It’s the perfect centerpiece for a watercooling build, but it works just fine for more straightforward rigs as well.
The port and slot selection is also great. You get three PCIe slots, and the top one is PCIe 5.0. You also get four M.2 slots, meaning you’ll never run into any sort of storage issues. Unfortunately, all these M.2 slots are limited to PCIe 4.0. If you need a PCIe 5.0 slot for your workflow, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Although, if you only care about gaming, you don’t need PCIe 5.0.
On the rear, you get three USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, one of which is Type-C. You also get an additional USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C port, enabling blazing-fast file transfers. Other than that, there are 4 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and two USB 2.0 ports. You also get 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6E.
As this is an ASUS motherboard, you also get access to a slew of excellent ROG gaming-related features. Aura Sync is one of the best lighting control software out there. It’s built into Armory Create, an all-in-one motherboard utility for keeping track of fan curves, temperature, BIOS updates, and more. You even get some excellent software for controlling audio in the form of Sonic Studio III.
When it comes to mid-range motherboards, there is a lot of competition, MSI MPG Z790 Carbon Wi-Fi is the closest competitor, and it has all the same features and ports as the Strix. However, it’s slightly more expensive and a bit hard to justify considering the Strix is already great and costs less.
That’s what makes this board so good. It’s reasonably priced, has all the features you’d need, and the robust power delivery makes it more than capable for overclocking. It’s the perfect motherboard for mid-range and even high-end Intel CPUs like the i9 14900KF.
To sum up, what I like is…
Impressive VRM design
Sleek aesthetics
Great port selection and network connectivity
Excellent software
On the downside…
No PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots
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 i9 14900KF?
Tell us in the comments below.
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