How to choose a motherboard for your PC

How to choose a motherboard for your PC

The motherboard is the core component of the computer: Depending on this choice the resulting choice of processor (CPU), the type of memory (RAM) and expansion ports: number of graphics ports, number of connections Sata hard drives and optical drives ...Its socket also identifies opportunities for future development, the ability to mount a new processor a few years later: it's called survival of sockets.

The fundamental component of the motherboard is the socket, which will require an AMD or Intel CPU.The key component is the 2nd speed:although its function is less important than before, now the memory controller is integrated into the processor, it identifies opportunities for overclocking..

To choose a motherboard, you must pay attention to two main points:

    compatibility with the other components of the PC: To be perfectly compatible, the various components of the PC should be part of the same generation, and sometimes even come from the same manufacturer. The choice of RAM can cause compatibility issues, please read: choose your RAM. During an update, a new generation processor will not work on a motherboard too old, even with an updated BIOS.
    the scalability of the connection: To assemble a computer capable of evolving and paste to future technological progress, the scalability of the connector on your motherboard is paramount. What is it that you need to connect the new elements: it must support the. For additions of elements, it mostly requires sufficient number ports (USB2, USB3 ...) and specific types (e-SATA, FireWire, HDMI, ...)


Of course, you want to use your PC is crucial: your needs will not be the same for a PC dedicated to the single office and web surfing on a PC gamers that 3D video games will run.

 Choice of socketAMD or Intel, the war of the two brands raging processor and motherboards are compatible with a brand: So, first choose your processor.I invite you to read the article select a processor to help you make your choice.
Mid-2012, the choice is pretty simple AMD:there is for the moment only 3 sockets;for the AM3 + CPU FX, FM1 and FM2 for CPU Fusion (Llano) HTPC.
At Intel, there are only two sockets:1155, for Sandy and Ivy Bridge CPU, and 2011 for the Sandy Bridge Extreme CPU.Choice of chipsetThe choice of chipset determines the different managed DDR3 and especially the possibility of overclocking.Motherboards for Intel CPU socket 1155In January 2011 came out of the socket 1155 motherboards for Sandy Bridge CPU, and Ivy Bridge in March 2012.As for the 1156 socket, the processor loads the memory controller.
Many chipsets are available for this platform, the main ones are:- H61 in the first price reduced H67 release: no SATA 3 (6 Gb / s) or RAID- The H67, allowing to use the integrated graphics chip but does not allow you to overclock,- The P67, making it possible to overclock the CPU via coefficient but not to use the integrated graphics chip- The Z68, allowing to overclock the CPU via coefficient and use the integrated graphics chip CPU.- The H77: allows overclocking the integrated GPU, not the CPU;- The Z77: allows overclocking the integrated GPU and CPU.
Source 1, Source 2
Note: Asus, PRO EVO versions and H61 motherboards ship a component to manage the SATA3, the ASMedia ® ASM1061 controller.
The overclocking "classic" is no longer possible in 1155 socket, you can qu'overclocker the CPU coefficient for K versions, open coefficient.
To compare motherboards for Ivy Bridge, you can read:Z77 chipset motherboardsMotherboards for AMD CPU Socket AM3/AM3 + and FM1 / 2Nvidia has stopped producing chipsets for AMD motherboard, there are more than AMD chipsets.
Chipsets still found in AMD AM3 are 760, 785, 790 and 880, 890:they allow unrestricted CrossFire.Do not choose a motherboard prior to 760G chipset, the HyperTransport bus is clamped, slowing trade with RAM.
For socket AM3 +, recommended are the latest chipset AMD out of the 900 series:970, 990X and 990FX.
For Fusion Llano CPU designed for home theater PCs, the FM1 socket is released in late 2011, but a new socket FM2 comes out this summer: the legendary durability AMD is dead ...Sustainability socketsChoosing a motherboard determines the type of possible processors:it is interesting to choose a motherboard with a socket that has a long life, to be able to update your PC by changing the CPU in the following years without any change.Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to know what the founders will be in the near future, as experience shows us that the two founders often change socket, say on average every two years.Intel SustainabilityAmong the largest smelters, sustainability is rather poor:
To recap, the socket 775 lasted 4 years but with total incompatibility (read here), and socket1156 lasted only a year ...
From what we know about the 1155 socket, it should last at least until spring 2013, when the new CPU Haswell should leave in 1150 socket, of course not compatible.Source 1Source 2.Sustainability AMDAt the 2nd smelter in size, durability is better.
To recap, the compatibility AM2/AM2 + / AM3 was large (but not total due to DDR2 transition -> DDR3).
On the AM3 + slightly different from AM3 processors Bulldozer Zambezi (FX), it supports carefree CPU socket AM3 (Athlon II and Phenom II).Conversely, we can install a CPU in AM3 + Zambezi on AM3 motherboard, with some limitations and bugs that have been fixed.
Future CPU Vishera should leave the third quarter of 2012 will be AM3 +:Source 1Source 2
The big concern is the sustainability AMD Fusion Llano CPU socket, the FM1 released in late 2011 was already replaced by FM2 ....Ports and connectorsThese are "taken" in which the elements are to connect to the motherboard. On a motherboard, you must find USB 2.0/3.0 connectors sufficient in number, but also e-SATA port for connecting to an external hard drive hot, and also a FireWire port for digital video camera.SATA 2 ports are for hard drives trays and drives / optical drives, SATA 3 ports are for SSD (PATA or IDE port is endangered).You should check the number of ports and connectors to make sure that you can plug in all the components you need. If you want to upgrade your computer, the ports must be available.The format and integrated elementsFirst, there is the size (form factor) for PC 'standard', this will be the ATX, currently the most common, compatible with virtually all configurations, and gives the widest choice of motherboards, therefore features.For a mini PC, there are several smaller formats, the most common being the micro-ATX, and for lovers of all small sizes, there are mini-ITX.You can see all formats motherboard in the motherboard guide.
The integrated components are becoming more common on newer motherboards but are generally dedicated to a "quiet" use: graphics card, sound card, network card ... There is the use command to run 3D games, an additional graphics card is mandatory, and similarly, a PCI is recommended if you have a sound performance chain (amp, speakers sound card on port .. .).
Always changing, quantities and sizes of memory cards are not accepted by all motherboards.Generally, these indications are present on the compatibility descriptive cards. You just have to know what kind of machine you want to create and for what purpose.ConclusionsThese specifications are specified, you should be able to choose according to your mother board and CPU type you want to use your PC.
Manufacturers are actually quite small, manufacturing motherboards is mainly due to three major manufacturers: Asus, Gigabyte and MSI, but there are also some outsiders as Foxconn.Asrock is not really a manufacturer part, it is a subsidiary of Asus producing maps at low cost, but with the Asus quality.
Most current cards work with DDR3: it consumes less and bandwidth (data rate) is higher than DDR2.