The motherboard combines the processor, video cards, all types of memory, as well as a disk drive into a single functioning organism. Therefore, it is not advisable to purchase a model at the lowest price, guided only by its compatibility with the required PC components. After all, it depends on how functional the motherboard will be whether it will be possible to upgrade the PC in the future.
Most common sizes
When choosing the form factor of the motherboard, first of all, they determine how many slots and connectors it should have, and in which case it is planned to build a PC. The most popular include the following:
Pico-ITX(10.0 cm by 7.0 cm) and Nano-ITX(12.0 cm by 122.0 cm) are the smallest motherboards. They are most often used for ready-made nettops and in embedded systems. They are not recommended if you build a PC yourself, due to their not very rich functionality.
Mini-ITX(17.0 cm by 17.0 cm) they are already somewhat larger, but they can still be called compact. They can easily be found on the mass electronic market. You can use these motherboards not only in the process of installing a PC for offices, but also when assembling multimedia. In addition, they are even put in compact game consoles, which are commonly called Steam Machine.
(24.0 cm by 24.0 cm) - belongs to the category of motherboards with medium dimensions. Either 2 or 4 RAM DIMM slots may be present. There are 3 slots for PCI expansion cards. The cost of these motherboards is low, due to their mass character.
ATX(30.0 cm by 24.0 cm), E-ATX(30.0 cm by 33.0 cm) and XL-ATX(34.0 cm by 26.0 cm) - full-size boards equipped with connectors and slots in the maximum configuration. The shape of the ATX is somewhat oblong, allowing it to accommodate four DIMM slots and seven PCI slots. The wider E-ATX has from 6 to 8 DIMM slots, which allows you to use 3 or 4-channel mode for memory operation. On a long XL-ATX there are ten PCI slots to which two bundles of four video cards with two slots are connected.
Current chipsets and sockets
In addition to motherboards, in which the heart of the computer is built in, the use of 6 processor platforms is practiced. 3 - from AMD, and 3 from Intel. For each of these platforms, a number of chipsets are offered with a variety of functionality, some of which are listed below:
AMD AM1 is an alternative to motherboards with integrated processors. The peculiarity of AM1 is the complete absence of a chipset, which is explained by the integration of all system logic into the processor.
AMD FM2+ acts as the foundation for a gaming PC, though only an entry-level one that has a fairly cheap discrete graphics card or integrated graphics. Considering the cost effectiveness of the platform, there is no need to spend extra money by purchasing the older A88X chipset. There is an opportunity to get by with the younger A68.
AMD AM3+- the second coming of youth to the platform became possible after there was a significant reduction in the cost of the FX processor by six and eight cores. This allowed motherboard companies to even refresh their lineup after several years of downtime. At the same time, M.2 and USB 3.1 ports were added together, with a backlight made of LEDs, which is fashionable for modern moderators. Among the optimal, as before, is the AMD 970 chipset from the middle level. Motherboards based on the younger 760G chipset, most often, do not have a heatsink in the circuit used to power the processor. And this threatens with the occurrence of overheating, which can provoke a decrease in the frequency in emergency mode.
Intel LGA1150 is not super new, but remains a platform that is quite popular. On its basis, a PC is assembled, it can handle almost any task: serve as a typewriter in the office, and become a monster in the world of games. Attention should be paid to the lowest chipset and the highest - H81 and Z97. The first is quite enough for any processors without exception. The second is used for chips with the K suffix, that is, those who have an unlocked multiplier and overclocking is supported. In addition, it can link two graphics cards. It makes no sense to talk about everything that is between them - only a little more USB ports and an extra PCI.
Intel LGA1151- this is the name of the newest Intel platform designed for the mass electronic market. It supports both types of RAM: both the old DDR3 and, considered new, DDR4. And here, as in the previous case, it makes sense to make a choice between the higher Z170 and the lower H110.
Intel LGA2011-v3 is a platform that will delight hardened gamers, computer enthusiasts and professionals. It is designed to install 6, 8- and even ten-core (twenty-core) Intel processors on it along with 64 GB of RAM. There is only one chipset - X99.
Ports and connectors
For motherboard connectors, a division into two groups is accepted:
Placed directly on the textolite.
Carried out on the back panel of the interface.
The characteristics of ports and connectors are as follows:
SO-DIMM or DIMM- connectors used in shortened (used in laptops) or extended (computer modules) RAM.
PCI-E and PCI- a new type of connectors and not quite new, used to expand cards. Moreover, PCI-E slots may have differences in throughput. For video cards, PCI-Ex16 are used, which are distinguished by exceptional speed characteristics. For SSD - medium-speed, and slow PCI-Ex1 - for video capture, network and sound cards. If it is possible to use a fast-working slot of a not very fast card in the connector, then it is unlikely that it will be possible to do the opposite.
SATA and M.2- ports through which disk media are connected. Classic interface. Full compatibility between all three generations. Supports both SSD and HDD.
USB- a certain number of these ports are pre-installed on the rear panel of the interface. Like SATA, there is compatibility for all generations of USB. The exception is Type-C, with a modified connector.
HDMI, DVI and VGA– the first two video outputs are digital, and the last one is analog. As a rule, the motherboard is chosen as a place for their placement, or rather its back panel.
S/PDIF and MiniJack– digital and analog audio interfaces. The MiniJack is represented by either 3 or 5 audio jacks, which are used to connect a multi-channel speaker system.
ethernet– wired network motherboard. On some motherboards, it is practiced to install two Ethernet sockets so that it is possible to simultaneously connect to two different networks at once. Additionally, as an option with Ethernet, a Wi-Fi network card can be used, and sometimes a Bluetooth module, for installation of which a MiniPCI connector is used.
Does it make sense to buy gaming motherboards?
At present, almost all computer components, as well as its peripherals, have begun to assign a good-sounding and enticing-looking epithet "gaming". And now it is not uncommon to hear from the seller an offer to purchase a gaming solid-state drive, or gaming RAM. Why, some offer to assist in the purchase of a gaming router. Things have reached the point of absurdity: modern video cards, which are intended for use mainly for games, are divided into gaming and ordinary ones.
So is the name gaming applicable when it comes to the motherboard? We have to state the fact that a gaming motherboard cannot achieve an increase in frame rate when participating in games. However, the gaming motherboard still has some features:
Due to the thickened textolite, the impact of the increased mass of the cooler (quite significant) does not lead to board bending.
The circuit that powers the processor uses large heatsinks.
On the older codec, the audio subsystem has an additional amplifier chip used to connect high-impedance headphones.
In short, these motherboards have a higher quality level of performance and there is an additional body kit, which is not very important, but it brings benefits. And adding the epithet gamer to the name is a marketing move that allows you to increase their sales.
To make sure you get the most out of your DIY computer, we're going to give you some basic DIY tips first, and then we'll talk about some good parts.
1. Before purchasing components, decide - what do you need a computer for?
For an office PC, no expensive Core i7 processors are needed. At the same time, the weak Celeron has nothing to do in a gaming computer.
2. Make sure all components are fundamentally compatible with each other
It is necessary to check that the motherboard and processor socket combinations are correct. You also need to choose the right type of RAM (DDR3 or DDR4) and a power supply of sufficient power.
3. Decide on a maximum budget
So you can control all costs. However, not everything can be saved. For example, buying a power supply that is too cheap in the future can lead to unnecessary additional costs.
Choosing a CPU: which processor is right for you?
Intel Core i5: recommended for gamers The processor is the central data processing unit in every personal computer. That is why its correct choice is very important. In principle, the following information should be adhered to.
Intel models called Pentium, Celeron, Atom and Core i3 are more suitable for office PCs and those computers that are used as multimedia centers. Most Core i5s and all Core-i7s are a good base for powerful gaming machines. Most of AMD's FX-branded CPUs and A10-branded APUs are designed for complex tasks, while the entry-level A4, A6, and A8 series APUs will serve well in entry-level and mid-range computers.
A good compromise between performance and price is provided by the Intel Core i5-6600 CPU, which costs about 17 thousand rubles. This processor will feel good when solving highly demanding tasks and in gaming PCs, but for working with Word and similar programs, this choice will perhaps be redundant.
Graphics Card: Mandatory for gamers
Radeon R9 390: very good value for money entry into the Hi-End segment Video card - yes or no? First of all, we note that APUs from AMD and CPUs from Intel have an integrated graphics subsystem. The capabilities of these GPUs, as a rule, are enough for simple tasks and work with office programs. If you only want to type texts and click on Internet links on your PC, you don't need a separate graphics card.
For players, the presence of a video card is required. In principle, you have a choice between models from AMD and Nvidia. Depending on personal preferences, you can focus on our rating of video cards. All cards with at least 60 performance scores are stable enough to play comfortably. Even for those who are severely limited in cash, for less than 8 thousand rubles. find a good video card.
In terms of price and quality ratio, the Radeon R9 390 is seriously ahead of all competitors. At a price of about 25 thousand rubles. it provides a significant performance boost. It was made on the architecture of Hawaii and has 8 GB of graphics memory. It has no problem with the speed of games in Full-HD format at the highest detail, and even some modern 4K games can run at more than 30 frames per second.
Motherboard, SSD, RAM, etc.: it's all about the right combination
Along with the CPU and GPU, RAM and storage for system and data storage are very important. Usually, 4 GB of RAM and a 3.5-inch hard drive with a capacity of 500 GB to 1 TB are enough to work.
A solid state drive (Solid State Disk, abbreviated as SSD) significantly speeds up the system. Therefore, if you have about 6 thousand rubles more, such an additional SSD as the Samsung 850 Evo with a capacity of 250 GB is our unconditional recommendation for all user groups.
Players need more serious components. 8 GB DDR3 or DDR4 RAM and 2 TB hard drive is the best choice for a gaming or just a high-performance computer.
DDR4 RAM has been found on some motherboards for quite some time. One of its main advantages is high speed. However, it should be noted that DDR4 is compatible with Intel processors starting from the sixth generation - Skylake. At the same time, there are motherboards for Skylake processors, but with support only for the DDR3 standard. In this case, you need to be especially careful about the selection of components: both the processor and DDR memory must match the motherboard.
In other respects, the equipment of the motherboard is much more important than its pure performance. It makes sense to buy such representatives of the Hi-End class as the Intel Z170 only for players who want to get the most out of their computer. In most other cases, it is much more important to pay attention to the number of USB ports, slots and connectors, as well as the size of the board itself. Network and sound modules are available on most models.
PSUs with more than 500W are only needed by gamers using one or two separate powerful video cards - everyone else would be much better off paying attention to the manufacturer's brand. The importance of choosing the right power supply cannot be underestimated, as cheap NoName power supplies can lead to dangerous failures of the entire system.
Do not disdain the presence of a DVD drive, even if the role of optical discs is now greatly reduced. When choosing a case, consider appearance, size and functionality. There are many very cheap cases that will satisfy any demand. However, be sure to pay attention to the fact that all the components you purchase find their place in it, and the various connectors on the front side (USB, audio, card reader) fit the motherboard.
And finally, Windows 10 (64 bit) is the best choice in terms of operating system.
The motherboard, system board, or in the common people "board" is a complex and basic basic component in assembling a computer, which serves to accommodate all the elements to run the system. The main materials of execution are textolite and getinax, created with the help of special printing technologies. Motherboards are available in several main form factors:
- Micro-ATX
- Mini-ATX
Mini-ATXs are used to build entry level systems or mini builds to save space and budget. Their main drawback is the lack of enough space to upgrade and install powerful components. Micro-ATX is installed in mid-range systems and allows you to place both low-budget and some top-end components. ATX is used in the assembly of top-end systems that require not only a lot of space for the component base (for example, video cards or cooling systems), but also high-quality materials of the board itself in order to withstand heavy loads.
We have selected the top 15 best motherboards for building gaming computers on the most popular and relevant sockets in 2019.
The best motherboards for AM4
AM4 is designed to replace the obsolete platform with AM3 +, depriving it of its shortcomings and at the same time compete with the now popular LGA1151. Its main innovations include:
- Support for the new format of DDR4 RAM and a frequency of up to 3200 MHz;
- Stable performance with multi-threaded Ryzen processors with and without integrated graphics;
- Reduced heat dissipation, 65 W on average;
- Support USB1 and 3.0 gen 2 at 5 and 10 Gbps.
The main disadvantage was the partial incompatibility of boards with previous sockets - only a few models have support for them.
4 ASRock B450M Pro4
The best cheap board on the market for AM4
Country: China
Average price: 6237 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.9
The board has 3 reinforced power phases and 3 regular ones, albeit in the lower arm and containing a pair of mosfets. Both VRM zones are covered with modest-sized radiators, but thanks to cuts, they have an increased dissipation area for better heat dissipation. 6 cores will be hard to overclock, but it will not work on the bus, since not a single “board” on a 450 chipset has such functions.
Traditionally, the board has a curve for ASRock BIOS. Buyers in their reviews praise the many ports. By default, there are 5 slots for connecting coolers or water cooling systems. In order not to take a steam bath once again and not burn the system, it is recommended to have a well-ventilated case or purchase additional turntables. Given the price, it turned out to be an excellent product, with the exception of a random masfette, which changes from delivery to delivery.
3 MSI B450 TOMAHAWK
The coldest motherboard
Country: China
Average price: 9000 rubles.
Rating (2019): 5.0
The power system holds the overclocking of any six-core machine and is quite capable of pulling the Ryzen 2700 at 4 GHz without any overlays. This is the coldest B450 board on the market thanks to its sturdy power supply and horse-sized heatsink.
The only hot spot is the controller. There is no offset here, but there is the possibility of offline BIOS flashing. "Tomahawk" has 4 slots for high-frequency RAM with a maximum rate of 3466 MHz. Supports 1st and 2nd generation Ryzen processors. MSI did a great job and if it was still possible to get to the bottom of the B350 chipset, then TOMAHAWK will withstand any criticism and give a big head start to competitors, despite not the best sound and network, which is justified by the manufacturer's desire to stuff the power supply to the maximum.
2 MSI X470 GAMING PLUS
Excellent VRM equipment
Country: China
Average price: 11800 rubles.
Rating (2019): 5.0
The board has 4 + 2 reinforced power phases, each of which has acquired a double set of components. In the latest generation, MSI gave up under a flurry of criticism and stopped buying second-rate elements, catching up with ASUS in quality. For the money, it has the best VRM equipment, even taking into account fewer phases than the famous ASUS Prime. In general, it is also heated, but it costs less.
Among the shortcomings, there is the impossibility of overclocking on the bus and the traditionally good overclocking potential of the memory. There is no clock generator and voltage offset. The ability to overclock the APU's integrated graphics has also been cut out. Thus, the board became an example of how you can save on minor things for the sake of more important things. Mediocre sound and network are compensated by a high efficiency power supply, which is also not without heating under load.
Motherboards for office or study
Motherboards for work purposes are much cheaper than gaming counterparts. They have a weak component base, they may lack protection against voltage surges, and there will be few power circuits in general. They can also be limited by the frequencies of the supported RAM, its volume. The BIOS is severely limited in functionality.
Gaming Motherboards
Here is the complete opposite. For a good gaming board, you need 4 slots for RAM with a capacity of 16 GB or more. In this case, it is recommended to use a RAM with frequencies from 1866 MHz and higher. An excellent option would be a model with powerful cooling radiators and at least 5 power circuits, so that in the event of overclocking, the “board” does not burn out. It is worth noting that there are game boards on sale without overclocking, but you need to use them very carefully. The BIOS of a good board will have an interface for overclocking the bus and other PC components.
1 MSI X470 GAMING PRO CARBON
The best combination of characteristics
Country: China
Average price: 16106 rubles.
Rating (2019): 5.0
The Gaming PRO version has 1 more power phase, which has a positive effect on temperatures and the behavior of the board as a whole. As a result, MSI engineers managed to make a top power supply among pre-top motherboards. It is characterized by excellent memory overclocking, a simple and clear BIOS with quick navigation. A conveniently located reset button on the I / O panel will also please the owner who decides to play around with the settings.
This board opened a new era for MSI by stopping voltage drops during overclocking. This feature does not have the best effect on temperatures and power consumption in idle, but oddly enough, it fully complies with AMD specifications. Not suitable for APU overclocking due to missing BIOS settings. The maximum amount of supported RAM is 64 GB with a frequency of up to 3466 MHz.
Best Motherboards for Intel LGA1150 Socket
The LGA 1150 socket has replaced the LGA 1155 and is designed for most modern processors. If you don't care about overclocking, get boards from MSI or GIGYBITE. Want to save money on an external sound card? Then pay attention to the "boards" with a built-in of at least Realtek 1150. The combination of all of the above will give you a quality base for assembling an inexpensive computer for both work and play.
4 Esonic H81-BTC-KING
Choice of buyers and miners
Country: China
Average price: 3430 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.1
Among eminent competitors, the board from Esonic was lost. This is a rather modest "board", created exclusively for office purposes and to drive simple browser toys without any hint of serious games or pumping.
2 slots for DDR3 RAM, only 4 power phases and an abundance of USB slots indicate that the place for this board is only in the office - to print documents or just watch movies. Of the benefits - there are Japanese capacitors. There are 4 SATA extensions, which will allow miners to attach 6 video cards to the board at once.
3 ASUS B85M-G
Best price. One of the best selling socket 1150 motherboards
Country: China
Average price: 4940 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.6
The third place rightfully went to the ASUS B85M-G motherboard. It can be attributed to the best-selling models that are equipped with an Intel LGA1150 socket. The cost of the device is quite low, so it is very popular. An ideal option for those who want to save money, and at the same time build a good multimedia system for their home or office computer.
All external interfaces have reliable protection, the panel is made of steel, which does not corrode. The model is especially relevant for the office, as the manufacturer has equipped it with COM and LTP ports. In the presented motherboard, the cooling system is based on high-quality solid-type capacitors, which guarantee durability even at critical temperature conditions (up to 105 degrees).
The operation of USB 3.0 interfaces is accelerated up to 170% when interacting with any compatible peripheral devices, as they support the UASP protocol. As for the management and settings, even a beginner will figure it out. Al Suite 3 software is characterized by simplicity and wide functionality.
2 ASRock H81 Pro BTC R2.0
For entry-level overclocking
Country: China
Average price: 5879 rubles.
Rating (2019): 5.0
With recent BIOS versions, the board is capable of delivering up to 1.35 volts to the processor, although this is not the maximum that is needed. However, these indicators are quite enough for most users who want to have 4.6-4.7 GHz in overclocking.
Outwardly, it seems quite simple and has only 2 external USB 3.0 ports, plus two ordinary ones - laughter, and nothing more. The built-in sound card doesn't stand out either. However, the abundance of PCIe slots captivates. There are only 2 slots for RAM with a total capacity of no more than 16 GB and a frequency of 1866 MHz. Buyers in their reviews note that this model can be safely used for mining, it has excellent compatibility with GTX1080 Ti video cards and is characterized by a good cooling system. Please note that there is another port above the video card slot, which makes it possible to install any overall cooler to provide vertical blowing.
Despite the undisputed leadership of ASUS in the market of motherboards, their products for socket 1150 are pure overpayment. They are not distinguished by textolite, not by overclocking capabilities, not by components, but the manufacturer asks for his creations on average more than others. Even rather disputable mainboards from MSI look more solid than ASUS with a round piece.
1 GIGABYTE GA-B85M-D3H-A (rev. 1.0)
No overclocking restrictions
Country: China
Average price: 5925 rubles.
Rating (2019): 5.0
The board has no overclocking restrictions, for which it has become one of the most popular and relatively inexpensive options. It supports many processors, the list of which is as follows:
- Intel Core i7;
- Core i5;
- Core i3;
- Pentium;
- Celeron.
The BIOS has built-in protection and an emergency recovery system in case of overheating or critical errors. The maximum amount of supported RAM is 32 GB of DDR3 format with a frequency of no more than 1600 MHz. There is support for the CrossFire system.
Best Motherboards for Intel LGA1151 Socket
The LGA 1150 socket has replaced the LGA 1155 and is designed for most modern processors. If you don't care about overclocking, get boards from MSI or GIGYBITE. Want to save money on an external sound card? Then pay attention to the "boards" with a built-in not lower than Realtek 1150 and not worse. The combination of all of the above will give you a quality base for building an inexpensive computer for both work and play.
4 MSI H110M PRO-VD
Best price
Country: China
Average price: 3400 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.7
This model, unlike ASUS MAXIMUS VIII HERO, allows you to deploy a full-fledged gaming system with a relatively modest investment. The main trump card of the H110M PRO-VD is a large number of connectors: for devices with USB 3.1 support, there are 8 of them, and for SATA - as many as 6 (the bandwidth of each is up to 6 Gb / s). It is possible to install DDR4 RAM with a frequency of 2133 to 3600 MHz. For this, there are 4 slots, which makes it possible to equip your PC with up to 64 GB of high-speed and energy-efficient RAM.
The built-in sound chip from Realtek can also be added to the list of pluses - many manufacturers of expensive motherboards do not consider it necessary to add it to their solutions. In general, the H110M PRO-VD is not much inferior in terms of hardware capabilities to ASUS MAXIMUS VIII HERO, giving the latter a 30% head start in price. The reason for this is passive cooling: at maximum loads of PCs based on ASUS MAXIMUS VIII HERO, the performance drop will be more noticeable.
3 ASRock Z370 Pro4
Great choice of ATX format
Country: China
Average price: 7949 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.9
Not everyone will like the fact that the radiators are only on the left side and there are only 6 standard external USBs. But in this case, given that the case will be for ATX and there are 7 expansion slots, you can remove the memory sticks with external USB ports. There is a Z370M Pro4 variant on the market - the same, only Micro ATX and with the same problems. Although, in games there is no difference whether there are radiators around the socket or not - the 5 GHz frequency will be stable.
The maximum supported amount of RAM is 64 GB, in total 4 slots are available with support for DDR4 up to high-frequency 4266 MHz. Buyers in their reviews praise the convenient BIOS, good overclocking capabilities and the lack of ready-made profiles for overclocking. And advice: do not buy identical models on the H chipset - they are more expensive and there are no heatsinks on the socket. Be careful when buying - many manufacturers indicate support for SLI, but this feature is available only on single options.
2 MSI Z370 KRAIT GAMING
Cool board with great features
Country: China
Average price: 12690 rubles.
Rating (2019): 5.0
Powerful heatsinks, a cool sound card, the ability to print additional accessories on a 3D printer - this is just a small part of all the possibilities that Z370 KRAIT GAMING can provide you. For lovers of a pleasant appearance, backlighting is available. There is also SLI, but only 4000 MHz memory is officially supported. Therefore, there may be a feeling that everything is cool, but something is missing. Audio Boost 4 with Nahimic 2+ technology will help you enjoy high-quality sound. It will help give your headset a studio-quality touch without noise or interference.
In case of problems, the built-in EZ Debug debugging system will help you, and of course the convenient Click BIOS 5. 2 M.2 slots will help you easily install a couple of additional modules to expand the functionality. The only catch is a small overpayment for a strange design, which you can safely do without.
1 ASUS MAXIMUS VIII RANGER
For overclocking to 4.9 GHz on the bus
Country: China
Average price: 6740 rubles.
Rating (2019): 5.0
The board is perfect for those who want to build a computer with high processor frequencies. With it, you can overclock the i7-6700 processor to 4.9 GHz on the bus or up to 5 GHz on the multiplier in the case of the i7-7700K. 4 slots for RAM with a frequency of 3400 MHz and up to 64 GB is an excellent indicator for its category. What pleases is the simultaneous support for SLI and CrossFireX technologies.
The board is made in a simple and effective design without frills, the cooling of the power phases is just on top. New drivers are released on the site about every 1-2 months. CPU Installation Tool is better not to use, but to install the processor in the old fashioned way, so as not to break anything. The BIOS has many settings and the average user will have to read the manual and watch the guides to get comfortable with the controls.
Best Motherboards FOR AM3+
Socket AM2+ was AMD's answer to the Intel LGA1150. These solutions combine two features: versatility and affordability of motherboards based on them. A bonus for buyers was the AMD AM1 module, which provides compatibility with subsequent generations of processors. AMD's next step was the more productive AM3+, created specifically for the FX processor line and designed for overclocking top systems. Its characteristic features are the lack of integrated graphics, a "hot" northbridge and good overclocking potential. At the same time, the matter is not limited to setting the multiplier - you need to “drive” it along the bus, forgetting about the voltage and RAM, the frequency of which for efficient operation should not be less than 1866 MHz.
After an unexpected disclosure, as tech bloggers say, “danced” AM3 +, AMD significantly pressed Intel, finishing off a competitor with a line of budget “stones” of the A4-A10 series.
3 ASUS M5A78L-M LE/USB3
The best choice for office systems and gaming PCs without overclocking
Country: China
Average price: 4173 rubles.
Rating (2019): 4.7
This is an entry-level board that is not designed for overclocking due to the 760G chipset, relatively weak cooling system and a small number of power circuits. It is able to “start” RAM with frequencies up to 1866 MHz, but there are only 2 slots for RAM and one dual-channel mode. The maximum amount of RAM is only 16 GB and it is not able to see more.
It is simply not recommended to drive the processor above 4.1 GHz, otherwise you will see reboots and blue screens of death. Solid capacitors do not swell under loads and are made very soundly. From the factory it often comes with the latest or penultimate BIOS version, but it itself is already obsolete. It is not recommended to install processors with a TPD above 95 watts, otherwise the power circuits will warm up and the circuits themselves will melt. Sometimes you come across defective versions with a background sound system at more than 50% volume.
2 GYGABITE GA970-DS3P (rev. 2.x)
Ideal choice for mid-level builds
Country: China
Average price: 5074 rubles.
Rating (2019): 5.0
Meet the popular favorite, the choice of which fell on the majority of buyers. Using this plan is comparable to playing the Paganini violin - very difficult, but if you delve into the nuances, it can give the most vivid sensations from the gameplay. The optimal frequencies for FX are from 4.0 to 4.2 GHz, which increases heat dissipation to 125 watts, respectively, the north bridge and power circuits can no longer cope with such a load and require the placement of additional coolers with a diameter of 40 mm, otherwise overheating will occur in 10-15 minutes.
The new BIOS shows itself well, now configurable not only with the keyboard but also with the mouse. The board has a slot for connecting USB 3.0, as well as 8 ports on the rear panel, 6 of which are USB 2.0. Realtek 7.1 is responsible for the sound, and the maximum supported frequency of RAM reaches 2000 MHz with a volume of up to 32 GB. Users in their reviews recommend not to get carried away with overclocking without additional airflow, otherwise you can safely warm your hands on the system unit.
1 ASUS M5A99FX PRO R.2.0
Best overclocking board for AM3+
Country: China
Average price: 10770 rubles.
Rating (2019): 5.0
This is the best and currently available motherboard for FX, Phenom, Athlon 2, Sempron 100 processors. And at the same time the most expensive. It is not distinguished by the number of slots for RAM - there are 4 of them according to the classics. But the main trump card is the increased frequency of the OP - up to 2133 MHz. The maximum volume is 32 GB, which is enough for the eyes for all possible operations. On the periphery of the case, powerful bridge radiators for passive cooling with heat pipes are installed.
An important element is the many 4-pin connectors for connecting fans, as additional turntables are often required to improve air circulation. The presence of 8 power phases at once is also pleasing, because of which you don’t have to worry about protecting the board from “burning out”. With a full and proper upgrade, the board can handle 5.1 GHz of the FX8300 processor without any problems. The main material of execution is a strong hardboard for increased loads and heavy "tower" cooling systems.
How to choose a motherboard?
When choosing motherboards, rely on the following aspects:
- Compatibility is an important parameter when choosing a motherboard. Any element and external device must be physically and software compatible with the board. An excellent option would be a board that implies a transition to another processor in case of improvement.
- Required number for ports, slots and socket (socket - a socket or "pocket" for connecting a processor). It is integrated into all boards, but as for USB ports and other elements, they may vary depending on the modifications. This is especially important when building a reserve for an upgrade in the future.
- The presence of cooling systems (cooling radiators) on the chipset. Chipset - a set of microcircuits mounted on the motherboard. Most often, all logic is tied to the north and south bridges. There are boards on which there are no bridges, but there is a different logic organization scheme.
- Other components: built-in sound controller (speaker connection), video adapter (similar to an external video card), network controller (Internet connection), CMOS battery, Russified BIOS (optional), built-in recovery software.
The motherboard is the main component of any desktop PC. It must have a sufficient number of necessary connectors so that the user can install a powerful video card, a large amount of RAM and several drives. In addition, do not forget about the need to connect various peripherals. We tried to find out which motherboards can now be called the best.
The right choice of “mother” is the basis for assembling a PC: if the processor within one socket can be changed to a faster one if desired, the memory can be increased, the video card can be replaced, then the motherboard usually lives in the case until a radical upgrade or serious damage. So you should choose a motherboard with the expectation of long-term use ... Although Intel's proverbial love for regularly changing processor sockets without backward compatibility already leads to the fact that even a small upgrade forces you to change the motherboard along with the CPU. In this regard, AMD's conservatism looks more reasonable - remember how long the AM3 + socket has lived, which is only now being replaced by incompatible AM4, and there is every reason to believe that the new assembly for Ryzen will be able to be updated on the same board for a long time to come.
- LGA 1151- processors Intel Skylake, Kaby Lake, in version v2, incompatible with the previous one (well, it's Intel!), and Coffee Lake. This allows you to choose processors from Celeron G4900 to Core i9-9900K - that is, from a simple office build to a powerful workstation or gaming PC.
- LGA 2011- the socket was originally for Intel Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge-E, but Intel would not be themselves without creating a socket incompatible with it LGA 2011-3 under Haswell-E. We will stop at the latest version - this is an excellent platform for building a powerful workstation or server, and there are a lot of people who assemble Haswell-E PCs for home.
- LGA 2066- the latest socket for top-end Intel Skylake-X and Kaby Lake-X processors - the very ones that successfully strive to catch up and overtake the old AMD in terms of thermal package. But if you have almost 140 thousand for the 18-core Intel Core i9-7980XE, then there will definitely be money for cooling that can cope with its 165 W of heat dissipation.
- AM4- a new socket from AMD, which came along with AMD Ryzen. And this is an opportunity to already use processors from the inexpensive AMD A6-9500E for "office-home" assemblies to the top-end Ryzen 7 2700X, and the AM4 socket is guaranteed to live for more than a year or two. In addition, new APUs (processors with integrated graphics that previously used their FM sockets) were also transferred to it.
