Best Motherboard for i9 11900K

Atif Liaqat | Last Updated On July 27th, 2022

Intel Core i9 processors were first introduced with the 9th-generation Core series processors, providing eight cores and sixteen threads with their flagship processor, the Core i9-9900K. In this Core i9-10900K, Intel has increased the core count to ten; however, in Core i9-11900K, Intel has reverted back to eight cores and sixteen threads. If you want to know what does processor count mean, read this article.

The 11th-generation Intel processors saw an improvement of around 20% compared to the 10th-generation processors. Intel Core i9-11900K is the fastest processor of this generation and offers super-high Turbo clock rates, at around 5.3 GHz. These clock rates can highly affect the chip’s power consumption, so using a high-end cooler and a motherboard is necessary.

In this article, we will be looking at some of the best motherboard for i9 11900K.

Quick Motherboard Recommendations for i9 11900K

Award Model Price
Most Expensive Motherboard for i9 11900K MSI MEG Z590 GODLIKE Gaming Check Price Read Customer Reviews
Most Expensive Alternative Motherboard for i9 11900K GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS Xtreme Check Price Read Customer Reviews
Least Expensive Motherboard for i9 11900K ASROCK Z590M PRO4 Check Price Read Customer Reviews
Budget Alternative Motherboard for i9 11900K GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS ELITE AX Check Price Read Customer Reviews
Best for Gamers Motherboard for i9 11900K ROG Maximus XIII Hero Check Price Read Customer Reviews
Best Overall Motherboard for i9 11900K ASUS ROG STRIX Z590-E Check Price Read Customer Reviews

Quick Buying Tips!

Intel Core i9-11900K is the fastest mainstream processor by Intel, which is why choosing a motherboard for this high-end processor can be a daunting task. For this reason, I have created this buying guide to help those who are looking to buy a motherboard for their Intel Core i9-11900K.

Power Delivery: The Voltage Regulator Module of a motherboard is one of its most important aspects when using a processor like Core i9-11900K. For the chipset, you should only use Z590 or Z490 chipset with this processor. Some of the Z590 motherboards are not powerful enough to handle this processor, which is why it is best to make sure that the motherboard you are selecting has a beefy VRM to handle the high clock rates of this processor.

VRM zone, voltage regulator module, CPU socket with protector cap and memory sockets on modern motherboard close up shot

I/O Connectivity: The Z-series motherboards come with some of the best I/O features, but even among Z-series motherboards, you will notice some motherboards having top-notch I/O features, which is why it is always a good thing to buy a motherboard that provides the latest I/O ports and features.

Cooling Performance: The cooling performance of a motherboard matters a lot when it is about to host the hottest of the chips. If the VRM heat sinks are not big enough or if the main chipset is not cooled properly, you can have a fried motherboard in less than a couple of days.

heat sink

Design and Looks: The design of a motherboard does not affect its performance, but it is one of the things that highly affect the price of the motherboard. High-end motherboards usually have a better design than low-end motherboards, as they come with fancy RGB lighting, I/O covers, and heat sinks. Still, the looks of a motherboard are highly subjective to individuals.

So to make this easier for everybody, I’ve taken this opportunity to search through the internet to find the best motherboards for a flagship Intel CPU. This was somewhat of a difficult task as the range of compatible CPUs for the LGA 1200 socket is very high. There are motherboards of all shapes,sizes and prices. So, in this list I might refer to some motherboards as “budget”. This is only with respect to the other motherboards on this list.

In this situation we are comparing everything with the Intel Core i9-11900K. Therefore a budget motherboard for this CPU might not be the same budget entry for something like a 10th generation i3.

Intel did a great job of utilizing the same socket, as it provided a larger option for upgrading the CPU, but in the meantime they flooded the market with LGA 1200 compatible motherboards and these different specs might make upgrading an absolute hell if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

So without further ado, let’s get into it.

Best Motherboard for i9 11900K Reviews

MSI MEG Z590 GODLIKE Gaming

Most Expensive Motherboard for i9 11900K

If you’re going big with the CPU, might as well go even bigger with the motherboard. The MSI MEG Z590 GODLIKE is just like its name suggests, godlike. It’s got features a lot of people will never be able to fully utilize but you can rest easy knowing that you won’t have to buy another motherboard for a very long time.

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  • Chipset
    • Intel® Z590 Chipset
  • Form Factor
    • E-ATX
  • Memory Slots
    • 4
  • Memory Speed
    • 5600 MHz (OC)
  •  Maximum Memory
    • 128 GB
  • M.2 Slots
    • 4
  • USB ports
    • 2 x USB Type-C (Thunderbolt 4)
    • 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (Front)
    • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (Front)
    • 4 x USB 2.0 Gen 1 Type-A (Front)
    • 6 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (Rear)
    • 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (Rear)
  • Connectivity
    • Intel® Wi-Fi 6E AX210 (Bluetooth Incl)
  • Expansion slots
    • 3 x PCIe 3.0/4.0 x16
  • Dimensions
    • 12 x 10.9 x 2.5 inches

Review

A prodigious motherboard for an equally impressive CPU. If you want to rise to the top of the PC master race, then this is the one to get, you might remember it from our Core i7-10700K motherboard lineup, occupying the same position as the most expensive. No motherboard could come close to the MSI MEG Z590 GODLIKE, although many have tried.

What We Like
Aesthetics - This is one hell of a masterpiece and the design is very impressive. The heatsinks neatly hide away most of the exposed components and the embossing, RGB and OLED monitor are great additions that add so much flair to this motherboard.
Performance - Unrivalled performance, what else can I say. The Z590 is best for overclocking CPUs and it is a more-than-perfect fit for the Core i9-11900K. 
Know Before Buying
Price - Most of us peasants can only dream of getting one of these. So budget gamers: keep dreaming. This motherboard is so expensive I wouldn’t recommend it for professionals, but if you’re one of the 1% that can afford this, there’s no convincing you. 
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GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS Xtreme

Most Expensive Alternative Motherboard for i9 11900K

Hoping to get something with a little more “oomph” for your already overpowered Core i9-11900K? The GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS Xtreme has got you covered, it will take your performance to the extreme, along with your savings. 

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  • Chipset
    • Intel® Z590 Express Chipset
  • Form Factor
    • E-ATX
  • Memory Slots
    • 4
  • Memory Speed
    • 5400 MHz (OC)
  •  Maximum Memory
    • 128 GB
  • M.2 Slots
    • 3
  • USB ports
    • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C® header
    • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header
    • 1 x USB 2.0/1.1 headers
    • 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C with Thunderbolt™ 4 (Rear)
    • 8 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, red (Rear)
  • Connectivity
    • Intel® Wi-Fi 6E AX210
    • 1 x Intel® 2.5GbE LAN chip
    • 1 x Aquantia 10GbE LAN chip
  • Expansion slots
    • 2 x PCIe 3.0/4.0 x16 (at x16, x8)
    • 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 (at x4)
  • Dimensions
    • 14.96 x 12.36 x 5.12 inches

Review

There’s nothing wrong with a beefy motherboard, and the GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS Xtreme provides a lot of features in a large enough frame. If you don’t want to go too extreme with the MSI MEG GODLIKE, then you could settle for the AORUS Xtreme.

Both have almost similar features in terms of specs, but the AORUS looks a bit more sleek and a lot cleaner. It’s finish is dark enough so that it will easily blend with a variety of color schemes, without sticking out like a sore thumb.

There’s exclusive Crossfire support (No NVIDIA SLI), along with a safe environment in which to test your i9’s full overclocking potential. With a lot of connectivity options and optional accessories, this motherboard is a true work of art.

What We Like
Performance - The motherboard looks and runs amazing. The features are a bit overkill but when the CPU is an i9, we are way past overkill. Overall, this is a good motherboard in terms of performance.
Aesthetic - A simple design that’s not too shabby, the design is clean and the all-black finish blends perfectly with whatever RGB color scheme you hope to set it up with.
Know Before Buying
Price - This motherboard is more expensive than the CPU itself, and I prefer motherboards that do not do that. This one did so, I am not gonna recommend this motherboard for budget to mid range gamers.
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ASROCK Z590M PRO4

Least Expensive Motherboard for i9 11900K

Pairing a flagship processor with a budget motherboard might not seem like a good idea, but desperate times call for desperate measures. In those moments of desperation, the ASROCK Z590M PRO4 has got your back. Highly recommend it for gamers hoping to upgrade to an i9.

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  • Chipset
    • Intel® Z590
  • Form Factor
    • Micro-ATX
  • Memory Slots
    • 4
  • Memory Speed
    • 4800+ MHz (OC)
  •  Maximum Memory
    • 128 GB
  • M.2 Slots
    • 3 (including one Key-E for Networking)
  • USB ports
    •  2 x USB 2.0 Headers
    • 2 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Headers
    • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Header Type C
    • 2 x USB 3.2 Gen2 (Rear)
    • 2 x USB 3.2 Gen1 (Rear)
    • 2 x USB 2.0 (Rear)
  • Connectivity
    • Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000 Mb/s
  • Expansion slots
    • 2 x PCIe 3.0/4.0 x16
    • 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16
    • 1 x M.2 Socket (Key-E)
  • Dimensions
    • 11 x 10.5 x 2.5 inches

Review

Whether it’s a cheap LGA 1200 Socket compatible motherboard you are looking for, that’s also somewhat future-proof for an i9 CPU, then this is the one for you, the ASRock Z590M PRO4.

Messy exposed layout aside, this motherboard has some good specs, there’s Crossfire support along with the conventional USB, storage and DIMM slot setups. The Key-E socket provides the ability to set up Wi-Fi ,if necessary, and that’s good enough for me.

What We Like
Price - Compared to most motherboards on this list, this one is the most affordable option. If for whatever reason, you managed to snag a flagship i9 but don’t have enough money to buy a mid-range priced motherboard, then this is your last resort. Highly recommended for budget gamers who know what they are paying for.
Know Before Buying
Aesthetics - Despite the adequate performance and the reasonable price, this motherboard is a little sore on the eyes. The RGB mode on the heatsink is great and all but it just doesn’t have that premium look and feel to it. If you aren’t worried about looks, I’d highly recommend it.
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GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS ELITE AX

Budget Alternative Motherboard for i9 11900K

Another dollar well spent! The GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS ELITE AX is an affordable option, (relative to the i9 of course). The LGA 1200 socket has made it possible to climb the ladder from the lowest 10th generation i3 to the highest 11th generation i9. This range of upgradability is amazing. Highly recommend this motherboard for this type of scalability.

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  • Chipset
    • Intel® Z590 Express Chipset
  • Form Factor
    • ATX
  • Memory Slots
    • 4
  • Memory Speed
    • 5400 MHz (OC)
  •  Maximum Memory
    • 128 GB
  • M.2 Slots
    • 3
  • USB ports
    • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C Headers
    • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 header
    • 2 x USB 2.0/1.1 headers
    • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C (Rear)
    • 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A red (Rear)
    • 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
    • 4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
  • Connectivity
    • Realtek® 2.5GbE LAN chip (2.5 Gbit/1 Gbit/100 Mbit)
  • Expansion slots
    • 1 x PCIe 3.0/4.0 x16
    • 1 x PCIe 3.0 x4
    • 1 x PCIe 3.0 x1
  • Dimensions
    • 13.18 x 10.62 x 3.14 inches

Review

The GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS ELITE AX is the other option if you’re looking for a budget build based on your Core i9-11900K. Even though I call this a “budget” option, I’m comparing it with respect to an i9 CPU, therefore these motherboards do have a lot of features than your typical entry level motherboard.

We are not here for the aesthetic but, it’s not half bad either, the RGB is subtle yet powerful and despite the exposed electronic components, this motherboard looks very sharp and stylish.

There’s Crossfire support along with on-board graphics as well. So you could go for a multi-GPU setup or a null-GPU setup, if that’s your thing.

What We Like
Price - The price is perfect for budget builders, although it is slightly more expensive than the ASRock PRO4, this motherboard has better specs overall and I highly recommend this. You won’t find many of these cheap Z590 motherboards so, this is a good deal. 
Know Before Buying
Aesthetics - Honestly this is a good motherboard, especially for a low-mid range build. However for a premium looking build this doesn't make the cut. This motherboard could do better with some cool looking heatsinks and a better integrated RGB system.
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ROG Maximus XIII Hero

Best for Gamers Motherboard for i9 11900K

Shiny RGB? Check! Sharp militaristic design? Check! High-End Performance specs? Check! The ROG Maximus XIII Hero is the best motherboard for gamers. It’s got the look and it’s got the power, to be a beast of a machine, capable of running all your favorite games at 144Hz 1080p (or more).

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  • Chipset
    • Intel® Z590
  • Form Factor
    • ATX
  • Memory Slots
    • 4
  • Memory Speed
    • 5400 MHz (OC)
  •  Maximum Memory
    • 128 GB
  • M.2 Slots
    • 4
  • USB ports
    • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C Headers
    • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 header
    • 2 x USB 2.0/1.1 headers
    • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C (Rear)
    • 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A red (Rear)
    • 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
    • 4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
  • Connectivity
    • 2 x Intel® I225-V 2.5Gb Ethernet
    • 2×2 Tri-Band Intel Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac/ax/az + BT5.2
  • Expansion slots
    • 2 x PCIe 3.0/4.0 x16
    • 1 x PCIe 3.0 x4
  • Dimensions
    • 14.57 x 12.28 x 4.25 inches

Review

If the PC master race is something you’d like to join, then the ROG Maximums XIII Hero is the motherboard for you, it’s dedicated to the Republic of Gamers and has the design and performance best suited for high end gaming.

Now using a Core i9-11900K for gaming can seem a bit of an overkill for others but it is the apex of the PCMR. You could easily experience 4K at 60FPS and have enough future-proof capabilities to run into 8K territory, provided that you have the corresponding GPU setup.

What We Like
Performance - Additional PCIe slots, additional M.2 slots and plenty of Wi-Fi and bluetooth to go along with it and the Z590 chipset is at your disposal, for all your overclocking needs. This motherboard is built by gamers for gamers.
Aesthetics - When trying to appease the “Gamer” you need shiny RGB lights and a sleek design, and ROG has successfully integrated both of these into this motherboard’s aesthetic.
Know Before Buying
Price - The price (as it is the case with most high-end mobos) is not cheap. This is a very diy friendly and convenient motherboard, targeted towards new gamers, new rich gamers, to be exact. My philosophy is simple: when the price of a motherboard is almost equal to that of the CPU, you know it’s not a good fit for budget gamers.
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ASUS ROG STRIX Z590-E

Best Overall Motherboard for i9 11900K

A motherboard that’s best for gamers, streamers and content creators, the ASUS ROG STRIX Z590-E strikes the perfect balance between price and performance and pleasing aesthetic. Highly recommended for anybody who’s looking for a well optimized motherboard capable of performing a wide range of tasks, including our favorite, gaming.

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  • Chipset
    • Z590
  • Form Factor
    • ATX
  • Memory Slots
    • 4
  • Memory Speed
    • 5333 MHz (OC)
  •  Maximum Memory
    • 128 GB
  • M.2 Slots
    • 4
  • USB ports
    • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C (Rear)
    • 2 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A (Rear)
    • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C (Rear)
    • 4 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A (Rear)
    • 2 x USB 2.0 Type-A (Rear)
    • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (Front)
    • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header (supports additional 2)
    • 2 x USB 2.0 header (supports additional 4)
  • Connectivity
    • 2 x Intel® I225-V 2.5Gb Ethernet
    • 2×2 Tri-Band Intel Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac/ax/az + BT5.2
  • Expansion slots
    • 2 x PCIe 3.0/4.0 x16
    • 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16
  • Dimensions
    • 13.5 x 10.75 x 3.03 inches

Review

Sure, it may not look like the ROG Maximus XIII Hero, but it has the almost exact same specs at a cheaper price. This is a motherboard that I would highly recommend for anybody, budget or enthusiast. It’s got high specs fit for an enthusiast and scalability for entry level budget builders.

There’s enough specs for a 2-way NVIDIA SLI configuration and the Z590 chipset is great for overclocking. Everything else including the memory configuration, storage ports, Wi-Fi, bluetooth is readily available. It is the perfect motherboard that’s stable for high range builds while still allowing some affordability for mid-range builders out there.

What We Like
Price - For a motherboard with this much specs, the price is very attractive. Please keep in mind here that we are comparing with an i9 CPU, so in that case, this motherboard is cheaper than the CPU and therefore I don’t mind recommending it for anybody. For high-end enthusiasts I have to say it’s a good choice, but you could do better. For budget builders: I wholeheartedly recommend it, this is a good investment. 
Know Before Buying
Versatility - Despite its many perks, it is far from perfect. The feature that I found lacking the most is Crossfire support. The perfect motherboard would have both SLI and Crossfire support and for that reason alone, it severely loses it’s chances of appealing to the AMD enthusiasts.
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Conclusion

Most Expensive Motherboard for i9 11900K
MSI MEG Z590 GODLIKE Gaming
Check Price
Most Expensive Alternative Motherboard for i9 11900K
GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS Xtreme
Check Price
Least Expensive Motherboard for i9 11900K
ASROCK Z590M PRO4
Check Price

Intel Core i9-11900K is the fastest Intel processor from the mainstream series and is a great competitor of AMD Ryzen 7 5800X. It is an octa-core processor with sixteen threads and has a high Turbo clock rate of 5.3 GHz. Hosting such a high-end processor requires high-end motherboards, or you can have many issues with your system.

The Z590 and Z490 chipsets are best for a processor like Intel Core i9-11900K. The Z590 chipset motherboards have the edge over the Z490 motherboards, having better I/O features such as the latest USB ports, WiFi features, and PCI-E slots. For content creators, it would be better to get flagship motherboards, but for enthusiast gamers, high-end motherboards like ASUS ROG STRIX Z590-E or GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS ULTRA seem like a much better option.

If you are looking for best GPUs for 1080p 144Hz for gaming in 2021, check this article.

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