What motherboard?

Dear all,

Can someone advice what 'elements' and 'features' should I look in a mainboard? I consider myself a 'medium' gamer but I'm finding it difficult in choosing the ideal one. What would a gamer look for when purchasing one? Should I go for a mid-range mainboard and spend the rest on a better video card?

Thanks

RA

Are you buying a new CPU or just replacing your mobo/gpu?

Either way, we can't help ya out until we know what your CPU is or will be. Gotta determine the socket type.

Look for

• USB 3.0
• SATA 6 Gb/s
• 2x PCIe x16 (Though only one is needed)
• Socket support (1155 for intel or AM3 for AMD)
• Amount of SATA ports and their position on the board (for HDDs and OptDrives)
• Size (ATX for regular cases, Micro for microcases)
• Amount of USB ports (if you need alot, look for a case thats supports a lot)

Let us know what CPU you're using and we can help you out on a board. I'd say go for an intel build since they have the best CPUs on the market right now.

Hi, thanks for thr prompt reponses.

I believe I need to upgrade the 'whole' case, because my 6+ year old PC (equipped with a Geforce 6800GT) freaked out and lately started reacting very strangley! It has an Intel 865GLC mainboard with an Intel 2.4 HT processor. Repairing it is not worth it. I still used to play some good 2005-2006 games! It's dead now... :(

So in a nutshell I would probably need to purchase a new mainboard, processor implied (AMD or Intel?), Video Card and RAM. Probably I would also need a new case (not sure).I hope to re-use my DVD Burner and the 500W Power Supply. I think I will be purchasing my mainboard from the following retail outlet. Can someone be so kind as to go through this list and suggest one which is ideal for a 'medium' gamer. Many many thanks.

http://www.scanmalta.com/eshop/index.php/components/mobo-cpu/motherboards.html

Thanks

The most inportant factor is to don't buy *el'cheapo motherboard.

(*as in low on feutures and OC capability, not really about the cash.)

This one of the multiple why **most mATX isnt that great option.

Choose a board to handle anything you want to do with it, a **typical mATX have rather weak powerline/phases, this is also the case with many low-end boards and will affect the OC in a negative way, and for most SLI/Crossfire is impossible due to the small motherboard design.

(** There are several mATX who is great performers in a small package, but the vast majority of the mATX boards are simple and uninspiring with the intention to sit in smaller workstation PC's, not made for PC enthusiasts/gamers/OC'ing with higher demands.)

The amount and type of connections can always be added by a dedicated slot-in card but it will cost you more than it was to get a much better board than the one you got witch missing thoose feutures.

Digital-output from the onboard audio, prefferable the toslink/optical or the coaxial as you wont need to buy a dedicated soundcard to do what a onboard does equally good.

If your getting a AMD motherboard get one with AM3+ because it will give you acsess to the bulldozer series releasing in late July/early Aug.

If your getting a SandyBridge (i5/i7 2xxx(k) s1155) get the P67 or the Z68, skip the H67 because it wont offer OC'ing.

For a 'medium' gamer, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a mATX board. A single card solution is more than adequate that will offer excellent results. Xfire/SLI shouldn't even be part of the equation for the non-enthusiast.

TC: I would suggest finding one with an optical out onboard sound. The sound chips put on boards nowadays are capable of putting out a good number of channels with very acceptable quality. TC, finding a suitable motherboard is all about your needs. Keeping in mind what else you need to fit in that case should shape your idea of what kind of footprint you want your mobo to have. Cable management and proper airflow should also be taken into consideration. Consider a modular PSU. Decide ultimately what you need and go from there. Don't be swayed by other's preferences for what they would want on their mobo. I would suggest selecting a chip, decide on what other components you're going to put in there, and select the board that fits around those requirements. When it comes to selecting RAM for your board, best bet is to go from the board manufacturer's QVL.

TC have you considered shopping from overclockers.co.uk? They are alot cheaper than scan they are rippoffs and you don't want to see the horror's I have seen when I had to take a printer to their technical department in marsa :? imagin one of their technicians trying to take off a stock intel cpu cooler by forcing and prying it against the motherboard with a screwdriver and hearing that crackling noies coming from the motherboard, scary stuff.

Anyways if you can try overclockers much cheaper, more products and with dhl i usually get my parts to malta in 3days delivered to my door