Last Updated on September 25, 2024 by Adams
The motherboard, also known as the mainboard, is the most important part of any PC. A motherboard has the fundamental task of correctly managing and powering all the various components connected to it, therefore processor, RAM, hard disk, SSD, video card, burner, and so on. We have compiled some of the best motherboards for i7 8700 non k in the article. We suggest you have a look at them and keep your search going.
To choose a motherboard for i7 8700 non-k processors, the most important factors to consider before buying one are above all three: the format, the socket, and the chipset used. To understand which motherboard to buy, we will try to clarify your ideas on each aspect.
All motherboards that are on the market are distinguished, first, according to the size used. Then, a certain number of standard formats have been created to avoid compatibility problems, among which the most common on the market is the so-called ATX standard, with dimensions of 305 × 244 mm.
The so-called microATX standard, called a time even µATX, mATX, or uATX, has maximum dimensions of 244 × 244 millimeters.
In addition to the dimensions, the substantial difference between one format and another of any motherboard consists, above all, in the number of ports and slots present on the motherboard itself.
Therefore, if you do not have particular space problems with your case, my advice is always to choose the ATX format, as it usually represents the format that offers the greatest expandability.
After the format, what distinguishes a motherboard from another is also the type of socket used, which, in a nutshell, allows you to connect the chosen processor to the motherboard in question. On the market, contrary to what happens for the format, it is, however, possible to find only two types of sockets:
- those from Intel, which are currently LGA 1200 and LGA 2066;
- and those of AMD, which instead are the PGA AM4, the LGA TR4, and the LGA sTRX4.
Regardless of the brand and type of socket you choose, the most important thing is the particular socket that can affect the selection of the processor. Consequently, if you buy a motherboard equipped with the socket, for example, 1200 or AM4, you will have to buy a processor equipped, respectively, with the 1200 or AM4 socket; otherwise, you will not be able to mount the chosen processor on the motherboard in question.
The last factor, but not least, that distinguishes a motherboard from another is also the so-called chipset, which has the fundamental task of sorting and directing the information passing between the CPU, the RAM, the hard disk.
In addition, other components present within the system. Very often, in fact, except for particular characteristics, this chipset most influences the price of a given motherboard.
Depending upon chipsets, Intel has various categories, whereas AMD divides into the TR4 / TRX40 platform. In any case, if you wish to have more information about the features offered by each type of these chipsets, you could try to consult the respective pages that I have just indicated.
In addition to the appropriate format, the socket used, and the chipset used, you should also consider several other secondary characteristics when you are about to purchase a particular motherboard. A good motherboard nowadays should also offer support for all the latest standards available. Among these, the most important ones to consider are currently:
- the USB 3.1 standard, also called USB 3.2 Gen 2, is used to connect external peripherals;
- the PCI Express 4.0 standard, used to connect video cards but not only;
- the SATA 3.0, SATA Express, and M.2 standards connect hard drives, SSDs, and burners/readers.
Best Motherboard for i7 8700 non k (Comparison)
| Name | Dimensions | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS PRIME Z370-A | 12.01 x 1 x 8.58 inches | 2.5 Pounds | |
| MSI Z390-A PRO | 12 x 9.6 x 1.2 inches | 0.7 Pounds | Check Price |
| GIGABYTE Z390 UD | 12.79 x 10.23 x 2.75 inches | 1 Pounds | Check Price |
ASUS PRIME Z370-A
The ASUS PRIME Z370-A motherboard offers a very enticing feature set nicely complemented by stylish design and traditionally high quality.
It comes in a cardboard box with good information, including a table of characteristics and key benefits of each system node.
As for the design, we see the combination of a black PCB and white-silver components that has already become traditional for the ASUS PRIME line. Most users will definitely like this look: it is not provocative and, at the same time, pleasant.
Not without backlighting, which consists of eight LEDs on the right side of the PCB. You can adjust the parameters of their glow in the bundled software.
There are the following elements at the bottom of the novelty: a front panel audio connector, TPM and COM ports, TB_HEADER connector (for implementing the Thunderbolt interface), and connectors for connecting an LED strip and a temperature sensor, as well as a front panel connector.
Additionally, we note two pads for activating USB 2.0 ports and one for USB 3.1 Gen 1. In total, the board supports six USB 2.0 ports and six USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports: four internal and two on the interface panel.
The cooling system comes with 3 primary aluminum radiators: job of the first one is to take heat from the Intel Z370 chipset, the other two cover the CPU power subsystem’s components.
Two M.2 Socket 3 interfaces (SSD formats M.2 2242, M.2 2260, M.2 2280 are supported) and six SATA 6 Gb/s ports represent the possibilities of organizing a disk subsystem. The Z370-A motherboard has four DIMM slots for installing DDR4 memory modules, which are equipped with latches on one side only for greater convenience.
Besides, there is a second block for connecting a remote panel with USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, as well as the “Power on” and “MemOK!” Buttons. The latter allows you to automatically select the necessary parameters for the operation of the RAM for a successful start of the system.
The processor is powered according to a 10-phase scheme for computing cores and additional nodes. The converter itself is based on the ASP1400BT digital PWM controller. As a result, all components of the processor power supply are highly reliable, efficient, and stable.
Suppose you decide to take advantage of the capabilities of the graphics core integrated into the CPU. In that case, you have three video outputs (HDMI, Display Port, and DVI-D) at your disposal, serviced by the ASMedia ASM1442K chip.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Black PCB and white-silver components | Limited installation manual |
| Eight LEDs on the PCB | |
| Three aluminum radiators |
Conclusion:
The layout of the onboard elements is top-notch; therefore, despite the presence of additional buttons and connectors, the process of assembling the system. At the reverse side of the ASUS PRIME Z370-A, you will find the standard base plate of the processor socket, as well as the screws holding the heatsinks of the cooling system.
MSI Z390-A PRO
The MSI Z390-A PRO motherboard is one of the more affordable models with the Intel Z390 chipset. The main features of this motherboard are its austere appearance, a minimal set of connectors and interfaces, but the main thing is the ability to overclock the processor and memory.
The motherboard comes in a cardboard box decorated in a modest and laconic way. There is only the name of the manufacturer and the model of the motherboard.
The manufacturer tried to make the product as cost-effective as possible to manufacture. As a result, it has only one heatsink on the CPU power area.
In addition, in this board model, brown textolite is used, which can often be seen in budget products of the electronics industry.
The manufacturer declares compatibility with the module frequency from 2133 to 2666 MHz. In case of overclocking, the frequency of the RAM can be increased to an impressive 4400 MHz. Not far from the RAM connectors, there is a connector for USB 3.1 output to the front panel of the PC case.
It offers two PCIe 3.0×16 slots for expansion cards and graphics adapters, which can work in a 16×4 scheme when using AMD 2-Way Crossfire technology. The board also has four PCIe 3.0 x1 slots for other peripherals.
The Intel Z390 chipset is cooled by a small aluminum heatsink that contacts the crystal through the thermal paste. Two spring-loaded struts provide the clamp. On the right edge of the MSI Z390-A PRO, there are six SATA-3 6 GB/s ports for connecting storage and optical devices.
The Z390 motherboard is equipped with an M.2 slot with NVMe support. Therefore, for example, the Samsung 970 Pro can provide linear read and write speeds up to 3500/3200 MB/s.
Moreover, there is an M.2 connector with a Key-E key for installing a Wi-Fi module. Unfortunately, the latter is not included in the package and must be purchased separately. As part of the assembly, the A-PRO looks ordinary and stands out little due to its subtle design.
The Z390 motherboard can overclock the processor and RAM. The corresponding settings are found in the BIOS of the motherboard. Therefore, with the help of this motherboard, you can overclock Intel Core i7-8700k to the coveted 5.0 GHz without any problems.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Overclocking the processor and memory | Few USB connectors |
| The massive heatsink on the VRM zone | |
| AMD 2-Way Crossfire support |
Conclusion:
MSI Z390-A PRO is a budget motherboard, but to get a little more performance by overclocking the processor and RAM. The strengths of the board are the extremely affordable cost and the presence of the Intel Z390 chipset.
GIGABYTE Z390 UD
This motherboard is one of the cheapest motherboards based on the Z390 chipset among leading manufacturers such as ASUS, Asrock, MSI, and Gigabyte.
Second, the manufacturer supports the 8th and 9th generation Intel Core i9, Intel Core i7, Intel Core i5, and Celeron processors.
The processor power system was implemented according to the 5+2 scheme, where five processor power phases were doubled to reduce their heating, and the remaining 2 phases feed the video-core.
It is made in the ATX format, which allows the microcircuits and connectors to be spaced far enough, affecting the convenience of installation and further cooling of the entire system assembly inside the case.
The company Realtek GbE LAN (10/100/1000 Mbit) was installed, which provides high and reliable communication. There are six SATA ports, which is quite enough.
The main PCI-E slot for a video card is reinforced with a metal plate. On top of it, there is a slot for connecting an M.2 disk. The board on the rear panel has two PS/2 connectors for a mouse and a keyboard, respectively, six USB 3.1 ports, output to a network controller.
In addition, there is only one HDMI connector for using the video-core built into the processor and three standard outputs from the built-in sound card.
The advantage of the Z390 UD is that the developers did not skimp on the processor power system and cooling the mainboard elements. There is an additional 4-pin CPU power connector here, which complements the standard 8-pin ATX 12v.
The heat dissipation system of the board includes three aluminum radiators. Two of them remove heat from the batteries, and the third is designed to cool the chipset. The heatsinks are painted in black and gray tones and do not stand out from the overall design of the motherboard.
This motherboard has four slots for installing memory modules and supports up to 128 GB ram. In addition, support is provided for working with modules that operate at frequencies up to 4266 MHz.
The 8-channel Realtek ALC887 codec is responsible for audio output on the board. The designers split the right and left channels into different layers of the PCB. In addition, noise-shielding technology has been implemented to improve sound quality.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 8-channel Realtek ALC887 audio codec | Only for Intel processors |
| Six SATA ports | |
| It supports up to 128 GB ram |
Conclusion:
This motherboard can provide many goodies present on the Z390 chipset, a good processor power system, capable of overclocking the i7 8700k up to 5 GHz, all for reasonable money.
Final Verdict:
When assembling a computer, there is usually, a special focus on the choice of processor and graphics card, but it is much more important to choose the right motherboard.
Each computer component connects to the motherboard, so the design parameters will determine the size of the computer and the number of components you can connect, and the chipset / CPU connector will determine which processor you can install.
Recommended Readings (Rated Recommendation)