Your motherboard, not just any computer component, it’s the spine of your computer and determines how you can build it. With numerous manufacturers flooding the market with their differing and incompatible parts, making an informed decision is extremely difficult. So, it’s necessary to ensure your eventual choice has extensive compatibility with the numerous other parts you may want.
1. ASUS ROG Maximus XII Hero Z490
If you’re familiar with computer components, ASUS will need no introduction to you. Despite having a mid-range price, Hero Z490 boasts of the latest Bluetooth 5.1 and DDR4 4800+ connections. It’s the flagship of ASUS’s Maximus series and supports LGA 1200 Intel processor socket.
Features
- Intel 10th-gen chipset
- Dual 5G and Gigabit Ethernet
- Wi-Fi 802.11ax
- USB 3.2
- DTS sound unbound
- 14+2 power stages
- Triple M.2
- ATX form factor
Pros
- Optimized thermals
- Supports the latest hardware
- Comprehensive cooling options
- High potential for overclocking
- Ideal for enthusiasts
Cons
- Only PCle3
- Cumbersome design
Price: View on Amazon
2. GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS PRO
If you’re looking for something cheap, easy to assemble, and relatively modern, Gigabyte Z390 is your best bet. It offers the same ATX form factor as Asus, which makes it an ideal budget replacement. However, Gigabyte Z390 Aorus only supports up to 9th-gen Intel processors and has only 802.11ac Wi-Fi.
Features
- Dual-channel DDR4 4400MHz
- 12+1 phases
- Bluetooth 5.0
- LGA 1151
- Two M.2 thermal guard
- RGB fusion
- PCle3 x4
- USB 3.1
Pros
- Affordable
- Cross-compatible design
- Advanced thermal design
- Quality audio DAC’s
- Latest Bluetooth
Cons
- Heavy
- Wi-Fi is outdated
Price: View on Amazon
3. Asus ROG X570 Crosshair VIII Formula
Much like Asus Maximum Hero, ROG Crosshair VIII offers only the latest 802.11ax Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 connections. It also shares the unique feature of having both 5G and Gigabit Ethernet. However, since it costs more than half a thousand dollars, this motherboard isn’t for the faint of heart.
Features
- PCle4
- AMD AM4 socket
- USB 3.2
- Aura Sync RGB lighting
- Comprehensive thermals with M.2, PCH, and more
- Built-in OLED panel
- DIMM RAM
- ATX design
Pros
- Optimized cooling
- Supports extreme overclocking
- Display panel makes customization easy
- Offers sockets for the latest hardware
- Four PCle slots
Cons
- Expensive
- The software and BIOS are unstable
Price: View on Amazon
4. MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE
If there ever was a motherboard that could match MSI Godlike I performance at its price, we’ve not found it. The design is the flagship from MSI this year, and it has everything you’d want in a motherboard. It also supports every single new hardware we’ve tried on it, making it an exceptional choice for builder enthusiasts.
Features
- Four PCle slots
- Two Thunderbolt 3 and 802.11ax Wi-Fi
- LGA 1200 socket
- Intel 10th-gen support
- 10G and 2.5G LAN
- ATX form factor
- Triple M.2 shield
- DDR4 5000MHz
- USB 3.2
- 16+1+1 phase
Pros
- Supports 4K displays
- High-performance heatsinks
- The durable and sturdy chest plate
- Quality audio
- Offers Bluetooth 5
Cons
- Expensive
- No PLX and Mystic light could be better
Price: View on Amazon
5. ASUS ROG Rampage VI Extreme
It’s at the end of Asus motherboard considering its asking price is within the thousand-dollar range. However, it’s well worth the cost given what is on offer. Among its many excellent components are five PCle slots, USB 2-3.2, 10G LAN, and three antenna connectors.
Features
- ATX form factor
- DDR4 4200MHz
- 128GB max RAM capacity
- X299 chipset
- Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5
- Aura sync
- Intel 10th-gen support
Pros
- BIOS works like a champ
- Massive RAM support
- The OLED display is brighter than older models
- Everything works
- Extensive cooling options
Cons
- Too pricy
- Still no PCle4
Price: View on Amazon