Z790 vs B760, and where H770 and H610 fit

Buy B760 unless you have a specific reason to buy Z790. Z790 is the only one of the two that overclocks the CPU, and it supports more M.2 slots and fast ports. B760 runs the same 12th, 13th and 14th gen Core processors at stock speed, allows memory overclocking and XMP, and costs less. H770 sits between them and is rarely worth seeking out; H610 is the basic option for a modest office or family PC.

The LGA1700 chipsets side by side

All four sit on the LGA1700 socket and take 12th, 13th and 14th gen Core processors. With the same processor and memory running at the same settings, they perform the same. The differences are in what you are allowed to tune and how much you can plug in.

What Z790 gives you

CPU overclocking. Intel allows it only on Z-series chipsets, and only with an unlocked K-series processor. If you own or plan to buy a K chip and want to adjust multipliers and voltages, Z790 (or the older Z690) is the only route. Bear in mind that recent Intel processors run close to their limits from the factory, so the gains from manual overclocking are modest and the heat is considerable.

More connectivity. Z790 provides the most chipset lanes and the most high-speed USB of the 700-series, so boards can offer four or five M.2 slots and plenty of fast ports. It also lets the board maker split the processor's sixteen graphics lanes across two slots, which matters for a second high-bandwidth card, or for the few boards that divert some of those lanes to a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot.

Generally better-built boards. This is a matter of positioning and not a chipset rule, but makers put their strongest power delivery and best feature sets on Z boards. For a Core i9 run hard for long periods, that matters more than the chipset itself.

What B760 gives you

Everything most builds need. B760 runs any LGA1700 processor, including K-series chips, at stock settings. It supports memory overclocking, so an XMP profile on a fast kit works as it would on Z790. A typical B760 board has two or three M.2 slots, one full-speed graphics slot and a reasonable set of USB ports, though all of that varies by board.

The thing to watch is power delivery on the cheapest models. A basic micro-ATX B760 board is a fine match for a Core i5 and may hold a Core i7 or i9 back under sustained heavy load, because board makers economise on the voltage regulators at this level. It will still work; it may simply not sustain full boost speeds. If you are pairing a high-end processor with a B760 board, choose from the better-equipped end of the range and read motherboard VRM explained.

Where H770 fits

H770 has no CPU overclocking, like B760, but more chipset connectivity and support for splitting the graphics lanes, like Z790. On paper it is the right chipset for someone who wants many M.2 slots and ports without paying for overclocking. In practice very few H770 boards were made, and those that exist are often priced close to entry-level Z790 boards. If one turns up at a good price with the ports you need, it is a sound buy. There is no reason to hunt for one.

Where H610 fits

H610 is a 600-series chipset that stayed on sale as the entry-level option throughout the 700-series, since no H710 was made. It has two memory slots, no memory overclocking, the fewest chipset lanes and usually a single M.2 slot, though check the listing. It suits an office or family PC built around a Core i3 or a modest Core i5. Because it is a 600-series chipset, a board from older stock may need a BIOS update before it will start with a 13th or 14th gen processor.

Before choosing H610, compare with the cheapest B760 boards. When the gap is small, B760 is the better purchase for the XMP support and the extra slots.

DDR4 or DDR5 applies to all of them

Every LGA1700 chipset supports both memory types, but each individual board is built for one. The DDR4 version of a model is usually marked with DDR4 or D4 in its name, and the version without a suffix is DDR5. The slots are keyed differently, so the wrong memory will not fit. Reusing DDR4 is one of the main reasons to choose LGA1700 at all, so decide this before anything else. See DDR4 vs DDR5 motherboards.

BIOS updates and older stock

Z790, H770 and B760 were released alongside 13th gen, so they support 12th and 13th gen processors from the factory. Boards made before 14th gen was released may need a BIOS update before a 14th gen chip will start. 600-series boards, including H610, B660 and Z690, may need one for 13th gen as well. This is most relevant to Amazon Warehouse boards, which can be old stock. Prefer a board with a CPU-free update button if you are in any doubt, and see BIOS updates and CPU compatibility.

Is LGA1700 still the right platform

LGA1700 is complete: 14th gen is the last processor generation for it. That does not make a B760 or Z790 board a poor purchase, because the processors remain capable and the platform is good value, but you should buy the processor you intend to keep. If you want Intel's current chips, the equivalent decision is Z890 against B860 on the newer socket; LGA1851 vs LGA1700 compares the two platforms.

Verdict by type of buyer

• Gaming PC with a Core i5 or a non-K Core i7: B760. Spend the difference on the graphics card.
• K-series processor and you intend to overclock: Z790.
• Core i9 or a heavily loaded Core i7, no overclocking: an upper-range B760 board or an entry-level Z790 board, whichever has the stronger power delivery for the money.
• Four or more NVMe SSDs, or a second high-bandwidth card: Z790, or H770 if you happen to find one.
• Basic office or family PC: H610, after checking what the cheapest B760 board costs.
• Replacing a failed board: match your memory type first, then choose on ports. A Warehouse board is worth considering; read are Amazon Warehouse motherboards worth it.

See current prices on the Z790 and B760 deals pages, or follow the full decision in how to choose a motherboard.