A common newbie mistake when building a PC is actually overspending on the motherboard, and consequently cutting yourself a little short on your other parts. Choosing how much to spend on a motherboard is a balancing act depending on your other parts, and what you'll be doing with your PC now and in future. A general rule of thumb to go by is that the more expensive your PC build overall, the more important your motherboard choice becomes.
Especially your choice of gaming CPU - the last thing you want to do is pair a powerful high-end CPU with a cheap board that may not be able to handle it. Even if the two are compatible on paper, doesn't necessarily mean it's a good pairing in the real-world. But for most people building a mid-range type system or a cheap one on a tight budget , you don't require too much from a motherboard unless you need certain advanced features for whatever reason.
Yes; even if you're not overclocking, as motherboard VRMs explained in our FAQ at the end but essentially refers to the area of a board that delivers power to the CPU are important even for simply running a CPU at stock speeds. When paired with a powerful processor, a motherboard with a weak VRM can actually throttle lower performance of a CPU when under load or worse, such as overheating the system or straight-up shutting it down. Let's get into choosing a compatible motherboard for your build, starting with CPU and motherboard compatibility.
To check these things, simply look at the product listing of your CPU and motherboard. Read on for more clarification on motherboard and CPU compatibility. When choosing a motherboard, you must choose one that has the same socket type as your CPU. To do that, you look at the motherboard's chipset type which in simple terms is basically the type of motherboard. If you're confused, don't worry, as it's very simple once you see what I mean.
All you have to do is make note of your CPU's socket type. You then choose a motherboard that has a chipset that has the AM4 socket type which could be B, B, X, etc. Since multiple motherboard chipsets use the same socket type CPU socket types only typically change every few years, especially for AMD, whereas new chipsets are released more frequently , that means you can choose between different chipsets types of motherboards when picking a board for your CPU.
Which chipset you choose will depend on your budget, as they are roughly categorized into different price categories. For Intel it's the same thing ie Z is their current high-end chipset. These are not complete lists of ALL compatible chipsets, but the latest ones that we can recommend you consider. To know if your motherboard will be compatible and fit in your PC case, you must check the specs of your case to make sure it supports your motherboard's size.
Technically, the size of a motherboard is referred to as its form factor, and there are 4 main sizes to choose from when building a desktop computer:.
Not perfectly to scale 'cause like you, I'm human mostly. If you need specific measurements for whatever reason go here. We'll start with ATX 2nd from the left in the image above as it's the most common motherboard size used in a modern gaming PC build Micro ATX is likely not far behind though. ATX motherboards fit in any mid tower or full tower case, and can offer a full range of features due to their full size.
However there are plenty of mATX motherboards with 4 RAM slots, and in terms of expansion slots, for most builds you wouldn't need them anyway as most gaming builds only need to use 1 PCIe slot for a graphics card and maybe 2 maximum if you're throwing in a WiFi card if your motherboard doesn't have onboard WiFi but you want WiFi. Just make sure the case you use specifically lists support for mATX motherboards. Oh, and one more thing about mATX motherboards is sometimes they can make your build look a little "emptier" if you have a see-through side window on your case not a huge issue though but worth mentioning.
Mini ITX computers can be a little trickier to build, so buying a mITX motherboard is not generally recommended for first-time builders it makes things like cable management and optimizing airflow harder. They're the same height as ATX boards, but a little wider. For most people, it's safe to say you can just ignore EATX altogether. When choosing a motherboard for your gaming computer you also need to make sure it will be compatible with the RAM modules that you choose.
To know if your motherboard and RAM are compatible, simply check the following:. If you check the above things, you will be good to go 9 times out of But it's worth mentioning there are certain instances if you get unlucky where a particular set of RAM sticks will not be compatible with a certain motherboard, even if all of the above specs match up. It just happens unfortunately, and is why motherboard manufacturers provide what's called a QVL Qualified Vendor List for their motherboards, which lists the RAM modules they've officially tested to work with that board.
But the thing is, it's impossible for manufacturers to test and list every single model of RAM out there for all their boards, so many modules will still work fine even if they're not on the QVL list.
Modern hardware is good like that; it usually just works. So in general, due to the low potential for compatibility issues when it comes to motherboard and RAM especially if you stick to more common RAM brands , the general consensus within the DIY community is that it's safe to ignore the QVL and just buy whichever RAM you want. Advanced: What is the QVL?
Does it Matter? When it comes to choosing a motherboard, there are only so many manufacturers brands out there. To ensure maximum reliability and quality, you want to stick to the big 4 names in the motherboard game which are Asus, Gigabyte, MSI and ASRock in no particular order.
There are other companies out there who produce some motherboards like Biostar and EVGA , but unless you have a good reason and you know exactly what you're doing, we don't recommend veering away from the big 4.
But of course, not all specific models are created equal, so just because a board is created by one of these manufacturers, it doesn't necessarily mean it's a good buy. Always do your research. For specific, current recommendations on the best motherboards for gaming PCs right now, check out our continuously updated Recommended Gaming PC Builds and take a look at the included boards in each build for a solid example of good value motherboards to consider buying in various price tiers.
Don't just take our word for it though and don't blindly pick the first motherboard you see; always do your homework to make sure the particular model you go with has all the features that you want, especially if you have extra requirements compared to the average PC user.
Here we'll cover certain other specific aspects of choosing a motherboard. Not all of these things apply to everyone, but some of them may be important to know depending on your build. You may be able to salvage the processor, memory, drives, and other peripherals, but the case and motherboard are useless. BTX may be a solution in search of a problem. The original goal of BTX was to improve cooling at a reduced noise level: a necessary improvement, given the very high heat production of Intel Pentium 4 processors, some of which consume W.
Now that Intel is shifting processor production to low-power cores that consume as little as 20W, there is no longer a real need for BTX. For all practical purposes, a processor that is designed to fit one socket cannot be installed in another type of socket.
Socket adapters are available to shoehorn one type of processor into another type of socket e. We recommend you avoid socket adapters. Modern processors connect to the motherboard via a processor socket.
The processor has an array of hundreds of pins that fit into matching holes on the processor socket. Figure shows an mPGA socket, which accepts an Intel Pentium 4 or Celeron processor, a typical processor socket.
Sockets designed to accept other types of processors are similar in appearance, but with a different number and arrangement of holes. This lever, visible on the right edge of the socket, is raised to install the processor. Raising the lever removes the clamping force inside the socket, and allows the processor to be dropped into place without applying pressure.
After the processor is seated in the socket, lowering the ZIF lever clamps the processor into place and ensures good electrical contact between the processor pins and the socket contacts. You can also identify the socket type unambiguously by examining the socket itself, although that will require removing the processor cooler and perhaps the processor itself. Intel Socket is the exception among modern processor sockets. Socket reverses the usual arrangement of male processor and female socket by putting the pins in the socket and the holes in the processor.
Socket also dispenses with the ZIF lever, using a different clamping arrangement to secure the processor in the socket. Table lists the processor sockets that have been used on recent systems.
By that, we mean that it isn't practical to upgrade the motherboard and processor unless you replace both; it's still feasible to install more memory, replace the drives, and make other upgrades to such systems. Systems that use one of the sockets we list as obsolescent Sockets A, , and are reasonably good upgrade candidates.
Although processors and motherboards are no longer under active development for obsolescent processor sockets, motherboards that use those sockets are readily available and likely to remain so for some time, as are processors to fit those New Lamps for Old sockets.
Installing an older processor in a newer motherboard seldom presents any problems, although you should always verify that your old processor is explicitly listed as supported by the new motherboard taking into account the motherboard revision level. Installing a newer processor in an older motherboard may be problematic, because the newer, faster processor may draw more current than the motherboard is designed to supply. Of course, if you plan to replace not just the motherboard, but the processor and perhaps memory as well, the type of socket used by the current motherboard and processor is immaterial.
You can simply choose the best processor and compatible motherboard to fit your needs and budget. Because the motherboard controls the system, it pays to select one carefully. The motherboard you choose determines which processors are supported, how much and what type of memory the system can use, what type of video adapters can be installed, the speed of the communication ports, and many other key system characteristics.
In addition to choosing the correct form factor and processor socket, which are essential, use the following guidelines when choosing a motherboard:. The chipset acts like an administrative assistant to the processor. It handles what goes in and what comes out and takes care of all the ancillary functions that make it possible for the processor to compute.
The chipset determines which processors and types of memory are supported, as well as which of the two video adapter standards, AGP or PCI Express, the motherboard supports. The chipset also determines which embedded features such as USB 2. Chipsets vary widely in performance, features, compatibility, and stability.
Table lists the chipsets we recommend by socket type. Chipsets for AMD and Intel processors are made by several other companies, such as VIA and SiS, but we have found that the performance and compatibility of these alternative chipsets leaves something to be desired. Motherboards based on Intel and NVIDIA chipsets are a bit more expensive than those based on alternative chipsets, but the small additional cost is well worth it.
Although it is impossible to build a good motherboard with a poor chipset, it is quite possible to build a poor motherboard with a good chipset. Just because a motherboard claims to support a particular processor doesn't mean it supports all members of that processor family. For example, some motherboards support the Pentium 4 processor, but only slower models. Other motherboards support fast Pentium 4s, but not slower Pentium 4s or Celerons. There's an even better reason to demand the latest motherboard revision level: subtle engineering changes to the components used, board layout, or other engineering factors may be "slipstreamed" into production based upon reported problems from early production runs.
These are usually subtle things. You notice them when you repeatedly beat up customer support over a recurring problem, they suddenly agree to RMA the unit, and you find the new one works flawlessly in what is otherwise the same system. I'm convinced this happens a lot. Make sure the motherboard supports the exact processor you plan to use, before you buy it.
To do so, visit the motherboard manufacturer's web site and look for the "supported processors" page for the exact motherboard you plan to use. Note that motherboard makers often "slipstream" revised models with the same model number, and the list of supported processors almost always assumes you are using the current motherboard revision.
Quite often, an earlier revision does not support all of the processor models or speeds supported by a later revision. When you buy a motherboard, make sure to get the latest available revision. Choose a motherboard that supports at least the settings you need now and that you expect to need for the life of the board. Boards that offer a full range of host bus speeds, ideally in small increments, give you the most flexibility if you later decide to upgrade the processor.
Do not make assumptions about how much memory a motherboard supports. A motherboard has a certain number of memory slots and the literature may state that it accepts memory modules up to a specific size, but that doesn't mean you can necessarily install the largest supported module in all of the memory slots. Memory speed may also come into play. Thanks for your valuable sharing. It will surely help a non technical person to choose a appropriate motherboard.
Thanks for providing this amazing information, Now I know a lot more about laptop and how to choose motherboard. The article explains each and every aspect of a motherboard that one should consider before going to get a motherboard. Great article to read if you are going to buy a motherboard, All the important aspects of a motherboard are explained in the article.
Thanks a lot for this well-explained article. Such a informative article! Motherboard Hope you people like it as well! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. All rights reserved.
Close Search. Form factor Motherboards come in different sizes, meaning that you have some flexibility in building your PC to fit into your environment. Motherboard Expansion Options Motherboards can connect a variety of components in addition to the CPU, including graphics cards, sound cards, networking cards, storage devices and connections, and a host of others. A small SSD and large HDD Like with many of the components in this how-to, there are many factors involved in choosing the right storage.
On modern motherboards, this is usually an eight-pin connector. X, and USB-C 3. Varies Firewire Internal or external An older connection, it allows hooking up a Firewire device. Varies Audio jacks External If your motherboard has built-in audio, and most do today, then it will have audio jacks to connect speakers and microphones. How many jacks and what kind of speaker setups they support from stereo up to 7. Tags: category20 components how to choose Motherboard motherboards pc build resources Shopping Tools.
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