Following the other popular questions, this one is asked quite often as well, “What’s the best motherboard for I7 4790K ?” the Intel Core I7 4790K is a high-performance CPU with ability to overclocking and different types of people will need a different type of motherboard and as such we have decided to that all those variables into account when making this article to help you out.
First you should ask yourself “Am I a competitive gamer?” because if you are then your demands may be higher than those who don’t have such high need for a great sound card.
Best Motherboards For The i7 4790K Processor:
- MSI Z97 Gaming 3 – Cheap and effective board for gaming when on a budget
- MSI Z97 Gaming 5 – Most Powerful motherboard, best choice if money isn’t an issue
- MSI Z87-G45 – Good choice if you aren’t into gaming, also allows overclocking
Suggestion for Competitive Gamers
MSI Z97 Gaming 3 – Best Budget-friendly Motherboard for i7 4790K
This one isn’t as good as Gaming 5 as Gaming 5 is a direct improvement / upgrade, however the Gaming 3 is still a great choice for competitive gamers for those who don’t want to spend another 10-30$ on the Gaming 5, definitely recommend this motherboard for those interested in competitive gaming as it comes with a great sound card while allowing awesome overclocking capabilities & security.
Specifications:
- Can Support 5th Gen LGA 1150 socket
- DDR3-3300(Overclocked) Memory
- M.2 USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s
- Audio Boost2: Reward Your Ears with True Quality
- Gaming Device Port: Optimized with Triple Gold-plating for High Polling Rate Gaming Devices
MSI Z97 Gaming 5 – Best Premium Motherboard for i7 4790K
This is the best possible motherboard you could get while keeping a nice efficiency regarding cost / quality / performance. The Z97 Gaming 5 is a great, upgrade from the previous Z87-G45, while the different may not seem much and, in reality, it isn’t, it allows you to have much more control over your overclocking of the CPU and also allows a much stronger overclocking of the RAM up to 3300Mhz, has better custom features as well, a better Audio Boost, supports M.2 and also supports up to the 5th generation of processors while the Z87 only supports up to the 4th generation, this is without a doubt the best MOBO For I7 4790k .
Read: Best CPU Motherboard Combos for 2024
Specifications:
- Supports up to the 5th Gen of Intel Processors and LGA 1150 socket
- DDR3-3300(Overclocked) Memory
- M.2 and USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s
- Audio Boost 2: Reward Your Ears with True Quality
- Gaming Device Port: Optimized with Triple Gold-plating for High Polling Rate Gaming Devices
Suggestions for Non-Competitive Gamers
What’s the difference you ask? Competitive gamers need every little boost & help they can get and having a better sound card may be a valuable asset while Non-Competitive gamers may not need to spend such exorbitant amounts of money in a motherboard as they only need a motherboard that allows overclocking, as such we have decided that the following is the choice if you aren’t a competitive gamer.
MSI Z87-G45 – Best Overclocking Motherboard for i7 4790K
This Motherboard has 4 RAM entries, also supports socket 1150 which is needed to run the I7-4790K, supports USB 3.0 & allows overclocking which is needed for you to take your I7 to its full potential since it’s the K version also known as unlocked. With this Motherboard you can easily overclock your CPU to 4.4-4.5Ghz and some people have reported going even higher.
MSI is also a great brand which provides you with a sense of security since it’s not common for MSI motherboards to have any kind of factory problems nor electrical discharges problems, this MOBO also has a decent sound card while not as good as the gaming versions, this is without a doubt a great motherboard to purchase if you’re not looking to get that competitive edge in gaming.
Specifications:
- Can Support 4th Gen LGA 1150 socket
- DDR3-3000(Overclocked) Memory
- USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s
- Audio Boost: Reward Your Ears with True Quality
- Gaming Device Port: Optimized with Triple Gold-plating for High Polling Rate Gaming Devices
If you still have some doubts regarding the Z87 then take a look at the MSI Z87-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1150 Review and I’m sure it will help you out.
Overall I’d definitely rate the Z97 as the Best Motherboard for I7 4790K, simply due to how popular and how many great features it has, the Z87 in some cases also require you to update the BIOS to a certain version to actually be able to overclock, while the Z97 everything is ready from the get-go.
