Top LGA 2066 x299 Chipset Motherboards for Intel X Series Core i9 CPUs

Intel released the x299 chipset for motherboard manufacturers to host its newly launched Core i9 processors. The new x299 Chipset Motherboards is not a lot different than it’s Z270 counterparts. However a whole lot more than the X99 chipset boards.

Also Read: Best LGA 2066 Motherboards for i9-9960X i9-9920X & i9-9820X

Intel is bringing in fresh enthusiasm to the High-End Desktop (HEDT) platform, the  x299 Chipset Motherboards comes with a host of I/O options. Intel is offering up to 44 PCIe lanes in its new system. Codename “Basic Falls” the Intel X Series Processors on Kaby Lake or last years Skylake microarchitecture. The X series processors will not be pin-compatible with Intel’s Z270 or X99 chipset motherboards. Both the Skylake X and the Kaby Lake X (X for Extreme) will require an LGA 2066 socket to work.

Also Read: Top LGA 2066 CPU Coolers for Intel X Series CPU’s

This year, all X-Series processors will be supported by the x299 Chipset Motherboards irrespective of its specifications. But this is where the confusion starts. Not all X-Series processors come with the same number of PCIe lanes. It might make some I/O and features not usable depending on the type of processor you are buying.

Here is a quick glimpse from Intel’s slide:

Source: Intel

If you are upgrading from an older Intel platform, you will have to invest in a new motherboard, processor and a set of DDR4 RAM modules. You can install up to 8 DDR4 RAM modules, and achieve a Quad channel configuration. So, on a high level, it should look like this:

• 8 DRAM slots, for 4 channels at 2 DIMMs per channel (2 DPC)
• 4 DRAM slots, for 4channels at 1 DPC
• 4 DRAM slots, for dual-channel at 2 DPC

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

We hope the table above helps to remove any doubts about what hardware you need to buy.  Let’s go ahead and list down a couple of x299 Chipset Motherboards from top manufacturers.

List of x299 Chipset Motherboards For Intel X-Series

Now that you have a fair understanding of what’s on offer from Team Blue let’s go ahead and list out the ones that we recommend. Some of you might prefer an Asus over Gigabyte or MSI, and that’s up to you. Also, there are variations of these boards, so carefully choose them before buying. Here we go with our list of recommendations.

1. GIGABYTE AORUS Gaming 9 X299

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The AORUS 9 is a monster of a motherboard and justifies the $500 price tag. With full support for both Intel Sky lake-X Katy lake-X CPU

2. ASUS LGA2066 PRIME X299-A

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The AORUS 9 is a monster of a motherboard and justifies the $500 price tag. With full support for both Intel Sky lake-X Katy lake-X CPU

3. GIGABYTE-X299 “AORUS Gaming 7.”

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The AORUS 7 is a smaller sibling of the AORUS 9 motherboard and carries a lower $399.99 price tag. With full support for both Intel Sky lake-X Katy lake-X CPU, it supports a Quad-Channel DDR4 memory configuration. Just like its bigger sibling, the AORUS 9 is Intel Opane ready. The Creative SoundBlaster sound chip with a dedicated audio DAC does a decent job of high-quality sound reproduction.

What’s more? The LAN ports come with a 15KV Power Surge Protection, just in case. The Triple “Ultra-Fast M.2” with PCIe Gen3 x4 interface gives you ultra-fast storage expandability.

Check out its high-level specifications here:

4. MSI-X299 GAMING “PRO” CARBON AC.”

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MSI released close to a dozen motherboards for Intel’s X-Series processors. This one, however, is MSI’s Carbon range. One of the flagship offerings from MSI, this board ensures rock-solid performance. Just like the GigaByte and Asus range, this one also supports Quad-Channel memory, with support of up to 4500+ (OverClocked) memory modules. Did we forget to mention that it is Intel Open memory ready?

The onboard mystic light effects can be controlled using a mobile app with 17 unique combinations. In case if you were wondering, this does not add any real world performance to the overall system.

With USB 3.1-Gen-2 support, this board supports a wide variety of external peripherals. It supports 3-way Multi-GPU setup (SLI & Crossfire support) with ease. With 2 M.2 slots, it gives you enough room for M.2 based locally attached storage options.

Check out its high-level specifications here:

5. Asus ROG Rampage VI APEX:

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With full-fledged onboard features, it is a perfect piece for overclocking enthusiasts. It has effective system cooling and five-way optimization for outlasting the OC performance. All of the PCIe slots have a metal casing, making them suitable for heavyweight GPUs. It comes with AURA Sync RGB lighting, customizable nameplate, and two additional RGB headers. These features allow you to customize it according to your will. Here is a quick look at specifications:

6. MSI Arsenal x299 Tomahawk:

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With this motherboard, MSI promises to deliver 4266+ RAM frequency on overclocking. This fact alone is quite appealing for any gamer or overclocking enthusiast. It is equipped with an M.2 shield that keeps the M.2 SSDs safe from throttling. It is a VR ready motherboard and will help your rig deliver latency free virtual reality experience. The BIOS it comes with is pretty good and get everything working without requiring an additional update. However, it is always recommended to update the BIOS. Have a quick look here:

7. Gigabyte X299 UD4:

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Not only it supports all the 7^th generation X series processors from Intel, but it is also compatible with Intel Octane Memory technology. It comes with AS Media 3142 USB connectors and ports. With older processors such as i7, you can take the overclocking beyond the limits. You can OC an i7 7800X up to 4.3 GHz without harming the stability. For the price, the features are awe-inspiring. It has pretty many USB ports and DIMM and is SLI ready. Following table summarizes other stuff:

8. Asus ROG STRIX X299-E:

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This one is a beast. It almost has everything that is required for setting up a high-speed index rig. It has only one legacy USB 2.0 onboard header which you can either use for your cooling pump or front panel, not for both at a time. I don’t even think that matters. Moreover, there are two m.2 slots. It is kind of multipurpose motherboards that can be used with a variety of CPU for various types of builds. Following is a quick overview:

9. MSI Pro X299 Raider:

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With the LGA 2066 Intel socket, it supports all 7^th gen Intel Core X series processor family. It supports memory overclocking up to 4266, more or less. The onboard fan headers are capable of detecting if the fans are in DC or PWM mode for optimizing cooling performance. It comes with MSI audio boost technology for an enhanced dynamic gaming experience. It has impressive Ethernet performance for online gameplay. Here is a quick look at important specs:

Conclusion

We hope you like our list of x299 Chipset Motherboards. We would be updating this list on a periodic basis. For comments or suggestions, please use the comment box below. Cheers!