Best Motherboard For Gaming of 2023

Check out our list of Best Motherboard For Gaming suggested by Experts.

• Best Intel Motherboard: MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi

• Best High-End Intel Motherboard: Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Xtreme

• Best Mid-Range Intel Motherboard: Asus TUF Gaming H670-PRO WIFI D4

• Best Budget Intel Motherboard: Asus Prime H670-Plus D4

• Best AMD Motherboard: Asus ROG X570 Crosshair VIII Hero (Wi-Fi)

• Best High-End AMD Motherboard: ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Extreme

• Best Mid-Range AMD Motherboard: ASRock X570 PG Velocita

• Best Budget AMD Motherboard: Gigabyte B550 Gaming X V2

Form Factor

A form factor must first be chosen. Micro ATX and ATX motherboards are both prevalent (although these are smaller in size and reduce the number of expansions slots). You may always measure your old motherboard and compare it to other sizes if you're buying a new one and are unsure of what size would fit. Because it offers additional expansion slots, which can be handy, the ATX board is well-liked.

Processor Socket

You must choose a CPU socket after deciding on a form factor. Three types of sockets are the only ones that still apply today despite other types having been utilized in the past. LGA, PGA, and BGA are these. AMD utilizes PGA, while Intel uses LGA. BGA sockets are less common than the latter since they cannot be updated or maintained because they are permanently connected to the motherboard. What kind of processor you can purchase will depend on the type of socket your motherboard has. Therefore, you should probably decide on your preferred CPU before purchasing a motherboard.

RAM (Random Access Memory)

RAM, often known as random access memory, comes next. The type and amount of RAM you might have will essentially depend on the motherboard you purchase. Therefore, before choosing to purchase a motherboard, it is important to keep this in mind. As a result, even if you have the option to use this memory in the future if you don't initially plan to purchase that much memory, we advise choosing a motherboard that can support at least 16 GB. Additionally, search for a board with 4 or more memory slots. This indicates that you can start by installing 2 RAM modules and that you will have extra space for future memory upgrades.

PCI Slots

A connector or connection found on the motherboard is known as a PCI slot. They have long been the typical form of expansion slot and enable the connection of expansion cards. You should think about whether your motherboard has the slots necessary for your needs based on how you want to utilize your computer. If you wish to connect numerous cards, you'll need multiple full speed PCI express x16 slots, which you should have if you're a gamer. For additional cards, such as sound cards, Wi-Fi adaptors, and other connectivity extensions, motherboards also have smaller PCI express ports in addition to normal PCI slots.

Features

You won't need to worry about purchasing additional expansion cards if you purchase a motherboard that comes with the functionality you need. On-board audio is a more frequent feature that is often present on the majority of motherboards. However, mid-range speakers are typically the only ones who can use this. It's important to note that better motherboards frequently include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies as well, but you'll pay extra for these. They will however lessen the requirement for expansion cards.

SATA

The quantity of SATA ports you'll require should be taken into account when thinking about purchasing a motherboard. You can connect an optical disk and storage drives, such as an SSD or HDD, to each SATA port. Determining whether your motherboard has all the SATA ports required for all of your drives is therefore crucial. It's also important to note that your motherboard must support SATA 3.0, sometimes known as the SATA 6 gigabytes standard. You might also need to think about peripheral connections, like a USB 3.0.

What aspect of a motherboard purchase matters the most?

You must decide on the processor you wish to base your new setup around. Are you securely fastening yourself to the mast of Intel's magnificent Alder Lake CPUs? Or will you still wave the AMD banner with vigor? It comes down to features, overclocking goals, and your budget after you've chosen your chip.

Is there any motherboard I can overclock?

No. There are clearly limitations in place to prevent that, particularly on the Intel side. The Z590 is your sole way to overclock the most recent Rocket Lake K-series CPUs even though it has enabled memory overclocking across all of its 500-series chipsets. However, they do not overclock extremely well, so don't worry.

All of AMD's CPUs and the majority of its motherboard chipsets are permitted, which is more tolerant. Basically, you're good to tinker as long as you don't choose the cheapest Ryzen board, one with an "A" at the front of its designation. Even so, the profits are actually quite meager.

After choosing the type of motherboard that will be used to make your own PC or that will serve as the structure of the pre-built PC you'll be purchasing, you should think about the company that made it. Some businesses specialize in making motherboards for gamers that have enough room for GPU expansion and LED lighting systems, while others concentrate on more commonplace systems.