We select the motherboard for the processor. “Mother” is the head of everything: how to choose a motherboard for a computer How to choose a motherboard for games

Not the most common problem. Most users do not change the processor until the computer is completely replaced. However, sometimes due to a breakdown or upgrade, it becomes necessary to replace the installed processor. In this case, the question arises of how to choose a processor for the motherboard. In this article, we will analyze this problem and talk about how to choose the right processor.

In order to match the processor to the motherboard, you need to find out which socket it supports. A socket is a connector on the motherboard designed to install a processor. There are different kinds of sockets. Sockets differ in size, shape and number of legs. Therefore, it is not possible to install the processor in the wrong socket.

Now the most popular are the following sockets:

• For Intel processors
  • LGA 1150
  • LGA 1155
  • LGA 1356
  • LGA 1366
• For AMD processors

If you are on a motherboard that is installed in a working computer, then you can find out the name of the socket using special programs to view the characteristics of your computer. The most suitable program for our case is the CPU-Z program. With this program, you can find out all the main characteristics of the processor and motherboard.

The name of the socket will be indicated on the first tab of the CPU-Z program, opposite the inscription "Package". Also, using this program, you can find out the manufacturer and model of the motherboard. To do this, go to the "Mainboard" tab.

Just because a motherboard is equipped with a particular socket does not guarantee that it will support all processors with the same socket. Some newer processors may not work. That's why in order to select a processor for the motherboard, you need to go to the website of the manufacturer of this board and view the list of supported processors. Finding the information you need is not difficult. Just enter the name of the motherboard in search engine and go to the official website of the manufacturer.

If you have a motherboard to which you need to match the processor, but the computer does not work or is not assembled at all. Then you can see the name of the motherboard on its box. If there is no box, then carefully inspect the board itself, a name should be applied to its surface.

Once you know the name of the socket and the motherboard, choosing a processor is not difficult. First, choose a processor that is equipped with the desired socket, and then check if it is supported by your motherboard.

Assembling your own PC is not an easy task. It is important to carefully consider every detail of the system. But most users do not think about how to choose a motherboard or power supply. They throw all their energy into buying a processor and video card. All this leads to the fact that components can be unbalanced or, even worse, incompatible.

Importance

Understanding how to choose a motherboard for a computer is a must. All other elements of the system are connected to this platform. It affects the service life and stability of the PC.

In addition to being compatible with all devices, it should provide an opportunity to improve the system in the future. Therefore, it is very important to look to the future when choosing a motherboard, as technology develops, and gaming computers are updated every 1-2 years.

Motherboard

Motherboards can be not only in a computer, but also in other devices. But since we are considering exactly the PC system, we will not delve into third-party topics and consider the components of the computer board.

The motherboard has major non-removable parts. These include:

• connector for ;
• slots for random access memory;
• north and south bridges;
• boot ROM;
• various expansion slots;
• interfaces and controllers of peripheral devices.

In order for the system unit to be complete, a power supply and a cooling system are connected to the motherboard.

Choice

How to choose a motherboard? There are many parameters to consider when purchasing this device. This includes:

• manufacturer;
• price;
• form factor;
• socket;
• chipset;
• memory;
• slots and connectors;
• electronic components;
• power schemes;
• cooling systems;
• equipment and much more.

In order not to make a mistake in choosing a platform, it is important to consider each of these points in more detail and understand which element is responsible for what.

Manufacturer and price

This option is not always the key to the question of how to choose a motherboard. This is due to the fact that not all users follow the release of platforms. They do not know who is the sales leader, which company is focused on the production of budget or gaming motherboards. Therefore, in this case, it is more often focused on the cost.

But still, you can get a general picture and point to the leading manufacturers. It is not easy to name a leader, but most experienced users will agree that Asus is one of the best. It manufactures mid to high end boards. The quality of materials is always good, but the cost is sometimes too high.

Asus practically does not work with entry-level platforms, and if they release them, then the overpayment for the brand is definitely not worth it. But if you look closely at the models of the middle segment, then it may make sense to pay extra to get a really high-quality and durable device.

Entry-level motherboards work best with Gigabyte and ASRock. The last manufacturer is a subsidiary of Asus. Both companies have a proven track record of developing low cost solutions for work PCs.

Many people ask which motherboard to choose for Intel. In addition to the manufacturers described above, it is worth paying attention to Intel itself. The corporation produces stable and high-quality platforms based on its own chipset. The only drawback is that they are less functional and more expensive, so they are more popular in the corporate sector.

Chipset

The next important factor is the choice of chipset. In general, this is a paramount parameter on which the entire system as a whole depends. When a user decides to assemble the system on his own, he must immediately decide whether he will give preference to Intel or AMD.

You need to decide on this right away, since you will have to select the processor further, and, accordingly, the socket.

Chipset from Intel

If the choice fell on Intel, then you will have to figure out the four main chipsets. For example, if you don't know which one to choose, take a closer look at the models with the B250/H270 and Z270 chipsets. The latter is also a great option for professional systems. If you need a corporate computer, then the Q270 is suitable, and for cool powerful PCs, the X99 / X299.

If you are going to buy an 8th generation processor, then you need to pay attention to the B350 / H370 and Z370, for medium and powerful systems, respectively.

For an average multimedia or gaming PC, the B250/H270 or equivalent 8th generation will do. If you are going to experiment and change the processor multiplier, you will have to take a more expensive model with Z270 and Z370 chipsets.

Chipset from AMD

AMD has also easily separated all of its motherboards by index. For an office or multimedia PC, you need to choose the A320 chipset. The gaming system can be assembled based on the B350 chipset. Those who like to experiment are provided with the X370 platform.

The first option is the easiest, because it does not even have the ability to overclock the processor. But the gaming version of the chipset can cope with this task. The X370 is good because, in addition to overclocking, it allows you to install several video cards on the board.

Form Factor

The next important aspect is the form factor of the system platform. Experts so call the dimensions of the device. In addition to the rather unusual form factors, there are three main ones: ATX, MicroATX (mATX) and Mini-ITX.

ATX is the most common full size platform format and is considered the best for PC. Since it is the largest of all, many devices can fit on it. For example, if you do not know which motherboard to choose for, then you should definitely pay attention to the ATX dimensions.

MicroATX also often becomes a platform for a gaming system. But this is a reduced platform format, which also has fewer connectors. Can be installed in both a full-size chassis and a compact chassis.

Mini-ITX is a very compact motherboard that is used to build mini PCs. Such a computer is limited in size and needs special cooling.

socket

Many are wondering how to choose a motherboard for a processor. If you have already given preference to one of the companies, Intel or AMD, you will have to opt for one of the processors. Otherwise, you will not be able to pick up the platform, because the processor socket data is needed.

What is socket? This is a connector format for connecting the chip to the platform. The motherboard must have the same connector as the processor that will be installed on it.

The manufacturer very often experiments with processor sockets. They change from year to year and acquire new modifications. Therefore, it is important to purchase a chip and a board that would have the most modern socket. Thus, you can further improve the system without extra spending.

Now all available sockets of Intel or AMD processors can be divided into obsolete, obsolete and modern. If we are talking about Intel, then outdated and obsolete are: Socket 478, 775, 2011, 1150. But the new ones are: version 2, and 2066.

Among the most modern are AM4 and TR4. But they have already become obsolete and obsolete: AM1, AM2, and others.

Memory

Memory slots also affect the choice of motherboard. If we talk about the compact MicroATX form factor, then there are rarely more than 2 slots. But full-size platforms are equipped with 4 slots.

Of course, many may not need more than two memory slots. Although if you want to further increase the RAM, then free slots will be very useful.

It is also worth paying attention to the type of memory module. Modern platforms already support the DDR4 type. More budget versions can work with high speeds, up to 2666 MHz. But the middle and high class motherboards boast speeds up to 3.6 GHz.

To choose a gaming motherboard, it is not necessary to spend money on platforms that support 3 GHz speeds. Their cost is much higher, but there is no tangible increase in gaming performance. In addition, the RAM modules themselves are not cheap. The higher the speed of the memory, the more difficult it is for the processor to cope with it. The best option is DDR4 memory with a frequency of 2.4 GHz.

video card

The connectors for connecting a graphics adapter are universal on almost every motherboard. All modern platforms are equipped with a PCI-Express interface. It happens that several such slots are placed on the platform, which means that several graphics adapters can be installed on it at once. Some experts believe that in this case it is better to purchase a more powerful video card than a few average ones.

Expansion slots can also be occupied by other devices, for example, by installing a solid state drive or a sound card.

Connectors

Slots on the system platform are often bypassed, because it is quite difficult to understand them. But this is no less important factor. To connect a hard drive, you need a universal 3. The latest motherboards also received an M.2 slot, which is needed to connect the latest generation of SSDs. We'll have to take a closer look at the power connector of the motherboard. Modern models are equipped with a 24-pin connector.

The chip can be powered by a 4 or 8 pin slot.

Integrated devices

Very often, the manufacturer places integrated devices on the platform. Some systems can work without a graphics card because the motherboard has an integrated graphics adapter. However, it is important to purchase a processor that has an integrated video core.

The platform also has an integrated sound card. Most often it is enough for any task. But there is also a slot for an additional sound card on the platform. It may be needed, for example, by those who want to record music.

Among other integrated devices, there is also a network card, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. For everyday use, the standard settings are enough.

Interface panel

Modern boards have all standard external connectors. Therefore, at this point it is not so important to pay attention. If you need to connect some specific devices, then you will have to study the list of available interface panel connectors.

Cryptocurrency mining

Which motherboard to choose for mining? If you asked this question, then you understand what is important in this process. The main thing is that the platform supports multiple video cards.

When choosing a motherboard, it is important to pay attention to:

• Number and location of PCI-E slots. It is important that their location does not interfere with the connection of several types and their cooling.
• Compatibility of the board with an inexpensive chip. In mining, processor performance is unimportant.
• Optimization for cryptocurrency mining. It is necessary that the platform does not have any extra functions that could distract the system from the main task.
• Price.

If the user does not want to buy asics, but is ready to assemble a computer for mining on his own, he will have to thoroughly understand all the components. Manufacturers quickly picked up the whole story with cryptocurrencies and began producing special devices for their mining.

ASRock showed itself in this matter. It has released platform models that are optimized for the most efficient use of the mind. Although other companies do not lag behind this manufacturer: Asus, MSI, Gigabyte.

conclusions

Choosing a motherboard is easy if you understand its tasks and capabilities. The main thing is to decide on the chipset, choose the processor, and hence the socket. After dealing with the required amount and type of RAM, and finally, resolve the issue with the number of video cards.

Otherwise, motherboards have a similar number of internal and external connectors, most models support an integrated video core, sound and network cards.

Long gone are the days when it was possible to choose a PC of almost any configuration for any task on the market. There are now few companies that build PCs, and those that specialize specifically in assembling PCs are practically gone. And the rest, as a rule, are engaged in exclusive and very expensive PCs, which not everyone can afford. But the computers of companies that do not specialize in assembling PCs often cause criticism. As a rule, these firms are engaged in the sale of components, and for them the assembly of ready-made configurations is not the main business, which is often just a tool for cleaning warehouses. That is, computers are assembled according to the principle “what do we have in stock?”. As a result, for many users, the motto “If you want it to be good, do it yourself” remains very relevant today.

Of course, you can always order a PC assembly of any configuration from the components sold. But it is you who will be the “foreman” of such an assembly, and it will be you who will have to develop the PC configuration and approve the estimate. And this business is by no means simple and requires knowledge of the range of components on the market, as well as the basic principles of creating PC configurations: in which case it is better to install a more efficient video card, and when you can get by with an integrated graphics core, but you need a powerful processor. We will not consider all aspects of creating a PC configuration, but a few milestones we have to remember.

So, at the first stage, when creating a PC configuration, you need to decide on the platform: will it be a computer based on an AMD processor or based on an Intel processor. The answer to the question: "Which is better?" - simply does not exist, and we will not agitate in favor of this or that platform. Just in this article we will talk about computers based on the Intel platform. At the second stage, after choosing a platform, you should decide on a specific processor model and select a motherboard. Moreover, we consider this choice as one stage, since one is closely related to the other. You can choose a board for a specific processor, or you can choose a processor for a specific board. In this article, we will just consider the modern range of motherboards for Intel processors.

Where to begin

The range of modern motherboards for Intel processors, just like the range of Intel processors themselves, can be divided into two large families:

• motherboards based on the Intel X299 chipset for Intel Core X processors (Skylake-X and Kaby Lake-X)
• boards based on Intel 300 series chipsets for 8th generation Intel Core processors (Coffee Lake).

These two platforms are completely different and incompatible with each other, and therefore we will consider them in more detail each separately. The remaining boards and processors are no longer relevant, although they can be found on sale.

Intel X299 chipset and Intel Core X family processors

The Intel X299 chipset, along with boards based on it and a family of compatible processors, was presented by Intel at Computex 2017. The platform itself was codenamed Basin Falls.

First of all, boards based on the Intel X299 chipset are only compatible with processor families codenamed Skylake-X and Kaby Lake-X, which have an LGA 2066 processor socket.

The platform is quite specific and is focused on the segment of high-performance solutions, which Intel dubbed HEDT (High End DeskTop). Actually, the peculiarity of this platform is determined by the peculiarity of the Skylake-X and Kaby Lake-X processors, which are also called the Core X family.

Kaby Lake X

Kaby Lake-X processors are 4-core. Today there are only two models of such processors: Core i7-7740X and Core i5-7640X. They are not much different from the "regular" processors of the Kaby Lake family with an LGA 1151 socket, but they are compatible with a completely different platform and, accordingly, have a different socket.

The Core i5-7640X and Core i7-7740X processors have an unlocked multiplier and no graphics core - like all models of the Core X family. The Core i7-7740X model supports Hyper-Threading technology (it has 4 cores and 8 threads), while the Core model i5-7640X - no (4 cores and 4 threads). Both processors have a dual-channel DDR4 memory controller and support up to 64GB of DDR4-2666 memory. The number of PCIe 3.0 lanes in both processors is 16 (as in regular Kaby Lake).

All processors of the Core X family with six or more cores are already based on the Skylake microarchitecture. The range of models here is quite large. There are 6-, 8-, 10-, 12-, 14-, 16- and 18-core models, they are presented in two subfamilies: Core i7 and Core i9. 6- and 8-core models form the Core i7 family, and models with 10 or more cores form the Core i9 family.

Skylake-X

All processors of the Skylake-X family have a quad-channel memory controller and, accordingly, the maximum amount of supported memory for them is 128 GB. The L3 cache size for each core is 1.375 MB per core: 6-core processor has 8.25 MB, 8-core has 11 MB, 10-core has 13.75 MB, etc. Core i7 family models ( Core i7-7800X and Core i7-7820X) have 28 PCIe 3.0 lanes each, while models of the Core i9 family already have 44 lanes.

Chipset Intel X299

Now let's focus on the Intel X299 chipset, which is the basis of the motherboard and determines its functionality by 90% (conditionally, of course).

Because Core X processors can have both dual-channel (Kaby Lake X) and quad-channel (Skylake-X) DDR4 memory controllers, the Intel X299 chipset supports both memory modes. And boards based on this chipset usually have eight DIMM slots for installing memory modules. It's just that if a Kaby Lake X processor is used, then only four of the eight memory slots can be used.

The functionality of the chipset is determined by the set of its high-speed I / O ports (High Speed ​​​​Input / Output, shortened to HSIO): USB 3.1 / 3.0, SATA 6 Gb / s or PCIe 3.0.

The Intel X299 chipset has 30 HSIO ports. The set is as follows: up to 24 PCIe 3.0 ports, up to 8 SATA 6 Gb/s ports, and up to 10 USB 3.0 ports. But once again, we note that in total there should be no more than 30 of them. In addition, there can be no more than 14 USB ports in total, of which up to 10 can be USB 3.0 versions, and the rest - USB 2.0.

Flexible I/O technology is also used: some HSIO ports can be configured as PCIe or USB 3.0 ports, and some others as PCIe or SATA 6Gb/s ports.

Naturally, the Intel X299 chipset supports Intel RST (Rapid Storage Technology), which allows you to configure the SATA controller in RAID controller mode with support for levels 0, 1, 5, and 10. In addition, Intel RST technology is supported not only for SATA ports , but also for PCIe x4/x2 drives (M.2 and SATA Express connectors).

The distribution diagram of high-speed I / O ports for the Intel X299 chipset is shown in the figure.

Speaking of the Basin Falls platform, one cannot fail to mention such technology as Intel VROC (Virtual RAID on CPU). This is not a feature of the chipset, but of Core X processors, and not all, but only the Skylake-X family (Kaby Lake-X has too few PCIe 3.0 lanes).

VROC technology allows you to create a RAID array from PCIe 3.0 x4/x2 SSDs using PCIe 3.0 processor lines.

This technology is implemented in different ways. The classic option is to use a PCIe 3.0 x16 container card that has four M.2 slots for PCIe 3.0 x4 SSDs.

By default, RAID 0 is available for all SSDs connected to the container card. If you want more, you will have to pay. That is, in order for a RAID array of level 1 or 5 to become available, you need to separately purchase an Intel VROC key and connect it to a special Intel VROC Upgrade Key connector on the motherboard (this connector is available on all motherboards with the Intel X299 chipset).

Intel 300-series chipsets and 8th generation Intel Core processors

The Basin Falls platform discussed above targets a very specific market segment where multi-core processors. For most home users, computers on such a platform are both expensive and pointless. That's why the vast majority of Intel-based PCs are 8th generation Intel Core PCs, also known by the code name Coffee Lake.

All processors of the Coffee Lake family have an LGA1151 socket and are only compatible with motherboards based on the Intel 300 series chipset.

Coffee Lake processors are represented by the Core i7, Core i5, Core i3 series, as well as Pentium Gold and Celeron.

Core i7 series, Core i5 series processors are 6-core, and Core i3 series CPUs are 4-core models without Turbo Boost technology. The Pentium Gold and Celeron series make up the entry-level 2-core models. Coffee Lake processors of all series have an integrated graphics core.

The Core i7, Core i5 and even Core i3 series have one processor model each with an unlocked multiplier (K-series), that is these processors can (and should) be overclocked. But here it should be remembered that for overclocking, you need not only a K-series processor, but also a motherboard based on a chipset that allows overclocking the processor.

Now about the Intel 300 series chipsets. There is a whole garden of them. Simultaneously with the Coffee Lake processors, only the Intel Z370 chipset was announced, which represented the entire family for almost a year. But the trick is that this is a chipset - "fake". That is, at the time of the announcement of Coffee Lake processors (October 2017), Intel did not have a new chipset for these processors. Therefore, they took the Intel Z270 chipset, made cosmetic changes and relabeled it as the Intel Z370. In fact, these are the same chipsets, with the only exception being that they are designed for different processor families.

In April 2018, Intel announced another series of Intel 300-series chipsets - this time really new, with new functionality. In total, the 300 series today includes seven models: Z370, Q370, H370, B360 and H310. Two more chipsets - Z390 and Q360 - will be announced, presumably, in early autumn.

So, All Intel 300-series chipsets are only compatible with Coffee Lake processors with LGA 1151 connector. Models Q370 and Q360 are focused on the corporate segment of the market and are not of particular interest to users in the sense that motherboard manufacturers do not make consumer solutions for them. But the Z390, Z370, H370, B360 and H310 are just for users.

Chipsets Z390, Z370 and Q370 belong to the top segment, and the rest are obtained by cutting down the functionality of top models. Chipsets H370, B360 are for mass inexpensive motherboards (boards that are called folk), but H310 is when life cracked.

Now about how the rest of the top models get. Everything is simple. The top models Z390 and Q370 have exactly 30 numbered HSIO ports (USB 3.1/3.0, SATA 6 Gb/s and PCIe 3.0). Please note that we do not classify the Z370 chipset as a top model, because, as we have already noted, it is “fake” simply because it does not have the features that are inherent in the Intel 300 series chipsets, although there are also exactly 30 HSIO ports In particular, the Z370 does not have a USB 3.1 controller and there is no CNVi controller, which we will talk about a little later.

So, the Z390 and Q370 chipsets have 30 HSIO ports, of which there can be up to 24 PCIe 3.0 ports, up to 6 SATA 6 Gb / s ports and up to 10 USB 3.0 ports, of which up to 6 ports can be USB 3.1. And in total there can be no more than 14 USB 3.1/3.0/2.0 ports.

To get a non-top chipset from a top chipset, you just need to block some of the HSIO ports. That's actually all. True, there is one “but”. The H310 chipset, which is quite “neutered”, differs from the others not only in that it has some of the HSIO ports blocked, but also in that the PCIe ports are only version 2.0, not 3.0, as in the case of other chipsets. In addition, the USB 3.1 controller is also blocked here - in other words, there is only USB ports 3.0.

The distribution diagram of high-speed I/O ports for Intel 300 series chipsets is shown in the figure.

If you managed to get confused, then the easiest way to understand how the Intel 300 series chipsets for desktop PCs differ from each other will be from this table.

	Q370	Z390	Z370	H370	Q360	B360	H310
Total HSIO ports	30	30	30	30	26	24	15
PCIe 3.0 lanes	up to 24	up to 24	up to 24	up to 20	14	12	6 (PCIe 2.0)
SATA 6 Gb/s ports	until 6	until 6	until 6	until 6	until 6	until 6	4
USB 3.1 ports	until 6	until 6	No	up to 4	up to 4	up to 4	No
USB 3.0 ports	to 10	to 10	to 10	up to 8	up to 8	6	4
Total number of USB ports	14	14	14	14	14	12	10
Intel RST for PCIe 3.0 (x4/x2 M.2)	3	3	3	2	1	1	No
Overclocking support	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
PCIe 3.0 processor lane configurations	1×16 2×8 1x8 and 2x4			1×16
Memory support	DDR4	DDR4	DDR4	DDR4	DDR4	DDR4	DDR4
Number of memory channels/ number of modules per channel	2/2	2/2	2/2	2/2	2/2	2/2	2/1
Support for Intel Optane Memory	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
PCIe storage support	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Support PCIe RAID 0, 1, 5	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Support SATA RAID 0, 1, 5, 10	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
CNVi (Intel Wireless-AC) support	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Built-in gigabit network MAC layer controller	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Motherboard manufacturers

There were times when there were more than a dozen motherboard manufacturers. But natural selection led to the fact that there were very few of them left - only the strongest survived. And if we talk about the Russian market, then there are only four manufacturers of motherboards: ASRock, Asus, Gigabyte and MSI (do not attach importance to the order - everything is in alphabetical order). True, there is also the Biostar company, but you can safely forget about it.

It is meaningless and incorrect to talk about whose products are of better quality. The factories that produce the boards are the same for all companies in the sense that they use the same equipment. Besides, boards of the same Asus can be produced at Gigabyte factories and vice versa. It all depends on the workload of the factories, and none of the companies “disdain” OEM production. In addition, there are companies such as Foxconn and ECS that exclusively do OEM and ODM, including for ASRock, Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI. So the question of where exactly the payment was made is not so important. What matters is who developed it.

Features of boards based on the Intel X299 chipset

First of all, we note that boards based on the Intel X299 chipset are aimed at expensive PCs. The peculiarity of these boards is that they support processors with a different number of PCIe 3.0 lanes - 16, 28 and 44 lanes. PCIe 3.0 processor lines are primarily used for PCI Express 3.0 x16/x8/x4 slots, and sometimes M.2/U.2 connectors. The difficulty in this case is that each type of processor must have its own implementation of slots.

In a simple case (not very expensive boards), the implementation is as follows. The processor option with 44 PCIe 3.0 lanes will have two PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots, one PCI Express 3.0 x8 (in the PCI Express x16 form factor) and one PCI Express 3.0 x4 (again, may be in the PCI Express x16 form factor). ).

In the 28-lane PCIe 3.0 processor option, one PCI Express 3.0 x16 slot will be unavailable, meaning there will only be one PCI Express 3.0 x16, one PCI Express 3.0 x8, and one PCI Express 3.0 x4 slot.

In the processor variant with 16 PCIe 3.0 lanes (Kaby Lake-X), one more PCI Express 3.0 x16 slot is simply blocked and only PCI Express 3.0 x8 and PCI Express 3.0 x4 slots remain.

But it may be that in the processor variant with 16 PCIe 3.0 lanes, two slots will be available: PCI Express 3.0 x16 / x8 and PCI Express 3.0 x8 - which operate in x16 / - or x8 / x8 modes (requires an additional PCIe 3.0 lane switch ).

However, such sophisticated circuits are used only in expensive boards. Manufacturers do not pay much attention to the operating mode of the board with Kaby Lake-X processors. Moreover, there is even a board based on the Intel X299 chipset that simply does not support Kaby Lake-X processors.

Actually, this is quite logical and correct. It makes no sense to use Kaby Lake-X processors in combination with motherboards based on Intel X299 chipsets - this severely limits the functionality of the board. First, there will be fewer PCI Express 3.0 x16/x8 slots available for use. Secondly, out of eight slots for memory modules, which, as a rule, are available on motherboards with the Intel X299 chipset, only four will be available. Accordingly, the maximum amount of supported memory will be half as much. Thirdly, Intel VROC technology will also be unavailable. That is, if you use a motherboard based on the Intel X299 chipset with a Kaby Lake-X processor, then you will get an expensive solution that will be inferior to solutions based on the Coffee Lake processor in terms of performance and functionality. In a word, expensive and meaningless.

In our opinion, boards based on the Intel 299 chipset only make sense in combination with Skylake-X processors, and it is better that these are Core i9 series processors, that is, models with 44 PCIe 3.0 lanes. Only in this case, you can use all the functionality of the Basin Falls platform.

Now about why the Basin Falls platform is needed at all.

Most motherboards with Intel X299 chipsets are positioned as gaming. The names of the boards either contain the word "Gaming", or they generally refer to the gaming series (for example, Asus ROG). This, of course, does not mean that these boards are somehow different from those boards that are not positioned as gaming boards. It's just easier to sell that way. Now the word "Gaming" is molded everywhere, simply because there is at least some demand for it. But an extra word on the box, of course, does not oblige the manufacturer to anything.

Moreover, we would say that motherboards based on the Intel X299 chipset are the least suitable for games. That is, you can, of course, assemble a gaming computer on their basis, but it will turn out to be expensive and inefficient. Just the main "highlight" of the Basin Falls platform lies precisely in multi-core processors, and games do not need this. And using a 10-, 12-, 14-, 16- or 18-core processor will not allow you to get any advantage in games.

Of course, there are many PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots on boards with the Intel X299 chipset and, it would seem, you can install several video cards. But it's good just to brag to your neighbors: two video cards can also be installed on a system with an Intel Z370 chipset, and there is simply no point in three video cards (however, in two, too).

But if the Basin Falls platform isn't the best choice for gaming, what's the best use for it? The answer will disappoint many. The Basin Falls platform is very specific and most home users don't need it at all.. It is optimal to use it to work with specific applications that can be well parallelized by more than 20 threads. And if we talk about the applications that home users face, then there are very few of them. These are video converting (and editing) programs, 3D rendering programs, as well as specific scientific applications that were originally developed for multi-core processors. And in other cases, the Basin Falls platform simply will not provide advantages over the platform based on Coffee Lake processors, but at the same time it will be much more expensive.

But if you still work with applications where 36 threads (18-core Skylake-X processor) will not be superfluous, then the Basin Falls platform is just what you need.

How to choose a board based on the Intel X299 chipset

So, you need a board based on the Intel X299 chipset for Skylake-X processors. But the range of such boards is quite large. Asus alone offers 10 models based on this chipset in four series. Gigabyte has a list of models offered even more - 12 pieces. Further, 10 models are produced by ASRock and 8 models by MSI. The price range is from 14 to 35 thousand rubles. That is, there is a choice, and it is very wide (for every taste and budget). What is the difference between these boards, that they can differ so much (more than twice) in cost? It is clear that we will not describe the features of each of the 40 models of boards that are on the market, but we will try to highlight the main aspects.

The difference is primarily in the functionality, which, in turn, is determined by the set of ports, slots and connectors, as well as various additional features.

In terms of ports, slots and connectors, these are PCI Express 3.0 x16/x8/x4/x1 slots, USB 3.1/3.0 and SATA ports, and M.2 connectors (PCIe 3.0 x4/x2 and SATA). Not so long ago, there were also SATA Express and U.2 connectors on boards (there are such connectors on some models of boards sold), but nevertheless these are already “dead” connectors, and they are no longer used on new models.

PCI Express 3.0 x16/x8 slots are implemented via PCIe 3.0 processor lanes. PCI Express 3.0 x4 slots can be implemented through both processor lines and PCIe 3.0 chipset lines. And PCI Express 3.0 x1 slots, if any, are always implemented via PCIe 3.0 chipset lanes

Expensive board models use complex switching schemes that allow you to maximize the use of all PCIe 3.0 processor lanes in the variant of all types of processors (with 44, 28 and 16 PCIe 3.0 lanes). Moreover, even switching between processor and chipset PCIe 3.0 lines is possible. That is, for example, when a processor with 28 or 16 PCIe 3.0 lanes is used, some slots with the PCI Express x16 form factor are switched to PCIe 3.0 chipset lanes. An example is a board or. It is clear that such opportunities are not cheap.

Asus board Prime X299-Deluxe

As we have already said, the Intel X299 chipset has exactly 30 HSIO ports, which are PCIe 3.0, USB 3.0 and SATA 6 Gb / s ports. For inexpensive (by the standards of this segment) boards, this is quite enough, that is, everything that is implemented on the board (controllers, slots, ports) can work without separation from each other. Typically, boards with the Intel X299 chipset have two M.2 connectors (PCIe 3.0 x4 and SATA), a gigabit network controller and a Wi-Fi module (or two gigabit controllers), a pair of USB 3.1 controllers, a PCI Express 3.0 x4 slot. In addition, there are 8 SATA ports and 6-8 3.0 ports.

More expensive models can add more network controllers, USB 3.1 controllers, more USB 3.0 ports, and PCI Express 3.0 x1 slots. Moreover, there are also network controllers that meet the new standards. For example, the Aquantia AQC-107 10 Gigabit network controller, which can be connected to the chipset via two or four PCIe 3.0 lanes. There are also Wi-Fi modules of the WiGig standard (802.11ad). For example, the Asus ROG Rampage VI Extreme board has both an Aquantia AQC-107 controller and an 802.11ad Wi-Fi module.

But ... you can’t bend over your head. And the fact that there are a lot of things on the board does not mean at all that all this can be used at the same time. No one has canceled the chipset restrictions, therefore, if there are a lot of them, then, most likely, something should be separated from something, unless the board uses an additional PCIe line switch, which allows, in fact, to overcome the restrictions on the number of PCIe lines . An example of a board where a switch is used (though PCIe 2.0 lines) can be.

ASRock X299 Taichi board

The presence of such a switch, of course, increases the cost of the solution, but the feasibility of such a switch is a big question, since the basic capabilities of the Intel X299 chipset are quite enough.

There are also boards where switches are used not for chipset lines, but for PCIe 3.0 processor lines, this allows you to increase the number of PCI Express 3.0 x16/x8 slots. For example, the Asus WS X299 Sage board, which is positioned as a workstation, has seven PCI Express 3.0 x16/x8 slots that can operate in x16/x8/x8/x8/x8/x8/x8 mode. It is clear that even 44 lanes of PCIe 3.0 Skylake-X processors will not be enough for this. Therefore, the board additionally has a pair of PCIe 3.0 PLX PEX 8747 switches. Each such switch is connected to 16 PCIe 3.0 processor lines and outputs 32 PCIe 3.0 lines. But this, of course, is already a specific and expensive solution.

Asus WS X299 Sage board

The range of motherboards based on Intel X299 chipsets also includes quite exotic and expensive solutions. For example, boards or Asus ROG Rampage VI Extreme. The first one is designed for extreme overclocking and has a reduced number of memory slots (one module per memory channel). The Asus ROG Rampage VI Extreme is different in that it doesn't support Kaby Lake-X processors at all. In addition, both boards have proprietary DIMM.2 connectors, which are visually similar to memory slots, but provide a PCIe 3.0 x4 interface and are designed to install special expansion cards. Each such card allows you to install up to two SSDs with an M.2 connector.

Asus ROG Rampage VI Apex Board

Asus ROG Rampage VI Extreme Board

There is practically no demand for such solutions and it is almost impossible to sell them. But such boards are not made for sale - this is a kind of visiting card of the company. Of all the motherboard manufacturers, only Asus can afford to make such motherboards.

As we have already noted, in addition to the variety in the set of slots, connectors and ports, motherboards based on the Intel X299 chipset differ in a set of additional features, and, of course, in the bundle.

A newfangled trend is the presence of RGB backlighting on the board, as well as separate connectors for connecting LED strips. Moreover, there are even two types of connectors: four-pin and three-pin. A non-addressable RGB strip is connected to the 4-pin connector, in which all the LEDs glow in the same color. Naturally, the color can be any and can change, but synchronously for all LEDs.

An addressable strip is connected to the 3-pin connector, in which each LED can have its own color.

The LED backlight on the board is synchronized with the backlight of the connected LED strips.

Why backlighting is needed on boards with the Intel X299 chipset is not very clear. All sorts of whistles, fakes and different lights - it's all focused on the pioneers. But when it comes to expensive, high-performance PCs that are designed to run highly specialized applications, LED backlighting hardly makes sense at all. Nevertheless, it, like the word Gaming, is present on most boards.

So, let's summarize briefly. Boards based on the Intel X299 chipset are aimed at high-performance PCs that are designed to work with well-parallelized applications. It makes sense to use these boards in combination with Skylake-X processors of the Core i9 series. Only in this case, you can use all the functionality of the boards. Not all home users generally need computers based on motherboards with the Intel X299 chipset. First, it's expensive. Secondly, it is not certain that your super-powerful computer based on, for example, an 18-core Core i9-7980XE processor, will be faster than a computer based on a 6-core Coffee Lake processor. It's just that in some cases it's better to have fewer fast cores than many slow ones.

Therefore, the Basin Falls platform only makes sense if you know for sure that the applications you are working with can be parallelized by more than 20 threads. But if not, then a computer based on a Coffee Lake processor will be optimal for you, which, accordingly, will require a board based on the Intel 300 series chipset.

Features of motherboards based on Intel 300 series chipsets

Of the seven Intel 300-series chipsets, only five models are oriented towards home user boards: Intel Z390, Z370, H370, B360 and H310. The Intel Z390 chipset has not yet been announced, so we won't talk about it yet, and boards based on other chipsets are already . In the remaining list, the top is the Intel Z370 chipset. Then the H370, B360 and H310 follow in terms of cost and functionality. Accordingly, boards based on the Z370 chipset are the most expensive. Then, in order of decreasing cost, there are motherboards based on the H370, B360 and H310 chipsets.

All Intel 300-series chipsets, with the exception of the Z370, have built-in CNVi and USB 3.1 controllers (with the exception of the younger Intel H310). So why, then, is the Intel Z370 the top one, and the boards on it are the most expensive.

First, of the four (Z370, H370, B360 and H310) chipsets under consideration, only the Intel Z370 allows you to combine 16 PCIe 3.0 processor lines into x16, x8 + x8 or x8 + x4 + x4 ports. All other chipsets only allow grouping into an x16 port. From the user's point of view, this means that only boards with the Intel Z370 chipset can have two video card slots based on PCIe 3.0 processor lanes. And only Intel Z370 based boards can support Nvidia SLI mode. Accordingly, two slots with the PCI Express x16 form factor on motherboards with the Intel Z370 chipset operate in x16/— (when using one slot) or x8/x8 (when using two slots).

Note that if the board with the Intel Z370 chipset has more than two slots with the PCI Express x16 form factor, then the third slot is a PCI Express 3.0 x4 slot, but in the PCI Express x16 form factor, and it can already be implemented on based on PCIe 3.0 chipset lines. The combination of x8+x4+x4 ports based on PCIe 3.0 processor lanes on motherboards with the Intel Z370 chipset is found only in the most expensive models.

All other variants (H370, B360 and H310 chipsets) can have only one PCI Express 3.0 x16 slot based on 16 PCIe 3.0 processor lanes.

Secondly, of the four chipsets under consideration only Intel Z370 allows overclocking of the processor and memory. You can change both the multiplier and the base frequency BCLK. Changing the base frequency is possible for all processors, but changing the multiplier is possible only for K-series processors, in which this coefficient is unlocked.

As you can see, the Intel Z370 chipset has undeniable advantages over its counterparts H370, B360 and H310. But, if it is not supposed to overclock the system, then the advantages of the Intel Z370 chipset are no longer so obvious, since the need for two video cards is rather an exception to the rule. However, one more circumstance must be taken into account. The Intel Z370 chipset is top not only because it allows you to overclock the processor and group the PCIe 3.0 processor lines into different ports. This chipset does not have blocked HSIO ports, and, accordingly, its functionality is wider. That is, on the basis of the Intel Z370 chipset, you can implement the most.

True, the Intel Z370 chipset does not have a USB 3.1 controller or CNVi. But can this be considered a serious disadvantage?

As for USB 3.1 ports, they are usually implemented on boards with the Intel Z370 chipset using the ASMedia ASM3142 dual-port controller. And from the user's point of view, there is no difference how the USB 3.1 ports are implemented: through a controller built into the chipset, or through a controller external to the chipset. Another thing is more important: what exactly to connect to these ports. And the vast majority of users do not need USB 3.1 ports at all.

Now about the CNVi (Connectivity Integration) controller. It provides Wi-Fi (802.11ac, up to 1.733 Gbps) and Bluetooth 5.0 ( a new version standard). However, the CNVi controller is not a full-fledged network controller, but a MAC controller. For a full-fledged controller, you also need an Intel Wireless-AC 9560 card with an M.2 connector (E-type dongle). And no other card will do. Only Intel 9560 which supports CNVi interface.

Again, from the user's point of view, it doesn't matter how exactly the Wi-Fi network interface is implemented. In this case, the situation is approximately the same as with the Intel i219-V and Intel i211-AT gigabit network controllers. The first of them is a PHY-level controller, which is used in tandem with a MAC controller built into the chipset, and the second is a full-fledged network controller.

How to choose a board based on the Intel 300 series chipset

So, there is an awareness of the fact that you need a Coffee Lake processor board with an LGA1151 socket. The range of such boards is very large. For example, Asus alone has 12 board models based on the Intel Z370 chipset, 10 models based on the Intel B360 chipset, 6 models based on the Intel H370 chipset, and 5 models based on the Intel H310 chipset. Add here the assortment of Gigabyte, ASRock and MSI boards, and it becomes clear that there are a lot of possible options.

Intel H310

In the 300-series chipset line, the Intel H310 is the entry-level model or, to put it plain language, this chipset is aimed at the cheapest motherboards with minimal features.

In addition, only 15 out of 30 HSIO ports (6 PCIe, 4 SATA, 4 USB 3.0 and one port dedicated to LAN) are not blocked on the Intel H310 chipset, all PCIe version 2.0 ports. There is also no USB 3.1 controller. It is also important to note that motherboards with Intel H310 can only have two memory slots, since one module per memory channel is supported.

With such a limitation of the chipset, you won’t especially run away. That's why all boards based on the Intel H310 are very similar to each other, and the price range here is not very large. The board typically has one PCI Express 3.0 x16 slot for a graphics card (based on PCIe 3.0 processor lanes). In addition, a maximum of one M.2 connector (or none at all), a gigabit network controller, four SATA ports and a pair of PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots. There are also several (no more than 4) USB 3.0 ports. That, in fact, is all.

An example of a cheap (4800 rubles) version of a board based on the Intel H310 chipset can be a model. A more expensive option (6500 rubles) is a fee.

Conclusion

We reviewed two modern platforms for Intel processors: the Basin Falls platform based on the Intel X299 chipset, compatible with the Intel Core-X processor family (Skylake-X, Kaby Lake-X), and the platform based on the Intel 300 series chipsets, compatible with the processor family coffee lake. We hope our story will help you more confidently stay in a huge assortment of motherboards and make right choice for your specific needs.

In the future, we plan to make a similar article on motherboards for AMD processors.

Assembling or upgrading a computer is a solution to a problem with several inputs, and the result should satisfy all the “Wishlist” as much as possible and meet all the “mogelki” so as not to deplete the family budget. Well, let's start talking about the parts that make up any computer, from the basics, from the basis, from the mother of our systems. As you understand, today we will talk about how to choose a motherboard, which model can be the best purchase, what you can save on without overpaying for unnecessary functions. Today is the first part, and we will look at the lower and middle price range, leaving the models "for overclocking" and games for next time.

Criterias of choice

As always, we are dancing from the traditional item of Russian life, “from the stove”, for which we will choose the “folk” socket 1151, for which manufacturers have released a huge number of motherboards. With such a choice, sometimes the eyes really “run up”. We have to figure out how the fees differ, and for what the manufacturer wants to take this or that amount from us, and what to give for this amount.

Armed with knowledge, we will distribute all the boards into several classes. Naturally, this division is conditional, and does not mean at all that only dull performance, suitable only for office use, can be expected from a motherboard from the budget segment.

Not at all. Even ready-made system blocks from well-known manufacturers, moreover, positioned as gaming ones, are often equipped with motherboards based on the H110 chipset, which seem to be hardly suitable for this.

And yet, in terms of functionality and, most importantly, expansion options, motherboards differ. How they differ and depending on the purpose for which they are selected. If you are interested in the possibility of overclocking the processor and memory, this is one class of devices. If the assembled computer will have to work in normal mode until it is replaced / upgraded in the form in which it is bought, then what is the point of overpaying for redundant functions?

I will not limit the form factor either. ATX, mATX, Mini-ITX, Mini-STX and others - we'll leave everything and consider it. The only thing that we will leave out of the brackets is the preferences of a particular brand, the quality of service.

Budget motherboards

Models fall into this section not so much by price, but by their capabilities. Agree, the H110 chipset cannot be attributed to top solutions. This is typically a budget option for building systems with rather limited expansion and configuration options.

At the same time, such motherboards perform their work no worse than more expensive models, and within the limits of their capabilities, they work as they should. So let's see what's on sale right now. Let's go in ascending order.

ASRock H110M-DGS R3.0

One of the cheapest models, the price of which is around 3000 rubles. Has PCI-E x16 slots, 1 PCI-E x1 slot, 4 SATA3 slots, 2 slots for DDR4-2133 memory. A typical budget option with, however, a radiator is used for cooling.

R3.0 means that this is the 3rd revision of the board, and it should already support 7th generation Kaby Lake processors out of the box. If an earlier board came across, then that's okay too. In extreme cases, you will have to update the BIOS.

The board has a microATX form factor. The 8-pin CPU power connector is located close to the socket, which can cause problems when installing bulky coolers. It may not be possible to lay the cable qualitatively and neatly. Naturally, there is no talk of using two video cards. Moreover, there is only DVI for connecting a monitor.

MSI H110M PRO-D

In fact, it is a direct analogue of the previous one, the cost, if different, is 100-200 rubles in one direction or another, depending on the store. Of the differences - 2 PCI-E x1 slots, 6 power phases, 2 USB 3.1 slots and, perhaps, that's all. A slightly larger size allowed the board to be laid out more traditionally, placing the connectors for connecting drives along the bottom edge.

In general, this is a more than worthy choice for a minimum of money, and the board shows excellent performance. If you are ready to put up with only DVI, no M.2, only two memory slots, and do not plan to install a large number of additional devices then this board is definitely a bargain.

ASUS H110M-R/C/SI

At a price of about 3300 rubles. differs from those listed, perhaps, only by the presence of HDMI. There are no more benefits. So, if only DVI is not enough to connect a monitor, then in this case the whole “zoo” is present - VGA, DVI, HDMI. An overpayment of a couple of hundred rubles for the wide possibility of connecting a monitor is fully justified.

Of the features, it is worth mentioning the unsuccessful arrangement of contacts for connecting front audio connectors. They are located right in front of the PCI-E x16 slot, and the installed video card covers these pins. Yes, and one of the SATA stands out from the row, being a little deeper in the board.

MSI H110M PRO-VD (PLUS)

Unremarkable "mothers" at a price of just over 3300 rubles. At the same time, the PLUS version differs from the usual one in a smaller number of USB ports on the back wall (4 versus 6) and the presence of two full-fledged PS / 2 together with one combined one. Here is such a plus.

USB version 3.1 is used. DVI and VGA are used to connect the monitor. There are 4 SATA, 2 memory slots, 1 PCI-E x16 and 2 PCI-E x1.

In the rest - normal boards, if there are no cheaper alternatives, then you can take it.

ASUS H110M-CS

An incomprehensible fee, or rather, the price of it. For 3800 rubles. everything is offered the same as in the case of the cheapest ASRock H110M-DGS R3.0. The difference is in the presence of a second PCI-E x1 slot and the replacement of DVI with the already archaic VGA. For what to overpay, for a brand?

MSI H110M ECO

The price is just over 3800 rubles. seems overpriced, although compared to the previous one, it is somewhat compensated by the presence of VGA, DVI, HDMI, as well as the use of a network controller on an Intel chip, which is a little faster than solutions based on Realtek chips.

The board provides ample opportunities for energy saving. It is possible to manually turn off unused elements (fans, lights, etc.). There is also an automatic mode in which you can set up to 3 energy saving profiles. while using a high-quality element base.

Otherwise, there are no clear arguments in favor of this fee, as well as reasons to overpay. There are no advantages over cheaper alternatives.

MSI H110M Gaming

For a beautiful name, belonging to game boards and for the red connectors, the manufacturer wants 700 rubles more than for the previous, “environmentally friendly” version. You will have to pay for external attractiveness.

True, there will be not 4 USB connectors on the rear panel (which is not enough in our times), but 6, and 4 of them are versions 3.1. Otherwise, it is an analogue of the previous one, functionally not having any advantages.

MSI H110M GRENADE

Price - about 4700 rubles. It differs from most of the previous ones by the presence of an Intel network chip, an M.2 connector on the PCI-E bus and USB Type-C. Is it worth all the overpayment - you decide. Availability of M.2 to install SSD under operating system may be useful when assembling compact computers.

ASRock H110M-STX

Mini-STX form factor board for building very compact systems. The cost is about 5200 rubles. The layout is specific, in which the connectors are located not only on the rear edge of the board, but also on the front. Of the features - support for processors with a TDP of up to 65 W, the use of an Intel network chip, SO-DIMM DDR4 memory modules. There is USB Type-C, 2 SATA3. You can use VGA, HDMI, or DisplayPort to connect a monitor.

2 M.2 connectors installed:

• Key E (Socket 1) - for installing Wi-fi or Bluetooth modules.
• Key M (Socket 3) - for installing SSD drives on the PCIe Gen3 x4 2280 bus.

Please note that this board does not support M.2 drives running on the SATA bus, only PCIe!

An external 19 V power supply is used.

ASUS H110T

Form factor - Thin Mini-ITX. Price - about 5300 rubles. Of the differences from the previous model - the presence of two gigabit network interfaces (based on Intel and Realtek chips), the absence of USB Type-C, support for M.2 SSDs in sizes 2242/2260. Lack of support for the most popular 2280 SSD size may negate the use of this slot.

To connect the monitor, you can use HDMI, DisplayPort. Memory - notebook, SO-DIMM.

Other options

Naturally, these are not all models. I have listed only those that, in my opinion, may be of some interest. For about the same cost, you can find other options that do not differ in almost anything. So, the cheapest models can be competed with, for example, Gigabyte GA-H110M-S2, but at the same or slightly higher (50-100 rubles) cost, there are no advantages. The whole difference comes down to the number of power phases and layout.

MSI H110M PRO-VH is a typical competitor to the MSI H110M PRO-VD (PLUS) models, and differs only in the presence of HDMI, for which you will have to pay about 60 rubles.

You can pay a few hundred rubles extra if you really need an HDMI, M.2 connector, or you have equipment connected via outdated COM or LPT interfaces.

Many board models, in fact, have several modifications that differ in the installed interfaces, primarily for connecting a monitor. So, ASRock's simplest H110M-DGS R3.0 has only DVI, and H110M-DVS R3.0 also has VGA. True, it already costs 400 rubles more. ASRock H110M-HDV is already equipped with HDMI, and for this you will have to pay another 100 rubles compared to the previous version.

Boards such as Gigabyte GA-H110-D3A, ASRock H110 Pro BTC+ and the like stand somewhat apart. Their cost is 7500 for the first and about 12700 for the second. Both of them are full-fledged ATX, and such a characteristic as the number of PCI-E x1 ports speaks about the scope of application. Gigabyte has 5 of them, and ASRock has 12. It is probably already clear that these boards are designed specifically for cryptocurrency mining.

To summarize, there is no fundamental difference between the boards. You can take any at the lowest price with the required set of installed interfaces, the choice of which, in other matters, is not so wide. They differ in the presence and quantity of USB 3.0 / 3.1, USB Type-C, M.2 connector. There are differences in the way the monitor is connected. Even the cheapest motherboard can be connected via DVI. Yes, and with HDMI, the model is only 300 rubles more expensive.

I would not pay much attention to the difference in the processor power system. Someone has only 4 phases, someone has 6. It is clear that the more of them, the better. Especially ASRock likes to save on the number of power phases. On the other hand, only she has radiators to cool these circuits. Considering that overclocking of processors is impossible, this is quite enough.

Perhaps, Mini-ITX, Mini-STX form factor models have their own specifics, but when choosing such motherboards, you most likely know why such options are needed.

Mid-Range Motherboards

Here, boards based on the B150/250, H170/270, Q170/270 chipsets will be accepted for consideration. Let me remind you that they differ from the H110 in a larger number of PCI-E lines, the use of the 3rd generation of this interface, unlike the 2nd in the 110th chipset, a larger number of USB ports, and the ability to use already 4 DIMM slots instead of two .

The 2xx generation is not much different from the 1xx chipset generation. One of the main differences is drive support. Overclocking on these chipsets is not provided. This can only be done by increasing the frequency of the processor or memory. The use of processors with an unlocked multiplier (with the letter "K" in the marking) is not justified, since this feature cannot be used.

B150/250 chipsets are famous for office solutions, although the number of offered models is large, Q170/270 are specific products, more focused on the corporate segment, and the number of board models based on them is very small. The most popular one is the H170/270, which lacks only the ability to overclock the processor by a multiplier. In the rest - one of the most functional options.

Considering all the proposed models is a thankless task. There are quite a few of them, and most of them are not much different from each other. I will focus on the most attractive options.

ASRock B150M-HDS

In fact, it is a complete analog of the ASRock B110M-HDS board, differing only in a different chipset (B150) and a price of about 250-300 rubles higher. I don’t see much point in buying, given the minimum of connectors, the lack of M.2, and even the not very good location of SATA connectors. It will be difficult to lay cables nicely and neatly.

Gigabyte GA-B150M-D2V

One of the cheapest, which already has 6 SATA connectors. The cost is about 4200 rubles. In the pros - 4 USB 3.0 on the rear wall, the presence of VGA and DVI for connecting a monitor. Of the minuses - only 2 DIMM DDR4, lack of HDMI and M.2 (although this minus is rather controversial).

For your money - a good option.

Gigabyte GA-H170M-HD3 DDR3

Pretty controversial model. Chipset - H170. On the one hand, the price is about 4200 rubles, which includes 6 SATA3, 2 SATA Express (outdated connector), support for RAID 0,1,5,10, the presence of PCI-E M.2, VGA, DVI, HDMI. On the other hand, it works with memory of the already outdated DDR3 generation, and only 2 such modules can be installed. In our times, this is rather a minus, although if other characteristics suit you, then you can take it. There will be no noticeable difference between DDR3 and DDR4. The problem is with the upgrade. The next time you replace the motherboard, this memory will no longer be usable.

If memory modules of this particular generation remain, then you can save money and use them by updating the motherboard and processor, postponing the transition to a new generation of memory for another time.

The presence of a PCI slot is also debatable. One more PCI-E would be better. In general, I would not take this motherboard, precisely because of the futility of memory.

MSI B250M PRO-VD

A motherboard based on a fresh B250 chipset for 4400 rubles, and one of the cheapest on it. The asset is a PCIe M.2 connector, 4 USB 3.1 on the rear wall, the ability to connect 6 SATA drives. The lack of HDMI (there are only VGA and DVI), and there are only two memory slots can be disappointing. Otherwise, it's a good option at an attractive price on a good chipset.

ASRock B250M-HDV

Direct competitor of the previous model. It differs by a slightly higher price (about 4500 rubles), the presence of HDMI and a gigabit network card based on an Intel chip. True, USB is only version 3.0, no 3.1 and Type-C. In my opinion, the option is slightly preferable than the MSI model, if there are no complaints about the lack of the newfangled Type-C and USB 3.0 is quite enough.

A decent motherboard for the money.

ASUS H170M-E D3

An even more controversial option than the Gigabyte GA-H170M-HD3 DDR3. The cost is about 4600 rubles. The same DDR3 memory, although there are 4 slots for installing RAM modules. At the same time, only 4 SATA3, although with support for RAID 0,1,5,10, there is M.2.

I have no arguments in favor of this model. If you definitely need RAID, then there is a slightly cheaper Gigabyte, in which you can also connect more drives for 2 drives. The only, although controversial, plus is 4 memory slots, and even then, there is a Gigabyte GA-H170M-D3H DDR3, which also has 4 DIMMs and the same price. The model has become obsolete and is not interesting for purchase.

ASUS B150M-A/M.2

Quite a controversial option, primarily due to not the most recent chipset. Judge for yourself. After all, for 4800 rubles. there are 4 connectors for DDR4, and HDMI, and 6 SATA, and M.2, and USB 3.1 Type-C. In the minuses - the lack of RAID, the limitation of the memory frequency to 2133 MHz. If you need M.2 and Type-C is useful, then it makes sense to include this board in the list of candidates for purchase. It's not expensive, but it has everything you need. At the same time, almost everything the same can be found on a more recent chipset and for about the same money.

An alternative is the Gigabyte GA-B250M-DS3H, which costs about 200 rubles. larger, offers a more recent chipset, but no Type-C. The ASUS PRIME B250M-A costs about the same with the same specifications and the same price.

There is also the already mentioned ASRock B250M-HDV, which has everything that this model has, but with a more recent chipset. True, this ASUS has 4 slots for installing memory, unlike the B250M-HDV, but the price is slightly higher.

Another alternative is MSI B250M PRO-VDH, which has everything the same as this Asus, but the chipset is more recent.

MSI B250M BAZOOKA (PRO)

The cost is about 5300 rubles, the chipset is B250. What advantages does it have over ASUS PRIME B250M-A? None. All the same. In this case, the determining factor is the cost of one or another model at the moment. Whichever is cheaper, take it.

The PRO version differs from the usual one by the installed heatsink on the processor batteries.

MSI B150M NIGHT ELF

The cost is about 5500 rubles. A similarly equipped board can be found cheaper. What is the overpayment for then? For backlighting, an Intel network card and beautiful heatsinks.

With the characteristics, however, everything is in order. There are also 6 SATA, 4 slots for memory modules, and 2 PCI-E x16, and an Intel network chip. DVI is installed for monitor connection.

For aesthetics, if the case has a glass wall, a very good option. For those who are more concerned not with how the board looks, but with how it works, spending money is not justified.

ASUS STRIX B250G GAMING

Prepare 6200 rubles. For what? For beautiful heatsinks, an Intel network card, 2 M.2 connectors, HDMI, the SupremeFX audio chip, which is used in more advanced motherboards from this manufacturer. Is the sound better than when using a Realtek audio chip? I don't think.

Otherwise, it is much more attractive than the previous model, at least thanks to a newer chipset, the presence of M.2.

ASRock H270M Pro4

One of the cheapest motherboards based on the H270 chipset. The cost is about 6200 rubles. There are 6 SATA3 with support for RAID 0, 1, 5, 10, 2 M.2 connectors, both running on the PCIe bus, with one M.2 supporting SSDs of this form factor running on the SATA bus. The second M.2 is PCIe drives only.

There is also HDMI c DVI, USB Type-C is also installed. Processor power supply - 6-phase. In general, a very "packed" model on a fresh chipset and for reasonable money. It can be compared with the previous model. Although there are no beautiful heatsinks and the word "GAMING" in the name, the performance is by no means worse, and even better.

I advise you to take a look. If multiplier overclocking is not needed, this is probably one of the best options. Similar in characteristics to the MSI H270M BAZOOKA for about 300 rubles. expensive. In this case, only one M.2.

There is a modification of this board with a slightly different layout - the H270 Pro4 model, although it is already about 400 rubles more expensive. But there is also ASRock B250M Pro4, a slightly simplified version based on a simpler chipset, devoid of RAID. But it costs 800-1000 rubles. cheaper.

ASRock Fatal1ty B250M Performance

The cost is about 6350 rubles. The board is beautiful, made in red and black colors, in which the memory slots and heatsinks are painted. Metal connector for video card.

There is everything that should be in such boards - HDMI, Type-C, M.2, a network card from Intel, 6 SATA, DVI-D, HDMI, VGA, 4 slots for memory modules.

Well, the big name in the title. Whether all this is worth the overpayment is up to you. (Hint: the ASRock B250M Pro4 has everything the same, but without prettiness, for about 5200 rubles).

MSI B250M MORTAR ARCTIC

The cost is about 6600 rubles. The board is of interest primarily to modders who assemble a system unit in white colors. According to the characteristics - no difference with cheaper competitors.

Gigabyte GA-H270-HD3

A full-fledged ATX board with three PCI-E x16 slots, two PCI-E x1 and two PCI, since the chipset has enough lanes to install such a number of expansion slots. And for all this you will have to pay about 6700 rubles.

Among other characteristics - 4 slots for DDR4 memory, 6 SATA, which can be combined into RAID 0, 1, 5, 10, there is PCI-E M.2, an Intel network controller. You can use VGA, DVI, or HDMI to connect a monitor. No, except perhaps Type-C. The rest is a very sophisticated model. It will come in handy for those who really need all these features.

Against its background, the ASUS H170-PLUS D3 chamber looks strange, which at the same cost has DDR3 memory, only 4 SATA, USB 3.0 instead of version 3.1 from Gigabyte. Do you have any arguments in favor of this Asus? I have no.

ASUS B150 PRO GAMING/AURA

The cost is about 7500 rubles. Compared to the Gigabyte GA-H270-HD3 does not offer anything new. Moreover, it lacks RAID support, there is no USB 3.1, and the chipset of the old series.

True, beautiful lighting and painted radiators. The SupremeFX sound subsystem is used, there are 6 SATA, M.2, an Intel network controller, there is USB Type-C. For modders - it's the most, and the proprietary Aura lighting system is just to help. For boring pragmatists - unnecessary buns, for which it is not clear why they have to pay.

Gigabyte GA-H270-Gaming 3

Estimated price - about 9000 rubles. Belongs to the game series of boards, which, in fact, follows from the name. It has everything that should be to build a very productive gaming computer.

There are 6 SATA3 with support for RAID 0, 1, 10, 5, and 2 M.2 connectors, and 4 slots for DDR4-2400 memory, and USB 3.1, and Type-C, and DVI with HDMI. By the way, there is also support for RAID 0, 1, 5, 10. Among the features is the use of a network gigabit controller Killer E2500 from Rivet Networks. Naturally, everything is in newfangled lighting. Form factor - full ATX.

MSI H270 GAMING PRO CARBON

This is one of the most expensive boards. Its cost is about 9300 rubles. The H270 chipset provides support for DDR4-2400 memory, 4 memory slots, 6 SATA3 installed, 2 M.2 connectors. There are all modern interface connectors, including USB Type-C. An Intel based network card is used.

Naturally, it was not without customizable backlighting, installing a metal connector for the first PCI-E x16. The radiators are marked with logos and inscriptions.

This board is fundamentally no different from cheaper analogues. In this case, the choice is based more on the aesthetic qualities of the product, rather than on the characteristics that can be found in motherboards at a lower price.

MSI B250M PRO OPT BOOST

The characteristics of the board practically do not differ from the MSI B250M BAZOOKA described above, and unlike the latter, there is no Type-C port, and a combined PS / 2 is also installed. At the same time, the price of the board is about 7900 rubles. The difference with a bazooka is about 2500 rubles. For what? And for the 16 GB Intel Optane module that comes with the kit (the letters OPT in the name are for a reason).

Moreover, the cost of such a caching module, if you buy it separately, is about 1000 more than the difference in the cost of these two boards. What is not a reason to “one-shot” buy a motherboard and, in addition to it, a completely fresh Intel Optane, which will allow you to do without purchasing an SSD, but get the speed of work hard drive almost like a solid state?

Other options

As in the case of budget motherboards, a large number of other models remain behind the scenes, which literally do not differ from those listed, but have a higher price. There are sure to be a number of motherboards that will meet the required specifications, and choose the one that is simply cheaper.

For example, the ASRock B250M-HDV has HDMI, which is not available in the similar ASUS PRIME B250M-K, while it is also slightly cheaper. Sense then in purchase of this ASUS model?

So, the above MSI H270 GAMING PRO CARBON is far from the only one oriented to use in gaming computers. Moreover, it is one of the most expensive in this segment. There are ASRock B250 Gaming K4 (8200 rubles), ASUS ROG STRIX B250I GAMING (8200 rubles), ASUS STRIX H270F GAMING (9100 rubles) and a number of others. Which one to choose is a matter of taste and financial capabilities.

On the other hand, if we compare the top (in this collection) MSI H270 GAMING PRO CARBON and the cheapest on the same ASRock H270M Pro4 chipset, which is about 3000 rubles. cheaper, then we'll see what, in fact, is included in this difference. The boards are identical in terms of functionality, except for the lack of RAID in MSI and the presence of 2 more USB 3.0 on the rear wall, as well as an S/PDIF output.

On the other hand, MSI is equipped with a backlight (where would it be without it now), beautiful heatsinks, a rather spectacular appearance in general, and gold-plated audio connectors. It turns out that the increase in cost includes only all this beauty. Is she worth it?

Conclusion. How to choose the right motherboard

How to choose the best option from all the variety of offers? It's hard to give a definitive answer. For starters - I would not "bother" about the manufacturer. Only a few companies are engaged in the release, they are trustworthy and, frankly, the products of which differ little from each other. I would not consider exotics like Biostar or Colorful.

The next step is to decide on the main characteristics. What processor are you planning to use? If from the latest (at the moment) generation of Kaby Lake, then I see no reason to save money and consider models based on 100-family chipsets. With the exception of H110, if a budget system is being assembled and the goal is maximum savings. The 200 chipset family supports DDR4-2400 memory, has more PCI-Express lanes, which gives more options for system expansion.

Moreover, the savings may turn out to be minimal, and the chosen mother on the old chipset may no longer have any prospects. Likewise with memory. Even if there are DDR3 sticks left, it's not entirely wise to save money and keep using them with a new motherboard. Since we are talking about an upgrade, you will have to part with DDR3 that has honestly served its purpose and switch to DDR4.

Naturally, when buying a motherboard based on chipsets without the letter "Z", i.e. without the possibility of overclocking by changing the multiplier, the use of processors with an unlocked multiplier (for example, I7-7700K) is not implied. Such a bundle, of course, will work, but why overpay for an “unlocked” processor if you can’t use it?

As you can see, there are models that may differ from each other by the presence or absence of just one connector, for example, HDMI. Do you need it, do you plan to use it? If yes, then there are no questions, if your monitor works fine from DVI, then is it really so important that the selected “mother” also has HDMI?

Now about the interfaces for connecting external devices. All models have USB 2.0 and 3.0, some have more connectors with the old version of USB, some have more USB 3.0. Many offer USB 3.1, and sometimes Type-C is also present. You need it - look for a model with such a connector, no - well, do not pay attention.

Having determined the list of required characteristics, select suitable models. Is it worth taking the most expensive one? Well, if only for the sake of having a backlight, an unusual color of the textolite, metal connectors for a memory / video card, or some similar “buns”. It will work exactly the same as a cheaper analogue.

For that matter, it is better to pay attention to the processor power supply, how many phases are used in the selected board model, and whether they have heatsinks. This is especially true if you are not going to trade on trifles and plan to install a powerful processor.

The main thing is that there is plenty to choose from, and there is something to choose from. As usual, in all the variety of motherboards there are those that will fully meet your requirements, and among them it is quite possible to choose the most affordable one.

Next time, let's look at motherboards that involve overclocking and which have a place in gaming computers.

The connector or "socket" (socket) of the motherboard and processor must match. Otherwise, it will not work to put the processor (CPU) on the motherboard.

The choice of the motherboard is carried out after.

We look at the connector of the selected processor in the specification for the processor on the official website.

We go to the store, select motherboards and put a filter on the socket of the processor we have chosen.

Chipset

A chipset is a set of chips that is responsible for the interaction of the processor with almost all built-in and connected devices on the motherboard.

Intel

For Intel processors

1. I follow the link
   • https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_chipsets#For_desktop_computers
2. We find a plate with our series of processors. The series must be viewed in the specification on the official website (). That is, we need

AMD

If you have selected an AMD processor

1. Follow the link https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_chipsets
2. In the content, select the section for the selected processor. (For example AM4)
3. The table shows the chipsets that work with the processor we have chosen.

Mandatory for everyone

1. In the store, we put a filter on the chipsets that work with the processor we have chosen.
2. Sort by (price ascending)
3. We select the motherboard by size (read the section below) and by connection ports.
   1. If you are building a computer without a separate / discrete graphics card, then I would pay attention to the video ports. Connectors are important to me. DVI and HDMI.
   2. If you are building a computer with a separate/discrete video card, then it doesn't matter what video outputs will be on your motherboard. You won't be using them anyway. will connect to .
4. Once you have found a suitable motherboard, you need to go and look at the specification on the official website and make sure that this motherboard supports the processor of your choice.

Form factor (size) of the motherboard

At the moment, the form factors of motherboards shown in the figure are the most common.

• ATX- 305 × 244 mm - adopted by Intel in 1995. The main form factor for full-sized boards. Designed for installation in MiniTower, FullTower cases.
• XL-ATX- 345 × 262 mm - the first supporting board this standard became the Gigabyte GA-890FXA-UD7 released on April 1, 2010. The dimensions of this board allow you to install up to 10 expansion cards and require larger cases than ATX boards.
• MicroATX- 244 × 244 mm - adopted by Intel in 1997. Shrink ATX has fewer expansion slots
• MiniITX- 170 × 170 mm - developed by VIA in 2001. Often these boards come with an integrated processor with passive cooling. Thanks to this, you can collect absolutely silent
• CEB- 305 x 267mm - Server motherboard form factor developed in 2005 by Intel, Dell, IBM and Silicon Graphics, Inc.

The choice of motherboard form factor is determined by the purpose of the computer. If this is a workstation, then you can choose CEB or XL-ATX, if a gaming computer - ATX and MicroATX, if you want