Motherboards for Intel Core i9-10980XE – Intel Cascade Lake-X LGA2066

Among the new Intel Core 10^th generation processors, the Intel Core i9-10980XE is one of the powerful options for high-end gaming performance. The processor belonging to the new Cascade X range of processors has been designed to offer exciting performance for your gaming devices.

Related: X299 vs X399 – What’s the difference?

In fact, the Intel Core i9-10980XE is the top end among the 10^th Gen processors in the Cascade X series. Let us check out the best motherboards that would work with your new processors.

Here is a quick look at the previous generation of the Intel X299 processor family.

Older gen of Intel X Series –

Intel Core i9-10980XE – A Concise Review

Designed as a competitor for the latest processor from the AMD bandwagon, the Ryzen 9 3950X. The new processor comes with a whopping 18 core and 36 thread configuration. The processor comes close on the heels of the Intel Core i9-9980XE.

One of the best things with the Intel Core 10^th Gen CPUs is it would work with any X299 motherboard and thus would not need a motherboard refresh. This is one of the huge advantages over the AMD Ryzen series processors in the Threadripper series, which would need a new motherboard.

The processor supports Intel’s DL Boost performance. This would improve the performance in terms of deep learning and interference performance. It also works effectively with Intel’s Optane Persistent Memory DIMMs.

The specifications for the processor read –

The new processor will be launched on November 30, 2019.

The Best Motherboards for Intel Core i9-10980XE

Like we already mentioned, the Intel Core i9-10980XE does not need a motherboard refresh. It does work with the X299 motherboards, and that would do away the need for an additional motherboard. However, if you have an older motherboard, you will need to upgrade the BIOS for the motherboard.

We do not believe that all the manufacturers have updated its BIOS’es to provide fixes (Read: Spectre & Meltdown security patches.) for the latest Intel security updates, as these take time.

You can opt for any X299 motherboard with LGA 2066 socket and have access to enhanced performance.

MSI X299 TOMAHAWK Motherboard

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If you are looking for the best value for money motherboard for your Intel Core i9-10980XE processor, the MSI X299 TOMAHAWK Motherboard should be an excellent choice. The motherboard comes with VR compatibility, and that would make it an excellent choice for use with gaming performance. The ATX form factor would make it an excellent choice for the purpose of enhanced add-on options.

The availability of U.2 and M.2 slots would make it one of the excellent options for use with SSDs. The motherboard also provides you access to four PCIe 3.0 x16 slots. You also have access to Nvidia SLI as well as AMD Crossfire functionalities. The eight RAM slots on the motherboard should be yet another huge advantage. You can have access to up to 128 GB RAM at a speed of up to 4133 MHz. Make sure that you will never run out of memory.

A few other features you can have access to would include RGB LED lighting, DDR4 Boost, Intel Optane Memory support.

ASUS TUF X299 MARK 2 Motherboard

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The support for Nvidia SLI and AMD Crossfire should be one of the massive plus points for the product. You also have access to three PCIe 3.0 x16 slots. The considerable factor that goes in favor of the product would include the high-end durability and strength. The material of construction offered by the platform provides you access to an enhanced performance standard.

The motherboard comes with two M.2 slots that support both PCIe and SATA drives. You also have access to a host of storage options at high speed.

A few other exceptional options would include RGB LED lighting, Intel Optane Memory support, and Asus SafeSlot. The VR Ready performance is one of the excellent options making it the best alternative for latency.

GIGABYTE X299 AORUS Gaming 7 Motherboard

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If you are checking out the best options for use with the high-end performance with a sleek appearance, the GIGABYTE X299 AORUS Gaming 7 Motherboard should be a great option. You can have access to an expandable list of five PCIe 3.0 x16 slots. That would be a considerable number for any motherboard in this genre.

From the storage point of view, you would find three M.2 slots that would accommodate both SATA and PCIe SSD drives. The motherboard also comes with support for  U.2 support as well. The availability of high-speed storage options would be yet another advantage. The Thunderbolt 3 support through the Add-in Card would be yet another added advantage.

You also have access to Sound BlasterZ 720° audio, as well. Other additional options include RGB Fusion Lighting, Intel Optane Memory Support, and Intel VROC.

ASUS PRIME X299-DELUXE Motherboard

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This is an upgraded version of the Asus X-299A. Either you go with this or the ASUS Prime X299-Deluxe II. You would also find four PCIe x16 slots. The motherboard also comes with three-way configuration support for SLI and Crossfire. There are two M.2 slots for storage. You would get access to the U.2 slot. They can be an excellent option for adding SSDs and other extra options for improving speed performance.

The M.2 ports come with heatsinks, which would be an added advantage. The material of construction is also worthy of appreciation and comes with durability factors. The enhanced cooling efficacy can be an excellent option. You can also get access to other additional features like Asus SafeSlot, dual Wi-Fi, Asus Sync RGB LED lighting, and Intel Optane Memory support.

MSI Pro X299 Raider

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The MSI Pro X299 Raider is an excellent option for the Skylake X family, and that would also work efficiently for processors of your choice for Cascade Lake processors as well. The processor offers you access to up to 44 lanes of PCI Express connectivity. There are no options like clear CMOS, BIOS flashback, or other similar options on the motherboard.

The VR Ready functionality would be one of the best options to go with the latency and gaming experience. There are plenty of fan headers that help you keep access to a better cooling experience and a reliable performance. The MSI Audio Boost enhances the audio performance further. MSI motherboard is optimized for a stable and secure networking experience.

EVGA X299 FTW K

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You won’t find many options for the EVGA motherboards, but the EVGA X299 FTW K is an exceptional choice for use with the Intel Core i9-10980XE processor. You have two U.2 slots. The U.2 slots will have access to a better than M.2 slots. The motherboards also offer support for four PCIe slots as well.

You can also opt for either three-way SLI or three-way Crossfire options. The eight RAM slots would be one of the excellent opportunities that would be helpful enough to improve the performance of your motherboard. The E-ATX form factor would be yet another excellent option for almost every PC build needs.

The Concluding Thoughts

That was all about the best motherboards you can go with if you want to opt for the Intel Core i9-10980XE motherboard. Not that the list is exhaustive in any manner. In essence, any of the X299 motherboards that come with an LGA 2066 socket should ideally work with your new Intel Core 10^th Generation processors.

Check out the motherboards outlined in this compilation and choose the best options that work with your processor and the PC you are planning to build.