In terms of high-end PC processors, the i9-11900K (Amazon) is at the pinnacle of the class. The LGA1200 socket for Intel’s next-generation hardware and the 14nm technology are the latest examples of the company’s innovation. This CPU has top-notch specifications.
This is a 3.5GHz base clock, 5.3GHz overclocked eight-core CPU with 16 threads. In theory, everything appears great, but how does it function in the real world? In certain games, it performs better than AMD’s benchmarks, while it falls short in others.
Intel processors are more smoothly on high-end games than AMD processors. You can place CyberPunk 2077, Assassins Creed Valhalla, and Mafia Definitive Edition without any lagging.
To get the most out of your CPU, you need the finest motherboard for i9-11900k available. This clock speed can only be achieved with a high-quality VRM and PCB. CPU throttling may occur if heat isn’t properly dissipated while the processor is overclocked.
Every best motherboard for i9 11900k has been included here so that our readers can make an informed purchase choice. Our fast shopping advice will help you make the right purchase:
Quick Shopping Tips:
Overclocking: The Intel i9-11900k CPU is very powerful, but it demands a lot of electricity to function at its full capacity. Processor speed can be maintained only by using the VRM phases.
Higher of VRM implies that the voltage supply is distributed across all the VRM, resulting in lower temperatures and loads for each VRM. A cooler VRM operates better, hence more VRM phases are desirable. Performance is also impacted by the VRM heatsinks on motherboards.
Z490 VS Z590: The i9-11900k motherboard is designed to work with these two chipsets. Because we want to be transparent, we want to help our users make their own decisions. In terms of 11th Gen Intel Processors, the Z590 is hands down the best option currently on the market.
Even so, if you’re looking to get the most bang for your buck, the Z490 chipset is a clear winner. After reading all the reviews, a reader will be able to grasp the finer points of each chipset.
Aesthetics: It’s no longer uncommon for gamers to have a preference for different kinds of gaming rigs. People who don’t play hardcore games but want their live streams to look beautiful prioritise aesthetics over gameplay.
Aesthetic components and high-quality RGB lighting have been integrated into motherboards by manufacturers in order to provide the best possible visual appeal on the market. We’ll include this in our final report.
Header Placement: There are a lot of headers on motherboards that need to be plugged in with wires. If headers aren’t placed correctly, they can look bad and, in the worst case, restrict airflow.
Wires become more manageable if the PCB is laid out in a logical manner. A well-designed computer case can also aid in the management of cables. The motherboard and the top of the PC case are usually accessible through cutouts on the right side of the enclosure. So it’s preferred that headers are placed in these locations.
Best Motherboards for i9 11900K at a glance:
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Gigabyte Z590 AORUS MASTER
- MSI MEG Z590 GODLIKE Gaming
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z590-Plus
- GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS Elite AX
- ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XII FORMULA
- MSI MEG Z490 ACE Gaming
- ASUS ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming
The Best Motherboards for i9 11900K You Can Buy Today
ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
Best Motherboard for i9-11900k
SPECIFICATIONS
Socket: LGA 1200 | Chipset: Intel Z590 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 14+2 | PCIe x16: 2 | USB Ports: 15 | Warranty: 3 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ WiFi-6E with Dual-Ethernet
✓ Premium aesthetics with RGB
✓ Two 8-pin headers for 14+2 90A power stages
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No U.2 ports
✗ No Legacy Interfaces
✗ Pricier than similar products
Asus has a unique set of motherboards targeted at a specific audience. ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XIII HERO is on top concerning performance and aesthetics, making it the best motherboard for i9-11900k. It has 14+2 phase VRM for overclocking your CPU and RAM to the maximum extent. It can take your i9 to 5.2GHz Turbo 3.0 frequency supported by this processor. Performance-oriented design is meant for enthusiasts. The Z490 chipset under the Maximus series was a big hit amongst the team blue due to its design. Using the Z590 chipset gives you the ability to utilize two M.2 PCIe 4.0 slots and two PCIe x16 slots with 64Gbps data transfer speed.
Our article is about motherboards that perform efficiently with Intel Core i9-11900K. However, if you are still using the 10th generation of Intel processor, this motherboard will not offer you PCIe 4.0 for the high-speed performance that modern gaming and content creation requires. Installing an 11th generation processor will let you utilize the 20 lane PCIe 4.0 utilization. Limited connections offer PCIe 4.0 capability. The price is another concern as Z590 is the latest tech and costs more than the Z490 chipset. It is, however, the best motherboard in our review, so the cost must be of the lowest concern.
Then VRMs provide a total of 1260A of power for the CPU, which is more than enough to make this the best i9-11900k motherboard. The heatsinks on the motherboard components are heat pipe-based. VRM cooling is extensively ensured via two-stage heat sinks. Maximus series ensures M.2 drives stay excellent for top-class performance using the three-stage thermal padded heatsinks. The Z590 chipset runs cool as it uses PCIe 4.0 lanes from the CPU. It is the best motherboard for i9-11900k.
Gigabyte Z590 AORUS MASTER
Best Flagship Motherboard for i9-11900k
SPECIFICATIONS
Socket: LGA 1200 | Chipset: Intel Z590 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 18+1 | PCIe x16: 2 | USB Ports: 10 | Warranty: 3 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ Dual BIOS and Q-Flash
✓ Latest USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports
✓ 19 Power Phases for stable overclocking
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No Dual Ethernet
✗ No SATA controllers
Gigabyte has been in the tech world for decades now, and their Aorus line of products are premium award-winning success stories. With a reasonable price tag for the high-end features, Gigabyte Z590 AORUS MASTER makes it to our list as the best motherboard for i9 11900k. The motherboard is robust, with a 90A supply from 19 power stages. It is meant for extreme overclocking. The temperatures of the VRM remain cool due to the higher number of power stages, and the 6-layer PCB ensures proper heat dissipation.
Z590 chipset is expensive compared to the Z490 chipset, which offers a similar number of lanes and PCIe 3.0 support. It comes with three M.2 slots instead of four that are offered at this price range. All of the M.2 slots will not run at PCIe 4.0 support; only one M.2 slot will run at PCIe 4.0 if it is run with an 11th generation processor. This motherboard can take RAM clock speed to 5000MHz with dual-channel configuration, but it’s still slightly low compared to its competition.
Aorus series is mainly targeted at high-end PC builds with enthusiast features. In this motherboard, they have included a 10GbE LAN for high-speed network connectivity. Aesthetically the motherboard looks gorgeous with onboard RGB along with a black and orange theme. All the M.2 drives are heatsinked with thermal pads. ARGB and RGB headers are also included, which are controlled using a Gigabyte exclusive user interface. It is the best flagship motherboard for i9-11900k.
MSI MEG Z590 GODLIKE Gaming
Best Overall Motherboard for i9-11900k
SPECIFICATIONS
Socket: LGA 1200 | Chipset: Intel Z590 | Form Factor: E-ATX | Voltage Regulator: 20+1 | PCIe x16: 3 | USB Ports: 15 | Warranty: 3 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ Tuning controller for tweaking
✓ Incredible 5600MHz Memory OC
✓ Two 40Gbps Thunderbolt Ports with dual display inputs
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No DDL support
✗ Aesthetics not for everyone
In search of the best motherboard for i9-11900k, we found this motherboard purely for the elite class enthusiasts who want the absolute best for their PC overclocking. The humongous motherboard has 20+1 VRM, the highest on our list. It includes a massive heatsink with a heat pipe cooled via a VRM fan. The onboard displays look gorgeous to look at and show accurate information. Voltage read points are placed on the top right of the motherboard for test benches. There is a hole for the K-type thermocouple at the back of the CPU socket to allow direct temperature measurement of the CPU.
The motherboard comes installed with a backplate. It ensures that none of the connections on the chipset break because of the bending. However, the backplate featured in this motherboard is not rigid as it should be. Most overclockers consider VRM fans as an extra addition with not much benefit for motherboards with high power phases, and this board has 20 of them. The six-pin connector to power two PCIe 4.0 slots is poorly placed, and 3-way CrossFire is impossible with a connected power cable.
MSI MEG Z590 GODLIKE Gaming performs, as it is priced, a top-tier performing i9-11900k motherboard. It comes with a dual-LAN with 10GbE connectivity, two thunderbolt ports, WiFi-6E, BT 5.1, Clear CMOS button, and Flash BIOS button, which are an essential part of any motherboard in such class. The high-end audio chipset will provide crystal clear audio quality with pinpoint precision for first-person shooters like Call of Duty and Battlefield. It is the best overall motherboard for i9-11900k.
ASUS TUF Gaming Z590-Plus
Best Enthusiast Motherboard for i9-11900k
SPECIFICATIONS
Socket: LGA 1200 | Chipset: Intel Z590 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 14+2 | PCIe x16: 2 | USB Ports: 7 | Warranty: 3 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ Multi graphics support
✓ Unique screwless M.2 locking mechanism
✓ Integrated Backplate with dual-channel Type-C port
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No Thunderbolt 4 port on the rear
✗ Disabled M.2 slot with 10th Gen CPU
The most economical yet rugged performing set of products are from the ASUS TUF series. ASUS TUF Gaming Z590-Plus is meant for gaming with top-performing hardware. The 6-layered PCB makes sure that the overall signal integrity is maintained to make it the best motherboard for i9 11900k. 700A of power is available from the 14+2 power phases for the CPU for overclocking. The VRMs remain calm even under the most torturous conditions because of the double contact heatsink design.
It can overclock RAM up to 5133MHz, which is lower than other Z590 motherboards featured, but it’s worth the price. With the Intel 10th generation processor, you will utilize only two M.2 slots, and the PCIe 4.0 capable slot will be disabled. Hybrid fan pin connectors are not featured on this motherboard. However, there are six PWM fan connections; one is the AIO connection, making it a wise choice as an i9-11900k motherboard.
It comes with 2.5G LAN, which is incredible for this price point, and WiFi-6 with BT 5.0. The superior audio chipset on this motherboard takes full advantage of 6 PCB layers to provide noise-less audio and studio-grade recording capabilities. ASUS has focused on gamers and streamers with better communication capability and high-end audio quality. We get type-c connectivity on the front panel and USB 3.2 Gen2 USB-A ports. It is the best enthusiast motherboard for i9-11900k.
GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS Elite AX
Best Budget Motherboard for i9-11900k
SPECIFICATIONS
Socket: LGA 1200 | Chipset: Intel Z590 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 12+1 | PCIe x16: 2 | USB Ports: 10 | Warranty: 3 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ Intel WiFi 6 & BT5
✓ 5 W/mK LAIRD Thermal Conductivity Pad
✓ High RAM and CPU OC with 12+1 power phases
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No diagnostic LED
✗ No postcode display
GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS Elite AX is one of the most economically feasible mid-range motherboards that has outstanding features to offer. The key features that make it the best motherboard for i9 11900k are PCIe 4.0 support, Intel Wi-Fi 6 CNVi, 12+1 power phase VRM, and support for 128 GB of DDR4-5000. It is the best budget motherboard for i9-11900k, with specs for high FPS gaming and rapid encoding times. One of the M.2 drives near the CPU will operate at PCIe 4.0, while the rest work on PCIe 3.0 using chipset lanes.
Comparing this motherboard with other Z590 chipset motherboards has only one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, which means that 3.0PCIe will bottleneck the multi-GPU performance. There is no postcode display which could be problematic during diagnosis, and diagnostic LEDs are also not mounted on the motherboard, making this motherboard unsuitable for test benches. However, for a gamer, they are on point, and usually, moderate RAM/CPU overclocking is required by average gamer running games like Call of Duty, Overwatch, Minecraft, and PUBG.
This motherboard is similar to the sub-spec version GIGABYTE Z590 Aorus Elite with some user-driven value addition. The aesthetics of this motherboard are spot on with a gray and black finish, and subtle onboard RGB is the cherry on top. The 60A DrMOS VRMs are one of the most economically viable and balanced in terms of performance. All the heatsinks are heat padded for M.2 drives, VRM, and Z590 chipset. It helps avoid throttling in M.2 drives and overheating issues VRM drives. The features on this motherboard make it good performing i9-11900k motherboard.
ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XII FORMULA
Best ATX Motherboard for i9-11900k
SPECIFICATIONS
Socket: LGA 1200 | Chipset: Intel Z490 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 14+2 | PCIe x16: 1 | USB Ports: 11 | warranty: 1 Year
REASONS TO BUY
✓ Dual BIOS and 10GbE LAN
✓ Advanced LED display panel
✓ AI overclocking with liquid-cooled VRM
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ Disabled PCIe x1
✗ No USB controllers
As we have already mentioned that Z490 is better in terms of price/performance ratio, this makes ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XII FORMULA the best motherboard for i9-11900k with a Z490 chipset. The overclocking capability of this motherboard is driven by 14+2 power phase VRM, which gives it the capability of supplying 840 A to the CPU. The heatsink includes a massive C-shaped heat pipe to remove heat from the VRM, and the 6-layer PCB makes sure that the heat is adequately dissipated.
The selection of material is high-end but accessing the M.2 drive is a bit hectic. While accessing the M.2 drive, you will need to remove a plastic cover for access. The BIOS user interface still needs some improvement which shall not be a big deal as a simple BIOS update can do the job. Being a Z490 chipset, the chipset itself does not support any PCIe 3.0 lanes, but it can use the CPU lanes to provide PCIe 4.0 for a single PCIe x16 and an M.2 slot.
This motherboard comes with a 10GbE LAN connection and very robust-looking hardware. All the components are well heatsinked, including the M.2 drives and thermal padding used for all three M.2 drives. Heavy GPUs like the RTX 3090 won’t be a problem as they can support the weight with reinforced PCIe x16 slots. It supports multi-GPU configuration for both Nvidia and AMD graphic cards and easy BIOS upgradation using a USB storage device via a button on the back panel. It is the best ATX motherboard for i9-11900k.
MSI MEG Z490 ACE Gaming
Best RGB Motherboard for i9-11900k
SPECIFICATIONS
Socket: LGA 1200 | Chipset: Intel Z490 | Form Factor: ATX | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 16+1 | PCIe x16: 3 | USB Ports: 15 | Warranty: 3 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ Solid 6-layer PCB design
✓ 7W/mK thermal pad used for heatsinks
✓ AMD 3-way CrossfireX & 2-way SLI support
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No display output
✗ Thunderbolt 4 port not featured
MSI MEG Z490 ACE Gaming is a flagship product considered as the best motherboard for i9-11900k. Their performance is somewhat near to the MSI GODLIKE series. It has the extensive overclocking capability with 16 phase VRM with 90A each. The CPU can utilize the two 8-pin connectors for a high power supply during extreme overclocking sessions. Headers on this motherboard have been neatly placed on improving cable management and overall looks. The onboard RGB makes it the best RGB motherboard for i9-11900k.
MSI would soon release an update for this motherboard to support the Intel 11th Generation processor properly. The disabling of the SATA connection and one PCIe slot remains an issue while using all M.2 drives. There is no display output on the back panel of this motherboard; this imposes a limitation for some content creators that require the Intel Quick Sync feature for some applications.
It has onboard diagnostic LEDs useful during PC builds and a power/reset button and postcodes for overclockers and test benches. This motherboard can take RAM speeds up to 5000MHz, which is lower than its Z590 counterpart but high enough to improve gaming performance significantly. 2.5Gb LAN and the latest wireless connectivity with WiFi-6 make it an excellent choice for a modern-day application. Overall it has excellent aesthetics and ease of PC build, making it the best motherboard for i9 11900k.
ASUS ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming
Best Gaming Motherboard for i9-11900k
SPECIFICATIONS
Socket: LGA 1200 | Chipset: Intel Z590 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 14+2 | PCIe x16: 1 | USB Ports: 17 | Warranty: 3 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ 14+2 phases for cooler VRM
✓ Dual Channel Memory Architecture
✓ High fidelity audio with SupremeFX S1220A
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ Single USB Type-C port
✗ No onboard power/reset buttons
The ROG Strix series lies below the Maximus XII series, but it has unique features that make it significant. ASUS ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming features the 14+2 power phases that are adequately cooled to provide top-tier performance. It comes with an onboard comprehensive diagnostic ability like the presence of a postcode screen and diagnostic LEDs. These features make assembly a breeze and also make it the best gaming motherboard for i9-11900k.
To make it an i9-11900k motherboard, ASUS is yet to upgrade the BIOS suitable for the 11th generation processor. The Z490 chipset doesn’t support any PCIe 4.0 lanes but relies on the CPU lanes to provide PCIe 4.0 x16 and M.2 drive PCIe 4.0 support. There is only one USB Type-C port on the front and back panel. There is no 10GbE LAN at this price point, and dual-LAN is also not included.
It has 2-way SLI support and 3-way CrossFire support for both Intel and AMD. It has two M.2 slots currently capable of running at PCIe 3.0, which users can avail of with a BIOS update. The PCIe x16 slots are also running on PCIe 3.0, so the latest generation GPUs will run in backward compatibility mode on this motherboard unless ASUS releases an update which is expected soon with the release of 11th Gen Processors. It is indeed the best motherboard for i9 11900k.
Conclusion
Intel Core i9-11900K is the latest 14nm processor offered by Intel. The team blue now seems to have a lead in some games with higher FPS and lower bottleneck. Intel has improved its heat dissipation technology and overclocking capability with increases in Turbo Frequencies. It also features a built-in iGPU that supports features like the Intel Quick Sync.
Despite the higher heats released by Intel processors, they perform better. We have featured motherboards that are outrageously expensive but have the most features for test benches and enthusiasts, like the MSI MEG Z590 GODLIKE Gaming. Whereas we have kept budget gamers in mind considering all the aspects, i.e., the inclusion of RGB, extensive overclocking, high-quality audio chipset, robust PCB, and multi-GPU capability.
We consider the GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS Elite AX as the budget king with a high performance/price ratio. We recommend the Z490 chipset if you want high-end features at a lower price than Z590 chipset-based motherboards, but if you are buying the absolute best with a future-proof application, then go for the Z590 chipset motherboard in our list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What motherboard should I get for i9 11900k?
We consider ASUS TUF Gaming Z590-Plus as an ideal choice for i9 11900k. Its capability to overclock with 700A of power availability via its 14+2 power phases is impressive. The VRMs remain cool under stressed gaming conditions. The 5133MHz RAM overclocking can make any game run smooth as butter, all of this at a reasonable price tag.
Which motherboard is best for the i9 processor?
We consider the ASUS Maximus series the best pick for the i9 processor due to their extensive options. The ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XII FORMULA is a Z490 chipset that supports the 11th Gen processor and overclocks it with 16 power phase VRM. The overall aesthetics of this motherboard are eye-catching. The unique liquid-cooled VRM makes it an excellent choice for a power-hungry i9 processor.
Is i9 11900k good for gaming?
AAA titles like the CyberPunk 2077, Assassins Creed Valhalla, and Mafia Definitive Edition work best on the i9 11900k compared to an AMD counterpart. Motherboards like Gigabyte Z590 AORUS MASTER can boost the performance of RAM and CPU to lower bottleneck issues and improve the overall FPS of the game. The Intel chipset tends to remain cooler than AMD chipsets due to shared lanes with the CPU.
Is Z490 compatible with 11900k?
Motherboard like the ASUS ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming run on Z490 chipset. The Z490 chipset was developed keeping 11th Generation Intel CPUs in mind. A simple BIOS upgrade users who already own a Z490 can utilize the PCIe 4.0 PCIe x16 and M.2 drive connectivity and data transfer speeds of 64Gbps.
What motherboard do I need for i9-11900K?
All Z590, Z490, and B560 chipsets are compatible with the 11th generation i9 CPUs. Intel’s Z590 chipset now serves as the company’s top-of-the-line motherboard chipset, with full support for PCIe 4.0. A Z590 motherboard is an ideal option if you want to get the most out of your CPU.
What socket will intel 11th Gen use?
Intel® Desktop Processors from the 10th Generation and 11th Generation Intel® Desktop Processors from the 11th Generation have the LGA1200 socket and need motherboards that are based on the Intel® 400 Series Desktop Chipset or Intel® 500 Series Desktop Chipset.
