The motherboard is the most crucial part of the computer and we at Geektick have chosen the best motherboards of 2016, after countless hours spent researching and my personal experience. All of that combined lead us to the best motherboards which we will carefully describe.

There are many motherboards out there, and when I was younger I never cared which one I would buy. But I could have saved a lot of money in the long run if I just paid the extra $100, but as a teenager that was not so important, so many mistakes have been made, but rest assured I learned from my mistakes and I am here to give you advice. So I collected the best and most reliable motherboards at the moment. Currently,  the best one which you can buy is the  Asus X99 Deluxe II, but besides that, we shall be looking at a few more motherboards that you might like. Keep in mind these are the best motherboards you can get in early 2017, and they definitely will not let you down, I can assure you. I know the pain when everything dies, and when your BIOS corrupts. Ended up wasting a lot of money.  We will also be looking at suitable processors that will maximize your performance.

Content :

• BEST GAMING MOTHERBOARD – Asus X99 Deluxe II
• BEST BUY – Gigabyte X99P SLI 
• BEST SELLER – Asus Z170 PRO Gaming 
• Asus Maximus VIII Ranger
• Gigabyte Z170X UD3 Ultra
• Asus Rog Maximus VII Extreme/Assembly
• Gigabyte X99 Ultra Gaming
• Intel Core i7 6700K
• Intel Core i7 6800K
• Intel Core i7 6900K
• Intel Core i7 6950X
• H100i v2 240MM Liquid Cooler
• Advice
• Conclusion

BEST MOTHERBOARD – Asus X99 Deluxe II

This is definitely the best mobo of 2016. Powerful, fast and stylish- these are the main attributes describing this beast. The second generation X99 motherboards that have recently launched represent the very best that motherboard manufacturers can create when largely unrestrained from pesky PCI-E lane limitations. And considering the fact that there’s been an almost two year gap between the first generation models and these new releases, we expect them to be even better than their predecessors which were extremely good in their own right. The ASUS X99-Deluxe II motherboard that we are reviewing today is the model you buy when you want everything. It is the most feature filled model in the company’s LGA2011-v3 lineup. It is clearly a direct descendant of the original X99 Deluxe, and that’s a good thing due to the fact that the original Deluxe had no cons in its time, proving that the Deluxe II is the best motherboard in this current time. The only con to this motherboard is that it supports a small amount of processors but when you are buying this mobo you are not aiming to buy a processor which is used for casual users, this motherboard is made for gamers, you are looking to buy the i7 6950X, which I am going to describe better later on.

The deluxe II has five physical PCIe x16 slots, 3 way CrossFire and 3 way SLI capabilities, 1 PCI-E x1 slot, 1 M.2 x4 connector, 2 U.2 connectors, 1 SATA Express ports, 8 SATA 6Gb/s ports (plus the 2 on the SATAe port), 3 USB 3.1 Type-A ports and 1 USB 3.1 Type-C port, many people would be more than satisfied with the new X99 Deluxe II. It also has 4 USB 3.0 ports, 4 USB 3.0/2.0 header, 2 Intel-powered Gigabit LAN ports, a Thunderbolt 3.0 header, a dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi module with Bluetooth v4.0, Realtek’s latest 10 channel HD audio controller and diagnostic LEDs. DDR4 memory-wise, the Deluxe II can handle up to an incredible 128GB of RAM and memory speeds up to DDR4-3300.

In summary this motherboards features are:

• Supports Intel Core i7-5960X Processor Extreme Edition – Intel Core i7-5930K/ i7-5820K Processors – Intel Core i7-6950X Processor Extreme Edition – Intel Core i7-6900K / i7-6850K / i7-6800K Processors
• Quad Channel DDR4 3300 MHz (128 gbs max)
• Includes extensive upgrades including onboard U.2 / M.2 slots that tap into 32Gbps of PCIe bandwidth
• 3 USB 3.1 Type-A ports and 1 USB 3.1 Type-C ports
• 4 USB 3.0 ports
• Thunderbolt 3
• 10 SATA 6GB/s
• ASUS Aura Features controllable RGB onboard lighting 
• SafeSlot 
• 5-Way Optimization : Fan Xpert 4  Elevates customized cooling to new heights, with the ability to detect PWM/DC fans on all headers, utilize high-amperage fans and control water cooling pumps in software and UEFI
• Crystal Sound 3 

The best motherboard for any gamer out there, it can be used to make the best new generation PC and many more things. Taking all the things in consideration this motherboards price is justified as it is $399.99.

BEST BUY – Gigabyte X99P SLI

Another great high end Gigabyte motherboard. This motherboard is similar to the Z170X UD3 Ultra, in many aspects it is a LGA1151 socket package, structure wise it is the same, with the main difference being that this motherboard supports Intel’s extreme processor edition. The X99P SLI motherboard has M.2 connector, one SATA Express connector, six  SATA 6Gb/s connectors, eight Dual Channel DDR4 slots(up to 128 GB), 1  PS/2 keyboard/mouse port, 1 USB Type-C port, with USB 3.1 support, 1  USB 3.1 Type-A port, 3  USB 3.0, 4  USB 2.0.

The most important feature it shares with the Z170 X UD3 is the Thunderbolt 3, providing swift 40gb/s speed.

In summary this motherboards features are:

• World’s First Intel Thunderbolt 3 Certified X99 Motherboard
• Supports Intel Core i7 6950X Processor Extreme Edition
• Support Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0
• M.2 interface with up to 32Gb/s Data Transfer 
• Supports New Intel Core i7 Processor Extreme Edition
• Quad Channel DDR4 3400 MHz (128 GB max)
• 4-Way Graphics with Premium PCIe Lane
• Realtek ALC1150 115dB SNR HD Audio 
• Independent Right and Left Audio Channel PCB Layers
• High-end Nichicon Audio Capacitors
• Audio Noise Guard with Multi-Color Choices of LED Trace Path Lighting
• All Stainless Steel connectors on rear panel
• SATA Express support for up to 10 Gb/s data transfer
• Gigabyte UEFI DualBIOS
• Long lifespan Durable Black Solid caps
• APP Center including EasyTune and Cloud Station utilities
• Safer Design Around Screw Mounting Holes

A mobo that made it’s reputation as the best buy mobo of 2016 as it supports up to 128 GB of ram, is quality made and costs $234.96.

BEST SELLER – Asus Z170 PRO Gaming

This motherboard supports the LGA 1151 Socket.  Many motherboards with this socket only support DDR4 ram, and so is the case for this motherboard. But truly this is a great motherboard as it has many features that can prove useful to a gamer of a high caliber. This motherboard can boost the performance of your DDR4 RAM which can be useful for running games like Rust as it is a game that requires a lot of ram to run, due to the bad configuration of Rust. This motherboard has 4 RAM(up to 64 GB) slots. The Z170 PRO Gaming supports crossfire/SLI(3x PCIe 3.0 x 16 slots). This board from the back has a PS/2 keyboard/mouse combo port, 3 Display ports(HDMI, VGA, DVI) a USB 3.1 Type-A + Type-C, 6  USB 3.0 ports(2 at the front and 4 at the back), 8  USB 2.0 (6 at the front and at the back), Intel Ethernet GameFirst IV LANGuard.

The board contains 6  SATA 6.0 Gb/s, 1  M.2 slots (PCIe 3.0 4 and SATA 6 Gb/s) and one SATA Express port.
In summary this motherboards features are :

• LGA1151 socket for 6th-gen Intel Core Desktop Processors
• Dual channel DDR4 3466 (OC) support(64 GB max)
• Easy and stable overclocking
• SupremeFX 
• Sonic Radar ll: Scan and detect your enemies to dominate
• LANGuard
• GameFirst IV
• RAMCache
• USB 3.1 Type-A/C & M.2
• 6 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s, 1 x M.2 slots
• 3x PCIe 3.0 x 16 slots(2 CPU, 1 PCH), 2 Way SLI & CrossFire Multi-Graphics Support

It’s the most sold motherboard and offers many new ways to make a PC, probably one of the best cheap motherboards as it costs $157.95.

Asus Maximus VIII Ranger

Maximus VIII Ranger is obviously equipped with an LGA1151 socket, and supports only DDR4 ram (4 slots supporting up to 64GB of Dual channel RAM with speeds up to 3400MHz). It supports crossfire/SLI (3x PCIe 3.0 x 16 slots). There’s also a single M.2 socket supporting both SATA and PCIe with support for speeds up to 32Gb/s. The board features Intel Gigabit LAN and the latest version of Asus’ SupremeFX. This board has many ports: PS/2 keyboard / mouse combo port, 8 USB 2.0 ports(4 at the back and 4 at the front), BIOS Flashback Button, Intel Anti-surge LAN, HDMI port, 6 USB 3.0 ports, USB 3.1 (Type-A)Port. USB 3.1 (Type-C)Port and Gold plated Audio Ports.And contains 6  SATA 6Gb/s port(s) and 2 SATA Express port

In summary this motherboards features are :

• LGA1151 socket for 6th-gen Intel Core Desktop Processors
• Dual channel DDR4 3400 (OC) support(64 GB max)
• Easy and stable overclocking
• LANGuard
• RAMCache
• GameFirst IV
• USB 3.1 Type-A/C & M.2
• 6 USB 3.0 ports
• 8 USB 2.0 ports
• 3x PCIe 3.0 x 16 slots(2 CPU, 1 PCH), 2 Way SLI & CrossFire Multi-Graphics Support
• 6  SATA 6Gb/s port(s) and 2 SATA Express port

Another great motherboard that is cheap considering how many pros it has. And costs about $199.95.

I have reviewed high end motherboards Gigabyte released, including the Gigabyte Z170X Ultra Gaming and the GA X99 Ultra Gaming. The thing these boards all have in common is support for upcoming technology, such as devices that connect via U.2, USB 3.1 Type-C, and Thunderbolt 3. Gigabyte also has made some notable aesthetic improvements with LEDs that illuminate. The Gigabyte Z170X UD3 Ultra offers nearly identical hardware support to the Gigabyte Z170X Ultra Gaming. But where the Ultra Gaming uses red LEDs, while the Gigabyte Z170X-UD3 Ultra lights up blue. So the Z170X UD3 Ultra is probably one of the best releases from gigabyte. This motherboard has a USB 3.1 Type-C port that can also serve as a Thunderbolt 3 port after you install a simple firmware update. Thunderbolt 3 offers a bandwidth of 40Gbps, a significant boost over USB 3.1’s 10Gbps. The Thunderbolt 3/USB 3.1 Type-C port also supports Power Delivery 2.0, which allows it to provide 100 watts of power to connected devices. Gigabyte made sure that anyone can utilize Thunderbolt 3 to it’s fullest extent.

The rear panel also features a USB 3.1 Type A port, 4 USB 3.0 ports, 2 USB 2.0 ports, and a PS/2  keyboard / mouse combo port. Beyond the good looks of the Gigabyte Z170X-UD3 Ultra it also has all the tools you will need to build an outstanding gaming rig. There’s support for SLI and CrossFire setups, and you can install up to 64GB of DDR4 3866 memory.

In summary this motherboards features are:

So overall this is great motherboard that can be used to make a high end tier PC, which can run any game out there. The good part is that it isn’t that expensive as it is $166.99.

Asus Rog Maximus VIII Extreme/Assembly

The Rog Maximus VII Extreme/Assembly comes with improved looks and a lot of features compared to it’s predecessor. It is one of the best Z170 motherboard out there at the moment if you ask me. As it has 4 USB 3.1 ports, multiple M.2 slots and many more features. Multiple M.2 slots and the fastest DDR4 support, the product will shock the socks of your feet. These motherboards are paired with new Skylake-S series processors. The best Skylake processors are the Core i5 6600K and the Core i7 6700K processors for the desktop, I have tested both of the processors. Both of these processors are Socket 1151 and perfect for gaming. The quad core CPU has 8 MB L3 cache and an integrated memory controller that supports both DDR4 and DDR3 memory. The Z170 and H170 motherboards only support DDR4. For the gaming community these two processors are the most important, the Core i7 6700K has four CPU cores with Hyper Threading, 4.0GHz frequency, 4.20GHz maximum Turbo Boost frequency, then there is the Core i5 6600K with four cores, 3.50GHz frequency and a 3.90GHz maximum Turbo Boost frequency, both are based on the new LGA1151 socket package.

In summary this motherboards features are:

• LGA1151 socket for 6th-gen Intel Core Desktop Processors
• Dual Channel DDR4 3866 (OC) support(64 GB max)
• Easy and stable overclocking
  
• Bundled gaming gear – SupremeFX Hi-Fi & 10G Express
• 4 PCIe 3.0 x16 slots (3CPU and 1 PCH)
• LANGuard
• 8 x SATA 6Gb/s (4 shared with SATA-E), 2 SATA Express, 1 U.2
• 4 USB 3.1 (3 Type-A and 1 Type-C)
• Best gaming performance 
• Best gaming protection 

One of the best motherboard out there at the moment as it has so many advantages then the others out there at the moment. If you are making a high end gaming build then this is the motherboard for you and it costs $487.12.

Gigabyte X99 Ultra Gaming

A great release from the Gigabyte crew, an extremely good mobo that is described as being one of the most stylish mobos out there. There’s dual M.2 ports, U.2 support, USB 3.1, a USB Type-C plug, Dual LAN,6  USB 3 ports 10 SATA 6Gb/s connectors and the list of the features goes on and on. Thankfully, Gigabyte’s X99 Ultra Gaming is a little more affordable compared to the triple SLI focused Gigabyte X99 Designare Ex. It’s one of the cheaper X99 boards around at the moment too, because of the price increases from Asus and MSI, making this a go to mobo.

The PCI-E slots are clad in steel covers, with a smattering of chrome and white and red colored shrouds and heat sinks making it a really attractive motherboard. But it still has some cons as there is no on board Wi-Fi, although there is a dedicated M.2 slot for an M.2 Wi-Fi card. LED lighting is of course one of the  main features of the X99 Ultra Gaming as you can switch the colors to your wish.

In summary this motherboards features are:

• Supports Intel Core i7 6950X Processor Extreme Edition
• Support Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0
• Quad Channel, Registered / Non-ECC Unbuffered 8 DDR4 3600+MHz (OC) slots
• USB 3.1 with USB Type-C Support
• Best 3-Way/ 2-Way SLI & CrossFire Support Spacing
• NVMe PCIe Gen3 x4 22110 M.2 Interface & U.2 Interface for Intel SSD 750
• SATA Express Connector for Up to 10Gb/s Data Transfer
• Killer E2400 and IntelGbE Gaming Networks
• Supports up to 10 SATA 6Gb/s
• Ambient Surround LED with RGB Multi-Color Choices
• Ultra Durable Metal Shielding over PCIe and DDR Slots
• Ultra Durable Anti-Sulfur Resistors for Longer Lifespan
• Ultra Durable Anti-Rust Rear I/O Connectors
• Dual Hybrid Fan Headers with Precise PWM / Voltage Control for Water Pump & Fan
• Gigabyte UEFI DualBIOS with Q-Flash Plus USB ports
• APP Center Including EasyTune and Cloud Station Utilities

Great structure, awesome LEDs and more features then you can imagine a mobo to have. It is quite a nice mobo and costs $267.89.

Overview

Many of these motherboards are considered to be gaming motherboards. Saying so, you will need a gaming processor. The current 6th generation processors are beyond many people’s expectations. So depending on which motherboard you choose to buy, we will give you the appropriate processor choice. We will be looking mainly at four processors the Core i7 6700k, Core i7 6800k , Core i7 6900k and the best for the last the core i7 6950X. Besides the processor you will need another thing which we have included down below. It’s a liquid cooler which is pretty much the most recommended type of cooling currently out there. Granted many people know what processor they will buy but this is our guide and advice to you. So you can make a better choice in choosing the perfect setup for yourself.

Intel Core i7 6700K

This processor is number one seller on Amazon at this given time. Thanks to our knowledge of Skylake architecture, we can make a detailed review of the i7 6700K. The i7 6700K is a quad-core, eight-threaded processor with 8MB of L3 cache, much like the older generations. Skylake parts are manufactured on Intel’s 14-nm fabrication process with tri-gate transistors. Skylake  brings a new CPU microarchitecture. As usual, this architectural refresh is meant to improve clock-for-clock performance through various clever enhancements to the processor’s efficiency and throughput. Intel claims the 6700K is 10% faster than the Core i7-4790K.

In fact, the Core i7-6700K replaces the 4790K at the exact same price. The 6700K’s peak clock speed is down a little bit, at 4.2GHz instead of the 4.4GHz Turbo peak on the 4790K, but the 6700K can run all four cores at 4.2GHz under load. Intel has pushed a little on the power front in order to deliver higher performance in recent generations. The top Ivy Bridge quad core topped out at 77 watts, while Haswell moved up to 88 watts, however, Skylake nudges the limit up to 91 watts.That added CPU power draw could be offset at a platform level by the transition to a new memory type, DDR4. Skylake supports both DDR4 and DDR3L type memories, for lower voltage operation and power savings.

If you are a gamer with a budget looking for a new rig this is the right processor for you, this processor is supported by all of the motherboards named (except the X99 Deluxe II) above and costs $319.99.

Intel Core i7 6800K

The Core i7 6800K is the best value six core processor currently out on the market. The extra $60 you’d be spending on the 6800K over the 6700K actually makes sense. For high end gaming rigs, sporting multiple graphics cards, the Broadwell-E chip is a great choice especially in terms of extra future proofing for your build. When you’re talking about a full system build, with a pair of Nvidia Titan x’s doing the graphical work, that six-core price premium becomes far easier to swallow.

If you have any interest in video editing, or other creative exercises requiring a lot of CPU power and memory bandwidth, the 6800K is worth the extra 60 dollars, even if you don’t do such thing, it is still worth it. X99 motherboards are generally more expensive than their Z170 compadres, though the price of DDR4 memory has dropped in recent times. When you want something a little more special from your gaming rig, or want to build something seriously high-end, with multiple GPUs and memory performance, Intel’s 6800K is an extremely viable solution. This processor is supported by all of the mobos above.

If you want your build to last a bit more then this processor is perfect for you, as it is worth the extra 60 dollars. This processor is of course better then the i7 6700k and is useful for animators. It costs $379.99

Intel Core i7 6900K

The biggest issue with the i7-6900K is that it’s not really all that different from it’s predecessor the i7-5960X, a processor that was released over two years ago. That was Intel’s then best Extreme processor, with a starting price of $1000. Two years later, the i7-6900K is slightly faster and still includes most of the same features, and if you were hoping prices would come down you will be disappointed. On the contrary actually, as the price is increased, even though they are really similar processors. So if you bought the i7-5960X when it launched, this isn’t the upgrade you’re going to be looking for- that would be the 10-core i7-6950X, or wait for Skylake-X. But if you are in need of an 8 core processor with 16 threads which is fast as hell then look no further.

The average clock of this processor is 3.2 GHz, while in turbo mode you get up to 3.7 GHz. It is a beast to say the least as probably the best part of this processor is the fact that it’s gonna be viable for the next 5 years or so, perhaps even more. This processor is supported by all of the mobos above.

If you want the best rig out there, then this processor should be considered as it satisfy all of your needs and more. It costs $1,049.99.

Intel Core i7 6950X

One of a kind processor, 10 core CPU, the i7 6950X, this processor should be considered one of the best of the latest gen of processors. But this is the first 14nm HEDT part and should be smaller than an equivalent Haswell-E design. Intel will state that enthusiasts have been asking for more in the overclockable high end consumer space, so here it is. This processor has 10 cores, 20 threads a base clock speed of 3 GHz and a turbo speed of 3.5 GHz.

The 10 core i7 6950X costs $634 more than the 8 core i7 6900K. We all know that once you reach the high-end, the price/performance curve goes off in a somewhat foolish direction. The i7-6950X also gets a unique retail box compared to the other processors, in a sleek black box with gold lettering. This combination of colors tends to go down well with whoever loves gold, perhaps indicating that Intel is looking at a new kind of premium customer. Basically if you got the money you got the honey.

This is the end tier processor and it is extremely expensive and extremely good. It can out perform anything. It is supported by the X99 Deluxe II, X99 Ultra Gaming and the X99P SLI(these are the mobos we covered). It costs a whooping $1,579.99.

H100i v2 240MM Liquid Cooler

This is just a simple cooler. It is also the number one seller on Amazon.

The features of this cooler are :

• 240mm dual fan radiator
• Improved cold plate and pump design
• Advanced SP120L PWM fan design
• Built-in Corsair Link: monitor CPU and coolant temperature, adjust fan speed
• User replaceable inserts: Change the color of your cooler

There is no review for this item as it is just a simple liquid cooler. It is simple and it is necessary for your PC. It costs around $102.89.

If you want to build an AMD oriented PC, then I can give you a few suggestions. To get the maximum performance out of your PC you should get a high end AMD processor no matter what. It is much cheaper then Intel processors, but it can do a lot of damage. When buying an AMD processor you should look up the detailed review on that processor as it could not satisfy your needs. As for motherboards, you should get a motherboard that supports 3 way crossfire/SLI as you will need it later on, mostly because if you wish to run the newest games on the best possible experience you will need it. But you probably already know this.