Intel released the Z590 chipset in January 2021, which came with increased PCI lanes, greater support for USB 3.2 2×2, native WiFi 6, and support for support for their LGA 1200 processor socket type. The LGA 1200 socket follows the very popular LGA 1151 socket type and supports their Comet Lake and Rocket Lake processors. It also beefed up support for PCIe 4, with most major manufacturers including it on their motherboards with Z590 chipsets. So if you're looking for the best high-end motherboard for your new Intel processor, look no further than the Z590 chipset.
It's worth noting that to take advantage of PCIe 4.0 speeds on the M.2 slots, you'll need to be running at least an 11th Gen Intel Core CPU, and some motherboards will actually disable one of the M.2 slots if you're using one. 10th Gen processor, so if you're planning on using one, be sure to do your research.
MSI Z590-A PRO
| Highest supported RAM | 5333 MHz (OC) |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 6E AX210, Bluetooth 5.2 |
| M.2 slots | 1x Gen 4.0, 2x Gen3 |
It's always nice to start with a wise choice. For the majority of you, MSI's Z590-A Pro will do the job admirably and with few issues. It's not the most extravagant and radiator-laden card, but it supports all the creature comforts that the Z590 chipset offers without breaking the bank. It comes with their Frozr-branded M.2 heatsinks, pump fan bracket, and the same high-quality components you'd expect from a veteran company like MSI.
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GIGABYTE Z590 Vision D
| Highest supported RAM | DDR4 4800 MHz (OC) |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | WiFi6 AX200, Bluetooth 5.1 |
| M.2 slots | 1x Gen 4, 2x Gen 3 |
The Z590 Vision D is quite a sight to behold with its white shrouds tacked stoically to the face of the board. It would be an easy fit in any white hardware-focused build, which has become an increasingly common aesthetic choice for future PC builders. It also has their VisionLINK interface, which allows you to connect a pen display (like a Wacom tablet) with a single USB Type-C cable instead of using the multitude of cables and adapter boxes they typically require. That alone deserved a spot on our list, because many people who build desktop computers these days are creative people who need the power and connectivity to do their job properly.
GIGABYTE Z590 Aorus Xtreme Waterforce
| Highest supported RAM | DDR4 5400 MHz (OC) |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 6E AX210/Bluetooth 5.2 |
| M.2 slots | 1x Gen 4, 2x Gen 3 |
Another unique design from GIGABYTE, this time in their gaming-focused Aorus range. The Aorus Xtreme Waterforce focuses entirely on a water-cooled design, with an integrated water block ready for your custom loop-cooled build. The block itself has a display that shows water and CPU temperatures, which is nice to have when troubleshooting potential cooling issues. It also has two PCIe 4 16x slots, with the option to run them in dual x8 mode for signal boost. That second PCIe 4 slot will be put to good use with the included AIC adapter which houses two M.2 Gen 4 slots, and the chipset is also actively cooled to help improve stability and performance. And as if all that wasn't enough in the box, you'll also get a USB Type-C audio DAC to enhance your audio experience.
ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Extreme
| Highest supported RAM | 5333 MHz (OC) |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 |
| M.2 slots | 5x generation 4 |
ASUS, always ready to go toe to toe with MSI and Gigabyte, has its ROG Maximus XIII range. This is the Extreme Edition and includes ASUS AI overclocking profiles, AI networking performance enhancements, and AI cooling. Which is just a very high-tech way of saying that it does its best to keep things running fast and cool while you game. It also includes Aura SYNC-compatible RGB and a small display on the board itself that you can configure to display a litany of different hardware information.
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ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Extreme Glacial
| Highest supported RAM | DDR4 5333 MHz (OC) |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 6E AX210 |
| M.2 slots | 5x generation 4 |
If it looks like you're seeing double, that's because you are, it's yet another Maximus XIII board. The Extreme Glacial edition of ASUS' Maximus XIII line isn't just about the silver-white aesthetic, it also includes a full-coverage water block. So, in addition to looking cool, you'll be able to keep things cool with a block that cools the VRM, CPU, and PCH. Like its sibling, it also has a built-in screen for displaying hardware information.
MSI Meg Z590 Divin
| Highest supported RAM | DDR4 5600MHz (OC) |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 6E AX120, Bluetooth 5.2 |
| M.2 slots | 1x Gen 4, 3x Gen 3 |
The Meg Z590 Godlike, aside from having a ridiculous name, is also perhaps the most extravagant motherboard MSI has produced to date. It comes with a 20-stage VRM design that should maintain stable operation even when you push the limits of CPU overclocking, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, an M.2 expansion card, actively cooled heatsinks, a aluminum backplate and an integrated display for motherboard information. Oh, and there's an RGB rainbow dragon carved into it, too.
Motherboard recommendations may seem like a given to some. After all, if it has the type of outlet you want and the ports available for the accessories you want to plug in, what else is there? It turns out, a little. The ever-changing state of storage means that M.2 technology is constantly evolving, the ability to overclock more hardware more conveniently makes cooling more important than ever, and the open-window design of most PC cases mean that now more than ever in the past, most people actually care about how their motherboards look. So take the time to decide which features are important to you.
For more hardware recommendations, check out the 5 best external graphics cards of 2021 and the best membrane gaming keyboards of 2021 | 5 Best Membrane Gaming Keyboards on Pro Gaming Guides.
