Introduction
A motherboard is the biggest component of a computer so you must have a well-matched one in your system that supports and boosts the gaming performance. But the market is full of hundreds of motherboards so choosing the finest one isn’t an easy part of the story. Don’t worry since the team of GamingDairy is here to guide us, teach us, and make the process easy. In short, let’s break down, what is the best motherboard for gaming without any due and learn all the necessary steps of selecting a mobo.
What factors should you look at?
Form Factor
Motherboards are available in four sizes, Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, and E-ATX. Mini-ITX and Micro-ATX are suitable for building compact systems, while E-ATX is suitable for larger builds. ATX boards are popular because they have more expansion slots, which is convenient. So first, you need to choose a form factor. When you’re buying a new motherboard and if you’re not sure which size fits, you can always measure your old motherboard.
Socket
Once you are done selecting a form factor you’ll need to select a processor socket. Different kinds of sockets have been used throughout history, but only a few are applicable today. Intel follows the LGA format while AMD uses AM4 sockets in most of its current-era chips. Ensure to check the socket compatibility of your processor and purchase a motherboard accordingly. Otherwise, you may lose your money.
RAM Slots
Next up, is RAM. Fundamentally, the motherboard you buy will determine the amount and type of RAM you can have, and be sure it has enough slots. So you make a decision before buying a motherboard. Consequently, we would recommend choosing a motherboard that can accommodate at least 16GB and 4 slots, even if you don’t plan to buy that much initially, you may choose to use this memory later.
PCIe Slots
PCI slots are connections or ports located on the motherboard, and PCIe slots play an important role in connecting expansion cards. The four slot sizes are x1, x4, x8, and x16, with x4 and x16 being the most common. If you’re a gamer, you’ll have to buy a motherboard with an x16 PCIe Express slot to plug in a graphics card. The motherboard also provides PCIe slots for other cards, such as Wi-Fi adapters and other connectivity expansions.
SATA
As a gamer, our first concern is to store games so, when considering buying a motherboard you may need to consider the number of SATA ports you’ll need. Each SATA port allows you to connect optical drives and storage drives such as SSDs or HDDs. So it’s important to make sure your motherboard has all the SATA ports that all the drives need. You’ll also want to make sure you get a motherboard that’s at least SATA 6 compatible.
Connectivity
Additionally, many motherboards provide externally accessible connectors on their rear input/output panels for plugging in peripherals such as stereo speakers, mice, and keyboards. You should pay attention to the accessories you have and whether they are compatible with the motherboard. As such, the choice of motherboards with multiple support features such as fans, external USB ports, and various manufacturer-specific proprietary products will continue to exist.
Additional Features
If you’re buying a motherboard that already has the functionality built-in, you don’t need to worry about buying additional expansion cards. A common feature that most motherboards usually include is onboard audio. However, this usually only applies to midrange speakers. It’s worth noting that better motherboards often bundle Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities as well, but you’ll have to shell out more cash for those features.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, it all comes down to the type of system you plan to build and choosing the right motherboard for that system. If you’re planning to build a computer for gaming, you’ll definitely be eager to know where to start and what is the best motherboard for gaming. You might also be wondering what components are more important to the game that not only perform well but also won’t break your bank. Visit the GamingDairy to find out more about all types of motherboards and the topic.
