If you have just bought an Intel Core i7 8700K, you have made the right decision. In our testing, we found this to be one of the best gaming CPUs available in the market, with some serious performance up its sleeve. The best part was that this processor also overclocked really well, giving you a huge performance benefit if needed.
If you are looking for the decent motherboard to pair the CPU with, then keep in mind that going for a higher end motherboard would make more sense. Why? Because if you adhere to a cheaper motherboard, you might not be able to dial in those amazing overclocks.
Additionally, you need to understand that the market has countless motherboards available for the Intel Core i7 8700K, so it can be a confusing turmoil for those who are just looking for a simple buying experience.
In addition, with the launch of Intel’s Z390 chipset, there are even more options than before. Which only goes to show just how difficult the buying experience can be. Well, the good news is that with this roundup, you will not have to worry about anything whatsoever.
We have picked the best motherboards for you to make your entire experience all the easier.
Top 5 Best Motherboard for Core i7 8700K
1. Asus Rog Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) – View on Amazon
“Best ROG Motherboard”
In a long list of manufacturers who are always there to deliver excellent products, Asus is one of those names that comes in the list. The company prides itself in delivering some amazing products, and as always, we are going to be looking at one of their offerings.
The motherboard that we look at today is the Asus Rog Maximus XI Hero, now the reason why we have decided to go with a Z390 chipset is because it is more futureproof, so should you wish to upgrade your processor in the future, you will have an easier time. How is the motherboard? Let’s find out.
Well, to start with, the motherboard does offer stellar performance thanks to a solid VRM design. If you are thinking of overclocking, you will have no problems whatsoever achieving high scores. The efficiency on this motherboard is among the best we have seen from Asus, and it is only going to get better with future bios updates.
The motherboard looks amazing, and the neutral colour scheme makes it easier to fit into pretty much any build you wish to put it in. Last but not the least, the motherboard comes with some exclusive Asus features that make the motherboard all the more fantastic.
As far as the downsides are concerned, I really did not find any. Given the price tag, the Asus Rog Maximus XI Hero is hard to beat, and with the amount of features you get, it definitely is something to lookout for.
In conclusion, the Asus Rog Maximus XI Hero is one of the best, if not the best motherboards available for the Core i7 8700K. The performance is great through and through and it looks fantastic while doing so.
Pros
- Top of the line performance.
- Solid overclocking.
- Great looks.
- Asus exclusive features.
Cons
- None
“Watch Unboxing of Asus Rog Maximus XI Hero”
2. MSI MEG Z390 GODLIKE – View on Amazon
“Best High End Motherboard”
There are no many brands that can hold up to the reputation that MSI has created for itself over the past couple of years. The company is known as one of the top companies in the market, and have created some truly amazing motherboards, and other components for the PC industry.
Today, we get a chance to look at the MSI MEG Z390 GODLIKE. This is the most premium motherboard that MSI has to offer. As a matter of fact, it might be the most premium motherboards available in the market as far as the Z390 chipset is concerned. What’s so special about it? Let’s find out.
To start with the good things, the motherboard comes with the looks and finish that cannot be matched. It is donning some beautiful neutral colours, and looks amazing. However, looks are not the only good thing is because this is definitely a great motherboard when it comes to overclocking potential.
Users also have a long laundry list of features that some of them might not even use. One of the favourite things about this motherboard is the RGB implementation that uses MSI’s Mystic Lighting to make things look amazing.
I do have some minor reservations though. For starters, the motherboard is specifically built for overclockers, wherein, it is slightly more expensive than the next best competition. Additionally, the performance on the storage devices is middling.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a motherboard that outperforms everything else in its league, then the MSI MEG Z390 GODLIKE is definitely something you should go for. However, do keep in mind that the motherboard is specifically targeted towards those who are looking for performance and nothing else.
Pros
- Top of the line performance.
- Great overclocking capabilities.
- Comes with a lot of accessories.
- Great looks.
- Amazing design.
- The RGB implementation is among the best we have seen.
Cons
- Middling storage speeds.
3. GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS Master – View on Amazon
“Best Gigabyte Motherboard”
Gigabyte prides itself for being the company that is always pushing the boundaries of both hardware performance, and hardware design. Their products have been the fan favourite by many users, both enthusiast as well as those who are looking or something entry level. Needless to say, they have something for everyone.
Today, we review the GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS Master; Gigabyte’s top of the line motherboard for the Z390 chipset? How good is it as compared to the competition? Well, let’s find out.
First things first, the motherboard provides excellent CPU overclocking. While it certainly is your choice if you want to overclock it or not, but if you do go ahead with it, you will be greeted with great potential and headroom.
There is some great VRM cooling available on board as well, so your overclocks can run as stable as possible, and the overall feature set of the motherboard is the one that you should be paying attention to.
Additionally, Gigabyte has finally put in some extra effort in making sure that their software suite is on par with everyone else in the market.
There is one concern that might be an issue for some. The overclocking on memory is not as good as it is one CPU. The price is also a bit steeper as compared to some of the other options available in the market, but it does not become an issue.
Overall, the GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS Master is a great gaming motherboard for your Core i7 8700K and is more than capable of delivering great, stable performance whether you are going to overclock the processor or not. This is definitely something you should look into.
Pros
- Great overclocking potential.
- Amazing design language.
- Solid set of features.
- Amazing VRM cooling.
- The software suite is among the best.
Cons
- Memory overclocking is a bit of hit and miss.
4. Asus ROG Strix Z390-E – View on Amazon
“Best Strix Motherboard”
Asus is a great company when it comes to making sure that they have something for everyone. If you cannot spend top dollar on the premium ROG motherboards, there is nothing to worry about. Asus has ROG Strix options as well. These are their cheaper, more budget friendly options but still with great features overall.
We look at the Asus ROG Strix Z390-E, an affordable entry in the list that comes with some neat tricks up its sleeves. Is it enough for the mighty Core i7 8700K? That is exactly what we are going to find out in this article. Let’s not waste time and have a look, shall we?
The good things are plenty. You get a large number of fan headers, the USB ports are ample as well, and you also have headers for your LED lights. There is on-board WiFi and Bluetooth, and you have dual M.2 slots as well.
You get accessories for mounting VRM cooling, and the overall look and feel of the motherboard is good. Asus has also done a great job making sure that they use the same great bios for the Asus ROG Strix Z390-E. Which means that controlling the motherboard is extremely easy, and without any issues.
With all the good things aside, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. For starters, the motherboard only offers a 4-phase VRM power delivery. This is something that can be an issue for those who are looking to overclock the processors. Last but not the least, you only have 1 LED expansion slot.
All in all, the Asus ROG Strix Z390-E is good for a motherboard that can allow you to overclock your processor to some decent speeds. However, we would highly advise against going too far because the motherboard is not built for that level of overclocking. Other than that, the motherboard is definitely one of the best you can buy.
Pros
- Cohesive design language.
- Plenty of headers.
- On-board wireless connectivity.
- Enough expansion.
Cons
- 4-phase power delivery.
5. ASRock Z370 EXTREME4 – View on Amazon
“Best Affordable Motherboard”
ASRock is another one of our favourite companies when it comes to stellar motherboard options. They have some great options available in the market, and the best part is that they are not really that expensive to begin with.
The last motherboard on our list is the ASRock Motherboard Motherboards Z370 EXTREME4. I know the name might be a mouthful for some, but the good news is that the motherboard itself is pretty good. How good? That is exactly what we are going to find out now.
To start with the things that are good. The motherboard comes at a fairly attractive price. It does ruin the slightly older Z370 chipset but at this price, it is hard to beat it because it happens to be the most affordable motherboard on this list.
Additionally, the performance is really good; while it is not as good as an enthusiast grade motherboards but I was able to dial in some really nice overclocks on my Core i7 8700K. The feature list is also a great thing at the given price.
As far as the downsides are concerned, it is hard to find many at this point, but one thing is for sure, the motherboard is not built for serious overclockers as it becomes unusable.
All in all, the ASRock Motherboard Motherboards Z370 EXTREME4 is actually a great motherboard for the price Asus is charging. It comes with all the right features, and is not too heavy on the pocket either. It is a great motherboard to have if you are just building a good gaming PC that performs well.
Pros
- Great value for money
- Decent overclocking.
- Good set of features.
- Good performance.
- Looks good as well.
Cons
- Not for serious overclocking.
What other says: A Solid Coffee Lake Board for Value-Minded Enthusiasts Tomshardware
Conclusion
As we have discussed before, you can find some great motherboards for your Intel Core i7 8700K, but the thing that you must know here is that finding the right one is what happens to be more important. If you are buying a motherboard that has K SKU, there are chances that are you going to overclock it in the future.
So, that also goes to show that you need to have a good motherboard. Thankfully, all the motherboards in this list are tested with overclocking, and we can assure you that their performance is as good as you could have imagined. Sure, they do not perform on the same level but the good news is that the performance is stable and respectable across the board.
Something most people care about.
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