The 7 Best Z690 Motherboards for Intel 12th Gen CPUs
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The 7 Best Z690 Motherboards for Intel 12th Gen CPUs
Are you gearing up to upgrade your desktop computer to include 12th Gen Intel Alder Lake processors in your tech stack?
We’re entering the next generation of computing with the launch of high-end hardware like DDR5 RAM, Z690 chipset, and PCIe 5.0.
To meet these demands, and ensure your PC is ready for an upgrade, you need a motherboard that’s generations ahead of today’s technology, the Z690 motherboard with Intel LGA1700 socket.
Here are the best Z690 motherboards available today.
The ASUS ROG Strix Z690-F Gaming WiFi is the motherboard of choice when you want to accommodate extreme gaming, top-level video editing, and energy efficiency in one place. It has the latest LGA1700 CPU slot enabling you to plug in a wide range of processors in the coming years, like Intel Core, Celeron, and Pentium Gold.
This Z690 motherboard helps you to support your 12th Gen Intel Core processor with dual-channel DDR5 RAM of up to 6,400MHz. Hence, you can reach the overkill status of a whopping 128GB RAM. The higher the performance, the more power required. However, the ROG Strix Z690-F Gaming WiFi brings you the latest 16+1 power socket with maximum energy efficiency. This elaborate power delivery system can handle several expansion slots like PCIe 5.0 x16 for your graphics card and four M.2 slots for SSDs.
Its cooling system is also of premium grade as the motherboard needs to eat up all the heat. It comes with dedicated heatsinks for M.2 slots, the chipset, and the voltage regulator module (VRM.) You’ll also get many headers to connect external fans and cooling pumps.
- Intel LGA 1700 socket for 12th gen Intel Core CPUs
- AI management for cooling, overclocking, and networking
- ProCool II power connector
- Durable capacitors for multicore CPUs
- High fidelity audio with Savitech amplifier and Sonic Studio III
- PCH fanless heatsink for quiet computing
- Brand: Asus
- CPU Included: No
- Graphics Card Interface: 1x PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 slot
- Integrated Graphics: No
- Memory Slots: 4
- Memory Type: DDR5
- Form Factor: ATX
- Wi-Fi: Yes, Wi-Fi 6E
- USB Ports: 3x USB Type-C, 4x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 5x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 4x USB 2.0
- RBG Support: Yes
- M.2 NVMe Connector: 4x PCIe 4.0 x4
- Illuminated Acrylic Display for style and luxury
- Aura Sync RGB lighting that gives vibrant colors if the chassis is compatible
- Expand your data library by utilizing four M.2 slots for SSDs
- Comes with SATA ports for your existing hard drives
- Doesn't offer any DVI or VGA ports for old monitors
Buy This Product
The MSI Z690 Force WiFi motherboard offers longer service life for high-performance gaming and professional design works that demands extreme performance. It protects its moving parts through a network of steel armors, solid heat sinks, and additional fan headers for extra cooling.
The motherboard has different kind of thermal elements to pump heat out of the system like MOSFET and choke thermal pads that keeps the transistors and capacitors always cool. Furthermore, there are multiple enlarged heatsinks around the primary chipset and M.2 ports to keep your overall system cool.
You’ll find this Z690 motherboard value for money as it offers the latest DDR5 slots. These memory slots are extremely helpful to unleash the massive power of your 12th Gen Intel Core CPUs. Its SMT welding process for memory slots enhances your RAM performance and service life. This motherboard also offers an automated MSI Mystic Light RGB lighting system. You can now add vibrant color to any compatible desktop tower.
- Core boost technology with two sets of eight-pin power connectors
- M.2 Shield Frozr for SSD safety
- Liquid-cooling support through pump cooling header
- Lightning USB 20G
- PCIe Gen 5 slots
- MOSFET heatsink
- Audio Boost 5
- Brand: MSI
- CPU Included: No
- Graphics Card Interface: 3x PCIe x16 slots
- Integrated Graphics: No
- Memory Slots: 4
- Memory Type: DDR5
- Form Factor: ATX
- Wi-Fi: Yes, Wi-Fi 6E
- USB Ports: 2x USB3.2 Type-C, 6x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 4x USB 2.0
- RBG Support: Yes
- M.2 NVMe Connector: 4x PCIe 4.0 x4, 1x PCIe 3.0 x4
- Enjoy multiplayer gaming with 2.5G LAN
- Dedicated audio processor for gaming
- Protects removable parts with steel armor
- Intel Wi-Fi 6E offers up to 2,400Mbps internet bandwidth
- Doesn't offer integrated graphics
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The MSI PRO Z690-A WiFi offers ideal stability and long service life for an affordable motherboard. It ensures that all of the electronic parts of your desktop motherboard function in a safe environment through a digital PWM. It also offers extra protection to your graphics card through steel armor. These armors ensure that the graphics card doesn’t bend and stays firmly on its slot. Also, steel armor shields your graphics card from electromagnetic interference (EMI.)
The motherboard also packs premium power delivery and connectivity systems that you need to utilize your 12th Gen Intel Core CPU to its full capacity. These improvements include two sets of eight-pin power connectors, the most advanced USB ports, and the latest Wi-Fi 6E technology. Therefore, whenever you need to run a professional graphics designing tool or a video game, you experience smooth operations.
The thermal design of this Z690 motherboard includes an extra-large heatsink for the voltage regulator module (VRM,) M.2 Shield Frozr, and a header for pump cooling systems. The additional heat sinks for the VRM protect the entire system from overheating.
- Core boost technology for better performance
- Digital pulse-width modulation (PWM) technology
- 6-layer PCB with 2oz thick coper bus
- Extended VRM heatsink
- M.2 Shield Frozr
- 2.5G LAN and Intel Wi-Fi 6E
- Brand: MSI
- CPU Included: No
- Graphics Card Interface: 3x PCIe x16 slots
- Integrated Graphics: No
- Memory Slots: 4
- Memory Type: DDR4
- Form Factor: ATX
- Wi-Fi: Yes, Wi-Fi 6E
- USB Ports: 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 6x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 4x USB 2.0
- RBG Support: Yes
- M.2 NVMe Connector: 3x PCIe 4.0 x4, 1xPCIe 3.0 x4
- Its heavy copper circuits offer long lasting service
- Heavy plated heatsinks protects chipset, SSD storage, and transistors from overheating
- DDR4 slots enable you to re-use old RAM chips
- Doesn't come with integrated graphics
Buy This Product
The GIGABYTE Z690 Gaming X DDR4 lets experience the power of 12th Gen Intel Core CPUs without investing in RAM chips and built-in Wi-Fi. You can confidently use your existing DDR4 RAM on this motherboard. Moreover, if you have a Wi-Fi adapter for an old desktop, you can reuse that too.
MSI invested a lot of time and research on this motherboard to make it durable and long-lasting. There are heatsinks in the vital sections of the motherboard, like SSD, chipset, voltage regulator module (VRM), transistors, and RAM slots. The 2.5G LAN, dedicated audio chip for headphone signal processing, and M.2 slots add high performance to your everyday gaming.
The latest LAN technology helps you achieve a no-lag experience during multiplayer mode. Fast SSD internal storage ensures that your video game runs smoothly. It also offers many expansion slots for DIY desktop computer upgrade works. You can also use its USB Type C port to charge your mobile or tablet.
- Direct digital VRM design
- Thermal guards of SSD slots prevents throttling
- 2x copper circuitry on the PCB for added thermal conductivity
- Smart Fan 6
- ALC1220-VB Audio IC
- Brand: Gigabyte
- CPU Included: No
- Graphics Card Interface: 1x PCIe 5.0 x16, 2x PCIe 3.0 x16
- Integrated Graphics: No
- Memory Slots: 4
- Memory Type: DDR4
- Form Factor: ATX
- Wi-Fi: No
- USB Ports: 1x USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2x2, 1x USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 5x USB 3.2 Gen 1
- RBG Support: Yes
- M.2 NVMe Connector: 3x PCIe 4.0 x4
- Compatible with your old DDR4 RAM chips
- You can reuse your existing Wi-Fi adapter
- Heavy and large heat sinks for extra cooling
- More copper on the PCB for longevity and stability
- Doesn't offer integrated graphics
Buy This Product
The MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi is an ideal ATX motherboard that you can get for your new 12th Gen Intel Core processors. You would want this piece of hardware for its high-quality design features like a heat sink system, reinforced expansion slots, thermal pads for transistors, and efficient power delivery.
The latest 12th Gen Intel Core CPUs demand high-speed buses for lag-free data transfer among several motherboard units. Hence, the manufacturer provided two times more copper circuitry. Copper also increases the thermal conductivity of the entire desktop computer. To increase your gaming performance, you get the fifth-generation PCIe slots. Not just one, but three. If one graphic card is unable to tackle the workload, reinforce it with an additional card.
The motherboard supports AMD CrossFire technology for this purpose. You also get the latest Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and LAN for blazing-fast connectivity. There are ample USB ports, power headers, and LED headers to help you with DIY upgrade projects.
- Heavy plated MOSFET heatsink
- M.2 Shield Frozr
- Lightning USB 20G
- Intel Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2
- Liquid cooling pump header
- RGB LED header
- Brand: MSI
- CPU Included: No
- Graphics Card Interface: 3x PCIe 5.0 x16
- Integrated Graphics: No
- Memory Slots: 4
- Memory Type: DDR5
- Form Factor: ATX
- Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6E
- USB Ports: 1x USB3.2 Type-C, 6x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 4 USB 2.0
- RBG Support: Yes
- M.2 NVMe Connector: 4x PCIe 4.0 x4, 1x PCIe 3.0 x4
- Extra-large heat sinks keeps the total system temperature always low
- Reinforced slot bases ensure stability of removable parts
- 2.5Gbps LAN for zero-lag experience in multiplayer gaming mode
- Doesn't offer integrated graphics
Buy This Product
The ASUS Prime Z690-A adds value to your investment towards desktop upgrades. Because it’s a perfect combination of look, performance, stability, and personalization features. If you’re looking for a low-maintenance mainboard, you can confidently pick this one. Needless to say, this motherboard is a perfect addition to your desktop tech stack if you own a transparent acrylic side panel-based chassis. Its futuristic internal design and finish give the vibe of a space shuttle. It's purely a unique and thoughtful design from Asus.
From the thermal design point of view, the voltage regulator module (VRM) has a complete cover of heavy heat sinks. Your motherboard must be able to keep the VRM section quite cool. Additionally, you’ll also notice ample heatsink coverage on SSD, chipset, and I/O panel.
Its motherboard OS or BIOS comes with AI-based programming that optimizes the entire system during high-performance gaming or work. Its five-way optimization process consists of TPU, EPU, Digi+VRM Control, Turbo App, and AI overclocking. Essentially, these are advanced control system for power, memory, and CPU utilization that delivers long-lasting service.
- Durable capacitors for stability
- ProCool sockets and alloy chokes for efficiency in power delivery
- AI overclocking
- AI cooling system manages all cooling fans efficiently
- AURA RGB header for chassis LED lighting
- AIO Pump header for liquid cooling
- Brand: Asus
- CPU Included: No
- Graphics Card Interface: 1x PCIe 5.0/4.0/3.0 x16, 1x PCIe 3.0 x16
- Integrated Graphics: No
- Memory Slots: 4
- Memory Type: DDR5
- Form Factor: ATX
- Wi-Fi: No
- USB Ports: 3x USB Type-C, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 6x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 4x USB 2.0
- RBG Support: Yes
- M.2 NVMe Connector: 4x PCIe 4.0 x4
- Stylish looking motherboard for transparent chassis
- AI-based memory, power, and CPU control for high performance sessions
- Heavy heatsinks facilitates cool internal environment
- No BIOS RGB control
Buy This Product
Q: Can I Use AMD GPU With Intel Motherboard?
Intel motherboards are only compatible with the respective CPUs that fit the CPU socket of the motherboard. Sockets come with codes like LGA1700 for Intel Alder Lake CPUs.
You can use Nvidia or AMD Radeon graphics cards if your motherboard has an extension slot for a graphics card. Basically, these are the most popular graphics card chip manufacturers. When buying a motherboard, ensure you’re getting one that comes with a PCI-Express x16 slot.
Q: Which RAM Is Best for Gaming?
For a desktop, a DDR4 RAM of 2,666 MHz ensures better performance within a budget. You can go for at least 32GB RAM for overkill performance. However, you might have noticed that your graphics card says that it comes with GDDR5 RAM. Those GDDR5 RAMs come embedded in the graphics cards and are not compatible with your desktop motherboard. The good news is, your wait for DDR5 RAM is over. The newest Intel Z690 chipset-based motherboards will include DDR5 RAM slots.
Q: Can You Run Radeon With Intel?
At the GPU level, Intel and AMD components are interchangeable. That’s because the GPUs have their own processor, RAM, and chipset in an integrated printed circuit board (PCB.)
Hence, you might want to buy an Intel Core i7 processor for your Intel chipset-based motherboard. Then, you can fortify that with an AMD Radeon graphics card for affordability without compromising on performance.
If you want to use multi graphic cards, it’s best to stick to the same brand. For example, buy two graphics cards of the same make and model to avoid compatibility issues and go through the hassle of refunds.
We hope you like the items we recommend and discuss! MUO has affiliate and sponsored partnerships, so we receive a share of the revenue from some of your purchases. This won’t affect the price you pay and helps us offer the best product recommendations.
About The Author
Tamal Das (197 Articles Published)
Tamal is a freelance writer at MakeUseOf. After gaining substantial experience in technology, finance, and business processes in his previous job in an IT consulting company, he adopted writing as a full-time profession 3 years ago. While not writing about productivity and the latest tech news, he loves to play Splinter Cell and binge-watch Netflix/ Prime Video.
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