The Best Motherboard for i7 12700K Reviewed

The Intel Core i7 12700K is one of the best processors that you can buy at the moment. This is one of those processors that more than proves that Intel has hit the goldmine with their offerings in the market and for anyone who wants good performance, this is more than enough and will deliver excellent experience all around to a point that you will not be disappointed at all.

If you have just started building a 12^th generation PC and you want the best of every aspect, you will need a good motherboard and there is no denying that, either. That is why we have decided that in this round up, we are going to take a look at the best motherboards for i7 12700K. After all, a good processor requires a good motherboard because without that, what even is the point of spending so much money.

Don’t worry, in order to be sure that there is no overwhelming anyone, we are going to keep this roundup to the point so you can make the right decision without any issues.

Reviewing the Best Motherboards for i7 12700K in 2023

Awards	Model	Price
Editor’s Choice	ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme	Buy on Amazon
Best Gigabyte Motherboard for i7 12700k	Gigabyte Z690 AORUS MASTER	Buy on Amazon
Best Budget Motherboard for i7 12700k	MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi	Buy on Amazon
Best Entry Level Motherboard for i7 12700k	MSI Pro Z690-A	Buy on Amazon
Best Enthusiasts Motherboard for i7 12700K	MSI MEG Z690 Ace	Buy on Amazon
Best DDR4 Motherboard for i7 12700k	Gigabyte Z690 Aero G	Buy on Amazon

It honestly is not really difficult to find the right motherboard for the i7 12700K. You know why? Because the processor is a high end offering from Intel and there are a ton of options available in the market that more than cater to this motherboard type, so we are going to start looking at how these motherboards are going to improve your experience.

It never really comes as a surprise that the market has always been great for Asus. After all, the company is known for delivering some of the best motherboards known to us and if you have been in search for something that is good, Asus has gotten you covered to a point that you will not disappointed.

The motherboard that we are looking at should not really come as a surprise to anyone. Why? Well, the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme is something that is excellent and well, the ROG series in itself is something that has been recognized as one of the finest, so you are given the guarantee that you are getting something extraordinary.

But why should you go ahead and spend your money on this beast of a motherboard, right? Well, let me talk to you about it. You are getting one of the best built motherboard in terms of the aesthetics and build quality. However, that is not the only thing you are getting access to; the design on this motherboard is out of the world, and if you genuinely want something that looks excellent, this is the motherboard that you should be going for.

Furthermore, if you are in the market for a motherboard that is going to offer top of the shelf performance, then this motherboard is a great choice. For starters, you are getting all the latest connectivity options including a plethora of M.2 slots, PCIe 5.0, DDR5. 

For the overclockers, the good news is that you are getting 21 power phases, allowing you to push your Core i7 12700K to its limit and not run into any issues. Last but not the least, the UEFI BIOS is one of the best on this motherboard, allowing easier tinkering should you wish to choose to.

Honestly, the only issue I do have with this motherboard is the fact that you are not getting any backplate on this motherboard, which might not be a good thing for many considering the price you are paying here.

Overall, it is a lot safer to say that the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme is an excellent motherboard, it might as well be the best motherboard for i7 12700K, with rock-solid features, tons of options, and a great value of money, overall. You simply cannot go wrong with this motherboard, that is what I know.

We are all aware of the fact that Gigabyte motherboards have been amazing and there is nothing that can change that, either. The company has always been neck to neck with some of the top motherboard manufacturers like Asus and their Aorus line up is definitely something that can give you the performance you are looking for. So, it is only fair that we are looking at those on our list, too.

Now, it really should not come as a surprise to anyone that the Gigabyte Z690 AORUS MASTER is an excellent motherboard and as a matter of fact, one of the best, top-tier motherboards in the market. It actually is the best Gigabyte motherboard on this list and if that does not explain it to you, I do not know what will.

With that said, the motherboard brings excellent potential for overclocking. This means that if you are looking to push your CPU to the limits, then getting this motherboard is a wise choice as the experience here is amazing across the board. To further boost the confidence, I am happy to tell you that this motherboard brings a total of 105 A power stages, and I know it might sound insane but the performance and stability is off the charts and not something that will be disappointing you, either.

Moving further, you are getting all the goodness in terms of wireless connectivity including Wi-Fi 6E, so if you do want connectivity offerings that are top-tier, the option is here and you can enjoy it to its potential. 

Moving further, I am also happy to tell you that you are getting access to 10Gb LAN, which is more than enough for most modern internet connections as you are not going to run into any performance issues that might come your way.

One more thing that I do love about the Gigabyte Z690 AORUS MASTER is the fact that you are looking at a total of four M.2 Gen4 slots, which should be enough for all your memory expansions, and honestly, this is how things should be, too.

Not to forget, despite being chock full of features, the Gigabyte Z690 AORUS MASTER serves as an excellent motherboard with great price, as well. Something we do not see very often.

My only concern here is that the motherboard only comes with a single PCIe Gen5 slot. Which might not be enough for everyone.

Overall, it is more than safe to say that with the Gigabyte Z690 AORUS MASTER, you are looking at something that is going to deliver unparalleled performance across the board, easily out maneuvering the competition.

We have never really denied that MSI motherboards are excellent because we are all aware of the truth. My first experience with MSI was back in the day when I first got the chance to test out a GPU. Back then, MSI was a lot smaller than it is now, and well, it is good to see the company come so far and deliver even better options for all of us.

So, naturally, whenever you are looking at the MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi, I can assure you that the motherboard is not something that is going to deliver average performance. Sure, I have listed it down as a budget motherboard but do not let that fool you because if it is performance you want, then the good news is that you are going to get that performance regardless.

So, what is so good about this motherboard that it is on this list? Well, a lot, to be honest. For starters, the CPU overclocking potential on this motherboard is pretty decent for the price you are paying. Sure, the motherboard is not going to go against the flagship offerings that are available on the market but if it is a budget friendly motherboard you want that delivers good overall performance, then this is the one that you should be going for. 

With that said, you are getting Wi-Fi 6E along with all the other connectivity options that you are in the market for. Surely, this is a feature that most people have been looking for and that is a good thing, to be honest. 

You are also getting two PCIe 5.0 slots along with five M.2 slots, so if you genuinely are looking for something that is excellent in terms of speed, then getting this motherboard is the right decision.

Last but not the least, for everyone who does love RGB, you have ample RGB support/headers. Allowing you to have a wonderful experience overall, and something that you are not going to regret at all.

To be honest, the only downside that I would suggest is the fact that you are looking at just 2.5Gb ethernet and although this is not going to be a problem for me, it certainly is a feature that most people might not like.

Overall, it is simple and safe to say that the MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi is an amazing motherboard that will deliver top of the line performance that is not going to let you or anyone else down. Sure, it is on the budget-friendly side, but that does not stop it from performing like a champion.

Not everyone is looking to get their hands on the best and most expensive motherboard. More often than not, all we want is something affordable and something entry level because that more than gets the job done but the thing is that this gets overlooked more often than not, and that is fine, too. Now, the good thing is that in almost all the cases, MSI has got us covered, and we are going to take a look at some great motherboards from them.

Now, it is not a surprise that the MSI Pro Z690-A is not something that is going to be for a higher end build. But hey, that does not mean that it should be limited to average performance as the motherboard manages to outperform the competition in so many ways, and that I believe, is a great thing.

However, is it really worth the money? That is one thing that a lot of people have asked us a number of times and to be honest, it actually is.

For starters, with this motherboard, you are looking at something that is genuinely affordable and is not going to create any issues for you. If you are looking for a good motherboard for your i7 12700K but without spending all your savings, then this might as well be one of the best in the market. 

Moving further, we also need to know that the motherboard does deliver almost all the features that one would expect. So, if you are wondering that the experience is going to be watered down in some cases, then don’t worry because that is not the case here and that is a good thing, to say the least.

The motherboard does not draw a lot of power, and keeps a low profile, too. This is all thanks to the color neutral scheme that this motherboard has going on for itself, allowing you to have a good experience.

Honestly, my only concern here is that this motherboard does not have any advanced options or features and that might bug some people.

In conclusion, I am more than confident in telling everyone that the MSI Pro Z690-A is an excellent motherboard for anyone who is entering the 12^th generation market because the motherboard does deliver on almost all the fronts without any issues.

As we head closer to the list, we still see some great options for those who are looking for something that is good. Thankfully, if you want a motherboard that is good at overclocking, you can have something that is going to fill all your requirements and that too, without any issues coming in the way. Sure, you are more than likely to pay a good price but at least your needs are going to be met.

The motherboard that I have decided to feature here is the amazing MSI MEG Z690 Ace, and the reason why I say amazing is because it manages to deliver everything an enthusiast motherboard should deliver and that too, without any compromises. It is not what everyone would want but that is not what we are concerned about here.

Let’s start with the looks of the motherboard, shall we? If you have been searching for a motherboard that means business, you can close your eyes and pick this motherboard, and I can honestly tell you that you will not be disappointed by how this motherboard looks. However, I would mention that the looks on this motherboard are an acquired taste, so that is one thing that you must know.

What else is there? Well, the motherboard delivers absolutely beastly performance to a point that you are not going to be disappointed by how good this is. I know it might sound strange but this motherboard is built for those who want the best and nothing else.

Going forward, there are enough M.2 slots to keep you occupied. So, if you do want storage availability in terms of the option, this motherboard does cover you in that area, too. Another thing that I do love about this motherboard is that there is no RGB. Now, I do understand that this might not be welcomed by everyone but hey, if you do want stealthy looks, you cannot do better than this.

Honestly, there is not something that can break the overall experience with this motherboard. However, the lack of video outputs is something that might concern a few users but other than that, I cannot fault this motherboard.

Simply put, the MSI MEG Z690 Ace is an amazing motherboard built for enthusiasts and those who are not on the lookout for RGB lighting or other bells and whistles and just want a simple, rock-solid experience.

The last motherboard on our list is again from Gigabyte and this time around, we are looking at something special. No, no, last time I talked about an ITX motherboard being special but this time around, it is different. Gigabyte has done something that is for creators. So, if you have been wondering what needs to be looked at, this is the motherboard you should be looking at.

With that said, the motherboard we are looking at is the Gigabyte Z690 Aero G. Yes, the series was made famous recently and the best part is that for anyone who is looking for performance, and especially the ones who are creative, this is a great offering. The motherboard is great for a number of reasons to be honest, so you can never really be disappointed by how good it performs but still, we want to focus on what is so good about this.

For starters, the motherboard brings an interesting, Thunderbolt-like VisionLINK feature that makes the overall experience a lot better, to be honest. Something that will never really let you down. If you are in the mood to have ample storage, you would be happy to know that you are going to get access to four M.2 slots, which just makes the overall expansion experience a whole lot easier.

Not just that, this is one of the best-looking motherboards in the market and the price is also great, to be honest. You are not really spending a lot of money on this motherboard, which is great for everyone.

My only concern here, a slight one, is that you are getting a DDR4 variant, which results in a lack of performance as compared to what you would get if you were on DDR5.

Overall, the Gigabyte Z690 Aero G is an excellent motherboard that offers great value of money, looks, and stability. All the things one would want in a good motherboard.

Conclusion

I do understand that for newcomers, finding the right motherboard can be a complicated issue for people who are not as well-versed in the process of buying motherboards but hey, we are here to help you and allow you to get the best motherboard you can.

The purpose of this roundup is to ensure that you do not end up getting something that you do not like, to begin with. Rest assured, with this roundup in your hands, you will be able to spend your money wisely and end up with something that is great.

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