Motherboards: what are they and how to choose one

One of the most basic requirements of any home computer system is the motherboard, and while you may have heard of this part of the computer, you may not be sure exactly what it is. If you’re thinking of building your own computer or upgrading your existing computer, you might be considering which motherboard to buy. But what decisions will you have to make, and how will your choice of motherboard affect the other components you choose?

If you look inside a computer, you’ll notice that there is a main circuit board that covers most of one side of the computer. You will probably notice a number of other small circuits and components that are also connected to this main circuit board. The main circuit board inside a computer is the motherboard, and it is through this circuit board that most other components communicate with each other.

The motherboard is where the computer’s processor connects, and this can make a big difference when it comes to selecting a processor or motherboard for a new computer or upgrade. Not all motherboards and processors will go together. There are a number of different accessories attached to each one, and like puzzle pieces, only certain processors will fit certain motherboards.

Typically, you’ll first choose your processor, and then once you’ve made this choice, you’ll identify a motherboard that will be able to accommodate the type of processor you have. There are other features of motherboards that you’ll also need to consider, such as the number of available slots and size.

Since all other circuit boards such as memory, graphics cards, sound cards, modems, and ports connect to the motherboard, it is essential that you think carefully about what components and how many components you will need. It’s always best to overestimate, as often after a few months or a year or two you’ll want to upgrade again as technology continues to improve and prices continue to drop.

Some of the cheaper motherboards have integrated sound and some even have integrated graphics. This means that the motherboard will include both graphics and sound cards. This can help with cost, but it can also mean there’s no room to add a separate sound card or graphics card, and the quality of video and audio generated by a motherboard is likely to be considerably lower than having a dedicated card. card.

The other aspect to consider is size, as motherboards come in several different sizes, although there are usually two popular ones. These include the largest size, which allows you to add a lot of extra cards and memory, or the smallest size which has less room to add extra components, but will mean the final size of your computer isn’t too big and will fit even in crowded conditions. .

So while motherboards are the essential foundation for the rest of your computer, they are often among the last things to be decided on, with much more to be considered first and then assembled once you’ve made your separate decisions.