The best gaming motherboards are models with high-end chipsets such as AMD X670E and Intel Z790, designed to support CPUs like Ryzen 7000 and Core i9-13900K. These motherboards use advanced components and provide specialized features such as PCIe 5.0 expansion slots, DDR5 memory support, Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, and reinforced power delivery systems. The main advantage of gaming motherboards is stable overclocking and extended component lifespan through 16+ phase VRMs and advanced cooling solutions, compared to mainstream motherboards.
AMD Ryzen 5000 and 7000 processors are compatible with B550, X570, B650, and X670E chipsets, while Intel 12th- and 13th-generation Alder Lake and Raptor Lake processors use Z690 and Z790 chipsets. These chipsets support processor overclocking, and most high-end motherboards based on them include 16+ phase VRM designs, dual or triple M.2 slots, PCIe 5.0 bandwidth, and large aluminum VRM heatsinks.
This article reviews the best gaming motherboards, providing a detailed comparison of their features across ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX form factors from brands such as ASUS ROG, MSI MEG, and Gigabyte AORUS.
ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero
The ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero is an AMD X570 ATX motherboard designed for enthusiasts and overclockers, as it comes with premium ATX features that differentiate it in the X570 motherboard segment.
The board is meant for high-end AMD builds with an ATX form factor built for overclocking Ryzen 5000 processors. It comes with a 14+2 phase VRM with 90A power stages for stable overclocking. ASUS has included extended aluminum heatsinks with heatpipe integration on the board to keep VRM temperatures reduced during load. The RGB-illuminated ROG logo compatible with ASUS Aura Sync is integrated on the main heatsink as a design element, which makes the motherboard visually distinctive.
The CLR CMOS button is present on the pre-mounted I/O shield and assists with RAM overclocking, as it resets failed XMP profile loads. The board also includes a BIOS flashback button. DDR4 memory support extends up to 5100 MHz (OC) for high-speed gaming performance. Connectivity options feature eight USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports and one Type-C port. The dual PCIe 4.0 x16 slots and two M.2 PCIe 4.0 storage slots with RAID support expand the platform for gaming GPUs and NVMe drives. The Wi-Fi 6 AX200 module from Intel supports speeds up to 2.4 Gbps, and along with the 2.5G LAN port providing 2500 Mbps wired bandwidth, it enables low-latency gaming and smooth streaming performance.
ASUS ROG Strix Z690-E Gaming WI-Fi
The ASUS ROG Strix Z690-E Gaming Wi-Fi is a motherboard for Intel’s 12th-generation Alder Lake processors using the LGA1700 socket. Many reviews highlight its DDR5 support, PCIe 5.0 readiness, and robust VRM power design.
The board has 4 DIMM slots supporting up to 128GB of DDR5 RAM, with overclocking up to 6400 MHz. The design includes an 18+1 power stage VRM configuration with large heatsinks for cooling efficiency.
The motherboard supports PCIe 5.0 x16 for GPUs. It features five M.2 slots (one PCIe 5.0 and four PCIe 4.0), all with dedicated heatsinks for thermal control. The ASUS ROG Strix Z690-E Gaming Wi-Fi can be paired with processors like the Intel Core i9-12900K and GPUs such as the NVIDIA RTX 3090, delivering stable high-end performance. Cooling is supported by dedicated water pump headers and multiple fan connectors.
MSI Meg X570 Unify
The MSI Meg X570 Unify is a high-end X570 motherboard designed for gaming and overclocking enthusiasts. It is targeted at PC builders who use AMD Ryzen processors and require advanced power delivery for overclocking.
The VRM of the motherboard has been designed to work in a 12+2+1 digital power phase configuration, capable of sustaining heavy overclocking workloads while maintaining stability. The inclusion of a large VRM heatsink helps maintain low thermal levels under overclocking, ensuring consistent performance.
As is the case with all high-end motherboards, there are 4 DIMM slots present that can host up to 128 GB of DDR4 RAM, which can be overclocked to reach speeds of up to 5000 MHz (OC). PCIe 4.0 slots are standard on this board, and MSI has included 3 Gen4 M.2 slots along with Shield Frozr heatsinks, which provide faster storage performance while reducing heat buildup. Additional storage options include 4 SATA ports that support data transfer rates of up to 6 GB/s. Three-way AMD CrossFire multi-GPU configuration is supported.
The motherboard features a simple black color scheme and includes six PWM fan headers, allowing users to customize airflow and RGB lighting for enhanced system aesthetics.
GIGABYTE X570S AORUS Master
The GIGABYTE X570S AORUS Master is an AMD AM4 motherboard designed for enthusiasts that competes for the best in the class title against the competition. The X570 chipset traditionally required active cooling, but this model uses a passive finned heatsink to achieve silent operation.
The motherboard has been designed for overclockers, as the S in X570S stands for silent. Gigabyte has expanded the heatsink surface area and integrated finned aluminum blocks. The 14+2 phase digital VRM design supports extreme overclocking, including Ryzen 9 5950X under LN2 cooling conditions.
There are 10 rear USB ports, including 8 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A and 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C, along with multiple storage options such as four PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots and six SATA III ports. Clear CMOS and BIOS flashback buttons, antenna connectors, the standard audio ports with S/PDIF, and a single Intel i225-V 2.5G LAN port are included with this motherboard. The average retail price is approximately USD $399 in the United States market.
MSI Z690 Force WiFi
The MSI Z690 Force WiFi is an ATX motherboard designed for Intel 12th Gen processors. It comes with PCIe 5.0 slots and DDR5 RAM support, which increases system performance.
MSI has included steel armor around the PCIe slots, along with heatsinks for durability and lower temperatures while you push your hardware to the limit. The thermal solutions use multiple layers for efficient heat dissipation. MOSFETs, choke thermal pads, and heatsinks are all present on the board, working in synchronization to help keep the temperature down while you draw out the maximum performance of your hardware. MSI also pays attention to the design aspect, and it comes with the MSI Mystic Light RGB system, which lets you choose the color scheme of your preference. Shield Frozr technology has been integrated with the M.2 slots so that you can get high-speed storage performance, which also remains cool while being operational. You get several USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports to connect peripherals, along with a Wi-Fi 6E module that manages networking. There is also liquid-cooling support through a pump header, making it suitable for high-end gaming PC builds.
