The best LGA 1200 motherboards are designed for gamers who want to build a powerful gaming PC that can handle the latest games. These motherboards offer features like overclocking, RGB lighting, and more.
The lga 1200 motherboards list is a great way to find the best LGA 1200 motherboard for your needs.
Intel unveiled a new socket for its 10th-generation processors, dubbed Comet Lake, which are presently the fastest gaming chips ever created. Intel has always changed sockets more often than AMD, causing many users to switch to the newer platform in order to utilize the new-gen CPUs. While I don’t suggest utilizing the 10th gen CPUs if you’re already using an Intel 8th or 9th gen processor, if you’re building a new gaming or workstation PC, you should consider switching from the LGA 1151 socket to an LGA 1200 motherboard.
LGA 1200 motherboards provide a few small improvements over prior LGA 1151 boards and are only compatible with Intel’s 10th generation CPUs, such as the i3 10100, i5 10400F, i5 10600K, i7 10700K, and i9 10900K. In comparison to the 9th generation CPUs, they have more cores and hyperthreading, as well as faster clock rates.
Chipsets for the LGA 1200 socket
There are five distinct chipsets in the LGA 1200 motherboard lineup: H410, B460, W480, H470, and Z490. The H410 is the entry-level chipset for simple PC designs, while the B460 and H470 are for mid-range PCs, and the W480 is for workstations. The Z490, on the other hand, is designed for high-end gaming PCs and overclocking for the best results.
The roles of chipsets
H410– The H410 chipset, like the H310 and H110 chipsets before it, is a relatively simple chipset with less functionality than the other chipsets in the motherboard series. H410 chipset motherboards will include two DIMM slots, one PCI-E x16 slot, ten USB ports (most of which are USB 2.0), up to four SATA connections, six PCI lanes, and one M.2 slot.
Overclocking, Intel Optane Memory support, and Raid setup will not be available.
This chipset is ideal for anybody who is constructing a PC on a tight budget and does not need any overclocking capabilities. It will work well with locked CPUs like the i3 10100 and even the i5 10400. H410 chipset motherboards are ideal for gaming PCs with a price range of $300 to $500.
B460– In comparison to the H410, the B460 chipset has additional DIMM slots and improved integrated capabilities for connecting numerous peripherals or components. It doesn’t allow overclocking, but it’s ideal for PCs that will need upgrades other than an unlocked CPU in the future.
A B460 chipset board does not often enable SLI, although it can handle up to two-way AMD CrossfireX and multiple PCI-E x16 slots. It has 16 PCI lanes and will be quicker even if several fast storage devices, such as an NVME SSD, are connected. It can hold up to two M.2 slots and has built-in WiFi.
H470– The H470 chipset is comparable to the B460 chipset in general, except it has more PCI lanes and can support more USB ports. It features 20 PCI lanes, up to 16 in the B460, and up to 14 USB ports, which is two more than the B460.
W480– This is a workstation chipset that works well with Xeon CPUs and provides more accurate ECC memory. This chipset has similar characteristics to the H470 chipset, but it also includes 24 PCI lanes and support for advanced features such as Intel Standard Manageability and Intel vPro Platform Eligibility.
Z490– The Intel Z490 is an enthusiast-level chipset designed for overclockers and high-end PC builders. It offers a high degree of overclocking, highly overclocked RAM support, greater expansion card support, integrated Wifi 6 (optional), faster LAN, more and faster USB ports, and more PCI lanes. The W480 chipset is similar, however the W480 chipset does not allow overclocking.
– How to Determine the Model of a Motherboard
LGA 1200 Motherboards’ Top 5
ASRock H410M/AC is the best low-end option.
In high-end Z490 motherboards, ASRock may not be able to compete with Asus, MSI, or Gigabyte, but it is unquestionably a superior choice for the H410 chipset. I looked at many motherboards from these companies and found the ASRock H410M/AC to be one of the finest motherboards for any budget PC.
Because it is a locked chipset with an 8 power phase VRM, you may put an i3 10100 or an i5 10400 CPU on it. Though you won’t be able to overclock your CPU on it, it does have a few additional capabilities that most H410 chipset boards lack. It has two times M. One of the slots is for Wifi, and it comes with an integrated wifi adapter that you can use right away.
It features a total of four fan headers, which is unusual for an H410 chipset board, since most of these low-end chipsets only have two. Gigabyte is one of them, with just two fan headers on every H410 chipset board, as is the case with MSI’s H410 chipset boards, which were the least remarkable of all the H410 chipset boards available at the time. However, MSI H410 boards are still superior to Gigabyte H410 boards, and in my opinion, the MSI H410M Pro comes in second place after the ASRock H410M/AC because it has some additional features such as a VGA and DVI port for display and EZ debug LEDs, which are not present on the ASRock H410M/AC, but the latter has inbuilt Wifi, more fan headers, and more power phases as mentioned above.
What is it that is good?
- VRM with 7 power phases
- Bluetooth and a built-in wifi adapter
- In all, there are four fan headers.
- Cheap and ideal for a gaming PC on a tight budget.
What isn’t it?
- Because the H410 is a locked chipset, you can’t overclock it.
- Unlike the MSI H410M Pro, there are no debug LEDs.
- There is just one display output.
MSI B460M Pro VDH Wifi is the best affordable option.
Because there are so many excellent B460 chipset motherboards, I’ve chosen to include two of the best for their price: one from the lower-priced B460 boards and one that is the best overall and isn’t expensive. The MSI B460M Pro VDH Wifi is the finest affordable B460M motherboard that won’t break the bank and will suffice for nearly anything except overclocking and multiple GPU setups (which most of us don’t do).
This board has a 6-phase VRM with some good heatsinks over it, which should be plenty for cooler operation. You won’t be able to overclock it, but it’s better than having no heatsinks at all. The board features 4 DIMM slots that support up to 128GB of DDR4 RAM, however the maximum frequency support is just 2933MHz, which is consistent across all B460 chipset boards from all manufacturers, which is strange given that most boards now support over 4000MHz.
It features EZ Debug LEDs for debugging, a steel-armored PCI-E x16 slot, 2x PCI-E x1 extension slots, 2x M.2 slots for NVME Storage drives, and 4x Fan headers for cooling. If you wish to add RGB and ARGB devices to your case, such as fans and LED strips, it also includes RGB and ARGB headers.
It has among of the finest I/O, with 6 USB ports, 1 PS/2 connector, HDMI, DVI, and VGA display connections, and a Realtek Lan Port that I believe provides 1Gbps of bandwidth. However, the board just offers 4x SATA ports, which should be plenty given that it already has 2x M. If you spend less than $100 on a board like this, you will only be able to utilize 2 slots and no more than 4x SATA disks, however bear in mind that if you install 2 NVME SSDs, you will only be able to use 3x SATA connections.
What is it that is good?
- Heatsinks for 6 power phases
- 4x headers for fans
- Troubleshooting using EZ Debug LEDs
- Fast NVME SSDs may be installed in two M.2 slots.
- Wifi adapter built-in
- 3 output ports for displays
What isn’t it?
- There is no RGB lighting built-in.
- Overclocking is not supported.
Features a plenty – ASRock B460 Pro 4 motherboard
Many boards using the B460 chipset that have higher-end specifications and features cost well over $100. Take any of Asus’ B460 motherboards, for example, the Strix B460H & B460F Gaming, which cost almost $140, but for $10-$20 extra you can purchase a cheap Z490 motherboard that can overclock and has superior VRM and other features.
The ASRock B460 Pro 4 is a $100 ATX motherboard with a 9 power phase VRM and excellent heatsinks. Obviously, you won’t be able to overclock it, but its low price makes it a preferable option for budget gaming setups. It features two PCI-E x16 slots for graphics cards that support AMD CrossfireX in two directions, two PCI-E x1 slots for expansion cards, two M.2 slots for SSDs, an M.2 Wifi connection, and a total of seven fan headers, including the CPU and AIO.
It also includes 2x RGB and 2x ARGB connectors for RGB devices, as well as integrated RGB lights near the processor on the right side. There are a total of 6 USB ports on the I/O, including a Type C connector, as well as HDMI and VGA connections for display.
What is it that is good?
- There are nine power phases with enough heat sinks.
- RGB lights built-in
- AMD CrossfireX is supported.
- Cooling is provided via 7x fan headers.
- For RGB devices, there are 2x RGB and 2x ARGB headers.
- The best B460 chipset board for the money.
What isn’t it?
- There are no debug LEDs.
- Nvidia SLI isn’t supported.
- A Wifi card must be purchased separately.
MSI Z490 A Pro is the best cheap overclocker.
The Z490 chipset is designed for overclockers and gamers who want to push their unlocked CPUs to the limit. Overclocking CPUs improves their performance in games and CPU-intensive apps, allowing them to save time without spending more money. There are hundreds of boards featuring this chipset, with prices ranging from $150 for the MSI Z490 A Pro to more than $800 for the MSI Z490 A Pro.
While this board does not compete with high-end Z490 boards such as Gigabyte’s Aorus Z490 Xtreme or MEG’s Z490 Godlike, it does meet the majority of the requirements of the typical PC user. It includes a 14-phase VRM with mediocre heatsink quality and some rudimentary onboard debugging tools like the EZ Debug LEDs, which are regrettably only available on most MSI LGA 1200 motherboards, even on the low-end chipset.
It has 2x PCI-E x16 slots that enable up to 2 way AMD CrossfireX but no support for SLI. It supports overclocked memory up to 4800MHz and has 2x PCI-E x16 slots that support up to 2 way AMD CrossfireX but no support for SLI. There are 2x M in total. 2 NVME SSD slots, and 6 SATA connectors for SATA devices This board is good for a 6 core 12 thread CPU like the i5 10600K, but if you perform moderate to intermediate overclocking, you can put an i7 10700K on it. You can certainly perform better, but cooling down 8 cores and 16 threads will need a strong cooling solution, particularly because the TDP has increased to 125W, which is 30W more than the 9700K.
It doesn’t come with a built-in wifi adapter, so you’ll need to purchase one, or you can use the 2.5G Realtek LAN, which is quicker than what we’ve seen on the other motherboards. While it is not the finest Z490 motherboard, it is unquestionably the most affordable and best value. If you have a little more money, have a look at our list of the Best Budget Z490 Motherboards.
What is it that is good?
- For a moderate degree of overclocking, 14 power phases are required.
- Supports a RAM frequency of up to 4800MHz.
- Debug LEDs are included for troubleshooting.
- AMD CrossfireX is supported.
- There are a total of 8 fan headers.
- Headers for RGB, ARGB, and USB Type C
What isn’t it?
- Nvidia SLI isn’t supported.
- There is no built-in WiFi adaptor.
- For serious overclocking, this isn’t good enough.
Asus ROG Maximus XII Apex is the best value overclocker.
The Asus ROG Maximums XII Apex is a next-generation overclocking board that, unlike the MSI Godlike or Gigabyte Xtreme, comes at a considerably cheaper price while still offering excellent overclocking performance. It includes a strong 16-phase VRM, as well as large heatsinks with copper heat pipes beneath for efficient cooling. This is the technique that most high-end motherboard makers now use to guarantee that your VRM operates cooler for extended periods of time.
It offers the most comprehensive onboard troubleshooting tools of any Z490 motherboard, making it ideal for tuning and testing. It includes everything you’ll need for resetting anything you want if you run into an issue, from Power/Rest buttons to an LED code reader.
It supports AMD CrossfireX and Nvidia SLI in two-way configurations. It has a 2.5G LAN and an Intel Wifi AX201 network card, which is presently the fastest available. There are 10 USB ports on the I/O, including a Type C connector, as well as a Bios switch for upgrading the BIOS and a Clear CMOS button for resetting the BIOS. This motherboard is not only suitable for the i7 10700K but also for the i9 10900K.
What is it that is good?
- For powerful overclocking, there are 16 power phases.
- VRM cooling using dense heatsinks and copper heat pipes
- Supports both AMD CrossfireX and Nvidia SLI.
- Onboard features for troubleshooting that are unrivaled
- Wifi adapter built-in
- Most competing boards from other manufacturers are more expensive.
- RGB lights built-in
We’re almost done!
This list includes the finest motherboards for the LGA 1200 socket generally, although there are a few more motherboards that are excellent for the price that I didn’t include simply because I suggested them in other articles based on CPUs or chipsets. To learn more about those boards, see our motherboards page. Please feel free to ask any questions in the comments area below.
The best motherboard 2021 is a guide that lists the best LGA 1200 motherboards in 2019.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest LGA 1200 motherboard?
The cheapest LGA 1200 motherboard is the MSI B350 Tomahawk.
What is LGA 1200 socket motherboard?
LGA 1200 socket is a type of Intel PC motherboard that supports the 3rd generation Core i7 and Core i5 processors.
Which is the best Z490 motherboard?
The best Z490 motherboard is the ASUS ROG Strix Z390-E.
