The latest generation of Intel Cadre CPUs have arrived accompanied by the new Z490 motherboard platform. Incredibly, there are over 50 Intel Z490 motherboards on the market, with prices ranging from $150 all the way up to $1,300. That's mode more than models than there should exist, making the task of buying the best Z490 board a rather daunting i. Even though Z490 and Z390 chipsets, too as the tenth-gen CPUs are very similar from its predecessors, Intel has opted once once more to move to a new socket, from the LGA115x onto LGA1200. Almost LGA115x coolers volition work in the new sockets, but if y'all're buying a 10th-gen Intel Core processor, you will have to purchase a new motherboard.

This buying guide is intended to simplify the procedure of choosing a new of Z490 motherboard, just in doing then we've had to overlook a huge swath of boards inevitably. The principal goal is to assist you avoid whatever bad boards which are often found at the entry-level, Mini-ITX, and Micro ATX segments.

This is the I/O console of the $750 MSI MEG Z490 Godlike

We accept called a best mid-range selection which looks at boards priced around the $200 mark. But across those, motherboards priced between $200 and $400 are largely ignored for no other reason that they're pretty expert. They all feature very capable VRMs, so it's only a matter of picking your desired price indicate and comparing the 3 or 4 boards that occupy that segment based on the features you require.

For example, the Gigabyte Z490 Aorus Ultra and MSI Million Z490 Unify both cost $300 and they both feature monstrous VRMs. Even if the MSI is marginally better equipped, at that betoken it won't thing, both are overkill fifty-fifty for an overclocked Core i9-10900K. Gigabyte uses a flasher design, while MSI's Unify range is more minimalist. What we're trying to say is, there'south no bad or wrong option, you're very much splitting hairs at that point and we observed all good boards when moving past a mainstream upkeep.

All-time Value Z490 Motherboard

Asus Prime Z490-P or MSI Z490-A Pro

Starting with the all-time value entry-level Z490 category, pick from ii surprisingly expert budget ATX boards: the Asus Prime Z490-P and MSI Z490-A Pro.

Y'all might expect all Z490 boards to handle K-serial Intel processors well, but that's rarely the example with budget-oriented models, especially if you programme on overclocking. Thanks to a good VRM implementation, both these Asus and MSI boards handled the Core i9-10900K at 5.1 GHz.

Features are sparse, but that'south non unusual for Z490 boards priced effectually $160. Put caput to head, they're both splendid and evenly matched. Our proffer is to choose the model that is cheaper in your region or whichever you adopt from a design perspective. Maybe you accept a preference for the Asus BIOS, for case.

There are as well a number of motherboards to avoid in this toll range: the Gigabyte Z490M Gaming X and Z490 UD are subpar when it comes to VRM quality and struggle to overclocked well. We saw them failing to pass core-heavy workloads with the 10700K and 10900K. Merely if they're available at much lower prices than the Asus and MSI boards, maybe they could exist decent value pairings with a Cadre i5-10600K, merely annotation your upgrade path volition be express.

As for boards you should avoid at all costs: the Asrock Z490 Phantom Gaming 4, Z490 Pro4, Z490M Pro4 and even the Z490 Steel Legend. Nosotros're hoping Asrock can set the Steel Fable with a BIOS update simply for now we've seen that board throttling the VRM well before time.

Best Mid-range $200 Z490 Motherboard

MSI Mag Z490 Tomahawk or Gigabyte Z490 Vision G

With a fiddling more than budget, you tin go some really nice boards for up around $200. From day one, a stand up out which we featured in our early tenth-gen coverage is the MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk, it's a great quality motherboard priced at $190. In our testing, the Z490 Tomahawk peaked at just 74 degrees running a Core i9-10900K clocked at 5.i GHz using i.35v, so yous don't need to spend big coin to go the nigh out of Intel'southward new 10-core processor, despite the fact that it is extremely power hungry when overclocked.

MSI has gone with a dozen powerstages for the vcore VRM on the Tomahawk, using a dozen 55A powerstages for a combined 660A capacity. MSI also includes massive heatsinks which weigh a combined 393 grams. For comparison, the MSI Z490-A Pro comes with 237 grams worth of heatsinks. You too become some squeamish features such as two.5 Gbit LAN, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 for xx Gbps support and a few extra USB ports when compared to the cheaper boards.

Our alternative selection, the Gigabyte Z490 Vision G might be worth considering over the Tomahawk for two reasons: at $200, it's the only Z490 board in this price range to offer three full length PCIe x16 slots, though simply the primary slot is wired for full x16 bandwidth equally LGA1200 processors don't support plenty PCIe lanes. The secondary slot is wired for x8 bandwidth and when in use will one-half the bandwidth available to the main PCIe x16 slot. Then the third slot is wired for x4 bandwidth.

The Vision G also offers two extra USB 3.2 ports on the I/O panel, though it drops Gigabit networking while retaining 2.5 Gbit LAN. In terms of VRM performance the Vision One thousand is roughly on par with the Tomahawk.

Also worthy of mention is the Gigabyte Z490 Aorus Elite. We have tested that board and information technology's very proficient, but at the same cost equally the Tomahawk we tend to prefer the MSI board. The same is true for the Asus TUF Gaming Z490-Plus, overall another expert board.

Best mATX Z490

Asus ROG Strix Z490-G Gaming Wi-Fi

A form factor that seems almost forgotten on the AMD side, it'southward still well and alive with Intel boards. There are at least 5 mATX options right now with boards from Asrock, Asus, Gigabyte and MSI.

The Asrock Z490M Pro4 uses the same awful VRM as the Phantom Gaming iv, so you tin give that board a hard pass. The Gigabyte Z490M Gaming X also uses the same VRM every bit the Z490 UD, so avoid that lath.

The Asus Prime Z490M-Plus comes in at just $150. It'due south not the best mATX motherboard you tin buy, but we're happy to report that this is a good quality motherboard. The vcore portion of the VRM packs eight 50A power stages, configured every bit a teamed 4-phase. We grabbed this lath and after some quick tests, the results are quite impressive. Information technology runs around 4C hotter than the Prime Z490-P and that ways with a Core i5-10600K overclocked to five GHz with 1.35v, you're looking at a peak operating temperature of merely 66 degrees with a reasonably well ventilated case in a 21C climate.

Of course, like the Prime Z490-P, the MicroATX version is very limited in terms of features, simply that'due south just par for the course at this toll point.

If you're afterwards better networking and a flashier-looking board then the MSI MPG Z490M Gaming Edge WiFi is worth checking out, though nosotros find the $190 asking price a tad high for a board packing the aforementioned VRM as their Z490-A Pro.

For the absolute best Micro ATX Z490 motherboard, expect no further than the Asus ROG Strix Z490-M Gaming Wi-Fi at $240. It does it all. The board packs a dozen 45A power stages for the vcore portion of the VRM with some rather big heatsinks, so information technology'll have no trouble overclocking the Core i9-10900K, even with minimal air-flow.

The board comes well equipped with one-half a dozen USB 3.2 ports on the I/O console including a USB Type-C port and there's a BIOS FlashBack button besides. Onboard you all the same get two Thou.2 slots, two PCIe x16 slots, half dozen SATA ports and four memory DIMMs.

All-time Mini-ITX Z490

Gigabyte Z490I Aorus Ultra or MSI Z490i Unify

Who makes the best Mini-ITX Z490 motherboard? None of the options worth your difficult earned cash are the most affordable, priced around $270 and $300, but they're pretty good though.

At that place are four boards worth considering, only our two elevation choices are the Gigabyte Z490i Aorus Ultra or MSI Z490i Unify. Betwixt those 2, it's i of those situations where they're so evenly matched that you tin can't go wrong. The Gigabyte board offers extra USB ports on the I/O console and has the slightly better board layout that doesn't run across some of the SATA ports oddly positioned. Information technology'southward minor stuff, merely that's what gets the Z490i Aorus Ultra over the line for me.

The slightly more expensive Asus ROG Strix Z490-I Gaming is also skillful, but it features a more crammed CPU socket which tin can crusade problems for cooler compatibility and it costs a little chip more. The Asrock Z490 Phantom Gaming-ITX is also quite skilful, but suffers the same CPU compatibility problem as the Asus. In fact, information technology'south a little worse in that regard.

Best High-terminate Z490 Motherboard

MSI MEG Z490 Godlike

If you're simply after the about extreme Intel Z490 motherboard money tin purchase (without going down the water-cooling mono-block path), there are three very expensive options: the MSI Z490 Godlike, Gigabyte Z490 Aorus Xtreme and Asus ROG Maximus XII Extreme.

If y'all're after a no compromise solution, then in our opinion that's MSI'due south Godlike.

Mind you, $750 is an absurd price to pay for any Z490 motherboard, but that'southward how much these extreme models volition prepare you dorsum. The board packs xvi 90A powerstages that are cooled by real finned heatsinks with active cooling. Unless you're pulling off an extreme overclock, we don't imagine the fans will get a chance to spin up though.

On-board features include everything: 10 Gigabit LAN + 2.v Gigabit LAN, three Yard.2 slots, 2 Thunderbolt iii Type-C 40Gb/s ports, Intel AX201 Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.one, viii-channel audio and more. The board even features an OLED panel, which MSI has dubbed Dynamic Dashboard II. There's loads more to talk nigh, but yous get the signal, if for some reason y'all need a motherboard that costs more than than a Core i9-10900K, this is the one to become.

As discussed in the intro, there's a ridiculous amount of Z490 motherboards on the marketplace, a ton of them priced between $200 and $400, with no bad options to choose from -- with the exception of Asrock. The other big three board makers announced to have put quite a bit of time and effort into their boards. We tin can't recommend Asrock at any of these cost points and that'south a first for us.