The motherboard is the component with the most technical characteristics of your entire PC and for this reason it is really difficult to be up to date with what we need to know to make a smart purchase, a master purchase or simply a wrong purchase. The details mark these differences, and therefore, it is convenient to know what to look at before buying, so we are going to give the guidelines to make a good investment in our motherboard and not make a mistake in the purchase.
If choosing a processor or graphics model is already an odyssey, in motherboards many may throw their hands to their heads, but don’t worry, that’s what we’re here for, to help with that difficult decision. Therefore, what should you take into account to buy the model that suits you best?
So you can choose your new motherboard wisely
Let’s start with the obvious: the processor socket. If you are going to build a new PC, it will be easier for you, since you will know which CPU and socket must go hand in hand to be able to install the first one in the second one. If you are going to update then check that the model you are going to look at or search for has your same socket.
Second, QVL compatibility list, both for CPU and RAM. Important whether it is a motherboard update or a complete new PC. Thirdly, and with what was previously said about insurance: features that we need for our PC. The obvious thing is to sit down and think about what we are looking for and need in a motherboard, and although it seems silly, it is key, because if we do not look to the future or in the short term, at least it is possible that we will find that the current choice was insufficient and we have to change the model with the consequent expense.
We are talking about USBs, types, speed, video outputs, power phases, SATAs, etc… A global calculation that will be optimal for us in the future.
Technical characteristics to review
We keep moving forward and now come the technical characteristics that we have to review for the hardware that we have or that we are going to have. Here enter the RAM memories, type, speed and voltage, PCIe version for our graphics card or SSD, number of PCIe lines for the GPU and the SSD to the processor or chipset and of course, the connectors you need for the power supply. feeding.
These data are equally important, especially for future updates to get more out of the platform. Due to the high price of the highest-end components, it is important to think about them when they are no longer TOP and lower in price, being able to buy them for much less money and obtaining more power at a lower cost compared to when buying the motherboard.
Buy now, for example, a motherboard with DDR5 can be useful if there are forecasts that the socket will be maintained for some generation. Same example with PCIe in graphics or M.2, or with SATAs. Therefore, this is all you need to know so as not to make a mistake when buying a motherboard.
