When you sit down to make a list of the best PC components for your next gaming machine, motherboards often feel deserted as more preference is given to other components like the Graphic Card Units (GPUs) , Processor, etc. Motherboards often come after everything in our minds, but a little people know about the computers is that your motherboard plays a very important role in calculating the overall performance of your gaming machine.
As a technical expert, I am against the traditional approach that people take while looking for the components for their gaming computer. In fact, I’d suggest focusing as much on your motherboard as some of the more exciting components of your build.
Motherboards have come a long way with respect to onboard features. Today, it is very important to choose a very good motherboard to ensure a stable computing platform that is capable to deliver optimum operating efficiency of all PC components.
Before you head out to hunt for the best gaming motherboards available on the market, it is essential to know everything about them to make smart, better decision. There are a few things that we all know like compatibility, model, etc. However, there is a lot more that you’d want to know while making a purchase of components for your gaming desktop.
What is a Motherboard?
If you have ever opened the side panel of your desktop, you’d know what a motherboard is. A motherboard is a printed circuit board (PCB) that is designed to create a kind of backbone allowing a variety of components to communicate. It serves as a single unit to connect different components such as the central processing unit, graphics processing unit, memory, and storage. All the devices like desktops, laptops, and mobiles use motherboards to pull everything together. However, you get the freedom to buy a motherboard separately only for desktop PCs.
It consists of a wide range of electronic components like circuits, transistors, capacitors, heat sinks, slots, etc. Your desktop motherboard is a very complicated product, which is why it is important to spend some time on researching about the different aspects of Motherboard before you make a purchase.
Quick Shopping Tips
Choose the right socket for your CPU – There are different companies manufacturing CPUs. When buying a motherboard, it is essential to choose the right socket to support it. Most CPUs available on the market these days use AM4 CPU sockets while current Intel 8th Gen and 9th Gen Core CPUs require LGA 1151v2 sockets.
- On-board on/off switches – If your system is being housed in an open case, these switches may be very handy in the initial build process. However, if you are a professional or have prior experience, then you don’t need it.
- Storage Capacity – Operating systems are very heavy and hence you need a space to store the operating system, applications, and data. When buying a motherboard, it is essential that it has the slots available according to the latest storage devices. You may need to choose between a hard disk drive (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD).
- RAM Storage – Once your PC is turned on, your CPU needs somewhere to store information. That’s called RAM or “random access memory.” Most desktop computers these days are equipped with at least 4GB of RAM. However, you must choose the motherboard that can support more than 8GB or RAM, especially when you are looking for a gaming machine. Make sure the motherboard is having multiple RAM slots.
- GPU Support – Another important factor that may affect your decision of buying a motherboard is its compatibility to the GPUs. Some may expect the motherboard to support single GPU while some may like it to work with multiple GPUs for better performance and graphics ability. Look for the GPU compatibility while buying the Motherboard.
Top 5 Gaming Motherboards To Buy:
The first Motherboard on our list of the best motherboards for gaming comes from Asus. ASUS ROG Strix H370-I Gaming belongs to their gaming-oriented RoG brand. If you are a pro gamer and have been enjoying your passion for longer, then you are sure to be familiar with the Republic of Gamers products and will know exactly what to expect from it. The RoG Strix H370-I by Asus is a true feature-packed gaming motherboard that is designed with perfection, incorporating plenty of RGB lighting, as is the tradition with RoG hardware.
Hardware Compatibility:
- CPU – This motherboard comes with an LGA1151 socket and the Intel H370 chipset, making it compatible with all the LGA1151 Intel CPUs released to date.
- GPU – This is only a single PCIe 3.0 x16 slot that makes it compatible with all newer graphics cards.
- RAM – You get two RAM slots to fuel power to your gaming machine with dual DDR4 RAMs.
- Storage – It comes with a total of four SATA III connectors.
- Ports – Don’t go to its size, but it offers a lot more to its size as the rear panel of the H370-I is brimming with a variety of connectors like five 3.1 USB ports, one USB-C port, one DisplayPort and HDMI port.
This is the latest release by Gigabyte, which means this is one of the most suitable and compatible motherboards for the latest gaming desktops. The Z370 Aorus Gaming 7 motherboard which brings some extra features to the table that have been missing on its previous releases. Visually, we have just a regular blackboard with dark grey highlights, but it is far better than the others in its series when compared with technical features. But it’s not that dull as it comes with extensive RGB lighting, something that gamers appreciate.
Hardware Compatibility:
- CPU – Aorus Gaming 7 by Gigabyte is powered by AMD Ryzen AM4 2 processors. It has the same standard LGA1151 socket and latest chipset as the above model, which means it is compatible with all the latest Intel CPUs.
- RAM – Similar to the other latest models for gaming purposes, this comes with four RAM slots, supporting DDR4 memory.
- Storage – This motherboard is designed to fuel maximum performance so it has the usual six SATA III connectors along with three M.2 sockets.
- GPU – It offers great GPU compatibility with three PCIe x16 slots and three PCIe x1 slots. Also, it supports Nvidia SLI.
- Ports – At the back panel, you get 3 USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports, an HDMI M.2 port and a DisplayPort for integrated graphics, etc.
This is another very popular and suitable motherboard, designed to maximum performance by Gigabyte. It is designed specifically for the Intel to give them a good bang for their buck. This is specifically designed for the gamers who are at the beginning level so it doesn’t place too big of an accent on design. But, when it comes to the features and technical greatness, it’s one of the best ones available out there.
Of course, there are drawbacks of everything and similar is the case with this model as well. The B360M DS3H doesn’t support dual GPUs, which you may expect as a professional gamer.
Hardware Compatibility:
- CPU – This motherboard is compatible with latest Intel Core CPUs, thanks to the standard LGA1151 socket and an Intel B360 chipset.
- GPU – With B360M, you get only one PCIe x16 slot along with a PCIe x4 and a PCIe x1 slot. This means, you only get a single GPU support and no dual GPU setups.
- RAM – Performance is assured by this motherboard as it comes with DDR4 RAM slots and can support up to 64 GB RAM.
- Ports – At the back panel, you get a bunch of helpful slots like an HDMI port, VGA port, four USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, and three analog audio jacks.
- Storage – The B360M offers six SATA III connectors and a single M.2 socket.
Here we have another motherboard by Gigabyte – the Z370P D3. This is another affordable motherboard, designed for the gaming beginners, though it packs a few more features than the B360M DS3H and connectors than its more compact counterpart. It’s not an impressively designed like the gaming professionals love, but it does actually have a single RGB strip that runs along the edge of the board. If you’re looking for a durable motherboard with all the required essential features, this may be your best pick. But if you’re looking for something that supports multiple Nvidia graphics cards, you’ll have to look to a pricier model.
Hardware Compatibility:
- CPU – This motherboard is compatible with all the CPUs that that support LGA1151 socket and Z370 chipset.
- GPU – Graphics is something that’s been given preference here as this motherboard comes with a total of three PCIe x16 slots and supports AMD CrossFire. In addition to it, Z370P comes with three PCIe x1 slots for miscellaneous expansion cards.
- RAM – With Z370P, you get four RAM slots that support up to 64 GB of DDR4 memory.
- Storage – You have the freedom to easily connect the latest SATA memory devices using its six SATA III connectors and a single M.2 socket.
- At the back panel, the Z370P offers two separate PS/2 ports, four 1st-gen USB 3.1 ports and USB 2.0 ports. Also, there’s one HDMI port for integrated graphics and three audio jacks.
Here we have yet another beautifully designed Strix motherboard that comes from the house of Asus, a leading name in the desktop and laptop manufacturing industry. The X470-F is a more serious solution for the more serious gamers that also fits their budget as well. Although it’s not as cheap as the other motherboards that are designed for beginners, but its cost is defined by the upgrades it has got.
Hardware Compatibility:
- CPU – Strix X470-F is equipped with an AM4 socket and the X470 chipset, which means this one is fully compatible with all the latest AMD CPUs and APUs. So, don’t worry about its compatibility while you make the purchase.
- GPU – Asus seems to have some very strong thought about the graphics when manufacturing this motherboard. It comes with three PCIe x16 slots and three PCIe x1 slots. It also supports both AMD CrossFire and Nvidia SLI.
- RAM – Here you get four slots to use your DDR4 RAMs easily. This motherboard is designed to support up to 64 GB of RAM.
- Storage – At the storage front, it’s also the right choice as you get four SATA III connectors and a single M.2 socket.
- Ports – Now this is something very interesting here. The Strix X470-F is going to surprise you with five USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, two USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports. Also, there’s one HDMI port and DisplayPort available for integrated graphics and optical audio out.
Final Thoughts
It’s been quite a tough competition so far, but since we have a habit of declaring one winner at the end of every war, we’d like to reward GIGABYTE Z370 AORUS Gaming 7 as the best motherboard available for professional gamers. It has been designed specifically for the experts, but this doesn’t mean that we shall underestimate the ones that are designed for beginners.
If you are a beginner and looking for the motherboard in your budget, it’s good to go with ASUS ROG Strix X470-F.
We have our own thoughts about the performance and the technical specifications, but when you are planning to buy the best gaming motherboard, you must consider different aspects that may affect your choice. For example, you must check its technical compatibility, external support ports, RAM compatibility, memory support slots, GPU support and of course the CPU support. The final decision must be made very carefully with your specific needs in mind.
Go ahead and make your right choice to enjoy gaming with no stress of performance glitches with the best motherboard available for gaming.
Good Luck!