Best motherboards for the Intel Core i7-14700K in 2024
Our picks to house your new CPU, whatever your needs or budget these are the best motherboards for i7 14700K.
The Intel Core i7-14700K is Intel's latest and one of its greatest CPUs that caters to both gamers and content creators looking for excellent performance alongside all of the bells and whistles they need for the complete machine. Whilst the 14700K vs the 13700K from last year may not bring a huge leap in performance, it still offers a bump up in core counts that may be more beneficial for the content creators out there.
Intel stuck with Z790 for the 14th Gen range, so the boards released last year will also work just fine with a BIOS update. However, there are still a new range of boards that have been launched alongside the new CPUs to make it more straightforward and to add a few extra features such as Wi-Fi 7.
Best budget Z790
The Pro Series from MSI is a highly rated offering for those on more of a budget, and it offers all of the core features you would need for a solid gaming system. A 16+1+1 power stages rated at 80A along with an extended heat sink. MOSFET thermal pads as well as for the choke. Support for DDR5 speeds of 7800 MHz. Three PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots for ample storage and Wi-Fi 7.
Best midrange Z790
MSI’s Tomahawk MAX WiFi board supports Intel 14th Gen and Wi-Fi 7. It has a 16+1+1 power design, DDR5 support up to 7800+(OC) MHz, one Gen 5 M.2 slot with a heat sink, and two Gen 4 M.2 slots. The updated model also features some cute yellow accents.
Alternative all-rounder Z790
This motherboard is ideal for a white-themed PC build, featuring a 16+1+2 power solution at 70A, chunky heatsinks, high conductivity thermal pads, an L-shaped heat pipe, Wi-Fi 7, a Thunderbolt (USB4.0) header, a 20G Type-C front panel connector with 30W PD charging, and five M.2 slots. Its I/O is great for content creators and the board supports 14th Gen CPUs.
Best all-rounder
The Aorus Master X supports Intel’s 14th Gen CPUs, features a 20+1+2 phase power solution, cutting-edge thermal design, five M.2 slots, Wi-Fi 7, and 10GbE LAN. It’s an excellent choice for those considering a 14700K.
Best premium Z790
The MEG motherboard features a 24+1+2 power delivery system, stacked fin array design, aluminum backplate, direct touch cross heat-pipe, enlarged PCH heatsink, dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, dual 2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 7, and an ESS audio DAC. It’s an E-ATX board ideal for top-tier builds, so you'll need a big case to fit.
Premium alternative Z790
ASUS’s Z790 platform is designed for overclockers, with the Hero featuring a 20+1 power delivery, one-click fan tuning, AI controls in the EzMode UEFI interface, DDR5 RAM overclocking up to 7800MHz, two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, and onboard RGB. A BIOS update is required for 14th Gen Intel CPU compatibility.
Choosing the best motherboard for the Intel Core i7-14700K
Why you can trust Windows Central
There you have, these are some of the best motherboards for the Intel Core i7-14700K. The Intel Core i7-14700K is very much like last year's Core i9-13900K in terms of performance and power draw, so does require a motherboard capable of dealing with it. Fortunately, most of the motherboards sold now can deal with this, but some are better optimized than others.
All of the motherboards above are designed to run the 14th Gen out of the box, barring the last one from ASUS, which will need a BIOS update. The hardware though, is perfectly capable of handling anything thrown at it.
There's no need to spend a ton of cash on the higher-end boards unless the specific features appeal to you, or you're looking at doing intensive tasks or overclocking. Remember, these boards are obsolete once Intel's 15th Gen arrives with a new socket and chipset. The 14700K however should be lasting you a few years at least anyway.
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Dan is a tech contributor on Windows Central. A long time Xbox gamer and former partner on Microsoft's retired streaming platform Mixer, he can often be found crying into a cup of tea whilst thinking about Windows Phone. You can follow Dan on Twitter where you will find him talking about tech, Formula 1 and his latest victories in Battle Royale games.