Join us as we demystify the process of choosing a new board for your PC
When considering what hardware to upgrade, it's easy to get distracted by the simplicity of adding more RAM, a faster processor or a superior graphics card. But what about your motherboard?
A fresh motherboard brings with it a host of benefits. Unlike the incremental improvements that come with RAM or CPU upgrades, a new motherboard will instantly offer extra features and expansion possibilities that weren't there before. It will quite literally remake your PC.
But the number of co-dependencies your motherboard accommodates also makes it one of the most difficult pieces of hardware to upgrade - especially if you're not building an entirely fresh PC. Current operating systems have taken a lot of the strain out of swapping your motherboard for a new one, but it's still a difficult process that requires a fair amount of understanding to undertake.
CPU Sockets
If you're buying a new motherboard, you could start by selecting one that's compatible with your existing CPU. Whether you're upgrading your chip or not, making sure you have the correct socket is important. While most hardware can be convinced to work with any modern motherboard through converters or expansion cards, nothing will let you get a CPU into a motherboard it's not designed for.
There are several sockets you'll find on a motherboard, which determine the type of chip it takes.
LGA1150 is Intel's current-generation socket, supporting almost all desktop-size Haswell chips, from the lowliest Pentium to the fastest Core i7. There's a strong chance it'll also be the socket Broadwell chips use when they're released later this year, which means a motherboard with an LGA1150 socket gives you plenty of upgrade opportunities for the future. Its predecessor, LGA1155, supports any Sandy or Ivy Bridge chip, but is not compatible with Haswell CPUs.
LGA2011-3 is a socket that supports the 'enthusiast' version of Haswell, Haswell-E. These super-fast chips use a different socket to regular Haswell chips and aren't crosscompatible. Although physically similar to its predecessor, LGA2011, this socket does not support earlier generations of chips, and it's too early to say whether Broadwell-E will use it or another one, so be wary if you're looking for this type of hardware. Again, its predecessor is compatible with Sandy/lvy Bridge-E chips only.
If you want an AMD motherboard, there are different sockets to look for.
AMD's APU chips, which combined a CPU and GPU (like Intel Core chips) require a Socket FM2 or FM2+ depending on their generation. The current generation of Kaveri chips use Socket FM2+, and their successor, Carizzo, will also use this hardware. Its predecessor. Socket FM2, accepts Trinity and Richland chips but not the first generation of APUs (Llano), which used Socket FM1.
AMD also releases FX-series CPUs (which have no GPU), and at present, these all use the AM3+ socket, which is not compatible with any generation of Fusion APU.
It's worth noting that Socket FM2+ motherboards can accept a socket FM2 chip, but Socket FM2+ chips cannot be placed in Socket FM2 motherboards. This makes upgrading slightly easier - if you have an FM2 chip already, you don't have to replace the CPU to upgrade the motherboard. Neither socket supports FM1 chips, and FM1 sockets only support FM1 chips.
The upshot of this is that if you're buying a new AMD motherboard, it makes sense to buy an FM2+ board. They have the most potential for upgrading and can accept at least one generation of older chips. AM3+ motherboards are acceptable if you already own an FX-series chip you wish to retain, but the technology appears to be destined for cancellation fairly soon, so as investments go it's risky.
Once you've narrowed your choices down to a motherboard that supports your preferred chip, there are a few other questions that need answering.
The size and capabilities of the board need to be considered, for instance. If you're aiming for a compact or low-power system (such as an HTPC or media server), then look for micro-ATX or mini-ГГХ boards. If you're aiming for a regular desktop PC, a normal ATX board is the standard choice. If you're aiming for power, get a board with robust overclocking features and plenty of support for cooling expansions.
The number of expansion slots is also worth taking into account. Smaller boards may only have a couple of slots, but that's fine if they're going in small systems. If you have plans for a multi-GPU setup, make sure there are plenty of PCIe slots. Some features, such as on-board wi-fi or USB 3.0, might negate the need for one of your expansion cards, so take that into account as well.
Most motherboard upgrades won't present any problems with RAM, though smaller boards may have fewer slots, so take that into account if you've currently got a full complement. There are two circumstances under which you'll also be required to buy new RAM when you upgrade your motherboard, however: if your current system is old enough to use DDR2 or if your new system uses DDR4. If you're upgrading from a DDR3 board to another DDR3 board, simply pull out your old RAM and put it in the new board and it'll work fine.
It's worth noting that in the same way that the ability to overclock isn't something featured on all CPUs, not every motherboard can do it either. If you're planning to overclock, check that the motherboard's chipset does actually support it. Some can't overclock at all, some will only allow a limited overclock on the RAM, and others - usually the most expensive chipsets - can fully overclock both the RAM and the CPU.
Price & Manufacturer
Motherboard prices run a reasonably wide gamut, from £30 for the cheapest varieties (typically smaller or older models with fewer capabilities) to £300 for the most feature-packed and advanced boards. That leaves a lot of room to manoeuvre when you're looking for the right one.
If you buy an Intel-based board, then you're unlikely to find anything using the newest chipsets for under £70. If you want something more modern, we'd recommend spending somewhere in the region of £80-£120. Above that, you're buying specialist overclocking- and performance-focused hardware that casual users don't need.
AMD motherboards start just as cheap as Intel's, but top out much lower. You won't find an AMD motherboard more expensive than £200. That makes the sweet spot for current generation purchases come in a little lower, so if you budget between £60-£90 for an AMD board, then you're sure to get something worth owning.
Once you've decided on a model and price range, you'll then have to decide which manufacturer to go for. In the long run, the difference between manufacturers is reasonably small, since they all manufacture hardware using the same chipset specifications anyway. If you're a casual user who doesn't poke around inside your BIOS or case very much, you can probably base your decision on price alone without anything to worry about. In particular, Intel's own-brand motherboards are highly recommended for buyers who want to get a good deal on the price but aren't interested in flashy design elements or additional features.
Pickier users are advised that Asus boards are often considered to have the best balance between features and reliability, but it's still a slim gap between Asus and its close competitors Gigabyte and MSI, so don't worry if one of the latter manufacturers has a feature (or price) you prefer!
Ultimately, upgrading a motherboard isn't a particularly difficult process; it just requires a few extra factors to be considered once you've made your initial decision. Don't be put off!