Getting the right motherboard and processor combination – at the right price – is key
The starting point of any system is its CPU and Motherboard combination. These two components are built to fit one another with a particular socket and chipset combination, so it makes sense to choose them both at the same time.
When choosing a CPU or a motherboard there are a whole confusing host of options open to you, all which are fairly similar in design and compatibility, but different in function and capability. To help you understand what will suit your needs best, we’ll explain which processors are good for which purposes, explain how to match them up with the right motherboard, and point you in the direction of some deals and offers that might help sway your decision one way or the other.
CPUs: What To Look For
There are two main manufacturers of desktop CPUs: AMD and Intel. Historically, they have jockeyed for market position, but the last couple of years have seen Intel take a convincing lead in performance, forcing AMD to compete on price. The upshot is that current AMD chips perform comparatively badly for single-thread and CPU-intensive tasks, but can be used to build a cheaper system.
The problem for AMD is that desktop systems are frequently employed for entertainment and gaming, both of which favour the single-threaded performance that Intel does so well. That doesn’t write off AMD completely, though: if you’re building a low-cost system, those based on AMD’s technology are usually cheaper, even if the relatively low performance makes them worse value.
AMD currently has two main lines: the A-Series chips are CPUs with integrated GPUs (what AMD call APUs – ‘Accelerated Processing Unit’) and the FX series are standard, processor-only chips with no graphics capabilities. A-series processors are good for low-budget systems, while FX chips make most sense paired with a graphics card.
Intel, by comparison, have three main desktop lines – Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7. At retail, they’re mostly spread over two release iterations: Skylake and Haswell. Core i3s are low-end, casual-use chips, Core i5s are aimed at more serious users, and Core i7s are aimed at specialist users and performance enthusiasts.
Although Core chips do contain onboard graphics (like AMD’s A-series chips) it’s worth pointing out that these aren’t really suitable for gaming. If you’re planning on buying a separate graphics card, the Core CPUs are a good choice, but if you can’t commit the extra funds then an A-series will offer better graphics than you can get from even a higher-end Core CPU.
Intel CPU Deals
Budget: Core i3-4150 (£93)
Intel’s idea of a ‘low-end’ CPU isn’t the same as most people’s, but the Core i3 line of chips is designed for everyday, non-intensive use, and they’re very good at their job. Haswell chips are 5%-10% slower than their more expensive Skylake counterparts and not a huge amount cheaper, but you will save on the motherboard. Make sure you consider whether it’s a false economy – these chips are old and will hit the end of their lifespan much sooner than a Skylake one will.
The Core i3-4150 supports hyper-threading and has an onboard Intel HD Graphics GPU, which isn’t as good as the graphics on higher-end AMD APUs, but is still more than adequate for non-gamers. The only real downside is that – as with all Core i3 CPUs – the Core i3-4150 is multiplier-locked, so overclocking isn’t possible in any major way. You can’t squeeze it for performance like you might a similarly priced AMD chip.
Mid-Range: Core i5-6500 (£171)
In terms of raw capabilities, the Core i5-6500 isn’t much different to its near-identical predecessor, the i5-4570, but we think the new Skylake features – a better onboard GPU, greater efficiency and cooler temperature – are worth paying for even if the chip costs a little extra. Again, if you go with a Haswell model the appropriate motherboard will be cheaper, so that’s worth considering, but all other things being equal this is the better CPU, and being on the newer platform (with, for example, DDR4 compatibility) is going to be worth it in the long run.
High-End: Core i7-6700K (£275)
Intel’s dirty secret is that the Core i7 chips, by almost any practical measure, aren’t much better than the Core i5s, being largely tuned for the kind of multi-threading performance that most people don’t really do on their home PCs. That doesn’t stop the i7-6700K being the best highend desktop chip it offers, though. The onboard Iris GPU isn’t much use – there’s almost no point getting a chip like this if it’s not paired with a graphics card – but other than that, it’s nearly flawless. Even if you’re just gaming with it, you can expect superb performance above any of Intel’s slower chips – and the unlocked multiplier means you can pair it with a Z-series motherboard to get even faster speeds.
AMD CPU Deals
Budget: A6 6400K (£42)
Despite being a budget chip, the AMD A-Series A6-6400K includes an unlocked multiplier, which means it’s possible to overclock it. Compared to the locked Intels you find at this price range, that’s a huge plus point, even if AMD chips don’t overclock half as well as Intel’s. The HD 8470D graphics chip on the processor is notably superior to the GPU on Intel’s similarly priced offerings, and for extra power, it can be run in a crossfire configuration with a similar graphics card, which is a potential boon for budget gamers. It’s tough to recommend unless you’re pressed for cash, but if you are we’d rather have this than anything else in the same price range.
High-End: AMD A10 7850K (£90)
Although no high-end AMD system is going to match the capabilities of an high-end Intel one, you can still put together a set of hardware that’ll give you a passable gaming PC when paired with a decent graphics card. When you get to building faster systems, though, the low budget appeal of AMD chips is less helpful, because it’s no use saving money on a performance system. That doesn’t mean it’s completely pointless, especially if you want a fast, uncomplicated PC.
For £90, this Kaveri A10 7850K CPU gives you an R7 graphics GPU with visual performance far beyond what any Intel chip can provide on its own. It might not be the best choice for gaming, but it’s passable, and if that saves you £100-£200 on a separate graphics card then it’s probably worth doing when saving money is important. The place where it can really help is if you’re building some kind of HTPC or similarly specialised system – that way, you get smooth HD video performance without the high price of Intel hardware or a separate graphics card, saving on noise levels and power draw at the same time.
Motherboards: What To Look For
Above all else, Motherboards must match the CPU you’re putting in them. Once you’ve made sure of that, you’re just negotiating specifics. Of course, those specifics range from the relatively inconsequential (such as how many USB sockets it has) to the rather quite important (what chipset it uses) so, having helped you choose a CPU, we’ll now point you in the direction of a compatible and appropriate motherboard.
Currently, Intel’s motherboards use either Socket LGA-1150 (for Haswell chips) or LGA-1151 (For Skylake chips). AMD’s most recent sockets are still AM3+ and FM2. Against expectations (or at least, against alliteration) the former is used for FX series chips, while the latter is used for A-Series chips. That said, AMD’s forthcoming Zen chips will use AM4 (previously expected to be called FM3) but it’ll be months until FM3 chips and boards are released – October at the earliest.
Once you know the motherboard can accept the CPU you’re planning to buy, you can set about deciding on what other features are important to you. For the most part this’ll involve choosing the number of USB ports, PCI slots and SATA connectors, but do beware: some motherboards have quirks that can cause unexpected trouble. Certain chipsets are multiplier-locked, meaning they can’t be used with overclocked chips. Others may omit support for GPUs, mandating the use of a separate graphics card. Some save space by providing only two RAM banks. Where these things might be an issue we’ve highlighted them, but if you’re picking one on your own, don’t forget to do some research first!
Once you’re confident about features, you’ll need to pay attention to the form factor, which will probably be ATX or microATX. The majority of desktop PCs use an ATX form, and virtually any desktop case will have space and mountings for both ATX and microATX boards. If you’re not sure what to buy, make it ATX – or check your case to make sure what boards it’s designed for.
Intel Motherboard Deals
Budget: Gigabyte GA-Z97-D3H (£53)
Gigabyte’s Z97 motherboard is as cheap as Socket 1150 boards come if you don’t want the inconvenience of a microATX board – and if you’re building a desktop PC we’d always recommend going for the full ATX size, if only so you can fit in expansions further down the line. This board is a Z97 chipset, which means it’s also capable of supporting chips all the way up to a Core i7 as long as it’s Haswell, complete with overclocking features. For us, that’s worth the £15 extra you’ll pay over a lesscapable Haswell motherboard because of the future-proofing it offers, but if you don’t mind a stripped back PC, look for an H81 board instead – Gigabyte’s cheapest is the GA-H81M-H, and that’s a solid choice too at £36.
Mid-Range: MSI H170A PC MATE (£81)
Intel’s H170 is aimed at mainstream PCs, broadly replacing the Ivy Bridge H77, Haswell H87 and Devil’s Canyon H97. Although considered mid-range boards, their support for high-end features is more than enough for most home users, with up to sixteen PCI-E lanes (allowing for SLI mode graphics). This particular board has six SATA 6Gb/s ports, M.2 and SATAe ports, built-in HDMI, DVI-D and VGA, eight USB 3.1 ports and four USB 2.0 ports, built-in gigabit LAN and support for DDR4 memory. As long as you don’t want to overclock your CPU this is as good a motherboard as you can get, and perfectly pairs with any (locked) Core i5 chip.
High-End: ASRock Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming K6 (£142)
There are more expensive motherboards around, but the ASRock Fatal1ty Z170 gaming board is enough for most home systems. As well as all the features of the H710 chipset, the Z170 supports full overclocking of both CPU and RAM, and the ASRock Fatal1ty line features gold-plated connectors to facilitate electrically clean and high-quality connection between components. Of particular note is its dual BIOS, which allows you to have a backup BIOS spare in case of an upgrade disaster – an essential feature for anyone who likes to keep their board on the cutting edge of firmware updates. Remember to double-check which board you’re buying though – some cheaper versions of the Fatal1ty actually use DDR3, which is an option for Skylake systems – just not the best one if you’re trying to build something high-end!
AMD Motherboard Deals
Budget: Asrock FM2A78 Pro4+ (£66)
If you’re buying an FM2 or FM2+ chip, it’s hard to find a board cheaper than this without resorting to under-sized examples. The Asrock FM2A78 Pro4+ is pretty standard, with four DDR3 DIMM slots, triple monitor support and onboard gigabit LAN. It has three PCI-E slots and dual-graphics support, with five SATA 3.0 ports. The only area it’s even slightly lacking is in USB support, because the A78 chipset only has three USB 3.0 ports by default, with the rest being USB 2.0. Overclocking support is best described as limited, but it’s available, and that’s enough to avoid the extra expense of a more capable board if you’re trying to build a budget system. The only reason we wouldn’t go cheaper than this is because you’re going to need space for RAM, which this has – and, being a DDR3 board, you can (and should) re-use your old DIMMs in it.
High-End: Asus A88X-GAMER (£95)
The A88X chipset supports full overclocking on AMD chips and is a great choice for anyone building a high-end AMD-based system – at least for the moment, that is. We should once again point out that the forthcoming release of Zen and AM4-socket chipsets means any FM2+ based setups are on their last legs (its kit that still supports DDR3 rather than DDR4, after all) but if you can’t wait, it’s the one to go for right now. Overclocking aside, The features in this board aren’t all thatfar beyond the Asrock board we just looked at, but it does have eight SATA 3.0 ports, four USB 3.0 ports and ten USB 2.0 ports, as well as optical audio out, so if they are worth an extra £30 of your money, then go for it. By our reckoning, you don’t need to spend any more on an AMD board right now – though, to be fair, looking at the market you’d struggle to!