How to Choose a Motherboard for your computer: What to Look for?

No doubt choosing a motherboard for your PC is a tough job. As all the parts of your PC are connected to the motherboard so, you will never want to make any blunder while choosing a motherboard. Hence, in this article, you will get complete guidance on how to choose a motherboard.

There are a variety of modern motherboards present in the market. These start from very cheap prices and end at prices that can blow your mind.

The thing that is worth noticing is that different motherboards are designed for various needs. And when you read all the information given here on choosing motherboards, you will be able to pick a compatible motherboard for sure.

Unlike old motherboards, modern motherboards are super effective and are capable of doing heavy tasks in lesser time. But if you want to save your bucks you can choose budget-friendly motherboards.

Motherboard firmware consists of BIOS, which runs the show so, without any further delay let us dive straight into the guide on how to choose the right motherboard for PC.

1. Be Aware of core features

If you are wondering that exactly what kind of motherboard you should choose then firstly you will need to know the following fundamental features of a motherboard.

Some fundamental features include the specifications of the motherboard, ports, SSD card slots, and more. For more information, you can dive into the information below. 

• The basic factor of the motherboard to consider
• The first thing is to consider where the peripherals are on the motherboard
• Also, check the motherboard specifications along with the size of the motherboard
• You should also check where are the different ports and slots are located on the motherboard
• You should also check the chipset placement on the motherboard, usually, the placement of the Intel chips is towards the south north bridge

Connectors 

• CPU Socket – The CPU socket is the array of hundreds of holes or metal plates to which a computer’s central processing unit connects
• Memory Sockets
• Hard Drive Connectors
• Floppy Drive Connector
• Peripheral Connectors
• Add-on Card Connectors
• Power Connector
• Case Connectors and Ports

2. Explore the dimensions of the motherboard

Nowadays motherboards come in 3 different dimensions.

• ATX Motherboards (12 into 9.6) 

These are the largest motherboards and are capable of performing huge functions. ATX form factor EATX (extended ATX has dimensions of 12 x 13 mm)

• Micro ATX

If you are not that person who has to do heavy work on his pc you can go for the micro ATX size.

• Mini ATX

The Mini ATX size of the motherboard is the smallest size of the motherboard and can perform restricted functions.

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3. Identify CPU which you will operate

It is crucial to know which CPU you will use with the motherboard. Since motherboard manufacturers place CPU socket that is specific to a particular CPU, the motherboard will only work if the right processor is connected to CPU socket.

SOCKET TYPE

Know what socket type the motherboard has

• INTEGRATED GRAPHIC CARDS built into CPU and is used for casual gaming
• PROCESSOR FAMILY help you choose better CPU for you and hence right motherboard too
• Intel processor LGA1100
• Amd processor X2999
• Voltage regulator module VRM

VRM GIVES OVERCLOCKING SUPPORT
It can be both mounted on any port or installed on the motherboard. Check what voltage regulator module you want. Bad VRM will overheat so choose a better VRM.

For Example, 1th to 10th generation core processor of intel will ask for LGA 1100 board whereas in case of AMD Ryzen 7 3700X motherboard, things will be different. 

4. Encounter the motherboard ports that you want

• USB PORTS
• SATA PORTS: for storage SSD or HDD; STORAGE is in SATA ports HDD OR SSD is connected to SATA port
• HDMI PORT
• DISPLAY INTERFACE PORTS
• AUDIO PORTS

5. Know the slots required in the motherboard

Ram slot

• DIMM slots more than more ram you can install
• Memory slot/Memory module 

PCI slot

• For adding graphic card sound card etc.
• Expansion slot
• PCI lanes

AGP slot 

• Connects multiple graphic cards to the motherboard of the computer 

6. Other exceptional features

There are a few other exceptional features that you must check whenever you are choosing the motherboard. It includes the peripheral component interconnect:

• Used for expanding graphic cards etc
• Ethernet port works as a connector between wire net and computer

Ccnclusion

Choosing a compatible motherboard is hard but when you know your requirements you choose wisely without wasting bucks on unwanted features. Compatibility issues can occur if you buy a motherboard in which sockets are different as per your needs. Therefore, choose a motherboard after you have identified all the key features you are looking for. 

FAQs

How to choose the right motherboard?

Check form factor, CPU socket, SATA port different slots, and size of the motherboard according to your requirements. Then choose wisely.

Can any CPU fit a specific motherboard?

No. motherboards have variety in CPU sockets so you should enquire about the socket type before going for a certain motherboard or you will find compatibility issues.

How much it costs for a good motherboard?

Motherboards vary in price from $120 to $220. You just have to configure which features you want in a motherboard.

How to choose a motherboard for gaming?

If you are a diehard gamer then you must choose a motherboard that is compatible with your CPU and has extra expansion slots for graphic cards and sound cards.