The Best Motherboards for Multitasking

It is the most expandable board here. On M.2 slot count it leads this guide at 7, ahead of the Z790 Tomahawk MAX (5). It is the only pick here with 18+2+1+2 power stages; the Z790 Tomahawk MAX has 16+1+1 power stages instead.

Like the Strix Z890-A, it has an LGA1851 socket, while the Z790 Tomahawk MAX uses an LGA1700 socket. It also comes with AI overclocking, cooling and networking tools. It uses Intel's LGA1851 socket for Core Ultra 200S processors, not older 12th to 14th Gen chips.

Check the manual for which M.2 slots share lanes with SATA ports or the second PCIe slot before filling them all. When we checked, only the Strix Z890-A and cheaper picks cost less, and the Strix X870E-E cost more. If you want a confirmed wired network speed, look to the Z790 Tomahawk MAX instead: it offers 2.5Gbps, while this one gives no figure.

It is the most complete Z790 board for its price here. On M.2 slot count it ties with the Strix Z890-A and the Strix X870E-E at 5. You get 16+1+1 power stages here, which sets it apart from the B850 Pro RS and its 14+2+1 power stages.

An LGA1700 socket is unique to it among these picks, while the Strix Z890-A uses an LGA1851 socket. No other pick in this guide offers a Z790 chipset; compare the Strix Z890-E, which has a Z890 chipset. It also comes with Bluetooth 5.4 alongside Wi-Fi 7 and a PCIe 5.0 graphics slot.

It uses Intel's LGA1700 socket for 12th, 13th and 14th Gen Core processors; check the CPU support list for the BIOS version your chip needs, since early boards shipped before 14th Gen launched. On price it sat second of 5, between the cheaper B850 Pro RS and the pricier Strix Z890-A, at the time of writing.

It suits storage-heavy Core Ultra builds. On M.2 slot count it ties with the Z790 Tomahawk MAX and the Strix X870E-E at 5. 16+2+1+2 power stages is unique to it among these picks, while the Z790 Tomahawk MAX uses 16+1+1 power stages.

It shares an LGA1851 socket with the Strix Z890-E; the B850 Pro RS goes with an AM5 socket. Like the Strix Z890-E, it has a Z890 chipset, while the Z790 Tomahawk MAX uses a Z790 chipset. It also offers AI overclocking tools.

It uses Intel's LGA1851 socket for Core Ultra 200S processors, not older 12th to 14th Gen chips. Check the manual for which M.2 slots share lanes with SATA ports or the second PCIe slot before filling them all. Its price falls between the Z790 Tomahawk MAX and the Strix Z890-E, based on our last check.

It is the pick for builds that keep adding SSDs. On M.2 slot count it ties with the Z790 Tomahawk MAX and the Strix Z890-A at 5. 18+2+2 power stages is unique to it among these picks, while the Z790 Tomahawk MAX uses 16+1+1 power stages.

It shares an AM5 socket with the B850 Pro RS; the Z790 Tomahawk MAX goes with an LGA1700 socket. It also comes with a rear USB 20Gbps port alongside USB4. It uses AMD's AM5 socket, so it takes Ryzen 7000, 8000 and 9000 chips; a board built before a CPU's launch may need a BIOS update first, so check whether it supports BIOS Flashback.

It was the most expensive pick when we checked, so weigh what it adds over the Strix Z890-E. Buyers who need a confirmed wired network speed should compare it with the Z790 Tomahawk MAX, which offers 2.5Gbps.

It leaves more money for the graphics card. On M.2 slot count it trails the group at 4, while the Strix Z890-E offers 7. You get a wi-Fi 6E here, which sets it apart from the Strix X870E-E and its a wi-Fi 7.

14+2+1 power stages is unique to it among these picks, while the Z790 Tomahawk MAX uses 16+1+1 power stages. It shares an AM5 socket with the Strix X870E-E; the Strix Z890-A goes with an LGA1851 socket. It also comes with a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot.

It uses AMD's AM5 socket, so it takes Ryzen 7000, 8000 and 9000 chips; a board built before a CPU's launch may need a BIOS update first, so check whether it supports BIOS Flashback. It was the cheapest of the group when we checked; the Z790 Tomahawk MAX was the next step up.