As a creative modder and upgrader of motherboards, I wanted to share with you a few of my own tips when selecting a new motherboard.
1. OVERCLOCKING:
Next to price, this is my #1 consideration. At the top end of gaming are the motherboards like the Asus Rampage V Edition 10 - at the top end I find there is little difference between the boards. At the lower end there are bargains to be had, but these are a rarity. Hence I tend to stick with high end boards to avoid any kind of heartache. Spend as much money as you possibly can on any board you buy.
2. SOFTWARE:
This can make a big difference between boards. Asus has an amazing BIOS suite of software to making everyday life easier, but in some areas I feel they've gone too far. I'm going to use the 80/20 rule here, so I reckon only 20% of the features are used by 80% of the people.
3. AESTHETICS:
Beauty truely in the eyes of the beholder. Some of these boards are monstrously beautiful - crazy wording I know!
Most brands are instantly recognisable to most enthusiasts. Lavish colors and RGB lights help us to identify one brand from another. Personally my favorite brand is Asus ROG. The downside is that these beautiful features come at a cost!
4. WATER COOLING:
With the decreasing chip sizes a water cooled system is a must for overclocking nowadays. You need to be sure that your water cooled CPU cooler will fit your new motherboard. Always check this out - or pay the cost later!
In conclusion, price appears to be the motivating factor for most people. I’d be interested to hear your comments below whatever your budget.
Happy overclocking!