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A lot of people might think that a gaming motherboard isn't really necessary and that they should rather spend their money on more important stuff like the CPU or the GPU.
And although this is true to some extent, a good motherboard acts as the foundation of a skyscraper, that is your rig. And a bad or cheap motherboard might cause problems down the road.
In this article, we will list some of the best gaming motherboards for Intel, all under 300 US Dollars, and factors you should consider when buying one.
Factors to consider when buying a motherboard
1) CPU Support - The CPUs your motherboard will support (Intel or AMD, which generation, among other details).
2) Memory Support - The amount (32, 64, or 128 GB), the type (DDR4 or DDR3), and the speed of RAM (2666 Mhz, 2933 Mhz, 3200 Mhz, 3600 Mhz, etc) that your motherboard will support.
3) Form Factor - The physical size of your motherboard, ATX, E-ATX, micro-ATX, ITX, whether it will fit your case.
4) PCIe Slots - The number and generation of onboard PCIe slots to fit the latest GPUs, high-end audio cards as well as storage and networking solutions.
5) Other Features - Other features to look for include: the number of SATA and/or M.2 slots (for storage), availability of onboard WiFi and Bluetooth, etc.
3 of the best Intel motherboards available right now
- ASRock B460M Steel Legend
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z590 plus Wifi
- MSI MPG Z490 Gaming Carbon Wifi
3) ASRock B460M Steel Legend ($ 147)
This aptly named, micro ATX motherboard with a sick silver finish looks great with white-themed builds and is the perfect fit for tinier cases. Also, the RGB is a welcome addition.
The money you pay is well spent, and the board doesn't skimp on any of the basic requirements. But don't expect to overclock using this board. This is the best option for people who want a solid budget micro ATX option without any extra frills.
The only noticeable con would be the exclusion of inbuilt WiFi.
Specs:
- CPU Support: Intel 10th Gen
- Memory Support: 4x DIMM, 64 GB up to 2933 Mhz
- Expansion Slots: 2x PCIe Gen 3 x16, 1x PCIe Gen 3 x1
- Video Ports: 1 DP, 1 HDMI
- Rear USB: 4x USB 3.2, 1x Type C, 2 USB 2.0
- Storage: 2x M.2, 6x SATA 6 Gbps
- Networking: Realtek 2.5Gb LAN
- Extras: Size: micro ATX, Socket: LGA 1120
Get this motherboard here.
2) ASUS TUF Gaming Z590-Plus Wifi ($ 190)
This all-black ATX board, will look great with the majority of builds, and also has ASUS aura sync support. Compared to the steel legend, this is way better for faster, high-end GPUs and larger M.2 SSDs. Also, the built-in wifi with an included antennae is a huge plus.
The only gripe would be the 4+8 pin power connector which could be restrictive.
Specs:
- CPU Support: Intel 10th & 11th Gen
- Memory Support: 4x DIMM, up to 128GB, DDR4-5133
- Expansion Slots: 1x PCIe 4.0 x16, 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 (x4), 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 (x4), 2x PCIe 3.0 x1
- Video Ports: 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x HDMI 2.0
- Rear USB: 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C, 5x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 6x USB 2.0
- Storage: 3x M.2, 6x SATA 6Gbps
- Networking: Intel Wi-Fi 6E, 1x Intel 2.5Gb ethernet
- Extras: Size: ATX, Socket: LGA 1200
Get this motherboard here.
1) MSI MPG Z490 Gaming Carbon Wifi ($ 264)
This is pretty much the best Z490 motherboard you can get at this price point. With all the necessary bells and whistles, this bad boy gives almost identical gaming performance when compared to top-end boards like the ROG Maximus or MSI's own Godlike range.
Although its overclocking capabilities don't match up to the top-end boards, it's a great option nonetheless.
This motherboard does run a bit hot though, which is an inconvenience at this price.
Specs:
- CPU Support: Intel 10th Gen
- Memory Support: 4x DIMM, up to 128GB, DDR4-4800 (OC)
- Expansion Slots: 3x PCIe 3.0 (x16/x0/x4 or x8/x8/x4), 2x PCIe 3.0 x1
- Video Ports: 1x DisplayPort, 1x HDMI
- Rear USB: 5x USB 3.2, 2x USB 2.0
- Storage: 2x M.2, 6x SATA 6Gbps
- Networking: 1x 2.5Gb LAN, Intel Wi-Fi 6 wireless
- Extras: Size: ATX, Socket: LGA 1200
Get this motherboard here.
Note: This listicle reflects the author's views, and the motherboards are ranked low to high on the basis of price.
