Ok we are talking about selecting a motherboard for your computer. And we shall discuss the thoughts you should have going through this process.
The simple stuff
· Number of USB ports you need
· Network speed 10/100/1000
· Number of network ports
· Built in soundcard
· How many hard drives do you have
This part is only a matter of counting your particular devices. Only the number of hard drives makes any real difference here. If you are building a performance PC for gaming you should go for a motherboard that supports raid0. Also keep in mind that a lot of USB devices that use power from the motherboard is not recommended. A better solution if this is the case for you is an externally powered USB hub, keep in mind the speed limitations this solution gives.
A bit more advanced
Chipset. The most overlooked and misunderstood part of the computer. The chipset basically dictates every detail about how fast your computer can be. For instance if you get a motherboard that only support x8 PCI Express then it's not going to help you getting the most advanced graphics card in the world at x16 PCI Express. Because your motherboard can't handle that speed, it will work sure, but at half speed. At this time the only one I would recommend is the Intel X58 chipset.
It supports Intel I7 CPU's and all the latest and fastest ram modules. The reason for this is simply its easier to swap out ram for raster ram. Or you're cpu for a faster cpu. Changing motherboard however is more complex and my suggestion is get the best you can afford right away. And build on that over time.
Remember also when you have built your new computer to install the chipset drivers for the motherboard BEFORE doing anything else. This is required for maximum performance.
To give a recommendation on a specific motherboard is hard because it depends on how you are going to use it. The one I'm using is ASUS Rampage II Extreme LGA1366 Intel X58, a good all-round performer well worth the cost.
Look for it in my web shop www.ram-zone.com there is also some COOL package deals on this motherboard including RAM and CPU.
Regards
Jan Christer Steinsvik
Norway
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