Deeper Dive: Our High Examined Picks
EDITORS’ NOTE
July 4, 2025: With this replace, we have now up to date most of our product picks and included extra in-depth suggestions for every. We now have additionally revised the article extensively to replicate the newest shopping for recommendation and market state relating to newly launched chipsets for AM5 and LGA 1851 from AMD and Intel. (We have additionally recast a few of our recommendation on older chipsets and sockets.) Since our final replace, we have now reviewed 16 new motherboards; all had been thought-about for inclusion on this roundup.
Professionals & Cons
Six M.2 sockets (three supporting PCIe 5.0)
A number of helpful AI/EZ DIY options
In depth connectivity
Premium ROG look
Sturdy energy supply
Why We Picked It
Asus’s ROG Maximus Z890 Hero is the very best Intel LGA 1851 motherboard we have now reviewed. It contains a sturdy energy design and an virtually absurd variety of M.2 slots—six in complete, three of that are PCIe 5.0. The board additionally has a number of helpful AI/DIY options and Thunderbolt 4 help, amongst a protracted checklist of different high-end extras. You may have a tough time discovering a better-appointed board for Intel Arrow Lake than this one. CUDIMM help, reminiscence help for DDR5-9200+(OC) speeds, and as much as 192GB capability imply that is no abnormal mainboard on the reminiscence aspect. Auto-overclock options engaged on the fly, powered by an built-in microcontroller to trace telemetry (temperature and frequency) on your CPU and system, put it on the subsequent stage, together with the 27-phase energy design.
Who It is For
Whereas it is among the finest and most premium LGA 1851 motherboards we have reviewed, it’s also among the many most costly. Funds buyers ought to scroll on; this board targets buyers who need to construct the very best LGA 1851 PC they will.
Specs & Configurations
Type Issue
ATX
CPU Socket
Intel LGA 1851
Chipset
Intel Z890
Most Supported Reminiscence
192 GB
No. of DIMM Slots
4
Reminiscence Kind
DDR5
Most Reminiscence Velocity
8000 MHz
SATA Connectors
4
M.2 Slots
6
PCI Categorical x16 Slots
2
PCI Categorical x4 Slots
1
Onboard Video Out for IGP (Rear Panel)
HDMI
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
11
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Supported By way of Header
6
USB 2.0 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
0
USB 2.0 Ports Supported By way of Header
4
Thunderbolt 3 or 4 Ports (Rear Panel)
Ethernet Jacks
2
Onboard Wi-fi
802.11be
aRGB Headers
3
Onboard Audio Chipset
Realtek ALC4082
No. of Audio Channels
7.1
Be taught Extra
Asus ROG Maximus Z890 Hero Evaluate
Professionals & Cons
Format makes constructing simple
Intuitive connections and M.2 covers
Straightforward-release GPU button
Helps DDR5 as much as 8,600MHz
Responsive and well-laid-out BIOS
Loads of USB ports
Costly
Few audio connections
Why We Picked It
Gigabyte spared no expense when designing the X870E Aorus Grasp, and it exhibits. The board appears to be like and feels extremely premium, with a wealthy function set that features help for USB4, Wi-Fi 7, and PCIe 5.0 for each the principle PCIe x16 slot and an M.2 SSD slot. With a sturdy 8+8+2+2 part energy system, help for blazing-fast DDR5 speeds (to eight,600MHz), and a wealth of quality-of-life options—together with spring-loaded M.2 heatsinks, an intuitive BIOS, and a intelligent plug-in Wi-Fi antenna mount—it balances efficiency and value impressively. To make sure, $499 is not low-cost, however the board delivers premium efficiency, distinctive construct flexibility, and enthusiast-ready options that justify the funding.
Who It is For
If you need a contemporary gaming motherboard with all of the extras and that appears the half, you then’ll like Gigabyte’s X870E Aorus Grasp. This motherboard’s premium design and in depth checklist of options come at a steep value, however if you would like top-of-the-line AM5 motherboards on your subsequent gaming PC, then that is an possibility nicely value contemplating. Elite construct high quality, top-tier energy supply, and considerate design make it a match for the players and overclockers alike who can afford it.
Specs & Configurations
Type Issue
ATX
CPU Socket
AMD AM5
Chipset
AMD X870E
Most Supported Reminiscence
256 GB
No. of DIMM Slots
4
Reminiscence Kind
DDR5
Most Reminiscence Velocity
8600 MHz
SATA Connectors
4
M.2 Slots
4
PCI Categorical x16 Slots
3
PCI Categorical x4 Slots
0
PCI Categorical x1 Slots
0
PCI Slots
0
Onboard Video Out for IGP (Rear Panel)
HDMI
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
8
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Supported By way of Header
3
USB 2.0 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
2
USB 2.0 Ports Supported By way of Header
2
Thunderbolt 3 or 4 Ports (Rear Panel)
0
Ethernet Jacks
1
Onboard Wi-fi
802.11be
aRGB Headers
4
Onboard Audio Chipset
Realtek ALC1220
No. of Audio Channels
2.0
Be taught Extra
Gigabyte X870E Aorus Grasp Evaluate
Professionals & Cons
Many DIY-easing and overclocking options
Up to date BIOS interface
Supplemental PCI Categorical (PCIe) energy connector
Premium all-black aesthetic
Earlier-gen audio codec
Just one PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot
Why We Picked It
Midrange motherboards are murky to outline nowadays. (Costs have risen throughout the market, throughout all classes of mobo.) However nothing’s murky about why this MSI ATX effort will get a nod. High-shelf options abound, like 5 M.2 slots (one PCIe 5.0), twin high-speed LAN ports, twin Thunderbolt 4 ports, Wi-Fi 7, and sturdy energy supply, all wrapped in a trendy, matte-black design. MSI’s redesigned Click on BIOS X and DIY-friendly touches—like EZ M.2 latches and a easy PCIe slot launch—elevate usability. This board nails the basics and the extras alike, making it a standout decide for “Arrow Lake” builders not able to splash out for a real flagship board, however nonetheless wanting a luxe journey.
Who It is For
The MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi is right for energy customers, PC fanatics, and aspiring overclockers constructing an Arrow Lake system with out venturing into excessive value territory. It fits DIYers who worth each efficiency and polish. In the event you’re upgrading to LGA 1851 and need future-forward options in a visually modern platform, this board goes carbon-hard.
Specs & Configurations
Type Issue
ATX
CPU Socket
Intel LGA 1851
Chipset
Intel Z890
Most Supported Reminiscence
256 GB
No. of DIMM Slots
4
Reminiscence Kind
DDR5
Most Reminiscence Velocity
9200 MHz
SATA Connectors
4
M.2 Slots
5
PCI Categorical x16 Slots
3
Onboard Video Out for IGP (Rear Panel)
HDMI, DisplayPort
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
13
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Supported By way of Header
9
USB 2.0 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
USB 2.0 Ports Supported By way of Header
4
Thunderbolt 3 or 4 Ports (Rear Panel)
2
Ethernet Jacks
2
Onboard Wi-fi
802.11be
aRGB Headers
3
Onboard Audio Chipset
Realtek ALC1220P
No. of Audio Channels
7.1
Be taught Extra
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi Evaluate
Professionals & Cons
First rate all-around efficiency
Succesful energy supply
DIY-friendly and AI options
Up to date design
Two SATA ports could possibly be limiting
Barely pricier than opponents
Why We Picked It
Rev up that Ryzen 9000 CPU! Asus aimed to strike a stability between wealthy options and price with this AMD motherboard primarily based on AMD’s X870 chipset. The board might not look essentially the most premium, however its options embody sensible stuff like help for USB4, PCIe 5.0, and Wi-Fi 7, and it supplies these future-look options at a extremely aggressive value. (Certainly, you get a wealth of forward-looking design right here, alongside sturdy construct high quality, together with bolstered slots, and a meaty power-delivery system.) DIY conveniences abound, too: Considerate extras like Asus’ Q-Launch, Q-Antenna, and reminiscence auto-tuning simplify setup.
Who It is For
Mainstream PC builders ought to rally round this one. The TUF Gaming X870-Plus WiFi provides you entry to most of immediately’s notable new motherboard options, on one in all AMD’s newest chipsets, with out costing a fortune. The one factor you miss out on is a modern and polished look for a high-visibility PC construct. Neat extras like customizable OLED panels aren’t the main focus right here, however the options that really matter to your PC’s efficiency are all right here. As a sturdy, no-nonsense board constructed for longevity and ease of use, this TUF man hits the candy spot.
Specs & Configurations
Type Issue
ATX
CPU Socket
AMD AM5
Chipset
AMD X870
Most Supported Reminiscence
256 GB
No. of DIMM Slots
4
Reminiscence Kind
DDR5
Most Reminiscence Velocity
8000 MHz
SATA Connectors
2
M.2 Slots
4
PCI Categorical x16 Slots
2
Onboard Video Out for IGP (Rear Panel)
HDMI
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
9
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Supported By way of Header
4
USB 2.0 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
1
USB 2.0 Ports Supported By way of Header
4
Thunderbolt 3 or 4 Ports (Rear Panel)
Ethernet Jacks
1
Onboard Wi-fi
802.11be
aRGB Headers
3
Onboard Audio Chipset
Realtek ALC1220P
No. of Audio Channels
7.1
Be taught Extra
Asus TUF Gaming X870-Plus WiFi Evaluate
Professionals & Cons
4 M.2 sockets (with EZ-Latch+)
Premium look
Loads of USB ports at rear
No PCI Categorical 5.0 M.2 socket
Why We Picked It
Trying last-generation? No disgrace in that. Gigabyte’s premium Z790 Aorus Elite AX was designed for players who need a top-tier motherboard of their subsequent PC with out busting their funds. Its sturdy energy design ought to simply deal with essentially the most power-hungry processors out there for the LGA 1700 socket, and it should have no issues overclocking them, both. It gives 4 M.2 sockets (all PCIe 4.0), six SATA ports, DDR5 help as much as 7,600MHz, sturdy 19-phase energy supply, and a premium-feeling design with delicate RGB. It helps Intel’s Twelfth and thirteenth Gen CPUs effortlessly, whereas extras like bolstered PCIe slots, Wi-Fi 6E, and a clear UEFI BIOS elevate the person expertise.
Who It is For
Intel’s LGA 1700 platform is perhaps headed out of the market, nevertheless it nonetheless supplies wonderful efficiency and is value contemplating. The Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX is well-priced and has a premium function set, making it top-of-the-line choices for a gaming PC that does not should have up-to-the-second components. In the event you don’t want LGA 1851, or bleeding-edge M.2 PCIe 5.0 help, however worth reliability, cooling, and expandability, this well-rounded Z790 board deserves a major spot in your construct checklist.
Specs & Configurations
Type Issue
ATX
CPU Socket
Intel LGA 1700
Chipset
Intel Z790
Most Supported Reminiscence
192 GB
No. of DIMM Slots
4
Reminiscence Kind
DDR5
Most Reminiscence Velocity
7600 MHz
SATA Connectors
6
M.2 Slots
4
PCI Categorical x16 Slots
3
Onboard Video Out for IGP (Rear Panel)
DisplayPort, HDMI
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
4
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Supported By way of Header
2
USB 2.0 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
4
USB 2.0 Ports Supported By way of Header
2
Thunderbolt 3 or 4 Ports (Rear Panel)
0
Ethernet Jacks
1
Onboard Wi-fi
802.11ax
aRGB Headers
2
Onboard Audio Chipset
Realtek ALC897
No. of Audio Channels
7.1
Be taught Extra
Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX Evaluate
Professionals & Cons
Plethora of USB and SATA ports. High quality NIC and audio chipset. Straightforward-to-use BIOS. Nice, understated aesthetics.
Lack of hardware-based overclocking options. M.2 slots may be difficult to entry as soon as PC is constructed out.
Why We Picked It
With this ASRock X570 motherboard, you get a premium function set for a funds value. ASRock did not go over-“board” with this one in taking part in for ornamental components, as a substitute making the board look considerably plain in contrast with many higher-end motherboards. Nevertheless, the corporate makes up for that with a wealthy function set and a extremely compelling value. Anticipate no excesses right here, however do plan on primary overclocking help, a strong VRM setup, and trendy RGB lighting. Whereas it lacks high-end OC instruments, the board focuses on worth the place it issues most—efficiency, expandability, and connectivity. That makes it a wise purchase for mainstream Ryzen system builders seeking to get extra life out of the venerable AM4 platform, whether or not they’re getting an AM4-socket chip at a reduction or already personal one.
Who It is For
If you wish to construct an AM4-based PC immediately, you have got many choices, with practically a decade of motherboard fashions, new and used, available on the market. No single AM4 motherboard in that huge mass would be the finest match for everybody, however the ASRock X570 Extreme4 ought to be a good match for a lot of. Its options stay comparatively fashionable, and apart from its lack of help for DDR5 and current-gen processors, you will not discover a lot else lacking for a strong mainstream construct that also stands up in 2025.
Specs & Configurations
Type Issue
ATX
CPU Socket
AMD AM4
Chipset
AMD X570
Most Supported Reminiscence
128 GB
No. of DIMM Slots
4
Reminiscence Kind
DDR4
Most Reminiscence Velocity
4666 MHz
SATA Connectors
8
M.2 Slots
3
PCI Categorical x16 Slots
2
PCI Categorical x4 Slots
0
PCI Categorical x1 Slots
3
PCI Slots
0
Onboard Video Out for IGP (Rear Panel)
HDMI
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
8
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Supported By way of Header
3
USB 2.0 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
0
USB 2.0 Ports Supported By way of Header
2
Thunderbolt 3 or 4 Ports (Rear Panel)
0
Ethernet Jacks
1
Onboard Wi-fi
None
aRGB Headers
1
Onboard Audio Chipset
Realtek ALC1220
No. of Audio Channels
7.1
Be taught Extra
ASRock X570 Extreme4 Evaluate
Professionals & Cons
Low value
Reminiscence help as much as DDR5-8600+
Sturdy energy supply
Solely 5 USB Kind-A ports
Why We Picked It
A funds Mini-ITX board? Sure certainly. This ASRock LGA 1700 motherboard has lots to offer in a small package deal. The Mini-ITX type issue, useful for constructing compact PCs for on a regular basis use or gaming, is seldom related to worth boards, however ASRock pulls off a coup with this one. The B760 chipset that powers this motherboard does not help overclocking (which is dicey to have interaction in in the event you’re restricted to a small Mini-ITX case, anyway), nevertheless it does have in depth connectivity choices, together with two M.2 slots and a number of other quick USB 3.x ports. This mannequin additionally has a built-in Wi-Fi 6E module for snappy wi-fi web entry.
Who Its For
This motherboard will finest attraction to you if you wish to construct a compact gaming PC with a latest, however not bleeding-edge, Intel processor. (Observe that LGA 1700 is for thirteenth and 14th Gen Core CPUs, not the newer Intel “Arrow Lake.”) With ample cooling round its energy {hardware} and help for quick reminiscence kits and quick SSDs, this motherboard helps many of the options that players will need from a motherboard. Its small dimension is right for constructing in compact circumstances, as nicely. In the event you aren’t gaming, you would possibly get by with an much more inexpensive possibility, however this is among the higher ITX mainboard values on the market.
Specs & Configurations
Type Issue
Mini-ITX
CPU Socket
Intel LGA 1700
Chipset
Intel B760
Most Supported Reminiscence
96 GB
No. of DIMM Slots
2
Reminiscence Kind
DDR5
Most Reminiscence Velocity
8600 MHz
SATA Connectors
3
M.2 Slots
2
PCI Categorical x16 Slots
1
Onboard Video Out for IGP (Rear Panel)
DisplayPort, HDMI
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
6
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Supported By way of Header
2
USB 2.0 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
USB 2.0 Ports Supported By way of Header
1
Thunderbolt 3 or 4 Ports (Rear Panel)
Ethernet Jacks
1
Onboard Wi-fi
802.11ax
aRGB Headers
2
Onboard Audio Chipset
Realtek ALC897
No. of Audio Channels
7.1
Be taught Extra
ASRock B760I Lightning Wi-Fi Evaluate
Professionals & Cons
Lowest-priced “Z790 refresh” board
Rear 20Gbps USB-C port
2.5Gbps Killer Ethernet
Solely three M.2 storage sockets
Dated funds audio codec
Look might not attraction to everybody
Why We Picked it
ASRock did a wonderful job with its PG Z790 motherboard by offering a sturdy function set at a extremely aggressive value. It is among the many most inexpensive LGA 1700 motherboards to function a Z790 chipset, which provides you the controls to overclock unlocked Intel processors. It additionally serves up the very best connectivity help of any Intel LGA 1700-series chipset, together with a 20Gbps USB-C port on its rear I/O panel and three M.2 slots for quick SSDs.
Who Its For
In case you are searching for a budget-friendly motherboard for an Intel LGA 1700 system, the ASRock PG Z790 is a secure possibility and nicely value contemplating. The board’s funds value comes with minor trade-offs, equivalent to an older audio codec, nevertheless it is not missing in any method you might be more likely to discover. On the identical time, this board can help highly effective processors just like the Intel Core i9-14900K and make for a extremely succesful gaming PC.
Specs & Configurations
Type Issue
ATX
CPU Socket
Intel LGA 1700
Chipset
Intel Z790
Most Supported Reminiscence
192 GB
No. of DIMM Slots
4
Reminiscence Kind
DDR5
Most Reminiscence Velocity
7600 MHz
SATA Connectors
6
M.2 Slots
3
PCI Categorical x16 Slots
2
PCI Categorical x1 Slots
2
Onboard Video Out for IGP (Rear Panel)
DisplayPort, HDMI
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
7
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Supported By way of Header
3
USB 2.0 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
1
USB 2.0 Ports Supported By way of Header
2
Thunderbolt 3 or 4 Ports (Rear Panel)
Ethernet Jacks
1
Onboard Wi-fi
802.11ax
aRGB Headers
3
Onboard Audio Chipset
Realtek ALC897
No. of Audio Channels
7.1
Be taught Extra
ASRock PG Z790 Lighting Wi-Fi Evaluate
Professionals & Cons
Sturdy energy supply
Three M.2 sockets (one SATA-compatible)
Six SATA ports
Comparatively excessive value
Funds audio codec
Why We Picked It
MicroATX is usually seen as an amazing “compromise dimension” of motherboard. MSI’s B760M Edge Ti Wi-Fi is a MicroATX motherboard with extra sturdy connectivity choices than a typical Mini-ITX motherboard whereas sustaining a comparatively small bodily footprint. This board helps DDR5 reminiscence and Intel’s “Alder Lake” and “Raptor Lake” processors, as much as the fire-breathing Core i9-14900KS, that are a era or three previous now however stay very competent gaming chips. The Edge additionally has Wi-Fi 6 help for quick wi-fi web entry, as much as DDR5-7800 speeds, three M.2 slots, and even 2.5Gbps Ethernet. Middling-size board; not a middling function set.
Who It is For
This motherboard has a slick look that we might sometimes anticipate on a higher-end board. Whereas this premium design does not lengthen to the board’s options, it nonetheless has a midrange chipset. The construct high quality is notable, making this a premium possibility for builders concentrating on a midrange rig. In case you are constructing such a gaming PC and need a bit of premium aptitude to go together with it, this motherboard is a brilliant alternative.
Specs & Configurations
Type Issue
Micro ATX
CPU Socket
Intel LGA 1700
Chipset
Intel B760
Most Supported Reminiscence
256 GB
No. of DIMM Slots
4
Reminiscence Kind
DDR5
Most Reminiscence Velocity
7800 MHz
SATA Connectors
6
M.2 Slots
3
PCI Categorical x16 Slots
1
PCI Categorical x4 Slots
1
Onboard Video Out for IGP (Rear Panel)
HDMI, DisplayPort
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
4
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Supported By way of Header
2
USB 2.0 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
4
USB 2.0 Ports Supported By way of Header
2
Thunderbolt 3 or 4 Ports (Rear Panel)
Ethernet Jacks
1
Onboard Wi-fi
802.11ax
aRGB Headers
2
Onboard Audio Chipset
Realtek ALC897
No. of Audio Channels
7.1
Be taught Extra
MSI B760M Edge Ti Wi-Fi Evaluate
Professionals & Cons
Two M.2 sockets (one PCIe 5.0)
Sturdy energy supply
Killer-brand networking
Two as a substitute of 4 SATA ports
M.2 fan is noisy at default settings
Solely two fan/pump headers free
Why We Picked It
AMD has the cutting-edge gaming CPUs of the second, so AM5 is the efficiency hound’s alternative for PC gaming. And the ASRock B650E PG-ITX Wi-Fi is near-ideal for constructing a compact gaming desktop. The board is predicated on AMD’s B650E chipset, which helps PCIe 5.0 for the PCIe x16 slot used for graphics playing cards and positive factors you a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot for ultra-fast SSDs. You’ll be able to overclock with this motherboard, too, in the event you can swing a liquid cooler and good air flow into your tight Mini-ITX case, and it really works with AMD’s latest Ryzen 9000 sequence processors. Killer-branded networking and sturdy VRM warmth dissipation prime off loads of {hardware} in a 6.7-inch sq..
Who It is For
This motherboard would serve players who worth each house and peak body charges with a chip like one in all AMD’s X3D fashions. With PCIe 5.0, a compact type issue, and built-in 802.11ax Wi-Fi, it has all of the options you want in a gaming motherboard…simply smaller.
Specs & Configurations
Type Issue
Mini-ITX
CPU Socket
AMD AM5
Chipset
AMD B650
Most Supported Reminiscence
64 GB
No. of DIMM Slots
2
Reminiscence Kind
DDR5
Most Reminiscence Velocity
6400 MHz
SATA Connectors
2
M.2 Slots
2
PCI Categorical x16 Slots
1
Onboard Video Out for IGP (Rear Panel)
HDMI
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
4
USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 Ports Supported By way of Header
2
USB 2.0 Ports Onboard (Rear Panel)
4
USB 2.0 Ports Supported By way of Header
1
Thunderbolt 3 or 4 Ports (Rear Panel)
Ethernet Jacks
1
Onboard Wi-fi
802.11ax
aRGB Headers
2
Onboard Audio Chipset
Realtek ALC1220
No. of Audio Channels
7.1
Be taught Extra
ASRock B650E PG-ITX Evaluate
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The Finest Motherboards for 2025
Examine Specs
Shopping for Information: The Finest Motherboards for 2025
We contemplated a number of attainable approaches to picking a motherboard. Do you begin with the CPU you need to set up and launch your search from there? Do you begin with the utilization case, then drill down? (Say, gaming versus productiveness work versus efficiency tweaking for enjoyable.) Do you begin with the core chipset and filter your picks from that factor first? Or one thing else?
We might argue that each PC you are constructing or upgrading begins with a imaginative and prescient, and that imaginative and prescient consists of what dimension that PC is or ought to be. So, let’s begin our primer with the sensible: How massive a PC are you making an attempt to construct?
ATX, MicroATX, Mini-ITX: Which Dimension of Motherboard Ought to I Get?
Over time, just a few motherboard sizes, sometimes known as “type elements,” have dominated the PC market. Three are immediately by far the commonest: ATX, MicroATX, and Mini-ITX.
This many motherboards is a builder’s dream come true. However which one to choose? (Credit score: Molly Flores)
Consider these sizes as giant (ATX), medium (MicroATX), and small (Mini-ITX). The very first thing it’s best to do when selecting a motherboard is resolve which of those type elements is finest for you. All three have benefits and downsides.
For some individuals, Mini-ITX would be the most engaging possibility. The smallest of ordinary motherboards, Mini-ITX boards match into compact PC circumstances. They’re the very best decide in the event you’re in a cramped workplace or are constructing a gaming system or residence theater PC (HTPC) that may sit in your front room.
Motherboard sizes in contrast: ATX, MicroATX, Mini-ITX boards (left to proper) (Credit score: Molly Flores)
The draw back is that Mini-ITX techniques and boards have fewer connectors for peripherals and fewer growth slots to put in elements, since they’re smaller than the remainder. These boards may have solely a single PCI Categorical x16 slot (sometimes reserved for a graphics card) and restricted storage connections, equivalent to Serial ATA ports and M.2 slots (extra about these later). One other draw back is that these boards value a premium versus equal MicroATX and ATX boards. Within the case of Mini-ITX, “much less” truly prices extra.
The Finest Mini-ITX PC Instances We have Examined
On the different finish of the dimensions spectrum, ATX motherboards (and some bigger, much less widespread variants) take up essentially the most house, however additionally they achieve you essentially the most growth choices. ATX motherboards can have as much as seven PCI Categorical growth slots to put in a number of playing cards alongside your graphics card. A number of-GPU desktops had been as soon as a giant deal in elite gaming PCs. Nevertheless, with the previous few generations of GPUs from AMD and Nvidia, help for multi-card CrossFireX and SLI/NVLink configurations has fallen by the wayside. So the necessity for 3 or 4 PCI Categorical x16 slots has fallen off most customers’ want lists.
Nonetheless, some people will need entry to a number of full-size PCI Categorical slots for a graphics card, plus a wi-fi networking or video seize answer, a pro-level audio card, or different specialised wants. Plus, ATX boards ceaselessly have extra sturdy built-in {hardware}. This could imply higher onboard audio circuitry, extra connections for storage gadgets (a bigger circuit board, or PCB, ought to have extra room for M.2 slots, for one factor), and in some circumstances, higher overclocking efficiency, due to a extra sturdy energy supply system.
As you store, you’ll additionally encounter just a few different type elements which might be bigger variants of full-size ATX, notably the outsized Prolonged ATX (EATX) and XL-ATX codecs. Do not forget that your PC case must help that bigger board dimension particularly. Plain ATX help is just not sufficient for these massive boards.
Massive boards: An ATX board (left) versus a wider Prolonged ATX mannequin (proper) (Credit score: Molly Flores)
If the dimensions of your PC case is just not a think about what {hardware} you purchase, an ATX board is the default alternative. Even in the event you don’t anticipate to make use of all the additional options and ports, having them provides you extra choices for increasing the system with new {hardware} down the street. Moreover, ATX motherboards are usually among the many most inexpensive as a consequence of economies of scale. Conversely, although, the most costly, tricked-out boards available on the market are additionally often ATX. That mentioned, you will discover ATX boards with higher options priced decrease than equal Mini-ITX options.
The third widespread motherboard type issue is MicroATX, the center possibility between ATX and Mini-ITX. Some buyers see this dimension as a “Goldilocks” just-right compromise. It supplies a balanced answer that’s extra space-efficient than ATX, nevertheless it additionally supplies considerably extra onboard elements and connections than a Mini-ITX board can. Most MicroATX boards have as much as 4 growth slots and may comfortably accommodate two graphics playing cards or a GPU plus an growth card or two.
On MicroATX boards, different onboard components, together with the circuitry for dealing with energy and audio, are sometimes on par with what you get on ATX motherboards. When it comes to dimension, MicroATX is nearer in dimension to ATX than it’s to Mini-ITX. That is MicroATX’s principal downside, as a MicroATX system gained’t sit as neatly in a compact workplace PC chassis or in your leisure middle’s niches as a Mini-ITX system would possibly. A MicroATX PC chassis simply is not as small.
Right here’s a helpful cheat sheet for typical motherboard sizes. However know that if a PC case says it helps one in all these board sizes, you don’t should get out your ruler if the board makes use of that type issue. It ought to simply match.
Which CPU Socket Ought to I Think about?
The CPU socket on the motherboard is a key figuring out issue that controls what processor the motherboard will help. On this regard, it’s second solely to the chipset (which we’ll get to within the subsequent part), however discussing the CPU socket first makes extra sense.
The idea of the CPU socket is easy to know: Its solely job is to carry the processor chip and allow it to connect with the motherboard and thus, the remainder of the system. The motherboard and CPU should help the identical socket protocol to work collectively. A given motherboard helps just one socket kind, and it really works with a particular household of AMD or Intel processors, by no means each. The 2 massive chip makers additionally promote a number of households of chips on completely different sockets. Not all AMD chips slot in all AMD sockets, and likewise with Intel chips and boards. Additionally, older chips from a given household might not work in newer sockets, and vice versa. (See our deep-dive information to the very best CPUs.)
On no account must you attempt to set up a CPU on a motherboard until you might be 100% positive the chip is suitable with the socket on the board. Putting in an incompatible CPU on a motherboard will, at finest, do nothing and, at worst, fry any or the entire system’s {hardware}.
AMD’s venerable AM4 socket (Credit score: Molly Flores)
At this writing, for mainstream processors, AMD’s newest socket is called AM5. That is the only option if you wish to construct a contemporary AMD-based PC with the newest options. Motherboards primarily based on AMD’s older AM4 socket are nonetheless available on the market, and these additionally stay respectable choices for constructing a PC. You will not get help for the very latest gee-whiz options like PCI Categorical 5.0 SSDs in the event you go for a socket AM4 motherboard, and you will get higher total efficiency from an AM5 motherboard, however the AM4 platform makes up for these shortcomings with budget-friendlier costs. That is notably true if you end up taking a look at suitable processors, too, with AM4 CPUs having fun with steep reductions, although AM4 motherboards are additionally extra inexpensive.
At the moment, low-end and funds processor choices are extra plentiful on Socket AM4. AMD’s Ryzen 3 product line is all however non-existent on Socket AM5, with two OEM-only Ryzen 3 processors launched for it that are not available to PC builders and upgraders. If you need a extra inexpensive AM5 processor, you may often get last-generation Ryzen 7000-series and Ryzen 8000-series processors on sale, however older socket AM4 choices stay legitimate funds options.
The Finest Desktop CPUs We have Examined
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Intel’s present CPU socket is LGA 1851, which changed LGA 1700 in September 2024. Like AM4, the LGA 1700 platform stays legitimate and viable for constructing a contemporary PC. Not solely does LGA 1700 have extra budget-friendly processor choices than LGA 1851, nevertheless it is also stronger on gaming efficiency once you’re taking a look at chips of the identical tough class. LGA 1851 processors are a bit behind AMD’s newest AM5 chips for video games, all else being equal, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a detailed sufficient race to think about LGA 1851 as a platform in the event you’re an informal or mainstream gamer, and you’ll nonetheless get pleasure from a high-end gaming expertise from an LGA 1700 PC.
Intel’s LGA 1200 socket (Credit score: Molly Flores)
Each motherboard has a listing of supported CPUs, hosted on the board maker’s web site. To be completely positive that you’ve got suitable {hardware}, it’s best to all the time verify that checklist and make sure the processor you have got (or intend to purchase) is on it.
Additionally, word some nuances: It’s possible you’ll have to carry out a BIOS replace to get some processors working if the board was manufactured earlier than the chip you propose to put in. Some motherboards can carry out this replace by having you merely plug in a flash drive and push a button. But when the board you’re shopping for wants an replace to help your processor and doesn’t have this perform, you’ll need to purchase a unique motherboard. In any other case, you’d have to have or get an older, supported processor to put in to flash the BIOS to help that newer chip.
As a fast cheat sheet, here’s a checklist of related latest motherboard CPU sockets which were within the shopper market because the mid-2010s, and the processor households they help…
The Board Controller: Which Motherboard Chipset Ought to I Get?
Most individuals’s understanding of PC chipsets is hazy, however the chipset is a very powerful single element on a motherboard. A little bit of a nutshell historical past: Initially, motherboards comprised a variety of microchips that supported a wide range of system capabilities and the trafficking of information to and from motherboard-mounted elements. (These chips had been primarily involved with the operation of the reminiscence, storage, growth slots, and CPU.) To some extent, that is nonetheless true. These chips would typically be developed and integrated as a set of chips, therefore the identify “chipset.” Over time, nonetheless, many of those chips have been built-in to type single chips that deal with the majority of the motherboard’s capabilities, or have been integrated into CPUs themselves, although these entities are nonetheless colloquially known as “the chipset.”
Chipset factor on an Intel Z690 motherboard (Credit score: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)
Although you’ll nonetheless discover a number of chips which might be hooked up to the motherboard, many of those are non-compulsory inclusions on the board maker’s half; board producers have quite a lot of flexibility in selecting which chips to make use of together with the chipset, whereas the chipset itself is important and has few attainable options.
Solely AMD and Intel produce chipsets designed for motherboards that help their respective CPUs. With every CPU era the chip maker points, an identical sequence of supporting chipsets sometimes follows. On common, for every chip era, AMD or Intel points three or 4 attainable chipsets to select from, starting from funds designs to top-end ones for fanatics.
One factor to notice, although: Chipsets are socket-specific and will or might not help all CPUs that work with that socket, which might complicate issues. Here is a rundown of the latest choices.
Intel LGA 1851 Chipset Choices for Arrow Lake-S
Intel’s new LGA 1851 socket presently helps three chipsets: the Intel H810, Intel B860, and Intel Z890. The Z890 chipset is the top-tier flagship answer. Moreover the elevated variety of pins within the CPU socket and the ensuing change in what processors are supported, not a lot has modified from the LGA 1700 platform to this one. Only some minor function modifications set these three new chipsets other than their predecessors.
Intel carried out one other change throughout its product line: eradicating the PCIe 3.0 controller. Intel retained this on earlier chipsets as PCIe 3.0 lanes are completely able to supporting quite a few different gadgets, equivalent to extra storage or USB controllers, and supporting these elements with the PCIe 3.0 controller saved PCIe 4.0 lanes for various duties, equivalent to high-speed SSDs.
The Z790 chipset’s PCIe 3.0 controller supported eight PCIe 3.0 lanes in complete, which, mixed with the 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes that the chipset additionally helps, gave the chipset a complete of 28 PCIe lanes. The removing of the PCIe 3.0 controller ends in the Z890 chipset having 4 fewer PCIe lanes than its predecessor. Nevertheless, its PCIe 4.0 controller is extra succesful and helps 24 lanes, giving it a bonus in high quality over amount.
The lack of the PCIe 3.0 controller is not a loss in any respect for the lower-end B860 and H810 chipsets. For B860, its PCIe 4.0 controller can deal with 14 PCIe lanes in complete, which is similar variety of lanes that the previous-gen equal B760 chipset helps, besides that 4 of the B760’s PCIe lanes had been run by the PCIe 3.0 controller.
Intel’s H810 did not have a previous 700-series chipset. Its closest predecessor was the H610 chipset, which solely supported eight PCIe 3.0 lanes. The H810 chipset upgrades all of those to PCIe 4.0 speeds.
The one different notable distinction between these new chipsets and the earlier era is that the Z890 chipset now helps RAID 10 for SSDs linked by way of PCI Categorical.
Intel Chipset Choices for Twelfth, thirteenth, and 14th Gen CPUs
Intel’s previous-generation mainstream socket is the LGA 1700, launched with its Twelfth Technology “Alder Lake” chips. This socket has 4 ranges of chipsets out there, essentially the most premium of that are the Z690 and Z790 chipsets. These are the one actual choices in the event you plan to overclock your CPU on an LGA 1700 motherboard.
A breakdown of the Intel 600 Sequence chipsets for Twelfth Gen Core
Z690 debuted with Intel’s Twelfth Gen chips, and Z790 with thirteenth Gen. Z690 has different advantages we lined intimately when the platform first launched, however essentially the most notable function that Z690 (and Z790) have over different LGA 1700 chipsets is that overclocking help. In addition they have essentially the most sturdy help for storage, USB, and PCI Categorical connections of any LGA 1700 chipset. It’s as much as the motherboard designer to leverage that help, although; not all boards bodily implement the utmost connectivity that the chipset helps.
Subsequent is Intel’s H670 and H770. As a step down from Z690/Z790, Intel crafted these as enterprise options with practically as a lot storage and connection help. They help barely fewer PCI Categorical lanes and USB slots, and don’t help overclocking, however they have a tendency to have better PCI Categorical and USB help than Intel’s lower-end B-series chipsets. This makes them smart choices if you’re constructing a desktop workstation with ample information storage (and thus, drive-connectivity) wants. However these H-chipsets fill a narrower area of interest available in the market.
Intel’s B660 and H610 chipsets are technically enterprise options designed to be budget-friendlier than Z690 or H670. (There’s additionally a more recent, parallel B760.) In the event you don’t plan to overclock your CPU, a B660 or B760 chipset motherboard is probably going the best choice. You solely need to get an H610 board in case your funds is tight. Each of those chipsets have decreased connectivity help, however H610 is essentially the most constrained on this regard, and it additionally has extra restricted RAM help and may function solely two RAM sticks at a time (and people, at restricted clock speeds).
The newer 700 Sequence chipsets debuted alongside Intel’s thirteenth Gen Raptor Lake processors. They’re just like their 600 Sequence counterparts however with just a few comparatively minor function enhancements. In contrast with Z690, the Z790 chipset helps extra PCIe 4.0 lanes and fewer PCIe 3.0 lanes, and it can also help one extra USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port. Updates with H770 and B760 are related.
Most Twelfth Gen Intel processors will work simply positive on a 700 Sequence chipset motherboard, and most thirteenth Gen processors will work with 600 Sequence processors with a BIOS replace, however it’s best to verify the CPU compatibility checklist for any motherboard you have got (or are taking a look at) to verify the components will work collectively.
As for the most recent 14th Gen “Raptor Lake Refresh” CPUs, search for particular help from a given board or whether or not it should want a BIOS replace with an older chip in place earlier than diving in. Boards that debuted to work with the Intel 14th Gen processor household proper out of the field are generally dubbed colloquially “Raptor Lake Refresh” boards. However verify that compatibility checklist to keep away from disappointment.
AMD Chipset Choices for AM5 CPUs
AMD has formally launched eight chipsets for its newest mainstream platform, AM5. AMD initially introduced 4 chipsets: B650, B650E, X670, and X670E. These are in all probability finest seen as two chipsets out there in two variants every. The B650 and B650E are related, and the identical is true of X670 and X670E.
The unique flagship AM5 chipset was the AMD X670E chipset, which helps one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot for graphics playing cards or two PCIe 5.0 slots every at x8. That is essentially the most notable space during which the X670 and X670E chipsets fluctuate, because the X670 chipset doesn’t help PCIe 5.0 and is as a substitute restricted to PCIe 4.0 for graphics.
Likewise, the distinction between B650E and B650 is comparable, as B650 additionally does not help PCIe 5.0 for graphics. Notably, X670E, X670, and B650E all help a PCIe 5.0 x4 connection for NVMe SSDs as nicely. (Whether or not the board maker truly consists of such a slot varies, although.) On the B650 chipset, that is listed as an non-compulsory function.
The newer and lowest-end AM5 chipset is AMD A620, which differs from the opposite 4 largely in its lack of help for overclocking, 20Gbps USB ports, and PCIe 5.0 of their entirety.
You’ll be able to nonetheless discover new motherboards in manufacturing with all of those chipsets, however the AMD 600-series of chipsets nonetheless step apart for a brand new 800-series line that presently consists of 4 new chipsets.
These new 800-series chipsets help AMD Ryzen 9000-series processors proper out of the field, whereas most (if not all) 600-series motherboards will want a BIOS replace to help the Ryzen 9000 sequence. Essentially the most notable function replace on 800-series chipsets is native help for USB4 on the X870 and X870E chipsets. USB4 is an non-compulsory function on different motherboards, as a third-party controller can help it, however the X870 and X870E have help for USB4 in-built.
The 800-series additionally has expanded PCIe 5.0 help, with the B850 chipset now having a devoted PCIe 5.0 x4 connection, which was non-compulsory on the B650. The AMD B840 chipset, in the meantime, has no strict predecessor, however its function set is barely higher than AMD’s A610 chipset. Neither enables you to overclock the processor, and aside from native help for Ryzen 9000-series processors, we do not see a lot profit in choosing a B840-chipset motherboard over an A610-chipset motherboard on paper.
The remainder of the variations in chipsets are noticeable from the charts included right here, however briefly, the higher-end chipsets primarily present extra connectivity help. As you may see, overclocking help reaches deeper into the AMD chipset stack.
AMD Chipset Choices for AM4 CPUs
For previous-generation AMD techniques, the chipset choices are way more sophisticated. That is as a result of AMD’s AM4 socket has been in use since 2017, and in that point, eight chipsets have been launched. The most recent of those chipsets are in AMD’s 500 Sequence: the X570, the B550, and the A520. Usually, in the event you’re contemplating saving cash and sticking to good previous AM4, it’s finest to stay to one in all these chipsets as they assure help for the newest AM4 processors. Conversely, in the event you pair an older CPU with a more recent board, verify for particular help on that board for that CPU.
Highlights of the AMD X570 chipset (Credit score: AMD)
In case you are on a actually tight funds and constructing an AMD system, A520 is perhaps the chipset you need, but when your funds permits, intention for B550 as a substitute. The A520, just like Intel’s H610, is somewhat restricted, whereas B550 is among the most compelling worth chipsets out there immediately. The B550 is used on inexpensive motherboards and is priced for lower than the fanatic X570 chipset most often, nevertheless it has full help for overclocking the CPU and RAM.
Highlights of the AMD B550 chipset (Credit score: AMD)
The X570 chipset is technically the “finest” of AMD’s AM4 chipsets. It helps as much as a dozen SATA 3.0 ports and 16 PCI Categorical 4.0 lanes, and as much as eight USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports. These are scaled again significantly with B550 (as much as simply six SATA 3.0 ports, 10 PCI Categorical 3.0 lanes, and two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports). Realistically, although, most boards gained’t implement connections for all of those, and most of the people will discover B550’s connectivity help enough.
Chipsets for Older Generations of Intel CPU
It’s value a brief dialogue of pre-Twelfth Technology Intel choices right here, as tenth and eleventh Technology (“Comet Lake” and “Rocket Lake”) CPUs stay viable picks for brand spanking new builds, particularly as their costs have fallen with the introduction of LGA 1700- and LGA 1851-socketed motherboards. Like with the Z690, H670, B660, and H610, you have got parallel traces of chipsets for these older CPUs on socket LGA 1200. (These are Z590/Z490, H570/H470, B560/B460, and H510/H410.) Rocket Lake, because the newer of the 2 designs, can accomplish extra work every clock cycle, and it additionally helps PCI Categorical 4.0 on the five hundred Sequence.
On LGA 1200, you will have to decide on between one in all these chipsets within the Intel 400 and 500 chipset households. The 400 Sequence chipsets launched alongside tenth Gen Comet Lake, whereas Intel launched its 500-series chipsets alongside eleventh Gen Rocket Lake, and the latter are required to get essentially the most out of a Rocket Lake processor. Comet Lake and Rocket Lake processors will work on any LGA 1200 chipset, however beware of some drawbacks to utilizing a Rocket Lake processor on a 400 Sequence chipset.
First, it’s possible you’ll be required to replace the BIOS to get a Rocket Lake CPU engaged on a 400 Sequence motherboard, which can require a Comet Lake CPU to do within the first place. The second-biggest subject is that you’re going to miss out on the PCI Categorical 4.0 help, which is simply out there with a 500 Sequence chipset on the LGA 1200 platform. The five hundred Sequence chipsets even have respectable connectivity choices, together with extra sturdy USB controllers, and help for USB 3.2 Gen 2×2.
What Ought to I Search for in Motherboard Audio Parts?
Audio {hardware} on motherboards is both extraordinarily necessary or issues comparatively little, primarily based in your PC use. Suppose you employ HDMI-based audio or ship audio over an optical or coaxial S/PDIF connection. In that case, it doesn’t matter what audio {hardware} the motherboard has, so long as it has the suitable bodily output you want. (HDMI audio might additionally cross over the HDMI port in your video card in the event you set up a separate card and use the HDMI connection as your main video conduit.)
HDMI and S/PDIF audio connections cross the audio data in a digital format on to your TV or sound system. When this occurs, the onboard audio controller is bypassed and thus goes unused. That is additionally true in the event you use a USB audio system like a USB headset.
The delineated audio circuitry zone of a late-model motherboard (Credit score: Molly Flores)
The audio circuitry on the motherboard is used provided that you’re utilizing the old school 3.5mm jacks on the rear or entrance I/O panels. In the event you use this {hardware}, the audio {hardware} and design change into extra necessary. The audio controller, a digital-to-analog (DAC) converter, or codec, is a very powerful element within the audio subsystem.
It’s unattainable to adequately cowl the entire audio controllers used on motherboards immediately, however just a few choose chips deserve point out. Realtek dominates this nook of the market, with its ALC892, ALC1150, and ALC1220 audio controllers. All of those chips are extensively used, with the final being near an trade customary on midrange and high-end boards for the final a number of years.
You’ll additionally need to take note of the capacitors and shielding {hardware} used within the audio subsystem. These might help to cut back noise and create a cleaner audio sign. Some motherboards will even have a devoted audio controller for the entrance audio ports, which can be linked to an OP-AMP to drive higher efficiency with headphones.
The ports on the rear I/O panel additionally play a big function in audio. The audio ports ought to be set on the backside or finish of the rear I/O panel, as most often, this creates essentially the most direct path between the ports and the audio controller. If the ports are set anyplace else, it’s possible you’ll word extra noise in your audio alerts (although this isn’t absolute).
You’ll additionally need to word what number of 3.5mm ports are on the rear I/O panel. In the event you see solely three, then the board helps at most a 3.1-channel sound system. In case you have 5 3.5mm jacks, then the board can deal with a 7.1-channel sound system. This can be a key element to regulate, as some motherboard OEMs will checklist the board as supporting a 7.1-channel sound system as a result of the audio chip itself helps it, however then board designers truly might have positioned solely three 3.5mm jacks on the panel. In the event you’re planning to construct out a encompass sound system linked to your motherboard, that is important to verify.
What Ought to I Search for in Motherboard Networking Parts?
Each fashionable motherboard ships with a minimum of built-in wired networking (Ethernet) help, and lots of boards will even have a built-in Wi-Fi adapter. For the majority of the final twenty years, gigabit 1Gbps/1,000Mbps LAN chips (native space community; one other identify for wired web), linked by way of Ethernet, have been the de facto customary. This has advanced during the last couple of years, with sooner 2.5Gbps LAN controllers changing into extra widespread and showing on some midrange and high-end motherboards.
Networking-component {hardware} is among the defining traits that separates the low-end from the midrange within the motherboard world. A board with solely a gigabit-capable networking controller tends to be low-end. A 2.5Gbps controller is mostly present in a midrange or high-end board. On choose midrange and high-end fashions, you’ll additionally see sooner 5Gbps and 10Gbps wired networking adapters.
Wi-fi adapters built-in into motherboards are available a variety of speeds that can be expressed as a easy quantity. Wi-Fi doesn’t help speeds fairly as excessive as a wired web connection, however the newest widespread customary, Wi-Fi 7 (additionally known as 802.11be), can obtain theoretical speeds of as much as 23Gbps.
In the event you’re taking a look at a motherboard’s product web page and don’t see the Wi-Fi pace clearly said, attempt to search for what kind of Wi-Fi chip is put in. If it’s Wi-Fi 7, then that’s the newest and best in Wi-Fi. You would possibly see boards with 802.11ac or 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6 or 6E) wi-fi adapters, the direct predecessor to Wi-Fi 7. Each additionally present wonderful efficiency for on a regular basis use, although neither is as quick as Wi-Fi 7 nor as adept at negotiating with many different Wi-Fi purchasers on the identical community. It’s uncertain you’ll see another networking requirements constructed into motherboards these days, however in the event you do see one thing else listed, like 802.11n, that implies an previous board with ageing networking {hardware}; it ought to be averted. (Not only for networking causes; the remainder of the board might be dated, too.)
Until you have got a devoted high-speed fiber connection at residence, networking {hardware} in all probability needn’t be thought-about when buying a motherboard. Although one can find an Ethernet jack (or two) on each fashionable motherboard, add-on playing cards and USB gadgets with enhanced networking performance are extensively out there. Control what networking {hardware} the motherboard you’re looking at has, however know that you just don’t all the time should pay a hefty premium to do higher.
Additionally know that not like Ethernet, built-in Wi-Fi is just not a given: OEMs generally produce two near-identical motherboards: one with built-in Wi-Fi and one with out. Once they do that, they sometimes put a $10-to-$20 premium on the Wi-Fi mannequin. The added Wi-Fi help is mostly nicely value the additional value, however do not pay rather more than that for it. After you cross the $20 mark, you may store individually for a Wi-Fi USB dongle or Wi-Fi card, in the event you want Wi-Fi in any respect.
M.2 Slots and SATA Ports: What Storage Connectors Does My Motherboard Want?
Your fashionable motherboard will present a number of kinds of storage connections. USB ports are all the time current for exterior connectivity, however internally, Serial ATA (SATA) and M.2 are the principle methods to interface a storage system together with your PC.
The older and slower of those connection requirements is SATA, which is presently in its third revision, SATA-III. It’s additionally generally known as SATA 6.0 or SATA 600, because it helps as much as 600MB per second of bandwidth, although in observe, it tops out at round 560MB per second. This interface is supported on fashionable platter arduous drives designed for shoppers and can be utilized by 2.5-inch inside solid-state drives (SSDs).
M.2 is the newer interface kind, and SSDs have been shifting over to it lately. M.2 is not only an interface however a type issue. Method smaller than 2.5-inch SSDs, M.2 drives are gumstick-size modules that plug into M.2 slots in your motherboard. Relying on the drive, the M.2 drive can run over the PCI Categorical or SATA buses, although PCI Categorical now dominates in new boards. M.2 drives are available customary lengths, notably 42mm, 60mm, 80mm, and 110mm (dubbed Kind-2242, Kind-2260, Kind-2280, and Kind-22110). The 80mm dimension is by far the commonest amongst aftermarket SSDs. You may need to match a motherboard slot’s “dimension” help with the dimensions of the drive or drives you might be putting in.
An M.2 slot on a latest Asus motherboard. Observe the a number of mounting factors for the 4 completely different M.2 drive lengths. (Credit score: Molly Flores)
With the PCI Categorical bus, M.2 SSDs can doubtlessly help far better bandwidth than SATA. It’s necessary to reiterate that M.2 is only a kind of bodily connection, whereas {the electrical} communication customary used to transmit the information over this connection is just not fastened and may be SATA or a taste of PCI Categorical. Older M.2 storage gadgets that function with SATA-III information protocols will cap on the identical 560MB-per-second information charge. Some motherboard M.2 slots help SATA or PCI Categorical in the identical slot; verify the specs for particulars. However most fashionable boards are shifting to PCI Categorical M.2 completely.
Alternatively, the M.2 PCI Categorical SSDs that now dominate can function over both two or 4 PCI Categorical 3.0, 4.0, or 5.0 lanes. This allows considerably extra bandwidth, which might vary from roughly 2GB per second with a PCI Categorical 3.0 x2 connection to only wanting 16GB per second with the cutting-edge PCI Categorical 5.0 x4 connections that at the moment are widespread on high-end and midrange motherboards.
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The Finest M.2 SSDs We have Examined
As M.2 has change into extra widespread and the price of M.2 SSDs has dropped, the significance of SATA-III has declined, besides for people with plenty of older drives or who need to use platter arduous drives. At this level, motherboards missing M.2 help are uncommon, however ideally, you need to attempt to get a motherboard with a minimum of two M.2 slots.
Having a SATA storage system at this level is mostly pointless until you already personal some SATA drives or need to use cost-saving (and far slower) platter arduous drives, most of which join by SATA. Any motherboard ought to have a minimum of two of those ports, with the bulk having six. Until you intend so as to add many storage gadgets to your system, the variety of SATA-III ports on the board can in all probability be a modest consideration. You additionally don’t want to fret about their kind, as SATA-I and SATA-II have fallen out of use.
A financial institution of side-mount SATA ports on a contemporary motherboard (Credit score: Molly Flores)
One factor to notice, although, is the SATA port location. In some boards, the ports stick straight up; in others, they’re parallel to the PCB, often sticking off the proper edge. Simply thoughts the case you might be putting in your motherboard in. Relying on the case design, these side-angled SATA ports might make for awkward cable routing.
Motherboard Reminiscence Fundamentals: What Ought to I Search for in RAM Assist?
In the mean time, you will not discover a lot to be involved about relating to RAM help on any motherboard you purchase, until you might be buying a board to be used with a Twelfth Gen Intel CPU.
Most current-gen motherboards presently use DDR5 RAM, with a choice of LGA 1700 Intel motherboards nonetheless utilizing DDR4 RAM. Older platforms, together with AMD’s AM4, completely use DDR4 RAM, however you will seemingly need to keep away from utilizing it on newer techniques if in case you have a alternative between DDR4 and DDR5 boards, as DDR5 supplies higher efficiency. (See our early checks with DDR5 versus DDR4.) Simply verify the board specs: Decide the right kind of RAM on your motherboard and take note of the speeds supported.
DDR4 RAM slots on an Intel board (Credit score: Molly Flores)
You’ll additionally need to take note of what number of RAM slots your motherboard has and the utmost capability per slot. In case you have solely two RAM slots, you could purchase RAM modules for the capability you need at a better per-module capability than you would possibly with 4 sticks. If you wish to experiment with reminiscence speeds, you might also need to take into account RAM that operates at a better pace than the peak-rated RAM pace of the board. (So long as it is the proper kind, it ought to work regardless.) For extra data on shopping for RAM, particularly sooner RAM kits, it’s best to take a look at our article about selecting the correct RAM equipment for you. You may discover loads of nuance to the selection if you wish to get down and soiled; for primary use, getting modules that match the height supported pace of the board is a secure wager. For simple memory-speed tweaking on a late-model AMD AM5 board, in the meantime, search for a reminiscence equipment rated for one of many board’s supported reminiscence speeds as an AMD EXPO profile; likewise, search for an XMP profile pace in widespread between a latest Intel board and its RAM equipment.
One other new reminiscence expertise, the Clocked Small Define Twin Inline Reminiscence Module (CSODIMM), has not too long ago emerged. It is presently supported solely by Intel and on its LGA 1851 platform. This expertise allows DDR5 RAM to run at far sooner speeds. How useful that is and the way extensively it will likely be adopted stays to be seen.
The usual module kind for desktop motherboards is a DIMM, or twin inline reminiscence module. Observe {that a} handful of extremely compact Mini-ITX motherboards use SO-DIMM modules, that are a lot smaller and are the sort utilized in some mini-desktop PCs and lots of laptops. SO-DIMM-based desktop motherboards are unusual, however they do exist, and try to be conscious of them if you’re looking within the Mini-ITX aisle.
The I/O Query: What Are the Ports on My Motherboard’s Again Panel?
When selecting the right motherboard, the rear I/O panel is usually not excessive on the checklist of considerations. Each motherboard has one in all these, and all of them are loaded with ports for connecting varied exterior gadgets to your PC. A typical board’s core mixture of ports does not change a lot between two techniques. Nevertheless, relying on what you intend to do with the system, that blend could possibly be essential.
The again panel of a typical premium motherboard (Credit score: Molly Flores)
In case you are constructing a system that may depend on built-in graphics (the graphics acceleration constructed into your processor) somewhat than a graphics card, you want a motherboard with video connections on the rear I/O panel. In the event you do not, the built-in graphics chip will not be usable.
In case you are shopping for a graphics card to put in in your PC, this will likely not matter. However in the event you aren’t shopping for a GPU, a motherboard with video outputs is important. To be used with built-in graphics, the commonest video connections immediately on motherboards, by far, are HDMI and DisplayPort. Nonetheless, just a few choose fashions (a few-odd business-oriented boards) might retain old-school VGA and DVI for specialised functions or use with previous fleet screens. If the board helps it and you’ve got a suitable monitor, video may also be despatched over a USB Kind-C port utilizing the DisplayPort Over USB spec, however this isn’t widespread. Not all USB Kind-C ports help that.
A typical I/O panel’s format, from an MSI Z690 board (Credit score: MSI)
In case you are counting on CPU-integrated graphics, the port you will most probably want for video is both HDMI or DisplayPort. You may discover varied “quantity variations” of every, however realistically, you need not fear about this a lot. HDMI and DisplayPort have had native help for 4K video for the final a number of generations, and the newest requirements even help future-looking 8K video. Audio information transfers over each connections, and both one can join with audio gear.
Moreover video ports, the rear I/O panel on motherboards will even have audio and networking {hardware} connections. We mentioned typical audio jacks earlier. Alongside these will sometimes be a boatload of USB ports, divided amongst a bunch of sorts: USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB 3.1, USB 3.2, and USB4. The primary 4 historically work by way of a USB Kind-A port, the usual rectangular USB connection you already know. The newer USB Kind-C comes into play on some USB 3.2 and all USB4 ports. For extra data on USB Kind-C, take a look at the explainer on the hyperlink. It is available in varied speeds, dictated by positive factors round USB 3.2 (which is available in three flavors: Gen 1, Gen 2, and Gen 2×2).
Certainly, USB speeds are extra sophisticated than the mere look of the Kind-A and Kind-C ports. Venerable USB 2.0 is the slowest, topping out at round 480Mbps of bandwidth. Although it is previous, USB 2.0 is just not out of date; it is positive for low-bandwidth peripherals like keyboards, mice, USB headsets, and printers. Then you have got the myriad USB 3.x ports with the principle good thing about supporting increased information charges. These are finest reserved for USB flash drives and different exterior storage gadgets that work A-OK with any USB system.
For comfort, we have included a chart itemizing the commonest kinds of USB and their speeds…
Additionally within the chart, you will see references to “Thunderbolt,” which is technically not a USB customary. Intel developed Thunderbolt with its personal distinctive advantages, however, in latest variations, it’s carried out over a USB Kind-C bodily connector and competes immediately with USB 3.x, which is why it is within the chart for comparability. Observe: Thunderbolt is uncommon on AMD motherboards and low-end Intel motherboards.
You would possibly often encounter a legacy connector, notably a PS/2 or serial port. These ports return a long time however often seem on new boards, sometimes enterprise or low-end shopper boards designed to keep up help for previous IT {hardware}. The PS/2 port can hook up with geriatric keyboards or mice; serial ports had been tough predecessors to USB, and a few specialised/vertical-market enterprise {hardware}, safety dongles, and gadgets like barcode scanners should want one.
Growth: How Many PCI Categorical Slots Do I Want?
It’s finest to consider PCI Categorical as {an electrical} communications customary. Although all motherboards immediately have bodily PCI Categorical “growth” slots, the interface goes past these acquainted slots. Motherboard designers can use PCI Categorical to attach extra chips to a board to allow a broader vary of options than the CPU and chipset help natively. For instance, by way of PCI Categorical, a board maker can add Thunderbolt or Wi-Fi help to a board missing chipset-level help. PCI Categorical can be extensively used to attach storage gadgets and graphics playing cards to a motherboard.
A typical PCI Categorical slot format on an ATX board, with lengthy x16 (silver) and quick x1 (black) bodily slots (Credit score: Molly Flores)
Up to now, we have now seen 5 main revisions to the PCI Categorical interface, three of which (3.0, 4.0, and 5.0) are nonetheless in use. Every new revision of the usual has doubled the height potential bandwidth, with the most recent 5.0 interface rated for as much as 3.94GBps per lane. This drops to 1.97GBps underneath 4.0 and to 985MBps for PCI Categorical 3.0. A number of lanes can hook up with a single system to spice up attainable bandwidth. (For instance, a PCI Categorical 5.0 x16 slot would have 16 instances the bandwidth of a PCI Categorical 5.0 x1 slot, which might tally as much as 63GBps of bandwidth.)
Virtually all motherboards will ship with a minimum of one PCI Categorical x16 slot for a graphics card, which calls for plenty of bandwidth to drive excessive efficiency. Some care is required when putting in a graphics card to make sure you place it in the proper slot: the topmost x16 slot. Some motherboards may have full-size slots which might be bodily PCI Categorical x16 however that electronically help simply PCI Categorical x1, x4, or x8 connections. PCI Categorical gadgets are designed to work in all slots they match, no matter what number of lanes are literally out there, however you will get decreased efficiency in the event you place your graphics card in one in all these lesser-provisioned slots.
Motherboards sometimes even have quick PCI Categorical x1 slots for gadgets like storage controller playing cards and networking adapters, however these are the one different kind of bodily PCI Categorical connector you might be more likely to see (outdoors of M.2 drive slots). Bodily x4 and x8 connectors do exist, however these have fallen out of favor and are hardly ever used anymore.
Energy Supply: Do I Want an Overclocking Motherboard?
Then we have now the problem that separates PC fanatics and efficiency hounds from on a regular basis customers: overclocking. Most folk will not care about this area of interest concern, and certainly will go for motherboards with chipsets that are not overclocking-ready in any respect. For that very motive, we saved this part till final. A number of issues are value scrutinizing when shopping for a motherboard for overclocking, although, if that’s your jam.
Begin with the power-regulation circuitry. The job of the power-regulation circuitry on a motherboard is to offer a clear, suitable energy supply to the CPU and RAM. The ability provided by the ability provide doesn’t arrive on the motherboard on the appropriate voltage for these elements, which is why this {hardware} is important. A motherboard with an inadequate power-regulation system can hamper efficiency if pushed too far in an overclock, and energy circuits have even been recognized to blow out when overdriven.
Motherboard power-regulation/VRM circuitry surrounding the CPU socket (Credit score: Molly Flores)
Most motherboards are designed with a sufficiently succesful energy system and fail-safes to keep away from such points. Usually, you solely encounter issues on a uncommon motherboard with a flawed energy design or a producing defect. It’s value noting, nonetheless, that not each motherboard can deal with the ability wants of each “suitable” CPU that bodily matches in its socket, even when the board helps different CPUs in the identical fast household. Some motherboards will explicitly state a most CPU energy restrict, however the most secure factor to do right here—once more, we stress this!—is to verify the motherboard maker’s checklist of supported processors for the board.
In the event you’re overclocking, the significance of the power-regulation {hardware} will increase. That’s as a result of overclocking typically requires you to extend the ability move to the CPU. The ability-regulation {hardware} is made up of elements which might be generally known as energy phases, VRMs, or MOSFETs. Primarily, the job of this {hardware} is to take the ability despatched from the ability provide and regulate its voltage and amplitude to higher go well with the processor. Usually, motherboard OEMs will state what number of energy phases a board is designed to overclock, and the supplies may additionally checklist the quantity of present that these elements can deal with.
That mentioned, you will encounter loads of advertising and marketing fog round these components, with no simple, golden quantity for what number of phases you need or how a lot present they need to be capable to deal with to get good overclocking outcomes. As an alternative, it’s best to only bear in mind this: Extra phases and better present rankings are typically higher, all else being equal. Phases share their workload with one another, so the extra of them you have got, the much less seemingly it’s that anyone of them will likely be overworked to the purpose of failure or crash.
Heavy-metal coolers over the power-delivery {hardware} on an Asus Prime board (Credit score: Molly Flores)
You must also assess the cooling {hardware} across the CPU socket, as this steel cools the highly effective {hardware}. You need to see giant heatsinks right here at a minimal, however extra premium fashions will even have warmth pipes in some sequence and generally a fan to additional enhance cooling efficiency. It’s unattainable to attract agency conclusions at a look about these items, however a sturdy set of cooling gear across the socket signifies a higher-end board during which the maker took care to outfit it correctly.
Many motherboards designed to overclock have a number of useful options that can assist you troubleshoot and repair issues. Some boards have LED pinpoints onboard that correspond to messages within the handbook or an “88”-style pink LED numeric readout that shows a numbered error code to point particular troubles.
On some boards, you’ll additionally discover buttons on the board itself or its rear I/O panel that may clear the BIOS, which is exceedingly useful in the event you overclock your PC too far and can’t get into the BIOS. Just a few boards have two BIOS chips for a similar goal; you may change between the 2 BIOSes and their discrete settings to resolve points. This could even prevent from what would in any other case be an entire system failure if, for some motive, one in all your BIOSes will get corrupted and unrecoverable. It occurs! (See our information to BIOS tweaking fundamentals.)
So, Which Motherboard Ought to I Purchase?
As you may see, there’s a lot to recollect when shopping for a motherboard. In contrast to shopping for a single element—CPU, GPU, or RAM—quite a few interlocking issues want consideration past simply efficiency benchmarks. With the CPU socket, the RAM help, the audio {hardware}, the networking {hardware}, the ability {hardware}, overclocking options, and a lot extra, shopping for a motherboard can begin to really feel somewhat overwhelming.
Simply take issues in an effort to maintain the duty from feeling too daunting. It is best to choose a motherboard as soon as you understand how massive a PC you might be constructing or upgrading. Choose a dimension, after which select a CPU that you just need to purchase and that matches your funds. Then comes the chipset consideration; that, to a big extent, will set the worth vary for the board itself, and you may make positive it matches your funds.
(Credit score: Molly Flores)
We didn’t get deep into the problem of value on this article, as a result of motherboards can vary in every single place from as little as $50 for essentially the most primary fashions (seemingly, last-generation) to greater than $1,000 for uncommon and elite extreme-tweaker fashions with built-in liquid cooling {hardware}. Merely put, we will discover no option to do justice to that giant of a value vary with one-size-fits-all recommendation. The huge span and mixture of components that may change on a motherboard additionally considerably alter the worth of any given board for individuals with particular wants. It must be calculated on a case-by-case foundation.
To make sure, some boards provide extra worth than others. However do not fret; so long as the board you purchase works with the CPU you need, is the dimensions you need, and is in a cushty value vary, it typically ought to work positive. All the different options—an I/O port combine, an onboard audio answer, and suitability for overclocking—are finest thought-about provided that they’re necessary to you personally. These elements may additionally show you how to resolve between two equally priced motherboards. However, in the end, options just like the audio and networking techniques ought to be secondary issues.
Our useful comparability grid and checklist of product picks present a few of our favourite fashions we have now examined in latest months by platform and tough use case. Regardless, motherboard makers put out an enormous slate of fashions, and nobody on the web comes even shut to reviewing all of them. Use these fashions as a jumping-off level in your search, and search for skilled critiques of the particular fashions you have got into consideration for the positive factors.
