The i5-4690k processor is arguably the most popular and budget-oriented CPU for gaming enthusiasts that Intel has offered to date. And combining this multipurpose CPU with the Best Motherboard For I5-4690k helps you get the most out of your Core i5-4690k.
A complimentary motherboard helps you pull everything in your PC together and fulfill your needs as they grow. In this article, we will review the top motherboards for i5-4690k currently trending in the market.
If you want the best possible motherboard to match the i5-4960K CPU, you need to know which one to choose! So, let’s go through them and find the perfect one for you…
Contents
- 1 Top 6 Best Motherboard For I5-4690k To Buy In 2023 Reviews
- 1.1 1 Asus ATX DDR3 2600 LGA 1150 (10Gb/s) Motherboards (Z97-A) – Best Value for the Money Motherboard For I5-4690k
- 1.2 2 ASRock ATX DDR3 1333 LGA 1150 Motherboards Z97 EXTREME6 – Best Mid Range Motherboard For I5-4690k
- 1.3 3 ASUS Mini ITX DDR3 1600 LGA 1150 Motherboard Q87T/CSM – Best Mini ITX Motherboard For I5-4690k
- 1.4 4 GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS PRO – Best Rated Motherboard For I5-4690k
- 1.5 5 MSI MPG Z390 GAMING PRO CARBON – Best Premium Motherboard For I5-4690k
- 1.6 6 MSI B360 GAMING PLUS – Best Budget Motherboard For I5-4690k
- 2 Best Motherboard For I5-4690k Buying Guide
- 3 Which Motherboards Are Best?
- 4 Which is The Best Motherboard For I5-4690k?
Top 6 Best Motherboard For I5-4690k To Buy In 2023 Reviews
1
Asus ATX DDR3 2600 LGA 1150 (10Gb/s) Motherboards (Z97-A) – Best Value for the Money Motherboard For I5-4690k
Starting with a good option in terms of features and pricing, we have the Asus ATX DDR3 2600 LGA. This motherboard incorporates M.2 slots and SATA Express, making it a great option and an excellent investment.
It’s a really interesting and intriguing motherboard with certain astounding features, while some of its highlights may leave you perplexed as well. The Z97-A will prove itself quite adept for regular use, but if you optimize it, you will find it simply exceptional. Optimizing it may take a while, but once you have set it, you can almost instantly overclock it.
Tweak the BIOS with outstanding software…
Since it’s not a fast board per se, you need to tweak the BIOS to make it fast. The included ASUS tuning software is quite good, so you shouldn’t have any problems. The presence of M.2 and SATA express makes it an enduring and future proof mid-range motherboard. So even if you change the processor at some point, it will still be compatible.
The Z97-A is a mid-ranged priced motherboard, and since it lies in that price range, there are many other options available. So if the Z97-A doesn’t have all the features you look for in a motherboard, there are still plenty of options in this review to ensure you find the right one.
Our verdict?
Overall, the Z97-A is a great motherboard that includes six onboard fan controllers, several USB 3.0 ports, and a total of eight SATA 3.0 ports. It also has some of the best customizable features of all the mobos we have reviewed, makes fine-tuning a breeze. It’s a safe bet for anyone looking for a good motherboard at mid-range prices.
Pros
- Durable construction.
- Support for remote control.
- Up to 10GB data transfer speed.
- Turbo app helps achieve higher gaming ranks.
- Nice black design.
Cons
- Suits moderate gaming.
- Not very good customer service.
2
ASRock ATX DDR3 1333 LGA 1150 Motherboards Z97 EXTREME6 – Best Mid Range Motherboard For I5-4690k
ASRock is one of those names that consistently imply advancement in their motherboards, and the Z97 EXTREME6 is a perfect example. This is an incredible choice with a fantastic performance. However, you have to make a few tough choices with it.
The most significant selling point of the Z97 Extreme6 is the Ultra M.2 port, which has a PCIe 3.0×4 bandwidth direct from the CPU, ensuring faster speeds and future-proofs this mobo. It also has plenty of ports, making it one of the most versatile boards in this review.
Reducing latency for the dedicated gamers…
The Z97 EXTREME6 is superb for gaming enthusiasts who need a motherboard that can reduce network latency. It manages to reduce the latency without using a lot of power, even if it still uses quite a bit. If you have plenty of power to spare, you have nothing to worry about.
It has excellent overclocking options, but be aware of the temperatures because it can get scorching. We recommend that you opt for an excellent cooling system if this is your choice of motherboard. The technology on the Z97 EXTREME6 is pretty standard, and you are provided with a good, not great, performance. ASRock could have added a few more features to make it even more appealing.
There are a couple of catches…
First, this mobo lacks a PCIe M.2 drive to deter some people from buying it. Secondly, and more importantly, is the build-quality. Despite its performance, it feels cheap and flimsy. This is fine on the off chance that you’re not going to mess about and make adjustments. Otherwise, this is not your piece of cake. The Z97 has a different appearance than the rest of the ASRock boards; it’s a lot more vibrant.
Our verdict?
The absence of the M2 slots may be a deal-breaker, but the Z97 has decent performance and an excellent cooling system if you look past that. It prevents the components from overheating, and every single drop in Celsius matters when computing. You could use PCIe through adapters, even if this isn’t optimal.
Pros
- Nichicon 12k platinum caps.
- Premium Alloy Choke.
- Dual-channel DDR3 3200+ supported.
Cons
- No PCIe M.2 slot on board.
3
ASUS Mini ITX DDR3 1600 LGA 1150 Motherboard Q87T/CSM – Best Mini ITX Motherboard For I5-4690k
Going through the best motherboards, here’s another great pick if you’re looking for the best mini mobo for I5-4690k. The ASUS Mini ITX is a fantastic option that offers versatility and high performance. It was intended to be a more amiable and more straightforward motherboard than the rest, making it a good choice for beginners.
It uses BIOS 3, which is crash-free and helps restore corrupted BIOS data, which helps with problem-solving. The board has switchable modes for various tasks like content creation, gaming, or general work.
What else?
ASUS AI Suite 3 is included, giving you access to all that ASUS has to offer. It’s a great board if you want something smaller and easy to use and still offers better controls and multiple features. The cooling system stays quiet during its exceptional performance.
But what’s the catch?
It tends to crash after prolonged use, which raises the question of how durable this board is, even though it feels sturdy and the components are high quality.
Our verdict?
The ASUS Mini ITX DDR3 1600 LGA 1150 is made to fit in the smaller cases. But even being a mini motherboard, it is equipped with a complete package of features; in fact, it has features that some of the other motherboards lack. If you’re looking for a superb smaller board for your I5-490K, it’s a no-brainer.
Pros
- User-friendly Bios modes.
- USB 3.0 boost.
- Crash free Bios 3.
Cons
- Tendency to crash during long computing sessions.
4
GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS PRO – Best Rated Motherboard For I5-4690k
The Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO is the nearest contender to the ASUS PRIME Z390-A. It’s built on a similar top-end chipset and is compatible with all processors through the LGA 1151-v2 socket. The board has a more potent 13 phase power subsystem with an extra four-pin connector connecting with the power supply. It can even handle the 9900K, at least in theory.
Is there a catch?
Unfortunately, yes. The radiators have a lot of metal in them, but the whole area isn’t very inspiring. However, there are eight built-in cooling fan connectors and two SVO pump connectors. If you want to overclock this mobo, you should consider blowing forced air on the VRM to keep it cool.
What’s the real story?
You can tell that the marketers had a hand in the stir since the processors’ power phases are laid parallel in pairs. A 6+1 phase with two parallel MOSFETs on each would have the same efficiency, which is supported by the ISL6913 controller installed on this board. But 13 phases sounds cooler, doesn’t it!
Moreover, the radiators are inefficient, and the board’s temperatures remain high unless they are provided with forced cooling. The radiator gets heated up to 75 degrees, even at runoff frequencies. Overclocking can cause temperatures over 10o degrees. In that case, supplanting the radiators with the water blocks of the SVO is unquestionably called for.
Our verdict?
Even though the Z390 AORUS PRO is a great board, its insufficient cooling is a significant flaw. It can be dealt with using a superb cooling system with forced air, but should that be necessary at this price range? Other than that, the Z390 AORUS PRO is a high-performing versatile motherboard with a “13 phase” power supply.
Pros
- Powerful subsystem.
- Multiple connectors for fans and pumps, with support for 3-pin voltage regulation.
Cons
- VRM heatsinks aren’t good enough for overclocking top-end processors.
- Wrong placement of some of the fan connectors.
- No Wi-Fi.
5
MSI MPG Z390 GAMING PRO CARBON – Best Premium Motherboard For I5-4690k
Our next pick is a Z390 chipset-based MSI mobo, namely the Z390 Gaming Pro Carbon. As you can tell by the name, it’s a motherboard designed for gamers. Not only is it aimed at gamers, but it’s also one of the cheapest motherboards in this review.
Even though it has a modest price tag, it still delivers high-end features, and the aesthetics aren’t bad either; it looks a lot better than most motherboards.
Tell me more…
You will find the RGB lighting on the right side below the keyboard and the I/O panel. A black and silver-colored large heatsink with a dragon logo and carbon text covers the M.2 slot and chipset. The PCB is in black, and the I/O panel shield has a carbon texture with a slight touch of silver.
But that’s not all…
The Gaming Pro Carbon uses the Realtek ALC1220P audio codec, which is a decent chipset and offers a good SNR. Seven fan headers are sufficient enough to cool even the most power-hungry components.
The VRM is good enough to support 9th generation processors, so it won’t have any problems with the I5-4690K. Even if you overclock the board above 5GHz, the VRM stays around 90-degrees, which is acceptable.
But is it the Best Motherboard For I5-4690k?
The Gaming Pro Carbon is one of the best gaming mobos for I5-4690K. Packed with high-end features and an excellent design, it’s one of our top picks. The VRM supports enough power for serious overclocking, and it can handle most processors. If you’re a dedicated gamer, you should seriously consider this mobo.
Pros
- Large M.2 slot heatsink.
- Reinforced DIMM slots.
- Stable power delivery.
Cons
- No onboard Wi-Fi.
6
MSI B360 GAMING PLUS – Best Budget Motherboard For I5-4690k
If you are satisfied with the simpler things in life, MSI also offers a non-overclockable, B-series motherboard. With fewer VRM phases, it hints that the MSO B360 Gaming Plus has a limited capacity. It’s a budget-friendly board, and the highest supported memory frequency is 2666 MHz. If you consider upgrading to a faster memory, it’s no use at this price range.
There are two PCIe x16 slots available onboard, out of which the upper one is directly connected to the processor and is used as the primary graphics card slot. The lower one is connected to the chipset and has only four lines. But let’s be honest, no one is going to install two graphics cards on this board.
Our verdict?
The MSI B360 is a budget-friendly average motherboard. It’s priced higher than it’s worth, but even so, it’s a good match for the I5-4690K. It has every feature you need for a mid-range gaming setup, but you are stuck with the default speeds since you can’t overclock. We would only recommend this board if you are on a budget and satisfied with a simple average board.
Pros
- VRM cooling is sufficient.
- Budget-friendly.
Cons
- Middling Sound Output.
- Limited graphics card connectivity.
Best Motherboard For I5-4690k Buying Guide
The motherboard is undoubtedly one of the most significant components of a PC. It singlehandedly determines the functionality of other parts in your PC. If your processor and your PC’s performance is exhausted, you should consider buying a new motherboard.
There are significant benefits to upgrading your motherboard and choosing the best one to go with your CPU. In this case, the I5-4690K. So what are the benefits of the best motherboards?
Faster CPU
Matching your CPU with the perfect motherboard will help the CPU gain superior performance. A perfectly matched motherboard will help you squeeze every ounce of power from the CPU, improving your computer’s overall performance and speed.
Faster Data Transfer
A new motherboard will also help increase the transfer rates between different hardware. For example, if you use a high-end SSD card, you can reach speeds of up to 2Gbps.
Better Graphics
If you’re a gaming enthusiast, these motherboards combined with the I5-4960K and a good GPU will positively enhance your gaming experience. You will experience less lagging and enjoy better graphics.
If you’re a video editor or a regular web surfer, you will also see substantial benefits by investing in a new motherboard.
Why Did These Motherboards Make Our List?
Choosing the right motherboard can be frustrating; heck, even the thought of going through the process can be daunting. There are so many options available you sometimes want to stick your head in the sand and hope for the best. The motherboards on our list all have something to bring to the table, either it’s performance, budget, or size; they are all excellent choices for the I5-4690K.
Reliable RAM
A good motherboard is equipped with multiple DIMM slots. These are one of the latest RAM slots and are capable of running on a faster 64-bit bus. You should choose a motherboard that supports at least 16GB and preferably has four slots or more.
GPU Support
The motherboard should support your GPU and be as compatible with it as possible. This helps maximize the overall performance of your computer. The i5-4690K is an excellent powerful overclockable CPU for gaming, and these motherboards are all perfectly compatible with it.
Great Storage
Storage is another essential aspect of the motherboard. The motherboard should have enough ports and slots to provide you with sufficient storage space. We recommend that you choose a motherboard with at least two M.2 slots for SSDs.
Budget-Friendly
Always consider your budget! High-end motherboards are expensive, and we all want to own one, but the truth is that we all can’t.
Pick a board with the essential features within your budget, even though it sometimes can be better to splash out some extra cash and buy a motherboard that won’t cause you any grief. The quality over money can be essential, especially considering the components of your PC,
Which Motherboards Are Best?
For more options, check out our Best LGA 1155 Motherboard Reviews, our Best Motherboards For i9-9900K Review, our Best White Motherboards Reivew, and our Best Motherboard For Ryzen 5 3600 Review.
And for all of your gaming needs, check out our Best Gaming Chairs For Big And Tall Men Review, our Best Powerline Adapters For Gaming Review, our Best Network Switches For Gaming Review, and our Best Gaming Glasses Review.
And, before you go, check out our reviews of the Best Gaming Monitors Under 200 dollars and the Best Gaming Monitor Under 300 dollars to buy in 2023.
Which is The Best Motherboard For I5-4690k?
It goes without saying, but the best board for I5-4690K is based on your needs. Take a deep breath and consider all of the above factors. However, when choosing the best board for the I5-4690K, we have to go with the…
Asus ATX DDR3 2600 LGA 1150 (10Gb/s) Motherboards (Z97-A)
…which also happened to be the first board we reviewed. It’s high-quality, reasonably priced, supports up to 10GB transfer speeds, and looks stunning in its black and gold colors. It’s definitely worth your attention!
Happy PC building!