The motherboard of your personal computer is considered the heart of your system because it connects to the other principal components essential to keep your device functional. Regardless of whether you are buying a ready-made computer, or assembling your own, make sure that the motherboard has the features that you need. This article lists down some of the things that you need to keep in mind when buying a motherboard.

PCI Slots

One of the primary things that you need to consider when buying a motherboard is the number of PCI slots it has. This is typically a port that you will find on the motherboard. As much as possible, go for those that come with 16 slots. This is considered as the most compatible motherboard for Ryzen 5 5600x, a processor that features six cores and 12 threads for quickly loading multiple applications. Generally, the more PCI slots a motherboard has, the more opportunity you have to expand the functionality of your computer to suit your requirements.

Processor Socket

Another thing that you need to consider when buying a motherboard is its processor socket. There are various types of sockets but the three most commonly used ones today are LGA, which is used by Intel, PGA leveraged by AMD, as well as BGA which aren’t that much popular because of their permanent bonding on the motherboard. In the case of the BGA, there is no room for an upgrade. The processor that you can buy depends on the type of socket that a motherboard has, which is why you may want to think about which type of CPU you need first before buying a motherboard.

Form Factor

When buying a motherboard, you need to think about its form factor. ATX motherboards are quite common because they have various expansion slots that are useful in case you intend to upgrade later on. There are also micro ATX that usually come smaller in size. It follows that the latter has a reduced number of expansion slots because of its size. For you to have an idea of whether the motherboard you are considering will fit your computer, you can refer to the old one that is installed on your PC.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

You also need to consider the RAM of your computer when buying a motherboard. Typically, the RAM of your computer depends on the motherboard that you buy. If possible, go for a motherboard that can handle at least 16GB even if you don’t currently need it. In this case, should you need more memory in the future, then your computer will be capable of providing you the specification you require.

When it comes to expansion or upgrades, going for a motherboard with four or more memory slots proves to be beneficial as well. With four or more memory slots, you will be able to install a couple more RAM modules initially, having sufficient spare slots for more memory later on.

SATA

To ensure that you get the right motherboard for your computer, you also need to think about the number of SATA ports that you need. Each of these ports will allow you to connect an optical drive, as well as storage drives such as SSD or HDD in your computer. As much as possible, go for a motherboard that offers a SATA 6 gigabytes standard, otherwise known as the SATA 3.0. This will ensure that the peripherals that you will connect later on will be compatible with your computer’s ports.

Other Features

Apart from the factors listed above, you also need to think about the special features that you want your motherboard to have. For instance, if you go for one that has features already built-in, then there is no longer a need for you to think about additional expansion cards. You can also consider motherboards with on-board audio that is suitable for mid-range speakers. There are even motherboards that feature Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, which is better than those that feature on-board audio. Just expect that you need to shell out a bigger sum for this type of motherboards.

The factors listed above are only some of the things that you need to keep in mind when buying a motherboard. While it is an essential component of your computer, you should also consider the other parts that it needs to work with to ensure that every piece of your device is compatible, making them work well together. From there, you will be guaranteed that your computer will function the way you expect it to function.