When it comes to getting a computer motherboard, there are basically two choices: an Intel-compatible motherboard, or an AMD-compatible model. We will cover Intel motherboards here.
Whether you already have the additional components, or plan on buying them, the major factor when choosing between Intel motherboards is making sure it's all compatible. With that in mind, here's a breakdown of things that will affect compatibility.
The form factor of the Intel motherboards varies, depending on the case you will put it in. Most common is "ATX," which covers the majority of desktop computers. There's also Micro ATX, Mini ITX, and other form factors, or sizes.
If this seems confusing, don't worry: all you have to do is make sure the case you are putting the motherboard into accepts the motherboard size. As long as it does, you are all set.
Our next focus when choosing between Intel motherboards is CPU support. If you don't have a CPU, or processor already, this is pretty easy: just buy the CPU your motherboard supports. You should do some research on the cost and speed of Intel CPUs that are available, so that when you choose your motherboard, you know what CPU you are "aiming for."
Now, how to tackle memory support? This one should answer itself; the motherboard you choose supports a certain type, and speed of memory. Buy as much as you can of this type of memory, and that's that. Look carefully at the Web site you are buying from, or the box that all Intel motherboards come in, to get your answer.
Now we've come to storage, and we'll talk about internal storage first. When it comes to hooking up DVD drives, and hard drives, SATA has pretty much established itself as the new standard. The old standard was called ATA (notice the missing letter?)
If you have older drives you want to use, your board should probably support both ATA and SATA. If you haven't got to worry about older drives, make sure that the board supports SATA, and that you buy SATA drives.
PCI slots are next on our checklist. The more, the merrier here; more slots means you can add more cards, for video, sound, and many other things. You will also want PCI Express slots, to support faster things such as video cards. Of course, the video card in that case will need to fit a PCI Express slot.
The power supply connector on Intel motherboards can vary, so make sure the board you purchase, and the power supply match. If not, then they aren't compatible.
The last thing to check: the other features Intel motherboards support. Does it have Built-in sound? Is it Ethernet/LAN? How many USB, and IEEE 1394 ports? Built-in video is the bare minimum; you would probably be better off buying nearly any add-on video card. If you aren't sure about the other features, more is generally better.
There you have it; just follow this guide carefully, double check your work, and you will have a painless experience with your Intel motherboard. It's not as hard as it might seem.
Matthew Kerridge is a computer hardware engineer. For more information about Intel motherboards, please visit http://www.ebuyer.com/
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