The Core i7-13700K is one of the most powerful processors out there. In fact, when we put it against the ultimate flagship, the i9-13900K, the processor played all 8 games at just ~5.8% fewer FPS. So, if you plan to build a Core i7-13700K rig, it’s only fair to use the best motherboard for it.
The i7-13700K, just like the rest of the Raptor Lake line-up, uses the LGA 1700 socket, meaning that you can pair the CPU up with the last-gen 600-series motherboard as well. In our Z790 vs. Z690 comparison, we also found that the latest best Z790 motherboards don’t have too many improvements over their predecessor.
Therefore, in this guide, we will walk you through the best motherboards for Core i7-13700K. After that, we will also tell you about the factors we considered while picking the motherboards for their respective categories.
Let’s get started!
Best Motherboards For i7-13700K
Comparison Table of all our picks:
Last update on 2023-03-20
These are our picks for the best motherboards for i7-13700K:
- GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS ELITE AX
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi
- ASUS Prime Z790-P WiFi
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi DDR4
- ASUS ROG Strix B660-I Gaming WiFi
- ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 HERO
GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS ELITE AX
Best Overall Motherboard For i7-13700K
Pros
Cons
For the best overall category motherboard, the winner is unsurprisingly the GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS ELITE AX. Time and time again GIGABYTE has proved to be one of the best and most reliable hardware manufacturers out there with its durable products and excellent after-sales support.
One of the most important parts of a motherboard is its VRM design, and the Z790 AORUS ELITE AX absolutely knocks it out of the park with its Twin 16+1+2 Digital VRM Design along with a 70A Smart Power Stage. In total, the 19-phase VRM is good enough to provide a stable and smooth flow of current to the i7-13700K along with other components.
On the topic of powering up the i7-13700K, the motherboard offers dual 8-pin EPS connectors so you can use both of them to send more power to the CPU for extreme overclocking.
All of these power figures mean extra heat. To counter that, GIGABYTE has used thermal pads that are rated for 7.5 W/mK on their power delivery circuits. The two massive heat sinks provide adequate airflow to the VRMs/MOSFET and they are connected using a 6mm heat pipe.
Overall, the 6-layer PCB with 2-oz copper is strong enough to provide high-end thermal endurance. The board also comes with a Smart Fan 6 Technology that has 5x PWM fan headers, which ultimately means that you can have good overclocking potential to make the most out of your i7-13700K.
Going over the memory support, the Z790 AORUS ELITE AX comes with 4x DIMM slots for up to 128 GB of DDR5 RAM. In terms of overclocking potential, you can take the RAM all the way up to 7600 MHz. Read Best Ram For i7-13700K.
In terms of expansion, there is 1x PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and 2x PCIe 4.0 x4 slot. There is more room to use expansion cards because the two PCIe 4.0 slots are wired with the chipsets while the 1x PCIe 5.0 slot is wired with the CPU socket. To power up the motherboard, you need a 24-pin ATX power connector.
Looking over the storage options, you have 4x M.2 PCIe 4.0 ports, and 6x SATA ports. However, one thing to keep in mind is that 2 of the 4 PCIe 4.0 M.2 ports have a shared bus with 2x SATA ports. Therefore, populating these two ports at x4 mode will mean you cannot use those two SATA ports. The other 4x SATA ports do not share their bus with any other port so you can continue to use them.
There are lots of connectivity options as well. On the rear IO, you get 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C port rated for 20GB/s, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports (red), 3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and 4x USB 2.0/1.1 ports. So, in total, you have 10x USB ports in the rear IO alone, which is plenty for most users. On top of that, the motherboard also supports WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and a Realtek 2.5GbE LAN chip.
The GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS ELITE AX is also quite good in terms of aesthetics. The PCB has a black finish with the heat sinks having a gray/black color scheme going around. There is also subtle RGB lighting under the chipset cover for those gamers who love having RGB on their motherboards.
What We Liked:
While the Z790 AORUS ELITE AX basically nails every department, what we liked the most about it is its durable Twin 16+1+2 VRM Design along with its high-end cooling features like 6mm heat pipes and massive dual heat sinks.
What We Disliked:
There aren’t many negative points surrounding the AORUS ELITE AX. However, one thing that can be disappointing is that you can’t use all 6x SATA ports while using the last 2 M.2 ports in x4 mode. Additionally, its high price tag can be discouraging for some users.
Verdict:
All things considered, if your wallet can take it, then you should definitely go with the GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS ELITE AX. The motherboard has a high-end reliable VRM design coupled with quite an efficient cooling system. Additionally, if you want, then you can also overclock the DDR5 memory to reach 7600 MHz. Overall, the Z790 AORUS ELITE AX is the Best Overall Motherboard for i7-13700K.
ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi
Best High-End Motherboard For i7-13700K
ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi
Chipset: Z790 | Memory: 4x DIMM, 128GB, DDR5-7800+ MHz | Video Outputs: DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1 |Network: WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, Intel’s 2.5Gb Ethernet | USB Ports: 12x USB rear and 9x USB front | Storage: 5x M.2 slots, 4x SATA 6Gb/s ports
Pros
Cons
If you want the extremely best of the best with the most high-end features possible, then the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi is for you. From a plethora of USB ports to ultimate memory overclocking potential, the motherboard hosts all the bells and whistles of a top-tier motherboard, and that goes for its price as well because it does not come cheap at all.
Let’s start off with the VRM design, the ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi has 18+1 power stages that support up to 90A of current. This 19-phase VRM design is durable enough to provide buttery smooth voltage to the CPU and other components. There are also Dual 8-pin ProCool II power connectors so you can both of them for additional power if you want to overclock your CPU.
To cool down the VRMs, there are two huge heat sinks that are connected to heat pipes that provide adequate airflow to keep the VRMs from running into thermal issues. Additionally, the M.2 slots are also covered with heat sinks to ensure that the drives work at their full performance without thermal throttling. Overall, the motherboard has plenty of cooling power to keep it working at good temperatures.
Keeping up with the high-end theme, the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi offers top-tier memory specifications where you have 4x DIMM slots that can be populated with up to 128GB of DDR5 RAM. Not only that, but it packs a powerful punch in overclocking capabilities as well because you can take the DDR5 RAM to go over 7800 MHz.
The same goes for the expansion slots as well because you have got a total of 4x PCIe slots where one is PCIe 5.0 x16, one is PCIe 3.0 x1, and 2 are PCIe 4.0 x16 slots. Similarly, for storage, you have two M.2 slots that are connected to the 13th gen processor, one of them is PCIe Gen 5.0 and the other is PCIe Gen 4.0.
However, if you install an SSD in the first PCIe Gen 5.0 slot, then the PCIe 5.0 x16 expansion slot will work at x8 mode because it shares its lines with it. So, unless you’re going to populate all 5x M.2 slots, it’s recommended to leave that one unused. Additionally, the three remaining M.2 slots are connected to the Z790 chipset and all three of them support PCIe Gen 4.0 x4 mode whereas the last one can also be used as SATA. On the topic of SATA ports, you get 4x SATA 6Gb/s ports, which is a bit disappointing because the motherboard is aiming for high-end specifications.
In terms of connectivity, you will never run out of USB ports on the ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi because the motherboard comes with 12 rear USB ports and 9 front USB ports. In the rear IO, you get access to 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C port, 4x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, and 7x USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports where one of them is Type-C and the remaining six are Type-A. There is another USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C port in the front header which supports PD 3.0 meaning that it supports 30W fast charging. For networking, you get 2×2 Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.3, and Intel 2.5Gb Ethernet.
Focusing on the aesthetics, the ROG Strix motherboard looks exactly how you would expect it to, huge Strix and ROG logos, beautiful RGB, and a matte-black PCB, it’s got it all.
What We Liked:
There is not one particular thing that is miles better than the rest in the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi, the motherboard is truly high-end in every department. However, what we like the most about it is its memory specification where you can overclock the 128GB DDR5 RAM to cross 7800 MHz.
What We Disliked:
The biggest negative about this motherboard is that it costs a ton of money. It is nowhere near cheap, which is understandable because the board is aimed toward being a high-end variant. We also think that it should’ve come with six SATA 6GB/s ports instead of four.
Verdict:
Overall, the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi incorporates every high-end feature possible, from an 18+1 solid VRM design to 12x rear USB ports to 5x M.2 slots to ultimate memory overclocking potential, all of this combined with its cooling abilities make it the Best High-End Motherboard for i7-13700K.
ASUS Prime Z790-P WiFi
Best White Motherboard For i7-13700K
Chipset: Z790 | Memory: 4x DIMM, 128GB, DDR5-7200+ MHz | Video Outputs: DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1 |Network: WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, Intel’s 2.5Gb Ethernet | USB Ports: 8x USB rear and 9x USB front | Storage: 3x M.2 slots, 4x SATA 6Gb/s ports
Pros
Cons
If you’re planning to build a white gaming rig, then a beautiful white motherboard will be at the center of it to go along with your white CPU cooler and PC case. So, when it comes to white motherboards to pair up with the Core i7-13700K, nothing looks as beautiful as the ASUS Prime Z790-P WiFi. Apart from just looking drop-dead gorgeous, the motherboard is also quite affordable so it won’t break the bank. However, there are definitely some performance cuts here and there to make up for it.
For instance, in terms of VRM design, the ASUS Prime Z790-P WiFi uses 14+1 teamed power stages where each phase can support up to 50A of current. While the 15-phase VRM configuration is good enough to provide stable voltage to the processor, there isn’t much room for overclocking whatsoever. Similarly, instead of Dual ProCool Connectors, you have a 4+8-pin connector to power up the CPU.
Since the VRM design is not too high-end or over-the-top that it would need lots of cooling, the cooling capabilities of the Prime Z790-P are just enough to keep everything operating at a normal temperature. The MOSFETs are covered with thermal pads and heat sinks that work together to provide good performance by lowering the temperatures. Similarly, the M.2 slots are also covered with heat sinks to ensure high storage speeds without any thermal throttling. If you plan to use an AIO cooler, then there is also a dedicated AIO pump header for PWM or DC.
Despite its affordable price range, the Prime Z790-P has surprisingly good memory specifications as you can equip its 4x DIMM slots with DDR5 RAM all the way up to 128GB. On top of that, you can overclock the memory to surpass 7200 MHz which is quite impressive. The board also comes with AEMP II (ASUS Enhanced Memory Profile II) which goes through your memory and processor’s configurations and computes an efficient clock speed that can give you significant memory performance gains while maintaining stability and reliability.
In terms of expansion, you have plenty of options because the motherboard comes with 1x PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, 1x PCIe 3.0 x1 slot, and 3x PCIe 4.0 x16 slots (support x4 mode), which is quite good seeing its price tag. However, there has been some cost-cutting in the storage department because you only get 3x M.2 slots and none of them are PCIe Gen-5.0. The first PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot is connected to the processor and the other two are connected to the chipset. While you can use the last M.2 slot as SATA, you also have 4x SATA 6Gb/s ports which provide enough storage options to get you through the day.
Going through the USB ports, you get 8x ports on the rear IO and 9x on the front header. The 8x USB ports on the back consist of 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C port, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, and 4x USB 2.0 Type-A ports. There is also a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C connector on the front header so you have two Type-C USB ports. For networking, there is Realtek 2.5Gb Ethernet, WiFi 5, and Bluetooth 5.2.
Focusing on the looks, the ASUS Prime Z790-P WiFi has a silver metallic look on the integrated rear IO cover and on the heat sinks, which works perfectly in popping out its matte-black PCB, giving the board quite a gamer aesthetic. To top it all off, there is Aura Sync as well which gives you 10 different ways to light up the RGB effects.
What We Liked:
Other than the looks, what we liked the most about the ASUS Prime Z790-P WiFi is that it is quite affordable for a Z790 motherboard with DDR5 support. Additionally, we also liked that the memory can be overclocked to reach 7200 MHz.
What We Disliked:
The lack of PCIe Gen-5.0 M.2 slots is quite disappointing. It would have been really nice to have at least one of them. Also, while the 14+1 VRM structure is enough to provide stable voltage, it could have been better.
Verdict:
With that said, the ASUS Prime Z790-P WiFi is hands down the Best White Motherboard for i7-13700K. The motherboard nails its aesthetics with its metallic finish and RGB, and it also offers lots of good features like a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C port, and DDR5 RAM while not costing too much.
MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi DDR4
Best Value Motherboard For i7-13700K
Chipset: Z790| Memory: 4x DIMM, 128GB, DDR4-5333+ MHz | Video Outputs: DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1 |Network: WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, I225-V 2.5Gb Ethernet | USB Ports: 10x USB rear and 7x USB front | Storage: 4x M.2 slots, 7x SATA 6Gb/s ports
Pros
Cons
The MSI MAG series has always been the entry-midrange motherboard for Intel chipsets. Instead of focusing on the bells and whistles and ultimate top-tier features, the MAG line-up offers the essential features at a budget-friendly price tag. So, if you cannot spend too much on the motherboard, then you should go with the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi DDR4 as it is the best bang for the buck.
For starters, the motherboard comes with a 16+1+1 Duet Rail Power System (DRPS) where each of the 16 Vcore phases is rated for 90A of current. The 18-phase VRM design is quite good especially since the motherboard does not cost a lot. It is durable enough to provide smooth voltage to your i7-13700K and other components. For overclocking, you have a 2x 8-pin EPS connector so you can provide additional power to the CPU if required.
To cool down such a strong VRM structure, the motherboard must be equipped with a capable cooling solution, and the MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi DDR4 does not disappoint in that department at all. First of all, the MOSFETs are covered with high-quality and extra choke 7W/mK thermal pads. On top of that, an extended heat sink is placed to ensure effective heat dissipation. Similarly, for the M.2 SSDs, the slots are covered with M.2 Shield Frozr to prevent thermal throttling. Additionally, the PCB is made up of 6-layers so it is strong enough to endure high temperatures.
Going through the memory, it is the biggest reason how MSI has managed to achieve a lower price tag. The board supports DDR4 RAM with 4x DIMM slots with a maximum capacity of 128GB. You can overclock the memory to achieve a 5333+ MHz frequency. Overall, not supporting DDR5 memory makes sense because if you are looking for the best value for money motherboard, you probably don’t have the budget to spend extra on DDR5 RAMs.
Also Read: Best Motherboard For i5-13600K
In terms of expansion slots, you have 2x PCIe x16 slots where one of them is Gen-5.0 which is connected to the processor and the other one is Gen-4.0 (x4 mode) which is connected to the Z790 chipset. You also have another PCIe Gen-3.0 x1 slot which is connected to the chipset as well.
For the storage, you have in total 4x M.2 slots, and all four of them are PCIe Gen-4.0 x4. The first M.2 slot is connected to the processor and the rest of them are connected to the chipset. You also have 7x SATA 6Gb/s ports which is quite a lot. On top of that, the third M.2 slot can also run in SATA mode.
Talking about the essentials, you also have a plethora of USB ports. First of all, in the rear IO, you have 1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C port, 4x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports, 4x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports, and 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port. So, in total, you have 10x USB ports in the rear IO where two of them are USB-C. You also have another USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C in the front header along with other 6x USB ports. For networking, there is Intel 2.5Gbps LAN, WiFi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3.
The motherboard follows an all-black theme without any integrated RGB strips which gives it a distinct look. Furthermore, there is a subtle MAG branding on the top VRM heat sink which adds to its minimalistic aesthetics.
What We Liked:
What we like the most about the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi DDR4 is that despite its affordable price tag, the motherboard has a really durable 16+1+1 VRM design. Additionally, the variety of expansion slots is also commendable.
What We Disliked:
There isn’t anything significant to dislike about this motherboard. It offers the right set of features to maintain its price tag. However, it would be nice to have one M.2 PCIe Gen-5.0 slot.
Verdict:
Overall, the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi DDR4 is a good deal if you are on a strict budget. For the money, you get 10x USB ports, 4x M.2 slots, 3x PCIe slots, an 18-phase VRM structure, and lots of cooling to keep everything working at healthy temperatures. That’s why it is the Best Value Motherboard for i7-13700K.
ASUS ROG Strix B660-I Gaming WiFi
Best Mini-ITX Motherboard For i7-13700K
Chipset: B660 | Memory: 2x DIMM, 64GB, DDR5-6200 MHz | Video Outputs: DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1 |Network: WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, I225-V 2.5Gb Ethernet | USB Ports: 8x USB rear and 5x USB front | Storage: 2x M.2 slots, 4x SATA 6Gb/s ports
Pros
Cons
For those gamers who are looking to pair their Core i7-13700K chipset with a Mini-ITX motherboard, we recommend the ASUS ROG Strix B660-I Gaming WiFi. We selected this variant because for a motherboard with a Mini-ITX form factor, the ROG STRIX B660-I pack quite a punch, and it is evident when we go through its specifications.
Take its VRM design for example. The motherboard features an 8+1 VRM configuration which is rated for 60A. Even though ATX motherboards offer double the phases that the ROG STRIX 660-I has, it is still a very durable and reliable VRM design. Let’s face it, you’re not going to overclock on a Mini-ITX rig, so, the 9-phase design does a really good job at providing smooth and stable voltage to your chipset.
The VRM heat sink along with its integrated rear IO cover provides adequate airflow to keep the temperatures low. Additionally, the PCB is an 8-layer sandwich so it can endure high thermals without running into issues. To power up the small motherboard, you need a 24-pin ATX connector, and for the chipset, you have one 8-pin EPS connector.
Coming to the memory specifications, the ROG Strix B660-I Gaming WiFi supports up to 64 GB of DDR5 RAM on 2x DIMM slots. If you’re into memory overclocking, then you have the room to take the RAM up to 6200 MHz. Overall, the 64 GB maximum support is quite good, especially since it’s a Mini-ITX board.
In terms of expansion slots, you cannot use any expansion cards if you’re going to use a dedicated graphics card. There is just a 1x PCIe Gen-5.0 x16 slot, which you will most likely use to plug in a GPU. What’s good about the expansion slot is that its Gen-5.0, so you have access to the maximum transfer rates possible.
Looking at the storage options, you don’t have many options there as well with access to just 2x PCIe Gen-4.0 x4 slots and 4x SATA 3 6 Gbps ports. Even though the two M.2 slots should be enough for your NVMe SSDs, if you’re going to need more, then you should look for other options.
Similarly, you only get 6x Type-A ports in the rear IO. In total, there are 8 USB ports, where you have access to 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (10 Gbps), 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C (20 Gbps), 3x USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) ports, and 3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps). Despite the fewer Type-A ports, it’s still great to have 2x Type-C ports. The motherboard comes with Intel’s I225-V 2.5Gb Ethernet, WiFi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.2, so you have plenty of networking options.
Being a ROG motherboard, the Strix B660-I Gaming WiFi absolutely nails the aesthetics and looks. The matte-black PCB has a massive Strix logo on the rear IO cover and other ROG logos around the board as well. While there isn’t any integrated RGB, you still have the option to use the RGB headers.
What We Liked:
The best thing about the ASUS ROG Strix B660-I Gaming WiFi is that it provides lots of powerful options in a Mini-ITX form factor at a good price. The motherboard isn’t insanely expensive, yet you have many good options like the ability to overclock the DDR5 memory to reach 6200 MHz.
What We Disliked:
While there isn’t anything wrong with the motherboard, we believe that it could have provided better USB connections, especially since the 6x Type-A ports can be a bit difficult for some people to get around with.
Verdict:
All things considered, the ASUS ROG Strix B660-I Gaming WiFi is truly the best Best Mini-ITX Motherboard for i7-13700K. The motherboard features a durable 9-phase VRM design that is more than enough for the Mini-ITX form factor. Additionally, it also offers powerful memory support. Overall, the motherboard is a beast in its category, and it’s also priced in the better range of the spectrum, making it the Best Mini-ITX Motherboard for i7-13700K.
You can read our Best B660 Motherboards guide for a complete breakdown as well.
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 HERO
Best Overclocking Motherboard For i7-13700K
Chipset: Z790| Memory: 4x DIMM, 128GB, DDR5-7800+ MHz | Video Outputs: Thunderbolt, VGA, HDMI 2.1 |Network: WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, I225-V 2.5Gb Ethernet | USB Ports: 12x USB rear and 9x USB front | Storage: 5x M.2 slots, 6x SATA 6Gb/s ports
Pros
Cons
If you’re after sheer gaming performance and you intend to push your Core i7-13700K along with other components to their limits, then ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 HERO is for you. From top-of-the-line VRM design to a high-end memory overclocking potential, the motherboard offers you everything you’re going to need to build an overclocked machine. However, all of this comes at a cost, and the ROG Maximus Z790 HERO is nowhere near affordable.
Let’s start off with the VRM design. The ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 HERO comes with a 21-phase (20+1 power stages) VRM structure, which is more than enough to provide as much voltage as your overclocked components require in a stable and smooth flow. On top of that, you also have access to 2x 8-pin ProCool II power connectors, and while you only need one of them to power up the CPU, you can use both as well if your overclocked i7-13700K requires more power. A 24-pin ATX power connector is used to power up the motherboard.
All of these high-end VRMs are bound to generate lots of heat and to counter that, ASUS has built the motherboard on an 8-layer PCB so it can bear the extreme thermals without any issues. Not only that, but it has also incorporated lots of cooling features into the VRMs so they won’t heat up in the first place. For instance, the VRM is covered with thermal pads to soak up the heat, from there the heat pipes will transfer the heat to the massive heat sink to quickly and effectively dissipate it. The motherboard also comes with replacement thermal pads so you can swap the old ones out by yourself.
Additionally, you also have 4x 4-pin fan headers on top of a couple of CPU fan headers that can detect both PWM and DC fans. There are also heat sinks along with thermal pads to cool down the M.2 drives. For those of you who want are after a liquid-cooled build, the board comes with a dedicated water flow tachometer, a water in/out sensor, and a water pump header that can supply up to 3A of current to DC or PWM water pumps. All of these features combined take up the ROG Maximus Z790 HERO’s cooling capabilities to the skies, which is quite good because the motherboard is meant for overclocking.
On the topic of overclocking, the board comes with 4x DIMM slots that support up to 128 GB of DDR5 RAM, and the best part is that you can overclock the memory to cross the 7800 MHz figure. Imagine 4x 32 GB RAM clocking at over 7800 MHz, the memory overclocking potential alone of this motherboard is insane. To top it all off, you also have access to AI SUITE 3, which helps you fine-tune your system performance and achieve high clock speeds.
Looking over the expansion options, you have three PCIe x16 slots where two of which are PCIe Gen-5.0 and one is PCIe Gen-4.0. One thing to keep in mind is that you can’t use both of the PCIe Gen-5.0 slots at x16 mode simultaneously, one of them will tone down to x8 mode. So, be sure to plug your GPU in the slot which is running at x16 mode. Similarly, you will not run out of storage slots either as you’ve got a total of 5x M.2 slots where you have 2x ROG Hyper M.2 expansion card (PCIe 5.0 and PCIe 4.0) and 3x M.2 PCIe 4.0 slots. Furthermore, there are also 6x SATA
Keeping up with the theme, the ROG Maximus Z790 HERO offers a plethora of USB features as well where you have access to 12x USB ports in the rear IO comprising 4x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type-A) ports, 6x USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) ports. In the 6x USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, you have 5x Type-A and 1x Type-C. Overall, the twelve USB ports offer enough connectivity so you will never run into any issues. You also have a 2.5 GB LAN ethernet, WiFi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.2.
Focusing on the aesthetics, the ROG Maximus Z790 HERO looks just as aggressive as you would expect a ROG motherboard to look. The matte-black PCB has a huge ROG logo on the rear IO cover which lights up with AURA Sync. Additionally, the chipset heat sink also has ROG branding on it.
What We Liked:
The ROG Maximus Z790 HERO’s top-tier VRM structure is definitely the best thing about it, coupled with its cooling system. The 21-phase VRM design is durable enough to provide healthy voltage to the CPU and other components when you’re overclocking them.
What We Disliked:
The biggest issue with the ROG Maximus Z790 HERO is its price. The motherboard is nowhere near affordable, so your wallet will definitely take a hit if you plan to purchase this motherboard for your Core i7-13700K.
Verdict:
All in all, if you can afford it, and if you’re after overclocking, then the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 HERO is for you. The motherboard has a lot of overclocking potential so you can really put it under load. It also hosts extensive cooling features so you don’t end up harming your components. The 21-phase VRM structure, DDR5 RAM that can cross 7800 MHz, AI SUITE 3, all of these features combined make it the Best Overclocking Motherboard For i7-13700K.
i7-13700K vs i9-13900K
Intel recently released its Raptor Lake series, which comprises numerous 13th Gen processors with great features onboard. Two of them, which are in the spotlight of this article, are the Core i7-13700K and Core i9-13900K. They are launched at about a price difference of $200 but have most of the specs common between them. If you are willing to upgrade your system to the latest one and are searching for help to choose a processor that meets your requirements, you are in the right place.
i7-13700K is based on 16 cores and 24 threads, while i9-13900K contains 24 cores and 32 threads, which causes a huge difference in performance. They both have the same amount of Performance cores, which are 8 P-Cores, but the difference occurs in the Efficient cores; Core i7-13700K consists of 8 E-Cores, whereas Core i9-13900K consists of 16 E-cores. More E-Cores mean that they take care of your excessive workload and manage it to give you the required performance and help you get higher clock speeds.
As far as CPUs’ TDP is concerned, you don’t have to worry as they have a TDP of 125W; 125W is a little high, but considering the core-thread difference, its a bonus point that 13700K and 13900K have the same TDPs.
Both processors use LGA 1700 sockets, which means they support DDR4 and DDR5 RAM interfaces. They have the same PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 lanes and are overclocking unlocked; this means that using PCIe 5.0 alongside DDR5 will help you achieve some intense read/write speed experience from your processor.
The i7-13700K comes with a Base Frequency of 3.0 GHz and a Turbo Boost Frequency of 5.3 GHz, whereas i9-13900K comes with a Base Frequency of 3.4 GHz and a Turbo Boost Frequency of 5.4 GHz. There is a 6MB L3 cache difference between the CPUs as core i7-13700K has 30MB of Cache compared to i9-13900K, which has 36MB of Cache, whereas L1 and L2 Cache sizes are the same in both processors.
If you’re looking for an in-depth comparison between i7-13700K and i9-13900K, have a quick peek at the i9-13900K Vs i7-13700K comparison.
Both i7-13700K and i9-13900K consist of Intel’s UHD 770 Graphics, and a little difference occurs between their iGPU clock speeds; the Intel i9-13900K’s iGPU clocks at 1650 MHz boost frequency; on the other hand, the Intel i7-13700K boost clocks at 1600 MHz.
i7-13700K vs i5-13600K
Intel recently came out with Raptor Lake processors containing i5, i7, and i9 13th Gen series processors. If you want to get information regarding the spec difference between both same series CPUs, this comparison will help you.
Intel has launched both processors on whopping price tags of $315 and $440, respectively. They are both based on Hybrid Core Architecture and have LGA1700 sockets and Intel’s UHD 770 Graphics, but the main difference between them appears in the CPU performance that varies on cores and threads. i7-13700K is based on 16 cores; 8 P-Cores, 8 E-Cores, and 24 threads, whereas i5-13600K comprises 14 cores; 6 P-Cores, 8 E-Cores, and 20 threads. Furthermore, i5-13600K has a Base Frequency of 3.5 GHz and a Turbo Boost Frequency of 5.1 GHz, whereas the i7-13700K has a Base Frequency of 3.4 GHz and a Turbo Boost Frequency of 5.3 GHz. The cache also has a huge difference; i7-13700 K has 30MB of L3 Cache, while i5-13600K has 24MB of L3 Cache, whereas the L1 and L2 cache remains the same for both CPUs.
Check out our complete i7-13700K Vs i5-13600K comparison for detailed benchmarks and performance specs.
13700K and 13600K both support PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 lanes; this compatibility variance can help you attain extraordinary performance from your system. As they both have LGA 1700 sockets, i7-13700K and i5-13600K are compatible with DDR4 and DDR5 so you can enjoy the latest RAM interface.
Both CPUs have a TDP of 125W, so you don’t need to worry about excessive heating, which you could’ve got in the case of i7-13700K packing more cores and threads. Both processors utilize Intel’s UHD 770 Graphics, but there’s a little difference in the VRAM; the i7-13700K has a Boost Clock of 1600 MHz, while i5-13600K has a Boost Clock of 1500 MHz; this can cause a slight change in overall visual performance.
Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake: What’s New
The Raptor Lake architecture has brought many new improvements to the Intel CPU line-up. Most notably, the die size of the CPUs has been bumped up to 257 mm2 which was 208 mm2 in the last year’s Alder Lake CPUs.
Consequently, a large die means more room for extra power, and so the Core i7-13700K has 16 cores, where 8 of them are Performance (P) Cores and the other 8 are Efficient (E) Cores. For perspective, last year’s flagship, the Core i9-12900K also had the same number of cores.
Additionally, Intel also managed to bump the cache size in their Raptor Lake CPUs. The Core i7-13700K has an L3 cache capacity of 30 MB, which is what the i9-12900K offered. On top of that, it actually has more L2 cache than the i9-12900K (24 MB vs. 14 MB).
The 13th Gen Raptor Lake chipsets bring many improvements to what the Alder Lake chipsets introduced, including their infamous hybrid architectural design. This time, each Raptor Lake CPU comes with twice the Efficient (E) Cores, and the Performance (P) Cores are built on a new Raptor Cove microarchitecture, which comes with better optimization for single-threaded tasks.
That’s not it, the Raptor Lake CPUs have also managed to achieve higher clock speeds. The Performance (P) Cores of the Core i7-13700K have a base and boost frequency of 3.40 GHz and 5.30 GHz respectively while the Efficient (E) Cores have 2.50 GHz and 4.20 GHz respectively.
While the 13th gen chipsets still support DDR4 memory, their support for DDR5 RAM has received an improvement over their predecessors. The Core i7-13700K supports DDR5 RAM with up to 5600 MT/s of transfer rate.
Despite the performance upgrades, the Raptor Lake CPUs are not extremely power-hungry. The Core i7-13700K has a TDP rating of 125W, and it consumes about 20% less power on average than the i9-13900K, which is also rated for 125W.
Overall, the Core i7-13700K is a powerful chipset. You can get it for upwards of $400, and seeing how well it performs, it is totally worth the money.
| Processor | Core i7-13700K |
| Cores | 16 (8-P and 8-E) |
| Threads | 24 |
| Socket | LGA-1700 |
| Overclocking | Supported |
| Motherboard Chipset Support | 700- and 600- series |
| L3-Cache | 30MB (shared) |
| Release Date | September 2022 |
| Base Frequency | 3.4 GHz |
| Maximum Turbo Frequency | 5.3 GHz |
| TDP | 125 W |
| Memory Support | DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200 |
| Cooler Support | BEST CPU Coolers For i7-13700k |
How We Selected These Motherboards
There is a lot that goes into making a powerful and durable motherboard, and there are certain crucial factors that must be considered when selecting a motherboard. So, let’s go over how we selected the best motherboards for Core i7-13700K.
VRM
Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) is undoubtedly the most important factor to consider when selecting a motherboard. If a motherboard has weak VRM, then it is bound to cause problems, especially if you plan to put your chipset under intensive load.
As the name suggests, a VRM is responsible for regulating and providing a stable and smooth flow of voltage to the processor and other components of your computer. You might know that the PSU sends 12V to the CPU, which is more than what it needs at a time, so, it is the VRM’s job to tone down the voltage to exactly what the processor needs.
Similarly, for best performance, a VRM incorporates multiple phases which all work together in regulating the voltage, this also gives the other phases time to cool down. As a general rule, the more VRM phases your motherboard comes with, the better it is. But, it is also important to make sure that the manufacturer has used high-quality durable materials when building the MOSFETs.
Overclocking Potential
Even if you aren’t looking forward to building an overclocked rig, it is still nice to have a motherboard with good overclocking potential because it ultimately means that you have more room to achieve stable performance.
The overclocking potential of a motherboard relies heavily on its VRM design, so, the better the VRM is, the better overclocking potential the motherboard has. But, that’s not it, to achieve good overclocking figures, the board should also host extensive cooling features which make sure that everything operates at lower temperatures despite higher loads.
Multi-phase VRMs and massive heat sinks, both contribute to making the motherboard achieve better overclocking potential.
Cooling
Similarly, it is also integral for a motherboard to have good cooling. The Core i7-13700K is a high-end motherboard, it consumes lots of power, and the other components you will pair with it are also going to be high-end. Consequently, the rig will definitely generate lots of heat, and you need a motherboard that comes with the right set of cooling features to take care of all that heat.
For starters, the motherboard should be built on a strong PCB to endure all the heat, and the more layers a PCB has, the stronger it is. So, any motherboard with 6 to 8 PCB layers should hold up pretty well against high temperates.
In addition to that, massive heat sinks to cover the VRMs, M.2 slots, and other critical components also go a long way in bringing down the temperatures. Since the Z790 motherboards support the LGA-1700 socket, it means that you can equip the last gen’s coolers with these motherboards as well.
Features
The number of features, or lack thereof, also matters quite a lot when selecting the best motherboards for Core i7-13700K. From expansion slots to connectivity and RGB, we considered everything when selecting our picks.
As we mentioned earlier, not much has changed between Z690 and Z790 motherboards. The PCIe lane configuration has been revamped to support more PCIe 4.0 lanes instead of PCIe 3.0. But, the overall number of PCIe lanes remains the same.
With an i7-13700K, having one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot should be the way to go. Similarly, in storage options, it would be nice to have at least one M.2 slot that supports PCIe 5.0 and the rest can support PCIe 4.0. It is also necessary that the motherboard comes with good USB options, that include one or more type-C ports and at least 6x type-A ports.
There are some non-essential features as well that can be good to have. For example, while RGB is not necessary, some people would prefer to have that in their motherboard. Similarly, having support for WiFi 6E is also a plus point.
Price
The price can be the ultimate factor that influences your purchase decision, and we had to keep in mind that whichever motherboard we select should go along with the Core i7-13700K’s price range. For instance, the chipset costs $400-$450, so, you’re not going to pair it with a $999 ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme.
We had to pick the motherboards that offer the best value for money in their respective categories. There is no doubt that the ROG Maximus Z790 is a superb motherboard and it checks every box you could imagine, but it simply does not make sense to go for it along with an i7-13700K.
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Time and time again we have collaborated with many renowned hardware manufacturers like Thermaltake, Noctua, and Xigmatek and reviewed their products. Similarly, we have also been featured by ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, Deepcool, and many other brands for our content.
In short, our team of review writers spends days researching and examining the pros and cons of each and every particular product, and only then do we select them for our analysis. At the end of the results, we finally pick a motherboard and give it a certain award, which makes it the best fit for that particular user requirement.
The Intel Core i7-13700K is excellent for gaming. When paired with the right GPU, you can easily run AAA titles on it at 1440p to even 4K resolutions. In fact, the chipset did not fall too much behind the flagship i9-13900K in our comparison. Being part of the Raptor Lake line-up, the Core i7-13700K not only supports DDR5 RAM but it is also compatible with DDR4 RAM. So, you have more options to go for depending on your budget. Yes, you can pair the i7-13700K with the Z690 without any issues because the CPU uses the same LGA-1700 socket as its predecessor. All the Z690 motherboards work with the latest Raptor Lake CPUs after just a BIOS update. Yes, just like the Raptor Lake CPUs, the previous-gen Alder Lake line-up was also backward compatible with DDR4 RAM while also supporting DDR5. So, you can use DDR4 RAM with i7-12700K. On paper, the closest AMD processor that comes to the i7-13700K is the AMD Ryzen 7 7900X. Even though the Team Red processor has fewer cores than its Team Blue rival, it makes up for it with higher clock speeds. FAQs
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