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Hailing the mid-range market, Intel’s latest i5 processors have made a name for themselves, showcasing outstanding performance at value prices. The Intel Core i5-14600KF is one of the best budget CPUs, with 14 cores and 20 threads running at a 5.3GHz boost clock. However, you still need a decent motherboard to pair with the processor. Therefore, after extensive research, we have compiled the top motherboards for i5-14600KF in today’s article.
Make sure to check out these tested round-ups if you are interested in making a build for the i5-14600KF:
Last Updated:
- May 8, 2024: I have changed the formatting to improve readability.
Got the i5-14600KF? Be sure to check out our tested roundups:
Best Motherboards For i5-14600KF
Here is my list of the best motherboards for i5-14600KF.
- Best Overall: Gigabyte Z790 AORUS Elite AX
- Best High-End: MSI MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK MAX WIFI
- Best White: ASUS ROG Strix B760-A Gaming WiFi
- Best Mini-ITX: MSI MPG B760I Edge WiFi
- Best Value: ASRock Z790 PG Riptide
- Best DDR4: ASUS TUF Gaming Z790-Plus WiFi D4
Gigabyte Z790 AORUS Elite AX
Best Overall Motherboard For i5-14600KF
Chipset: Z790 | Form Factor: ATX | Power Delivery: 16+1+2 Phase VRM | Memory Support: 4x DIMM, 192GB, DDR5 7600 | Display Outputs: HDMI, DisplayPort | USB Ports: 10x rear, 7x internal | Storage: 4x M.2, 6x SATA | Networking: 1x 2.5 GbE LAN, 1x Wi-Fi 6E
Pros
- Competitive price
- Sleek visuals
- Decent performance
Cons
- Entry level codec
- No Gen 5 M.2
The Gigabyte Z790 AORUS Elite AX incorporates a black-gray design along with white stenciling on the chipset and NVMe heatsinks. It’s built on a sturdy 6-layer PCB, which also houses MSI’s capable Advanced Thermal Design for optimal cooling performance. I also found hints of RGB under the chipset heatsink. Throughout our tests, I found no performance discrepancies within the Gigabyte Z790 AORUS Elite AX. It comes packed with a capable 16+1+2 Hybrid Digital VRM design, 70A Smart Power Stages, as well as support for DDR5 memory up to a frequency of 7600 MHz.
The Gigabyte Z790 AORUS Elite AX uses a multi-function button which gives you access to features such as BIOS, RGB, and safe mode. Moreover, I was also left surprised by its extensive host of storage and connectivity options, the most impressive of which include WiFi 6E, a 20 Gbps type-c port, and 4 M.2 slots.
When our senior reviewer, Nauman Siddique, ran tests on the Gigabyte Z790 AORUS Elite AX, he was left surprised by the motherboard’s versatility, stating:
“The GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS ELITE AX is a well-balanced motherboard with a feature set that would easily provide the daily-driver requirement.”
What Makes It The Best Overall Motherboard For i5-14600KF
All in all, the Gigabyte Z790 AORUS Elite AX is an exceptionally built motherboard that provides phenomenal performance without compromising on its visual appearance. Its reasonable price tag combined with the extensive set of features make it the best overall motherboard for i5-14600KF.
I loved the Gigabyte Z790 AORUS Elite AX the most out of all the other motherboards because of its competitive pricing, outstanding performance, overclocking support, and high-quality heatsinks that also showcase the motherboard’s impeccable build quality. These points have also made us call it the best overall motherboard for i5-14600KF. So, if you want the best of everything, you won’t regret purchasing this motherboard.
– Dr. Usman Saleem
| Performance: 9/10 | Value: 9/10 |
| Features: 10/10 | Design: 9/10 |
MSI MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK MAX WIFI
Best High-End Motherboard For i5-14600KF
Chipset: Z790 | Form Factor: ATX | Power Delivery: 16+1+1 Phase VRM | Memory Support: 4x DIMM, 192GB, DDR5-7800+ | Display Outputs: HDMI, DisplayPort | USB Ports: 10x rear, 7x internal | Storage: 4x M.2, 8x SATA | Networking: 1x 2.5 GbE LAN, 1x Wi-Fi 7
Pros
- Exceptional performance
- PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot
Cons
- No RGB
Unsurprisingly, the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk MAX WiFi’s aesthetical elements aren’t vastly different from its contemporaries, featuring a black PCB that is followed by yellow accents that emphasize the Tomahawk branding. I was also quick to notice that RGB lighting is entirely absent on the board. Performance is where the motherboard impressed me the most. From a PCIe Gen 5.0 slot to a robust 16+1+1 VRM configuration with 90A power stages, the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk MAX WiFi leaves no room for concern in this department. The motherboard supports DDR5 memory up to a speed of 7800 MHz, a respectable figure.
I observed that it is also well-equipped in terms of features. You are provided with the capable ALC4080 Audio codec along with WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for connectivity. Other connectivity options include a Gen 5.0 x4 M.2 slot, a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port on the rear I/O for 20 Gbps transfer speeds, and a 2.5GB LAN port.
This is what Nauman Siddique said after testing the MSI MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK MAX Wi-Fi:
The MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk Max WiFi motherboard is a jack-of-all-trades option with a mix of new-generation features and backward compatibility. It has a robust power design, ample expansion slots, and effective cooling. Plus, the connectivity options are plentiful, with a focus on the new WiFi 7 standard. This motherboard is a good choice for gamers and general users looking for a modern, future-proofed motherboard at a competitive price point.
What Makes It The Best High-End Motherboard For i5-14600KF
In my experience, the Tomahawk series has dominated the grounds for its excellent feature sets, and that also rings true for the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk MAX WiFi. Not only does it incorporate an M.2 slot that supports the Gen 5.0 standard, but you also get a powerful VRM configuration, making it the best high-end motherboard for i5-14600KF.
| Performance: 10/10 | Value: 8/10 |
| Features: 10/10 | Design: 9/10 |
ASUS ROG Strix B760-A Gaming WiFi
Best White Motherboard For i5-14600KF
Chipset: B760 | Form Factor: ATX | Power Delivery: 12+1+1 Phase VRM | Memory Support: 4x DIMM, 192GB, DDR5-7800+ | Display Outputs: HDMI, DisplayPort | USB Ports: 9x rear, 6x internal | Storage: 3x M.2, 4x SATA | Networking: 1x 2.5 GbE LAN, WiFi 6E LAN
Pros
- Beautiful white aesthetics
- Good performance
- Impressive value
- Decent expansion slots
- Faster memory support
Cons
- Slightly weaker VRMs
The ASUS ROG Strix B760-A Gaming WiFi motherboard showcases a beautiful all-white aesthetic that looks remarkable for white PC builds. Furthermore, the motherboard also features a six-layer PCB with 60A power stages that powered the i5-14600KF easily during my testing without causing any issues. Outside of its beautiful design, the motherboard has impressive performance for its price. For example, I loved the 12+1+1 VRM phase that allows you to slightly overclock the i5-14600KF without causing any voltage issues. Additionally, the motherboard won’t bottleneck the PC, even in intense games with the highest settings.
The ASUS ROG Strix B760-A Gaming WiFi motherboard is also packed with features and offers decent connectivity. To explain, you get 9x rear USB ports and 6x front or internal USB ports. Moreover, you also have decent expansion capabilities thanks to the Gen 5.0 PCIe slots, which I loved the most about the motherboard.
What Makes It The Best White Motherboard For i5-14600KF?
The ASUS ROG Strix B760-A Gaming WiFi motherboard provides outstanding value with beautiful aesthetics, making it a perfect pair with the i5-14600KF if you’re planning a white PC build – and that’s why I have picked it as the best white motherboard for i5-14600KF.
| Performance: 8/10 | Value: 9/10 |
| Features: 8/10 | Design: 10/10 |
MSI MPG B760I Edge WiFi
Best Mini-ITX Motherboard For i5-14600KF
Chipset: B760 | Form Factor: mITX | Power Delivery: 8+1+1 Phase VRM | Memory Support: 2x DIMM, 96GB, DDR5-7200+ | Display Outputs: HDMI, DisplayPort | USB Ports: 8x rear, 5x internal | Storage: 2x M.2, 4x SATA | Networking: 1x 2.5 GbE LAN, WiFi 6E LAN, Bluetooth 5.3
Pros
- Great value
- Solid connectivity options
- Outstanding networking capabilities
- Beautiful aesthetics
- Decent expansion slots
- Debug LED
Cons
- No overclocking support
The MSI MPG B760I Edge WiFi has a beautiful white aesthetic in a smaller form factor, perfect for ITX PC builds. Although it’s a smaller motherboard, I love it. It has sturdy build quality, featuring an 8-layered PCB made of server-grade material, ensuring there are no bottlenecks or thermal throttling even at full load. Moving to its performance, the motherboard shows good performance with a smaller build. With a 2x DIMM slot availability, you can still install DDR5 RAM kits up to 7,200MHz frequencies to help slightly increase the i5-14600KF’s performance. Moreover, the 8+1+1 VRM phase is decent for non-overclocked gaming with a mid-range CPU.
Though a small form factor motherboard, the MSI MPG B760I Edge WiFi doesn’t back out on its connectivity, having 8x rear and 5x front USB ports, making me love its connectivity. Additionally, features such as a debug LED and an extended heatsink improve the motherboard’s overall value.
What Makes It The Best Mini-ITX Motherboard For i5-14600KF?
The MSI MPG B760I Edge WiFi motherboard features a beautiful white design in a small form factor, impressive RAM frequency compatibility, sturdy build quality, and outstanding value for its price. Also, the motherboard showcases features such as a debug LED and an extended heatsink. Thus, all these features make it the best mini-ITX motherboard for i5-14600KF.
| Performance: 8/10 | Value: 9/10 |
| Features: 8/10 | Design: 9/10 |
ASRock Z790 PG Riptide
Best Value Motherboard For i5-14600KF
Chipset: Z790 | Form Factor: ATX | Power Delivery: 14+1+1 Phase VRM | Memory Support: 4x DIMM, 192GB, DDR5-7200+ | Display Outputs: HDMI, DisplayPort | USB Ports: 9x rear, 7x internal | Storage: 5x M.2, 8x SATA | Networking: 1x 2.5 GbE LAN
Pros
- Decent overclocking potential
- Fantastic value for money
- 5x M.2 slots
- Gen 5 NVMe support
Cons
- Average Audio Codec
- No WiFi connectivity
The ASRock Z790 PG Riptide is fairly well-built for the most part, using a 6-layer PCB along with steel-reinforced PCIe slots. Aside from the matte-black PCB, I found blue accents on both the chipset heatsink and VRM cover that accentuate its rather simple design. RGB can also be found on the chipset heatsink. Performance is adequate on the ASRock Z790 PG Riptide since it utilizes a 14+1+1 VRM design with 50A power stages. We were also pleased to find out that the motherboard allows for decent overclocking thanks to the great VRM cooling allocated.
The ASRock Z790 PG Riptide comes with RealTek ALC897 audio, four PCIe Gen 4 M.2 slots as well as a PCIe Gen 5.0 slot. While it lacks WiFi connectivity, you will be provided with a Killer 2.5GB ethernet port as an alternative.
When our senior reviewer, Nauman Siddique, passed the ASRock Z790 PG Riptide through its paces, he was specifically impressed by its fantastic value, concluding:
“If you can live without the wireless connectivity and looking for a pocket-friendly Z790 motherboard that still provides Gen5 base connectivity for storage and PCIe, then look no further”
What Makes It The Best Value Motherboard For i5-14600KF
The ASRock Z790 PG Riptide is a fairly accessible Z790 motherboard, that is not radically different from the higher-end variants. Between its extensive set of storage options and solid overclocking potential, I found a lot to like about the motherboard. Sure, it might lack a few features, but it makes up for those with its value-oriented price tag, which is why it has been titled the best value motherboard for i5-14600KF.
| Performance: 8/10 | Value: 10/10 |
| Features: 8/10 | Design: 8/10 |
ASUS TUF Gaming Z790-Plus WiFi D4
Best DDR4 Motherboard For i5-14600KF
Chipset: Z790 | Form Factor: ATX | Power Delivery: 16+1 Phase VRM | Memory Support: 4x DIMM, 192GB, DDR4-5333+ | Display Outputs: HDMI, DisplayPort | USB Ports: 8x rear, 7x internal | Storage: 4x M.2, 4x SATA | Networking: 1x 2.5 GbE LAN, 1x Wi-Fi 6
Pros
- Excellent overclocking capabilities
- 16+1 Phase VRM Configuration
- Robust build quality
Cons
- Plain design
- No Gen 5 NVMe slot
The ASUS TUF Gaming Z790-Plus WiFi D4 lives up to its name, delivering robust build quality thanks to the use of a 6-layer PCB, military-grade TUF chokes, and TUF capacitors. In my opinion, its design is fairly basic, offering a black aesthetic that is accompanied by RGB lighting. Performance on the ASUS TUF Gaming Z790-Plus WiFi D4 is excellent, being bolstered through the presence of a 16+1 phase VRM design with 60A power stages. Additionally, ASUS’ top-notch VRM and chipset heatsink combined with the capable power delivery gives the motherboard an edge when it comes to overclocking.
The ASUS TUF Gaming Z790-Plus WiFi D4 features a front Panel Thunderbolt 4 connection, Realtek ALC1220A codec for audio, and WiFi 6 for wireless connectivity. Furthermore, the motherboard comes with four PCIe Gen 4 M.2 slots and a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 slot on the rear I/O.
What Makes It The Best DDR4 Motherboard For i5-14600KF
Overclocking capabilities on the ASUS TUF Gaming Z790 Plus WiFi are top-notch thanks to its 16+1 phase VRM configuration and robust cooling, with outstanding DDR4 and DDR5 RAM compatibility making it the best DDR4 motherboard for i5-14600KF.
| Performance: 8/10 | Value: 9/10 |
| Features: 7/10 | Design: 8/10 |
Helpful Motherboard Key Terms
- Form Factor: The physical footprint your motherboard comes with is usually referred to as its form factor. The most commonly used form factors for motherboards are E-ATX, ATX, mITX, and ITX.
- M.2 Slot: A slot designated on a motherboard for installing your M.2 NVMe drive.
- Overclocking: Overclocking involves going past the default-rated clock speeds on particular components to achieve better performance. This usually results in an increased heat output.
- VRM: Voltage Regulator Modules or VRMs are particularly designed to handle the flow of voltage to a specific component.
How We Tested & Picked The Best Motherboards For i5-14600KF
- Form Factor: Before anything, you’ll first have to consider the form factor you want your motherboard in. To put things into perspective, anyone opting for a small-form-factor build will have to look for a similar-sized board.
- Power Delivery: The VRM configuration your motherboard comes equipped with is one of the most important factors to consider in a motherboard. Not only is it responsible for ensuring a stable supply of voltage to your processor, but it is also largely responsible for determining the total overclocking capabilities your motherboard will be able to provide.
- Feature Set: The feature set integrated within your motherboard can vastly influence a user’s decision. That said, a user’s desired feature set is mostly dependent on their workflow. For instance, anyone interested in benefitting from better audio will look for a solid audio codec in the motherboard’s feature list. Throughout my list, I have included a comprehensive summary of the feature set of every recommended motherboard.
- Design and Aesthetics: While the design and aesthetics of your motherboard have no direct correlation to its performance or value, anyone interested in setting a theme for their build will have to look for a motherboard that fulfills certain criteria in terms of visual appearance. Whether it’s additional RGB lighting or a particular color palette, the design you would want out of your board will come down to personal preference.
- Value: It is important to ensure that the motherboard provides performance that is commensurate with its price. Naturally, you might also consider other factors when evaluating the motherboard’s value, such as its feature set, storage options, and durability.
Give Us Your Opinion
Frequently Asked Questions
The Gigabyte Z790 AORUS Elite AX has been selected as the best overall motherboard for i5-14600KF.
Yes, the i5-14600KF is compatible with the Z690 chipset.
Yes, the B760 chipset proves to be a reasonable choice for the i5-14600KF.
Yes, the Core i5-14600KF supports DDR4 memory.
Recent Updates
- February 16, 2024: We have replaced the ASRock Z790 Steel Legend WiFi with the ASUS ROG Strix B760-A Gaming WiFi motherboard due to the latter showing better aesthetics at a lower price while offering similar performance. The ASUS ROG Strix B760-I Gaming WiFi 6E has also been replaced with the MSI MPG B760I Edge WiFi due to a lower price and better heatsink cooling as seen in our personalized testing.
Looking for more options? We have you covered:
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- Best Motherboards For i9-14900KF
- Best Motherboards For i7-14700K
- Best Motherboards For i7-14700KF
- Best Motherboards For i5-14600K
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[Reviews Specialist]
Usman Saleem brings 8+ years of comprehensive PC hardware expertise to the table. His journey in the tech world has involved in-depth tech analysis and insightful PC hardware reviews, perfecting over 6+ years of dedicated work. Usman’s commitment to staying authentic and relevant in the field is underscored by many professional certifications, including a recent one in Google IT Support Specialization.
8+ years of specialized PC hardware coverage
6+ years of in-depth PC hardware analysis and reviews
Lead PC hardware expert across multiple tech journalism platforms
Certified in Google IT Support Specialization
Get In Touch: usman@tech4gamers.com
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