In 2023, the Intel Core i5-9600K remains relevant as a mid-range processor. You can get max frame rates with this 6-core, 6-thread mid-ranger. The base frequency of this chipset is 3.70GHz, while its maximum turbo frequency is 4.60GHz. Overclockers, however, can get even more out of it, provided they pair it with an excellent cooling system.
Building a custom machine has many perks. However, the only tricky part of doing so is that you have to select a motherboard wisely. Buying other pieces of hardware for your PC isn’t that hard; however, when it comes to motherboards, you can get stuck if you don’t know which one would pair up perfectly to suit all your needs.
If you’re adamant in buying the Core i5-9600K, then you should keep in mind that the most suitable motherboard chipset is Z390 for it. Just like Z490, you have a lot of options in Z390 as well. Whether you’re looking to go for a budget board or have some extra cash to spend, we’ve got you covered.
In this article, we will be giving you the Best Motherboards for i5-9600K with a thorough analysis of their specs. This detailed inspection of specs is going to make things crystal clear for you. Even if you’re a newbie, you will be able to make your own decision just by going through this article.
1. ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero
| PROS | CONS |
| Powerful VRM. Brilliant thermal solution. Dual M2 slots. Aura sync support for RGB lighting. | No SLI and CFX support. |
We’ve got the Asus ROG Maximus XI Hero to start our list. This board is reasonably priced and comes with the LGA-1151 socket so you can install any 8th or 9th Gen Intel processor. It is offering a 10-phase VRM solution for your CPU, which is more than enough for 9th Gen processors as well. You have 8+4 power connectors on the board to connect your power supply.
Furthermore, if you analyze the design, it’s packing a simple yet eye-catching design. You’ll find a ROG logo on the board that’s illuminated with RGB lighting and gives the board a modern look. One striking thing about this board is that it has a dedicated water cooling system, and the board offers multiple fan headers as well for efficient heat dissipation.
Moreover, the board is offering four DIMMs for Ram, and you can install up to 128GB of RAM with an overclocking profile of 4400mhz. For storage, you get two M2 slots for high-speed SSDs. There are multiple PCIe slots on the board as well; however, you don’t get SLI and CFX support, which is a bummer. Overall, the board offers features that are worth mentioning and can even be an ideal match for your Core i5-9600K.
2. Gigabyte Z390 AORUS Pro
| PROS | CONS |
| Top-notch VRM. Multi-GPU support. Duo of M2 slots with thermal guards. Unmatchable Aesthetics. | Nothing prominent to complain about. |
The Gigabyte Z390 AORUS Pro has terrific specs to offer, and it is also moderately priced, so you don’t have to worry about the low budget as well. You get a monstrous 12+1 phases digitally-enabled VRM solution on this board, which is bonkers. Considering the price tag of this board, getting ten dedicated VRMs for your CPU makes it an ideal option.
The board has an advanced thermal design, and if you talk about aesthetics, this board gives a very bold look at first glance. To give it an even better look, you can illuminate this thing according to your choice. The board comes with multiple RGB headers, which includes addressable headers as well. Moreover, to keep your device stable at high temperatures while overclocking, you have multiple fan headers too.
Coming to the stuff that matters the most on the board, you get four DIMMs with 128GB max Ram capability, and you can overclock it at 4133mhz max. The storage department offers two M2 slots for blazing-fast speeds, and unlike the board above, you have full multi-GPU support on this one. Moreover, the I/O panel at the back has multiple connectivity options, which include 3×USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A ports and 3×USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports. Last but not least, you also have five audio jacks at the back panel for the ease of gamers and content creators.
3. Gigabyte Z390 UD
| PROS | CONS |
| Cheaper. Great VRM. 2-way Crossfire. | Only one M2 slot. USB 3.1 Gen 2 slots are missing. |
If you’re looking for cheaper alternatives, the Gigabyte Z390 UD is an excellent mobo to consider. The most striking thing about this board is the powerful 10+2 digital VRM, which is more than enough if you keep the price tag of this board in mind. The design of this board is relatively simpler than all the other ones, and there’s nothing fancy about it. However, you do get multiple RGB headers on the board to illuminate this thing and make it look stylish.
Furthermore, if you analyze the specs, this board is going to help in making a decent machine overall. You get only one high-speed M2 slot for NVMe SSD. However, there are six SATA ports available as well, and you can easily attach an HDD to resolve all your storage requirements. Moreover, for Graphics Card, you get multiple PCIe slots; however, you only have the crossfire support, and SLI is missing. Also, you can’t attach a giant card on the ports because the cuts on the ports aren’t feasible for cards that take more space.
The I/O panel of the board offers 6×USB 3.1 Gen 1 and 2×USB 2.0 ports for fast connectivity with devices. There’s a standard 1GBps LAN as well; however, you don’t get any onboard Wi-Fi solution. Finally, the audio chipset is also decent, and you get three × audio jacks on the back panel.
4. MSI Mag Z390 Tomahawk
| PROS | CONS |
| Supports up to 8-cores. Extended Heatsink design. Dual LANs. CFX support. | Onboard Wi-Fi solution is missing. |
You can’t go wrong with a mobo that supports overclocking. The MSI Mag Z390 Tomahawk pairs up perfectly with the Core i5-9600K or any other 9th Gen processor. Although the 9600K is a 6-core chipset, the Z390 Tomahawk, however, can support up to 8-cores easily. You get a robust power solution on the board that is going to push your CPU to the max. Moreover, you get an extended heatsink design to protect your machine under extreme circumstances better.
Furthermore, the board gives a military-style look, and the design is modern. You can illuminate it with more than one RGB header, and changing colors is convenient enough with the Mystic Light system. The nitty-gritty of this board includes dual-turbo M2 slots for lightning-fast data speeds. Moreover, the board has an ATX form factor, and you get four DIMMs to install Ram up to 128GB.
If you analyze the secondary stuff on this mobo, there’s nothing majorly disappointing as well. You get a -pre-mounted I/O shield, so you don’t have to worry about having to go through a headache trying to put it in place. Moreover, the I/O section includes 4×USB 3.1 Gen 1 slots, 4×USB 3.2 Gen 2 slots, and 4×USB 2.0 ports. On a side note, some worth mentioning perks of this board include Sheild-frozr for M2 slots and CFX support for the graphics card.
5. MSI Z390-A PRO
| PROS | CONS |
| Simple in design. Crossfire support. Extended heatsink. Made out of solid Aluminum. Cheaper. | Not SLI compatible. Lacks some connectivity options. |
Let’s just admit; not everyone likes illuminating their machine with lots and lots of RGB lights. For those who something simplistic and cheap, the MSI Z390-A PRO is a no-brainer. Despite having an ordinary design, this mobo is still capable of handling more than you can expect. The board comes with an LGA1151 socket and supports most high-end 9th-Gen Intel processors, let alone the Core i5-9600K.
In terms of features, this board is entirely made out of Aluminum, and you’re going to find no trace of plastic whatsoever. Moreover, you get a powerful VRM to support overclocking for high-end processors. The board has an extended heatsink design to support your machine at high temperatures. You do have a PCIe×16 slot for GPU unit, and this slot has a steel armor to handle heavy Graphics Cards easily. Moreover, there’s no SLI support; however, you do have the Crossfire support.
Furthermore, you get four DIMMs for Ram up to 128GB, and the overclocking capacity is 4400mhz max. If you’re an SSD lover, there’s only one dedicated turbo M2 slot on this board. However, you can extend your storage by installing a separate HDD. You get plenty of fan headers on the board, which keep the machine safe, especially if you’re a hardcore user. Moreover, the connectivity options include four USB×3.1 Gen 1, and six USB×2.0 slots in total, including both rear and front ones.
Overall, the board has a lot to offer, and the price range is not terrifying as well. The simplistic design and versatile compatibility make this a reliable option to consider.
6. ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming-ITX
| PROS | CONS |
| Provides excellent value for money. Best for overclocking. Includes water power header. Brilliantly designed for optimal heat dissipation. | Lacks SLI compatibility. |
It’s a well-known fact that a lot of gamers and content creators don’t like building big tower PC’s. A Mini-ITX case looks classier and stylish as compared to all the others. There are a lot of good options when it comes to motherboards in the Mini-ITX form factor. The ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming-ITX is the prime example of that.
If you look at the specs, the board is packing 7-phase power design, and it can even overclock premium Intel processors with ease. Although this board is not the best-looking one when it comes to aesthetics; however, you can get a lot out of it if you’re more into performance. The heatsinks on this board are of premium quality and don’t perform as a mere gimmick.
As far as memory is concerned, you can pump two Ram sticks on the board, with a max capacity of 64GB. Moreover, you can push the Ram up to 4500mhz. Most ITX boards come with one M2 slot; however, you get two Ultra-fast NVMe SSD ready slots on this board. Moreover, the M2 ports are also fully covered with a dedicated heatsink.
The back panel includes one Intel Gigabit LAN for networking and five audio jacks for high-quality sound. Moreover, you have 4×USB 3.1 Gen 2, and 4×USB 3.1 Gen 1 slot on the I/O section as well. Overall, the combination of features and reasonable price tag makes it one of the best motherboards for i5-9600k.
7. ASUS Prime Z390-A
| PROS | CONS |
| Best looking mobo hands-down. Great for gaming and other usages. Killer audio chipset. Fast connectivity options. | Ram support is only up to 64GB. |
It’s not just performance that matters when you’re looking to build your dream machine. We all love how our workstation looks, and if your sitting place looks and feels nice, it gets productive for you as well. Coming towards motherboards, apart from RGB lighting, the color combination of your case and mobo matters a lot as well. For enthusiasts, the Asus Prime Z390-A is a stellar board when it comes to both performance and design.
The board has a white color to it and offers two main RGB points that keep illuminating. Apart from excellent design, it provides superior features as well. Moreover, the power section of this board is packing a stable DrMOS VRM, which provides efficient juice to the CPU. There’s 5-way optimization on the board, so you don’t have to worry about tuning it up for overclocking, and it will do the job itself with much better efficiency.
The CPU can be connected with an 8-pin power connector. Furthermore, you get a duo of M2 connectors on the board, and they’re more than enough for all your storage needs. Keep in mind that SSDs perform way better than standard HDD, and especially if you’re a gamer or do a lot of rendering, this is a must-have thing for you. Moreover, you have three × PCIe slots, and two of them are using safe slot technology so that you can install heavy-duty GPU units easily. On top of that, there’s multi-GPU support as well, which includes both SLI and CFX support.
For audio, you have a top-notch Realtek audio chipset, and there are five audio jacks on the back panel as well. Last but not least, you get four DIMMs to install Ram up to 64GB, and there’s Aura sync support as well to control RGB lighting from your PC.
8. MSI Z390 Gaming M5
| PROS | CONS |
| Premium specifications. Double ESD protection. Multi-GPU support. More than enough fan headers. | 128GB of Ram capacity is missing. |
The MSI Z390 Gaming M5 is another promising board on our list of Best motherboards for i5-9600K. The board comes in a standard ATX form factor and has a lot of cool attributes to it. Starting with the power design, you get an 11-phase VRM for your CPU, and you can easily overclock your mid-range processor with it. Moreover, you have double ESD protection on the board, which prevents any unnecessary damage.
You can install up to 64GB of Ram on the four given DIMMs; however, the overclocking profile is up to 4000mhz. Moreover, there’s flash BIOS available on the board, so you can easily update your operating system with a normal USB. The board is thermally intact, and you get six fan headers, as well as water cooling, to keep your system up and running without heating up.
To keep your data safe, you have dual-turbo M2 slots, which are also equipping shield protection. Furthermore, there are multiple PCIe slots, and there’s steel armor protection for them as well. Now, steel protection is crucial because it enables you to install heavy graphics cards without worrying about breaking the whole thing.
There are multiple RGB zones on the board, and you have the Mystic-light support as well. You can change between millions of colors through just one click. The board also offers multi-GPU support, and you can install more than one graphics card. Moreover, the audio system on this board is impressive, and you have Audio boost 4 with an amplifier that takes the sound quality to the next level. On top of that, the audio jacks have a golden color, which gives them a premium look.
9. Gigabyte Z390 AORUS Master
| PROS | CONS |
| High-end specs. Trio of M2 slots. Onboard Wi-Fi and turbocharger. Fins-array heatsink. | A bit pricey. |
The AORUS Master is one of the top-notch mobo’s on our list. Although it has a Z390 chipset, yet it can compete with Z490 boards as well in terms of features. What makes this board special is the high-quality 12+2 phases IR Digital VRM, which can overclock your i5-9600K without any hassle. Moreover, there’s a rigid fins-array heatsink to protect your machine under grave circumstances. The specialty of fins-array is that it’s not a gimmick, and provides excellent safety.
You have got a trio of M2 slots with an extra benefit of thermal guards on all of them as well. These guards keep the storage section cool and help in getting high speeds while transferring data. You have four DIMMs for Ram, and you can pump it up to 128GB. Moreover, you also get onboard Wi-Fi solution, and a turbocharger to charge your phones and tablets quickly. There are multiple RGB headers on the board, which includes addressable headers as well.
The board comes in the typical ATX form factor, and the aesthetics speak for itself. You can see chunkier heatsinks all over the board, and multi RGB zones that give it a more premium look.
10. Gigabyte Z390 Designare
| PROS | CONS |
| Offers great heatsink solution. Powerful VRM. SLI and CFX compatible. Ultra-durable design. | Price is high. |
The Gigabyte Z390 Designare is another pricey addition on our list of Best motherboards for i5-9600K. This board features a 12+1 phase digital VRM, which can push your CPU to its max. The board has a chunky design, and it’s covered with noticeable heatsinks. You get the direct-touch Heatpipe technology that helps to enhance the heat managing abilities of this board. Moreover, there’s smart fan-5 as well with multiple temperature sensors to keep track of heat effectively.
Furthermore, you get a duo of M2 slots, and for extreme scenarios, they’re utilizing thermal guards for protection and better speed rates. Moreover, there’s onboard WI-Fi and Bluetooth-5 support as well. Other than that, there are dedicated PCIe slots for GPU, and you can install dual graphics cards as well because of SLI and CFX support. The I/O panel includes two LAN ports and a bunch of other handy slots, such as the latest USB slots.
Overall, this board has some amazing specs to offer, and it won’t hurt spending some extra cash on a beast like this. You can update stuff on it as well if you’re a hardcore gamer.
Final Thoughts!
You can’t ignore the motherboard while building the machine of your dreams. If it doesn’t match up with your processors, there’s no point in spending money on such a PC. In this article, we’ve given you 10 Best motherboards for i5-9600K that you can buy and get the max out of your device. The list includes boards for both budget buyers and those who can spend some extra dollars as well. We’ve eliminated the wrong ones for you, and you have to decide between any one of these according to your personal preference.
