The Best Motherboard Vitals
The motherboard is made up of many components, and is the foundation you will build your computer on. Here are two important points to keep in mind when buying one.
Chipset-The chipset determines connectivity, compatibility, and functionality of the motherboard.
CPU support-It's best to choose the CPU first. Choose the motherboard next, and make sure it will support the CPU you select.
Chipset Selection for the Best Motherboard
The chipset or core logic refers to the two main chips on the motherboard: Northbridge and the Southbridge.
Northbridge-The chip that is responsible for communications between AGP/PCIe bus, CPU, memory, and the Southbridge chip.
Southbridge-The Southbridge chip provides connections for the I/O (input/output) devices such as PCIe, USB, PATA, SATA, and the PCI bus. Note that the PCIe bus and the PCI bus are not the same.
The chipset is the core component of the best motherboard. Expansion card support, CPU support, graphics support, and major I/O device support all depend on the chipset for proper operation.
CPU Support for the Best Motherboard
To determine CPU compatibility with a motherboard the two main considerations are chipset and CPU socket type. The CPU socket is the physical as well as electrical interface between the CPU and the motherboard. The processor socket type must match the motherboard's CPU socket to function properly.
Intel- Socket 478 and LGA775/Socket T
With the exception of certain Celeron D and Pentium 4 models using socket 478, most Intel processors use the LGA775 socket or socket T. Keep in mind that you must pay attention to the chipset to be certain a particular motherboard supports the CPU you have chosen. Make certain by checking manufacturer's specification before buying.
AMD-Socket 754/Socket 939/AM2
The socket 754 includes the Sempron and older Athlon 64 processors. The Athlon 64 FX, Athlon 64 X2 and other AMD K8s utilize the socket 939 socket. The latest AMD socket is the AM2 and all AMD processor families have adopted it. This includes the Sempron, Athlon 64 FX, Athlon 64, and the Athlon 64 X2.
Other Considerations for Selecting the Best Motherboard
Even though the process of selecting the best motherboard appears complicated, it’s not when you know what to look for. The list follows:
Memory Support for the Best Motherboard
Intel
The memory controller on Intel compatible motherboards is located in the chipset. Memory type, capacity, memory speed, and whether single or dual channel is determined by the chipset. Be sure to look at the motherboard’s memory specifications to determine compatibility and capacity before buying.
AMD
Most of the AMD K8 (Athlon 64 and Sempron) processors now have the memory controller integrated into the CPU. Here’s some additional information.
Socket 754 CPUs support single channel memory up to DDR 400.
Socket 939 CPUs support dual channel up to DDR 400.
Socket AM2 support up to dual channel DDR2 667.
Exceptions are the Athlon 64 X2 and the Athlon FX CPUs supporting dual channel memory up to DDR2 800.
Graphics Support for the Best Motherboard
There are two types of graphic support on motherboards: Onboard video contained in the chipset and the video card slot (PCIe or AGP). Onboard graphics is not on par with an add-in card (video card). It is perfectly fine for most basic business and general home use however.
The video card interface or slot is the connector for three types of video cards.
PCI-bandwidth of 133 MB/s and is now obsolete.
AGP-replacement for PCI and is itself now verging on obsolescence. Bandwidths of up to 2 GB/s with AGP 8X.
PCI Express-Bandwidth of up to 8 GB/s with PCIe 16X and is bi-directional.
PCIe is the interface to choose when buying the best motherboard for your computer. Both of the major players in video cards no longer support AGP with their newest parts.
To build the ultimate gaming computer you may want to consider ATI Crossfire or NVIDIA SLI for running two video cards simultaneously on the same motherboard using the PCIe interface. These two standards are not compatible and both are motherboard dependent for functionality.
