Sanity check: can I use a Z690 motherboard with a 13700KF?

bellabichon · August 5, 2023

Hi all,

I plan to build a new SFF rig in the coming weeks and am working on locking down a final parts list. My CPU of choice is the i7-13700KF, as I'd like to do some overclocking if I can. But looking at Z790 boards from Canadian retailers, the prices all seem pretty insane, some even equalling the CPU itself.

Would it be crazy to use an Asus ROG STRIX Z690-I with a 13700KF? I'm perfectly comfortable with flashing the BIOS via USB if it ships with an older version that doesn't support the 13700KF, but I'm wondering if there are any major features I'd be missing out on by buying last-gen hardware.

Thanks!

filpo · August 5, 2023

4 minutes ago, bellabichon said:

Would it be crazy to use an Asus ROG STRIX Z690-I with a 13700KF? I'm perfectly comfortable with flashing the BIOS via USB if it ships with an older version that doesn't support the 13700KF, but I'm wondering if there are any major features I'd be missing out on by buying last-gen hardware.

You'll be perfectly fine with using that mobo with a 13700kf

RONOTHAN## · August 5, 2023

34 minutes ago, bellabichon said:

but I'm wondering if there are any major features I'd be missing out on by buying last-gen hardware.

Motherboards can theoretically have one of the gen 3 M.2 slots be a Gen 4 M.2 slot, and for the most part I'd expect the Z790 equivalents of motherboards to clock memory higher than the Z690 equivalents. That's it.

Coming from someone using a Z690 board (Unify-X) with a 13700K (not -F, but given the Unify-X's lack of iGPU support it might as well), it's more than adequate, both in overclocking support and general feature support.