Best Gaming Motherboards South Africa: Top Picks 2024

Building or upgrading a gaming rig in South Africa? It’s easy to get hyped about a new GPU or CPU. But the motherboard? That’s the unsung hero, the central nervous system of your entire PC. Picking the wrong one can bottleneck your performance and kill your future upgrade plans. Don't worry, we're here to help you choose the perfect foundation for your rig without the tech jargon. Let's find the best gaming motherboard for you. 🚀

MSI MPG X870E Carbon Wi-Fi AMD Motherboard / ATX Motherboard / AMD X870 Chipset / Supports AMD Ryzen™ 9000/ 8000/ 7000 Series Desktop Processors / Socket AM5 / Lightning Gen 5 / DDR5 MEMORY SUPPORT / 3x PCI-E x16 slot / 4x M.2 Slots / Wi-Fi 7 / Supports Bluetooth® 5.4 / 911-7E49-001

R9399.00In Stock

ASRock B850 Steel Legend WIFI AMD Ryzen Motherboard / Supports AMD Socket AM5 Ryzen™ 9000, 8000 and 7000 Series Processors / AMD B850 Chipset / USB4 Type-C (10Gbps) Connectivity / 90-MXBQS0-A0UAYZ

R4699.00In Stock

MSI MEG Z890 UNIFY-X Intel Motherboard / LGA 1851 Socket / Supports Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors (Series 2) / 2x DDR5 UDIMM Slots / ATX Form Factor / 911-7E20-001

R16299.00In Stock

MSI PRO B760M-E DDR4 mATX Motherboard (Supports 12th/13th Gen Intel Processors, LGA 1700, DDR4, 4.0, M.2, Gigabit LAN, USB 3.2 Gen1, mATX) - 911-7D48-013

R2199.00In Stock

MSI PRO Z890-S Wi-Fi Intel Motherboard / ATX Motherboard / Supports Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors (Series 2) / LGA 1851 Socket / 4x DDR5 UDIMM Up to 256GB / Intel® Wi-Fi 7 / 911-7E54-001

R5999.00In Stock

MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk Wi-Fi Intel Motherboard / ATX Form Factor / Supports Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors (Series 2) / LGA 1851 CPU Socket / 4x DDR5 UDIMM Supporting up to 256GB / 911-7E32-003

R7999.00In Stock

The Backbone of Your Build: Why Your Motherboard is Crucial

Think of a gaming motherboard as the command centre for your PC. It’s the circuit board where every single component—your CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage—plugs in and communicates. A cheap, low-quality board can lead to unstable power delivery, slower data speeds, and limited connectivity.

Investing in one of the best gaming motherboards in South Africa ensures that your high-end components can actually run at their full potential. It dictates your PC's features, like Wi-Fi speed and the number of USB ports, and most importantly, it determines your future upgrade path.

Team Blue or Team Red? Choosing Your Platform

Your choice of CPU locks you into either an Intel or an AMD motherboard. Both platforms offer incredible performance in 2024, but their chipsets and features differ slightly.

Intel Motherboards (LGA 1700/1851)

Intel's current platforms offer great flexibility. High-end Z790 boards are built for overclocking and squeezing every drop of performance from top-tier Core i7 and i9 CPUs. For most gamers, however, a B760 motherboard provides the perfect balance of features and price. A key advantage for budget builders is that many Intel boards still support cheaper DDR4 RAM, offering a more affordable entry point. If you're planning a build around an Intel processor, explore the latest Intel motherboards to see what fits your needs.

MSI MPG Z890 EDGE TI WI-FI Intel Motherboard / LGA 1851 / Supports Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors (Series 2) / 4x DDR5 UDIMM Slots / ATX Form Factor / 911-7E19-002

R9999.00In Stock

Asus Rog Strix TRX40-E Gaming AMD Ryzen Threadripper ATX Motherboard / 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen / 16 power stages / Wi-Fi 6 / 2.5 Gbps LAN / USB 3.2 Gen 2 / Three M.2 / Aura Sync RGB / AMD Socket sTRX4

R4999.00In Stock

MSI B860 GAMING PLUS WIFI Motherboard, ATX - Supports Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2), LGA 1851 - DDR5 Memory Boost 8600+ MT/s (OC), PCIe 5.0 x16 x16, M.2 Gen5, Intel Killer 5G LAN, Wi-Fi 7 / 911-7E41-003

R5299.00In Stock

MSI B850M Gaming Plus WiFi AMD Motherboard / mATX / Supports AMD Ryzen™ 9000/ 8000/ 7000 Series Processors / Dual Channel DDR5 Memory Boost 8200+ MT/s OC / 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 / 5G LAN / Wi-Fi 7 / 911-7E66-001

R4599.00In Stock

MAG B860M Mortar WiFi Motherboard, mATX - Supports Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2), LGA 1851 - DDR5 Memory Boost 9200+ MT/s OC, 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16, 1 x M.2 Gen5, 5G LAN, Wi-Fi 7 / 911-7E40-002

R5599.00In Stock

ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi Intel Motherboard / ATX Form Factor / Supports Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors (Series 2) / LGA 1851 CPU Socket / 4x DDR5 DIMM Supporting up to 256GB / 90-MXBPF0-A0UAYZ

R6699.00In Stock

AMD Motherboards (AM5)

AMD made a big leap with its AM5 platform, moving exclusively to DDR5 RAM for maximum performance with its Ryzen 7000 series and beyond. This makes it a fantastic long-term investment. X670 and X670E motherboards are for enthusiasts who want cutting-edge features like PCIe 5.0 for both the GPU and NVMe SSDs. The B650 and B650E boards are the sweet spot for most South African gamers, offering a robust feature set for a much friendlier price. To see what Team Red has to offer, check out our range of future-proof AMD motherboards built for performance. ✨

Decoding the Specs: What to Look For in 2024

When browsing for the best gaming motherboards, you'll see a lot of technical terms. Here are the ones that actually matter for a great gaming experience:

• Form Factor: This is the size of the board. ATX is the standard full-size, Micro-ATX (mATX) is slightly smaller with fewer slots, and Mini-ITX (ITX) is for compact builds. Make sure your board fits your PC case!
• VRMs (Voltage Regulator Modules): Think of these as the power plant for your CPU. Better VRMs with good cooling (heatsinks) deliver cleaner, more stable power, which is crucial for high-performance CPUs and overclocking.
• RAM Support: For AM5, it's DDR5 only. For Intel, you can choose between DDR5 for top performance or DDR4 for a more budget-conscious build. Always check the motherboard's specs to see which type and speed it supports.
• Connectivity: Look for what you need. Do you need built-in Wi-Fi 6E for lightning-fast wireless gaming? How many USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports do you need for your peripherals? Check the rear I/O (Input/Output) panel to be sure.

MSI PRO Z890-S Wi-Fi Intel Motherboard - White / ATX Motherboard / Supports Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors (Series 2) / LGA 1851 Socket / 4x DDR5 UDIMM Up to 256GB / Intel® Wi-Fi 7 / 911-7E54-003

R5699.00In Stock

MSI B840 GAMING PLUS WIFI AMD Motherboard / AM5 Socket / ATX For Factor / 4x DDR5 DIMM Slots / Supports AMD Ryzen™ 9000/ 8000/ 7000 Series Desktop Processors / 911-7E57-002

R4899.00In Stock

MSI MEG Z890 UNIFY-X Intel Motherboard / LGA 1851 Socket / Supports Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors (Series 2) / 2x DDR5 UDIMM Slots / ATX Form Factor / 911-7E20-001

R16299.00In Stock

ASRock B860 Pro RS WiFi Intel Motherboard / ATX Form Factor / Supports Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors (Series 2) / LGA 1851 CPU Socket / 4x DDR5 DIMM Supporting up to 256GB / 90-MXBRK0-A0UAYZ

R3899.00In Stock

ASRock Phantom Gaming Z890 Riptide Intel Motherboard / ATX Form Factor / Supports Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors (Series 2) / LGA 1851 CPU Socket / 4x DDR5 DIMM Supporting up to 256GB / 90-MXBPB0-A0UAYZ

R7699.00In Stock

MSI Pro B650M-B AMD Ryzen Motherboard / AMD Socket AM5 / AMD B650 Chipset / 2 DIMMs, Dual Channel DDR5-6800+MHz (OC) /1x PCIe 4.0 x16 slot / 911-7E28-005

R2149.00In Stock

Finding the Best Gaming Motherboards on a Budget in South Africa

Getting top-tier performance doesn't mean you have to empty your wallet. The secret to a great value build is often a mid-range motherboard. Chipsets like Intel's B760 and AMD's B650 offer almost all the essential gaming features of their more expensive counterparts, including PCIe 4.0/5.0 support for your GPU and fast NVMe SSDs. ⚡

You don't need to spend a fortune to get a solid foundation. For many gamers, the sweet spot for value and performance can be found in our selection of affordable Intel and AMD motherboards, delivering excellent performance for your Rand.