Best Motherboards for Core i9 7900X – Buyer’s Guide

The i9 chips from Intel are enthusiast grade that are outside of the budget for the average consumer. However, if you are willing to part with a decent chunk of change then you can have access to 10 cores and 20 threads, which is the i9 7900X. It comes with Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 and uncompromising performance.

However, there is a limitation that must be considered when opting for the i9 7900X chip – you must buy a X299 motherboard in order to take advantage of it. These motherboards are packed full of excellent features to take advantage of the i9 series of chips, but they too come at a higher price point than the average motherboard.

x299 platform

About the Intel X299 Chipset

The X299 platform can host chips ranging from 4 cores and threads all the way up to 18 cores and 36 threads. Both Kaby Lake and Skylake processors can be paired with X299 motherboards so you have a wealth of choice.

The platform allows for high-speed I/O lanes – up to 30 of them also there is support for up to eight SATA 6Gbps ports, 10 USB 3.0 ports and 14 USB 2.0 ports. Therefore, connectivity with this platform will not be a problem as you have plenty of flexibility. The 24 PCle 3.0 lanes and upgraded DMI 3.0 means that this platform is as good as it gets for the consumer market if you’re looking to buy an Intel chip.

The blend of rich functionality and high performance means you get to enjoy an uncompromising performance with your i9 7900X. A motherboard using this format will get the most out of this chip, and will be competitive for years to come.

Best Feature-Rich Motherboard for i9-7900x – ASUS Prime X299 Deluxe


ASUS Prime X299 Deluxe Motherboard

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The X299 motherboard from Asus is the ASUS Prime X299 Deluxe, and it comes packed with all the features to get the most out of the Intel chip. Some of its features includes 1 click overclocking, multi GPU support and ASUS pro clock technology. There is a lot of flexibility that comes with this motherboard, and will certainly provide more functionality than the average motherboard on the market.

The ThunderboltEX 3 Card is an add-on card that’s Intel certified and allows up to 40Gbps transfer speed via cable in both directions. The extremely fast transfer speeds will keep you waiting shorter than ever before. Also there is a 802.11 ad Wi-Fi, which allows wireless connectivity of up to 4.6Gbps. For those that have a fast internet connection will be able to take full advantage of it with this ASUS motherboard.

From a cooling standpoint the Fan Xpert 4 allows for detailed configuration of the fans. If you’re a newcomer to fan management then the software here will make thermal optimization of your system a simple task. There is also an SSD cooler and on-board M.2 that’s up to 32Gbps. With plenty of 3.1 USB with backwards compatibility, so connectivity for your USB based devices is not going to be a problem.

A SafeSlot is the PCLe slot reinvented by the ASUS engineering department to provide shearing resistance and superior retention. This helps protect your GPU investment, so don’t worry about using your high end graphics cards with this ASUS motherboard.

In conclusion, the ASUS Prime X299 Deluxe is a perfect coupling with the Intel i9 7900X. You can take advantage of the overclocking features and enjoy the connectivity features to use your PC in the way you want to. It’s priced higher than the average motherboard on the market, but if you are looking for a motherboard for your i9 7900X that’s uncompromising in quality then this is it.

‘Best for storage’ motherboard for i9-7900x – MSI X299 Tomahawk


MSI X299 Tomahawk Motherboard for i9-7900x

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The MSI X299 Tomahawk is packed with a bunch of useful features for the average gamer, but it’s also going to provide plenty of options for any type of PC user. The offering from MSI is created with a premium user in mind. After all, if you’re going to invest in the 7900X chip then you’ll need to pair it up with a motherboard that matches it in quality.

The design of the MSI X299 Tomahawk can be described as stylish, sleek and grey/black. Visually this motherboard can be combined with different types of builds as it will blend in nicely. The build is also sturdy, for example, the M2 ports are protected with a metal shield.

From a communication and connectivity standpoint this MSI motherboard offers more than enough. The M.2 slots allow you to take advantage of fast SSD’s, and there is support for 128GB memory across 8 DIMM slots and four PCle X16 cards. For a gamer there is everything here to connect the top components.

MSI’s Audio Boost system is powered from the Realtek ALC1220 chipset, with 7.1 channels of digital audio. You’ll be able to enjoy modern games that take advantage of superb sounds to create an immersive environment.

Are you the type of gamer that plays online and requires ping to be kept down to a minimum. Then you’ll be pleased with the out of the box wired and wireless connectivity features. The features here drastically reduce lag and packet loss. It might be considered as overkill for most consumers, but if you’re a competitive gamer that pays attention to the quality of their connection then you’ll be pleased with this motherboard.

In conclusion, the MSI X299 Tomahawk is the perfect companion to the i9 7900X for any gamer if you’re looking for top quality. The look of the motherboard is great, connectivity/communication is superb and you can connect all the top tier PC components in a safe manner.

Cheapest motherboard for i9-7900x option – Gigabyte X299 AORUS Gaming 9


Gigabyte X299 AORUS Gaming 9

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The X299 offering from Gigabyte is flashy with a black and orange design, and another entry that’s designed in particular for gamers. Getting the most out of your Intel i9 7900X chip is not going not be hard to achieve. Take the time to learn all the details of the Gigabyte X299 AORUS Gaming 9 to figure out if it meets your specific requirements.

The connectivity of the AORUS Gaming 9 allows form 8 DIMM slots that supports up to 128GB of memory. There is support for triple SLI allowing you take advantage of multiple GPU’s in order to build a powerful gaming PC. From an internet connectivity standpoint you’ll be pleased with the bonded dual Ethernet ports allowing up to 2 Gbps worth of bandwidth. For Wi-Fi users the Killer 802.11ac is available for a reliable internet connection.

The performance of this motherboard isn’t as great when compared with the first two entries on this list from ASUS and MSI. The overclocking will not be as stable so this isn’t the best motherboard to push the 7900X to its limits on a regular basis. Having said that the reliability of this motherboard is excellent, and you can expect many years of reliable service.

Best overclocking option for i9-7900x – ASUS TUF X299 Mark I


ASUS TUF X299 Mark I

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Another worthy companion to the high end Intel chip is the ASUS TUF X299 Mark I. This is one of the cheaper X299 components out there, but it’s perfect for those who are looking to overclock the 7900X chip. Whether it’s for gaming and CPU intensive tasks this motherboard will be able to get the most out of the chip. Consider the various features of the ASUS TUF X299 Mark I to figure out if it’s something that matches your requirements.

The TUF series of motherboards are known for their reliability and durability. During long gaming sessions you need reliable hardware that is going to deliver performance in a non-stop fashion and this ASUS motherboard meets the criteria. Being able to withstand higher temperatures is just one of the features of this motherboard that’s perfect for overclocking.

The overclocking design comes with software that allows the frequencies and voltages to be easily modified. That combined with in-depth CPU cooler control gives you the freedom to overclocking knowing that the i9 7900K isn’t going to break down in the near future.

The communications and connectivity features of this motherboard provides plenty of options. There are 8 DIMM slots supporting up to 128GB of memory, and there is high speed Ethernet. The only disadvantage here is the lack of wireless connectivity out of the box. So you’ll need to invest in a Wi-Fi card or dongle in order to connect wirelessly.

To summarize, the quality of this motherboard doesn’t beat the competition, and especially not the other entries on this list. However, if you’re looking for a motherboard that’s going to scratch your overclocking itch then the ASUS TUF X299 Mark I is the one to get.

Which X299 motherboard should you buy for Intel Core i9-7900x?


Firstly, purchasing any of the X299 motherboards on this list will give you all the tools needed to enjoy the i9 7900X Intel chip. However, you need to figure out what your priorities are – for instance, if you need a motherboard for overclocking then the ASUS TUF X299 Mark I is a great choice. On the other hand, if you need one with all the features then the ASUS Prime X299 Deluxe might be the better option.

Delving deeper into the specific features of each motherboard can also help you decide what one makes the most sense to purchase. Hopefully, by the end of this review you will have a better idea of what motherboard options are out there for your 7900X.

Martynas

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