What if you want to build a high-end custom PC and have bought some high-end components, but you have picked a motherboard that cannot support them? It would be a big mess, and you have to fix it. So it is essential to choose a compatible motherboard with other components to get the desirable results. In other words, if you have decided to build an intelligent PC with Ryzen 7 3700x, after picking an advanced CPU, so you must go for a motherboard that supports it correctly. It means you are now on the mission of selecting the best Motherboard for the Ryzen 7 3700x. But the point is how to pick a motherboard? Choosing a perfect motherboard required some higher level of expertise. One should be fully aware of the importance of the Motherboard in the computer system, its functionalities, compatibility areas, and much more because it is the only component responsible for connecting different parts such as CPU, GPU, RAM, and hard drives, etc.
Not only connecting the components, but it is also responsible for distributing power to the other components. Besides it, the Motherboard does some other essential functions that ensure the system works appropriately and collectively that enhances PC performance. Besides your current build, you must care for the future and choose a motherboard to upgrade your PC in the future. Some key factors would help you a lot in picking the required Motherboard, and you would not need to get professional help for your custom PC.
Let’s take a sharp look at these critical factors of the best Motherboard and evaluate the characteristics of a motherboard by highlighting its essential parts and functions.
How to choose the correct Motherboard?
Form Factor:
The first thing is form factors; motherboards come in different form factors for desktop computers that are usually recognized with sizes or dimensions. You have the option to choose among these common form factors such as E-ATX (305 × 330 mm or 12 × 13 inches), ATX (305×244 mm or 12.0 x 9.6 inches), Micro-ATX (244 x 244mm or 9.6 x 9.6 inches), and Mini-ITX(170 x 170mm or 6.7 x 6.7 inches). These form factors differ not only in sizes but also in specs and features in some ways. All of them have their advantages and disadvantages, and you can select them according to your priorities.
CPU socket:
After choosing the specific form factor, you should be aware of the CPU socket your mother can support or not. A CPU socket is a part that has particular pins to connect the CPU’s processor to the computer. Due to these pins CPU does not stick permanently and can be replaced easily whenever needed. Different motherboards support a different range of CPU sockets. When finalizing the Motherboard, you should also check the compatibility of your Motherboard’s CPU socket to your CPU. If you are going for the AMD CPU, you should keep in mind that your Motherboard has the required AMD socket. Similarly, if you are building with Intel CPU, then you should check either your mother is supporting or not the particular Intel socket.
RAM Slots:
RAM Slots are another crucial element in the Motherboard. It allows us to insert RAM (DRAM and SRAM) into the computer used to read and write data currently processed by the CPU. Motherboards have a different number of RAM slots. More RAM slots enable you to insert more RAMs that enhance your PC processing performance.
PCI slots:
The following important factor is PCI slots. The motherboard part helps you connect other required hardware such as graphics cards, sound cards, RAID cards, NIC cards, modems, SSD add-on cards, and disk controllers, etc. As motherboards vary in PCI slot number so being a smart user or a programmer, you should prefer the Motherboard with more PCI slots.
Power Supply (PSU):
The element responsible for converting the main AC to low-voltage regulated DC power and supplying the necessary power is called PSU, which is undoubtedly vital to the Motherboard. Different motherboards vary in PSU capacity, and you can not ignore the required capacity of the power supply for the different parts of your PC. Ryzen 7 3700x has 65W TDP, whether your Motherboard is compatible or not.
Ports and Connectors:
As you know, the Motherboard connects the different hardware with the computer. To perform such functions, it contains different types of ports and connectors such as USB Port, Display Port, PS/02, Parallel Port, Ethernet, Serial Port, VGA Port, DVI Port, HDMI Port. In connectors such as CPU socket, DIMM/RAM slots, M.2 connector, Front panel connectors, etc., each of them performs its particular function. More ports mean a large capacity for performing different types of functions at the same time.
Price/Performance Ratio:
The last key factor is the price/performance ratio. Sometimes we avoid buying expensive products and compromise on some specs and features, but the reality is we pay a lot to sacrifice quality and performance. So it would be best if you make a simple comparison for price and performance balance while buying a motherboard because saving a little cash may restrict you from getting high results or upgrading your system in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
A motherboard is the main circuit board that serves as the backbone of a personal computer, providing the electrical connections via which all other components in the computer (like the processor, the memory module, and the graphics card) are connected. Choosing the correct motherboard requires you to look at the kind of processor you want to use, the number of expansion slots, and the amount of memory it can hold.
You can find a motherboard’s compatibility information on its product page or the manufacturer’s website.
Yes, you can. Though you need to make sure that the new processor supports the same socket type, and to check that your motherboard supports the new processor.
Motherboards have a life expectancy of 3-5 years, but that is dependent upon usage and the quality of the motherboard. Higher-quality motherboards tend to be more reliable.
Conclusion:
We have mentioned almost every critical factor that would help you pick the perfect Motherboard for your desired CPU. Even if you build your system with Intel, you can select the perfect Motherboard by checking and following these steps. No doubt, the Motherboard is not the only component you should pick thoughtfully. Every component plays its part for PC, and you should research every part carefully because once you picked the wrong product, it means you will suffer at present or in the future.
From form factor to socket and from socket to memory and wireless connectivity, you can not ignore a single element as each of them are equally important. We suggest you go for the latest products as they are advanced and high-end and avoid limitations and undesired situations in the present and the future. Integrated motherboards are working well with high-end components, so you can pick an integrated motherboard to get better performance.
