Intel has recently released the 11th-generation Core-series processors, proving to be great alternatives to AMD Ryzen processors, especially when we talk about the value for money. Previously, Intel’s processors used to be more expensive than AMD Ryzen processors. Still, AMD charges more since Ryzen processors are better in multi-core and single-core benchmarks. Among the 11th-generation processors, the most notable processor is the Intel Core i7-11700K. For maximum performance from a CPU like Intel Core i7-11700K, you need the best motherboard for i7-11700k. This processor is the direct successor of the Intel Core i7-10700K and offers very similar performance. It has a base clock rate of 3.6 GHz and a Turbo clock rate of 5.0 GHz.
| Award | Design | Best | Retailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Overall Motherboard for i7-11700K |  | View | |
| Best Performance Motherboard for i7-11700K |  | View | |
| Best Flagship Motherboard for i7-11700K |  | View | |
| Best Budget Motherboard for i7-11700K |  | View | |
| Best Enthusiast Motherboard for i7-11700K |  | View | |
| Best Premium Motherboard for i7-11700K |  | View | |
| Best Z590 Motherboard for i7-11700K |  | View | |
| Best Mini-ITX Motherboard for i7-11700K |  | View |
The processor uses the same socket as the 10700K, i.e., LGA 1200, which is why i7-11700K can be coupled with the older motherboards. The newer motherboards offer newer technologies and better aesthetics. Still, if the price is the limiting factor, previous-generation motherboards will be more than enough regarding raw performance. The best chipsets for the Core i7-11700K are the Z490 and Z590. These are the finest chipsets by Intel for Core series processors, and Z590 succeeds the Z490 chipset, with the significant difference being the support for PCI Express 4.0 and better connectivity.
The Z490 and Z590 chipsets offer supreme overclocking controls, and most of the motherboards on these two chipsets come with beefy VRM and adequate cooling solutions. The actual components vary, depending on the manufacturer, but most of the Z-series motherboards are designed for enthusiasts who want to maximize the performance of their systems. The B560 chipset, on the other hand, is a mid-range chipset that is designed for those users who wish to have a running system with basic connectivity. It does not come with overclocking features, and the looks of most of the motherboards based on the B560 chipset are also mediocre. However, these motherboards are substantially cheaper than the Z-series motherboards
Quick Shopping Tips:
When you go shopping for the motherboard, there are many things to consider; it is doubtful that you keep track of all those things, so we have listed the quick shopping tips below that will benefit you greatly.
Budget: First and foremost, you should have a firm idea of your budget. Your budget will allow you to decide whether you can go for expensive offerings like the Z-series flagship motherboards. If you are short on money, you can buy a B560-series motherboard and call it a day.
Chipset: Apart from budget, you should only buy a Z-series motherboard if you are overwhelmed by the looks of the motherboard or want high-end overclocking features. If not, it will be better for you to consider buying a B560-series motherboard.
Aesthetics: The looks of a motherboard, no doubt, create a lasting effect and significantly improve the overall vibes of a gaming rig. Most high-end motherboards come with unique looks and offer additional features like RGB lighting, catchy VRM cooling solutions, etc.
Form Factor: The form factor of a motherboard is one of the most important things you should keep in mind since it can devastate a build if you buy the wrong motherboard for a particular case. This is mainly an issue where the user owns a mid-tower case and does not allow an E-ATX or ATX motherboard, although most modern mid-tower cases support ATX motherboards.
Best Motherboard For i7-11700K List
ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XII HERO
Best Overall Motherboard for i7-11700K
Brand: ASUS | Chipset: Intel Z490 | Socket:LGA 1155 | Form Factor: ATX | Memory: 128 GB DDR4 | Memory Speed:4800 MHz
REASONS TO BUY
✓One of the best Z490 motherboards
✓Powerful overclocking performance
✓Lots of PCI-E slots
REASONS TO AVOID
✗Pricier than many Z590 motherboards
The ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XII HERO is an excellent alternative to the ROG MAXIMUS XIII HERO. It has similar overclocking potential and features but costs a lot lower due to being dated. The price of this motherboard is still higher than mainstream Z590-based motherboards. ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XII HERO is one of the best Z490 motherboards and tends to provide the best of everything. The design of this motherboard is exceptionally similar to the MAXIMUS XIII HERO. This motherboard uses a black chipset heat sink instead of silver, and the ROG logo is still RGB-lit here.
The I/O cover and the VRM heat sinks are striped here but have the opposite angle. The key features of the motherboard include 14+2 phase power delivery, 5-way optimization, and ROG Water-Cooling Zone. The 14+2 phase VRM ensures that even the flagship Core-series processor gets enough power for overclocking. The 5-way optimization provides many customization features, resulting in a reliable operation of components attached to the motherboard.
ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XII HERO has four DIMM slots resulting in a maximum memory capacity of 128 GB. There is one less M.2 slot in this motherboard compared to ROG MAXIMUS XIII HERO, but all three M.2 slots have their heat sinks. There are six PCI-E slots on the motherboard, with three of them being X16 slots and X1 slots. The rear I/O of the motherboard provides 5 x gold-plated 3.5mm audio jacks, an optical S/PDIF port, 2 x antenna outputs, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports, 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, 2 x USB 2.0 ports, a BIOS Flash Button, a Clear CMOS Button, 2 x RJ45 ports, and an HDMI port.
MSI MEG Z490 ACE
Best Performance Motherboard for i7-11700K
Brand: MSI | Chipset: Intel Z490 | Socket:LGA 1200 | Form Factor:ATX | Memory:128 GB DDR4 | Memory Speed: 4800 MHz
REASONS TO BUY
✓Good balance between price and features
✓Great looks
REASONS TO AVOID
✗No PCI-E 4.0
The MSI MEG Z490 ACE provides high-end performance while being less pricey than the latest Z590 motherboards. Indeed, it lacks PCI-E 4.0, but other than that, you won’t find it lacking other high-end features. The design of the motherboard is quite impressive compared to other motherboards. The motherboard uses a large I/O cover and a large chipset heat sink covered in RGB lighting. There are orange stripes on the I/O cover and the chipset heat sink, which feel odd since RGB lighting already covers the area. Other than this, the PCB of the motherboard is black and looks pretty neat.
The motherboard provides four DIMM slots that are reinforced with metal as well. It supports a maximum memory capacity of 128 GB with 32 GB modules. The PCI-E X16 slots on the motherboard are also reinforced with metal. There are five PCI-E slots on the motherboard, three of which are PCI-E X16 slots, while the other two are PCI-E X1 slots. For storage, MSI MEG Z490 ACE provides two M.2 slots, both of which are covered by large heat sinks. There are six SATA III slots on the motherboard, and overall, the storage solution of the motherboard feels more than enough.
This motherboard uses a 16+1 phase VRM, which can maximize the potential of i7-11700K regarding power requirements. For this reason, MSI has used super large VRM heat sinks and is doing the job well. The I/O of the motherboard provides 5 x 3.5mm audio jacks, 1 x optical S/PDIF, 2 x antenna outputs for WiFi, 1 x 1G LAN, 1 x 2.5G LAN, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, 2 x USB 2.0 ports, a PS/2 port, a BIOS Flash button, and a Clear CMOS button.
GIGABYTE B560 AORUS PRO AX
Best Flagship Motherboard for i7-11700K
Brand: Gigabyte | Chipset: Intel B560 Express | Socket: LGA 1200 | Form Factor: ATX | Memory: 128 GB DDR4 | Memory Speed: 5333 MHz
REASONS TO BUY
✓High memory speeds supported
✓It uses a large cooling solution
✓Great audio chipset
REASONS TO AVOID
✗No processor overclocking
The GIGABYTE B560 AORUS PRO AX provides a high-end audio solution, offers memory overclocking, pleasing aesthetics, and an excellent thermal solution. The price of the motherboard is pretty low for what it offers, but you won’t be able to overclock the processor with this motherboard. The motherboard’s design is suitable for such a mid-range motherboard. GIGABYTE has used a black PCB, and the color of the chipset heat-sinks is black as well. There is RGB lighting on the I/O cover and the chipset heat sink, although there is a big gray area on the chipset heat sink.
The key features of this motherboard are its 12+1 phase VRM, fully covered thermal design, Realtek ALC4080 codec, and three M.2 slots, with two of them covered with large heat sinks. There are four RAM slots on the motherboard to have a maximum memory of 128 GB. As for the PCI-E slots, there is a single metal-reinforced X16 slot, although there are two non-reinforced X16 slots. As for the SATA slots, there are six of them, just like most of the mainstream motherboards.
The B560 chipset supports memory overclocking, which is why it supports up to 5333 MHz of memory, which is fantastic news for those looking to run fast memory on cheap motherboards. The rear I/O of the motherboard includes 6 x 3.5mm audio jacks, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, 2 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x 2.5G LAN port, 2 x antenna outputs, 1 x HDMI port, 1 x DP port, and 1 x PS/2 port.
MSI Z590-A PRO
Best Budget Motherboard for i7-11700K
Brand: MSI | Chipset: Intel Z590 | Socket: LGA 1200 | Form Factor:ATX | Memory: 128 GB DDR4 | Memory Speed: 5333 MHz
REASONS TO BUY
✓Low price
✓Artistic design
REASONS TO AVOID
✗The chipset heatsink is a bit ugly
The MSI Z590-A PRO does not provide top-notch features like the previous motherboards; it still provides overclocking features for the processor and the memory. Unlike the previous motherboard, this motherboard is a budget motherboard despite being based on the Z590 chipset. MSI Z590-A PRO costs around half of what MSI MPG Z590 GAMING CARBON WIFI costs, attracting many budget users. This motherboard looks unexpectedly good, given how cheaper it is than the previous motherboards. MSI has used a black PCB for the motherboard, with white vertical stripes in groups all over the motherboard. The motherboard does use an I/O cover, although it is much smaller than the previous motherboard.
The chipset heatsink is also much smaller than the GAMING CARBON WIFI model. There is no RGB lighting on the I/O cover or chipset heat sink, but it looks pretty good due to the contrast of black and white. This motherboard barely provides exclusive features, which is why it costs less than two hundred bucks. There are four memory slots on the motherboard and three PCI-E slots; where two of them are X16 slots, and the other is an X1 slot.
The storage solution of the motherboard is as good as the previous one, as it provides three M.2 slots and six SATA III slots, but two of the M.2 slots are not covered by any heat sink. It uses 12 + 2 + 1 phase power delivery, a uniquely designed system. This will allow you to handle the Core i7-11700K power requirements easily, and you will be able to overclock the processor to around 5 GHz on all cores. The I/O of the motherboard provides 6 x 3.5mm audio jacks, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, 4 x USB 2.0 port, 1 x PS/2 port, an RJ45 port, a DP port, and an HDMI port.
ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XIII HERO
Best Enthusiast Motherboard for i7-11700K
Brand:ASUS | Chipset: Intel Z590| Socket: LGA 1200 | Form Factor:ATX | Memory: 128 GB DDR4 | Memory Speed: 5333 MHz
REASONS TO BUY
✓Superb overclocking features
✓The exceptionally incredible cooling solution
✓State of the art onboard audio chipset
REASONS TO AVOID
✗The high price makes it not for everyone
The ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XIII HERO is for those who want to maximize the potential of their processors. The maximum overclocking support of this motherboard, along with other high-end features, makes it a mind-blowing product despite having a higher price than most other Z590 motherboards. The design of MAXIMUS series motherboards has always been excellent. These motherboards come with many coverings, and you can barely see the PCB of the motherboard. The motherboard also uses a sizeable I/O cover and chipset heat sink. The chipset heat sink connects all the M.2 heat sinks to make a single large heat sink. There is RGB lighting on the I/O cover and the chipset heat-sink, but even without it, the striped texture of the I/O cover, VRM heat-sink, and the chipset heat-sink look just fantastic. The key features of the motherboard include 14+2 phase VRM, ROG SupremeFX ALC4082 with ESS ES9018Q2C DAC for high-fidelity audio, quad M.2 slots with heat-sinks, and extra-large VRM heat-sinks. The memory performance of the motherboard is similar to the previous motherboard; It supports up to 5333 MHz memory with overclocking. The storage solution of the motherboard is just unreal. With four M.2 slots and six SATA III ports, you would not need anything else. Despite having four M.2 slots, the motherboard provides four PCI-E slots, three of them X16 slots. Two of the X16 slots are reinforced with metal so that you can use large GPUs. The rear I/O of the motherboard provides 5 x 3.5 mm audio jacks, 1 x optical S/PDIF port, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support, 6 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, 2 x USB 2.0 ports, a BIOS Flash button, a Clear CMOS button, 2 x 2.5G LAN ports, 2 x antenna outputs for WiFi 6E, and an HDMI port.
MSI MPG Z590 GAMING CARBON WIFI
Best Premium Motherboard for i7-11700K
Brand: MSI | Chipset:Intel Z590 | Socket: LGA 1200 | Form Factor: ATX | Memory: 128 GB DDR4 | Memory Speed: 5333 MHz
REASONS TO BUY
✓Mighty cooling solution
✓Lots of RGB lighting
✓Unique design
REASONS TO AVOID
✗The low number of USB Gen 2 ports
The MSI MPG Z590 GAMING CARBON WIFI is a powerful motherboard with gaming-oriented looks and fabulous overclocking performance thanks to its powerful cooling solution and high-quality power delivery. The price of this motherboard is also perfect for the given features, and there are few high-end motherboards like this. The overall looks of the motherboard are unique, and you won’t see many motherboards with similar looks. First, the motherboard uses uniquely shaped VRM heat sinks that look awesome and futuristic. The chipset heat sink offers a futuristic look with blocky RGB lighting. The RGB lighting is also present extensively on the I/O cover.
There are four memory slots on the motherboard and four PCI-E slots. Two of the PCI-E slots are metal reinforced, and three out of four slots are X16 slots. This motherboard’s slot configuration is like the previous one, with three M.2 slots, each having its heat sink. As for the SATA ports, there are six of them located on the right side of the motherboard. The key features of the motherboard include Heavy Plated MOS heat sink, a HIGH DEFINITION ALC4080 AUDIO PROCESSOR, and a 16+1+1 Duet Rail Power System. The VRM heat sink of this motherboard extends towards the rear I/O, and it is much more potent than most of the VRM cooling solutions we have seen in the previous generation of motherboards.
Two of the PCI-E slots are X16, and two are PCI-E X1. Both the X16 slots are reinforced with metal to prevent any damage by heavy graphics cards. Apart from three M.2 slots, the motherboard provides six SATA III ports, the standard configuration of most Z590 motherboards. The I/O of the motherboard provides 5 x 3.5 mm audio jacks, 1 x optical S/PDIF port, 1 x 2.5G LAN port, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, 4 x USB 2.0 ports, a DP port, an HDMI port, a BIOS Flash Button, and two antenna outputs.
GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS MASTER
Best Z590 Motherboard for i7-11700K
Brand: Gigabyte | Chipset:Intel Z590 Express | Socket: LGA 1200 | Form Factor: ATX | Memory: 128 GB DDR4 | Memory Speed: 5400 MHz
REASONS TO BUY
✓Premium quality power delivery
✓It uses a high-end DAC
✓Durable build
REASONS TO AVOID
✗Overclocking controls are not as refined as ASUS motherboards
The GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS MASTER is an excellent alternative to the ROG MAXIMUS XIII HERO and offers a very similar performance while having a lower price. The motherboard’s power delivery is more than enough to handle a processor like Intel Core i7-11700K. Even though its I/O features are better than the MAXIMUS XIII HERO, it offers much more than most mainstream motherboards. The I/O cover and the chipset heat-sink of the motherboard are almost as big as the ROG MAXIMUS XIII HERO, and it provides heat sinks for all three M.2 slots, which are connected with the chipset heat-sink. There is a written AORUS Z590 MASTER on the I/O cover, while it has the RGB-lit AORUS logo on the chipset heat sink.
The best thing about this motherboard is that it comes with a fin-style VRM heat sink, which is much better than the traditional heat sinks used in mainstream motherboards. The key features of the motherboard include 18 Phase 90A Smart Power Stages, Realtek ALC1220-VB Codec with ESS SABRE Hi-Fi 9118 DAC, and VRM heat-sink with Fins-Array II and Direct-Touch Heatpipe II technology. There are four RAM slots and three PCI-E X16 slots on the motherboard, all of which are reinforced with metal and enhance the overall look of the motherboard.
There are three M.2 slots on this motherboard and six SATA III ports, which is not bad compared to MAXIMUS XIII HERO. The overclocking features of the motherboard are comparable to that of the MAXIMUS XIII HERO, which can be expected since the price of this motherboard is quite close to it. The motherboard at the rear provides 5 x gold-plated 3.5 mm audio jacks, 1 x S/PDIF optical-out port, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, 5 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, 2 x antenna outputs, 1 x RJ45 port, a BIOS Flash button, a Clear CMOS button, and a DP port.
GIGABYTE Z590I AORUS ULTRA
Best Mini-ITX Motherboard for i7-11700K
Brand: Gigabyte | Chipset: Intel Z590 | Socket: LGA 1200 | Form Factor: Mini-ITX | Memory: 64 GB DDR4 | Memory Speed: 4600 MHz
REASONS TO BUY
✓Super small size
✓Impressive VRM design
✓Two DIMM slots
REASONS TO AVOID
✗Single PCI-E X16 slot
The GIGABYTE Z590I AORUS ELITE is the only motherboard with a mini-ITX form factor. It is a high-end motherboard that keeps the minor form factors but does not provide groundbreaking results. The design of the motherboard is quite simple. The motherboard uses a black PCB with a large I/O cover and a chipset heat sink. The VRM heat sink, although not very big, is uniquely designed to compensate for its small size and can easily handle processors like Core i7-11700K. There is a GIGABYTE logo on the I/O cover, while the large chipset and M.2 heat-sink have “AOUS” written on them.
The motherboard provides only two DIMM slots, which is why this motherboard’s maximum memory capacity is lower than all the previous motherboards, at 64 GB. Moreover, a single PCI-E X16 slot on the motherboard is reinforced with metal. Thankfully, two M.2 slots on the motherboard share a large heat sink. For mainstream storage, there are four SATA III ports on the motherboard.
The key features of the motherboard include a 10+1 phase Digital power design, 10-layer PCB design, and Ultra Durable Memory and PCI-E armor. The VRM design can provide a stable current to the processor and ensures high-end overclocking. The I/O of the motherboard provides 3 x 3.5 mm audio jacks, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports, 1 x RJ45 port, an HDMI port, a DP port, a BIOS Flash Button, and 2 x USB 2.0 ports.
Conclusion
Intel Core i7-11700K is undoubtedly the king of gaming processors in Intel and offers great competition to the AMD Ryzen processors, mainly AMD Ryzen 7 5800X. The processor’s price is pretty attractive, and it provides various advantages over Ryzen processors; the most noticeable among them is the memory latency.
As we have discussed motherboards, it is clear that the most prominent chipsets for Intel Core i7-11700K are the Z490 and Z590. These two chipsets provide top-notch performance, many exclusive features, and dazzling looks. If you find yourself short on money, it would be better to buy a B560 chipset since it costs almost half of what a Z590 chipset costs.
MSI MEG Z490 ACE is excellent for those looking for a well-balanced motherboard. GIGABYTE B560 AORUS PRO is the best motherboard for i7-11700k as it provides incredible performance. ASUS ROG MAXIMUS motherboards are great for those who want to do extreme overclocking. GIGABYTE Z590I is specifically for mini-ITX users, while the Z590 AORUS MASTER is the flagship motherboard by the company. MSI Z590-A Pro is one of the cheapest Z590 chipset motherboards, while the GAMING CARBON WIFI offers gaming-oriented features. Overall, these motherboards cover many features, and you will likely love one of the above motherboards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What motherboard should I get for i7-11700K?
A motherboard with decent cooling and 8+4 power phase or better should be enough for i7-11700K. ASUS ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming, Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Master, and MSI MPG Z590 Gaming Carbon WiFi are some of the best motherboards for i7-11700K.
Which motherboard is best for i7 9th gen?
Motherboards with decent features and good VRM like ASUS ROG Strix Z590-E Gaming, Gigabyte Z590 AORUS ELITE AX, and ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero are perfect for i7 9th generation processors.
CEO, Lead Writer
Sajid Ali is a tech enthusiast and gamer who loves to write reviews about gaming hardware. He has a passion for staying up-to-date with the latest technological advancements and loves sharing his knowledge with others. Sajid studied Intermediate Computer Science at Degree College and went on to earn his Bachelor's in Computer Science from GSC. In his free time, you can find him testing out new hardware and software, or playing the latest video games. Sajid's in-depth understanding of computers and his love for gaming make him the perfect author to turn to for all things tech and gaming.
