John Chad, Bachelor Degree in Computer Science & Computer Engineering.
Russel Collins
When getting a new generation CPU it’s crucial to get a matching motherboard in terms of quality, this ensures that not only will your CPU be able to run at maximum performance without any issues but it also allows every other component to also run at maximum performance, however, it can be quite difficult to pick a suiting motherboard as there so many different options.
Here’s the kicker:
That’s what we’re here to do!
We’ll give you as much information as we can and a few solid options from the ones we will talk about in this article, hopefully, this should help you with the decision-making process. We can guarantee that all of the options presented are top-notch, and you’ll be pleased regardless of which one you end up choosing.
Why should you trust our reviews/opinions?
Here at TechReviewTeam, we test every single motherboard before writing a detailed review on them. Unlike other websites, we don’t simply write reviews on products we’ve never tested, while others write reviews based on “theoretical performance” that the product SELLER ADVERTISES, we actually take our time to test the product we talk about & share the knowledge with you.
Best Motherboard For I5 12400 / I5 12400F:
- MSI PRO Z690-A
- ASUS ROG Strix Z690-E Gaming
- GIGABYTE B660M DS3H
- ASUS Prime B660-PLUS
- ASUS Prime H670-PLUS
- ASUS Prime H610M-A
Before we proceed, some information on the I5 12400F:
The I5 12400 and the I5 12400F are the latest Intel 12th generation CPUs announced in 2021. They have a base frequency of 2.5Ghz, which is quite low, however, the Turbo Frequency goes all the way up to 4.4Ghz to compensate. It also features 6 cores and 12 threads, which is a significant advance over prior I5s, which only have 4 cores and 8 threads (although the previous generation also featured 6 cores and 12 threads).
Another key feature is the fact that it supports up to 3200Mhz RAM DDR4 and up to 4800Mhz DDR5 while the I5 11400 only supported up to DDR4 RAM.
To get all the performance you can get from the I5 12400 you need to pair it with a good motherboard and that’s what this article is all about, giving you the top 6 motherboards that you should pick for your I5 12400 & for the I5 12400F. However, before we begin, you should know that the 12th gen CPU’s such as the I5 12400 can work with the following chipsets(ordered by quality):
– Z690
– B660
– H670
– H610
However, the Z690 has started coming out sooner, thus they’re the ones available in higher quantities right now, while the others are just now starting to be released. The Z690s or the B660s will always be the best fit for the new CPUs, however, since this is a CPU that doesn’t require overclocking, we always suggest going with a B660 over the Z690 as you don’t need the overclocking capabilities and you’ll save a decent amount of money.
One thing to keep in mind though is that if you wish to use DDR5 RAM you have to get a Z690 motherboard as B660/H670/H610 doesn’t currently support DDR5.
Regardless, we will share with you some good options to choose from both Z690, B660s, and H670/H610s.
Best Z690 Motherboards For The I5 12400F:
- Supports 12th Gen Intel Core / Pentium / Celeron processors for LGA 1700 socket.Audio ports (Rear): Realtek ALC897/ALC892 Codec
- Supports DDR5 Memory, up to 5600(OC) MHz
- Premium Thermal Solution: Extended Heatsink Design and M.2 Shield Frozr are built for high performance system and non-stop works
- 2.5G LAN and Intel Wi-Fi 6E Solution: Upgraded network solution for professional and multimedia use. Delivers a secure, stable and fast network connection
- Lightning M.2: Running at PCIe Gen4 x4 maximizes performance for NVMe based SSDs
MSI PRO Z590-A Rating: 9.5/10
Pros
- Best-Seller of all the Z690s
- Good results when overclocking both RAM & CPU
- Compatible with DDR5 RAM
- Good Brand
- Cheap when compared to other Z690s
Cons
- Lacks some features when compared to other more expensive options
- Overclocking stability & limit not quite as good as other options
What do we like about the MSI PRO Z690-A?
In our opinion, the PRO Z590-A really stands out when compared to other ones, it’s top of the line in terms of quality. It’s a regular-sized ATX motherboard so it will only fit in ATX-sized cases, make sure you pay attention to that.
In terms of performance & build quality it’s great, pretty similar to the next one in this list, however, it’s way better than any other options that we will show you later in this article, the MSI PRO Z690-A excels in terms of quality and the fact that it’s a Z690 is nothing but beneficial as it will allow you to do anything you want with it including extreme overclock, we’re sure that it will meet all the users needs now & in the future.
The brand is a giant in the Hardware field so you can rest assured that MSI will not fail you in terms of quality or customer support. It’s one of our favorite motherboards on this list.
The MSI PRO Z690-A is the best-selling Z690 motherboard for the Intel Core I5 12400.
The MSI PRO Z690-A Pro is built on the Z690 chipset and has an LGA 1700 socket designed for 12th generation Intel Core, Pentium Gold, and Celeron processors.
It supports four memory slots that can accommodate both DDR4 & DDR5 RAM with capacity & speeds of up to 256GB of DDR4 memory running at speeds of up to DDR5 5333 (OC). For storage drives, there are two M.2 slots with heatsinks and six SATA III ports.
Other integrated features include Realtek ALC1220 7.1-channel HD audio with Nahimic audio enhancer, dual LAN ports, an Intel Wi-Fi 6E interface, Gigabit Ethernet ports, and support for AMD CrossFireX technology.
The rear panel also has a PS/2 combo port and multiple USB ports that include two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, two USB 2.0 Type-A ports, and a single USB 2.0 header on the motherboard’s I/O panel to provide additional USB connections for your system.
The motherboard comes with a wireless antenna to expand its connectivity features when used with compatible Wi-fi.
What do we dislike about the MSI PRO Z690-A?
Lacks some extra / quality-of-life features that other more expensive options have, although it’s still good at overclocking, it doesn’t handle voltage tweaking as well as other more expensive motherboards.
- Intel LGA 1700 socket: Ready for 12th Gen Intel Core processors, support PCIe 5.0,DDR5 and out of box Windows 11 ready.Wireless and Bluetooth: Bluetooth v5.2.Wireless and Bluetooth : 2x2 Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax), Supports 2.4/5/6GHz frequency band.
- AI Motherboard : AI Overclocking, AI cooling, AI networking(GameFirst VI) and AI noise cancellation
- Robust Power Solution: 18plus1 90A power stages with ProCool II power connector, high-quality alloy chokes and durable capacitors to support multi-core processors
- Optimized Thermal Design: VRM heatsink, PCH fanless heatsink, double-sided M.2 heatsink, hybrid fan headers and Fan Xpert 4 utility
- High-performance Gaming Networking: On-board WiFi 6E and Intel 2.5 Gb Ethernet with ASUS LANGuard
ROG STRIX Z690-E Rating: 10/10
Pros
- Guaranteed Satisfaction if you get this motherboard as it is top of the line.
- Best results when overclocking
- Has everything you will ever need
- Supports DDR5 RAM
- Allows heavy overclocking of your RAM & CPU
- Good Brand
Cons
- Expensive
- Don’t really need one as good as this for the 12400
What do we like about the ROG Strix Z690-E?
Another of our favorites, the ROG Strix Z690-E is even better than the previous ASUS Z690, in the sense that it’s a 100% complete motherboard, every component is high-quality and there’s literally nothing missing in this motherboard, if you wanted a better one it’d be hard to find as there’s nothing else it’s missing. It really stands out when compared to other ones such as B660’s. As for its size, it’s also an ATX Motherboard.
Also allows you to do powerful & even extreme overclocks while staying relatively stable & with such a good brand behind such as the ROG you won’t have to worry about customer support & warranty. (Do remember that overclocking voids the warranty).
In our opinion, the ROG Strix Z690-E really stands out from its competitors.
Designed for enthusiasts Intel LGA 1700 socket CPU, the ROG Strix Z690-E Gaming motherboard delivers maximum performance with a robust power design, comprehensive cooling options, and enhanced networking. Optimized thermal design features include an active PCH heatsink, M.2 aluminum heatsink, two VRM heatsinks, two PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots, and a ProCool II connector to keep temperatures under tight control even during marathon gaming sessions.
The ROG Strix Z690-E Gaming features AI enhancements and intuitive dashboards to help you overclock and tweak various parameters easily. Performance is boosted with AI Overclocking, AI Cooling, and AI Networking (GameFirst VI), while ASUS OptiMem II ensures better DRAM overclocking stability.
ROG Strix Z690-E Gaming series features a Robust Power Solution that includes 18+1 stages, ProCool II power connectors, high-quality alloy chokes, and durable capacitors to provide reliable power even when pushing the CPU performance to the limit.
Whether you’re gaming or working from home, the ROG Strix Z690-E Gaming motherboard helps you get the most out of your machine. It has an optimized thermal design, including a VRM heatsink, PCH fanless heatsink, and double-sided M.2 cooling for balanced processor performance. Designed with hybrid fan headers and FanXpert 4 software, it automatically tracks the temperature of your CPU or GPU to deliver the best cooling performance. Featuring two Thunderbolt 3 ports, 2.5Gb Ethernet, dual M.2 slots with one heatsink, and USB Type-A and Type-C front panel connectors, this motherboard delivers cutting-edge connectivity to all your peripherals.
Enjoy ultrafast, lag-free networking with all the authority of WiFi 6E (802.11ax) and WiFi 5 (802.11ac), backed by Intel 2.5Gb Ethernet, GameFirst V, and ASUS LANGuard.
What do we dislike about the ROG Strix Z690-E?
It’s the most expensive option in this list and you most likely don’t need all these premium features for the Intel I5 12400F.
Best B660 Motherboards For The I5 12400F:
- Intel LGA 1700 Socket: Supports 12th Gen Intel Core Series Processors.Operating System: Support for Windows 11 64-bit. Support for Windows 10 64-bit
- DDR4 Compatible: Dual Channel DDR4, 4 DIMMs
- Sturdy Power Design: 6 plus2 plus1 Phases Hybrid Power Design, Premium Choke and Capacitors, 8-pin Solid Pin CPU Power Connector
- Comprehensive Thermal Design: M.2 Thermal Guard
- Next Gen Connectivity: PCIe 4.0, Dual NVME PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2, USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C, HDMI 2.0,
GIGABYTE B660M DS3H Rating: 8.5/10
Pros
- Best-Seller for the B660s due to its very cheap price.
- Decent features for its price, great price/performance ratio.
- Good Brand
- Best B660 Motherboard For 12400 in our opinion
Cons
- Not as good as the following B660
- Not recommended for overclocking
- Does not support DDR5 RAM
The GIGABYTE B660M DS3H is quite good at doing what it sets out to do, which is providing a cheap & high-performance motherboard for consumers. It’s one of the cheapest if not the cheapest in the market while still providing all the basic needs that you’ll need from a motherboard. The only downside is that you can’t really overclock as well or as stable as with a Z690 and obviously doesn’t have as many features nor is it as high quality as the Z690s are.
Enhance your computing experience by using the GIGABYTE B660M DS3H motherboard. This Gigabyte motherboard has two DDR4 slots that support a maximum of 64GB of RAM for efficient multitasking, and it has an Intel LGA 1700 socket to house Intel Core processors. With DVI, VGA, and HDMI ports, this Gigabyte motherboard lets your computer display on a variety of external screens.
The GIGABYTE B660M DS3H motherboard is designed to offer a stable, high-speed platform for delivering incredibly fast data transfer via the GIGABYTE Ultra-Durable technology.
The Gigabyte B660M DS3H is equipped with a hybrid 6+2 phases digital PWM plus 1 phase rich power design, dual-stack MOSFET (DSM), mid-board 8-pin EPS power connector, and premium memory alloy chokes for fundamentally sound power delivery to the CPU for both moderate and heavy loads.
With improved thermal design and enhanced M.2 heat spreaders, this motherboard offers the best storage support. Bring your internet speed up to 2.5 times faster than Gigabit devices by integrating an Intel 2.5GbE LAN chip into this motherboard for ultra-fast transfers between online entertainment, gaming, and intense video editing or streaming applications.
Experience great gaming performance with the GIGABYTE B660M DS3H motherboard. Audio Noise Guard delivers high-quality audio, while RGB fusion 2.0 introduces customizable lighting options and Smart Fan 6 helps improve airflow, so your computer runs smoothly during peak usage.
- Intel LGA 1700 socket: Ready for 12th Gen Intel Core, Pentium Gold and Celeron Processors
- Comprehensive cooling: VRM heatsink, M.2 heatsink, PCH heatsink, hybrid fan headers and Fan Xpert 2+
- ASUS OptiMem: Careful routing of traces and vias to preserve signal integrity for improved memory stability
ASUS Prime B660-PLUS Rating: 8/10
Pros
- One of the best B660 in the market currently.
- Offers the best features & quality
- Good Brand
- Cheaper than Z690s
Cons
- More Expensive than the previous option although it’s still cheaper than Z690s
- Can’t use DDR5 RAM
- Not recommended to use for overclocking
If you decided to go with a B660 instead of a Z690 then the ASUS Prime B660-PLUS is our favorite. It stands out from the rest of the B660s as the best one in its chipset. Has the majority of all the basic features you need from a motherboard along with quite decent overclocking capabilities, although, as expected, still not as good as Z690 but then again it’s also quite cheaper.
The ASUS Prime B660-PLUS motherboard is a compact and affordable motherboard designed to give you the edge while building or upgrading your desktop help.
Designed around Intel’s LGA1700 socket, it is ready for all 12th Gen Intel CPUs. It supports a memory of up to 128GB at speeds of 3200+ MHz.
To keep your components cool, the heatsinks on both the VRM and M.2 storage drives are connected to one another to lower the overall operating temperature of your system by quickly dissipating heat.
Hybrid Fan Headers automatically detect which fans have 12V PWM control and switch them to full mode.
Best H670 Motherboards For The I5 12400F:
- Intel LGA 1700 socket: Ready for 12th Gen Intel Core, Pentium Gold and Celeron Processors
- Ultrafast connectivity: PCIe 4.0 slots, three M.2 slots, Realtek 2.5Gb Ethernet and Thunderbolt 4 support
- Comprehensive cooling: VRM heatsink, M.2 heatsink, PCH heatsink, hybrid fan headers and Fan Xpert 2+
- ASUS OptiMem: Careful routing of traces and vias to preserve signal integrity for improved memory stability
ASUS Prime H670-Plus Rating: 7.5/10
Pros
- Decent basic features
- Good Brand
Cons
- Not as good as the B660s
- Only has the most basic features & their quality is overall lower than B660
- Relatively expensive for what it provides
- Can’t Overclock
- Can’t use DDR5 RAM
Ready for 12th Gen Intel Core, Pentium Gold, and Celeron Processors. ASUS H670-PLUS is a unique model that has all the ASUS safety and reliability features as well as a BIOS flashback to make a user-friendly motherboard.
The ASUS Prime H670-Plus LGA1200 ATX Motherboard features three M.2 slots, Realtek 2.5Gb Ethernet, and Thunderbolt 4 support for ultrafast connectivity. This ATX motherboard is geared for serious gaming, and has a VRM cooler to help maintain optimal temperatures. Space on this motherboard allows you to choose the best graphics card to fit your needs.
Cooler by design Prime H670-Plus features comprehensive cooling controls that are configurable via Fan Xpert 2+ and allow you to tune the system for maximum performance to meet the demands of your workload. A VRM heatsink, M.2 heatsink, chipset heatsink, and hybrid fan headers keep operating temperatures low across your diverse system components.
ASUS OptiMem preserves memory signal integrity by routing traces and vias to the optimal PCB layer, and our T-Topology trace layout ensures time-aligned signaling by balancing trace lengths between memory slots. These enhancements lead to more headroom for overclocking and improved stability, allowing memory speeds of 4000 and beyond with all slots populated.
Best H610
- Intel LGA 1700 socket: Ready for 12th Gen Intel Core, Pentium Gold and Celeron Processors
- Ultrafast connectivity : PCIe 4.0, Intel 1 Gb Ethernet ,rear USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A and front USB 3.2 Gen 1 header
- ASUS-exclusive self-recovering BIOS technology for automatic system BIOS recovery from a verified backup
- ASUS CSM motherboard: ASUS Corporate Stable Model, with up to 36-month Supply, EOL notice & ECN control
- ASUS Control Center Express(ACCE) to make IT endpoint management
Prime H610M-A D4-CSM Rating: 6.5/10
Pros
- Cheapest option available in this list
- Offers all the basic features needed
- Good Brand
Cons
- Lacks a lot of features when compared to other motherboards
- May not be able to allow your GPU/CPU/RAM to reach its full potential while gaming
- Can’t use DDR5 RAM
- Can’t Overclock
The H610 motherboards are generally for people who have no desire at all to overclock and only need the bare minimum from your computer build. In our expert’s opinion, we always suggest you to go with a B660 or Z690 instead since overclocking is a big deal, especially a few years down the line once your hardware is getting old and you want to get some extra performance out of your CPU/GPU/RAM, you can overclock them and get some extra few years of performance without having to buy a new build. If you choose an H610 chipset motherboard this will not be possible as you can’t overclock at all, that’s the big downside of this chipset.
However, if you’re still interested in the H610s, the Prime H610M-A D4-CSM is one of our favorites, it’s in our opinion, the best in this chipset in terms of features & overall quality. However, despite being the best keep in mind that it’s still not as good as any other B660/Z690.
Take your gaming to the next level with the Prime H610M-A D4-CSM Motherboard. Ready for the latest 12th Gen Intel Core Processors, this ATX motherboard features improved memory tracing, enabling ultrafast DDR4 memory speeds with low-latency performance. With PCIe 4.0, Intel Gigabit Ethernet, and a front USB 3.2 Gen 1 header, you’re set for high-speed connectivity—essential for gaming and work from home setups.
Exclusive ASUS self-recovering BIOS software automatically restores the system BIOS from a backup when the BIOS is corrupted or unavailable.
ASUS CSM is the corporate stable model program designed to provide businesses of all sizes with a 24-month stable supply, and 36-month product lifecycle transition. ASUS CSM series motherboards offer stability, reliability, and longevity as well as EOL notice to allow sufficient lead times for your organization to get ready for product transitions.
The Asus Control Center Express(ACCE) is integrated with the usual hardware-level monitoring, networking monitoring, and Windows event log management in one place, offering easier and more secure management, reducing endpoint management costs. ASUS Event Log enables administrators to capture and manage detailed system information, particularly events that occur at a predetermined system process, and show this in a histogram.
Troubleshooting is a snap with an embedded LCD display that shows system information and warning messages even when the system is powered off. Moisture-resistant coating reliably protects against corrosion or damage, driving long-term system uptime in demanding business applications.
FAQ
What motherboards support Intel 12th gen?
Motherboards built on the Intel Z690, B660, H670, and H610 are designed to support the intel 12th gen CPUs.
How do I overclock my I5 12400F?
You cannot overclock the I5 12400F as it is not an unlocked CPU, to overclock, it would need to be the “K” model.
Do 11th gen motherboards support the I5 12400?
No, they don’t.
Should I pick the Z690 over the B660?
For 99% of you reading this, the answer is most likely no, however, if you wish plan to do either:
– Upgrade to an overclocked CPU in the future
or
– Use DDR5 RAM
Then feel free to buy a Z690 over a B660, however, if you don’t plan to do either of the above options then there are no benefits in picking a Z690 over a B660, not only will the results be the same but you’ll also save quite some money.
What’s the difference between the I5 12400 and the I5 12400F?
The difference is that the I5-12400 comes with an integrated GPU while the I5-12400F version doesn’t, that’s literally the only difference between them aside from the “F” version being a little bit cheaper due to not having an integrated GPU, you can read our article about the differences between the F and K in intel processors.