A motherboard, system board, or in common parlance a “board” is a complex and basic component when assembling a computer, used to house all the elements to run the system. The main materials used are textolite and getinaks, created using special printing technologies. Motherboards are available in several main form factors:

• Micro-ATX
• Mini-ATX

Mini-ATX are used to build entry-level systems or mini-assemblies to save space and budget. Their main disadvantage is the lack of sufficient space for upgrades and installation of powerful components. Micro-ATX are installed in mid-range systems and allow you to place both low-budget and some high-end components. ATX is used when assembling top-end systems that require not only a lot of space for the component base (for example, a video card or cooling system), but also high-quality materials of the board itself to withstand heavy loads.

We have selected the top 15 best motherboards for assembling gaming computers on the most popular and current sockets in 2019.

The best motherboards for AM4

AM4 is designed to replace the obsolete platform on 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 DDR4 RAM format and frequency up to 3200 MHz;
• Stable operation with multi-threaded Ryzen processors with and without integrated graphics;
• Reduced heat dissipation, average 65 W;
• Supports USB1 and 3.0 gen 2 at speeds of 5 and 10 Gbps.

The main drawback was the partial incompatibility of the boards with previous sockets - only a few models support them.

4 ASRock B450M Pro4

Best cheap board on the market for AM4
Country: China
Average price: 6237 rub.
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 modestly sized heatsinks, but thanks to the cuts, they have an increased dissipation area for better heat dissipation. 6 cores will keep up with overclocking, but you won’t be able to drive it on the bus, since not a single “board” on the 450 chipset has such functions.

Traditionally, the board has a curve for ASRock BIOS. Buyers praise many ports in their reviews. By default, there are 5 slots for connecting coolers or water cooling systems. In order not to overheat and burn the system, it is recommended to have a well-ventilated case or purchase additional turntables. Considering the price, it turned out to be an excellent product, with the exception of the randomness with the oils, which varies from delivery to delivery.

3 MSI B450 TOMAHAWK

The coldest motherboard
Country: China
Average price: 9000 rub.
Rating (2019): 5.0

The power supply system firmly supports the overclocking of any six-core processor and is quite capable of pushing the Ryzen 2700 to 4 GHz without any overhead. This is the coolest B450 board on the market thanks to a strong power supply and a horse-sized heatsink.

The only hot spot is the controller. There is no offset here, but there is the possibility of autonomous BIOS flashing. "Tomahawk" has 4 slots for high-frequency RAM with a maximum of 3466 MHz. Supports first and second generation Ryzen processors. MSI tried hard, 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: 11,800 rub.
Rating (2019): 5.0

The board has 4+2 reinforced power phases, each of which has a double set of components. In the last generation, MSI gave in under a barrage of criticism and stopped purchasing second-rate elements, catching up with ASUS in quality. For its money it has the best VRM equipment, even taking into account the lower number of phases than the famous ASUS Prime. In general, it heats up just as well, but costs less.

The disadvantages include the inability to overclock 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 integrated APU graphics has also been removed. 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 school

Motherboards for work purposes are much cheaper than their gaming counterparts. They have a weak component base, they may lack protection against voltage surges, and there will be few power circuits at all. They can also be limited by the frequencies of the supported RAM and its volume. BIOS is very limited in functionality.

Gaming motherboards

This is the complete opposite. For a good gaming board you need 4 slots for RAM with a capacity of 16 GB or more. It is recommended to use RAM with frequencies of 1866 MHz and higher. An excellent option would be a model with powerful cooling radiators and at least 5 power circuits, so that in case of overclocking the “board” does not burn out. It is worth noting that there are gaming boards on sale without overclocking, but they must be used with extreme caution. 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 rub.
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 fast navigation. A conveniently located reset button on the I/O panel will also please the owner who decides to play with the settings.

This board opened a new era for MSI, stopping the voltage drop during overclocking. This feature does not have the best effect on temperatures and power consumption when idle, but oddly enough, it fully complies with AMD specifications. Not suitable for overclocking APU due to missing settings in BIOS. The maximum amount of supported RAM is 64 GB with a frequency of up to 3466 MHz.

The best motherboards for the Intel LGA1150 socket

The LGA 1150 socket replaces the LGA 1155 and is designed for most modern processors. If you don't care about overclocking, go for boards from MSI or GIGYBITE. Want to save money on an external sound card? Then pay attention to “boards” with built-in at least Realtek 1150. The combination of all of the above will give you a high-quality base for assembling an inexpensive computer for both work and games.

4 Esonic H81-BTC-KING

Choice of buyers and miners
Country: China
Average price: 3430 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.1

Lost among the famous competitors is a board from Esonic. This is a rather modest “board”, created exclusively for office purposes and for playing simple browser games without any hint of serious games or leveling up.

2 slots for DDR3 RAM, only 4 power phases and an abundance of USB slots indicate that this board has a place only in the office - printing documents or just watching movies. On the plus side, 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 motherboards for socket 1150
Country: China
Average price: 4940 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.6

Third place rightfully went to the ASUS B85M-G motherboard. It can be classified as one of 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 assemble a good multimedia system for a home or office computer.

All external interfaces have reliable protection; the panel is made of steel, which is not subject to corrosion. 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 capacitors, which guarantee durability even at critical temperature conditions (up to 105 degrees).

USB 3.0 interfaces accelerate up to 170% when interacting with any compatible peripheral devices, as they support the UASP protocol. As for management and settings, even a beginner can figure it out. Al Suite 3 software is distinguished by its simplicity and wide functionality.

2 ASRock H81 Pro BTC R2.0

For entry level overclocking
Country: China
Average price: 5879 rub.
Rating (2019): 5.0

With the latest 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 overclock at 4.6-4.7 GHz.

Outwardly, it seems quite simple and has only 2 external USB 3.0 ports, plus two regular ones - laughter, and that’s all. The built-in sound card also does not stand out in any way. However, the abundance of PCIe slots is captivating. 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 large cooler to provide vertical airflow.

Despite ASUS's unconditional leadership in the board-building market, their products for socket 1150 are simply overpaid. They are not distinguished by textolite, overclocking capabilities, or components, but the manufacturer asks on average more for his creations than others. Even very controversial motherboards from MSI look more solid than ASUS with a circle.

1 GIGABYTE GA-B85M-D3H-A (rev. 1.0)

No overclocking restrictions
Country: China
Average price: 5925 rub.
Rating (2019): 5.0

The board has no restrictions on overclocking, which is why 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 DDR3 format with a frequency of no more than 1600 MHz. There is support for the CrossFire system.

The best motherboards for the Intel LGA1151 socket

The LGA 1150 socket replaces the LGA 1155 and is designed for most modern processors. If you don't care about overclocking, go for boards from MSI or GIGYBITE. Want to save money on an external sound card? Then pay attention to “boards” with built-in no lower than Realtek 1150 and no worse. The combination of all of the above will give you a high-quality basis for assembling an inexpensive computer for both work and play.

4 MSI H110M PRO-VD

Best price
Country: China
Average price: 3400 rub.
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 advantage of the H110M PRO-VD is the large number of connectors: there are 8 of them for devices supporting USB 3.1, and as many as 6 for SATA (each bandwidth is up to 6 Gbps). It is possible to install DDR4 RAM with frequencies from 2133 to 3600 MHz. There are 4 slots for this, 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 advantages - 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 hardware capabilities to the ASUS MAXIMUS VIII HERO, giving the latter a 30 percent head start in price. The reason for this is passive cooling: at maximum loads of a PC based on ASUS MAXIMUS VIII HERO, the performance drop will be more noticeable.

3 ASRock Z370 Pro4

Excellent choice of ATX format
Country: China
Average price: 7949 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.9

Not everyone will like the fact that the heatsinks here are only on the left side and there are only 6 standard external USBs. But in this case, taking into account the fact that the case will be for ATX and 7 expansion slots, it is possible to install memory sticks with external USB ports. There is a Z370M Pro4 variant on the market - the same thing, only Micro ATX and with the same problems. Although, in games it makes no difference whether there are heatsinks around the socket or not - the 5 GHz frequency will remain stable.

The maximum supported amount of RAM is 64 GB, a total of 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 purchasing - many manufacturers indicate SLI support, but this function is only available on a few variants.

2 MSI Z370 KRAIT GAMING

Cool board with great features
Country: China
Average price: 12,690 rub.
Rating (2019): 5.0

Powerful radiators, a cool sound card, the ability to print additional accessories on a 3D printer - these are just a small part of all the possibilities that the Z370 KRAIT GAMING can provide you with. For those who like a pleasant appearance, backlighting is available. There is also SLI, but memory is officially supported only at 4000 MHz. Therefore, there may be a feeling that everything is cool, but what 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 slots for M.2 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 easily do without.

1 ASUS MAXIMUS VIII RANGER

For overclocking to 4.9 GHz via bus
Country: China
Average price: 6740 rub.
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 a capacity of up to 64 GB - an excellent indicator for its category. What's nice is the simultaneous support for SLI and CrossFireX technologies.

The board has a simple and effective design without frills, the cooling of the power phases is simply excellent. New drivers are released on the site approximately every 1-2 months. It’s better not to use the CPU Installation Tool, but to install the processor 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 guides to get comfortable with the controls.

Best motherboards FOR AM3+

Socket AM2+ was AMD's response to the creation of 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 ensures compatibility with subsequent generations of processors. The next step for AMD was the more powerful AM3+, created specifically for the FX line of processors and designed for overclocking top-end systems. Its characteristic features are the absence of integrated graphics, a “hot” north bridge and good overclocking potential. At the same time, the matter is not limited to setting the multiplier - you need to “drive” along the bus, forgetting about the voltage and RAM, the frequency of which for effective operation should not be less than 1866 MHz.

After the unexpected disclosure, as tech bloggers say, the “danced” AM3+, AMD significantly pushed Intel, finishing off its competitor with a line of budget “stones” of the A4-A10 series.

3 ASUS M5A78L-M LE/USB3

The optimal choice for office systems and gaming PCs without overclocking
Country: China
Average price: 4173 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.7

This is an entry-level board that is not intended for overclocking due to the 760G chipset, a relatively weak cooling system and a small number of power circuits. It is capable of running 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 capable of seeing 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-state capacitors do not swell under load and are made very well. It often comes from the factory with the latest or penultimate version of the BIOS, but it itself is already obsolete. It is not recommended to install processors with a TPD higher than 95 Watt, otherwise the power circuits will heat up and the circuits themselves will melt. Sometimes you come across defective versions with a humming sound system at more than 50% volume.

2 GYGABITE GA970-DS3P (rev. 2.x)

Ideal for mid-range builds
Country: China
Average price: 5074 rub.
Rating (2019): 5.0

Meet the people's favorite, chosen by the majority of buyers. Using this plan is comparable to playing the violin by Paganini - it is 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; accordingly, 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 performs well, now configurable not only using the keyboard but also 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 RAM frequency reaches 2000 MHz with a capacity 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

The best overclocking board for AM3+
Country: China
Average price: 10,770 rub.
Rating (2019): 5.0

This is the best and most affordable motherboard for FX, Phenom, Athlon 2, Sempron 100 processors today. 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 all possible operations. Powerful bridge radiators for passive cooling with heat pipes are installed along the periphery of the case.

An important element is the many 4-pin connectors for connecting fans, since additional fans are often required to improve air circulation. It’s also nice that there are 8 power phases at once, so you don’t have to worry about protecting the board from “burning out.” With a complete and correct upgrade, the board can support the 5.1 GHz FX8300 processor without any problems. The main material of execution is strong hardboard for increased loads and heavy “tower” cooling systems.

How to choose a motherboard?

When choosing motherboards, rely on the following aspects:

1. Compatibility is an important parameter when choosing a motherboard. Any element and external device must be compatible physically and software with the board. An excellent option would be a board that allows you to switch to another processor in case of improvement.
2. The required number for ports, slots and socket (socket is a connector 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 foundation for an upgrade in the future.
3. Availability of cooling systems (cooling radiators) on the chipset. Chipset is a set of microcircuits mounted on the motherboard. Most often, all logic is tied to the north and south bridges. There are boards that do not have bridges, but there is a different logic organization scheme.
4. Other components: built-in sound controller (connecting speakers), video adapter (analogous to an external video card), network controller (internet connection), CMOS battery, Russified BIOS (optional), built-in recovery software.

The Socket 1155 motherboard works with 2nd and 3rd generation Intel processors. The socket was released back in 2011, but its power is enough to solve any problems even now. You can no longer find such motherboards in stores, but in China you can even buy new motherboards. Let's look at the most popular options.

We have already written that we do not yet consider it profitable to assemble a computer on the 1155 platform, since there are more profitable solutions on the LGA 1156 on the used market. On the other hand, the current platform has much more opportunities for upgrades, and the system can initially be assembled even without video cards - processors have integrated graphics. Modern components are many times more expensive, without much benefit in performance.

Read also:

Let's immediately make a reservation that Socket 1155 motherboards were produced in two series of chipsets - 6th and 7th: the first were intended for 2nd generation Sandy Bridge processors, the second - for the 3rd generation Ivy Bridge. Motherboards support both generations of processors, but for stones with Ivy Bridge to work on 6-series motherboards, a BIOS update is required. 7th generation motherboards support all processors out of the box.

1155 H61 motherboard - entry level

Entry-level boards in both cases are presented on a chip H61, which has no alternative in the budget segment. Motherboards have 2 slots for RAM (maximum 16 GB of RAM) and 1 slot for a video card. The boards do not have overclocking capabilities and are suitable only for entry-level processors. High-performance Core i5 and Core i7 are officially supported, but we recommend choosing a more expensive motherboard for them.

On Aliexpress, budget motherboards with socket 1155 cost $40-50. You can buy both a supported motherboard from famous brands and a new “no-name” one from a Chinese manufacturer. We do not recommend buying Biostar boards due to the high percentage of defects.

Mid-segment motherboards

There are 8 types of motherboards offered here - 4 chipsets in each series. Released for Sandy Bridge B65, Q65, Q67 And H67, and in the updated series for Ivy Bridge - B75, Q75, Q77 And H77.

Among the 6th series of chips, the most common were Q67 and H67, since they can overclock processors. And on such boards you can find more additional connectors and useful gadgets.

In the updated series, all chipsets are approximately equal to each other, but the B75 has become the most popular. Due to the more favorable price, this chipset was purchased more often, so it is widely represented on the used market. We recommend assembling the system on it if you do not need to overclock the processor. Mid-segment motherboards cost $55-60.

For example, consider the Gigabyte GA-B75-D3V board. It is made in the micro ATX form factor, has 4 connectors for RAM (up to 32 GB of memory), 2 connectors for video cards and a reinforced 8-pin processor power connector. At a relatively low cost, we get good potential for an upgrade.

Best 1155 Motherboards

Advanced solutions for the widest possible range of tasks are represented by the following chipsets: P67, Z68, Z75 And Z77. Let us immediately note that the P67 does not support integrated graphics. The most common chipset is considered to be the flagship Z77, since it did not differ much in cost from its analogues, but at the same time it has significant advantages in technical terms.

The most productive systems are assembled on the Z77; it is on it that you can squeeze all the juice out of Core i7 processors with unlocked multipliers (with the index “K”). It is interesting that the largest number of motherboards on Aliexpress are based on Z77 logic. For such boards they ask from 70 to 200 dollars. The difference in cost is due to the presence of additional goodies in the form of the number of slots and connectors for various tasks, as well as the overclocking capabilities of the board, the cooling system and the quality of components.

Each user has their own opinion about where a computer starts. Some people prefer to build a system “around” the monitor, selecting components in such a way that they provide comfortable performance at the required screen resolution. Some people prioritize the performance of a video card, choosing first the desired model of graphics accelerator, and then a power supply of suitable power and a case with sufficient cooling. Finally, for some, the highest speed of data processing is most important, and the computer is essentially assembled around a central processor and a pair of RAID arrays of SSDs and hard drives.

But when the user has already decided on the model of the most priority devices, he has to choose something that will allow them to be assembled into a single system that corresponds to the user’s initial ideas about the appearance and characteristics of the PC.

And, as you may have guessed, today we will talk about choosing a motherboard.

What you shouldn't pay attention to when choosing.

Board manufacturer.

A very large number of companies are engaged in the design and production of motherboards, and not all of them are represented in the DNS assortment. Moreover, the most famous vendors are already familiar to you from video cards and other computer components. ASUS, Gigabyte And MSI- the “big three”, from whose products users most often have to choose.

The paradox is that system performance in games does not depend on the motherboard. At all. The effectiveness of overclocking the central processor may depend on it, if such a function is available - this is a separate conversation. But if we exclude overclocking from attention, the same set of processor, video card and two to four memory sticks will produce the same performance when installed in a top-end motherboard or in one of the lower-end models.

Why? Because they determine gaming performance.

Recommendation #2: If you are planning to overclock a processor, pay attention to the number of phases in the board's power supply system, its cooling efficiency, voltage stability during overclocking, and BIOS capabilities. Yes, you cannot do without thoughtful and lengthy reading of reviews, but the result of your choice can also please you a lot. Again, these characteristics have nothing to do with the board’s positioning as “gaming/non-gaming” or even its price tag.

If overclocking is not planned at all, choose a board based on the characteristics that are more important to you: the number and type of peripheral connectors, the number of slots for memory modules, form factor, connectors for connecting case fans, and so on.

What is REALLY important for you to keep in mind.

Board form factor

It would seem that this is not the most serious aspect, but it is better to start with it. Agree, it’s not much fun if you choose the most suitable board, but it simply won’t fit into the case?

In addition, thanks to various motherboard standards, a personal computer today can be assembled into anything. There is no need to buy a bulky midi-tower case if you need a compact system that will fit in a desk niche. And it’s not at all necessary to place such a “box” next to the TV, if compact motherboards of mini-ITX or mini-STX formats can be “housed” in a small low-profile case, stylized as a multimedia player!

And don’t think that small systems always mean limited performance. Today, you can assemble a powerful gaming system in a compact case, and thanks to modern cases, coolers and the energy efficiency of current processors, it is not even in danger of overheating.

But let's get back to the point. So, what form factors of motherboards are presented in the DNS catalog?

Recommendation #5: The chipset does not affect performance, but as a rule, it allows you to clearly determine the positioning and functionality of the board. If you are not considering overclocking the processor, there is no point in chasing top models. Moreover, we are talking here not only about Intel platforms - for normal operation of AMD Ryzen processors and Bristol Ridge/Raven Ridge APUs, boards based on the budget AMD A320 chipset are enough.

However, if you plan to overclock the processor, connect a lot of high-speed peripherals, or build SLI/Crossfire systems, you should pay attention to older chipset models. In addition, since it is the top-end motherboards that are traditionally characterized by the best equipment, it is likely that among them you will find models with built-in wi-fi and bluetooth modules, as well as other points useful to you.

CPU compatibility

Generally, if the motherboard and processor share the same socket, it means they are compatible. However, there are exceptions to every rule. So, not every board for LGA 775 supports Wolfdale and Yorkfield processors, not every board with socket AM3+ supports Piledriver processors, and not every board for LGA 1155 supports Ivy Bridge processors without additional manipulations, and so on.

Recommendation #6: Before you go to the store to buy a new motherboard, visit the page for this model on the manufacturer's website and look at the list of compatible processors. It's completely easy and doesn't even take much time. But returning the board to the store or updating the BIOS at the service center will take time. Moreover, the BIOS update service at the service center is paid. And does it make sense to pay for it if the same money could simply be added to the budget and bought a more suitable motherboard?

Number of memory slots

RAM is an element of the PC that you can ignore for a long time, until one fine moment it is no longer enough. And it’s very good if at this moment you have the opportunity to increase the amount of memory. After all, if your PC has free slots, you just need to purchase the appropriate number of modules and continue to use the computer.

But if all the slots are occupied, you will have to sell the existing memory sticks, losing in price, and then buy larger capacity sticks, which in total will cost much more money, and will also take a lot of time... but you must admit, time can be spent with much more more benefit!

Recommendation #7: Save money by buying the entire motherboard with two RAM slots, it’s worth it only when you are firmly convinced that the PC should survive as long as possible without an upgrade and be replaced entirely. Otherwise, you will end up in the situation described above and make a hole in the family budget.

The "gold standard" in this regard is board with 4 memory slots. So, if you build a PC with two memory sticks of 8 gigabytes each, then in the future, if there is a lack of memory, it will be enough to just add two more sticks of 8 gigabytes each, which will be quite affordable.

Boards with 8 slots Memory, as expected, belongs to the LGA 2011 and LGA 2011-3 platforms. With them everything is simpler: there the amount of memory is determined by the tasks for which the system is assembled, and is used immediately and completely.

Number of interface connectors

Since, when assembling a PC, you already have a rough idea of ​​what components and how many peripherals you will use, it is worth ensuring that the board allows you to connect everything you need without a clutter of adapters and splitters. It only seems at first that you can save money here, but in reality all sorts of USB hubs, external adapters and other extraneous parts make life very difficult.

So, what is desirable to provide?

Number and type of USB connectors on the rear panel. You shouldn’t get carried away here, especially since these ports are used primarily to connect a keyboard, mouse, graphics tablet and other stationary peripherals. Nevertheless, it is advisable to have at least four, and preferably six, connectors of the appropriate type on the back of the PC.

It is also advisable that at least two of which belonged to the 3.0 standard - high-speed peripherals such as portable hard drives will thank you.

Not necessary, but it wouldn’t hurt to availability of USB 3.1 ports. Today this is exotic, but in the foreseeable future the standard has every chance of becoming ubiquitous, so why not provide for it right away?

Having chosen a board that seems suitable at first glance, ask on the manufacturer’s website or in the “” service on the DNS website whether it has the ability to output USB ports to the front panel of the case. This may not seem most important to you now, but believe me, you will get tired of moving the system unit from place to place to connect a flash drive or cable from a camera/smartphone to the port on the back very quickly. And extension cords are just extra clutter on the desk. And besides, they love to fall at this very table.

It is also important to pay attention to the number and type of SATA connectors. You should pay attention to boards that support the currently fastest version - SATA 6 Gb/s. This will not require overpayment - connectors of this type are found even on completely budget devices. But one or two This type of connector will have a very good effect on the speed of the SSD.

Availability of type connectors SATA Express not necessary today, but it will be a good start for the future, when high-speed SSDs with such a connector become more common.

In some cases, a good bonus will be the presence built-in wi-fi adapter. For multimedia PCs living in the living room under the TV, this is practically a necessity, and for a large drawer with a separate table it may not be superfluous. Still, with the spread of smartphones and tablets, local networks in houses and apartments are most often implemented via wi-fi: it is more convenient to install one router / access point to which all devices will connect at once, than to make holes in the walls by laying a cable.

Most owners are satisfied with a very simple audio system, but if you have something other than the “two speakers, one subwoofer” setup in your home, pay attention to this point as well. Boards that allow you to connect surround sound systems like 5.1 or 7.1 , can seriously improve the sound in movies and games. Although the most demanding audiophiles, of course, cannot do without a discrete sound card.

If we are talking about discrete adapters, immediately evaluate the number, type and location of PCI-express slots. There is no secret here - everything is visible in the photographs of the product. Sufficient for a gaming PC in most cases one x16 connector, since one top-end video card is more than enough for games at current resolutions. Boards with two x16 slots are needed if you plan to build SLI/Crossfire, but here you need to make sure that the slots can operate in the “8+8” or “16+16 lines” mode. In the "16+4" mode, SLI simply will not work, and the gameplay when using the "inferior" Crossfire will be far from comfortable.

Boards with three or more PCI-e x16 slots are necessary only if you use any rare and highly specialized expansion cards. Installing more than two video cards into the system makes no sense. In addition, in the latest generations (GeForce 1000) of video cards, even Nvidia officially abandoned support for SLI from more than two accelerators (or rather, support for 3-way SLI is in benchmarks, and in several games it is enabled unofficially...).

It would be more useful to have it on the board PCI-e x1 slots: if you need an alternative sound or network card, or a discrete controller for any interfaces that are not on the motherboard, most likely these devices will use the x1 interface.

Legacy support PCI interface Today it is not necessary for an ordinary PC, but if you use some rare controllers or expansion cards in your work, it is worth considering it.

In addition, you should evaluate the number of connectors for connecting case fans. Of course, today's hardware has a predominantly calm disposition; you will no longer find real stoves among video cards and processors. And yet, it would be nice if the board allowed you to connect all cabinet turntables and control their speed without unnecessary adapters and reo-bass.

Recommendation #8: Of course, sometimes savings are at the forefront, and at many points you have to turn a blind eye just to assemble a PC faster and stay within the budget. And yet, the better equipped your motherboard is, the more convenient it will be to operate your PC. Moreover, again, it is not necessary to take exactly the top versions - sometimes even budget models can offer an interesting set of interfaces and connectors, you just need to carefully choose.

Overclocking capabilities

If you are considering a motherboard for a platform that allows you to overclock central processors, you will agree that it would be nice to choose one that will allow you to achieve higher values ​​and, as a result, get O better performance. A little careful analysis in this case can pay off many times over, while neglect of information can, on the contrary, lead to useless expenses.

Recommendation #9: When choosing an “overclocking” motherboard, focus primarily on reviews on reputable resources. Of course, you should remember that in overclocking everything depends on the capabilities of a particular processor instance, but if several authors on several sources have one board that allows you to achieve a higher frequency than its analogues, this is a clear signal to buy.

Criteria and selection options:

According to the above, motherboards from the DNS directory can be ranked as follows:

For a nettop in a custom case, a home file server, a CarPC or an entry-level multimedia PC, mini-ITX motherboards are suitable socket AM1, or options with soldered on the board AMD or Intel processors. You shouldn't expect enormous computing performance from these platforms, but they solve simple problems easily and without wasting energy.

For a home multimedia PC that lives in the living room and masquerades as a VCR or stereo system, these are best suited compact boards for AM4 socket, having digital interfaces for video output. APUs are much more preferable for these tasks than a combination of a CPU and a discrete video card: when the processor and video live under the same cover, the computer can be made smaller and the heating will be lower. The latter is even more important for a compact system than for a gaming machine.

Whether your PC will become an office tool, a universal home assistant, a top-end gaming machine or a workstation for a reasonable price depends primarily on the processor you choose. But you need to choose from two options: either socket AM4, or LGA 1151_v2. At the same time, for a gaming machine you should pay attention first of all to boards that support processor overclocking- the opportunity to add agility to the system will not be superfluous.

For a purely office PC, probably a more suitable choice would be budget boards based on LGA 1151_v2, which do not support overclocking, but have video outputs for the graphics built into the processor. For obvious reasons, discrete video cards are not needed in most office workstations, and the graphics in the APU for the AM4 socket are too powerful for these purposes.

For a top-end workstation you will have to choose a motherboard either socket TR4, or under LGA 2066. The choice in this case will be determined only by which of the platforms will perform better in professional tasks, while the functionality and equipment of the boards themselves belonging to the top segment are at an approximately comparable level.

We have already introduced readers to the LGA1155 platform (Sandy Bridge processors) and reviewed some interesting motherboards. However, Intel soon recalled all chipsets of revision B2, as an error was discovered in the chips. How critical it really is is described in this material. Motherboard manufacturers have also removed solutions based on LGA1155 from sale. As a result, it was not possible to purchase a new PC base or conduct full comparative testing. Only in mid-March did boards built on the corrected southbridges of revision B3 appear on the domestic market. And now we have collected models for the LGA1155 platform, limiting ourselves to choosing the most striking and characteristic representatives of the product lines of leading vendors, and compared them with each other.

ASUS P8H67-M PRO (REV.3.0)

ASUS P8H67-M PRO (REV.3.0)

Not a bad power subsystem; equipment; detailed BIOS

Unable to unleash the potential of a CPU with the "K" index

Verdict

The product in question is the most functional in the ASUS lineup based on the H67 Express chipset. P8H67-M PRO (Rev.3.0) has a high-quality power subsystem equipped with a radiator. In addition to the usual ones, the rear panel of the board has USB 3.0 and optical S/PDIF connectors. Two full-length PCI-E x16 slots are overkill, since the bottom one operates at x4 speed.

Among the interesting innovations of ASUS, we highlight MemOK! – a technology that “expands” the compatibility of DDR3 RAM modules with the platform. The EFI-BIOS of this model is easy to navigate for both beginners and professionals. For the latter there is an extensive supply of settings. The only disappointing thing is the inability of the P8H67-M PRO (Rev.3.0) to reveal the potential of a CPU with the “K” index due to the peculiarities of the logic set used. Otherwise, this is an excellent board for assembling a functional PC, including NTRS.

ASUS P8P67 Deluxe (REV.3.0)

ASUS P8P67 Deluxe (REV.3.0)

Equipment and functionality; powerful power subsystem; overclocking capabilities; execution; contents of delivery

Verdict

The top-end motherboard from ASUS impresses with its equipment and capabilities. The first thing that attracts attention is the powerful power subsystem, covered with massive radiators. Almost all the space on the rear panel is devoted to interface connectors. Among the atypical elements of the device, we highlight the built-in Bluetooth receiver. The P8P67 Deluxe (REV.3.0) comes with a block that allows you to bring high-speed USB 3.0 ports to the front panel of the case.

This model demonstrates excellent overclocking results. The process of forcing the system should be simplified by control buttons wired to the RSV and the ability to manually configure operating modes of energy-saving technologies.

If you do not need an expanded configuration of graphics slots (x16+x8+x8 and more), the ASUS P8P67 Deluxe (REV.3.0) will be an excellent choice for creating a high-end PC.

ASUS SABERTOOTH P67 (REV.3.0)

Impressive design; overclocking capabilities; power subsystem and radiators

A bit expensive

Verdict

The ASUS TUF (The Ultimate Force) line of motherboards has always stood out for its extravagant design. However, SABERTOOTH P67 in this regard significantly surpasses its predecessors: its RSV is almost completely covered with a perforated decorative overlay. The user has access exclusively to functional connectors and ports. Below the processor socket there is a mounting hole into which you can install a small-sized fan and thus, according to the company’s engineers, improve the thermal performance of the components.

You have to pay for an exclusive - therefore, despite the more modest functionality compared to the Deluxe version and the absence of control buttons on the RSV, the model in question is not cheap. However, she will definitely find her fans.

Gigabyte GA-H67MA-UD2H-B3

Gigabyte GA-H67MA-UD2H-B3

Functionality; power subsystem; radiators; excellent overclocking capabilities (except for increasing the CPU multiplier)

Not detected

Verdict

The Gigabyte GA-H67MA-UD2H-B3 looks more like a device for enthusiasts than the basis of a productive multimedia PC. In addition to traditional USB 3.0 ports, the rear panel includes eSATA and a very rare for boards based on H67 Express DisplayPort. A powerful power subsystem and a functional BIOS will appeal to those who want to experiment with overclocking via BCLK - here the product in question has something to boast about. The heating of the GA-H67MA-UD2H-B3 turned out to be quite low, but it’s worth paying attention to the heatsinks: they are very flexible, since the contact area with the power transistors is small, and the thermal pad makes its contribution. Therefore, be careful when installing large CPU coolers.

Considering the maximum equipment of the board in question, its cost is quite justified.

Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD3-B3

Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD3-B3

Overclocking capabilities; power subsystem

BIOS Features; more expensive than competing solutions

Verdict

This product turned out to be very ascetic. GA-P67A-UD3-B3 aims for the mid-level segment, so it is noteworthy that at first glance the power subsystem of the GA-H67MA-UD2H-B3 multimedia board is better designed. However, this one is also good, and the overclocking capabilities of the solution in question are excellent. However, enthusiasts may be clouded by the behavior of the device after changing the settings in the BIOS - a triple restart is not uncommon for this model, and if the algorithm of actions is incorrect, it is not at all impossible for the system to freeze during the POST procedure. This feature is typical for all the manufacturer's products based on the P67 Express.

Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD3-B3 is the basic motherboard in the line. It is quite well equipped, but if you compare the positioning and the final cost, it turns out that competing solutions of a similar class are slightly cheaper.

Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD7-B3

Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD7-B3

Equipment; bright design; overclocking capabilities; graphics slot configuration

Price; BIOS features

Verdict

The updated line of top-end Gigabyte motherboards turned out to be very attractive: the color combination and design of the radiators will not leave anyone indifferent. The functional equipment of the model also claims to be a record. In addition to the elements standard for high-level solutions, the RSV has an NF200 bridge, which allows you to combine several graphics adapters into a PC without compromising the final performance of the connections. The GA-P67A-UD7-B3 demonstrates excellent overclocking results, but it is characterized by the same behavioral features that we noted in the P67A-UD3-B3.

Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD7-B3 is the most expensive board for the LGA1155 platform on the market. However, this did not stop her from receiving the award.

MSI P67A-C43 (B3)

MSI P67A-C43 (B3)

Price; equipment; overclocking capabilities

Verdict

The P67A-C43 (B3) board is one of the most affordable on the market among models based on the P67 Express chipset. However, this did not particularly affect the functionality of the product: the rear panel is replete with connectors, and the potential of the power subsystem is enough to overclock the CPU to 5 GHz and higher. The engineers took the trouble to install several LEDs on the RSV that indicate the operating mode of the PC. Just one PCI-Express x16 slot is unlikely to confuse anyone today, and the absence of heatsinks around the processor socket is not critical.

It’s nice that in addition to the standard elements of the delivery kit, the box of this model contains connectors that simplify the connection of body connectors. Unlike its close relative, P67S-C43 (B3), this board has USB 3.0 support. Thanks to its balanced set of characteristics, it rightfully deserved the award.

MSI P67A-GD55 (B3)

MSI P67A-GD55 (B3)

Equipment; control buttons on RSV; detailed BIOS; high quality PWM

Not detected

Verdict

Unlike its predecessor, this model looks much more solid: the transistors of the power subsystem are covered with radiators, the Power and Reset buttons are wired to the RSV, and Clear CMOS is located on the rear panel. In addition to the now traditional USB 3.0 ports, the P67A-GD55 (B3) is equipped with an IEEE 1394 interface, coaxial and digital outputs.

The configuration of PCI-E x16 slots allows you to create dual-adapter graphics configurations based on this solution.

The board in question has good system overclocking capabilities and demonstrated good results.

It’s hard to find fault with the MSI P67A-GD55 (B3), and products of the same class from competing companies are often more expensive. Therefore, it will be a good option for building a productive PC.

MSI H61M-E33 (B3)

MSI H61M-E33 (B3)

Cost; presence of all video outputs on the rear panel

Basic functionality

Verdict

This product is the most affordable of those considered in the test, so it is difficult to demand outstanding overclocking capabilities and rich equipment from it. The attractive price is due to the use of the H61 Express chipset.

MSI H61M-E33 (B3) has a good power subsystem. The absence of radiators in the case of Sandy Bridge is not critical, because the transistors heat up weakly. All modern video interfaces are installed on the board, so you can build an inexpensive NTRS on its basis. The lack of USB ports on the rear panel (there are only two) will have to be compensated for by case connectors. The PCI slot is connected to the chipset via a bridge adapter. Judging by the empty seats for additional controllers, a more progressive board model will be built on the basis of the same RSV.

MSI Big Bang-Marshal (B3)

MSI Big Bang-Marshal (B3)

Excellent power subsystem; control buttons; DashBoard

No PCI; in some cases – reduced performance of video cards

Verdict

The top motherboard of the Big Bang series is a continuation of the line of products for enthusiasts. However, unlike the X58-based solution, there are several questions about it. Marshal is made on an enlarged PCB (EATX), equipped with a powerful power subsystem and in terms of control capabilities (buttons on the board, indicators, etc.) and overclocking it has no equal among models for the LGA1155 platform. However, not all of the eight full-size PCI-Express slots can operate at at least “half” x8 speed. Because they are connected via the Lucid Hydra switch chip, the graphics performance of Marshal-based PCs is sometimes slower than that of competing devices. The difference for the average user is insignificant, but for the target audience - overclockers - the lag in certain video tests is critical.

LGA1155 boards based on B2 and B3 chipsets - what is the difference?

The announcement of Sandy Bridge processors and the first tests of the platform demonstrated its significant advantage over its predecessors. Progressive representatives of the IT community have traditionally started upgrading their PCs. And everything would be fine if not for one thing. Intel Corporation in February disseminated information according to which an error was discovered in the south bridges of LGA1155 motherboards. According to the statement, after a sufficiently long period of time (1–2 years) it can lead to failure of the SATA II interface and devices connected to the corresponding ports (hard drives, optical drives, etc.). This message caused a lot of noise. Almost all motherboard manufacturers have withdrawn from sale their own solutions based on chipsets of the second revision, promising to soon bring to market updated models with B3 stepping chips. Many users, especially those who rushed to upgrade, were taken by surprise by such information.

However, it’s not for nothing that we highlighted the word “may” - the scenario indicated by Intel is not at all necessary. In addition, the problem does not affect SATA II and SATA 3.0 interfaces implemented using controllers from third-party manufacturers! Therefore, almost all market players have developed recommendations on how to protect themselves from possible surprises, and even released simple utilities that tell you which ports SATA devices are connected to and whether they need to be switched. Considering that the vast majority of motherboards for Sandy Bridge are equipped with the mentioned controllers, and many users today make do with one or two hard drives - in our opinion, everything is not so scary.

Motherboards based on revision B3 chipsets are highlighted by manufacturers in every possible way.
This is facilitated by the B3 suffix in the name, stickers on product packaging, and information in BIOS identifiers.

Currently, the market sells devices exclusively based on revision B3 chipsets. It is quite easy to distinguish them - all companies decorated the boxes of their products with appropriate stickers and indicators, and many added the suffix “B3” to the names of the updated models. We did not find any other improvements on boards of the same family that were reviewed by the Home PC editors.

Is it worth changing the solution with chipset version B2 to B3? Manufacturers promised to do this under a warranty program, but we are not sure whether it makes sense.

By the way, the remains of devices based on revision B2 chipsets are today sold cheaper than their updated counterparts. The average difference is $10–20, which may make some users wonder whether to save money (especially if the PC has few drives installed that can be connected to ports implemented through additional controllers) or not.

Parade of chipsets for LGA1155

Even during the announcement of Sandy Bridge, Intel announced its intention to bring to the market five sets of system logic for LGA1155 processors. The first to conquer store windows were boards based on the P67 and H67 southbridges. The fundamental difference between them is the possibility of overclocking processors with index “K” with a multiplier on the former and the implementation of the functions of graphics built into the CPU on the latter. Today, solutions based on the H61 Express are appearing on the market, which I would like to dwell on in more detail. On the one hand, this chipset is capable of satisfying most of the requests put forward for a mass-produced PC; on the other hand, if you have additional requirements for the disk subsystem, it is better to immediately look at models that use more advanced south bridges. H61 is an entry-level chip (or, in fact, a simplified version of H67), so products based on it are affordable. Among the functional features, we note that the Intel H61 does not have built-in SATA 3.0 ports and support for RAID arrays. In addition, it has only six PCI Express 2.0 lanes, and the number of USB 2.0 connectors has been reduced from 14 to 10. It is unlikely that any manufacturer will massively equip budget solutions with USB 3.0 controllers. In addition, the user will not be able to enable the Advanced Mode feature of AHCI disk drives. To route the PCI slot on the boards, a special adapter bridge is used.

More interesting to enthusiasts will be the Z68 Express chipset, which actually combines the capabilities of the P67 for overclocking the CPU and the video interfaces of the H67 for using integrated processor graphics. This set of system logic is notable for two functions that are missing in the current flagship P67. Quick Sync will allow you to effectively precode video using the CPU (and this is one of the trump cards of Sandy Bridge). To use the technology, you will have to connect the monitor to the video outputs of the motherboard, but the user will nevertheless have access to all the resources of discrete graphics. Another interesting feature of the Z68 is SSD caching, which makes it possible to create a fairly fast disk subsystem based on a small solid-state drive and a traditional HDD. In this case, the SSD will be used in a non-standard way - as a capacious flash buffer for caching information. We will return to a detailed description of these technologies when the corresponding motherboards enter the market. Products based on the Z68 Express should hit the market in the next few months, and they will surely find a home in the high-end segment.

Characteristics of Intel chipsets

Chipset	Z68	P67	H67	H61
PCI-E lines, pcs.	8	8	8	6
USB 2.0 ports, pcs.	14	14	14	10
SATA 6 Gb/s ports, pcs.	2	2	2	0
SATA 3 Gb/s ports, pcs.	4	4	4	4
Intel Rapid Storage Technology RAID 0/1/5/10	+	+	+	—
AHCI	+	+	+	—
Integrated graphics support	+	—	+	+
RAM modules, pcs.	4	4	4	2

Testing methodology

The products under consideration are built on system logic sets, which are actually south bridges. The traditional features of motherboard chipsets are now integrated into the processor. Therefore, it would be too optimistic to expect at least some difference in the performance of PCs assembled on the basis of the solutions presented in the material. However, with one exception, which we mentioned.

K-series CPUs can be overclocked by increasing the multiplier, but this option is only available on boards using the P67 Express chip. Overclocking Sandy Bridge at its base frequency (BCLK) is very difficult, but it is not impossible, so we examined the potential of the boards in this area. When assigning the final rating, we paid attention to the functionality, ease of use of the products, and the operating features of the RAM subsystem.

As an interesting addition, we present the temperature indicators of the power subsystem of each board. We shot them during idle periods - with the PC turned on and idle, and during a long load - the wPrime 1024m test running in four-thread mode. The temperature of the power subsystem elements was measured with a pyrometer (non-contact thermometer with an infrared sensor). The diagram shows the maximum values. During such measurements, the cooler was always positioned so that the air flow created by the fan moved in the direction of the connectors on the rear panels.

conclusions

Intel and its partners did an honorable job of replacing problematic motherboards with models with an updated revision of the south bridges. However, the error mentioned by the chipmaker is not as critical as it might seem at first glance, so owners of older products should not worry too much. Although the costs incurred need to be compensated somehow - if you noticed, today on the market motherboards with B3 series chipsets are on average $10–20 more expensive than similar solutions based on B2 revision chips. There are often no other differences between devices.

As for the products discussed in this material, I would like to highlight the appearance on sale of models built on the Intel H61 Express. They lack a number of functions inherent in boards based on the H67; they are simpler to equip, but also cost less. Solutions like the MSI H61M-E33 (B3) can fully satisfy the needs of the owner of an average inexpensive PC.

Based on the results of testing motherboards for the LGA1155 platform, it is difficult to clearly give preference to the products of any manufacturer. Gigabyte models, for example, suffer from repeated reboots after changing settings in the BIOS, but they attracted enthusiasts because they demonstrate a slight advantage over competing solutions in specialized tests like 3DMark2001 SE. With MSI everything is too simple or, on the contrary, complicated, and on devices from this company it is possible to maximize the potential of RAM only with the help of specialized utilities for fine-tuning the system. Against this background, ASUS developments, it seems to us, look the most balanced and demonstrate good performance during operation.

The most affordable model based on the P67 Express chipset among those reviewed is MSI P67A-C43 (B3). It claims to be a leader in the market in terms of price, but at the same time it is also very well equipped, so it deservedly receives the award "Editor's Choice: Best Buy". We chose the nominee for the most honorable title between ASUS P8P67 Deluxe And Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD7-B3. They have approximately similar equipment, but the first one has a more balanced price. The second offers expanded capabilities for creating multi-adapter graphics configurations, boasts a bright and memorable design, but at the same time is the most expensive motherboard for the LGA1155 platform available on the market. As a result, we decided that the reward "Editor's Choice: Best Quality" deserve both fees.