If you’re planning to build a new system using Intel’s 11th gen Core processors, you’re going to need a proper motherboard with ample VRM and connectivity. You also need to consider the form factor and the number of SSD slots available on the motherboard. To help you out, we have created this guide containing the best budget Z590 motherboards.
Whether you’re tight on a budget or you don’t want to invest a lot into a motherboard, we have you covered. We have analyzed many Z590 boards from the most popular manufacturers to find the cheapest Z590 motherboards that include all the next-gen features required to fully enjoy Intel’s new Rocket Lake S CPUs. All you have to do is pick the motherboard that best fits your requirements and your budget.
Best Budget ATX Z590 Motherboards
1. MSI Z590-A ProSeries
Specifications
Form Factor: ATX | Socket: LGA 1200 | Memory support: 4x DIMM, up to 128GB, DDR4-5333 | Expansion slots: 2x PCIe 4.0 x16, 2x PCIe 3.0 x1| Video ports: 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort | Rear USB: 1x USB Type-C, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 | Storage: 3x M.2, 6x SATA 6Gb/s | Network: Intel I225-V 2.5Gb LANKey Features
- Flexible connectivity
- Thermal solution for high-end processors
- M.2 Shield Frozr
- 2.5Gbps LAN
- Lightning Gen 4 support
The MSI Z590-A Pro is an ATX-size motherboard that combines the basic black design of the board with silver-accented heatsinks to form a pleasing basic but stylish look. Apart from its design, this budget-friendly motherboard offers you all the features you need for a modern system built around Intel’s 11th Gen CPUs.
The Z590-A Pro comes with PCIe 4.0 support and MSI also includes a lot of storage connectivity. The board is equipped with three M.2 slots, from which one is PCIe 4.0 x4 capable, as well as six SATA 3 ports. Memory is supported up to 128GB and it can reach a total speed of 5333MHz if overclocked. That’s way beyond what most people need, but it’s good to know the motherboard is capable of such feats of strength despite its low-end price tag.
On the back panel, the Z590-A Pro is equipped with one USB Type-C port, as well as one USB 3.2 Gen 2 port and two Gen 1 ports. Furthermore, this model comes with an I225-V 2.5GbE LAN controller, but it lacks a Wi-Fi module. If you need Wi-Fi capabilities, there’s an identical motherboard with Wi-Fi 6E included at an extra cost.
All in all, MSI produced a reliable entry-level motherboard that offers all the modern connectivity you need for the average PC build. Just keep in mind that if you need Wi-Fi, this board doesn’t include it and you’ll have to purchase the Z590-A Pro Wi-Fi version instead.
2. ASRock Z590 PRO4
Specifications
Form Factor: ATX | Socket: LGA 1200 | Memory support: 4x DIMM, up to 128GB, DDR4-4800 | Expansion slots: 1x PCIe 4.0 x16, 1x PCIe 3.0 x4, 2x PCIe 3.0 x1| Video ports: 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort | Rear USB: 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 | Storage: 3x M.2, 6x SATA 6Gb/s | Network: Giga PHY Intel I219V LANKey Features
- Dual graphics output
- Flexible connectivity
- Reinforced PCIe 4.0 steel slot
- Post Status Checker troubleshooting tool
- ASRock Polychrome RGB
The ASRock Z590 PRO4 is another entry-level motherboard for users that want to combine performance, basic features, and aesthetics. That being said, it still has all the features a mid-range PC build requires.
The Z590 PRO4 is stylishly designed by using a black and silver PCB combined with two silver heatsinks and an RGB chipset heatsink. Putting the aesthetic aside, this motherboard is efficient as it delivers power in 14 phases, thus improving VRM performance.
As for features, the ASRock includes one PCIe 4.0 slot and three PCIe 3.0 slots. It supports 128GB RAM across four memory slots and we can achieve a frequency of up to 4800MHz when overclocking. Storage is also plentiful as the board comes with three M.2 slots and six SATA ports. Four SATA ports are right-angled and two are straight-angled, so you should have an easy time with your cable management.
The Z590 PRO4 motherboard doesn’t come with any Wi-Fi connectivity, but it features a 2.5GbE LAN controller that should guarantee high networking speeds.
3. ASUS Prime Z590M-Plus
Specifications
Form Factor: Micro-ATX | Socket: LGA 1200 | Memory support: 4x DIMM, up to 128GB, DDR4-5133 | Expansion slots: 1x PCIe 4.0 x16, 1x PCIe 3.0 x16, 2x PCIe 3.0 x1| Video ports: 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, 1x DVI-D | Rear USB: 1x USB Type-C, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 | Storage: 3x M.2, 5x SATA 6Gb/s | Network: 1x Intel I219-V 1Gb LANKey Features
- Dual video output
- Dedicated Audio PCB Layer
- VRM Thermal Solution
- ASUS Aura Sync RGB
- Premium Japanese capacitors
There are few Z590 micro-ATX motherboards to choose from, but ASUS provides us with a budget-friendly option with their Prime Z590M-Plus board. This model is intended for entry-level PC builds and we can already see that in the design. The Prime Z590M-Plus adopts a basic black and silver color scheme with a sleek patterned PCB.
The feature set includes a PCIe 4.0 slot and three PCIe 3.0 slots, which are satisfactory for a budget-friendly medium-sized motherboard. ASUS included three M.2 slots for storage and one of them comes with PCIe 4.0 x4 support. The board is also equipped with five SATA ports, which gives you plenty of options. All of them include RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 arrays support.
Memory support is as good as with ATX-sized motherboards from ASUS. We can install four memory sticks up to 128GB in total. What’s impressive is that we can boost memory frequencies up to 5133MHz which is way more than what’s worth using.
On the back panel, you’ll find that you have all the connectivity you need. There are one Type-C port and three USB 3.2 ports that you can use. ASUS also included three different video outputs, so you have plenty of options there as well. Overall, the Prime Z590M-Plus is one of the best budget Z590 motherboards you can purchase in the micro-ATX category.
4. Gigabyte Z590 UD
Specifications
Form Factor: ATX | Socket: LGA 1200 | Memory support: 4x DIMM, up to 128GB, DDR4-5333 | Expansion slots: 1x PCIe 4.0 x16, 1x PCIe 4.0 x16 (x4 mode), 2x PCIe 3.0 x1| Video ports: 1x DisplayPort | Rear USB: 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 4x USB 3.2 Gen 1 | Storage: 2x M.2, 5x SATA 6Gb/s | Network: 1x Realtek 2.5 GbE LANKey Features
- 2.5GbE LAN
- Shielded memory routing
- Large VRM heatsink
- M.2 slots with thermal guard
- RGB Fusion
The Z590 UD is Gigabyte’s entry-level Z590 model that offers very good performance for its price. This Ultra-Durable (UD) motherboard comes with a single PCIe 4.0 expansion slot and two PCIe 3.0 slots. This model is one of the most basic ones from Gigabyte when it comes to features as it includes only two M.2 slots and five SATA ports, which isn’t much for a full-size ATX board. However, it doesn’t disappoint when it comes to memory support. The board has four memory slots that accept up to 128GB of RAM overclocked at 5333MHz.
When it comes to connectivity, on the rear panel you’ll find two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, as well as four Gen 1 ports. The motherboard is also equipped with a fast 2.5GbE LAN controller for your networking needs. However, it doesn’t come with a Wi-Fi module. If you require a Wi-Fi connection, you should take a look at the Gigabyte Z590 UD AC version, which is the same in features but includes Wi-Fi capability.
Overall, the Z590 UD is a basic design that should fulfill most of your needs. The main downside is that there are only two M.2 storage slots.
Best Budget Micro-ATX Z590 Motherboard
5. ASRock Z590 Phantom Gaming 4
Specifications
Form Factor: Micro-ATX | Socket: LGA 1200 | Memory support: 4x DIMM, up to 128GB, DDR4-4800 | Expansion slots: 1x PCIe 4.0 x16, x 1x PCIe 3.0 x4, 3x PCIe 3.0 x1| Video ports: 1x HDMI | Rear USB: 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB Type-C, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 | Storage: 3x M.2, 6x SATA 6Gb/s | Network: Giga PHY Intel I219V LANKey Features
- 8-Phase Power Design
- Intel Gigabit LAN
- 7.1 Audio Channels
- ASRock Polychrome SYNC
The Z590 Phantom Gaming 4 is ASRock’s non-WiFi entry-level board that comes with all the fundamental features you can expect in its price range. This Micro-ATX board has fairly small heatsinks, but two of them are dedicated to the 8-phase VRM. The design and aesthetic are fairly plain as ASRock opted for a simple black and silver color scheme.
The board is PCIe 4.0-ready, offering one PCIe 4.0 x16 expansion slot. As for storage, there are three M.2 slots, one of which supports PCIe 4.0 x4, and six SATA ports. The SATA ports support RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 arrays. When it comes to memory, the Z590 Phantom can take up to 128GB of RAM that can reach a top frequency of 4800MHz.
The rear panel is simple and quite basic in terms of connectivity and options. There are only three USB 3.2 ports, out of which just one is Gen 2, and one USB Type-C port. Furthermore, there’s a single HDMI output without any other video output options. ASRock also included a legacy peripherals port for the mouse and keyboard.
All in all, the Phantom Gaming 4 Z590 board from ASRock is a good choice for entry-level PC builders that don’t have the budget for a high-end motherboard. It comes with all the modern features you need, minus the Wi-Fi module. The only downside is there aren’t as many M.2 slots and USB 3.2 ports as most of us would like.
Best Budget ITX Z590 Motherboard
6. ASRock Z590M ITX/AX
Specifications
Form Factor: Mini-ITX | Socket: LGA 1200 | Memory support: 2x DIMM, up to 64GB, DDR4-5066 | Expansion slots: 1x PCIe 4.0 x16, 1x PCIe 3.0 x16| Video ports: 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort | Rear USB: 1x USB Type-C,4x USB 3.2 Gen 2 | Storage: 2x M.2, 4x SATA 6Gb/s | Network: 1x Dragon 2.5 Gb LAN, Intel Wi-Fi 6EKey Features
- Dual video outputs
- 8-Phase Dr.MOS Power Design
- 2.5Gb LAN
- PCIe 4.0-ready
- Intel 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6E module
For small form factor enthusiasts on a budget, ASRock presents their basic yet stylish Z590M ITX/AX motherboard. This mini-ITX board comes with an 8-phase power delivery, PCIe 4.0 support, and also supports high-frequency RAM up to an impressive 5066MHz. The maximum capacity is 64GB divided into two 32GB slots, which is the standard in small form factor designs.
When it comes to networking capabilities, this motherboard is equipped with a 2.5Gb LAN controller, as well as an Intel Wi-Fi 6E module. The rear panel doesn’t disappoint either as we have one Type-C port and four USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports. ASRock also gave us two video output options by including both HDMI and DisplayPort outputs.
Overall, this is one of the best mini-ITX you can buy while on a budget. The design of the board might not impress you since it’s not so overblown and decorated as other motherboards on this list, but when it comes to functionality and features it doesn’t disappoint.
Final Thoughts
With the arrival of Intel’s 11th Gen processors that support PCIe 4.0, it’s time to look for a new motherboard. Fortunately, all of our favorite motherboard manufacturers came up with a budget-friendly solution that you can find on our list. Take a look at the specifications and features presented above, and choose the best budget Z590 motherboard.
