Are you looking for the best Z370 motherboard for your next build? If so, you’re in luck! In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the best options on the market and help you decide which one is right for you. So, whether you’re looking for a high-end gaming motherboard or something more affordable, we’ve got you covered. Let’s get started!
Contents
What is a Z370 motherboard and why should you care?
September 26, 2017, will see the release of Intel’s 8th Generation Core processors. The new Coffee Lake upgrade promises better gaming performance thanks to more cores and threads available in several SKUs. What kind of motherboard do you need for these flashy chips? Surprise! It’s not an X299 or X370 board. Intel is releasing yet another mainstream chipset in Z370.
Intel’s mainstream platform starts with its Intel Core (S Series) processors. These are the standard CPUs you find in most pre-built desktops and laptops. The chips hit a specific power envelope and do not include an integrated GPU. As a result, the motherboards for these processors have a limited feature set.
Intel’s HEDT (High-End Desktop) platform consists of its CPUs with more cores and aggressive power envelopes. The X299 chipset was targeted at these high-performance chips upon its release earlier this year. Intel’s mainstream platform just got a performance bump with Coffee Lake, so there is no longer any need for a halo chipset at the high end.
This means that Intel’s older mainstream platform motherboards are not compatible with Coffee Lake. The new 8th Gen CPUs need a new socket, LGA 1151v2, and a supporting 200-series motherboard chipset, Z370. This will be followed by another chipset targeted at low-power processors, Q370, in the new year.
Top pick for best Z370 Motherboard:
MSI Z370-A PRO
The Z370-A PRO is MSI’s mid-range motherboard for Coffee Lake CPUs. Its feature list makes it look like a clone of the high-end enthusiast chipset, Z370 XPOWER GAMING TITANIUM EDITION. It even uses the same color scheme and branding to show that they are in the same family. Even though these boards are part of the same family, one is designed for buyers on a budget while the other caters to performance enthusiasts.
The Z370-A PRO has an ATX form factor with three reinforced PCIe 3.0 slots and three M.2 slots. Two of the PCIe 3.0 x16 slots are connected directly to the CPU. The third PCIe 3.0 x16 slot is connected to the chipset and only operates at x4 speeds when a second graphics card is installed. There are also two legacy PCI slots for older expansion cards.
The motherboard has USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A and Type-C ports from ASMedia’s 3142 controllers on the back panel. MSI also provides Intel-powered USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports, so buyers can use either brand of the USB port on the back panel or in internal headers.
ASUS ROG STRIX Z370-H GAMING
The ASUS ROG STRIX Z370-H GAMING is also a mid-range motherboard using the mainstream chipset. It has an ATX form factor with dual M.2 slots for NVMe SSDs, reinforced PCIe 3.0 slots, and USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A and Type-C ports from Intel’s Alpine Ridge controller on the back panel. The board also has internal USB 3.0 ports for front-panel use, an Intel gigabit ethernet port, and wireless networking via a PCI-E add-on card.
The ASUS ROG STRIX Z370-H GAMING comes with RGB LEDs built into the chipset heatsink and I/O shroud. The board also has a 4-pin RGB LED header for additional lighting strips or components.
GIGABYTE GA-Z270P D3
GIGABYTE’s CA-Z270P D3 is a smaller ATX form factor motherboard using the old Kaby Lake chipset. It has two DDR4 memory slots with support for up to 32GB of RAM at speeds up to 3866 MHz. It also supports one M.2 NVMe SSD and three SATA Express SSDs.
The motherboard has USB 3.0, USB 2.0, and HDMI video connectors for use in front-panel ports on cases that support them. It also has Intel-powered USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports on the back panel so buyers can use either brand of the connector on the case’s front panel. There are also two USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A ports on the back panel for larger components, such as fast SSDs that don’t fit into an M.2 slot.
Why you should buy a new motherboard for your computer instead of just upgrading parts individually?
As they say, you can’t get something for anything. This is true when it comes to getting more performance out of your computer or replacing parts individually. Upgrading individual components will affect the other parts in your system and this may result in instability and reduced overall performance. A lot of people also tend to buy two different sets of RAM so they can upgrade their graphics card or CPU whenever they need to, but at the end of the day, there are only so many components you can upgrade. For example, if your motherboard doesn’t support DDR4 memory, then you won’t be able to upgrade RAM. If it’s an older board that supports PCIe 2.0, then you won’t be able to upgrade a graphics card or PCIe solid-state drive unless it’s also compatible with your chipset.
Since you want the best performance for as little money as possible, it makes sense to buy a motherboard that supports the most modern standards and features at an affordable price. In addition, by getting a newer board now, you’ll help future-proof your system for at least another few years.
This is where our list of the best Z370 motherboards comes in handy. All the boards on this list are affordable, yet they offer most of what you’ll find on more expensive models with superior features like better audio chipsets and beefier VRMs to support overclocking.
How to choose between all these options and pick which one is right for you?
If you want a motherboard for a gaming PC, you’ll need to focus on three main things: support for overclocking, the number and type of connectors needed for your graphics card, and the number of M.2 SSD slots available. You’ll also have to make sure that there’s enough room within your case to fit the board in. All of these are things to consider if you want the best gaming experience possible.
If you don’t care about overclocking or building a high-performance system, then there’s no reason to spend more on a motherboard than you have to. As long as your chipset supports the most modern standards and connectors, it can be used for basic tasks like installing RAM and an SSD or running multiple displays.
Conclusion
Finding the perfect motherboard is a process that takes time. Whether you’re an expert or just looking to upgrade from your old motherboard, there are plenty of great options for Z370 motherboards out on the market. The best way to find one that will work for you and your budget is by doing research online first so you can narrow down what features matter most to you before going into a store. We hope this article has been helpful in making this decision easier! aradytech.com