A motherboard is the foundation of every gaming system. Whether you’re going to build a Desktop gaming PC from scratch or buy a pre-built PC to upgrade later, a motherboard is what acts as the backbone of your entire gaming system.
But, what exactly is a motherboard? It is nothing more than a printed circuit board (PCB) that lets different components connect and communicate. It is found in almost every smartphone, tablet, notebook, and many other intelligent devices.
A motherboard is usually the second choice after a processor when you’re building a PC. That is because a powerful processor requires a suitable motherboard to work. If you’ve got yourself an 11th Gen processor, you’d need one of the best Intel gaming motherboards to go along with it.
What You Need To Know Before Buying a Gaming Motherboard For Desktop PCs?
Choosing a perfect motherboard for your system can be pretty tricky. There are tons of these types of Gaming Motherboard For Desktop PCs in the market, and if you don’t know what to look for, you’ll be wasting your time.
The best way to choose a Gaming Motherboard For Desktop PCs is to plan all the other components you’d want on your gaming PC. You should know what type of processor, RAM, GPU, and other components you’ll be connecting to your motherboard.
There are also several other factors given below that you should consider before buying a gaming motherboard.
1. RAM support
It is crucial to know what type of RAM you intend to use with your motherboard. You should also know how much RAM you are going to install on your gaming PC. There are tons of different types of RAM out there with different memory sizes and frequencies.
Suppose you buy high-end RAM for your system, but your motherboard can’t support it; it will all be entirely pointless and a waste of money.
2. The ARGB function
There’s no gaming PC without any RGB. The ARGB or Addressable RGB is a small connector that lets you effectively control all the lightings in your PC. It enables you to assign multiple colors to individual LEDs to make your PC look much more attractive.
3. Type of slots
It is essential to know that your motherboard has the slots for everything you intend to install. Each type of component uses a different type of slot or port to connect to the motherboard. SSD slots, M.2 slots, and many other slots are common and essential for every PC to function fully.
4. Type of Sockets
The socket defines what type of processors you can fit on your motherboard. It is one of the most important things to check before buying a motherboard. If your motherboard has a socket that isn’t compatible with your processor, you won’t install it.
5. Form Factor
Motherboards come in different forms, factors, and sizes. You’ll have to check if your motherboard can comfortably fit into your PC’s casing or not. For gamers, the most used types are either Form Factor ATX motherboards or Standard ATX motherboards.
Besides the above factors, you’ll also have to decide if you’re going to buy an Intel or AMD motherboard. You can’t use an Intel processor on an AMD motherboard vice versa.
The debate between the users of AMD and Intel processors has been going for a long time. While most of their functions are similar, Intel processors excel at giving out maximum performance with their single-core. On the other end, AMD excels at multi-core processing. Other than that, these two brands and their products are excellent. Whichever processor you choose, you won’t be making a wrong decision. However, you’ll have to tailor the rest of your build according to your choice.
If you’re not holding back any money, you can also invest in liquid cooling to overclock your processor, which will bring out the maximum potential of your CPU. However, you’d need good knowledge of overclocking the components. Otherwise, you might end up damaging something. On the other end, if you’re short on budget, you should check out some of the best budget motherboards for gaming.