When buying or upgrading your PC, selecting the right motherboard is as important as the CPU. If the CPU is the brain of your computer in analogy then the motherboard is the spine of your system that takes care of keeping your computer up and running.
The motherboard performs very critical operations in your computer such as interconnecting internal components such as CPU, RAM, etc., distributing the required to components, establishing communication pathways between different components, and much more., without which your computer falls useless.
So if the whole system demands more than what your motherboard can deliver, you will experience lags and slowdowns in your routine activities. That is why it is important to invest in the right motherboard whether it is your office PC or gaming PC.
We have jotted down all the factors so you can make an infrared and confident purchase decision, so without further delay, let's get started!
Factors to Consider When Buying a Motherboard
Price
Motherboards are categorized as basic, midrange, and high-end based on a number of types of chipsets, sockets, form factors, etc. The price often ranges between $50 and $1500, out of this range, you can invest more based on the kind of features you want.
Based on the use of your computer, you would have to figure out the type of chipset, socket, and form factor you would need. In the basic category, you may have H510, H610, or A520 chipset, LGA1200, LGA1700 (Intel), or AM4 (AMD) socket, mATX, or Mini ITX form factor.
In the mid-range category, you may get B560, B660, B550 chipset, LGA1200, LGA1700, AM4 (AMD) socket and mATX, ATX, Mini ITX form factor. In the high-end category, your motherboard may have a Z590, Z660, or X570 chipset, LGA1200 or LGA1700 socket, and ATX, Mini-ITX, or E-ATX form factor.
CPU
CPU is what translates commands and is responsible for their execution. If you are building a gaming PC, you will need a really robust CPU that can bear a load of graphics and intensive operations so in that case, you have options to upgrade to a really powerful motherboard and CPU. A midtier CPU is most of the time sufficient for routine activities but if your use cases are graphic or hardware intensive, you can check the specs before deciding on motherboard and CPU.
CPU Socket
Both CPU and motherboard are at the core of the helm of your computer to run it, that is why important to have a CPU socket in your motherboard that can accommodate your CPU. If you're replacing a motherboard for any reason, make sure you are buying the motherboard that can provide a pathway to your CPU
Or if you are buying a new PC, make sure the motherboard has the compatible socket for your CPU. You can find out the kind of socket you need by looking up your CPU's documentation.
Chip manufacturers like AMD and Intel design new sockets every generation or two which continues for some years and then gets discontinued which can force an upgrade because older motherboards can be only compatible with older cpu or vice versa.
Form Factor
Put simply, you have to take care of the size of your case and the types of components you will be putting in the case. If you have a computer and you are just making a motherboard for component failure or any other reason, go for a motherboard that is compatible with your CPU and can fit in the current case.
And if you are building a PC from scratch, then you have the flexibility to explore a wide range of motherboards as you will be buying a new case too and you can buy a motherboard that fits your CPU and fits in the case.
Here are the top motherboard form factors you have at your disposal to choose from: The first and largest form factor is E-ATX which can come in handy for only absolutely the biggest PC. The comes ATX which is the standard form factor. Then there is Micro-ATC, which has fewer slots and is smaller in size.
Slots
Motherboards have a number of slots so you can connect as many components as you want. It is the motherboard that determines the number of sticks you can use. Most people don't need more than two to four RAM slots as it is not recommended to not use a single RAM module for all of your memory needs.
Additional options like WiFi and Bluetooth can increase the cost of the motherboard though they are good to have if you don't want them for now, they can be added later. Your motherboard comes with a built-in sound card most of the time and the quality of sound is more than what is needed until someone really needs super extra quality.
Expansion Ports
Another critical component that needs to be looked out for is the expansion ports in your motherboard. The top two expansion ports to be conscious of in your assessment are PCIe x16 slots which cater to graphic cards while PCIe x1 slots can accommodate extra USB ports. You may need more ports based on your wants or needs. If you want to install two video cards, make sure your motherboard has two expansion ports that can fit them.
Let's have a read-through of some of the common ports you will see on your motherboards. First, you have a USD port which you need for almost everything whether it is a mouse or speaker. Sometimes, you need many of them, and they can be extremely handy.
Another one is USB Type-C which you know from your smartphone chargers. These ports are relatively smaller in size but they have their own use cases. Last but not least, you have audio ports which you may need though their use case is becoming irrelevant.
Conclusion
You often hear people discussing the kind of CPU they have or want and often the importance seems to be undermined but that should be the case because the motherboard is doing critical operations inside your CPU case and to have seamlessness in your PC, you have to be as passionate for the motherboard as you are CPU.
