Picking the right motherboard and CPU when building a PC is essential. The motherboard is the backbone of your PC, and inadequate hardware can easily bottleneck your CPU and GPU.

Rather than buying separate parts, opting for a motherboard and CPU combo will eliminate compatibility issues and help save some funds, which you can invest in a more capable GPU.

Whether you want to build a high-end PC for gaming or a budget PC for office work, here are the best motherboard and CPU combos available right now.

Our Favorite Motherboard and CPU Combos in 2023

When Intel released its 13th-generation processors, the Intel Core i5-13600K quickly became the go-to option for gamers thanks to its higher performance and attractive pricing. Unless you want to run heavy games like "CyberPunk 2077" in 4K and at higher refresh rates, this processor is good for just about anything. It also massively undercuts its Core i7 and Core i9 cousins, which is perfect if you want to save a lot of money.

Pairing nicely with the 13600K is GIGABYTE's Z790 AORUS Elite AX, a midrange Z790 motherboard that offers most of the latest features that come with Intel's latest processors, including DDR5 support and PCIe 5.0. 16-phase Vcore VRMs also provide the necessary power to overclock the 13600K to its limits, while a robust cooling solution ensures you don't run hot when fully immersed in the game.

Unfortunately, the motherboard does not support PCIe 5.0 SSDs, but it's not a deal breaker since current PCIe 4.0 SSDs are still plenty fast and can handle most games for many more years. On the upside, DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 deliver the speeds needed to get those higher framerates, provided you pair this bundle with a capable RAM kit and GPU. The motherboard is also impressive in the connectivity department, with ten USB ports, four M.2 slots, 2.5G Ethernet, and onboard Wi-Fi 6E.

While there's a thin performance margin between the top AMD and Intel processors, Team Blue always comes out on top in multi-threaded performance. The Intel Core i9-13900K builds on the already impressive Intel Core i9-12900K, increasing the number of efficient cores from eight to 16 for a total of 24 cores, an upgrade that helps accelerate demanding multi-threaded tasks like graphic design and video editing even further.

With a blistering-fast 5.8GHz clock speed, the Core i9-13900K is not only a beast for productivity, but it is also one of the best processors for gaming, provided you pair it with an elite-class graphics card such as NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4090 or AMD's Radeon RX 7900 XTX. With higher performance come insane power demands, and the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero is built for that, with a 20-phase, 90A Vcore VRM dedicated to the processor.

This motherboard also packs cutting-edge features like PCIe 5.0 support for graphics cards and storage, 7800+MHz DDR5 memory speeds, and a robust cooling design, making it the perfect combo for the Core i9-13900K. In addition, solid VRMs, built-in troubleshooting tools such as the BIOS Flashback button, onboard power button, and a 7-segment display, along with AI overclocking features, ensure that you can push your processor to its limits and extract every bit of performance.

While the Intel Core i3-13100 isn't a powerhouse like the Intel Core i9-13900K or even the Intel Core i5-13600K, it packs just enough power to breeze through day-to-day tasks without issues. It sits on the lower end of the pricing spectrum, making it perfect for building a decent PC for office work without spending a fortune. The cherry on top is that this processor can handle less demanding FPS games like Fortnite when paired with a decent graphics card.

Designed to work well with entry-level to mid-range 13th Gen Intel processors, the GIGABYTE B760M DS3H AX is a perfect companion for the Intel Core i3-13100. It's affordable and lets you pair your processor with next-gen DDR5 memory kits and PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs for blazing-fast system performance and quick loading speeds in games and programs.

If you want the best motherboard and CPU combo for gaming, the ASUS ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming WiFi and AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D are formidable. This bundle combines the fastest gaming chip on the market with the best AM5 gaming motherboard, providing a solid foundation for a high-performance gaming rig.

While not even the most expensive chip in AMD's lineup, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D manages to beat tough competition from AMD's pricier options and Intel's flagship Core i9-13900K in terms of gaming performance. It may lag behind the premium offerings in demanding productivity tasks, but if you're building a desktop PC primarily for gaming, that shouldn't be a deal breaker.

On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming WiFi offers everything you need to take full advantage of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D and the AM5 platform. It supports DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0 for graphics cards and storage, while the 18-phase, 110A Vcore VRMs can easily handle the Ryzen 7 7800X3D at full throttle. Thanks to the chip's lower power consumption, you won't need to pair it with an expensive cooler or power supply.

While the AM5 platform offers performance improvements and advanced features like DDR5 and PCIe 5.0, the price hike of the new ecosystem puts it out of reach for many gamers. This makes the last-gen AM4 an attractive choice if you want to save money. The Ryzen 7 5800X3D, equipped with 3D V-Cache, continues to be a favorite due to its outstanding gaming performance compared to any other last-gen chip.

The Ryzen 7 5800X3D fits nicely into the ASUS AM4 TUF Gaming X570-Plus, a capable AM4 motherboard that is significantly more affordable than comparable AM5 boards. It supports 5100MHz DDR4 RAM speeds and PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSDs, allowing you to arm your rig with lightning-fast storage and memory. While it doesn't support PCIe 5.0, PCIe 4.0 offers enough bandwidth to get the most out of nearly any current graphics card.

With the Ryzen 7 5800X3D's lower power requirements and lack of overclocking support, the 12 Vcore VRMs are enough to handle the processor at full throttle. The motherboard also includes onboard RGB, seven rear I/O USB ports, and robust VRM heatsinks.

The Intel Core i9-12900K may be a last-gen processor but it delivers stronger productivity performance than most current CPUs. With eight performance cores, eight efficient cores, and up to 5.20GHz clock speeds, it excels in multi-threaded workloads and single-threaded tasks like gaming. And unlike AMD's last-gen CPUs, it supports most of the latest features, including DDR5 and PCIe 5.0.

Paired with the MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi, you get an excellent motherboard and CPU combo for building a high-performance PC for demanding productivity tasks and gaming at a price well below current flagship prices. The motherboard lets you take full advantage of the Intel Core i9-12900K's capabilities with a robust VRM, support for DDR5 memory up to 6666+(OC) MHz, and PCIe 5.0 expansion slots.

The MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi is among the best Z690 motherboards available. It offers five M.2 slots and six SATA ports for storage, beefy heatsinks, and excellent rear I/O, including 10 USB ports. The onboard RGB lighting puts you right into the gaming mood, and you can overclock and tweak your PC with ease thanks to its easy-to-use BIOS and built-in troubleshooting tools like a Flash BIOS button and a 7-segment display.

Released in late 2021, the Intel Core i5-12600K remains an incredible option for mid-range builds. It has excellent single-core and multi-core performance, thanks to Intel's hybrid architecture, making it a perfect choice for gaming, content creation, and all-around performance. With the release of the 13th Gen Intel CPUs, the Intel Core i5-12600K is available at a discounted price, which is excellent if you want to spend less on a high-performance mid-range build.

When paired with the ASUS ROG Strix Z690-I Gaming WiFi, the motherboard lets you take advantage of all the latest in tech, including DDR5, PCIe 5.0, and Thunderbolt 4. It also has a capable VRM that can handle an overclocked Intel Core i5-12600K, provided you have solid cooling.

Choosing the Best Motherboard and CPU Combo

The choice of motherboard and CPU determines the performance of your PC. While every CPU sold today can smoothly run most day-to-day tasks such as browsing the web, online video calling, and working on documents, you'll need a powerful CPU for more demanding tasks. A CPU with excellent multi-core performance is ideal for heavily threaded productivity tasks like video editing, while those with excellent single-core performance tend to shine best in gaming.

While the 12th and 13th generations of Intel processors and the latest AM5 AMD platform support advanced features like DDR5 and PCIe 5.0, you'll also need a compatible motherboard to take full advantage of them. Manufacturers of Intel motherboards, for example, can choose to support DDR4 in their boards even though the current Intel chips are DDR5-capable. In addition to features, ensure the motherboard has a capable VRM to handle the processor, especially when you plan to overclock it.

The GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS Elite AX and Intel Core i5-13600K combo is a perfect motherboard and CPU pairing for most people. It's affordable, guarantees excellent performance for gaming and productivity, and supports most of the latest features, making it fully future-proof. If you need something even more affordable, the GIGABYTE B760M DS3H AX and Intel Core i3-13100 combo is an excellent alternative, and it can handle light gaming and everyday work.

If you want to build the most powerful desktop PC, the Intel Core i9-13900K might be a pricier option, but it does deliver its money's worth. It has no real competition for multi-threaded productivity tasks and gives the latest AMD CPUs a run for their money in gaming. Pair it with the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero, and you can push this processor to its limits while having access to all the latest features.

However, you don't need to splurge that much on the Intel Core i9-13900K if you do more gaming than productivity. The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is a cheaper alternative that delivers better gaming performance, making the ASUS ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming WiFi and AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D combo the best option for high-performance gaming rigs.