How to choose a motherboard ?

The processor narrows the choices, since the connector on the motherboard will only work with the processors for which it is intended.

For example, if you buy an 8th generation Intel Core processor, you will need a board with an LGA 1151 socket , moreover, designed specifically for 8th generation chips. Older boards for 7th generation processors are equipped with the same socket, but they will not work with new chips.

In the case of AMD, everything is much simpler, because at the time of writing these lines, the AM4 socket is suitable for all mass processors of the latest generation, from Athlon to 8-core Ryzen 7. At the same time, AMD promises not to change the socket until 2020. Intel, by contrast, has changed sockets (or at least compatibility) with each generation of processors in recent years.

High-end processors (HEDT) are installed in other sockets - Intel LGA 2066 and AMD TR4, which correspond to the large size and energy requirements of these chips.

 

How to choose a motherboard | Chipsets

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A chipset or a set of system logic is the main component of the motherboard, on which processor support, peripheral connectivity and the overall speed of the entire system depend.

 

You do not have a choice of chipset only if you are building a system based on Intel Core X or AMD Threadripper HEDT processors: only Intel X299 and AMD X399 will work with them, respectively. 

 

However, for all other users who plan to install only one video card and several drives, there are plenty of options besides the flagship Intel Z370 or AMD X370 / X470.

If you choose motherboards based on Intel H370 or Q370 chipsets, you will lose the possibility of overclocking, however, in any case, only a few models of Intel mass processors have an unlocked multiplier (they are marked with the "K" index). At the same time, these more affordable chipsets are much newer than the Z370, and offer some features that the flagship does not have, for example, the built-in USB 3.1 Gen 2 controller.

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When choosing motherboards based on AMD B350 or B300 chipsets, you will still be able to overclock, but lose some fast USB and SATA ports compared to the flagship X370. Moreover, if you really need a lot of ports and drives, it is better to choose a board on the X370, which will cost only $ 20-30 more expensive than a board on the B350.

We offer two tables that summarize the main characteristics of the current chipsets for modern AMD and Intel processors.

 

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