One of the well-known microarchitectures of Intel, SkyLake is still making its place in the tech market. Though it was first launched in mid-2015, its future-proof design makes it irreplaceable even now. Sky Lake, Kaby Lake, and Coffe Lake- these three have been some of the common and best microarchitectures for Intel processors. SkyLake CPUs are most famous and used for gaming builds. 

To have a processor of better work execution, its microarchitecture deserves the most credit. And, it is inevitable that one must get a compatible motherboard to match with a SkyLake CPU. The Z170 chipset is exclusively Intel’s one of the latest releases and made for LGA 1151 processors. It is mostly known for its pairing with the SkyLake processors of Intel. This article is also for choosing the best Z170 motherboards for SkyLake CPUs.

Table of Contents

Best Z170 Motherboards

Model Details Price
SATA: 6
PCIe x16: 3
RAM DIMMs: 4
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SATA: 6
PCIe x16: 3
RAM DIMMs: 4
Check Price
SATA: 6
PCIe x16: 3
RAM DIMMs: 4
Check Price
SATA: 4
PCIe x16: 3
RAM DIMMs: 4
Check Price

Gigabyte Z170x Gaming 7

Gigabyte Z170x Gaming 7

Gigabyte Z170X Gaming 7 is a powerful and sturdy motherboard. The outlook, aesthetics, and performances: everything works out well together. It has a pretty good layout and the PCI-E slots are also sturdy that is a plus point for placing GPU straight. This motherboard itself is super fast in terms of providing good performance. Its software interface is user-friendly and comes with easy settings. Moreover, its rear I/O panel lighting makes the motherboard look even better. One can customize the lighting color as they want and it has mild and soft exposure. It is one of the perfect motherboards for any SkyLake based build. You can also revive your old PC system with Gigabyte Z170X.

This solid motherboard comes at a really reasonable price. And that’s what made the motherboard’s value raise. Moreover, it has earned more appreciation because of the well-executed onboard audio. The sound is amazingly clear for onboard audio. The BIOS is also pretty impressive. A motherboard being this capable and coming at a bargainable price simply surprises the audience. It is a powerful motherboard with extensive features. The additional lighting makes the motherboard even more appealing and beautiful. Moreover, this Z170X Gaming motherboard works fast and flawlessly. It has a lot of slots including dual M.2 and PCI-E slots.

The Gigabyte Z170X Gaming 7 is a motherboard filled with impressive features and a beautiful look. It has lots of capacity to run a processor without any hassle. The build is sturdy and has good material quality. There are plenty of connection ports that are enough to run multiple devices smoothly. As for performance, the motherboard is fast and responsive and also gives its best performance in gaming.

Motherboard Gigabyte Z170X Gaming 7
Form Factor ATX
Maximum Memory Speed 3866 MHz
DIMM Slots 4
MAX MEMORY 64 GB
SATA III Ports 6
M.2 Slots 2
Total PCIe Slots 6
Total Fan headers 3

Key Features & Downsides

Key Features: The Gigabyte Z170X Gaming 7 comes with 4 x DDR4 DIMM memory sockets that support 64 GB of memory and 3866(O.C) MHz memory clock speed. It supports 4K and has an HDMI 2.0 port. This mobo features 3 x PCI Express x16 slots, running at x16, x8, & x4, 3 x PCI Express x1 slots, 2 x M.2 sockets, and 6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors. Moreover, it has 2 x USB 3.1 Type-A & C ports and 3 x system fan headers. 

Downsides: Though it has lots of connectivity sockets, it has only six USB ports at the rear panel.

Pros
  • Excellent Performance
  • Easy to use
  • Lots of connectivity ports
  • Fast and responsive
Cons
  • Only six USB ports at the rear panel

Asus ROG Maximus VIII Formula

Asus ROG Maximus VIII Formula

The Asus ROG Maximus VIII Formula is a great board for building a gaming PC. Also, it supports overclocking. It has this software that helps to overclock the system. The integrated overclock is pretty amazing with its performance. The motherboard has a beautiful look with a neat and well-designed layout. The onboard LED with customizable colors helps to enhance the build aesthetics. ROG Maximus VIII works very well and provides satisfactory performances. Apart from gaming and overclocking, this motherboard can multitask, support video editing, and more. VIII Formula also supports Nvidia Quad SLI and AMD 3-way CROSSFIRE technology. Moreover, it has Wi-Fi 802.11 ac with dual-brand frequency and Bluetooth V4.1 for connectivity.

This motherboard is easy to build and still, you have to be careful while mounting this. The AI suite software offers surprisingly well service. It has an outstanding BIOS setup with easy use and you have to update the BIOS to use on Windows 10. This Z170 motherboard is one of those first Z170 motherboards that left a great impression from the very first. Moreover, it was exclusively known for pairing with SkyLake processors. You can overclock it smoothly and there will be satisfactory results. The layout of the motherboard screams perfection and has a good color scheme on the body.

As this is a Z170 mobo and this chipset type was released especially for the SkyLake CPUs, ASUS ROG Maximus VIII Formula lives up to the expectation. It is a great game for gamer enthusiasts. Overall, this motherboard is stylish in look, has great value, offers outstanding performance, and is a great pairing with the SkyLake processor.

Motherboard Asus ROG Maximus VIII Formula
Form Factor ATX
Maximum Memory Speed 3733 MHZ
DIMM Slots 4
MAX MEMORY 64 GB
SATA III Ports 6
M.2 Slots 1
Total PCIe Slots 6
Total Fan headers 4

Key Features & Downsides

Key Features: The Asus ROG Maximus VIII Formula features 4 x DDR4 DIMM memory sockets. They support 64 GB of memory and 3733(O.C) MHz memory clock speed. It also features 3 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (x16, dual x8, x4 mode) slots, 3 x PCIe 2.0 x1 slots, and 1 x U.2 port. It comes with 2 x SATA Express ports, 1 x M.2 Socket 3, and 6 x SATA 6Gb/s sockets. Also, this motherboard includes 2 x USB 3.1 ports (Type A & C), 2 x USB 3.0 ports, and lastly 4 x 4-pin Chassis Fan connectors.

Downsides: The price may be a bit high from budget quality.

Pros
  • Amazing UEFI interface
  • Easy to install
  • Good overclocking
  • Has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Cons
  • Pricey

MSI Z170A Gaming M7

MSI Z170A Gaming M7

From MSI, one of the best manufacturers, this motherboard works smoothly. MSI Z170A Gaming M7 is a perfect mid-range motherboard. It is easy to install and easy to use as well. The overall motherboard has easy access and softwares that makes it user-friendly. It makes a beastly mid-range gaming build that gives the same performances as the premium ones. This motherboard works just fine and is worth the money. The build quality, layout, look, and every other thing is awesome and expected of MSI. Moreover, it supports 3-Way AMD CrossFire and 2-Way NVIDIA SLI Technology. Its durability is no joke. The necessary connections and options to have an upgraded gaming performance are all packed in this motherboard. Whether you are a beginner or a gaming enthusiast, it is outstanding for you.

WIth MSI Z170A motherboard, your system will run like butter. It almost has no issue or drawbacks. Moreover, overclocking is as easy as it seems. The settings make it user-friendly. Its easy setup, easy settings, and software are all enough to buy this masterpiece. It is fast and has responsive features. This mobo is LGA 1151 ready and supports the i3 processors/i5processors/i7 processors of the 6th gen. If one is not a totally picky user, it literally comes with no drawbacks. However, many of the users have stated about the fan headers that they could have been better.

It has a Gaming device port that features a faster and responsive performance with many customization options. It has both technical and gaming benefits. The MSI Software offers easy settings and user-friendly options. The look of this motherboard with the red and black theme seems to look even better with the PCI slots. At this price, MSI Z170A Gaming M7 is a great catch if you are trying to build a gaming-based motherboard.

Motherboard MSI Z170A Gaming M7
Form Factor ATX
Maximum Memory Speed 3600 MHZ
DIMM Slots 4
MAX MEMORY 64 GB
SATA III Ports 6
M.2 Slots 2
Total PCIe Slots 7
Total Fan headers 3

Key Features & Downsides

Key Features: The MSI Z170A Gaming M7 features 4 x DDR4 DIMM memory sockets. They support 64 GB of memory and 3600(OC) MHz of memory clock speed. It also features 3 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots ( x16, x8/x8, x8/x8/x4 or x8/ x8/x2 modes), 4 x PCIe 3.0 x1 slots, 2 x M.2 slots, and 6 x SATA 6Gb/s ports. The Gaming M7 includes 6 x USB 3.1 Gen1 ports, 7 x USB 2.0 ports, 2 x SATAe port, and 3 x 4-pin system fan headers.

Downsides: The fan headers may have been a little better.

Pros
  • Lots of features
  • Aesthetic and stylish looks
  • Easy to use and set up
Cons
  • Single Ethernet port

Asus Z170 PRO GAMING

Asus Z170 PRO GAMING

ASUS Z170 PRO Gaming is the last motherboard that we are going to present in this article. It is a nice mid-range motherboard with lots of connection ports, multiple GPU connections, and features. The BIOS interface is easy to use and has amazing settings. You can overclock it pretty easily. The easy settings offer hassle-free overclocking performance with perfect balanced clock speed. It is a bit pricey and may not offer the perfect valued performance like the other ones on this list. But it will do what it is supposed to and does the job well. Moreover, it has a good number of fan connections which is why it stays pretty cool under load. It has a neat and decent layout design with black and a little bit of red color scheme. That’s why any type of rig will be suitable for it.

It is a sturdy motherboard with stable and energy-efficient performance. The power supply is solid and enough to run the motherboard at its best. Though it has lots of ports of connection, it has only one M.2 slot. Anyway, the motherboard is easy to install. It supports the Nvidia SLI and the AMD CROSSFIRE technology. It is good for both gaming and overclocking, though gaming is the superior one. 

The ASUS Z170 PRO Gaming is a good budget choice with a nice valued performance. It has lots of GPU connections and you can connect more than 3 ports at the same time. As an overall review, this is a decent Z170 motherboard that comes at a pretty fair price.

Motherboard ASUS Z170 PRO Gaming
Form Factor ATX
Maximum Memory Speed 3466 MHZ
DIMM Slots 4
MAX MEMORY 64 GB
SATA III Ports 4
M.2 Slots 1
Total PCIe Slots 6
Total Fan headers 5

Key Features & Downsides

Key Features: The ASUS Z170 PRO Gaming comes with 4 x DDR4 DIMM memory sockets that support 64 GB of max memory and more than 3464 (OC) MHz memory clock speed. It features 3 x PCIe x16 (x16, x8, x4 mode) slots, 3 x PCIe x1 slots, 1 x SATA Express, 4 x SATA 6Gb/s, and 1 x M.2 socket. It also features a 1 x USB 3.1 Type C port, 1 x USB 3.1 port, 6 x USB 3.0 ports, 8 x USB 2.0 ports, and 5x 4-pin Fan Headers.

Downside: The motherboard comes at a higher budget.

Pros
  • User-friendly BIOS interface
  • A good number of connection sockets
  • GPU connections
Cons
  • A bit pricey

GamingSpice author image
Sherman R.

I am a total tech geek! I'm obsessed with computers and anything remotely related to them -building, tinkering, upgrading...you name it. My friends are probably sick of hearing me talk about the latest hardware innovations and whatnot but, I hope you all appreciate it!