Which socket motherboard

Motherboard audio quality is primarily defined by the audio codec aka the audio processing chip a given board uses. But here are a few to keep an eye on:. However, if your case has a window, you should get a board that you like looking at--with lights if you like them. Also, if you are building a system that you want to look as clean as possible that is, with few visible wires snaking around the motherboard , look for a board with its fan and USB headers placed around the edges, and SATA and USB 3 header ports that point to the side, rather than sticking up vertically.

This will make accomplishing a clean build much easier. Want to comment on this story? Let us know what you think in the Tom's Hardware Forums.

Matt Safford. Topics Buyer's Guides. See all comments 2. It use be I'd count all the features a motherboard has when I'd shop for a motherboard. Then I discovered how much heat some boards make than others. Nawww, If there isn't quality built into the board, it's as useless as buying a the cheapest board available. Ultra Mobile PC. Green Computing. Computer Help Resources. Site Index. Contact Us. Privacy Policy. Site Policies. Voice Marketing Inc.

All Rights Reserved. Read our Privacy Policy. Search This Site. Guides and more Go High conductivity terminals create solid connections. Armature makes it easy to open and close socket. The below figure shows the Pin ZIF socket :. Z and the 9th gen CPUs are the new hotness and carry a price premium. AMD is a bit better about socket compatibility and motherboard longevity than Intel.

Ryzen's AM4 and Threadripper's TR4 sockets are relatively new, and we expect both platforms to remain active for some time. AMD processor compatibility spans multiple product generations, so older Ryzen CPUs work should in later motherboards without a problem, although you'll need to check the manual and update the BIOS to run newer processors on older chipsets.

Threadripper also sports 64 PCIe lanes and the core counts to back them up, making just about any combination of add-in cards and drives possible. As with the X platform, however, for gaming purposes you're almost always better off sticking with AM4.

It's not that Threadripper can't play games, but it's not faster than Ryzen and the extra cores aren't put to use in any current games. These offer fewer ports than the flagship X, but the B and B support overclocking and run the same default memory speeds as the high-end X and X, making them a compelling alternative for Ryzen users looking to save a few bucks but keep some tweaking options open. Cheap and fun are a winning formula. The key to navigating the motherboard maze is mapping where you want to take your system.

It starts with size. How small does your computer need to be? When it comes to motherboards, bigger is usually better, roughly up to full-sized ATX. Go with the biggest board your case can comfortably accommodate; don't let the novelty of a small board tempt you unless absolutely necessary, or if novelty is the part of the mission plan.

Smaller boards cost more, provide fewer features and just aren't as stable as big ones. Unless there's a specific reason to go ITX, it's better to avoid them for gaming. Larger boards are easier to work with, provide better voltage regulation and offer niceties like room for serious graphics cards, slots for M. You also avoid the skinned knuckles and high blood pressure inherent in every tight build. For example, ITX boards that feature M.

Enclosure prices can more than double moving from mid- to full-sized towers, adding significantly to a system's bottom line. Remember to include the hidden expense when buying and building beyond ATX. The next step is listing all the things you need from a system.

What kind of drives are you hooking up? Are you using Ethernet or wi-fi? Are you running more than one graphics card?