The best motherboards of 2023 will push your gaming experience to the absolute limit.
The motherboard is an often overlooked part of the PC building process. Most gamers think that the number of PCIe lanes is all that matters, but with the shift to DDR5 and major improvement sin integrated Wi-Fi, there’s a lot more to consider. If you plan to build a top-of-the-line gaming rig to celebrate the new year, here are the three absolute best motherboards for three different CPU platforms.
When purchasing a motherboard in 2023 or otherwise, it’s always best to double-check that its socket matches the CPU you intend to use. The models listed below will only work for CPUs of a specific brand and generation. Be sure to confirm other features like onboard Wi-Fi, RAM compatibility, and more before buying.
The ASUS Prime Z790-A is one of the best 2023 Intel motherboards
ASUS is no novice when it comes to making high-end motherboards, but the company has truly outdone itself with the Prime Z790-A. This Intel Z790 board is intended to be the ultimate housing for Intel’s 11th and 12th generation chips. Nearly every feature is accounted for in its most luxurious form, which helps justify the hefty $309 price tag. Then again, anyone shelling out for a top-tier Intel processor probably won’t balk at that price.
Everything from onboard Wi-Fi to M.2 support is present, with the latter boasting four total slots. The Z790-A also supports up to 128 gigabytes of DDR5 RAM at a maximum of 7,000 megahertz, making it perfectly suited to beyond-gaming applications like physics simulations and video rendering. Despite its extreme nature, the Z790-A comes wrapped in tasteful astronaut-themed aesthetics.
The MSI PRO X670-P is perfect for AMD battlestations
If you plan to bring one of the best Ryzen 7000 series CPUs with you into 2023, MSI’s PRO X670-P is one of the best motherboards to pair it with. This ATX-sized board ticks every box an AMD gamer could want with top-notch onboard Wi-Fi, an integrated sound card, and a quartet of PCIe 4.0 slots. All of that comes at the price of $290, which is still a relatively small portion of a custom-build budget.
What the X670-P lacks in RGB lighting, it makes up for with a simple and clean look packed with more heatsinks than most gamers could ever need. Those massive cooling measures practically beg for an overclock, so gamers who push their systems to the limits will have no problems with this motherboard. Throw in some DDR5 RAM and a suitable GPU, and you’ll have one of the best gaming rigs on the market going into the new year.
Threadripper gamers, the Strix TRX40-XE is for you
ASUS returns to round out the list with the ROG Strix TRX40-XE. The Threadripper platform is originally intended to power several machines all at once, but greedy gamers can still use it to run monstrous gaming setups. There aren’t many gaming-oriented options, but the TRX40-XE packs plenty of core features considering its relatively old age. Anyone with a Threadripper CPU should be immune to sticker shock and see the $641 price as a steal.
With three full-size PCIe lanes and an additional 8x near the bottom, there’s plenty of room to add whatever cards the owner could want. Three M.2 slots give plenty of storage options while the 2.5 gigabits a second LAN and onboard Wi-Fi keep the internet connection smooth at all times. The TRX40-XE also comes with 16 power stages and 70A capacitors to both power and protect whatever monster CPU it houses, keeping your massive investment safe in case of power spikes and outages.
