Gigabyte Z370 Aorus Ultra Gaming Overclocking

Jumping direct to the All-time Motherboard For i7 8700k would be the ideal pick, notwithstanding, we have to discuss the background of i7 8700k. The Intel Cadre i7 8700K was in the vanguard of their vastly popular Coffee Lake processors. Intel fans were quite relieved with the release of 8700K because AMD seemed to be taking it home with their Ryzen CPUs. With 6 cores and 12 threads, the 8700K was ane of the all-time options in Intel's Coffee Lake lineup of processors. Claiming up to 30% better gaming performances when compared to the i7-7700k, the 8th Gen Intel Cadre Processor 8700K found itself in the homes of many enthusiasts wanting to up their setups. However, this good news came with a catch.

The 8700K is viable only with the motherboards housing the 300 series chipsets. The 8700K can handle overclocking like a champ, provided yous have a cooler for I7 8700k. So why should you be limiting your Coffee Lake CPU's capabilities with a meager motherboard? We've taken the liberty to get together for y'all the 5 all-time motherboards with the Z370 chipsets that are viable for your 8700K. The claiming is non merely supporting the 8700K just letting y'all fully harness its power with a motherboard that can withstand the challenge.

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Our Picks for the Best Motherboards For i7 8700K

Choosing the blazon of motherboard for the i7 8700K, which is an enthusiast-class CPU, is non the easiest chore when edifice your dream gaming machine. Since the CPU itself has is quite performance-focused and requires make clean and stable ability from the motherboard, it is only wise to choose the motherboards that accept well-built power delivery systems and VRM components. Overclocking is another factor that comes into play in this determination, but our recommended best motherboard for i7 8700k should be able to handle that operation besides with varying levels of success.

Last Update on 2022-09-eleven at 06:43 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

1. Best Overclocking Motherboard for i7 8700K - ASUS ROG Maximus Ten Code

Height Performance

Pros

Asus ROG Armor and a Pre-Mounted I/O shield
USB 3.1 Gen 2 Compatibility
eight+2+2 Power Phase Blueprint
Asus 5-way Optimization
Impressive Blueprint Language

Cons

Incredibly Pricy
But One USB 2.0 Header Onboard

In the motherboard manufacture, Asus might but be the biggest proper name to appointment. Fourth dimension and time again, they've proven why the Republic of Gamers tag is superior to all others. Intel'southward Coffee Lake processors inverse the game for many and Asus was among the starting time to jump on board and bring out their vastly pop (but a lilliputian pricey) Maximus line of motherboards. With dual-aqueduct DDR4 RAM for up to 4133MHz, BIOS flashback, and many more, the Maximus X Code has made it to the very height of our list.

The Maximus X Code comes with an eight+ii+2 stage power design with the CPU getting eight phases and the integrated graphics cards and retentiveness both receiving 2 each. The Code's phase blueprint honestly, is a bit overkill even for hardcore overclockers. With this lineup, Asus has opted for 10K Black Capacitors which accept a lifetime of 10,000 hours if ran at a abiding 105 degrees Celsius. Of class, your PC won't ever exist turned on and neither will the temperature be that high then expect a much higher lifetime. The metal Grand.2 heatsinks very efficiently dissipate estrus and keep your motherboard cool. The ability efficiency and the overall aesthetic piece of work in unison to not merely optimize load but temperatures every bit well using rut sinks or airflow.

The Maximus Ten Lawmaking is equipped with the exclusive ROG technology- the ROG Armor. The ROG Armor enhances the cooling of the Code motherboard while never compromising on the manner. An ABS top cover with its high heat resistance prevents GPUs from overheating and thus stabilizing their performance. Additionally, a strong SECC backplate acts as a backbone to the PCB- preventing it from bending. With the Code'southward efficient eight+ii+2 phase design and the ROG Armor, the overclocking enthusiasts tin can rest easy and never stress about the Code reaching its limits. Another thing that the Code has to show is the dual 802.11AC antenna with MU-MIMO technology. With everything else that the Code has, don't let the ROG Armor and the dual antennas slide by unnoticed.

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Best Motherboard for i7 8700K — ASUS ROG Maximus Ten Code

The Code has a total of 2x USB 3.i Gen ii, 6x USB iii.one Gen one, and 6x USB ports (2.0). In the memory domain, 4x DIMM DDR4 slots can entertain up to 64 Gigs of RAM and 4133MHz at overclocked. Similarly for expansion slots, you get 2x PCI-E 3.0 at x16, 1x PCI-E iii.0 at x4, and 3x PCI-E two.0 at x1. One of the dual M.two slots on the Code sits below the heatsink whereas the 2nd has a vertical mount. The Maximus 10 Code shines bright in terms of non just performance simply aesthetics and design as well. With the RGB headers, a new earth of vibrant colors can exist opened upward. And lest you forget, all of these can be paired and synced with Asus Aura Sync and so that your strips are illuminated in sync.

The Maximus X Lawmaking has everything yous could enquire for your i7 8700K processor and and then some. With such an overkill board, exist prepared to accept a big chunk taken out of your wallet. But at that place is no denying that the Maximus X Lawmaking gets y'all your money'southward worth and, on the surface, get everything right ultimately making it the best gaming motherboard.

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ii. Best High-End Motherboard for i7 8700K - ASUS ROG Maximus Ten Hero

High-End Offer

Pros

A Beefy Yard.2 Heatsink
Supports XMP profiles
Solid VRM Thermal Performance
Ambitious Aesthetics
Loads of Connectivity

Cons

High Ability Consumption Under Load
Blueprint Might Not Lucifer Every Build

By now, it shouldn't exist much of a surprise that nosotros've chosen the Asus ROG MAXIMUS 10 HERO as the second-best Z370 motherboard. After all, the Maximus X Hero is still 1 of the virtually popular ones for hardcore enthusiasts with an 8th Gen processor. Past improving upon the existing 9 Hero edition, Asus put together a fantastic lath.

The Asus Maximus X Hero looks quite similar to the Lawmaking, following the aforementioned rectangular PCB with the iconic ROG shields and heatsinks. Underneath the black and gunmetal colour scheme is an 8+ii power phase design. The Hero uses the same 10K black metal capacitors and NexFET MOSFETS as the Code. While the 8+ii+2 phase blueprint of the Code is better, the Hero'south 8+2 design stage is sufficient enough for overclocking as well. As such, the Hero is powered by one 8 pin ATX connector for the processor. Asus has equipped the Hero with half dozen SATA3 ports and similar to Code, has 2 Yard.2 slots with i beingness covered by a heat sink.

The G.2 heat shield is in between the PCI-E x16 slot with Hero having 2x PCI-E x16, 1x PCI-E iii.0 x6, and 3x three.0/2.0 x1 PCIe slots. For retention, the Hero can support a maximum of 64 GB of DDR4 RAM with its 4 RAM slots. The Hero does have support for Intel XMP which predefines overclocking configurations to make everything easier.

The reinforced and integrated I/O shield has DisplayPort and HDMI port along with USB 3.1 Gen1 & 2. You can never go incorrect with that. There is a Type-C connector in the I/O port however a Thunderbolt port seems to be missing from the Hero. As for the BIOS, you can discover Clear CMOS and BIOS flashback buttons in the rear. And lastly, you can too detect an Intel I219V LAN port with an anti-surge LANGuard for protection along with a standard audio box with aureate plated ports.

Equally we've established past now that a gaming motherboard but is non complete without that customizable RGB lighting functioning. Besides, it's well known by now that any product with RGB enabled gets an upgrade in its value. The ROG lineup motherboards have some of the brightest ways of illumination. The Hero makes use of ROG's Aura lighting controls which lets y'all match your aesthetics to your needs. Ranging from static and breathing presets to music affects a stream of light and tail, the Aura Sync lets you practice it all. And with the portfolio of Aura-enabled hardware growing more and more, the options are limitless.

The Maximus X Hero is somewhat of a more affordable option compared to the Code but nonetheless is quite expensive. However, every bit many users have expressed, the Hero remains 1 of the best options for Intel's Coffee-Lake processors, and for skilful reason. And every bit testings prove, the eight+ii stage pattern proved sufficient for the most important characteristic "overclocking". The Hero is good on that end likewise.

3. Near Well-Rounded Motherboard for i7 8700K - GIGABYTE Z370 AORUS Ultra Gaming Wi-Fi

The Reasonable Choice

Pros

Excellent Bang For The Buck
Suitable Choice for Medium Overclocking
Attractive Aesthetics
Reinforced RAM Slots
Comes with ESD and Surge Protection

Cons

Upright SATA Ports
No Onboard Buttons
Lack of Onboard Displayport

With lists like these, we like to save the tertiary spot for the nigh well-rounded and optimized production which offers as many premium features as possible while sporting a much friendlier toll tag. GIGABYTE has a soft spot in our hearts for existence a company defended to providing gamers with some of the best blindside-for-buck products. The Z370 Aorus Ultra Gaming is another affordable ATX motherboard with a fantastic design, Optane storage, and a decent amount of RGB customizations.

Despite being labeled as a more affordable and mainstream solution to the Z370 chipsets, GIGABYTE has actually equipped this board with some very decent aesthetics. The GIGABYTE logo and Aorus text light up along with some strips hither and at that place- including the RAM slots. All of these are customizable and changeable via the BIOS or GIGABYTE's RGB Fusion app. Information technology's true that the Aorus Ultra Gaming's pattern does not let it stand out that much, however, the aesthetics really spice up once it is turned on with the lights adding a fair bit of ambiance to it. Like about of GIGABYTE'south motherboards for the Z370 chipsets, the Aorus Ultra Gaming makes use of a 12+ane phase blueprint for power delivery which should be adequate for all intents.

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The 4x DDR4 DIMM slots tin can let you install RAM of up to 64 GB which can be overclocked to 4000MHz. And overclockers should rejoice because this budget-friendly motherboard does back up XMP profiles to make overclocking easier. Taking a quick rundown of the specs offered, we have: 1x DVI port, 1x HDMI port, 3x PCI-E 3.0 slots, 6x SATA connectors going up to 6Gbps, and 2 Grand.2 PCI-E x4 slots. In the connectivity department, the Aorus Ultra Gaming has 6x USB 3.one ports, 6x USB 2.0 ports, 1x USB Type-C port forth with a legacy PS/two connector. The initial version came without a Wi-Fi module withal, the latest variants come up equipped with an 802.11AC Wi-Fi flake.

GIGABYTE besides equips the Z370 Aorus Ultra Gaming with ESD and surge protection along with an anti-sulfur design. As a bonus, it comes with Intel's Optane retention which Intel has really been trying to push for quite some time now. That is an added benefit that comes with this board and you can actually brand use of Optane if you're building a PC with but an HDD. Overclocking on the Aorus Ultra Gaming is actually a charm with GIGABYTE'due south software and BIOS. With this lath'south smartly designed infrastructure, it manages to handle loads quite well. Withal, we did notice some high-temperature bumps that can be a fleck alarming over longer periods of time. Additionally, overclockers require onboard buttons and a debugging LED but this board lacks those.

The GIGABYTE AORUS rightfully lives up to its appellation equally a "gaming motherboard" with its heavy-duty performance at overclocked CPU speeds, pushing the organisation's performance to its limits. All these compelling features are a telltale for the solid bang it volition give for your money. We have to acknowledge, the upright SATA ports were a little off-putting for us at the first but GIGABYTE Aorus Ultra Gaming showed robust performance and that's something we must appreciate. Plus, you also go some amazing RGB lights for a budget-priced motherboard- and who's gonna say no to that?

4. Best Value Motherboard for i7 8700K - MSI Z370 GAMING PRO CARBON Air conditioning

Value Selection

Pros

PCI-Eastward and RAM Slots Are Reinforced
Extremely Durable Components
Understated Looks
Attractive RGB Implementation
Good Connectivity Options

Cons

The Wi-Fi Card Is Not Integrated
No Reset or Clear CMOS push button
Unintuitive RGB Software

MSI is set out to add together Z370 GAMING PRO CARBON Air-conditioning to their impressive pedigree of remarkable motherboards under their banner. As we noted in our in-depth Z370 Gaming Pro Carbon Review, The Z370 Gaming Pro Carbon Air conditioning is similar in some areas to its Z270 predecessors. However, with more retention back up, a 95W socket, a good VRM design, and WiFi connectivity, MSI improves upon previous models with this. Armed with military class-5 components, MSI helps instill some assurance in our minds about this board'south durability. However, in gild for information technology to be worthy of being in your possession, it nonetheless has a lot to respond for. And so let's get started.

The MSI Z370 Gaming Pro Carbon Air conditioning is a finely crafted-looking lath that you lot volition certainly like right out the box. With some carbon-cobweb-styled components here and in that location, the proper noun also reflects what this lath entails. It is powered with a 10+2 phase pattern with 10 phases for CPU and 2 for memory. We've previously witnessed motherboards with a 12 phase design be somewhat platonic for overclocking. And that's the case with this board every bit well. We'll exist getting into overclocking soon but you ought to know that with its single BIOS and lack of reset or clear CMOS buttons

Its 4x DIMM slots will let you install upward to 64 Gigs of RAM which can go up to 4000MHz in overclocked. The DIMM slots are metallically reinforced to add a scrap of strength around them for more immovability. And that'due south always appreciated. At that place are 3x PCI-E x16 slots forth with 6x SATA3 ports and 2 M.2 slots. These PCI-Due east slots come equipped with MSI'due south Steel Armor engineering science for reinforcing. For the audio and wireless options, MSI uses the Realtek ALC1220 Sound Codec and uses an external Intel WiFi card. And lastly, the rear I/O port comprises of 1x PS/ii port, 2x USB 2.0 ports, 6x USB 3.0 ports, a DisplayPort, and HDMI port along with the standard RJ45 and audio box connections. All pretty straightforward.

Overclocking with the Z370 Pro Carbon AC is a bit of a tricky route. While that big chunk of a heatsink does aid in keeping temperatures depression, they can still go quite high. Additionally, the power consumption levels even in idle modes ascension upwards to high levels and vary quite a lot. That's not a expert sign because yous want consistency. Getting to 5Ghz is easy to maintain, provided y'all have a decent cooling solution. However, any more that and you run a risk raising some apropos alarms. The overclocking results of the Z370 Pro Carbon AC show that it is just non the all-time choice for that.

The Z370 Gaming Pro Carbon Ac is packed with features that are ideal for mid-end PCs. Withal, at such loftier a price, you lot're actually not getting the performance and results you would hope for. It rocks a $200 toll tag whereas Asus TUF Z370 Pro-Gaming will cost you lot half that. And the TUF Z370 Pro Gaming motherboard is not a bad choice either for mid-end usage. It's truthful that this Z370 board has a better VRM design merely if you're looking for a lath for overclocking, you should look into the 3 boards in a higher place. Still, when push comes to shove, you lot can end up satisfied with the MSI Z370 Pro-Gaming Ac however, you can go other boards for much friendlier toll tags that offer about similar functioning results.

five. Best Affordable Motherboard for i7 8700K - ASUS TUF Z370-PRO Gaming

Upkeep Oriented

Pros

Affordable Option
Durable Components
Comes with Optane And M.2 Storage Options
Dual M.2 Slots

Cons

Average VRM Pattern
Lack of RGB Lighting
Fixed Yellowish Accents

ASUS is widely known for the reliability and multifariousness they give to their products, raising it to the level of "Number one motherboard manufacturers in the globe" over the years. In fact, enthusiasts have been picking sides in the ASUS vs MSI argue for years now when it comes to motherboards. We've already talked virtually Asus'southward motherboards in this article yet, the TUF Z370 Pro Gaming is one nosotros only can't look past. Before ROG took over, the TUF lineup of motherboards were Asus'due south knights in shining armor. But don't allow that get you down because the Z370 Pro Gaming rocks itself with a very attractive pricetag while rocking the TUF armor.

The TUF Z30 Pro-Gaming is some other good motherboard which sports a blackness color with yellow accents around it. However, in that location are no RGB zones for those looking to spice things up. That can limit the flexibility a little bit, the black and yellow color pattern is pretty neutral as it allows this motherboard to blend in with about any setup. There are RGB lighting headers present merely that'due south about it. As for the build, folks familiar with the ROG lineup motherboards will notation that the build quality is not as promising. However, Asus has however done a pretty good job with it. Information technology is powered up with a four+two+i stage design which, as far every bit overclocking goes, isn't anything reassuring.

The TUF Z30 Pro-Gaming motherboard has 4x DIMM slots for retention support of upwardly to 64 Gigs at 4000MHz (OC). Pretty much the standard for Z370 chipsets. Forth with 3x PCI-Due east x16 slots, information technology also has two M.2 slots for PCI-E x4 Gen3. And, this motherboard can back up Nvidia ii-Mode SLI and AMD 2-Fashion CrossFireX technology for multi-GPU. Asus makes employ of Realtek ALC1220S audio chipset for this motherboard which is fairly common, as nosotros've seen by now. For storage, along with the G.2 ports you lot also take 6x SATA3 ports and Intel'due south Optane Memory. And lastly, in the rear I/O department, you take 6x USB 3.i ports, 2x USB two.0 ports, DVI-D and HDMI ports, an RJ45 connector forth with the standard audio box.

With motherboards sporting a friendlier toll tag, overclocking performances usually take a hit. And although the TUF Z370 Pro-Gaming is quite a well-balanced and rounded board for gamers, information technology can't handle overclocking all that well. With its 4+2+1 phase pattern, this TUF motherboard can't handle high loads all that well. Even with a cooling solution installed, the temperatures rose up to about lxx-80 degrees Celsius with the 8700K overclocked. Overclocking without an efficient cooling solution, well nosotros'll get out that to your imagination. Additionally, this motherboard is quite power-hungry with its consumption going up to over 260W in high load at stock settings when paired with high-terminate components. All of these should raise some alarms for you if you lot are planning on overclocking your 8700K.

Originally, ASUS labeled this motherboard as the "budget lath", yet it encompasses all the required features and functioning levels that typify a loftier-end organisation. Certain, it does non have the over-the-summit features like Asus's Maximus lineup, but it is still a pretty solid board. And despite the lack of RGB, the black and yellowish scheme has its own charm about it that some might like. For a budget board, the TUF Z370 Pro-Gaming is a decent choice and you lot'll surely be able to reap the benefits of an 8700K processor with this board.

Best Motherboards for i7 8700K - FAQs

What motherboards piece of work with i7 8700K?

The motherboards that officially back up the Core i7-8700K include the motherboards with the Z390, Z370, Q370, H370, B365, B360, and H310 chipsets. The motherboards that use the Z-series chipsets, z370 and z390, are more often than not superior to those that utilize the B, Q, or H series chipsets and take extra features such as unlocked overclocking support, etc. Since the i7-8700K is an enthusiast-class CPU, it makes sense to purchase a Z-series chipset motherboard with this particular processor.

Is Z490 compatible with i7 8700K?

No, the Z490 chipset is non compatible with the i7-8700K. Since the Z490 chipset came together with Intel'due south tenth generation of processors, manner later the release of the 8700K, Intel did non decide to support the venerable 8th generation flagship on the new chipset. Another simple reason for this move is that the Z490 motherboards use the LGA 1200 socket which is physically dissimilar from the LGA 1151 socket that the i7-8700K uses. Thus, it is physically impossible to install an 8700K in a Z490 motherboard.

What socket does the i7 8700K use?

The i7-8700K uses the LGA 1151 socket which is the socket Intel used for all the 8th generation of processors. LGA stands for "Line Grid Array" and it basically signifies that all the gilt contact pins are situated inside the motherboard socket, rather than beingness attached with the CPU itself. The number "1151" denotes the total number of the pins that were present inside the socket, therefore completing the codename LGA 1151.

Is the i7 8700K good in 2020?

In a nutshell, yeah! The i7-8700K is yet a pretty great gaming CPU in 2022. At present information technology isn't going to top any benchmark charts when compared to 9900k similar it did when information technology was first released, but it nonetheless holds its own against the mid-range contest from AMD and even the mid-range offerings from subsequent Intel generations. It also holds its own pretty well against the Core i7 8086K, a special CPU from the aforementioned generation. Its half dozen cores and 12 threads are nowhere near the limit of existence saturated past modern games, and the overclocking full-blooded from Intel means that you can fifty-fifty squeeze out some extra operation if you have decent cooling and a solid motherboard.

Factors To Consider Before Purchasing

Motherboards are among the nigh critical components of a gaming or workstation PC every bit they offering a base of operations platform for you to lay the foundation of your particular build. Since they don't contribute directly to the performance numbers you lot may run into on your screen, information technology is really easy to forget their importance and to either under-spend or over-spend on your board. Hit the perfect balance is essential in this procedure, every bit it would secure the safety and reliability of your build for years to come, while also providing an excellent value proposition.

Upgrade Path

One of the factors that yous should keep in your mind while making a purchase decision has to exist the upgrade path that you can look from your investment. Oftentimes, a motherboard is not the component that is belongings back the performance of your item build, and so people tend to use the same motherboard for a long time. In such cases, it is important to programme ahead and choose a platform that would not only unlock the full potential of your current CPU simply would too give you a path to upgrade to subsequent generations in the future.

Features and Connectivity

Present, marketing jargon and meaningless catchphrases are plentiful in the motherboard market place and i needs just to accept a wait at the back of the motherboard retail box to find them. Even so, in that location are some features that are really useful and therefore, should exist considered in the purchasing process. Features like the inclusion of Wi-Fi, ameliorate connectivity with 2.five GbE or even 10 GbE LAN ports, solid onboard audio, BIOS Flashback, CMOS Clear, and onboard Kick/Reset buttons are all quite important and offering a ton of convenience down the line. DIfferentiating gimmicks from features is an essential function of the buying process as outlined past our guide on how much you should actually spend on a motherboard.

In social club to further explore the multitude of factors that are involved in the buy conclusion for a motherboard, yous should check out our comprehensive motherboard buying guide. Following the guidelines listed in our guide would ensure that you lot make the perfect motherboard choice for your item use case.

This was our best motherboards for i7 8700k guide, don't be hesitant to share your feedback in the comments.