Choosing the Best Motherboard for Intel's Core i3-9100F

Find out what factors you should consider when choosing a motherboard for Intel's 9th generation Core i3-9100F, along with our recommended motherboards to pair with this CPU.

Choosing the Best Motherboard for Intel's Core i3-9100F Brandon Jones / TechReviewer

Last Updated: October 2, 2025

Written by Brandon Jones

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Motherboards for Intel's 9th Gen CPUs are no longer being manufactured and have limited availability.

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Motherboard Requirements for the Core i3-9100F Processor

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For Intel's 9th generation Core i3-9100F processor, you'll need a motherboard with an LGA 1151 socket and 300-series chipset.

Motherboards for Intel processors are made with chipsets provided by Intel. Each chipset offers a unique set of capabilities. However, motherboards must explicitly support features and capabilities for you to use them. Verify that a motherboard supports the features and capabilities you desire.

The lack of a "K" suffix in the model name 9100F means it doesn't support overclocking. Because of this, you may not need to use the top of the line Z390 or Z370 chipsets which support overclocking. Instead, you can use a motherboard with Intel's other 300-series desktop chipsets listed below.

For compatiblity with Intel's 11th generation Core processors, you can use any of the 300-series chipsets: Z390, Z370, H370, B365, B360, H310. These are roughly sorted from most to least functionality.

The Q370 chipset is also compatible, but is intended for business use cases; its availability in stand-alone motherboards is limited.

For a detailed comparison of these chipsets, check out my article Which Chipsets Work With Intel's Core i3-9100F CPU?.

Other Considerations When Choosing a 9100F Motherboard

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When choosing a motherboard for the 9100F, we considered several key factors beyond socket type and chipset compatibility. These include form factor, expandability, power delivery, and features like USB ports, audio quality, and Wi-Fi support. By focusing on these elements, you can identify what matters most for your specific needs and ensure an optimal, future-proof setup.

Memory Overclocking

To overclock DDR memory via an XMP profile, your motherboard chipset must support memory overclocking. Find which chipsets support overclocking in our article, Which Chipsets Work With Intel's Core i3-9100F CPU?.

Video Output Port

The "F" in the 9100F model name indicates the CPU lacks integrated graphics and requires a separate graphics card. Since there's no integrated graphics support, you won't need a motherboard with a video output port (e.g., HDMI).

Storage: M.2 Slots and SATA Ports

NVMe M.2 cards are the latest and fastest SSD storage form. We recommend ensuring your motherboard includes enough slots for your needs.

The Z390, Z370, and Q370 chipsets support the most PCIe 3.0 lanes, meaning motherboards with these chipsets typically offer the most x4 NVMe M.2 slots.

Learn more about storage types in our article Storage Type Comparison: M.2, U.2, NVMe, SATA, SSDs, HDDs.

Connectivity

USB

Ensure the motherboard provides enough USB ports at your desired speeds. The Z390 and Q370 support the most USB ports for the 9100F at USB 3.2 2x1 (10 Gbps) and USB 3.2 1x1 (5 Gbps) speeds.

High-bandwidth devices typically fall into two categories: storage devices and high-resolution video equipment. These devices depend on high-speed data transfer for optimal performance. In our testing, we've encountered instances where insufficient bandwidth significantly impeded performance, particularly when working with large data transfers and high-resolution video editing.

Audio

When choosing a motherboard, prioritize one with physical audio ports if sound quality matters to you. Look for color-coded 3.5mm jacks (green for front speakers, black for rear, orange for center/subwoofer) to ensure proper connections for surround sound systems.

If you're using a soundbar or AV receiver, we recommend selecting a motherboard with an optical (S/PDIF) port. It provides cleaner audio by avoiding electrical noise, which makes a noticeable difference in sound quality.

While built-in audio quality isn't the most critical factor, choose a motherboard with a high-quality audio codec if you're using high-end headphones. It can reduce background noise, especially at higher volumes. If the motherboard's audio doesn't meet your standards, consider an external audio solution like a USB DAC as a reliable backup. It's an affordable way to bypass onboard limitations and improve sound quality for both desktops and laptops.

Choose a motherboard whose ports are compatible with your current equipment to avoid costly upgrades in the future.

Form Factor

When it comes to motherboards, we've encountered three primary form factors. In our experience, ATX stands out as the most common for desktop PCs. We've also explored Mini-ITX and MicroATX for building mini-PCs, and found they typically offer fewer PCIe slots, RAM slots, and storage support.

We've observed that these smaller form factors are backward compatible with standard ATX cases, using a subset of their mounting holes. In fact, we've frequently used Mini-ITX motherboards in ATX cases.

One crucial consideration is ensuring your case matches your motherboard's form factor. We've learned from experience how important it is to choose a case that aligns with your motherboard's specific needs.

PCIe Expansion Slots

The Z390, Z370, and Q370 chipsets provide the most flexibility when paired with the 9100F, allowing multiple PCIe 3.0 graphics cards in dual x8 configuration.

Other chipsets, however, are very limited with only a single PCIe 3.0 x16 slot.

Learn More About the Intel Core i3-9100F

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