▷ Features of the motherboard before buying one?

Knowing the characteristics of the motherboard is a mandatory task for any user who wants to assemble their own PC in pieces, or who wants to update their work equipment. Items such as the chipset, connection ports, PCI-Express slots and storage will need to be known when choosing the best motherboard. We bring you first hand these elements that we consider of special importance and that will determine to a great extent the final configuration and performance of your new PC.

We will also always try to advise you when choosing these specifications, because their capacity will depend for example on the SSD that we choose to buy and the quantity and speed of the RAM.

Index of contents

The function of the motherboard in a PC

The motherboard, motherboards or motherboard in English, is the central element of any PC. Its function is to support and interconnect all the internal devices of a computer, be it desktop, laptop or even mobile. We say this because practically any electronic device has a motherboard, although undoubtedly one of the most complex is precisely that of a computer.

Depending on the motherboard that we have, the capacity of the equipment will be more limited or not, both in power and in capacity, since it will largely depend on the components that we can install. That is why we can divide the motherboards according to their platform, referring to the chipset and the CPU socket, since they are mainly the two most differential elements of them. Factors such as:

• The RAM: both 64, 128 GB…, as well as DDR3 or DDR4 type and its speed. The CPU socket: The socket is where the CPU, Intel, AMD and the compatible architectures of each are connected. The number of storage drives and speed: SATA III, NVMe PCIe and U2. USB Ports Quantity - The chipset will determine the capacity of USB 2.0, 3.0, and 3.1 and even Thunderbolt ports on the motherboard. Size - Size always matters, both in hardware capacity and space for the chassis. Other elements: which include network connectivity, the sound card or also the BIOS, extremely important.

Motherboard features you should know

If you want to buy a motherboard, the least you should do is know and become familiar with its main elements, because everything else will depend on them. It is useless to have for example a processor with overclocking capacity if the chipset on the board does not support such an overclock. So keep an eye on everything you will see here.

VRM, CHOKES and food:

Something important when buying a good motherboard are the components used for power. One part that many overlook is always the motherboard power phase system. What this system does is provide the necessary power to the entire board, CPU, PCI slots, chipset, etc.

VRM stands for Voltage Regulator Module, and is made up of elements called Chokes (choke coil). These elements, specifically the MOSFETs, regulate the voltage that enters the plate, as well as the intensity, stabilizing the own peaks that still remain in the transformation of alternating current to direct current. The current boards have a digital power control that monitors the voltage, temperature and much more at all times so that the quality of the power that supplies the components is the best. Technologies such as DIGI +, Ultra Durable or Military Class are the reference in the main manufacturers.

A VRM is divided into power phases, the more of them, the greater the capacity to transmit energy the board will have, let's say they are like the lanes of a highway. Also more quantity implies a more stable and quality current flow. We always recommend buying a motherboard with more than 6 VRM phases, and if we are dealing with a motherboard that allows overclocking, we will need at least 8 or more of them so that there is never a lack of power. In addition, they are usually protected from heat by heat sinks, so it is a necessary element as well.

Important will also be the power connectors, which range from the power supply to the board, and are called EPS or CPU connectors. The board usually has between one and three connectors of these, which has 6 or 8 pins. Always make sure that your power supply has enough EPS connectors to power the board.

Refrigeration sensors and PWM control

It is true that the chipset of a motherboard is not as powerful as a CPU, but it works at high frequencies, especially the most powerful ones like the Z390, X299 or X399. So it will be important to have heatsinks in them. These elements we must know that they also work at high frequencies, between 2 and 4 GHz. In the same way, the VRM is also an element prone to heat, it is where all the current passes so a good cooling system is to be appreciated.

All boards have multiple temperature sensors spread across the PCB, the chipset itself, VRM, or PCI and DIMM slots. To this we add the PWM control system for the fans that will allow us to know their TPM at all times. A worthy motherboard must already have support for software with which we can adjust the RPM of the fans, monitor temperatures and even modify voltages to overclock. Systems like Fan Expert or Speed ​​Fan are PWM technologies of the boards.

LANES or PCI lanes

These are the physical lanes that are in charge of taking the information from the processor to the other parts, be it a graphics card or RAM and USB ports. Each LANE is a data lane that communicates one device with another, and in each of these lanes we have a speed of 250 MB / s in each direction, if it is a PCIe 1.0 slot, 500 MB / s if it is PCIe 2.0 and 1 GB / s if it is PCIe 3.0.

Normally the PCI-Express slots carry with them the specification of the version and also a multiply x1, x4, x16… it is very easy to understand, if we have a PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot it will mean that we can reach a speed of 16 GB / s in a single address and 32 GB / s in both directions. Let's take the example of a PCIe x4 SSD (the current ones), the theoretical speed that they could reach would be 4000 MB / s in both reading and writing. You will notice that many are already very close to this figure.

Both the CPU and the chipset have their own LANES, and always the more the better, because the ability to transfer data will depend on them. On less powerful chipsets, these LANES are typically shared, for example, between SATA ports and PCI slots. This implies that if we connect a hard drive with LANE shared with PCI, this slot will surely stop working. That is why we must look very carefully at the specifications given by the manufacturer of the motherboard to see how these LANES are shared and thus buy peripherals according to the limitations.

There are PLX chips that allow us to connect up to 4 graphics cards at x16 or x8 speed. Thus we will expand the number of LANES.

Chipset

We then come to one of the most important elements, the chipset. Also called the south bridge or southbrigde, it acts as the communications hub and data traffic controller for the motherboard. It is true that this chipset does not directly handle the data that circulates between the RAM and the CPU, for example, or the PCIe x16, but it does handle many other transactions such as SATA storage, USB, etc.

Ultimately, it will also determine which components are compatible with the motherboard, RAM, CPU, graphics card, etc. For example, it is responsible for allowing the processor or RAM to be overclocked through the BIOS functions. As we said before, the chipset has its own LANES and marks, for example, the capacity of the board's USB ports. Now let's look at the chipsets that, in our opinion, are the best to buy. There are more, but we recommend that you move among these:

Intel chipset

It offers compatibility with Intel processors, eye, only Intel, AMD has its own.

• Intel B360 - Intel low-end chipset for Coffee Lake processors with LGA 1151 socket. It has no overclocking capability nor does it support RAID. It has 12 LANES and support for USB 3.1 Gen2 and for NVMe SSDs. They are recommended for users who want to build a cheaper PC, even for gaming, without unlocked processors without losing high-speed USB or SSD connectivity. Intel H370: we raised the level to have a chipset without the possibility of overclocking with the LGA 1151 socket, or installing multiple graphics, although with the capacity for NVMe SSD, RAID and up to 4 USB 3.1 Gen2. It is also installed by cheap motherboards and very suitable for mid-range and multitasking gaming equipment. Intel Z390: It is the high-end chipset for Intel LGA 1151, with overclocking capability and 24 PCIe LANES. Recommended for high-end gaming computers with overclocking capabilities, so the ideal is to mount an Intel "K" range processor and RAM memory up to 4500 MHz. Intel X299: is the top of the range chipset from Intel, we switched to the LGA 2066 socket. Ideal for mounting Workstation teams , enthusiastic gaming or design and rendering teams for videos geared towards mega-tasks. The Core X and XE processors will be the protagonists.

AMD chipset

• AMD A320: It is AMD's low-end chipset for its AM4 socket, which does not support overclocking or multi GPU. It will be aimed at cheap general-purpose equipment or low-end gaming. AMD B450: Similar to Intel's B360, although in this case it does support overclocking for AMD Ryzen socket AM4 and even multi GPU AMD Crossfire. It is an interesting option for mid-range gaming. AMD X470: Similar to the Z390, with 24 LANES and ideal for high-end AMD gaming equipment with Ryzen 5 and 7. Of course it supports Multi GPU, RAID and everything else of the Z390. AMD X399 - AMD's top-of-the-range, for its TR4 socket Ryzen Threadripper and enthusiastic PC mounts, design and mega-task Workstation.

Visit this tutorial to learn more about the chipset

CPU socket

The socket is essential in a PCB, the CPU that we can install on the board will depend on it, the available sockets will be those of Intel and AMD as you can understand. So the main sockets you have already seen in the previous section, although it is worth delving a little more into them.

• Intel LGA 1151: We find low, medium and high-end CPUs, being the most used by most users. This socket supports 8th and 9th generation Intel Core i3, i5, i7, i9 processors, and also Intel Celeron and Pentium Gold. Intel LGA 2066 - For the more powerful WorkStation-oriented processors, it's Intel Core i7 X and XE. AMD AM4: for AMD desktop Ryzen CPUs, which will be the most used, since it supports processors of all ranges that include AMD Athlon, Ryzen 3, 5 and 7. And soon the Ryzen 3000. AMD TR4: for Ryzen Threadripper 18- and 32-core processors.

DDR DIMM slots

The DIMM slots are responsible for housing the RAM memory modules on the motherboard. The maximum capacity of RAM memory will depend on them and the processor. Currently we only find DDR4 boards that support a total of 16 GB for each slot, although we have seen publications of top range boards that also support 32 GB. In any case, these settings will be in Dual Channel.

Average boards have 4 DIMM slots to make a total of 64GB of DDR4 memory. This figure is identical to that supported by compatible socket processors LGA 1151 and AM4. In the case of the X299 and X399 chipset we have up to 8 slots for a total of 128 GB DDR4 in Quad Channel.

In addition to the quantity, we will also need to see the allowable speed. This depends on the chipset and the JEDEC profiles (the frequency at which they work). The most powerful ones support memories of up to 4500 MHz in XMP profile, which is a type of controlled overclocking of the motherboard with more aggressive JEDEC profiles.

Expansion Ports

Here we can include practically any slot located on our motherboard and its function is to house more peripherals and hardware. The most important will be:

• PCIe x1: Small ones, to connect expansion cards such as Wi-Fi or internal USB hubs. PCIe x16 3.0: they are the longest, and where we will connect the graphics card and very powerful PCIe disks. On their motherboards, we will have support for AMD CrossFire and Nvidia SLI, as long as the chipset allows it. M.2 ports - Used for ultrafast SSD storage drives. They have a speed of up to 4, 000 MB / s and can work with NVMe protocol in PCI x4 or simply as SATA 6 Gb / s in some slots. It is recommended to have a board with at least two M.2 slots. Intel CNVi slot: It is similar to M.2 but to connect Intel Wi-Fi cards, we could confuse it with an M.2, although it only has a slot in the middle. TPM: to connect a hardware encryption card, for example for Windows Hello.

USB ports quantity, with or without Thunderbolt 3

We have already seen that the chipset is the one that determines the number of USB ports that the board supports, although this does not mean that all of them will be present, of course. In fact, we will find more USB while the better quality and price the motherboard has, even with the same chipset. We can find USB 2.0 480 Mb / s, UBS 3.1 Gen1 (formerly USB 3.0) at 5 Gb / s and USB 3.1 Gen2 at 10 Gb / s. As a general rule, we will only find two USB 3.1 Gen2, one Type-A and one Type-C.

Higher performance boards with high-end chipset such as Z390 or X299 also have Thunderbolt ports, although it is somewhat more used in laptops. This interface is found via USB Type-C and reaches a whopping 40 Gb / s in version 3. In addition, it allows charging of up to 100 W and DisplayPort connectivity for each port, that is why it is used in laptops.

Network and sound connectivity

Another very important aspect of a motherboard will be the ability to establish both wired and wireless network connections. We have already seen that almost all of them have a slot for Wi-Fi cards, but the best and most complete ones already come with this included.

If we want Wi-Fi, we always recommend acquiring a quality chip motherboard such as Intel AC or Aquantia of at least 2 × 2 with AC 1.73 Gbps. To this end, we hope that very soon the Wi-FI chips with 802.11ax protocol will start to come out and take this type of connection to a new level.

On the other hand, we have wired LAN connectivity through RJ-45 ports. Normally we find one of these ports, but if we want a gaming PC, we recommend acquiring a board with two of them at a speed of 1000 Mbps, one for the Internet and the other for the dedicated LAN. The highest cost boards will have speeds of up to 5 and 10 Gbps.

On the other hand, we have the sound card, long ago there is an obligation to have to buy a PCI sound card to have good quality. And is that currently the integrated sound cards are of the highest quality and with possibilities of surround sound and digital connectors. The most unused model on a good level board is the RealTek ALC1220 with modifications implemented by each manufacturer such as Asus Supreme FX.

Size does matter

Size in this case is important since the more space the more connections will fit on the motherboard. In addition, it will determine the compatibility with our chassis. We can find the following sizes:

XL-ATX and E-ATX

This size is good for liquid-cooled mounts, multiple graphics cards, and more than 3 storage drives. They are almost always found with X299 and X399 chipsets with 8 DIMM slots, and support for up to 4 graphics cards.

Standard ATX

These are compatible with almost any PC case, in fact, they are the most widely manufactured. Its measurements are 30.5 and 24.4 cm. They are one of the recommended for configurations with AMD Ryzen + AM4 and Intel Core + LGA 1151.

Micro ATX (mATX)

This format is smaller and is becoming obsolete as there are smaller motherboards with similar connectivity. They are ideal for classroom equipment, although there are also many of them oriented to gaming. Most have 2 DIMM slots, although there are also 4, and may even support two graphics cards.

Mini ITX

This format is one of the most used for multimedia equipment and small towers. Able to move house high-powered CPUs and up to 32GB of RAM in two DIMM slots alongside graphics cards. We can even mount a basic mini gaming PC with them.

Summary of motherboard features by user type

Before choosing a motherboard, we must think carefully about what type of use we will give it. There are two elements that are important and even key when choosing a motherboard: the processor and the chipset on the board, in addition to everything seen.

Basic Users:

In this type of user we will include all the people who need a simple equipment to work at home which is not very sophisticated.

If we want Intel, we can buy the B360 Chipset or the previous B250. However, if we search for AMD, we can purchase the B450 or A320 for a low cost. We recommend not to download these options to have a good experience of use, and to opt for ITX or Micro ATX boards that take up little space and have the essentials in terms of connectivity: two DIMMs, at least 4 or 6 USB and the one with Wi is highly valued. -Fi.

Professional use and demanding tasks:

In this section are those who need a good team to work, surely they may need to use advanced graphic design programs, video editing or management of large databases, which has been called multitasking.

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We recommend opting for versatile, reliable and powerful boards. If you need power with a 6- or 8-core CPU, consider purchasing an Intel Z390, AMD X470, or AMD B450 for something less powerful. The recommendation will be ATX boards with 4 DIMMs, multiple PCI x16 and x1 slots, at least two M.2 and 6 USB.

Gaming:

We are facing a case similar to the previous one, gaming PCs must be powerful and capable of perfectly handling multitasking. Here unlocked chipsets will be the best option, like the Z390, B450 and X470, even being able to make the jump to PC Workstations for enthusiastic configurations.

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We will also opt for ATX boards that preferably support several GPUs, two or three M.2, a quality sound card, for example, Realtek ALC1220 and also two GbE or even higher LAN ports, for the Internet and for LAN.

Enthusiast and mega-task:

This section is reserved for those seeking the best of the best. Among the most powerful that we recommend are the X299 and X399 Chipsets on the side of Intel X and XE and on the other hand the AMD X399 with its massive Threadripper.

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With these plates you can mount exceptional equipment that will last you for many years. They will allow you up to 128GB of RAM on the quad channel, support for 40 LANES PCI Express, support for multi-GPUs (SLI and AMD Crossfire), support for 8 hard drives, more than 10 USB 3.1, triple M.2 in RAID, extreme overclocking and network cards that reach 10 Gigabit. The Thunderbolt ports will not be missing for the design work either.

Conclusion about the characteristics of the motherboard

Well, here comes this complete article about the characteristics of the motherboard that you should know when purchasing yours. As you can see, there are many things to consider, so take it easy and evaluate all the options.

Similarly, we recommend our updated guides on the main components of our PC. You will find the best of the best. Did you find our article on the characteristics of the motherboard useful?