5 best gaming motherboards for the Intel Core i9-14900K

Choosing the best gaming motherboards for the Intel Core i9-14900K can be a tough task, as there are plenty available for the Intel 14th-generation lineup. They must offer the best specifications to power the Core i9-14900K for content creation or high-resolution gaming. They should also be compatible with last-generation Intel 13th- or 12th-generation CPUs, which is a bonus.

To fully unlock the capabilities of the 14900K, especially for gaming, you need to pair it with the best motherboard. In this article, we take a look at the best gaming motherboards for the Intel Core i9-14900K that you can buy in mid-2024. All these options offer better optimization for higher-clocked memory, newer USB standards, and the latest connectivity support.

Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the writer’s opinions. The entries are in no particular order.

Best gaming motherboards for the Intel Core i9-14900K in 2024

1) AS Rock Z790 Steel Legend

The ASRock Z790 Steel Legend is among best gaming motherboards for the Intel Core i9-14900K (Image via Amazon)

The first entry on our list of the best gaming motherboards for the Intel Core i9-14900K is the ASRock Z790 Steel Legend, which is a great option for budget users. It has bright LED lighting on all its sides and supports upto 20GBps data transfer speed. It also supports overclocking.

ASRock Steel Legend	Specifications
Form factor	ATX
Number of USB ports	10
Memory slots	4 DDR5
Price	$220

The ASRock Z790 Steel Legend has eight USB A ports and two USB Type C ports, which means that it can be connected to multiple devices at once. Additionally, it supports five M.2 NVMe sockets, which is a bonus.

Pros

It comes with multiple port options.
Has RGB lighting.
Supports up to 20GBps transfer speed.

Cons

Can have performance issues under heavy load.
The audio codec isn't the best.

2) MSI MAG Z790 Tomhawk MAX WiFi

The MSI MAG TomHawk MAX WiFi (Image via Amazon)

Next on our list of the best gaming motherboards for the Intel Core i9-14900K is the MSI MAG TomHawk MAX WiFi, which provides one of the most comprehensive solutions for Intel's flagship chipset. It supports the latest Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, which means that it will support the latest modems and connectivity options.

MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk MAX WiFi	Specifications
Form factor	ATX
Number of USB ports	17
Memory slots	4 DDR5
Price	$260

The MSI MAG TomHawk MAX WiFi also has RGB lighting and offers a sturdy design that can withstand any type of extreme conditions. MSI has also updated this motherboard with the latest drivers, compatible with Windows 11 and 10, right out of the box.

Pros

Supports the Intel Core i9-14900K without any BIOS update.
Has WiFI 7 support.
It is PCI 5.0 compatible.

Cons

Has driver issues with older generation CPUs.
Overclocking the CPU is quite complex with MSI's native app.

3) NZXT N7 Z790

The NZXT N7 Z790 is one of the best gaming motherboards for the Intel Core i9-14900K (Image via Amazon)

The NZXT N7 Z790 has a unique black and white design with plenty of shrouds for better thermal management. This also ensures that a high-temperature CPU like the Intel i9 14900K can be easily cooled with an adequate liquid cooler. This motherboard also has good overclocking support.

MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk MAX WiFi	Specifications
Form factor	ATX
Number of USB ports	11
Memory slots	4 DDR5
Price	$299

Further, the metallic black or white shrouds provide customization options as they can be removed. The CAM software also has a lot of finetuning options and even supports native overclocking.

Pros

Has lots of shrouds for customization.
Great overclocking support.
It has lots of ports and connectivity options.

Cons

Difficult to install 360mm liquid coolers with this motherboard.
No RGB lighting support.

4) Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Master

The Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Master (Image via Amazon)

The next entry on our list of the best gaming motherboards for the Intel Core i9-14900K is the Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Master, which has a stunning design with great thermal management. It also has PCIE 5.0 support on the GPU connector as well as M.2 support and Thunderbolt 4 ports.

Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Master	Specifications
Form factor	E-ATX
Number of USB ports	14
Memory slots	4 DDR5
Price	$399

The Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Master also supports all the latest Intel 14th-generation CPUs. It is one of the best motherboards for most Intel chipsets under $500. In terms of connectivity, it has ample USB A, Type C, and NVMe connectors on offer.

Pros

One of the best motherboards for overclocking Intel CPUs.
Has a large number of connectivity options.
Offers PCIE 5.0 support in GPU.

Cons

It requires a BIOS update out of the box before using with Intel Core i9 14900K.
Does not support WiFi 7.

5) ASUS ROG Maximus Z790

The Asus ROG Maximus Z790 is on eof the best gaming motherboards for the Intel Core i9-14900K (Image via Amazon)

The Asus ROG Maximus Z790 is among the best motherboards to pair with the Intel Core i9-14900K. It comes with lots of customization options and supports the latest WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, which, as you can see from our list, is rare to find nowadays.

Asus ROG Maximus Z790	Specifications
Form factor	E-ATX
Number of USB ports	10
Memory slots	4 DDR5
Price	$530

The Asus ROG Maximus Z790 is also great for users needing a lot of USB ports, as you get multiple USB A and USB Type C ports for both the front and back of the cabinet. Moreover, the bundled XTU utility software supports overclockable boost clock speeds without breaking a sweat.

Pros