TOP 10 best motherboards: specifications, key features, reviews

The motherboard is the alpha and omega of any computer. It is on it that all other components of the machine are located. The right board can dramatically improve your PC's performance. In addition, it is she who determines which processor can be installed or which RAM to use. Therefore, the selection of this component must be approached responsibly. After all, a lot depends on him.

The problem is that there are many models on the market. And they have enough characteristics that do not say anything to the average user. It can be easy to get confused in the variety of models. Therefore, we took the liberty of telling about the process of choosing a motherboard in more detail. Our recommendations will definitely help you find the right product. And in some cases, it will even turn out to save a lot.

Rating TOP 10 best motherboards

However, before moving on to the specifics of the selection, it is worth looking at the best options that can be found on store shelves. We have selected a dozen of the best boards that can satisfy even the most discerning user. We will take a closer look at their characteristics. You may be able to choose from one of these models. It will be much easier that way. These are the products we are going to talk about today.

GIGABYTE B450 AORUS ELITE (rev. 1.0)

A motherboard designed for the first and second generation AMD Ryzen processors. Equipped with socket AM4 and based on AMD B450 chipset. The mode of simultaneous operation of several CrossFire video cards is supported. The board can accommodate up to 64 GB of DDR4 DIMM memory with a frequency range from 2133 to 3200 MHz. There are six SATA 6Gb / s ports.

The board provides 7.1CH, HDA sound based on the Realtek ALC892 chip. There is an Ethernet port that provides speeds of 1000 megabits. There are 14 USB ports. Of these, 6 comply with standard 3.1. There are two slots for installing M2 solid state drives. The motherboard is connected to the power supply using a classic 24-pin connector. An eight-pin connector is provided for powering the processor.

An excellent board for Ryzen processors. If you choose the right RAM, then you will be able to squeeze everything out of it. I am glad that the product supports overclocking. There is even a dedicated connector for RGB tape. This is definitely the best motherboard in the mid-range.

ASUS M5A78L-M LX3

A budget variant designed for the AMD FX, Phenom II, Athlon II, and Sempron 100-series processors. It is based on the AM3 + socket. Supports DDR3 DIMM RAM with frequencies of 1066-1866 MHz and a maximum capacity of up to 16 GB. The board is based on a good AMD 760G chipset, which is capable of high-quality control of all components. Supports Hybrid CrossFireX mode, used to combine multiple video cards into one.

The motherboard has an integrated graphics adapter represented by the ATI Radeon HD3000 model. The network card based on the Qualcomm Atheros chip provides gigabit internet when connected using an RJ-45 port. The board is made in the microATX form factor. There are 8 USB ports, 4 SATA 3Gb / s connectors, JBOD based on AMD SB710. The manufacturer gives a guarantee for its product for 1095 days.

A classic budget-class workhorse. Able to work for a long time without any complaints. Overclocking is supported. But the north bridge is very hot due to a poor-quality radiator. Plus SATA is an outdated standard. There is no M2 slot and other useful bonuses. But for assembling a budget system, the board will definitely fit.

ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0

This motherboard supports AMD Phenom II X6 / X4 / X3 / X2 (except 920/940), Athlon II X4 / X3 / X2 /, Sempron processors in AM3 + socket. The model is based on the powerful AMD 970 chipset. It supports CrossFire X mode, as well as DDR3 DIMM memory with a frequency range from 800 to 2100 MHz with a maximum capacity of 32 GB. There are 6 SATA 6Gb / s ports for connecting hard drives.

The motherboard has 7.1CH, HDA sound, based on Realtek ALC892. The Realtek RTL8111E network card with an RJ-45 connector is responsible for the supply of gigabit Internet. There are 16 USB ports. Of these, 4 support the 3.0 standard. There is support for RAID based on AMD SB950. Installed BIOS from AMI with support for EFI mode. The company gives a warranty for the motherboard for 1095 days from the date of purchase and installation in the PC.

Suitable for a working machine. Basically, the board supports all the necessary technologies. But the lack of M2 and PCI-E 3.0 is a little upsetting. without the latter, normal gaming performance is impossible. Nevertheless, a computer based on this motherboard can work as a work or multimedia station.

ASRock B450 Pro4

A board designed for AMD Ryzen processors. It has an AM4 socket as well as an AMD B450 chipset. There is full support for SLI / CrossFire technology. The board can work with DDR4 DIMM RAM, 2133-3200 MHz with a maximum capacity of 64 GB. There are 4 SATA 6Gb / s connectors for connecting hard drives. Solid state drives can be installed in the M2 slot. There is support for PCI Express 3.0.

The motherboard provides high-quality sound 7.1CH, HDA, based on Realtek ALC892. The Realtek RTL8111H network adapter provides gigabit speed when connected via an Ethernet port. There are 14 USB ports throughout the board. 8 of them are USB 3.1. There are two PCI-E x16 and 4 PCI-E x1 expansion slots. Also installed connectors D-Sub, DisplayPort, HDMI. The product is ATX compliant and comes with a 3-year warranty.

For overclocking RAM and Ryzen processors, this motherboard is suitable. Differs in stable operation and support of all necessary technologies. Works freely with powerful graphics cards. Also included is an adapter for coolers made for the AM3 + socket. But there is no cooling system for the power phases. They are constantly hot.

ASRock 970M Pro3

For AMD Phenom II X6 / X4 / X3 / X2 processors (except 920 and 940), Athlon II X4 / X3 / X2, Sempron. Socket AM3 + is supported. Integrated chipset AMD 970. Two video cards of the same type can work together using CrossFire X technology. There are 4 slots for RAM, into which you can insert DDR3 DIMMs, 1066-2400 MHz with a maximum capacity of up to 64 GB. There are 6 SATA 6Gb / s ports, as well as support for RAID.

The Realtek ALC892 chip is responsible for multi-channel audio with HDA support. The Realtek RTL8111E network card delivers 1000 Mbps speed when connected using an RJ-45 port. There are a total of 14 USB ports on the motherboard. Of these, four are fully compliant with the 3.0 standard. Cooling heatsinks are installed on important components of the board. The product comes with 2 SATA cables, a cover for the rear ports of the case. The warranty period is 1095 days.

The motherboard is easily capable of overclocking both the processor and memory. The BIOS has ready-made profiles. I am pleased with the possibility of including two video cards. 4 slots for RAM allow you to increase its volume without replacing all modules. But the radiators on the bridges get very hot. A well-ventilated enclosure is needed.

GIGABYTE GA-970A-DS3P (rev. 1.0)

Board with socket AM3 + for AMD FX, Phenom II, Athlon II processors. Driven by AMD 970 chip. AMI BIOS installed with disaster recovery and EFI support. DDR3 DIMM standard RAM with frequencies 1066-2000 MHz is supported. The maximum capacity can be up to 32GB. Modules can be placed in 4 slots. CrossFire X technology is fully supported. There are 6 SATA III ports for connecting hard drives.

The Realtek ALC887 audio chip provides multi-channel audio with HDA support. The integrated network chip delivers gigabits when connected via cable. Of the 16 USB connectors, 4 are 3.0 compliant. And two of them are on the back panel. The motherboard is ATX compliant and supports PCI Express 2.0 interface. Passive cooling radiators are installed on the north and south bridges.

The board, which is enough to install, and it will immediately start working without problems. No additional configuration is required. This is its main advantage. There are enough ports for connecting hard drives. But there is no M2 slot for SSD. Also not entirely happy is the fact that PCI Express 3.0 is not supported.

ASRock G41M-VS3 R2.0

The first motherboard in our review with an LGA775 socket. Designed for Intel Core 2 Extreme, Core 2 Quad, Core 2 Duo, Pentium Dual Core, Celeron Dual Core, Celeron processors. That is, it fully corresponds to its budgetary status. Driven by Intel G41 chip. The BIOS from the AMI company is installed. Supports installation of DDR3 DIMM memory modules, 800-1333 MHz with a total capacity of up to 8 GB. There are IDE (UltraDMA 100) and SATA 3Gb / s controllers. There is no RAID support.

The VIA VT1705 audio chip provides 5-channel audio with HDA support. The Atheros AR8152 network card is capable of delivering a maximum of 100 megabits per second when connected via an Ethernet port. There is an integrated Intel GMA X4500 graphics chip. There are 8 USB 2.0 ports. There is a passive cooling system in the form of aluminum radiators. The motherboard complies with the microATX standard.

This motherboard is only suitable for an office computer. Its characteristics are such that there are few of them even for a home multimedia system. For example, you can install a maximum of 8 GB of RAM. This is enough for an office. But not for home. But it costs ridiculous money. You can assemble a working machine. But nothing more.

GIGABYTE Z390 GAMING X (rev. 1.0)

Model for modern socket LGA1151 v2. It can accommodate processors such as Intel 9000 series, Core i7, Core i5, Core i3, eighth generation, as well as Pentium and Celeron. The board is powered by the Intel Z390 chip. Installed BIOS from AMI with automatic recovery and EFI support. You can use CrossFire X technology. There are 4 slots for installing DDR4 DIMM, 2133-4000 MHz RAM. The total volume can be up to 64GB.

There are 6 SATA 6Gb / s ports with RAID support for connecting hard drives and two M2 slots for solid state drives. Seven-channel audio is output by the Realtek ALC892 chip. There is an Ethernet port. Outstanding gigabit speed. The board contains 12 USB ports. Of these, 8 are version 3.1. There are S / PDIF, HDMI connectors. The board complies with the ATX standard. The manufacturer guarantees the uninterrupted operation of its product for three years.

The top board for overclocking already powerful CPUs from Intel. It meets all modern requirements: there are M2 slots, USB 3.1 ports, and CrossFire support. The cooling system is implemented well. All bridges are consistently cold. The good news is that you can use the eighth generation Intel Core without any problems.

GIGABYTE B450M DS3H (rev. 1.0)

A product designed for first and second generation AMD Ryzen processors installed in socket AM4. The model is equipped with AMD B450 chipset and BIOS from AMI. Supports the simultaneous operation of several graphics adapters called CrossFire. Supports 4 DDR4 DIMMs, 2133-3200 MHz up to 64 GB. There are 4 SATA 6Gb / s ports with RAID support, as well as an M2 slot.

The PCI Express 3.0 interface is fully supported, the Realtek ALC887 chip provides 7-channel audio, and the network card provides gigabit speed when connected to the Internet via the Ethernet port. There are 14 USB connectors onboard, six of which correspond to version 3.1. There is an HDMI connector as well as an S / PDIF output. The motherboard has a microATX form factor. The manufacturer guarantees trouble-free operation of the device for three years.

The board is perfect for overclocking Ryzen processors. Freely holds productive RAM modules. The set includes a screw for fastening M2. But the main thing is the small size. It can be easily installed in the Mini-Tower. But in the BIOS settings, the devil will break his leg. Especially when you consider that everything is in English.

GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS PRO (rev. 1.0)

Product with LGA1151 v2 socket for 8th Gen Intel Core i7, Core i5, Core i3, and Pentium and Celeron. The entire system is controlled by the Intel Z390 chipset. Installed BIOS from AMI with automatic recovery option. SLI / CrossFireX technology is fully supported, which allows you to make a single whole from two video cards. The board can handle 4 DDR4 DIMMs, 2133-4133 MHz for a total capacity of up to 64 gigabytes.

Six SATA 6Gb / s connectors with RAID support are used to connect hard drives. The two M2 slots can accommodate the corresponding solid state drives. There is full support for the PCI Express 3.0 interface. The Realtek ALC1220-VB chip provides HDA quality audio on seven channels. There are 8 USB 3.1 ports. In general, there are 10 USB connectors. Trouble-free operation of the board is guaranteed for three years.

A motherboard designed for assembling a gaming system. Supports relatively recent Intel Core i7s easily. There is an overclocking potential. You can use RAM with a frequency of 4000 MHz. When set up correctly, this is an incredibly powerful machine. And the price is exactly what it should be for such characteristics.

How to choose the right motherboard

The choice should primarily be based on the needs of the user himself. But often this is very little. You need to clearly understand which characteristics you need to pay attention to and which ones can be ignored. A beginner will simply be confused by the abundance of parameters. Therefore, we will tell you about the most important features of motherboards.

• Form Factor Tied to board size. Before buying, you should pay attention to this. If you take a full-size ATX model, and your system unit has a modest mini-tower size, then the board simply won't fit into it. Full-size variants can only be housed in Midi and Full Tower cases. For everyone else, there are standards such as mini-ITX (extremely rare) or microATX.
• Socket. Determines what type of processor can be installed in the motherboard. If you already have a CPU, then you need to select a product based on the CPU specifications.And if you don't have a processor yet, then choose the models with the most relevant sockets. This will allow you to buy a more efficient CPU in the future. Currently, the actual sockets are AM3 +, AM4, FM4 (for AMD models), LGA1155, LGA2011, 2066 and LGA2011-3 (for Intel platform). Other options should not be considered
• Processor compatibility. It's worth looking into if you have a CPU and don't know if it will work with a specific board. In this case, it is worthwhile to thoroughly study the specifications of the latter. Usually manufacturers indicate with which generation processors this or that product can work.
• RAM slots and maximum capacity. There is never a lot of RAM. If possible, then you should choose a model with 4 slots for RAM modules. This will allow you to add RAM at any time without having to replace existing strips. Also pay attention to the maximum volume supported by the motherboard. It is desirable that this value reach a minimum of 32 GB.
• PCI Express 3.0 support. Mandatory if you are assembling a gaming machine. It is in this slot that the video card is installed. And the throughput of version 3.0 is much higher than that of 2.0. accordingly, the graphics adapter will run faster. Also, support for this standard is useful if you will install an M2 solid-state drive in the appropriate slot. Its speed also depends on the version of the PCI-E interface.