The Best Motherboards for Intel 12th Gen Processors

With Intel’s latest desktop processor release, the i9-9900K, out in the wild, it’s time to find the best motherboard to use with it. The performance of your CPU is directly tied to how well your motherboard works with it, so you want to make sure you get the best possible motherboard for your needs and budget. Here are the best motherboards available right now.

Choosing a processor

Once you know what you want your PC to do, it’s time to decide on a processor. First and foremost, pay attention to how many cores your processor has. The more cores (or processing units) a CPU has, the better it’ll handle multitasking—which can help with everyday tasks like social media browsing and even video editing. More isn’t always better, however; quad-core CPUs are still fine for most people who run just one or two apps at a time. For some people, though—like video editors or 3D modelers—it might be worth getting an 8-core CPU instead of something less powerful.

Choosing a motherboard

When you’re picking a motherboard, it pays to look at more than just processor compatibility. Often, older boards have better overclocking software and more robust cooling options—both crucial when trying to squeeze every last bit of performance out of your computer. Since not every board works with every CPU, it’s always good to check processor compatibility before you buy a new motherboard. For example, an Asus Z390 Pro motherboard is one of the best options available right now—not only does it support multiple processors (including Intel’s Core i9), but it also has nifty features like Wifi 6 and USB 3.1 Gen 2. Plus, it looks super cool.

Choosing an operating system

When deciding on an operating system, you’ll have to choose between Windows and macOS. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks, but both offer powerful functionality. Keep in mind that a desktop or laptop is useless without an operating system of some kind. There are also mobile OSes (iOS, Android) that work on your phone or tablet—but they're not relevant to PC building since you won't be using them with your new machine.

Choosing RAM

If you’re building a computer from scratch, one of your first decisions is going to be what kind of RAM to get. It’s one of those parts that people don’t think about much—and then they go out and buy whatever is cheapest. Sure, it works—but will it last? Unlike processors or motherboards, RAM tends to be rock-solid; so there’s little risk in trying expensive stuff out. If you can afford it, get a high-end kit with faster transfer speeds and higher capacity.