10 Best Motherboards for Intel Core i5-9600K in 2021

Are you planning to design a new PC? If that is so, then you will want to use a decent board. Often users tend to make use of a subpar motherboard resulting in a poor working experience. Users can consist of gamers, programmers, and even other professionals.

In this review, we will be discussing about the best motherboards for Intel Core i5-9600K. The Intel Core i5-9600K is one of the most competitive motherboards in the market. You will be delighted to know that most of them come priced quite competitively.

In this sense, this is Intel’s mid-range CPU that can be ideally used for gaming. However, you can also consider using it for coding, video editing, and content creation purposes. This is a 6-core motherboard that offers sufficient firepower for exceptional performance.

It supports overclocking and currently reaches 5.2GHz with sublime cooling features infused. The overclocking can effortlessly add close to 10% of the gaming abilities. This may not be something outstanding, but most chipsets cannot go close to 5.2GHz.

Using a cooler, you can reach 4.9/5GHz without problems offering you close to 6% gain. Of course, 9600K may not be the ideal choice for many gamers. You may get tempted to choose the Ryzen 8 or 9 series that offer stunning specifications.

However, please do note that it is going to cost money. We are talking about $300 to $500 and even above. Unless you are a professional gamer or somebody enthusiastic about gaming, you may prefer another mild but decent choice.

This is when the i5-9600K comes into the picture. You can also consider using the Z390 motherboard for enabling the overclock in the CPU. Users can find a sublime CPU that can manage the i5-9600K for less than $200 and a cooler.

If you look at the costs, you stand to save a lot of money. Many top-end models can cost close to $600 or more. You can find them in the market and maybe swayed by their features. The motherboards are reasonable when you need immense overclocking CPU to their limits.

Sometimes you may also want to upgrade to a better processor. Besides the money, you may also make use of the Mini-ITX and mATX board.

This is for those of you planning on designing a compact gaming PC.

Why Intel Core i5-9600K?

As we read, Intel Core i5-9600K provides you with intense features. Many users like to use it as it is a budget unit, ideal for mid-range design, and comes with excellent specifications. Designers tend to decide between money and performance.

Likewise, there is the i7-8700K and i5-9600K. Though the i7 chipset does not have exceptional core and thread count, they come with sufficient firepower. It is definitely worth your money and time.

Choosing the right kind of i5-9600K chipset for your CPU is the next thing to do. That is why our team has done all the hard work for you. We have come up with some of the best motherboards for Intel Core i5-9600K in the market.

No matter your use, you will find it ideal for overclocking, comes with several ports, and even for a compact build like the mini ITX. You will need to update your BIOS and then think about using the Z370 or Z390 chipsets.

Things to consider for best motherboards for Intel Core i5-9600K

Before purchasing any product, you may want to perform a detailed analysis of it. That is because they come with their own unique features and specifications. This will help you make your choice sublimely.

It comes with a series of factors. Your CPU performance is highly dependent on the choice that you make. Likewise, when you plan to buy the Intel Core i5-9600K motherboard, you need to know few things that can immensely affect your decision.

Price of the motherboard

The price of the motherboard is the first thing that you need to know. Several motherboards come priced at a different range. It could be due to the features embedded in them or due to the brand.

Some motherboards produced by Asus and MSI tend to be priced higher. You can have them right at $500 or more. Likewise, Gigabyte and ASRock tend to produce cheaper versions. Each has its own set of pros & cons, which need to know before judging the price.

The aesthetic design and presentation

Without a doubt, the Asus brand produces some of the sublime look motherboards. Their design and the implementation of the RGB light are phenomenal. The MSI and Gigabyte makers also make stunning motherboards that appear and look good.

Besides the looks, you also need to make sure that the unit comes with all the specifications you were looking for. For some users, the looks matter. But for some, it is the features that are present on the motherboard.

The overclocking abilities

The overclocking ability of the unit is also essential. It would help if you made sure that the motherboard can function well. This is the main thing that you would want to think about when purchasing the i5-9600K.

As you know, different units come with additional overclocking capabilities. Merely performing the basic overclocking may not be sufficient. When you want to work on gaming and software development, then you may want to understand overclocking.

Other fundamental things to look out for

The number of attachment slots also matters in your purchase decision. They will decide on the ability of your usage. The Intel Core i5-9600K motherboard comes with M.2 and USB 3.1 ports. Hence, you will need a model that can enhance your performance.

The RAM slots also need to be verified before you buy the motherboard. That is because using them; you can do heavy workloads with ease. Apart from the above, it is up to your preference and requirement.

best motherboards for Intel Core i5-9600K

In this post, we have discussed about the top 10 motherboards for Intel Core i5-9600K. We have based our list on the price, their features, their durability, and of course, brand for value. That is an essential thing as far as motherboards are concerned.

We also researched what online retailers thought about the products and what they said about the products sold in the market. Likewise, we also used our own experience in deciding the choice of the i5-9600K processor in the post.

1. MSI Z390-A PRO (MS-7B98)

The MSI Z390-A PRO (MS-7B98) is the first product on our list of the best motherboards for Intel Core i5-9600K. It comes with a sublime VRM that can work effortlessly on your processor. Users will be delighted to know that the unit supports DDR4 memory for 4000MHz.

Talking about the design of the motherboard, it comes in a black design. The black design of the unit gives it a good appearance. It also comes with decent storage capabilities offering stupendous powers.

You can find a single M.2 slot along with 6 SATAIII connectors. Likewise, the motherboard comes with an additional M.2 slot. Using that, you can host a Wi-Fi module. This is a bonus for gamers who prefer wireless connectivity.

Most motherboards do not offer you that. The primary PCIe x16 slot works pretty nicely. It comes with a decent x16 speed. You can notice that the secondary works at x4. Likewise, users saw 4 PCIe x1 slots on the unit.

We liked the Realtek ALC892 Codec that provides sensational audio powers. Using it, you can work on a 7.1 channel setup. It also comes with Gigabit LAN, and this one has the Intel version. Lastly, the unit has HDMI, DVI-D, and DisplayPort on the rear panel.

It is priced at less than $138. Overall, this makes for a good package for gamers, programmers, and designers when you plan to design a new PC; what better way to begin than to use the MSI motherboard.

The MSI Z390-A PRO (MS-7B98) is a sensational product. The unit comes with functional specs offering you powers to do what you want. When you are in search of a decent, mighty, and lowly priced motherboard, then you are looking at it.

2. MSI MPG Z390 GAMING PLUS (MS-7B51)

MSI MPG Z390 GAMING PLUS (MS-7B51) is next on our list for discussion. Now why MSI? This is the second MSI motherboard on our list. Our research found that the MSI brand produces stunning units for the Intel Core i5-9600K.

Besides, they were pretty cheap. Why do you want to pass out on them for those ridiculously expensive models that are only slightly better than these units? Coming to the MPG Z390 PLUS model, it comes with an LGA 1151 socket.

It works sublimely on the 8th and 9th generation Intel Core. The motherboard also has stunning 4 DDR4 memory slots storing 128GB of 4400 MHz RAM. Besides that, the unit also comes with 2 PCIe 3.0 x16 slots and 4 PCIe 3.0 x1 slots.

You can also find 6 SATA III ports and two M.2 slots infused in them. Coming to the expansion ability, you can see that it has 2 PCIe 3.0 x16 expansion slots. That means you can use the unit for 2-way AMD CrossFire setups.

We noted that the M.2 slots support PCIe 3.0 x4 speeds for intense data transfer. So, that will not be a problem henceforth. You may want to note that the drivers should be operated and updated.

You also want to update the BIOS before using the Intel Optane memory. A few integrated features are USB ports, several fan connectors, and HDMI and DVI-D connectivity. A notable mention here would be the Realtek ALC892 7.1-channel HD audio.

There is also the mystic light present on the motherboard. You can effortlessly control and sync the RGB with the mystic light. It also comes with a 2 4-pin RGB LED connector. There is the LED lighting.

You will be delighted to know that there are close to 16.8 million colors to choose from. There are also several lighting patterns you can select. Besides, you can configure the mystic light accordingly for your preferences.

It is priced under $150.

At a price tag of just $150, the MSI MPG Z390 GAMING PLUS (MS-7B51) is your go-to motherboard. It comes with a beautiful black and red tone. Not to mention, it comes with sublime features and incredible overclocking abilities.

3. Asus PRIME Z390-A

Asus PRIME Z390-A is ranked third on our list of motherboards for i5-9600K. If you have read out reviews, then you will find this unit mentioned several times. This model is just that good. Asus has managed to seal a place for itself in the motherboard segment.

After an intense assessment of its capabilities and how the implementation was done in the market, we have chosen this motherboard. We found that it has features ideal for usage on your i5-9600K motherboard and productive for you.

The Asus PRIME model tends to stand out when compared to other motherboards. We felt that this is the most suitable unit for designing from scratch to finish. A few of the built-in features, which provide you with sublime function, optimize the motherboard.

They include a dual M.2 provision, the generation 2 USB 3.1, excellent data processing speeds, and sublime connectivity speeds. Its M.2 allows data transfer of rates to 32GB/second. We were stunned by the overclocking abilities of the motherboard.

It comes with a 5-way optimization for ensuring that the overclocking process is effortless. It also comes with in-built fan calibration. You may want to realize that the overclocking roadmap comes made from powerful artificial intelligence, intelligent prediction, and heat transfer capabilities.

We do want to mention here that the motherboard comes using an x4 PCI Express 3.0/2.0 bandwidth. You can also find M.2 providing support to 32Gbps data transfer. It also provides users with USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A and reversible USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C ports.

The unit also comes with 8 channel high-definition gaming audio thanks to the in-built Realtek ALC887 audio system. We do want to mention that it comes with upgrading and optimizing your audio system as and when you want.

The modules and components ensure outstanding speed transfers and connectivity speed on the Intel Core i5-9600K. The unit is priced less than $180 making it relatively affordable and cheaply priced.

Asus PRIME Z390-A is not your run-of-the-mill motherboard. It comes with several features enabling it to be called the best motherboards for Intel Core i5-9600K. You may want to utilize it to believe it.

4. Gigabyte Z390 UD

Gigabyte Z390 UD is a sublime motherboard from the makers of Gigabyte. Like the MSI Z390-A PRO (MS-7B98) that we discussed initially, this one too comes with stunning features. It consists of optimum VRM that can work sublimely on your i5-9600K.

However, when compared to the MSI Z390-A PRO (MS-7B98), this one can effortlessly work memory up to 4266MHz. The design of the Z390 UD provides a nice look to it. The model comes toned in grey and black colors.

For the storage, it comes with a single M.2 slot that combines the 6 SATAIII connectors. The main PCIe x16 slot can seamlessly run at x16 speed, and the secondary works at x4. You can find 2 secondary x16 PCIe slots and 3 PCIe x1 slots.

A distinct feature in the unit is the Smart Fan 5 for ensuring that it remains cool. It enables gamers to change fan headers according to the thermal sensors located at different locations. The users are offered immediate details on the flow rate and temperatures.

It comes with the PCIe / SATA M.2, providing you with M.2 technology. This helps consumers who want to enhance the potential of the system. The stainless-steel shielding design is a single piece that offers ample protection.

You know that your PCIe connectors provide you with more power for supporting heavy graphics cards. The Z390 unit comes with a plated ATX 24pin 8pin + 4pin power connectors. They can offer you an exceptional power supply when you are overloading the CPU at all times.

What do first-timers have to say? Consumers are delighted that they have finally found a product that they can effortlessly work with. It was straightforward to install, and finding your way through the manual was quite simple.

Does it come with any flaw? We felt that the motherboard has only 1 slot for the nVME drives. They could have placed in a few more in there. Besides, there could have been more system fans infused.

But please do note that this is a $130 model we are talking about. Perhaps, it could be the cheapest model that we are dealing with from Gigabyte. It is priced at less than $125, which means it is very reasonable and affordable for a barrage of users.

Gigabyte Z390 UD is no ordinary motherboard. Some of you might not be convinced about its capabilities noting the price; we have tested and had a pleasant experience with it. We see no reason why you won’t have an excellent experience designing your new PC using this model.

5. Asus PRIME Z390-P

Asus PRIME Z390-P is a solid motherboard from the Taiwanese manufacturer. They are known for their capability to design and produce eloquent products that come with stunning features. This would be the right time to compare the features with the Gigabyte Gaming X.

The Gigabyte Gaming X comes with exceptional heatsinks and aesthetics. That is about it. However, you can find several exciting features on the Z390-P. They include a powerful VRM without doublers that are ideal for overclocking capabilities.

We noticed that the VRM comes with 9 power phases. You can also see that there are potent heatsinks at the top and the side. This can provide you with phenomenal overclocking abilities. However, we do not suggest you push the unit too much.

That is because the model does not come with 4+8 CPU power ports. These can ensure that you can enhance the performance further. It has 2 M.2 slots for fast NVME SSDs. Besides, we did not see any power or reset button that was quite weird for the model.

However, you can make use of the 2x PCI-Ex 16 slots for 2-way AMD CrossfireX. The memory was able to work to 4266Mhz. Our tester was astounded with that kind of performance for the pricing.

Intel Optane ready, consists of 4 fan headers, has water cooling, and can immensely support CPU fans, chassis fans, and AIO pumps. We felt that it might not be appealing aesthetically.

We did not notice any RGB lights having white accents. You can effortlessly fit it into the color tone that you want. Besides, the combination of black & white can be used for other colors as well.

It is priced under $250. Would you believe it? The model is quite affordable, unlike top-end units from the same maker. The features are matchless on the motherboard, and we found it very hard to find any flaw besides the appearance, which is not very important.

The Asus PRIME Z390-P motherboard is genuinely a stunning unit that comes infused with exceptional features. It is embedded using genuine functional specifications to immensely help you with your new PC design and operations.

6. MSI MPG Z390 GAMING EDGE AC (MS-7B17)

The MSI MPG Z390 GAMING EDGE AC (MS-7B17) is another exciting product from MSI makers. They are known for producing some sensational products from the gaming segment. We instantly noticed that the motherboard comes with a compelling design.

Whether you are particular about your motherboard coming with stunning RGB lighting or not, this model comes with it. Apart from that, the functionalities of the motherboard too were good.

This lets you to perform more from your expensive PC hardware. The MSI model does not appear powerful on paper. However, it comes with a wide range of feature sets that you would want to see for your PC.

The unit comes with what most Z390 motherboards have. It has 2 M.2 PCIe connections that provide you with x4 bandwidth in the NVMe-based solid-state drives. We also noticed the board has 3 PCIe 3.0 slots.

Among them, you can use one of them for the GPU. Coming to the I/O panel, you can instantly find out more about the board. It comes with metal reinforced main PCIe slots and 2 x4 M.2 sockets for having an elegant appearance.

However, we found an abundance of ports that can be used depending on your requirements. We were quite pleased with that. Sadly, it does not come with built-in Wi-Fi despite being the AC board.

We loved the 7.1 channel audio panel having isolated audio components. It also has a mighty headphone amp that can work on top-end headphones. The unit also comes with the onboard audio microphone optimized features for in-game voice chat.

You also find board-level jumpers and the mystic light for LEDs. We were quite impressed with them. Besides, it also comes with top-notch features. In the end, we did feel a little bit lightweight.

It is priced under $160; making is reasonably quoted. If you are looking for a feature-rich and powerful motherboard for your PC requirement, then it has to be this model. The specifications embedded in the unit present are too hard to ignore.

The MSI MPG Z390 GAMING EDGE AC (MS-7B17) could be yours. It comes with a decent set of features given the price it is sold throughout the world. You can say that it is one of the cheapest Z390 boards around as it is closer to the $160 mark in the US, which is a tough market.

7. Gigabyte Z390 GAMING X

The Gigabyte Z390 GAMING X is a good product that comes with decent features. Let us read all about it here and find out how it can help you. It is safe to say that the manufacturer has nailed the Z390 series for the i5-9600K processors.

This is relatively a new model in the market for quite a while for Z390 processors. You may not want to confuse yourself with the motherboards that support RGB control. The unit comes with a regular RGB header.

There is no addressable RGB header. That means you cannot control the RGB colors using RGB fusion. If you are specific on that, then you might want to look elsewhere. You can effortlessly install the LAN drivers without using the internet.

This is something that can find and perform on most models. However, we just wanted to inform you about it. These small functions do matter significantly when designing your PC. We did find the Intel native USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-A and the Intel GbE LAN.

It comes infused using cFosSpeed Internet Accelerator software. The BISO was seamless, and we were able to understand what we were doing.

The LED comes in a single color. It can either be turned on or off at one time. Our tester found that the installation using this board was a pleasant experience. We reckon that along with several consumers of this unit.

However, the CMOS could be designed better, but this is a prevalent issue using the Gigabyte models. Did we find any drawback in it? The motherboard has a CD driver disk, and the LAN port drivers are not installed with it.

The model comes priced at less than $150 in the market. This makes it one of the cheapest models.

Gigabyte Z390 GAMING X is by far the best budget motherboard for the i5-9600K. This model comes infused with stunning features it. When you search for a capable unit that is priced affordable, you know what to do.

8. Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO WIFI

The Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO WIFI is another model from Gigabyte. It simply seems from the review of the best motherboards for Intel Core i5-9600K that they have dominated it. Like we said in the above product description, the maker has produced some terrific units.

They have made value-for-money products that are suitable for use on the Intel Core i5-9600K processor. In terms of the features and the VRM specifications, the motherboard is doing just right.

Many users said that they were drawn towards it because of the pricing of the model. In comparison to other models, they tend to cost more. The unit comes with exceptional construction, in voltage regulation, and many others.

A notable feature of the motherboard is that it comes with several SATA ports. The first SSD comes with the ability not to take up too many SATA ports. It leaves you with ample space for the SATA dock, SATA SSD, and a DVD burner built into the PC case.

We had one port extra. It comes with opulent VRM, M.2 heatsinks, and cooling. There is also the RGB header, Dual M.2, inbuilt GbE Wi-Fi, USB Type C and PWM/Smart Fan cooling. Does it come with any flaw?

Gigabyte has to work on its BIOS. It is not intuitive at all. Even experts like us struggle to find things at times. When you compare that with Asus BIOS, which is sublime, this is slightly off the mark.

Users will need to do plenty of research and find out what they are looking for. You will need to ensure that you are using the latest revision now. We feel that it would have been nice if they added few things on the board.

Few of them include a DisplayPort connector, a debug LED, and power CMOS buttons. Of course, doing that would increase the price to $300. The unit is priced at less than $230.

The Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO WIFI is a solid purchase that comes with magnificent features infused with the model. It enables your PC to run like new with a lack of crashes and provides you with an array of flexible options. This is the best product that comes under the $200 price range.

9. Asus ROG STRIX Z390-E GAMING

The Asus ROG STRIX Z390-E GAMING is ninth of the best motherboards for Intel Core i5-9600K. If you look at the unit, you can find a dedicated motherboard produced for gaming purposes. This is a model from the Republic of Gamers developers.

The board was designed primarily for gamers. If you compare it to the earlier version, then this has an improved Z390 chipset. You can significantly notice the massive improvements in the use of the chipsets.

Like most of the Asus PRIME models, the unit comes with an overclocking roadmap. The unit makes use of the AI and smart prediction that makes operations on the unit sublime. Using the board, you do not require to tune overclocking manually.

This enables you to have a pleasant experience using the board. Besides, it also comes with the inbuilt 5-way optimization function. It helps you to work seamlessly on the motherboard. This enables smooth overclocking using the OptiMem II technology.

You can immensely enhance the data processing and connectivity ratio. It can be done using the leveraging on the unit’s dual M.2 and generation 2 USB 3.1. The unit is priced under $420, making it quite expensive in the list we have reviewed so far.

The Asus ROG STRIX Z390-E GAMING is an expensive model. When you can afford it, you will know that it can handle the 9900K at 5gGHz on all cores without issues. Besides, both the NVME drives come with heatsinks and a massive 40mm fan for the VRMs.

10. MSI MAG Z390 TOMAHAWK (MS-7B18)

MSI MAG Z390 TOMAHAWK (MS-7B18) is a durable motherboard. It comes with a robust military-tested Tomahawk design that is affordable and durable. When you want to ensure that your gaming abilities increase, then you will want to utilize this model.

It comes with a phenomenal digital CPU power delivery infused with boost technology. You can rest assured about its performance. The heatsink cooling is exceptional, and we found that it was able to run cool.

The main USP of the board is the pre-installed I/O shield. You can also find the M.2 shield Frozr and multiple fan headers as well. It offers you with DDR4 boost technology, offering with maximum memory bandwidth.

The dual memory channel comes with 128GB of memory. It has a black matte finish and comes with silver aluminum heat sinks. You can make use of 4 x USB 3.1 (Gen2, A+C). There is also the dual Intel Gigabit LAN and bandwidth management support.

It comes with Celeron processors LGA 1151 socket and 2x TURBO M.2. Our tester found that the design is durable thanks to the 4 front USB 2.0 ports. It comes with everything that you require.

It is priced less than $210 making it affordable.

MSI MAG Z390 TOMAHAWK (MS-7B18) is an ideal motherboard coming with the ability to tick all the boxes present in there. The design is stunning, and so is the performance. There is a suitable RGB and dual LAN present on it.

FAQs

1. What is the best motherboard for i5-9600K?

The best motherboards for Intel Core i5-9600K include MSI Z390-A PRO (MS-7B98), Asus PRIME Z390-A, and Gigabyte Z390 UD. These motherboards can tick all the boxes performance-wise. They can offer you the functions that you need.

2. What motherboard is compatible with i5-9600K?

The unit that consists of the LGA 1151 sockets can be compatible with i5-9600K. You will want to verify that when purchasing your motherboard. It will be mentioned on the package itself, or you can read it on the specifications provided on the retailer link at the end of each product description.

3. Can the Intel Core i5-9600K be used for gaming?

Yes, the Intel Core i5-9600K can be used for gaming. It comes with several options utilizing medium-settings gameplay. As we mentioned at the beginning of the review, the Intel Core i5 is a good processor but not as powerful as AMD.

However, when you want average to medium performance, it should satisfy your needs. When you plan to extend the gaming experience, then you may want to choose a top-end processor.

4. Which is better, i5-9400F or i5-9600K?

Both the i5-9400F and the i5-9600K are good in terms of operating frequency. You can find that the i5-9600K operates at high frequency, providing you with ultimate performance. Depending on your needs, you will want to use either processor.

5. What should be the ideal price for motherboards for Intel Core i5-9600K?

The ideal price for motherboards for Intel Core i5-9600K can be priced at less than $300. As you can see, most of our motherboards are priced between $200 – $300, unlike boards needed on the AMD Ryzen 8 or 9 series that are priced much higher.

The Intel Core CPU itself cheaper than the AMD units. But when you are looking for a decent functioning processor that can provide you with the required performance, then you might want to opt for the Intel Core i5-9600K.

CONCLUSION

We have ended our review on the best motherboards for Intel Core i5-9600K. We hope you found it useful for your requirements. From the above, it is quite evident that you can find several outstanding motherboards in the market.

They come with own unique features. We have pointed them out, and they come with a barrage of options. You can find budget units as well as top-end models. Based on your requirement and budget capabilities, you will want to choose them.

Please do keep in mind the points we have mentioned in the buying guide. They will help enable you to make the right purchase decision. Did we like anything or have suggestions? We highly recommend using MSI Z390-A PRO (MS-7B98), MSI MPG Z390 GAMING PLUS (MS-7B51), and Asus PRIME Z390-A.

These motherboards come with breathtaking features and performance. A notable mention of the Asus ROG STRIX Z390-E GAMING is a must. The board is incredible. The other units mentioned on our review of the best motherboards for Intel Core i5-9600K are good enough too. You can make use of them to satisfy your CPU needs.

They come with all the required functions to help you design a new PC. Though you have other 9th generation processors, you can make full use of the i5-9600K processor. It is just that you need to have the right combination for the board.

What are you waiting for? Take a pick from the best motherboards for Intel Core i5-9600K.