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Best Mini ITX Motherboard

Why do you need a mini ITX motherboard?

If you have decided to build a small gaming PC, you must also consider the components that fit in one such small case. Small PCs don’t necessarily mean inferior performance to larger, bulkier gaming computers. One of the advantages of a small PC is undoubtedly the smaller space it takes up and easy portability, although we can’t ignore the aesthetic experience.

So, if you want a gaming computer based on a small case, the first thing you need to consider and get is a smaller format motherboard. The smaller format motherboards are Micro ATX and Mini ITX, and we will focus on this second, smallest motherboard for PC.

Remember that such motherboards aren’t cheap because the manufacturers try to put as many functions as possible in such a small space and avoid lagging behind larger formats. So, the smaller form of motherboards has its price, and I recommend what you can get best, leaving you with a few more dollars for other components.

Six best mini ITX motherboards

Picture	Name	Spec	Price
Intel Z590	Gigabyte Z590I Aorus Ultra	Socket : Intel LGA-1200Chipset : Intel Z590RGB: YesLAN : 2.5 GbEWiFi 6 : Yes, 802.11axBluetooth : Yes, 5.1M.2:  Yes, Dual	Check Price
Intel B660	Asus ROG Strix B660-I Gaming	Socket : Intel LGA-1700Chipset : Intel B660RGB: YesLAN : 2.5 GbEWiFi 6 : Yes, 802.11axBluetooth : Yes, 5.2M.2:  Yes, Dual	Check Price
Intel Value	MSI MPG B560I Gaming Edge WiFi	Socket : Intel LGA-1200Chipset : Intel B560RGB: NoLAN : 2.5 GbEWiFi 6 : Yes, 802.11axBluetooth : Yes, 5.2M.2:  Yes, Dual	Check Price
AMD X570	ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX/TB3	Socket : AMD AM4Chipset : AMD X570RGB: YesLAN : 1 GbEWiFi 6 : Yes, 802.11axBluetooth : Yes, 5.2M.2:  Yes, Single	Check Price
AMD X570 Value	Gigabyte X570 I Aorus Pro WiFi	Socket : AMD AM4Chipset : AMD X570RGB: YesLAN : 1 GbEWiFi 6 : Yes, 802.11axBluetooth : Yes, 5.0M.2:  Yes, Dual	Check Price
AMD Value	Gigabyte A520I AC	Socket : AMD AM4Chipset : AMD A520RGB: NoLAN : 1 GbEWiFi 6 : No, 802.11acBluetooth : Yes, 4.2M.2:  Yes, Single	Check Price

1. Gigabyte Z590I Aorus Ultra

Package contents

Gigabyte’s Z590I Aorus Ultra has slightly more accessories than conventional mini ITX motherboards. The package comes with standard accessories:

• user’s manual,
• antenna for WiFi network card,
• two SATA cables, and
• metal badge with the Aorus logo that you can stick on the case.

In addition, the following cables/adapters are available:

• one for connecting RGB tapes,
• three for connecting fans, and
• one for connecting internal USB 2.0 connectors.

Gigabyte inserted these cables/adapters due to reduced connectors on a small motherboard, making the most of the limited space to install essential elements.

Motherboard and connectors

The motherboard has two M.2 slots for PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs, and the primary M.2 slot is between the processor bay and the PCIe slot for the graphics card.

The chipset and the voltage section share one passive heatsink composed of three elements connected by a heat pipe. So, to set up the primary M.2 NVMe SSD, you need to remove the complete heatsink.

I note that the M.2 primary slot requires an Intel Rocket Lake-based CPU. If you aren’t using an Intel Rocket Lake-based CPU, the M.2 slot is disabled. Due to a lack of space, Gigabyte placed the second M.2 slot on the back of the motherboard.

Gigabyte’s Z590I Aorus Ultra is also protected from below by additional shielding. The shield also serves as a heatsink to cool the heat under the elements of the voltage section.

You can connect three fans to the motherboard and the CPU fan, which you can control via the Aorus System Information View (SIV) software in your Windows OS. You can also fine-tune the fans inside the motherboard BIOS if you don’t want to work over SIV.

Gigabyte has also implemented RGB lighting on a small motherboard, with LEDs on the right side. Of the other internal connectors, you have two USB 2.0 connectors, one classic USB 3.2, and one USB-C 3.2.

Motherboard rear I/O panel

The rear I/O panel offers a solid number of connectors:

• 3x USB 3.2 Gen2 (red),
• 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 (blue),
• 2x USB 2.0,
• HDMI,
• DisplayPort,
• 2.5GbE LAN connector,
• 2x WiFi connectors for external antenna, and
• three analog ports of the integrated sound card.

Gigabyte has opted for an integrated sound card based on Realtek’s ALC1220-VB chip. The sound card could have come with multiple analog ports and lacks an optical connector.

For the test, I used the new Core i7-11700K, which uses multicore enhancement (MCE), i.e., the maximum turbo mode of the processor, by default. The PWM fan controller measured a temperature of 74°C, but there was no instability even during OC when the temp went over 85°C. It seems that the elements of the voltage unit are declared to work at such high temperatures.

However, for stable and long-lasting problem-free system operation, I recommend AIO water cooling whether you are overclocking or not. Air aftermarket cooling is out of the question because the space is quite cramped, especially if you plan to play with overclocking.

For such small motherboards, I recommend 120mm AIO, such as NZXT Kraken M22 or Corsair Hydro Series H60, which will cool the hot CPU well in a small ITX case.

The Gigabyte’s Z590I Aorus Ultra is a solid mini ITX motherboard for Intel LGA-1200 processors, primarily gamer-oriented. A quality voltage section promises good results if you are in the mood for OC. However, provide good quality AIO water cooling for stable and reliable system operation.

2. ASUS ROG Strix B660-I Gaming WiFi

Package contents

The ROG Strix B660-I Gaming WiFi belongs to the upper-middle segment, as we see it based on DDR5 support. The price is very competitive, although it can deter users who want to stick to DDR4. We see a significant price difference compared to the ROG Strix Z690-I Gaming WiFi. Asus has offered a lot of rich packaging content, so we have the following:

• user’s manual
• DVD with drivers
• antenna for WiFi network card
• two SATA cables
• ROG splitter cable
• Panel cable
• Cable ties
• ROG Key Chain
• Rear M.2 2242 bracket
• ROG Strix stickers & Thank You card

Motherboard and connectors

Asus ROG Strix Z690-I and Z660-I have a similar look, and the differences are under the hood. The manufacturer has removed the stackable M.2 slot design and Thunderbolt 4 from the cheaper version of the board.

For the needs of the Alder Lake processor, Asus has made an 8 + 1 phase power supply, which will be enough for most users who don’t resort to extreme overclocking. The board comes standard with two DDR5 RAM slots designed with OptiMem II in combination with a PMIC unlocking circuit. The clock for overclocking is up to DDR5-6200 and supports the AEMP function.

The board has a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot with an improved SafeSlot design. 4x SATA 6Gb/s and two sets of M.2 slots are available for storage. M.2 provides PCIe 4.0 x4 lines from processors and B660 chipsets. The primary M.2 slot on the front has an attractive heatsink integrated with the chipset’s heat dissipation design, including the base heat dissipation board and Asus’ Q-Latch design.

As for the front expansion of the case, you can pull out one USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C) port and two ports each for USB 3.2 Gen 1 and USB 2.0.

Motherboard rear I/O panel

The rear I/O panel connectors:

• HDMI
• DisplayPort
• 3x USB 2.0
• 3x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A
• 2x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C
• 2.5GbE LAN connector,
• 2x WiFi connectors for external antenna, and
• analog ports of the integrated sound card (SupremeFX on Realtek S1220P codec)

The back panel has 8 USB ports, DisplayPort, HDMI, 2.5GbE LAN port, and audio outputs. Sound system ROG SupremeFX is a Realtek S1220P with a Savitech SV3H712 headphone amplifier. As for the integrated GPU output on the screen, you have one DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.1, which supports 4K @ 60Hz.

For the test, I used the new Core i5-12600K. Temperatures during intense gaming range around 73°C, but there was no instability even during OC when the temperature exceeded 82°C.

However, for stable and long-lasting problem-free system operation, I recommend AIO water cooling whether you are overclocking or not. Air aftermarket cooling is out of the question because the space is quite cramped, especially if you plan to play with overclocking.

I recommend AIO CPU solutions for such small boards as NZXT Kraken X62/Z62 or ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240, which cools the hot CPU well in a small ITX case.

The Asus ROG Strix B660-I Gaming WiFi is a quality and affordable mini ITX gaming motherboard for new Intel LGA-1700 processors. A quality voltage section promises good results if you are in the mood for OC. However, provide good quality AIO water cooling for stable and reliable system operation.

3. MSI MPG B560I Gaming Edge WiFi

Package contents

Inside the box are several manuals, promotional materials, and stickers for the case. In addition, not much comes from the accessories:

• 2x WiFi antennas,
• 2x SATA cables,
• rainbow RGB LED extension cable,
• pair of screws for the M.2 NVMe SSD slot,
• screwdriver, and
• dust brush.

Motherboard and connectors

At first glance, MSI MPG B560I GAMING EDGE WiFi is a much more modestly equipped mini ITX motherboard, which is understandable because it targets non-demanding budget users. The Intel B560 is quite a good Rocket Lake chipset if you don’t want to overclock. MSI didn’t skimp on the number of passive coolers on the board to help with better heat dissipation. It’s excellent that the primary M.2 slot also has a passive heatsink.

MSI MPG B560I GAMING EDGE WiFi comes with one 8-pin EPS power connector. You will have enough power for a slight overclock to feel the performance growth without exaggeration. Mini ITX motherboards, however, aren’t designed for some hard-core overclock.

Although ITX motherboards are very size-modest, manufacturers are trying to implement many valuable options adorn larger motherboards. Thus, MSI is no exception in a positive sense. The primary M.2 slot is connected to CPU lines and has a good heatsink. The connection to the CPU means a PCIe 4.0 x4 connection for the NVMe SSD. The second uncooled M.2 slot is located on the back of the board and connects to the chipset at PCIe 3.0 x4 speeds.

Of the internal connectors, there are 4x SATA 6Gbps ports, one USB 3.2 Gen2 port, and one USB 3.2 Gen1 port. Unfortunately, MSI has installed an older Realtek ALC897 chipset for the integrated sound card. Competition in a similar price range includes the Realtek ALC1220, but I guess they wanted to save a few more dollars.

Motherboard rear I/O panel

The rear I/O panel connectors:

• 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 (red),
• 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 (Type-C),
• 4x USB 2.0,
• HDMI,
• DisplayPort,
• 2.5GbE LAN connector,
• 2x WiFi connectors for external antenna, and
• three analog ports of the integrated ALC897 sound card.

MSI decided to install as much as 4 x USB 2.0, which doesn’t make much sense today, but at least the WiFi network is 6E (802.11ax) and a LAN that supports speeds of 2.5 GbE.

I used the new Core i7-11700K with an air cooler for the test. The temperatures were high without overclocking because the components were too close. The primary M.2 was over 73 °C, and the processor was 82°C, so I don’t recommend any OC if you don’t have adequate water cooling and a well-ventilated case.

The MSI MPG B560I GAMING EDGE WIFI is a more affordable option to upgrade to the 11th series of Intel processors. It offers many options that you can see on the more expensive Z590 chipset, such as two slots for M.2, four SATA slots, a sufficient number of USB ports, etc.

Despite budget orientation, MSI MPG B560I GAMING EDGE WiFi is made exceptionally well and has enough options and connectors for the average user. I highly recommend it for Intel budget users who want to build a mini PC.

4. ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX/TB3

Package contents

ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX/TB3  mini ITX motherboard comes with relatively modest accessories:

• DVD with drivers and software,
• Quick installation guide,
• 2x SATA cables,
• M.2 SSD mounting screw, and
• WiFi antenna.

Motherboard and connectors

ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX/TB3 is an attractive small gaming board on which you immediately notice a lot of large passive heatsinks. A passive heatsink covers the voltage section above the AM4 socket board. ASRock put a tall and large active cooler together on a chipset board.

Due to the overall dimensions of passive heatsinks, installing an air cooler is an almost impossible mission in such a cramped space.

ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX/TB3 doesn’t support AM4 coolers, but ASRock left holes around the processor slots that match Intel coolers for the LGA-1151. Even if you use such coolers, you must consider the dimensions. Of the air coolers, the Noctua NH-U9S is suitable for the LGA 1151. The safest variant is certainly with AIO water cooling, which will not make a mess on a small board and will certainly cool the processor.

Since this is primarily a gaming board, the power supply for the processor is well done. ASRock has built-in quality coils and capacitors, so the VRM won’t slow you down when overclocking.

The cooling of the plate is well done. The primary six-phase voltage section is below the passive aluminum heatsink (also part of the I/O rear panel mask). This heatsink is connected via a hot pipe to an active chipset heatsink that didn’t prove too noisy.

From the internal connections there are: 4x SATA 6Gbps, 1x RGB and 1x aRGB (addressable RGB)  for RGB peripherals, 1x USB 2.0 and 1x USB 3.2 Gen1 connector. There’s no internal USB Type-C. The board also has subtle RGB lighting in the form of six LEDs below the board’s lower edge.

Motherboard rear I/O panel

I should emphasize the integration of Thunderbolt 3 ports with a full performance of 40Gbps (5GB/s) of the external connectors. In addition to Thunderbolt 3, the back of the board also offers:

• DisplayPort IN,
• HDMI,
• 2x USB 3.2 Gen1,
• 2x USB 3.2 Gen2,
• 1x 1GbE LAN,
• 2x connectors for WiFi card antennas,
• combo PS/2 connector,
• reset button for BIOS default settings,
• five analogs, and one digital sound card connector.

WiFI 6 (802.11ax) is supported, and the sound chip of the integrated sound card is Realtek ALC1220. The HDMI video output uses integrated graphics from AMD APUs (for example, Ryzen 5 5600G or Ryzen 7 5700G), but the DisplayPort input is an interesting detail. Why this? So let’s say you connect the graphics card output to the DisplayPort input on the board and then the Thunderbolt 3 output to your monitor.

ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX/TB3 is a high-quality mini ITX motherboard with exciting accessories such as Thunderbolt 3. Since the ASRock model with X570 price is very competitive with B550 boards, I advise you to take this powerful chipset first. Also, I warmly recommend installing some AIO water cooling on each mini ITX motherboard, and you can rest easy in terms of stability and reliability, even when overclocking.

5. Gigabyte X570 I Aorus Pro WiFi

Package contents

The accessories that come with the Gigabyte X570 I Aorus Pro WiFi are pretty standard. Almost no mini ITX motherboard comes with a rear I/O shield because it’s integrated into the board. This way is more aesthetically beautiful; secondly, there’s less chance of losing an I/O protection.

Accessories include:

• DVD with drivers and software,
• User manual,
• 4x SATA cables,
• 1x RGB LED extension cable,
• 2x M.2 mounting screws,
• AORUS badge/sticker,
• WiFi antenna and
• G connector (for front panel connectors).

Motherboard and connectors

Gigabyte X570 I Aorus Pro WiFi uses an active cooler to cool the chipset and primary M.2 port. The heatsink, located precisely between the AM4 socket and the PCIe graphics card slot, is more oversized because it also houses the primary M.2 slot.

Due to the small space, Gigabyte had to make some conceptual solutions, but they were not so efficient. The M.2 NVMe SSD will partially block the airflow to the chipset heatsink. The second, worse case is that there are no thermal pads for heat dissipation between the heatsink and the surface of the NVMe SSD.

Therefore, your NVMe SSD can reach temperatures above 70°C due to the lack of thermal pads, just as it doesn’t have this active cooler. A strange omission from Gigabyte, which usually delivers passive coolers with thermal pads for NVMe SSDs with its motherboard models.

The secondary M.2 port is on the back of the motherboard. Also, on the backside, a metal shield has the task of additional VRM cooling. Both M.2 ports support 2280 formats of NVMe SSDs, so you have enough storage space in small enclosures without messing with various cables.

We have 4x SATA 6GBps, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and 2 x USB 2.0 ports of the other internal connectors.

A sizeable passive cooler on the eight-phase power supply serves as a cover for the rear I/O panel. Despite the rear shield that additionally cools the voltage section, the VRM temperature was over 70°C at the standard speed of Ryzen 7 5800X without overclocking.

Therefore, due to the condensed arrangement of components, good cooling of the board and processor is required. If you plan on OC, ensure the case is well-ventilated and has some AIO cooling.

Motherboard rear I/O panel

The rear I/O panel detects slightly more video output than is required for a possible integrated graphics card. Gigabyte could use the space for more than three analog ports from a sound card or multiple USB 3. x ports. This way, we have:

• 1 x DisplayPort,
• 2x HDMI ports,
• 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports,
• 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port (red),
• 1x 1GbE LAN connector for Ethernet,
• 2x connectors for WiFi card antennas,
• three analogs port from Realtek ALC1220 sound card.

It’s good that Gigabyte has implemented WiFI 6 (802.11ax) and USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C. Gigabyte has opted for an integrated sound card based on the Realtek ALC1220 chip, and the Ethernet network card is Intel LAN 1GbE. However, I would prefer that the ethernet card is at least 2.5 Gbps and that the audio card has more analog ports and an optical connector.

Gigabyte has done an excellent job with this small motherboard, although it isn’t without flaws. It’s tough to install as many components as possible in such a small space and, simultaneously, take care of good cooling.

Active cooling on the chipset and M.2 NVMe SSD isn’t so efficient because it lacks thermal pads, so there’s room for improvement in this critical part’s cooling. Gigabyte could insert more connectors than just one for the system fan.

All the problems mentioned around Gigabyte X570 I Aorus Pro WiFi are solvable and not expensive. If you want the X570 chipset, you will hardly find a cheaper purchase in the mini ITX motherboards edition.

6. Gigabyte A520I AC 

Package contents

The accessories that come with this small-budget ITX motherboard are pretty modest. Compared to other mini ITX motherboards, the Gigabyte A520I AC comes with a separate I/O shield.

Accessories include:

• I/O shield,
• DVD with drivers and software,
• short user manual,
• 2x SATA cable,
• 1x adapter for system fan, and
• WiFi antenna.

Motherboard and connectors

With a modest budget, do you want to switch to the AMD Ryzen 5000 series CPU and the newer AMD 5XX chipset? Then the most favorable variant is the AMD A520 chipset.
The A520 is the successor to the A320 chipset, which doesn’t support the Ryzen 5000. In addition to supporting the AMD Ryzen 5000 series, the A520 chipset also supports USB 3.2 Gen2 (10Gbps) and PCIe 3.0 X4.

So, if you are willing to compromise, this may be a good start for the ultimate budget configuration based on the new AMD CPU generation.

Gigabyte A520I AC comes with a decent six-phase digital VRM to power even the most potent Ryzen processors. However, the A520 chipset isn’t for overclock, so don’t take it with that in mind. The cube passive heatsink is in charge of cooling the chipset and M.2 NVMe SSD. It’s challenging to provide adequate cooling even with an active cooler on the chipset with a condensed layout and proximity to the CPU and graphics card.

Gigabyte has only installed one M.2 slot, so you don’t have another M.2 slot on the back of the board. For the additional expansion of storage space, we have 4x SATA 6Gbps ports.

Of the other internal connectors, there are 2 x system fan, 1 x aRGB LED strip, 1 x RGB LED strip, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 and 1 x USB 2.0.

Motherboard rear I/O panel

GIGABYTE A520I AC has two HDMI and one DisplayPort for display on multiple monitors. In addition, there are:

• 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports,
• 2 x USB 2.0 ports,
• 1x LAN 1GbE,
• three audio ports (Realtek ALC887),
• 2x WiFi ports

The GIGABYTE A520I AC also includes an integrated Intel WiFi AC3168 wireless card. This wireless card supports WiFi 802.11 ac in two bands of 2.4 and 5 GHz. It also comes with built-in Bluetooth 4.2.

We use a small button on all Gigabyte models for a Q-Flash useful BIOS flash option. Q-Flash is an option to flash the motherboard BIOS without needing a CPU or graphics card. It’s handy if you install a new Ryzen processor, but the motherboard doesn’t support it without the newer BIOS.

If you are short on budget and want to build a new PC in a small case and a new AMD Ryzen 5000 series processor, I recommend GIGABYTE A520I AC. Everything you need for regular operation, this small ITX motherboard will provide you, and you do your best to provide adequate cooling of the processor.

So, a great budget mini ITX motherboard for your everyday work and games and those who aren’t thinking about overclocking.

Conclusion

If you want to build a compact PC or the smallest gaming PC you can assemble, I recommend getting a mini ITX motherboard and a mini ITX case. I have singled out a few attractive small gaming motherboards that you can purchase at reasonable prices. I made recommendations considering the quality, capabilities, accessories, and price.

The Gigabyte’s Z590I Aorus Ultra is an excellent mini ITX motherboard for Intel platform fans. If you aren’t in the mood for OC and still want a small solid motherboard, the choice falls on the MSI MPG B560I GAMING EDGE WiFi, which gives a lot for the money invested.

A good option for the Alder Lake platform is the Asus ROG Strix B660-I Gaming, which will provide almost all the possibilities of the more expensive Z690 models for a much better price.

For AMD fans who aren’t up for a significant investment in the new Ryzen platform, the choice is the Gigabyte A520I AC, a small but powerful enough motherboard with support for the new Ryzen 5000 series processors and more than enough connectivity options.

If you want to play around with OC and also have: support for PCIe 4.0, WiFi 6, two M.2 slots, USB-C, and other various connectivity options, choose ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX / TB3 or Gigabyte X570 I Aorus Pro WiFi. The Gigabyte model has a slight advantage due to the two M.2 ports, but the ASRock model has a Thunderbolt 3 port. You can make a good choice at affordable prices, even for a high-end AMD or Intel chipset.