Best Motherboards to Buy for the Intel Core i5 13600

Our Top Motherboard Picks

Intel’s Core i5 13600 is an excellent mid-range CPU that performs similarly to the ‘K’ and ‘KF’ variants, but without the overclocking support. For this reason, it doesn’t make much sense to pick up a more expensive motherboard that has higher VRM phases to sustain a higher clock speed. So we’ve picked out a range of motherboards that synergises well with the performance of the 13600, whilst sitting at a reasonable price point.

Best Motherboards for the Core i5 13600

1. ASUS ROG Strix B760-G Gaming WiFi D4

👑 The best white motherboard for i5 13600.

Key Specs

Key Specs	ASUS ROG Strix B760-G Gaming WiFi D4
Form Factor	micro-ATX
Supported Memory	128GB DDR4 5333MHz
PCI-E x16 Slots	1x PCI-E 5.0, 2x PCI-E 4.0
PCI-E x4 Slots	2x PCI-E 4.0
Rear IO	1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen2, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen1, 4x USB 2.0
Networking	2.5 Gigabit LAN, WiFi 6E

Things We Like

Great for white-themed builds: With multiple heatsinks donning and white and silver look, this motherboard will fit perfectly into an all-white gaming PC. Although, it will look odd in more traditional gaming PCs.

Extensive rear IO connectivity: To support the strong connectivity for components, the rear IO has a range of high-quality connections for top-tier performance with gaming peripherals. The sound options on this board are particularly strong thanks to the vast amount of audio ports available.

Things We Don’t Like

Micro-ATX form factor: Whether a smaller form factor is a weakness or not is mainly up to personal preference, but the majority of mid-range gamers will find an ATX form factor more suitable for their system. The smaller size of this board may cause airflow issues when placed into a larger case, meaning performance of the components such as the GPU will not be optimised.

PCI-E 5.0 slot for SSDs: This motherboard provides almost everything a mid-range gamers would need for a great gaming experience at least the next generation of components. But the one key feature missing is the lack of PCI-E 5.0 support for SSDs, as this would give gamers access to the performance benefits that are bound to come with the arrival of Gen5 storage.

Summary

Where to Buy

Buy the ASUS ROG STRIX B760-G Gaming WiFi D4 on:

2. Gigabyte B760M AORUS Elite AX D4

👑 The best compact motherboard for i5 13600.

Key Specs

Key Specs	Gigabyte B760M AORUS Elite AX D4
Form Factor	micro-ATX
Supported Memory	128GB DDR4 5333MHz
PCI-E x16 Slots	2x PCI-E 4.0
PCI-E x4 Slots	2x PCI-E 4.0
Rear IO	1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen2, 3x USB 3.2 Gen1, 4x USB 2.0
Networking	2.5 Gigabit LAN, WiFi 6E

Things We Like

Rear IO connectivity: This motherboard includes a wide range of ports on the rear IO, including plenty of USB slots and a choice of 2.5Gb and WiFi 6E for online gaming. On top of this, the rear IO is surrounded by an integrated shield, which improves durability and makes the installation process much easier.

Affordable option: By no means is this motherboard the cheapest option with a B760 chipset, but it is one of the more affordable options that includes enough features to satisfy most mid-range gamers. The multiple PCI-E 4.0 slots ensures that gamers will benefit from the full performance of current-gen, and leaves space for an upgrade if necessary.

Things We Don’t Like

Limited aesthetic: This motherboard has a fairly barebones appearance that will make it less appealing to i5 13600 users with funds to spare. Plus, the silver heatsinks provide an look that will struggle to fit in with the aesthetics of a lot of PC builds, further limiting this board’s use-case.

Smaller design: Similarly to the previous entry in our roundup, this motherboard has a compact micro-ATX form factor. Though this will benefit gamers looking to build a more portable gaming PC, mid-range systems typically include ATX motherboards for the increased connectivity and better integration with other mid-range components.

Summary

Where to Buy

Buy the Gigabyte B760M AORUS Elite AX D4 on:

3. ASUS TUF Gaming B760-Plus WiFi D4

👑 The best looking motherboard for i5 13600.

Key Specs

Key Specs	ASUS TUF Gaming B760-Plus WiFi D4
Form Factor	ATX
Supported Memory	128GB DDR4 5333MHz
PCI-E x16 Slots	1x PCI-E 5.0, 1x PCI-E 3.0
PCI-E x4 Slots	3x PCI-E 4.0
Rear IO	1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen2, 3x USB 3.2 Gen1, 1x USB 2.0
Networking	2.5 Gigabit LAN, WiFi 6

Things We Like

Awesome aesthetic: The industrial-inspired look on TUF Gaming motherboards is one of our favourite designs to slot inside of a gaming PC, as the mechanical aesthetic provides a build with a look that matches the futuristic tech you would stumble across in most modern gaming titles.

M.2 storage capacity: Any gamers with a large backlog will be happy to see this motherboard features plenty of PCI-E 4.0 slots for M.2 storage. This allows gamers to install more high-speed SSDs to store games, which eliminates the need to delete or move games around to optimise performance.

Things We Don’t Like

Limited USB ports: Though the rear IO includes a lot of USB 3.2 ports, which provide superior speed and lower latency compared to USB 2.0, the total number of ports is fairly limited for mid-range gamers. This could cause problems for those gamers that want to connect multiple peripherals such as mice and keyboards up to their PC at once.

Weaker wireless networking: One of the main areas in which this motherboard falls behind in terms of performance is networking. Even though the choice between wired or wireless online connectivity is very convenient, the WiFi 6 module is significantly weaker than the WiFi 6E module that appear on a lot of other B760 motherboards.

Summary

Where to Buy

Buy the ASUS TUF Gaming B760-Plus WiFi D4 on:

4. Gigabyte B760 Gaming X AX

👑 The best DDR5 motherboard for i5 13600.

Key Specs

Key Specs	Gigabyte B760 Gaming X AX
Form Factor	ATX
Supported Memory	128GB DDR5 7600MHz
PCI-E x16 Slots	1x PCI-E 4.0, 2x PCI-E 3.0
PCI-E x4 Slots	3x PCI-E 4.0
Rear IO	1x USB-C 3.2 Gen2, 2x USB 3.2 Gen1, 4x USB 2.0
Networking	2.5 Gigabit LAN, WiFi 6E

Things We Like

Affordable DDR5 design: DDR5 memory is still considered more of a luxury in gaming PCs, with the small boost in performance often struggling to justify the increased price tag. However, this design throws expectations out of the window by offering support for the latest memory at a very reasonable price point.

Versatile connectivity: As an ATX design, this motherboard is able to provide a greater amount of connections such as PCI-E slots and USB ports. This is great for i5 13600 users, as it provides plenty of room for additional components to enhance the performance of their PC build.

Things We Don’t Like

Simplistic look: Even though the black and grey colour combination provides this motherboard with a distinct look, the lack of additional features on the heatsinks or connections makes the overall aesthetic fairly underwhelming. This makes this board a better fit for stealthier PC builds, as it lacks the typical gamer aesthetic.

Lack of futureproofing: Whilst this design provides a large quantity of connectivity option, a lot of them are lower quality choices. For example, the GPU support mainly consists of PCI-E 3.0 slots that limit the performance capabilities of current graphics card. Instead, this motherboard could have provided a PCI-E 5.0 slot, which would open up the possibility to upgrade to next-gen graphics card as soon as they release.

Summary

Where to Buy

Buy the Gigabyte B760 Gaming X AX on:

5. MSI MAG B760 TOMAHAWK WiFi D4

👑 The best value motherboard for i5 13600.

Key Specs

Key Specs	MSI MAG B760 TOMAHAWK WiFi D4
Form Factor	ATX
Supported Memory	128GB DDR4 5333MHz
PCI-E x16 Slots	1x PCI-E 5.0
PCI-E x4 Slots	3x PCI-E 4.0
Rear IO	1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C, 4x USB-C 3.2 Gen2, 2x USB 3.2 Gen1, 4x USB 2.0
Networking	2.5 Gigabit LAN, WiFi 6E

Things We Like

PCI-E 5.0 support: For mid-range systems in particular, having the ability to eventually upgrade to more powerful components is an important feature that increase the value of motherboard significantly. That’s why the PCI-E 5.0 slot on this board is a great inclusion for i5 13600 users, as it opens up the possibility to next-gen graphics cards when they inevitably enter the market.

Stealthy appearance: Even though the subtle tones of this board are unlikely to turn heads, the detailing throughout the design bolsters the overall aesthetic of a gaming PC, and does a great job at elevating other components within a system. Whether you are opting for a stealthy or RGB-heavy build, this motherboard will blend into most builds without any issues.

Things We Don’t Like

Lack of PCI-E 5.0 storage: In terms of features, this motherboard will tick the majority of boxes for gamers that have picked up the i5 13600 as their CPU. However, one small missing piece of the puzzle is the lack of a PCI-E 5.0 slot for storage, as this would allow gamers to upgrade to Gen5 SSDs as soon as they release.

USB 2.0 on rear IO: The rear IO on the MAG B760 TOMAHAWK is an improvement on a lot of its B760 alternatives, mainly thanks to the increased number of USB 3.2 ports. But the choice to include multiple USB 2.0 ports on top of the USB 3.2 options might do more harm than good, as gamers could easily confuse the two options, leading to less efficient performance for peripherals and external devices.

Summary

Where to Buy

Buy the MSI MAG B760 TOMAHAWK WiFi D4 on:

Chipset Differences

Before purchasing a motherboard, a great starting point if you’re unsure, is to look at the chipsets on offer. The chipset of a motherboard is effectively the determinant for the kind of features you’ll have access to. This means you may have to sacrifice a certain set of features dependent on the chipset that you’ve chosen. For this reason, it can be vital to determine which chipset you’re going to choose, as this will directly affect pricing and the available features.

Although this roundup is going to predominantly looking at B760 motherboards (due to the lack of overclocking capability with the Core i5 13600K). It is worth briefly discussing the differences between a B760 and Z790 motherboard. Our recommendations are normally well-rounded, but you may decide to pick up a Z790 motherboard for the sake of upgradeability and longevity.

As a general rule of thumb, Z790 motherboards are the flagship option, offering the most amount of features available with the platform. This means users get access to overclocking support, the max amount of PCI-E lanes, alongside USB ports, and more. This means that Z790 motherboards are generally more enticing due to the feature set, but this obviously comes at a higher price tag.

B760 motherboards cut the available features in half, compared to Z790 board. Where you’d have 28 usable PCI-E lanes on the Z790 chipset, B760 motherboards get 14. This tends to be similar for other features as well. B760 motherboards do have less features overall compared to Z790 options, but what is two less USB ports when you can pick up a motherboard for a much lower price. Again, weighing up these decisions is vital to ensure you can pick up a motherboard that has a price you’re comfortable with, versus a reasonable amount of features.

Motherboard Compatibility

One of the major concerns with any new range of chipsets is whether old motherboards are compatible with the newer CPUs. For Intel 12th and 13th-Gen users, you won’t need to purchase a new motherboard. Z790 boards will support the Core i5 13600 out of the box, but these boards won’t be the definitive choice due to the lack of overclocking support. For those that are thinking about picking up a Z690 or B660 motherboard, you’ll need to update your board with a BIOS update, which can be found on the manufacturer’s website.

Motherboard Chipsets	Intel 12th-Gen CPUs	Intel 13th-Gen CPUs
Z790	✅	✅
B760	✅	✅
H770	✅	✅
Z690	✅	✅(with a BIOS update)
B660	✅	✅(with a BIOS update)
H670	✅	✅(with a BIOS update)
H610	✅	✅(with a BIOS update)
Z590	❌	❌
B560	❌	❌
H570	❌	❌
H510	❌	❌

Why You Can Trust Us

Before we head into our product recommendation, we think its worth considering why you can trust our thoughts and opinions. The GeekaWhat team consists of PC hardware experts and gaming enthusiasts, who work hard to test the products that come through the office doors in a variety of gaming and general day-to-day situations. This continuous testing has given us a wide scope on the current market for PC gaming components and peripherals, along with a large catalogue of products to recommend. If you would like to know more about the GeekaWhat team, or want more details on our editorial promise, head over to the About Us section.

How We Picked the Best Motherboards for Intel Core i5 13600

In a case like this where we are looking at motherboards to pair up with a specific CPU, the main testing methods we use are benchmarks and general analysis of features and design choices. When we manage to get a motherboard into the office, our first instinct is to throw it into a PC build. Not only will this provide us with some important gaming benchmarks, it also gives an indication as to how easy the installation process is, as well as how easy it is to slot components into that particular board.

We’ll use the same motherboard in multiple builds with varying components to gain a general understanding of the how it performs under different conditions. Once we’re satisfied with the information gathered, we conjure our final verdict and relay to our audience through YouTube Videos or buyers guides -like this one! In this content, we make sure to include a general overview of our experiences with a particular product, acknowledging which gamers may benefit most from including it within their gaming setup.

As for the analysis of features, there are several key variables that we look out for. These include the form factor, the support for components such as RAM and GPUs, the rear IO connectivity, the networking options, the design choices, and the budget. We will also make note of any additional features a motherboard might possess, with an explanation as to how it will impact gamers wanting to use that particular board within their setup.

For more of a deep dive into our analysis and testing, take a look at our detailed reviews on B760 motherboards below:

Brand + Chipset	Review Link
ASUS ROG B760-A	ASUS ROG STRIX B760-A Gaming WiFi D4 Review
MSI MAG B760	MSI MAG B760 TOMAHAWK WiFi DDR4 Review
ASUS ROG B760-G	ASUS ROG STRIX B760-G Gaming WiFi D4 Review
ASUS TUF B760	ASUS TUF Gaming B760-Plus WiFi D4 Review

Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions