The motherboard is one of the most important elements of a computer since this device is practically the heart of the PC. All the other boards, the processor, the chipset, and other equipment that make up the PC are connected to the motherboard. It is for this reason that it is of vital importance to choose a motherboard that completely adapts to our needs so that, in this way, we obtain an exceptional performance that supports the expenditure made on this hardware equipment.
In this article, we will see some guidelines to take into account and thus be able to choose a motherboard that is just what we need, without having to spend more than necessary.
Choosing a motherboard
The first thing to take into account before starting the process of selecting a motherboard to upgrade our PC or, simply, to build a new one, is undoubtedly to know how much money we have or have earmarked to acquire the motherboard.
Nowadays, there is a huge number of motherboards, from the most compact and economical to the most modern and sophisticated. Of course, each of them has a different price according to its functions, expansion capacity, warranty, and compatibility with certain technologies. We can say then, that one of the main points to take into account during the choice is the budget we have destined for the board, the more expensive the board the better the performance, but this will depend on the chosen processor and the use we give to the PC. A home computer is not the same as a computer designed for video editing.
Another point to take into consideration is, without a doubt, the use we are going to give to the computer, that is to say, for what tasks we are going to use the computer. It would be an unnecessary expense to acquire a high-end card with compatibility for more modern technologies and capacity for 4 video cards if we are only going to use it to write office texts.
We can say then, that the use that will be given to the equipment is proportional to the budget that we have set for the acquisition of the motherboard and these factors are fundamental before choosing or selecting equipment since they will be the starting point to be able to discard very expensive or very economic equipment that does not adjust to our requirements.
Features
Once we have identified the use we will give to the equipment, it is time to start selecting features for our motherboard.
Processor compatibility
Perhaps the most important point of the selection is the compatibility with the processor selected for our PC. Nowadays, there is a great diversity of processors. We can choose a high-end card with support for Core i7 processors or a more modest one, but better adapted to our requirements, such as one with Core i3 or i5 compatibility. Everything will depend on the type of processor we have and the other features of the card.
Expansion Capacity
Another feature to take into account when choosing a motherboard is its expansion capacity, remember that the more slots our motherboard contains, the better, since it will allow us to add sound, video, TV, etc. boards. So that we can increase the capacities of our equipment, without having to acquire a new motherboard.
Support for RAM memory and other devices
The motherboard to choose must be 100% compatible with the hardware devices that will be part of our PC, such as RAM memory. It is essential that the motherboard is compatible with the type of memory chosen and can support an acceptable amount. As a general rule, nothing below 2 GB for modern computers, although this will depend on the operating system chosen and the computer we are building.
Another point to take into account with this type of device is, without a doubt, that it has support for emerging technologies, such as USB 3.0 or SATA III. Of course, this is not essential, but it will give more useful life to our motherboard.
The motherboard must comfortably support the optical drives and hard disks and of course, the power supply, thus ensuring optimal operation adapted to our needs.
