Choosing the Best Motherboard for Intel's Core i3-9300

Find out what factors you should consider when choosing a motherboard for Intel's 9th generation Core i3-9300, along with our recommended motherboards to pair with this CPU.

Choosing the Best Motherboard for Intel's Core i3-9300 Brandon Jones / TechReviewer

Last Updated: March 24, 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 i3-9300 Processor

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For Intel's 9th generation Core i3-9300 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 9300 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.

Featured Z390 Motherboards › GIGABYTE Z390 UD (LGA 1151 (300 Series) Intel Z390 SATA 6 Gb/s ATX Intel Motherboard for Cryptocurrency Mining with above 4G Decoding, 6 x PCIe Slots)

For a detailed comparison of these chipsets, check out my article Which Chipsets Work With Intel's Core i3-9300 CPU?.

Other Considerations When Choosing a 9300 Motherboard

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When choosing a motherboard for the 9300, we considered several key factors beyond socket type and chipset compatibility. These include form factor, expandability, power delivery, and additional features like USB ports, audio quality, and Wi-Fi support. By focusing on these elements, you can identify the features that matter most for your specific needs, ensuring an optimal and future-proof setup.

Memory Overclocking

To be able to overclock DDR memory, such as via an XMP profile, your motherboard chipset needs to support memory overclocking. Find which chipsets support overclocking in our article, Which Chipsets Work With Intel's Core i3-9300 CPU?.

Video Output Port

The lack of an "F" in the 9300 model name indicates that the CPU has integrated graphics support. You will need to make sure that your motherboard also has a video output port (e.g., HDMI) if you want to use the integrated graphics.

Even if you primarily connect your monitors to a graphics card, we found that integrated graphics can be beneficial when troubleshooting and fixing graphics card problems.

Storage: M.2 Slots and SATA Ports

NVMe M.2 cards are the latest and fastest SSD storage form. However, we suggest ensuring your motherboard includes enough slots.

The Z390, Z370, and Q370 chipsets support the most PCIe 3.0 lanes, which means that motherboards with these chipsets are likely to have the most x4 NVMe M.2 slots available.

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

Connectivity

USB

We found that it's wise to make sure the motherboard provides enough USB ports at your desired speeds. The Z390 and Q370 can support the most USB ports for the 9300 at USB 3.2 2x1 (10 Gbps) and USB 3.2 1x1 (5 Gbps) speeds.

From our experience, devices requiring high bandwidth typically fall into two categories: storage devices and high-resolution video devices. These devices depend heavily on high-speed data transfer. In fact, we have encountered instances where insufficient bandwidth notably impeded their performance.

In testing various storage devices, we found that those capable of handling large data transfers at high speeds delivered the best performance. Similarly, when working with high-resolution video devices, we discovered that a reliable and fast connection is essential for smooth playback and editing. Our experience has highlighted the importance of high bandwidth for these specific types of devices.

Audio

We recommend ensuring the motherboard has audio outputs. From my experience, it's crucial to verify the availability of rear and center speaker ports if you're using a surround sound system.

If your audio equipment is dependent on optical input, like mine, it's advisable to opt for a motherboard that includes this specific port. Alternatively, you might consider purchasing a separate PCIe or USB sound card. This allows you to expand your connectivity options and add features such as optical or RCA connections, tailored to your preferences.

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, black for rear, orange for center/sub) to ensure proper speaker connections. If you're using a soundbar or AV receiver, we recommend opting for a motherboard with an optical (S/PDIF) port—it provides cleaner audio by avoiding electrical noise, which we've found makes a noticeable difference.

While built-in audio quality isn't the most critical factor, we suggest selecting 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 keeping 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. We've found these solutions work well for both laptops and desktops.

To avoid the need for costly upgrades in the future, choose a motherboard whose ports are compatible with your current equipment. By making a thoughtful selection now, you can ensure better performance and a more satisfying listening experience.

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

Based on our analysis, the Z390, Z370, and Q370 chipsets provide the most flexibility when paired with the 9300, allowing multiple PCIe 3.0 graphics cards in the dual x8 configuration.

The other chipsets, on the other hand, are very limited, with only a single PCIe 3.0 x16 slot.

Learn More About the Intel Core i3-9300

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