Need assistance with the latest BIOS updates for Z690 and B660 chipsets on the 13th generation.
Need assistance with the latest BIOS updates for Z690 and B660 chipsets on the 13th generation.
It’s nice to have RAM OC, so I’d pick the Z690 board. I should ask @RONOTHAN## for more advice. Both boards have a Q flash BIOS option, letting you update the BIOS without the CPU installed. What’s your budget for a motherboard? The 14th gen tends to run hotter than the 13th, so I’d be cautious about choosing a 14th because they’ll likely perform similarly and older hardware tends to be more affordable over time.
RAM OC is available on the B660 as well, making it a viable choice if you're not planning CPU overclocks. The B660's VRM is sufficient, though it might be risky to pair it with a 14900K without a BIOS update. Both boards are reasonable options, but I'd appreciate knowing where you're looking to buy and your budget. A Z690 Force/Carbon setup often offers great value for its capabilities, especially if you're open to a BIOS upgrade.
I chose the 13th generation over the 14th, mostly for the same CPU. The 14th will consume more power with little performance gain. It can get hotter, so power management is important. Money is tight since I bought it at college and can only use it in one shop. They don’t have the MOBO you were thinking about. I’m sure the B660 will work fine; I won’t overclock and just use factory turbo clocks and XMP settings.
I also have two questions: First, I need to do a Sysprep for a Windows install, but I’m not sure what that means. Second, regarding BIOS settings, my current PC has 9600kHz and has C states disabled. Should I disable them on the new PC or keep them as is?
For a clean Windows setup, you can skip those steps. Even without doing it, they’re still fine to keep enabled. They perform well with the 13th generation processor.