7 Best Z690 Motherboards – Expert Picks (2022)

Intel has launched its 12th Gen Intel Core processor and not all Motherboards are compatible with it. We’ve reviewed the best Intel Z690 motherboards to take advantage of DDR5 RAM and other pro features.

With a 12th Gen Intel Core processor, you can use DDR5 RAM, along with the standard DDR4 support. The new Intel platform comes with a performance improvement.

The 12th Gen Intel Core processor also included PCIe Gen 5 support on Z690 motherboards.

7 Best Z690 Motherboards in 2022

The ASUS ROG Maximus line of motherboards is a premium category for this chipset. It’s XPG Gammix S50 Lite PCIe Gen 4 SSD is another premium model for this motherboard chipset. This board also supports two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and it includes a Realtek ALC4082 audio codec. Finally, the Maximus Z690 Hero features a built-in Wi-Fi card and supports the Wi-Fi 6E standard.

The Z690 motherboards have a massive VRM, with 22 phases, 105A per phase. No CPU can fully use this VRM, even Intel’s flagship 13 th Gen CPU won’t max it out. This means the heatsinks on these motherboards are large and robust. They protect the entire system from overheating. So, if you’re looking for a new motherboard, the Z690 is definitely worth considering.

The new Intel 12th Generation Alder Lake CPUs have a socket of LGA 1700. Intel 600 Series chipsets support LGA 1700. These chipsets include the H610 as an entry-level choice, as well as the H670 and B660 in the upper midrange segment. Best Z690 motherboards also offer sophisticated active cooling and ample room for overclocking. If you’re in the market for a new motherboard, consider purchasing the MPG Carbon Wi-Fi for the best performance.

If you’re a gamer, consider the Asrock Z690 Taichi mini-ITX. It supports DDR4 RAM and is overclocked up to 5200MHz. In addition, the Z690 Extreme Wi-Fi 6E is a great midrange enthusiast board, and it comes with a 13-phase power system, Realtek Dragon 2.5Gbps wired NIC and Wi-Fi 6E wireless chip.

1. ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Gaming Motherboard

Technical Specifications

• RAM Ports: 4 DIMM
• RAM Type: DDR5
• Socket Type: LGA 1700
• Form factor: EATX
• Wi-Fi Support: Wi-Fi 6E
• Ethernet: 10G/2.5G LAN
• Number of USB ports: 10 (7 x USB-A, 3 USB-C)

Maximus Z690 by Asus is probably the best motherboard you can buy now. Priced over $1000, it’s a power-packed board with extraordinary features that will serve you well for at least the next 5 years without needing to upgrade any components. 

Equipped with Intel’s latest Z690 chipset, the board gives you top-notch performance, whether playing some high-end games or rendering high-definition videos. Maximus also supports up to 105A meaning you can overclock your CPU to reach the maximum performance possible. 

It supports PCIe 4.0/5.0 and up to 128GB of DD5 memory sticks. This is a lot of memory for any type of computing. Additionally, you get 4 M.2 sockets, Wi-Fi 6E, 10Gb Ethernet, and premium Realtek ALC4082 audio output.  

2. GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS MASTER Gaming Motherboard

Technical Specifications

• RAM Ports: DIMM
• RAM Type: DDR5
• Socket Type: LGA 1700
• Form factor: E-ATX
• Wi-Fi Support: Wi-Fi 6E
• Ethernet: 10GbE
• Number of USB ports: 10
• Power Stages: 19+1+2 with 105a

Under $400, the GIGABYTE AORUS MASTER provides a good value. Designed for the Intel Z690 chipset, it comes with up to 105A Power cycles, perfect for overclocking your CPU. Although DD5s are still bursting upon the scene, you will still get tremendous performance even with the base speeds of the RAM sticks. 

There is 10GbE networking which is refreshing to see in a mid-range gaming CPU. Apart from this, you get Latest Wi-Fi 6E, flagship-level audio output, and 10 USB ports including 1 2nd GenUSB-C. 

There are 5 M.2 slots meaning you can easily use your computer as a workstation. Additionally, you get PCIe gen 4 and 5 support and DIMM slots that can take up top 128GB DDR5 RAMs. The machine will easily handle your high-definition games, 4K video rendering, and some crazy multitasking without breaking a sweat. 

3. MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi Gaming Motherboard

Technical Specifications

• RAM Ports: DIMM 
• RAM Type: DDR5
• Socket Type: Intel LGA 1700
• Form factor: ATX
• Wi-Fi Support: Wi-Fi 6E
• Ethernet: 2.5G LAN
• Number of USB ports: 10 (4 x USB 2.0, 5 USB 3.1 Gen 2, 1 x USB Type-C)
• Power Stages: 18+2 with 75A

MSI carbon is one of the most affordable Z690 motherboards available in the market. At a price of $349, you get the latest wireless technology, USB thunderbolt, a fast 2.5G LAN, and of course lightning-fast performance. Not only that, you get the powerful VRM for smooth overclocking if you want to push your machine to the maximum.

The board is compatible with the latest Intel 12th gen CPUs and can deliver the performance you are looking for, at a decent price. Yes, $359 is not cheap by any means but when you compare MPG Z690 Carbon with other high-end boards, you get almost a similar experience except few areas such as a lower power cycle. 

For connectivity, there is the latest Wi-Fi 6E along with 2.5G LAN capabilities. To connect your peripherals, there are 10 USB ports, including a Thunderbolt port. The Realtek HD audio is way better than you’d expect at this price range.

For storage, you have 5 M.2 ports along with 6 SATA ports so you can easily use the computer as your workstation.

As far as performance is concerned, there are no major issues with gaming. You may notice a rare lag while playing some really demanding games. Otherwise, the performance is smooth, similar to traditional DDR5 boards.  

4. ASUS ROG Strix Z690-A Gaming Motherboard

Technical Specifications

• RAM Ports: DIMM
• RAM Type: DDR4
• Socket Type: LGA 1700
• Form factor: ATX
• Wi-Fi Support: Wi.Fi 6
• Ethernet: 2.5Gb LAN
• Number of USB ports: 10
• Power Stages: 16+1

ASUS is known for its gaming motherboards and the Strix Z690-A doesn’t disappoint. In fact, it’s probably the best DDR4 motherboard for gaming at this price range. You get the latest wireless, a faster 2.5Gb LAN, 6 SATA ports, and 17 USB ports including USB-C 3.2 ports. 

It has 16+1 stages for extraordinary power delivery so that you can unlock everything bit of performance from your Intel 12th gen CPU. You get 4 M.2 PCIe slots where you can put up top 128GB RAM for the high-end experience. For audio, you get ROG SupremeFX 7.1 high-def audio with up to 120 dB. 

To keep the system cool during overclocking, there is Asus advanced AI cooling system with a chipset heatsink, 4 M.2 heatsinks, and an AIO pump header.

 It supports Intel XMP so you can easily enable overclocking from the BIOS menu and push your RAM sticks to the maximum. The performance of this board is the best in class. There are no lags or unexpected frame drops while playing games. Multitasking is a breeze and you can keep up to 90 tabs in your web browser and up to 15 programs in the background. 

5. MSI PRO Z690-A WiFi DDR4 ProSeries Motherboard

Technical Specifications

• RAM Ports: DIMM
• RAM Type: DDR4
• Socket Type: LGA 1700
• Form factor: ATX
• Wi-Fi Support: Wi-Fi 6E
• Ethernet: 2.5G LAN
• Number of USB ports: 10
• Power Stages: 14+1+1

MSI Pro motherboards provide a good combination of performance and stability. The Z690-A is a good machine if you are building a computer for productive use. At just $214, you get 14-stage power, the latest Wi-Fi, quicker 2.5G LAN, and a top-notch assembly with RGB lighting.

The board has an extraordinarily robust design with 6-layer PCB, PCIe steel protector, and high-quality power IC chips. In terms of connectivity, you get 10 USB ports, the industry’s latest Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.0, and 2.4G LAN.

There are 4 M.3 slots, 4 DIMM slots, 6 SATA clots, and 4 PCIe slots to acc memory, storage, graphics, and so on. Additionally, you have one display port and an HDMI port each. 

The performance is good enough for heavy multitasking and standard gaming. The memory slots can hold up to 128GB with up to 6400 MHz clock rate, meaning you can overclock your CPU to unlock the full potential. MSI’s aggressive cooling system will keep things cool for you while pushing the limits. 

6. ASUS ROG Strix Z690-I Gaming Motherboard

Technical Specifications

• RAM Ports: DIMM
• RAM Type: DDR5
• Socket Type: LGA 1700
• Form factor: ITX
• Wi-Fi Support: Wi-Fi 6E
• Ethernet: 2.5Gb LAN
• Number of USB ports: 9 rear, 5 front including 2 Thunderbolt 
• Power Stages: 10+1

ROG Strix Z690 is Asus’ premium ITX motherboard that provides great performance while consuming less power with its premium power delivery system. It also comes with a three-layer cooling mechanism to ensure smooth performance during extreme tasks.

You get 2 DIMM slots that can take maximum of 64 GB of memory up to 6400 MHz. It also supports Intel XMP so you can easily overclock your CPU to achieve the highest performance. For expansion and storage, you have a PCIe 5.0 slot, 2 M.2 slots, and 4 SATA ports available. 

For connectivity, there is Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6 which also supports lower frequency bands. You get 2 Thunderbolt USB-C ports along with 7 standard USB-A on the rear. 

7. ASUS Prime Z690-A LGA 1700(Intel 12th) ATX Motherboard

Technical Specifications

• RAM Ports: DIMM
• RAM Type: DDR5
• Socket Type: LGA 1700
• Form factor: ATX
• Wi-Fi Support: N/A
• Ethernet: 2.5 Gb LAN
• Number of USB ports: 8
• Power Stages: 16+1

Although DDR5 is still a new technology, companies have already started to build motherboards to take advantage of these high-speed memory sticks.  Prime Z690-A is an affordable DDR5 motherboard, optimized to boost the performance level of Intel 12th gen CPUs.

The most striking feature apart from its ridiculously low price is the feisty 16+1 power solution that promises a stable power delivery so that you never lose the performance. Also, the AI cooling mechanism ensures a steady output even during heavy loads. The extended VRM heatsinks, hybrid fans, and M.2 protectors provide an extensive cooling system to make sure things never get too hot. 

You can put a maximum of 128GB of RAM up to a 5200 MHz clock rate. Additionally, you get PCIe 5.0 slots for double the data transfer speeds, as well as 4 SATA slots (6Gbps).

There is a 2-day noise cancellation feature that drastically reduces the background noises, allowing you to hear only what is necessary during gaming or an office meeting. 

The performance of the Prime Z690-A was as expected. There were no sudden lags or frame drops even during some very demanding games. You can play almost every game at full graphics settings. Multitasking went smoothly, nothing surprising there, you can easily keep multiple programs in the background and up to 65 tabs on our web browser.  

Intel Z690 Motherboard Round-Up (for 12900K, 12700K, & 12600K Alder Lake CPUs)

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