What must you search for when selecting a motherboard? The finest CPUs would possibly get all the eye, however motherboard selection might be simply as essential. We’ll present you learn how to purchase based mostly on the options that you simply want—with out breaking the financial institution.

Choose your CPU and chipset

Your first determination additionally includes the CPU. Your selection right here is both AMD or Intel. Motherboards solely work with the particular households of processors they’re designed for. Our information to the best CPUs may help you choose the perfect processor for any price range; your wants there ought to drive most of your determination making.

Without wading too deeply into the heated CPU wars, let’s breakdown some goal explanation why you’d select both Intel or AMD over the opposite get together.

• Need Thunderbolt? You’ll probably need an Intel motherboard. A few select AMD motherboards help the know-how nevertheless it’s largely discovered on Intel boards, as Intel helped create it.
• Need the perfect multicore efficiency? You’ll need AMD right here. Threadripper or Ryzen 5000 chips have a big core depend benefit over current Intel HEDT decisions. 
• Need the perfect gaming efficiency? In most instances, AMD Ryzen 5000 is your selection right here. Intel does supply an excellent value-to-performance proposition with some chips such because the Core i5-11400 and Core i5-11600K. 

Choose your type issue – ITX, M-ATX, or ATX

Most PC builders ought to choose a motherboard based mostly on the usual ATX type issue. If you’re seeking to do a smaller construct, you’ll be restricted to mini-ITX motherboards.

Prices for mini-ITX motherboards will likely be greater for the options that you simply get, and also you’ll have fewer bodily PCIe slots, that are used for graphics card, storage, sound playing cards, and different add-in playing cards. But in return you acquire the flexibility to create a compact gaming PC. Some smaller motherboards, just like the mini-DTX-based Asus ROG Crosshair VIII Impact with AMD’s x570 chipset, even supply terrific VRM cooling efficiency for his or her dimension. That stated, many smaller items usually supply much less cooling efficiency than a equally priced ATX motherboard, since they merely can’t squeeze in additional heatsinks or followers.

Micro-ATX (or M-ATX) motherboards, whereas much less widespread, sit sq. in the midst of the opposite decisions. This holds true for its dimension in addition to normal function set.

Larger E-ATX motherboards, just like the Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Extreme, are bodily wider—a lot wider. These fanatic degree items usually are packed filled with options,  with costs to match.

Choose the options you want

Buying a motherboard based mostly on the options you want is significant to the choice course of if you wish to maximize value to efficiency. Here are a number of the most necessary options to contemplate:

• Upgrade path. Want to improve your Ryzen 3000 CPU to a Ryzen 5000 chip sooner or later sooner or later? Choosing a more recent chipset like x570 could make that attainable, and AMD has a historical past of supporting a number of CPU generations on a given motherboard socket, however take into account that Intel and AMD generally change to new sockets once they introduce new chips. In reality, the motherboards utilized by AMD’s Ryzen 5000 processors and Intel’s 11th-gen Core chips are anticipated to get replaced with the subsequent generations of these chips.
• Port choice. Need a lot of USB or audio connections? Want USB-C or Thunderbolt? How about HDMI built-in into the motherboard? Be certain to learn the spec checklist. Not all motherboards are created equal!
• Networking issues. How your motherboard connects to your private home community can’t be ignored. Will a daily ethernet LAN connection do? Virtually each motherboard gives that. Wi-Fi help is much less widespread, and usually dearer. If you’re an influence person, it’s possible you’ll need to search for motherboards with superior 10GB Ethernet help to keep away from utilizing add-in-cards later.
• Internal connectivity. Some motherboards supply extra M.2 SSD slots or PCIe slots for expanded connectivity. 
• Cooling. Motherboard cooling shouldn’t be a significant concern for most individuals, however in case you plan on shopping for a high-end CPU, or overclocking your processor, it’s possible you’ll need to put money into a motherboard with beefier VRMs, greater heatsinks, lively followers, and different distinctive cooling options to maintain warmth ranges down. 

Buying based mostly on the options you want will direct you to the proper price range degree. You don’t want a tricked-out luxe motherboard just like the $700+ Asus ROG Rampage VI Extreme Encore in case you simply need to play video games and never overclock. On the opposite hand, you’ll need board like that in case you plan on operating a number of NVMe drives, overclocking your CPU, utilizing 10GB networking, and wish a ton of USB ports.

Many PC builders will discover themselves within the Goldilocks zone—proper within the center, good! You’ll need a motherboard with simply sufficient options, efficiency, and aesthetics for many energy customers, whereas coming in cheaper than the highest boards, which might embody borderline-overkill options like fan controllers, PCIe NVMe drive adapters, et cetera. If you’re operating a regular PC gaming rig, you’ll in all probability have the ability to discover a decently constructed motherboard that matches your wants for someplace between $150 and $300, such because the $260 MSI MPG X570 Gaming Pro Carbon WiFi.

Choose your aesthetic

Choosing the options you need aren’t restricted to sensible issues alongside. Want to synchronize a fastidiously crafted RGB mild present between your motherboard, graphics card, cooler, and case? You’ll need a motherboard that has built-in RGB headers. Many supply built-in software program to assist coordinate all the coloured lights, like Asus’s Aura Sync software program. Even in case you want to take a “Dark” strategy with out glittering LEDs, a pleasant clear design may also add to your construct aesthetic.

Thiago Trevisan/IDG

What’s the distinction between cheaper and costly motherboards right here? The dearer motherboards will typically embody extra RGB integration, together with fancier heatshields and “Armor” plates to cowl up what’s beneath. Cheaper motherboards might have extra of the black or inexperienced PCB revealed, and extra restricted RGB choices (if any).

Choose your value   

Now that you simply’ve run by means of the guidelines of CPU/chipset selection, dimension, function set, and aesthetic preferences, you may slim down your price range. If you’re right into a no-frills, cost-effective setup and by no means plan on overclocking, most mid-range motherboards work completely advantageous, particularly with mainstream gaming processors just like the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X and Intel Core i5-11600K. Avoid absolutely the most cost-effective choices, nevertheless, as they will typically trigger CPU efficiency to throttle on account of restricted cooling and chopping corners in different points of design.

If you’re comfortable in the usual function set “middle zone,” you’ll do nice even with a higher-end CPU like a 16-core AMD Ryzen 9 5950X or the 8-core Intel Core i9-11900K by sticking with motherboards from established fanatic manufacturers, just like the Strix or Hero strains from Asus, MSI’s Ace offerings, and Gigabyte’s Aorus Master series.

If you completely will need to have the perfect, you’ll need to pay for it. Some feature-packed motherboards (once more, just like the $700+ Asus ROG Rampage VI Extreme Encore) might supply the options that you simply want, however you’ll typically pay for different unassociated extras to get them.

Alaina Yee / IDG

Don’t overpay for a reputation although. At the tip of the day, the branding of many costly motherboards additionally performs a job within the pricing. Often you may go along with a less expensive, midrange motherboard that provides the overwhelming majority of the identical options as their pricier cousins for significantly much less value—take the Asus “Extreme” line of motherboards versus the much more affordable Strix lineup for instance. The precise CPU efficiency distinction between these mid- and high-end boards is usually negligible, so that you’re paying extra for these additional options it’s possible you’ll by no means find yourself utilizing.

Keep this checklist in thoughts, store sensible, and also you’ll have the proper motherboard to go along with your fancy new CPU very quickly.