Best Motherboards For Intel Core i5-13600K

MSI MEG Z790 ACE

Key Specs:
Brand: MSI | CPU Socket: LGA 1700 | RAM: DDR5 128GB | Compatible Processors: Intel 12th & 13th Gen | Chipset Type: Z790 | Memory Speed: 7800MHz | Form Factor: E-ATX | Windows: Windows 10 & 11

What is best about the motherboard?

The MSI MEG Z790 ACE is a high-end motherboard with all the top-notch specifications and features to make pair with Intel Core i5-13600K. It has a powerful VRM that can easily handle the power requirements of the CPU, and it also supports DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0 devices as well.

Here are some of the best things about the motherboard.

Powerful VRM: It has a 24+1+2 phase VRM with a high current rating. This ensures that the i5-13600K will have enough power to overclock and perform at its best.

DDR5 Memory Support: The motherboard supports DDR5 memory, which is the latest and fastest type of memory. DDR5 memory can offer significant performance improvements over DDR4 memory, especially in applications that are memory-intensive.

PCIe 5.0 Support: It supports PCIe 5.0 devices, which is the latest and fastest type of PCIe interface. PCIe 5.0 devices offer double the bandwidth of PCIe 4.0 devices, which can lead to significant performance improvements in applications that use graphics cards, storage devices, and other high-speed PCIe devices.

Other Features: It also has many other features that make it a good choice for the i5-13600K, including, Four M.2 slots for fast storage, Two Thunderbolt 4 ports for high-speed data transfer and video output, Multiple USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports for fast data transfer and 2.5G LAN for high-speed networking.

What is bad about the motherboard?

Although the motherboard is incredible, here are some of the things you may not like when going for your dream motherboard.

Expensive: This is a high-end motherboard, and it is priced accordingly. You may find it one of the most expensive Z790 motherboards on the market.

No 10 Gbps Ethernet: The motherboard does not have a 10 Gbps Ethernet port. This is limiting if you need high-speed networking.

Our Opinion:

Overall, the MSI MEG Z790 ACE is a great motherboard for the Intel Core i5-13600K. It has a powerful VRM, DDR5 memory support, PCIe 5.0 support, and many other features that make it a great choice for power users and enthusiasts.

No doubt it is not a pocket-friendly option but the buyers who can manage to get it will love it for its outstanding performance with durability and future compatibility features. It has more than enough to push your gaming enthusiasm to the next level without limitations.

ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero

Key Specs:

Brand: ASUS | CPU Socket: LGA 1700 | RAM: DDR5 128GB | Compatible Processors: Intel 12th & 13th Gen | Chipset Type: Z790 | Memory Speed: 7000MHz | Form Factor: ATX | Windows: Windows 11

What is best about the motherboard?

ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero is a great motherboard and capable of working excellently with the Intel Core i5-13600K. It has a powerful VRM, DDR5 memory support, PCIe 5.0 support, and several other features that make it a great choice for gamers and pro users. Let’s explore all the best things it offers to you.

Thunderbolt 4/USB4: It is a powerful and versatile connectivity standard that combines the functionality of Thunderbolt 3 and USB4 into a single cable. It is capable of improving the productivity and creativity of users. It is expected to become more widely available in the coming years.

Two-Way AI Noise Cancellation: It is a technology that uses artificial intelligence to reduce background noise from both the microphone and incoming audio. This can lead to many benefits such as improved communication clarity, reduced distractions, and increased privacy.

ROG Water-Cooling Zone: It provides you a comprehensive water-cooling monitoring and control with dedicated headers for water temperature, flow rate, and pump power. It presents a high-amp fan header for powerful cooling fans and makes serious water cooling easier and more accessible.

Integrated Aluminum I/O Cover: It offers several benefits, including such as Improved durability, heat dissipation, and aesthetics, while reducing weight and electromagnetic interference.

WiFi 6E & Bluetooth V5.2: WiFi 6E can provide up to 2x the speeds of WiFi 6, while Bluetooth V5.2 can provide up to 2x the speeds of Bluetooth V5.0. This means that users can experience faster data transfer speeds, faster loading times, lower latency, and smoother video streaming.

ASUS LANGuard: It is hardware-level networking protection that employs signal-coupling technology and premium surface-mount components to ensure a more reliable connection and better throughput, plus electrostatically guarded and surge-protected components for greater tolerance to static electricity and improved protection against surges.

What is bad about the motherboard?

Here are some things to consider you may not like when going for it.

Limited Warranty: It is backed by only 1-year warranty from ASUS. Whereas you can see some other similar products with 2, 3 years of warranty period.

No BlueTooth v5.3: Bluetooth v5.3 is the latest version of the Bluetooth standard and it supports up to 2x the bandwidth of Bluetooth v5.2, which means that data can be transferred faster. But the motherboard lacks BlueTooth v5.

Our Opinion:

We found the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero one of the best motherboards for Intel Core i5-13600K for its excellent build quality and reliability. It comes will numerous top-end specs and incredible features to push your PC to performance edges.

However, it has some drawbacks like a limited warranty period, no DDR4 support, and BlueTooth v5.3 unavailability. But still, it is one the best options with the ultimate potential you can get for your Intel CPU and build with full confidence.

ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi

Key Specs:

Brand: ASUS | CPU Socket: LGA 1700 | RAM: DDR5 128GB | Compatible Processors: Intel 12th & 13th Gen | Chipset Type: Z790 | Memory Speed: 7000MHz | Form Factor: ATX | Windows: Windows 11

What is best about the motherboard?

ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi is an amazing motherboard that can communicate with i5-13600K at maximum.

Fan Xpert 4: Fan Xpert 4 is a utility that allows users to control the fan speed and other settings of their motherboard fans. It offers a variety of features, including fan profiles, fan tuning, fan stops, and fan monitoring.

PCH Fanless Heatsink: A PCH fanless heatsink can provide better cooling performance than a traditional heatsink with a fan. This is because a fanless heatsink has more surface area to dissipate heat. Plus, it is completely silent, which can be a significant benefit for users who are sensitive to noise.

Fully AI Motherboard: AI motherboards are still a new technology, but they have the potential to offer many benefits over traditional motherboards. One of the main benefits of AI motherboards is that they can learn over time and adapt to the user’s needs.

Out-of-box Windows 11 Ready: Getting an out-of-box Windows 11 ready motherboard is a good way to ensure that your system is compatible, secure, and performing at its best with Windows 11. It makes it easy to upgrade to Windows 11. You simply need to install Windows 11 on your motherboard and you will be good to go.

Combo-sink & Backplate: Yes, it is good to have a motherboard with a combo-sink and backplate. A combo sink is a heatsink that cools both the CPU and the VRM. A backplate is a metal plate that mounts behind the motherboard and helps to dissipate heat.

What is bad about the motherboard?

No doubt the motherboard is one of the most reasonable you can opt for but it lacks in few things that you may bother with when working with it.

No USB 4 Port: This USB 4 supports up to 40 Gbps of data transfer speeds, which is twice the speed of USB 3.2 and Thunderbolt 3. This means that you can transfer large files, such as 4K video files, in seconds.

Fewer SATA Ports: The motherboard offers fewer SATA ports than competitors. If you have a lot of storage devices, such as hard drives and SSDs, you may not have enough SATA ports to connect them all. This can be a problem if you need to access all of your storage devices at the same time.

Poor Customer Support: Customer support is the thing you may also bother with ASUS products. They are not as quick as competitors and it may take a bit longer to get you a response than usual.

Our Opinion:

Consequently, the motherboard is not a bad deal in itself. It comes with lots of pizzazz and you will not regret this purchase at all. This means it can provide better performance and efficiency for a variety of tasks, such as gaming, video editing, and content creation.

However, it is not one of the pocket-friendly options but it is packed with tons of utilities from build quality to advanced technologies it comes with a fair price tag you can get what you pay for as it is solid, smart, impressive, and unique in itself.

MSI MPG Z790 Carbon WiFi

Key Specs:

Brand: MSI | CPU Socket: LGA 1700 | RAM: DDR5 128GB | Compatible Processors: Intel 12th & 13th Gen | Chipset Type: Z790 | Memory Speed: 7600 MHz | Form Factor: ATX | Windows: Windows 10 & Windows 11

What is best about the motherboard?

The MSI MPG Z790 Carbon WiFi is another remarkable motherboard we recommend for you as the right motherboard for i5 13600k and get the thing you ever deserve.

DDR5 & PCIe 5.0: The motherboard is powered by the compatibility of DDR5 and PCIe 5.0. These are the latest standards for memory and bus interfaces, respectively. They offer significant performance improvements over their predecessors, DDR4 and PCIe 4.0.

M.2 Shield Frozr: M.2 Shield Frozr uses a heatsink and thermal pad to cool the M.2 SSD, which can help to improve performance and prevent throttling. It is designed to be quiet, so you won’t hear any annoying fan noise. Also, keeping the M.2 SSD cool, can help to extend its lifespan.

De-Poop Protection: It is a feature on some motherboards that helps to prevent electrical damage from dust and other particles. It does this by covering the sensitive components on the motherboard with a protective coating.

Dedicated Headphone Amplifier: It offers several advantages over the built-in headphone amplifier in most audio devices including louder and more detailed sound, reducing distortion, and providing a more accurate frequency response, and high-impedance headphones that require more power.

What is bad about the motherboard?

Here are a few complications we found some users had to deal with when building with this motherboard.

No Micro Power Button: Micropower buttons are important because they provide a reliable and convenient way to turn on and off devices. They are also small and lightweight, which makes them ideal for use in portable devices. But this motherboard comes with something other than this handy button.

Limited Support For RAID Function: Motherboards with poor RAID support may not support all types of RAID controllers and storage devices. This can limit the user’s options when choosing components for their system. It can be difficult to create and manage RAID arrays. This can lead to frustration and wasted time.

Our Opinion:

Overall, the MSI MPG Z790 Carbon WiFi is a good motherboard, but it is not necessary for everyone. If you are looking for the best possible performance and features, and you are willing to pay a premium for it, then the product is an excellent choice. However, if you are on a budget or do not need all of the features that the product offers, then you may want to consider a different motherboard.

Whether or not you should buy the product depends on your individual needs and budget. I recommend reading reviews and comparing them to other motherboards before making a decision. However, I found MSI’s product remarkable and trustworthy and performed as advertised.

MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi

Key Specs:
Brand: MSI | CPU Socket: LGA 1700 | RAM: DDR5 128GB | Compatible Processors: Intel 12th & 13th Gen | Chipset Type: Z790 | Memory Speed: 7600 MHz | Form Factor: ATX | Windows: Windows 10 & Windows 11

What is best about the motherboard?

MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi has been one of the most demanding motherboards since launched in October 2022. One of the top reasons is its cost-effective aspect. Let’s explore what it brings to us.

Budget-friendly: The motherboard is packed with all you need to rock and gives you the desired performance without breaking the bank.

Lightning Gen 4 x4 M.2 Slots: These slots can support NVMe SSDs with sequential read speeds of up to 7000 MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 6000 MB/s. They are ideal for users who need the fastest possible storage performance, such as gamers, video editors, and creative professionals.

Intel Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) 3.0 OC: It is a technology that allows users to overclock their RAM without having to manually adjust the timings and voltage. This can be done by simply enabling the XMP profile in the BIOS. It improves performance, reduces latency, and increases stability.

16 Duet Rail Power System: It is a power delivery system developed by MSI for its high-end motherboards. It uses 16 power stages, each rated at 70 amps, to deliver up to 1120 amps of power to the CPU. This makes it one of the most powerful power delivery systems on the market, and it is capable of supporting even the most demanding CPUs.

Extended Heatsink Design: the motherboard is designed with an extended heatsink. It offers many benefits, including improved cooling performance, reduced noise, increased durability, better compatibility, etc.

What is bad about the motherboard?

Here are some negative aspects of the motherboard you may notice when comparing it with other products in the market.

No Gold-plated Audio Jacks: You have to compromise on gold-plated audio jacks. You will be missing the high-end and professional audio equipment, you have to go for some other motherboards if you want to opt for the best possible audio quality and signal integrity.

PCIe 5.0 M.2 SSDs: They offer significantly faster speeds than PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSDs, so if you need the fastest possible storage performance, you will need a motherboard with a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot. With this motherboard, you will not be able to use a PCIe 5.0 M.2 SSD. It means that you will be limited to using PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSDs or slower.

Our Opinion:

The motherboard is a high-end motherboard with excellent performance and features. It is a good choice for users who need the best possible performance and are willing to pay a premium for it. However, it is not necessary for everyone, and users on a budget or who do not need all of its features may want to consider a different motherboard.

Whether or not to buy the product depends on your individual needs and budget. I recommend reading reviews and comparing it to other motherboards before making a decision. I found the MSI product to be reliable and perform as advertised.

ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi

Key Specs:

Brand: ASUS | CPU Socket: LGA 1700 | RAM: DDR5 96GB | Compatible Processors: Intel 12th & 13th Gen | Chipset Type: Z790 | Memory Speed: 7000MHz | Form Factor: mini-ITX | Windows: Windows 10 & 11

What is best about the motherboard?

The ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi is a mini-ITX motherboard but you will get to know that mini does not mean to limit or compromise on performance at all. Let’s explore what it offers to us.

AI Overclocking Button: The motherboard offers AI Overclocking which is very convenient, it allows you to overclock your CPU with a single click. This is much easier than manually overclocking, which can be a complex and time-consuming process. Plus, it is generally safe as it will not push your CPU beyond its safe limits.

Pre-mounted I/O shield: Pre-mounted I/O shield is a convenient and beneficial feature that can help to protect your motherboard and make your installation process easier. Also, it eliminates the need to install the I/O shield yourself. This can save you time and hassle, especially if you are not familiar with the process.

BIOS FlashBack Button: The motherboard is packed with a BIOS FlashBack button that allows you to update BIOS without entering BIOS or OS, even if the system cannot boot. Convenient and safe way to update BIOS.

ROG Strix Hive: This motherboard brings you a strix hive which is a control panel that provides audio controls, USB expansion ports, Q-LED troubleshooting lights, Flexkey custom shortcut keys, and BIOS Flashback key functions.

PCIe 5.0 x16 SafeSlot: It is a reinforced PCIe slot that prevents damage to the motherboard and PCIe device in the event of a failed or faulty PCIe device. It features a metal bracket that reinforces the slot and prevents it from bending or breaking and a locking mechanism that secures the PCIe device in place. This makes it ideal for use with high-end PCIe devices, such as graphics cards and storage devices.

What is bad about the motherboard?

Besides, all the remarkable features you may need to consider a few things when going for the product.

Fewer SATA Ports: The motherboard has only two SATA ports and the main disadvantage of fewer SATA ports is that it limits the number of storage devices you can connect to your computer. This can be problematic if you need to connect multiple hard drives or solid-state drives, such as for a RAID array or for storing large amounts of data.

Limited Expansion Slots: The motherboard only has one PCIe x16 slot and one PCIe x1 slot. This is typical for mini-ITX motherboards, but it may be a limiting factor if you need to install multiple expansion cards.

Our Opinion:

Overall, the motherboard is an amazing product equipped with all the great specs and features you can expect from a mini-ITX motherboard. In terms of performance, the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi is one of the best Mini-ITX motherboards on the market.

It offers excellent CPU and memory performance, as well as good overclocking potential. No doubt, this tinny performer does have some weak areas but still, it is one of the smartest choices you can opt for your Intel PC. The motherboard proves that small in size is not always limited in performance.