If you’re looking for the best Z390 motherboard with a discrete GPU, this is where our guide can help. We have compiled a list of the Z390 motherboards that we know are currently available and will be released in 2022.
You’ve seen a quick rundown of the top Z390s on the market. Now that you have all of this knowledge, you must decide which option is best. We’ve broken down the most critical elements of the Motherboard and explained what they do and why to make this selection simpler. We do this because, in the end, a well-informed customer is more likely to make the best decision.
The following are some of the features of a Motherboard that you should think about when deciding which one to buy.
Factor of Form
For lack of a better word, the factor of Form is the physical size of the board. The most popular forms range from E-ATX (designed for PC enthusiasts looking to build the best of the best) right down to the Mini-ITX (for consumers who want a build with a shallow footprint).
Because the functions and accessible slots vary greatly from size to size, the physical footprint is undoubtedly something to consider when selecting a Motherboard. For example, you wouldn’t want to purchase a mini-ITX Motherboard with four 16GB RAM sticks. The Motherboard would be unable to accommodate all of the memory.
We’ve placed the various forms into a chart so you can compare them:
| Factor of Form | Dimensions (in inches) |
|---|---|
| Mini-ITX | 6.7 x 6.7 |
| Mini-ATX | 5.9 x 5.9 |
| microATX | 9.6 x 9.6 |
| ATX | 12 x 9.6 |
| ATX | 12 x 13 |
You have the five most popular Motherboard Factor of Forms and their corresponding dimensions. This should clear any confusion you may have on Factor of Form in the future. It’s not just the size that separates each of the forms, though; let’s waste no time getting into the socket and chipsets.
Socket
The LGA 1151 and AMD’s AM4 are the most used Motherboard sockets. Because this post is focused on the Z390, you won’t have to worry about this part as much, but we’ll go over it nonetheless.
Your CPU is held in place by the socket, a physical slot on the Motherboard. The LGA1151 is Intel’s, whereas the AM4 is AMD’s. As a result, AMD’s current 2700x CPU will not work with any LGA1151 boards and vice versa.
Installing the incorrect CPU into the wrong socket type might result in catastrophic damage to your components, which no one wants!
Although most Intel CPUs now use the LGA1151 socket, keep in mind that not all LGA1151 boards are compatible with 9th-generation Intel processors.
Why not read our hardware compatibility page to learn which components work well together.
| Motherboard | Aorus Xtreme Gigabyte Z390 | Godlike MSI MEG X570 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i9-9900K processor | AMD Ryzen 3900X is a high-end processor from AMD. |
| Socket | LGA 1151 | AM4 |
Chipsets
The chipset is perhaps the most significant consideration when selecting a motherboard. The chipset is the essential component in a setting that features your motherboard has, for those who aren’t aware. The features include anything from PCIe lanes and SATA connections to Overclocking and USB generation.
Before purchasing extra components, make sure you understand your motherboard’s chipset. Otherwise, you may find yourself in a situation where you have purchased gear with no place to dwell.
Also, since technology advances faster than ever before, be sure your specifications are up to current. A few older and less expensive boards don’t support M.2 or DDR4 RAM, for example.
Here’s a quick rundown of several motherboards and what their chipsets can do:
1. Intel
| Chipset | Lanes for PCI Express | Ports for SATA | M.2 Ports | Gen 1 USB 3.1 | Gen 2 USB 3.1 | Overclocking is possible. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H310 | PCIe 2.0 6 | 4 | None | Up to 4 | None | No |
| B360 | 12 PCIe 3.0 x16 x16 x16 x16 slots | 6 | Up to 2 | Up to 6 | Up to 4 | No |
| H370 | 20 PCIe 3.0 slots | 6 | Up to 2 | Up to 8 | Up to 4 | No |
| Z370 | 24 PCIe 3.0 slots | 6 | Up to 3 | Up to 10 | None | Yes |
2. AMD
| Chipset | Lanes for PCI Express | Ports for SATA | M.2 Ports | Gen 1 USB 3.1 | Gen 2 USB 3.1 | Overclocking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supported | ||||||
| A320 | 1 PCIe 3.0 port port | 4 | 2 | 1 | 6 | No |
| 4 PCIe 2.0 slots | ||||||
| B350 | 1 PCIe 3.0 port port | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6 | Yes |
| PCIe 2.0 6 | ||||||
| X470 | 2 PCIe 3.0 x16 x16 x16 x16 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 10 | Yes |
| PCIe 2.0 6 | ||||||
| B450 | PCIe 2.0 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | Yes |
| B550 | 6 PCIe 3.0 slots | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | Yes |
| X570 | 16 PCIe 4.0 lanes | 12 | 3 | 0 | 8 | Yes |
Memory
When it comes to memory compatibility, there are a few things to consider: the maximum supported memory, memory speed, multi-channel capability, and the number of memory slots on the board.
The best approach to see whether your motherboard is compatible with the RAM you have or wish to purchase is to look at the specifications. It will tell you how much RAM it can support and at what speed.
Location of Memories
Critical when purchasing a smaller form board is the location of the memory. You’re probably asking yourself now, why would that be a problem, as long as it fits? Well, strictly speaking, the Location of Memories is rarely an issue. However, if you’re mad about Overclocking, you may have purchased a large, aftermarket custom CPU cooler.
The larger-than-normal heat sink may be a genuine issue in certain instances. However, if you go with a giant cooler, the RAM is far enough away to accommodate both.
PCI slots
The physical slot through which you may increase the capabilities of your primary system is known as the Peripheral Component Interconnect, or PCI.
This may include, but is not limited to:
- Card for internet access
- Graphics card
- USB ports on the side
- Expansion cards for NVMe
PCI slots are divided into PCI and PCI Express (PCIe). The PCIe slot holds your graphics card and is a bigger, faster version of the PCI slot.
It’s always crucial to make sure you have good PCI slots if you intend on using two GPUs. Manufacturers often compromise slot counts to save costs, so ensuring all of your cards and expansion packs are supported should be a top priority.
Another thing to keep an eye out for is lots of space. If you intend to run numerous powerful GPUs, you may require PCIe slots spaced wider apart to provide you with more room.
Conclusion
The last thing you need to ensure is that you have enough Headers for fans for everything you plan on running. If you’re running a lot of fans, or maybe RGB controllers, you will have to make sure you have enough headers on the Motherboard to support this.
If you’re interested in learning more about motherboards, you may read about how they’re built and what each of the primary components does.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Z390 still good in 2022?
A: Z390 is still good, but there will be a lot more performance with the new Intel Core i9-9900K.
What is the best Z390 motherboard for gaming?
A: For gaming, ASUS ROG Maximus XI Extreme is the best Z390 motherboard for you.
Is Z390 a good motherboard for gaming?
A: Z390 is an excellent motherboard for gaming. It provides you with the fastest speeds and has enough features to keep up with demand. However, it might not be the best choice if your PC’s RAM already utilizes four channels of memory or greater because there are only 3 RAM slots on this board.
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