Quite recently, the development of the motherboard industry, determined mainly by the rivalry between the two processor giants AMD and Intel, slowly followed an evolutionary course. Evolution is, if anyone does not know, such a process when the vast majority of computer enthusiasts, usually not burdened with ultra-high incomes, not only remember what the term "upgrade" of a computer means, but also have the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice. Alas, these "blessed" times seem to be receding into the realm of computer legends...
Today, technological revolutions, flaring up one after another with almost no interruption, have pretty much shaken the foundations of modern computer platforms. Thus, the "Intel revolution of 2004" brought us fundamentally new basic technologies - the PCI Express system bus and DDR2 memory. In addition, in the past year, the serial interface of Serial ATA disk drives announced itself with a greater or lesser degree of "loudness"; in the field of network solutions, the gigabit Gigabit Ethernet interface has come to the fore and various options wireless wifi; the good old integrated sound of AC "97 fell under the pressure of the aggressive newcomer HDA (High Definition Audio). Only the most naive can believe that the revolution in the field of graphic interfaces will be limited to just replacing AGP8X with PCI Express x16. No - NVIDIA successfully revived the rather forgotten SLI (Scalable Link Interface) technology, which was very popular during the reign of 3dfx Voodoo 2 3D video accelerators. And this year has brought no less shocks - here is the introduction of the 64-bit EM64T architecture, and the inclusion of support for bit XD, which, paired with Windows XP Service Pack 2, allows you to prevent some virus attacks (all this is implemented in Pentium 4 processors with numbers from 5x1), support for Enhanced SpeedStep energy saving technology, previously available only in mobile processors, now it has also reached the desktop ones (Pentium 4 600 series). But the most important event in 2005 in the processor market was undoubtedly the emergence of a dual-core CPU architecture. These include Pentium 4 processors of the 800th series (Smithfield core), in which two equivalent processor cores are located on one semiconductor chip (by the way, ordinary Prescott cores manufactured using a 90-nm process), i.e., it turns out a kind of dual processor system in one package.
Naturally, new processors also require new sets of system logic - and manufacturers did not keep themselves waiting. A real avalanche of announcements of new chipsets fell upon us, sometimes simply duplicating each other, and sometimes frankly "papery", so that even many specialists are dizzy. What can we say about us, inexperienced users! Let's try, without going too deep into the jungle high technology, to streamline a little all the information available today about the most popular modern chipsets for Intel desktop processors.
Intel chipsets
The best chipsets for Intel processors, by definition, can only be chipsets from Intel itself. And they really are the best today.
915/925 Express chipset family
The birthday of a fundamentally new platform should be considered June 19, 2004, when Intel officially announced discrete chipsets 925X, 915P and integrated 915G for Pentium 4 processors in FC-PGA2 and LGA775 packages, as well as the new "south bridge" ICH6, which is part of them . All of them support a 200 MHz system bus (the term "FSB 800 MHz" arose due to the fact that four data signals are transmitted in one cycle), are equipped with a two-channel universal controller memory (working with both DDR2-533 and conventional DDR400 memory) and a PCI Express interface not only for graphics adapters, but also for expansion cards.
In the new memory controller, the most serious attention was paid to the convenience of organizing a dual-channel mode for users. The so-called Flex Memory technology allows you to install three modules while maintaining dual-channel - only the same total amount of memory is required in both channels. Of course, the system will easily endure asymmetric filling of slots in different channels, but then the operating speed, like the 865/875 chipsets, will noticeably drop.
In addition to being compatible with the new memory type and the PCI Express serial interface, the 91x series chipsets feature many technical innovations, the most interesting of which is the GMA (Graphics Media Accelerator) 900 graphics core. cores (333 MHz vs. 266), more pipelines (4 vs. 1), hardware support for DirectX 9 (vs. 7.1) and OpenGL 1.4 (vs. 1.3). All these improvements allow him, with some reservations, to cope with games like Far Cry, even at low resolutions and at not the most high level detail.
There are no special architectural differences between the base 915P and the top-end 925X chipsets, but the latter, justifying its "top-end" status, does not support outdated Pentium 4 processors with a 533 MHz bus (and, even more so, the budget Celeron, including its latest version with index "D") and memory - only DDR2 is supported. The performance of the 925X is somewhat superior to the 915 due to the new incarnation of the good old PAT technology, the current version of which, by the way, no longer has a special name, as it used to.
In an improved version of the flagship of the 900 family - the 925XE chipset, Intel went even further, increasing to 1066 MHz frequency system bus and introducing support for the most productive today DDR memory 2-667. In addition, it is implied, as it were, that all top chipsets will work only with processors under Socket 775.
Quite unexpectedly, in the 900 series, more than ever, a wide variety of low-end chipset variants with certain functional limitations received a large representation. Firstly, these are 915PL and 915GL, which differ from 915P and 915G only in the absence of DDR2 memory support. Secondly, 915GV, which differs from 915G in the absence of a PCI-E xl6 graphics port, and, finally, the extremely simplified 910GL, which not only does not have an external GUI, but also the system bus frequency of which is reduced to 533 MHz. In addition, the 910GL memory controller, which is only compatible with DDR400, does not support DDR2 memory.
The ICH6/ICH6R southbridge connects to the northbridge via a bidirectional full-duplex DMI (Direct Media Interface) bus, which is an electrically modified version of PCI Express x4 and provides up to 2048 Mbps throughput. Among other technical innovations in the ICH6 south bridge, there is support for 4 PCI Express x1 ports designed to work with traditional peripherals and a new generation Intel HDA audio controller that supports 24-bit 8-channel audio (at a sampling rate of 192 kHz). A curious feature of the HDA standard is the Jack Retasking function - automatic detection device connected to the audio jack and reconfigure the inputs / outputs depending on its type.
The disk subsystem Intel Matrix Storage Technology, activated in the "southbridges" with the "R" index, allows you to create a two-disk RAID array that combines the benefits of RAID 0 and RAID 1.
Intel has always been somewhat conservative when it comes to including support for new features (unless, of course, they are promoted by Intel itself) in their chipsets. This alone can explain the lack of support in ICH6 for the rapidly gaining popularity of the Gigabit Ethernet network interface, which is replacing the good old Fast Ethernet.
945/955 Express chipset family
The Intel 945/955 Express chipsets, represented by three products: the base 945P, the integrated 945G and the top 955X, are an evolutionary development of the 915/925 Express line. Minor improvements have affected, in fact, only support for faster buses, but the main task of new products is to provide support for the latest dual-core Intel processors.
Northbridge 945P provides support for Intel Celeron D, Pentium 4, Pentium 4 processors Extreme Edition, Pentium D with a system bus frequency of 533/800/1066 MHz; its dual-channel memory controller can handle up to 4GB DDR2-400/533/667. True to its traditions of "accelerating" technical progress in every possible way, in its new line, Intel has completely abandoned support for DDR memory that has lost its relevance (in its opinion). But support for DDR2-667 memory will increase the peak performance of the memory subsystem from 8.5 Gb / s for DDR2-533 to 10.8 Gb / s. And taking into account the support of FSB 1066 MHz, which is gradually moving from the field of computer exotics into the category of mass solutions, we can finally talk about a significant increase in the performance of the new platform. However, there can be no talk of any mass distribution of Intel Pentium 4 Extreme Edition processors, as well as still quite expensive DDR2-667 memory - their cost exceeds all reasonable limits.
The integrated 945G chipset features the GMA 950 graphics core, which is a slightly overclocked GMA 900 core from the previous generation.
The "top" 955X, unlike the "mass" 945P, lacks support for "low-speed" processors (with a 533 MHz bus) and memory (DDR2-400), while it can work with a large amount (up to 8 GB) of memory (it can be used modules with ECC) and is equipped with a proprietary system for improving the performance of the Memory Pipeline memory subsystem.
In order to maximize the popularization of the dual-core architecture in the budget sector, Intel plans to soon expand the 945 series with entry-level chipsets. This should be an integrated (without a PCI Express x16 graphics port) 945GZ chipset with a single-channel DDR2-533/400 memory controller and a discrete 945PL. As the name suggests, the latest chipset will be a "lite" variant of the 945P, which limits the maximum system bus frequency to 800 MHz, and the dual-channel memory controller will only support DDR2-533/400. Thus, the new 945PL will differ from the ordinary 915P only in official support for dual-core Pentium D processors (if we don't take into account the rejection of DDR).
The new line of southbridges ICH7 also doesn't differ much from ICH6: they implement a new, faster (300 MB/s) version of the Serial ATA interface, which almost fully complies with the SATA-II standard, but without AHCI. The ICH7R version adds support for RAID for SATA hard drives, and, compared to the ICH6R, this support is expanded: now, in addition to RAID 0 and RAID 1, levels 0 + 1 (10) and 5 are also available. In addition, the number of ports in ICH7R PCI-E x1 increased to 6, which can be useful in case of combining two PCI-E video cards in SLI mode.
Chipsets NVIDIA
One of the high-profile events of the past year was the news about NVIDIA, one of the leading players in the system logic market for AMD processors, "admission" to the much more "tasty" market of Intel processors. Thus, for the first time in history, another player appeared in the niche of chipsets for uncompromisingly fast solutions, previously controlled exclusively by Intel itself, and not just "second number", but immediately claimed leadership. And, judging by the success of NVIDIA on the "front" of solutions for the AMD64 platform, the claims are far from groundless. After all, the nForce4 SLI Intel Edition chipset, despite not the most successful name, to put it mildly - terribly cumbersome and difficult to distinguish from the ordinary nForce4 SLI, is essentially the same well-proven nForce4 SLI, in which only the processor bus has been changed and a memory controller has been added . Let me remind you that in AMD64 the memory controller is integrated into the processor, so it is not needed in the chipset, which, of course, greatly simplifies its northbridge. That is why chipsets of the nForce3/4 family, in contrast to the "Intel Edition", are single-chip.
So, the north bridge SPP (System Platform Processor) nForce4 SLI Intel Edition combines a memory controller, a processor interface and a PCI Express bus controller. It supports any Intel processors Pentium 4/Celeron D with a system bus frequency of 400/533/800/1066 MHz, including dual-core ones. The dual-channel DDR2-400/533/667 memory controller is capable of operating asynchronously with respect to FSB (QuickSync technology), which makes nForce4 SLI Intel Edition stand out as the first truly high-quality overclocking product. Its architecture has remained unchanged since the days of nForce2; in fact, it consists of two independent 64-bit controllers with cross-connection between them and a dedicated data and address bus for each of them. installed modules DIMM. This solution allows accelerating the processor's access to data in memory, which, along with the use of an improved prefetch and data caching unit DASP (Dynamic Adaptive Speculative Preprocessor), allows nForce4 SLI Intel Edition to compete on equal terms with top solutions from Intel.
Of particular note PCI interface Express, which includes 20 arbitrarily combinable PCI-E x1 lines, various combinations of which allow you to implement both a single PCI-E x16 graphics bus and "split" it into two separate PCI-E x8 channels necessary for organizing SLI. In normal mode nForce4 SLI Intel Edition has one PCI-E x16 bus and four PCI-E x1. When SLI mode is enabled, the chipset supports two PCI-E x8 and three PCI-E x1 graphics buses for additional peripherals. It is known that the majority of modern games, which are characterized by increased demands on system resources, benefit greatly if a second accelerator is used. Therefore, there is no doubt that a Hi-End gaming system based on the nForce4 SLI Intel Edition and two powerful video cards (of course, from NVIDIA) will easily leave behind even the Intel 955X, not to mention any other existing on the market. this moment in the solution market.
The South Bridge MCP (Media and Communication Processor) is connected to the North Bridge by an 800 MHz bidirectional HyperTransport bus and is characterized by the maximum functionality among all modern devices of such kind. In addition to the standard dual-channel ATA133 controller, it supports up to 4 full-fledged Serial ATA II ports, while it is possible to organize RAID levels 0, 1, 0 + 1 and 5 from drives connected to any of the built-in ATA controllers (even those with Various types interfaces), and the number of High-Speed USB 2.0 ports has been increased to 10. In addition, the MAC controller for the 10/100/1000 Mbps (Gigabit Ethernet) network supports the ActiveArmor firmware firewall (Firewall) function, which is very important at present. time.
The only thing that can be blamed on the MCP is the lack of a modern HDA audio controller in it. The existing AC "97, although 7.1-channel, is hopelessly outdated.
Unlike previous years, when manufacturers of "alternative" chipsets for the Pentium 4 released their new products almost immediately after Intel (and sometimes ahead of it), with the introduction of new PCI Express / DDR2 standards, the Taiwanese "triumvirate" VIA, SiS and ALi / ULi and ATI, which "joined them"©, are in no particular hurry, confining themselves to announcements of fairly decent, but, unfortunately, either completely unclaimed by the market, or simply "paper" chipsets. Such a "disdain" for progress is caused either by all sorts of Intel's obstacles in licensing new tires, multiplied by the marketing power of the main competitor, or by second-tier manufacturers really assess their too limited capabilities in competition with truly advanced Intel chipsets. But such a simple variant of the development of events is not ruled out, when the "alternatives" simply wait for the final recognition of DDR2/PCI Express, and only after that they will seriously take up the development of this market. However, judging by the information available on the Web about the plans of Intel's competitors, most of their solutions will be aimed at the Mainstream or, more likely, at the Low-End sectors.
A month ago, along with the announcement of two Intel Skylake-K processors, the company introduced a new chipset -Z170. The Intel Z170 chipset is not only the most functionally rich solution, but also the only one that allows you to overclock the company's processors by any allowed methods and, of course, the most expensive one. Today to the announcement of more affordable as well as mobile versions Skylake, Intel has prepared a number of new system logic that will allow the release motherboards with a given functionality and at a much lower price. Skylake motherboards are expected to start at around $60 and end well over $400.
The H170/H110 chipsets are oriented towards the mass segment. The first will have 16 PCI Express 3.0 lanes instead of 20, like the Z170 set, and the second will not support the third generation of PCI Express at all. The H110 set has 6 PCI Express 2.0 lanes and cannot boast of supporting Intel RST (Rapid Storage Technology). Note that the logic (B150/Q1x0) for business platforms will be announced in the coming months.
Intel reportedly split all PCI Express lanes in the new logic into five x4 controllers (for the 20 lane case). This makes it easy to allocate specific lanes to implement SATA or M.2 ports without limiting port bandwidth. Also, this breakdown allows you to implement support for RST technology for three drives (in the maximum configuration).
According to the AnandTech website, additional USB ports 3.1, HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort and DockPort can be implemented using the Intel Alpine Ridge controller. This controller was originally designed to implement the Thunderbolt 3 port. It is assumed that the output of motherboards with Thunderbolt support 3 will be delayed a bit, and the first boards with this interface will be released by Gigabyte. The Intel Alpine Ridge controller costs the same as the ASMedia ASM1142 controller, but unlike the competing solution, due to its operation from four PCI Express 3.0 lanes, it provides full speed for two USB 3.1 ports simultaneously (each up to 10 Gb / s).
The source also reports that the vast majority of new motherboards based on the new Intel logic are designed to install DDR4 memory modules. In some instances, you can find slots for DDR3L memory, but not the fact that conventional memory DDR3 will work in them. Boards with support for both memory standards are also being prepared, but there will be no simultaneous operation of two memory standards: either DDR4 or DDR3L.
All other components are connected to the motherboard, the service life and stability of the entire computer depends on it. In addition, it should allow you to connect all the necessary devices and make it possible to improve the computer in the future.
Some of the best motherboards are made by ASUS, but they are also the most expensive. Today, MSI motherboards are optimal in terms of price / quality ratio, and I will recommend them first of all. as more budget option you can consider motherboards from ASRock and Gigabyte, they also have successful models. Gaming motherboards have better sound And network card.
For Intel processors on socket 1151 v2
Optimal option:
maternal MSI board B360M MORTAR
Or a gaming motherboard: MSI B360 GAMING PRO CARBON
Motherboard MSI B360 GAMING PRO CARBON
Or analog: MSI Z370 KRAIT GAMING
Motherboard MSI Z370 KRAIT GAMING
For AMD processors on socket AM4
Optimal option: Gigabyte B450 AORUS M
maternal Gigabyte board B450 AORUS M
Or full size: Gigabyte B450 AORUS PRO
Motherboard Gigabyte B450 AORUS PRO
2. The basics of choosing the right motherboard
You should not install a powerful processor on the cheapest motherboard, as the motherboard will not withstand heavy loads for a long time. Conversely, the weakest processor does not need an expensive motherboard, as it is money thrown away.
The motherboard must be selected after all the others have been selected, since it depends on them what class the motherboard should be and what connectors should be on it for connecting the selected components.
Each motherboard has its own processor that controls all the devices connected to it and is called the chipset. The functionality of the motherboard depends on the chipset and it is selected depending on the purpose of the computer.
3.1. Chipset Developers
Chipsets for modern motherboards are developed by two companies: Intel and AMD.
If you chose an Intel processor, then the motherboard must be on an Intel chipset, if AMD, on an AMD chipset.
3.2. Intel chipsets
The main modern Intel chipsets include the following:
- B250/H270 - for office, multimedia and gaming PCs
- Q270 - for the corporate sector
- Z270 - for powerful gaming and professional PCs
- X99/X299 - for very powerful professional PCs
They are being replaced by promising chipsets with support for 8th generation processors:
- H310 - for office PCs
- B360/H370 - for multimedia and gaming PCs
- Q370 - for the corporate sector
- Z370 - for powerful gaming and professional PCs
For most computers, motherboards based on the B250 / H270 and B360 / H370 chipsets are suitable. H chipsets have more PCI-E lanes than B chipsets, which is only important when installing more than two graphics cards or multiple ultra-fast PCI-E SSDs. So for regular user there is no difference between them. Q chipsets differ from B only in support of special security features and remote control that is used only in the corporate sector.
The Z chipsets have even more PCI-E lanes than the H chipsets, allow overclocking of processors with the “K” index, support memory with a frequency above 2400 MHz and the combination of 2 to 5 disks in a RAID array, which is not available on other chipsets. They are more suitable for powerful gaming and professional PCs.
Motherboards based on X99/X299 chipsets are needed only for heavy-duty and expensive professional PCs with processors on sockets 2011-3/2066, respectively (we will talk about this below).
3.3. AMD Chipsets
The main modern AMD chipsets include the following.
- A320 - for office and multimedia PCs
- B350 - for gaming and professional PCs
- X370 - for enthusiasts
- X399 - for very powerful professional PCs
The A320 chipset does not have the ability to overclock the processor, while the B350 does. The X370 is equipped with a large number of PCI-E lanes for installing multiple video cards. Well, X399 is designed for professional processors on the TR4 socket.
3.4. How are chipsets different?
Chipsets have a lot of differences, but we are only interested in their conditional division by purpose in order to select a motherboard that matches the purpose of the computer.
We are not interested in the rest of the chipset parameters, since we will focus on the parameters of a specific motherboard. After choosing a chipset for your needs, you can start choosing a motherboard based on its characteristics and connectors.
4. Motherboard manufacturers
The best motherboards in the above-average price range are made by ASUS, but they are also the most expensive. This company pays less attention to entry-level motherboards and in this case you should not overpay for the brand.
MSI's motherboards are distinguished by a good price / quality ratio in the entire price range.
As a more economical option, we can consider motherboards from Gigabyte and ASRock (a subsidiary of ASUS), they have a more loyal pricing policy and they also have successful models.
Separately, it is worth noting that Intel itself produces motherboards based on its chipsets. These motherboards are of stable quality but low functionality and higher price. They are in demand mainly in the corporate sector.
Motherboards from other manufacturers are not so popular, they have a more limited the lineup And I don't think it's worth it to buy them.
5. Motherboard form factor
The form factor is the physical size of the motherboard. The main motherboard form factors are: ATX, MicroATX (mATX) and Mini-ITX.
ATX(305×244 mm) – full-size format of the motherboard, is optimal for a desktop computer, has the largest number of slots, is installed in ATX cases.
MicroATX(244 × 244 mm) - a reduced format of the motherboard, has fewer slots, can be installed both in full-size (ATX) cases and in more compact cases (mATX).
Mini-ITX(170x170mm) - super compact motherboards for building very small PCs in appropriate cases. It should be taken into account that such systems have a number of limitations in terms of component size and cooling.
There are other less common motherboard form factors.
Processor socket (Socket) is a connector for connecting the processor to motherboard. The motherboard must have the same socket as the processor.
Processor sockets are constantly undergoing changes and new modifications appear from year to year. I recommend purchasing a processor and motherboard with the most modern socket. This will ensure that both the processor and the motherboard can be replaced in the next few years.
6.1. Intel processor sockets
- Deprecated: 478, 775, 1155, 1156, 2011
- Obsolete: 1150, 2011-3
- The most modern: 1151, 1151-v2, 2066
6.2. AMD processor sockets
- Legacy: AM1, AM2, AM3, FM1, FM2
- Obsolete: AM3+, FM2+
- Most modern: AM4, TR4
Compact format motherboards often have 2 memory slots. Large ATX boards usually equipped with 4 memory slots. Free slots may be needed if you plan to add memory in the future.
8. Type and frequency of supported memory
Modern motherboards support DDR4 memory. Inexpensive motherboards are designed for a lower maximum memory frequency (2400, 2666 MHz). Medium and high-end motherboards can support more than high frequency(3400-3600 MHz).
However, memory with a frequency of 3000 MHz and higher is much more expensive, while not giving a noticeable performance boost (especially in games). In addition, there are more problems with such memory, the processor can work with it less stably. Therefore, overpaying for a motherboard and high-frequency memory is advisable only when assembling a very powerful professional PC.
Today, the most optimal in terms of price / performance ratio is DDR4 memory with a frequency of 2400 MHz, which is supported by modern motherboards.
9. Connectors for installing video cards
Modern motherboards have a PCI Express slot (PCI-E x16) latest version 3.0 to install video cards.
If the motherboard has several of these connectors, then you can install several video cards to increase performance in games. But in most cases, installing one more powerful video card is the preferred solution.
Also, free PCI-E x16 slots can be used to install other expansion cards with a PCI-E x4 or x1 slot (for example, a fast SSD or a sound card).
10. Slots for expansion cards
Expansion card slots are special connectors for connecting various additional devices, such as: TV tuner, wifi adapter and etc.
Older motherboards used PCI slots to install expansion cards. Such a connector may be needed if you have such boards, for example, a professional sound card or TV tuner.
Modern motherboards use PCI-E x1 slots or extra PCI-E x16 slots to install expansion cards. It is desirable that the motherboard has at least 1-2 such connectors that do not overlap with the video card.
IN modern computer the old-style PCI slots are not required, as any device with the new PCI-E slot can already be purchased.
The motherboard has many internal connectors for connecting various devices inside the hull.
11.1. SATA connectors
Modern motherboards have universal SATA 3 connectors that are great for connection of rigid disks, solid state drives(SSD) and optical drives.
Several of these connectors can be placed in a separate block, forming a combined SATA Express connector.
This connector was previously used to connect fast SSDs, but any SATA drives can also be connected to it.
11.2. M.2 connector
Also, many modern motherboards are equipped with an M.2 connector, which is used mainly for ultra-fast SSDs.
This connector has mounts for mounting cards of various sizes, which should be considered when choosing an SSD. But now only the most common size 2280 is commonly used.
It's also good if the M.2 connector supports both SATA and PCI-E modes, as well as the NVMe specification for fast SSDs.
11.3. Motherboard power connector
Modern motherboards have a 24-pin power connector.
All power supplies are equipped with the same connector.
11.4. CPU power connector
The motherboard may have a 4 or 8 pin CPU power connector.
If the connector is 8-pin, then it is desirable that the power supply has two 4-pin connectors that are inserted into it. If the processor is not very powerful, then it can be powered by one 4-pin connector and everything will work, but the voltage drops on it will be higher, especially during overclocking.
11.5. Location of internal connectors
The picture below shows the main internal motherboard connectors we talked about.
12. Integrated devices
The motherboard, in addition to the chipset and various connectors for connecting components, has various integrated devices.
12.1. Integrated graphics
If you decide that the computer will not be used for games and do not purchase a separate video card, then the motherboard must support processors with a video core and have the appropriate connectors. Motherboards designed for processors with a video core may have VGA, DVI, DisplayPort, and HDMI connectors.
It is desirable to have a DVI connector on the motherboard to connect modern monitors. An HDMI connector is required to connect a TV to a computer. Please also note that some budget monitors only have a VGA connector, which in this case should also be on the motherboard.
12.2. Integrated sound card
All modern motherboards have an HDA (High Definition Audio) class audio codec. The corresponding audio codecs (ALC8xx, ALC9xx) are installed on budget models, which, in principle, are enough for most users. Better codecs (ALC1150, ALC1220) and a headphone amplifier are installed on more expensive gaming motherboards, which give higher sound quality.
Motherboards usually have 3, 5, or 6 3.5mm jacks for connecting audio devices. An optical and sometimes coaxial digital audio output may also be present.
For connecting 2.0 or 2.1 system speakers. 3 audio outputs are enough.
If you plan to connect multi-channel acoustics, then it is desirable that the motherboard has 5-6 audio connectors. An optical audio output may be required to connect to a high quality audio system.
12.3. Integrated network card
All modern motherboards have a built-in network card with a data transfer rate of 1000 Mbps (1 Gb / s) and an RJ-45 connector for connecting to the Internet.
Budget motherboards are equipped with corresponding Realtek network cards. More expensive gaming motherboards may have higher quality Intel, Killer network cards, which has a positive effect on ping in online games Oh. But often the work of online games depends more on the quality of the Internet than on the network card.
It is highly desirable to connect to the Internet through, which will reflect network attacks and increase the protection of the motherboard from electrical breakdowns by the provider.
12.4. Integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Some motherboards may have built-in Wi-Fi and bluetooth adapter. Such motherboards are more expensive and are used mainly for assembling compact media centers. If you don't need this functionality now, then correct adapter can be purchased later if the need arises.
13. External motherboard connectors
Depending on the number of integrated devices and the class of the motherboard, it may have different connectors on the rear panel for connecting external devices.
Description of connectors from top to bottom
- USB 3.0- a connector for connecting fast flash drives and external drives, it is desirable to have at least 4 such connectors.
- PS/2- the old connector for connecting a mouse and keyboard, is no longer on all motherboards, is optional, since modern mice and keyboards are connected via USB.
- DVI– a connector for connecting a monitor in motherboards with integrated video.
- Wi-Fi Antenna Connectors- available only on some expensive boards with a Wi-Fi adapter.
- HDMI- a connector for connecting a TV in motherboards with built-in video.
- display port– a connector for connecting some monitors.
- Button BIOS reset - optional, used when the computer freezes during overclocking.
- eSATA– used for external drives with the same connector, optional.
- USB 2.0- a connector for connecting a keyboard, mouse, printer and many other devices, 2 of these connectors are enough (or USB 3.0 connectors). Also on modern motherboards there may be USB 3.1 connectors (Type-A, Type-C), which are faster, but still rarely used.
- RJ-45- socket for connection to local network or internet is required.
- Optical audio output- for connecting high-quality acoustics (speakers).
- Sound outputs– for connecting audio speakers (2.0-5.1 system).
- Microphone- connection of a microphone or headset, there is always.
14. Electronic components
Cheap motherboards use the lowest quality electronic components: transistors, capacitors, chokes, etc. Accordingly, the reliability and service life of such motherboards are the lowest. For example, electrolyte capacitors can swell after 2-3 years of computer operation, which leads to malfunctions and the need for repair.
Medium and high-end motherboards can use electronic components over High Quality(e.g. Japanese solid capacitors). Manufacturers often emphasize this with some slogan: Solid Caps (solid state capacitors), Military Standard (military standard), Super Alloy Power (reliable power system). Such motherboards are more reliable and can last longer.
15. Processor power circuit
The power scheme of the processor determines how powerful the processor can be installed on a specific motherboard without the risk of overheating and premature failure, as well as power drawdown when overclocking the processor.
A mid-range motherboard with a 10-phase power scheme can handle non-extreme overclocking of a processor with a TDP of up to 120W. For more voracious stones, it is better to take a motherboard with a 12-16 phase power system.
16. Cooling system
Cheap motherboards either don't have heatsinks at all, or have a small heatsink on the chipset and sometimes mosfets (transistors) near the CPU socket. In principle, if you use such boards for their intended purpose and install the same weak processors on them, then they should not overheat.
On mid-range and high-end motherboards that are equipped with more powerful processors, it is desirable that the heatsinks be larger.
17. Motherboard firmware
Firmware is a built-in firmware that controls all the functions of the motherboard. Already, many motherboards have switched from BIOS firmware with a classic text menu to a more modern UEFI with a user-friendly graphical interface.
Gaming motherboards also come with a number of advanced features that set them apart from more budget-friendly solutions.
18. Equipment
Usually, a motherboard comes with: a user manual, a driver disk, a blank for the rear panel of the case, and several SATA cables. The complete set of the motherboard can be found on the website of the seller or manufacturer. If you are collecting new computer, then calculate in advance how many and what kind of loops you need, so that if necessary, immediately order them.
Some models of motherboards have an extended package, which can include many different cables and brackets with connectors. For example, at ASUS, such motherboards used to have the word Deluxe in the title, but now it can be some Pro versions. They cost more, but usually all these add-ons remain unclaimed, so it’s more expedient to buy a better motherboard for the same money.
19. How to find out the characteristics of the motherboard
All motherboard specifications, such as supported processors and memory, types and number of internal and external connectors, etc. check the manufacturer's website for the exact model number. There you can also see images of the motherboard, by which it is easy to determine the location of the connectors, the quality of the power supply and cooling system. It would also be nice to look for reviews of a particular motherboard on the Internet before buying.
20. Optimal motherboard
Now you know everything you need to know about motherboards and you can choose suitable model. But I will still give you a few recommendations.
For a mid-range office, multimedia or gaming computer (Core i5 + GTX 1060), an inexpensive socket 1151 motherboard with an Intel B250 / H270 or B360 / H370 chipset (for 8th generation processors) is suitable.
For a powerful gaming computer (Core i7 + GTX 1070/1080), it is better to take a motherboard on socket 1151 with a powerful processor power system based on the Intel B250 / H270 or Z270 chipset (for overclocking). For 8th generation processors, respectively, you need a motherboard based on the Intel B360 / H370 or Z370 chipset (for overclocking). If you want better sound, a network card and funds allow, then take a motherboard from a gaming series (Gaming, etc.).
For professional tasks such as video rendering and other heavy applications, it is better to take an AM4 motherboard for multi-threaded AMD processors Ryzen on B350/X370 chipset.
Format (ATX, mATX), types and number of connectors, select as needed. Manufacturer - any popular (ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, ASRock) or based on our recommendations (this is more a matter of taste or budget).
21. Setting up filters in the online store
Thus, you will receive an optimal motherboard in terms of price / quality / functionality that meets your requirements at the lowest possible cost.
22. Links
Motherboard MSI H370 GAMING PRO CARBON
maternal asus motherboard ROG Strix B360-F GAMING
Motherboard Gigabyte H370 AORUS GAMING 3 WIFI
This article will examine and describe in detail the chipsets manufactured by Intel for the latest generations of processors from this manufacturer. Recommendations will also be given regarding the choice of motherboard logic when assembling a new computer system.
What is a "chipset"?
The word "chipset" is a chipset that is installed on the motherboard. It connects together the various components of a computer system. Its second name is system logic. As a rule, it is tied to a specific socket, that is, a processor socket. This article will cover the most topical solutions from Intel, which can still be found on sale.
"Sandy Bridge" and chipsets of the 6th series
The most "ancient" of those produced, which can still be found on sale today, belong to the 6th series. Their announcement took place at the beginning of 2011, and any CPU of the Sandy Bridge and Evie Bridge families can be installed in them. In the case of installing a CPU of the second family, you may need to. All these chips were installed in and often were equipped with an integrated graphics solution. One more important feature This platform was that it consisted of only one microcircuit - the "south bridge". But the "north bridge" was integrated into the processor. The most accessible among them was the chipset. It allowed the creation of inexpensive office systems. Also on its basis it was possible to make a good PC for study. But the bundles of "Cor Ai5" or "Cor Ai7" and "H61" look completely ridiculous. It is foolish to install a high-performance processor into a MiniATX motherboard with minimal functionality. This chipset allowed to install only 2 RAM modules, equipped with one PCI-Express slot 16x v2.0 for installing an external graphics accelerator and had 10 USB version 3.0 ports and 4 SATA ports for connecting hard drives or an optical drive.
The middle segment was occupied by Q65, B65, Q67 (these chipsets did not support Evie Bridge chips). The difference between them and the H61 was the number of slots for random access memory(in this case there were 4 instead of 2) and ports for drives (5 versus 4). Initially, H67 and P67 were used for the most productive. The first of them supported integrated video, but was equipped with only one slot for installing an external graphics accelerator. And the second one was aimed only at use (it had 2 slots for these purposes), but the built-in graphics accelerator did not work on such motherboards. In turn, solutions based on the Z68 combined the best aspects of the H67 and P67. It is this chipset that can be considered the best for this platform.
"Evie Bridge" and motherboards for them
A new generation of Evie Bridge CPUs came in 2012 to replace the Sandy Bridge. There were no cardinal differences between these generations of chips. The only thing that has essentially changed is the technological process. The previous generation of processors was manufactured using 32nm technology, and the new one - using 22nm process technology. The socket for these chips was the same - 1155. The entry-level systems in this case were also built on the basis of the Intel H61 chipset, which perfectly supported both generations of semiconductor crystals. But the middle and premium segments in this case have changed significantly. Although the characteristics of the Intel7 series chipsets indicate that they practically did not differ from their predecessors. The mid-range solutions in this case included B75, Q75, Q77, and H77. All of them were equipped with 1 slot for a video card and had 4 slots for installing RAM. The B75 has the most modest parameters: 5 SATA 2.0 ports and 1 SATA 3.0 port for organizing a disk subsystem and 8 USB 2.0 ports and 4 USB 3.0 ports. By the way, all 7 series chipsets could boast of just such a number of USB 3.0. Q75 differed from B75 only in the number of USB 2.0 ports, which in this case were already 10 instead of 8. H77 and Q77, unlike Q75 and B75, could already boast of having two SATA 3.0 ports. The premium segment in this case was represented by the Z75 and Z77. If the previous four chipsets only allowed to overclock the CPU and graphics accelerator, then these two semiconductor crystals could still increase the RAM frequency. Also in this case, the number of slots for video cards increased. There were 2 of them in solutions based on the Z75, and 3 in the Z77.
"Haswell", "Haswell Refresh" and its system logics
In 2013, it was replaced by 1150. Its processors did not make any revolutionary changes. The only exception in this regard was the power consumption of the chips, which was significantly redesigned in this CPU family, and this made it possible, without changing the technological process, to significantly reduce the thermal package of semiconductor crystals. Under the new socket, new sets of system logic were released. Their parameters have much in common with the previous generation of the 7th series. There were 6 chipsets in total: H81, B85, Q85, Q87, P87 and Z87. The most modest in terms of parameters was H81. It has a total of 2 RAM slots, 2 SATA 3.0 ports, 2 SATA 2.0 ports and 1 graphics card slot. Also, the number of USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports was 8 and 2, respectively. In motherboards based on this set of system logic, as a rule, Celeron and Pentium chips were installed. The Intel B85 chipset differed from the H81 by an increased number of RAM slots (there were already 4), USB 3.0 and SATA 3.0 ports (4 in both cases versus 2). Q85 could, in comparison with B85, boast only 10 USB 2.0 ports. These two chipsets are most commonly used in conjunction with Core i3 chips. The characteristics of Q87, P87 and Z87 are identical. They have 4 RAM slots, 8 USB 2.0 ports, 6 USB 3.0 ports and 6 SATA 3.0 ports. The Q87 and P87 chipsets were great for Core i5 and Core i7 with locked multipliers. But the Z87 was focused on chips with the “K” index, that is, based on it, computer systems to overclock the CPU.
Broadwell and chipsets for it
In 2014, the Haswell generation was replaced by new chips codenamed Broadwell. They are manufactured using a new 14 nm process and are not fully compatible with 8 series logic sets. The processors themselves were released a little and, as a result, a specific chipset update did not happen. They were released only 2 - H97 and Z97. The first of them was intended for a CPU with a locked multiplier and completely repeated the parameters of P87. Well, the Intel Z97 chipset was an exact copy of the Z87, but supported the 5th generation Cor processors. By the way, 4th generation chips, that is, Haswell, can also be installed in these motherboards.
System logic for "Skylike"
A total of 5 chipsets were introduced for the latest generation of CPUs codenamed "Skylike": H110, B150, H170, Q170 Z170. Comparison of Intel chipsets of the eighth and hundredth series clearly indicates the positioning of the latter. At the same time, their technical parameters are almost identical. The first of them - H110 - is designed for use in budget and office computer systems along with Celerons and Pentiums. The B170 and H170 target Core Ai3, Cor Ai5, and Cor Ai7 with locked multipliers. Well, with unlocked multipliers "Cor Ai5" and "Cor Ai7" (that is, a CPU with the "K" index), it is most correct to install in motherboards based on the Z170. There is one important difference in this family of chipsets, which is the support for a new type of RAM - DDR4. But all earlier versions of the system logics of this manufacturer supported only DDR3.
And what's next?
The lifecycle of Intel's 100th series of chipsets is only just beginning. These decisions will be relevant for exactly another 2 years. And the replacement process itself in the future will not be so fast. But, in any case, its successors will have a similar division into niches. Even their designations will be similar.
Enthusiast Solutions
Separately, it is necessary to consider sets of system logic for enthusiasts from Intel. The chipsets of the 2011 platform were different from all previously described. The first of these was X79. It allowed to install the most productive chips of the "Sandy Bridge" and "Evie Bridge" families. It was replaced in 2014 by X99, which was intended to install Haswell solutions. Among other differences, it is necessary to highlight in the latter support for DDR 4 RAM, while X79 could only work with DDR 3. Also, these processors, in comparison with the previously described chips, could boast an improved memory controller (4 channels) and an increased number of computing modules (the most productive solutions included 8 such blocks).
Intel motherboard chipsets are clearly divided into niches. The least productive solutions are recommended to be built on the basis of H81 and H110. The most productive PCs for computer enthusiasts are best built based on the Z87, Z97 and Z170. The rest of the chipsets are aimed at mid-level computer systems. Their performance will definitely be enough for the next 2-3 years with a head, but at the same time, the possibility of overclocking is minimized. well and Latest updates BIOS generally indicate that this possibility will not be available soon. The chipset manufacturer itself blocks it. From the standpoint of novelty, it is better to choose solutions from the hundredth series, which are now only beginning to actively appear on store shelves. But in case of budget savings, you will have to purchase more affordable 80 series motherboards.
Results
In this article, the chipsets released since 2011 by Intel Corporation were examined in detail. This semiconductor giant updates chipsets almost every year. As a result, each new generation of CPU requires the purchase of an updated motherboard. On the one hand, this increases the cost of the PC, and on the other hand, it allows you to constantly improve its performance.
Today we will understand what are the differences between Intel 1151 chipsets and the differences between motherboards based on H110, B150, B250, H170, H270, Z170, Z270 chips. There are many different misconceptions: someone "overclocks" processors on motherboards with the H110 chipset, others are "convinced" that games require only a "game board" Z170, Z270.
In 2018, the article “What are the differences between Intel chipsets 1151v2“You can read it.
Let's look at what really makes the difference and which motherboard is right for your tasks.
The first point should be noted that there is no cardinal difference between the 100th and 200th series of chips. Overall, the 200 series received minor feature improvements over the 100 series.
The hundredth series of motherboards was made before the release of the seventh generation of Intel processors - Kaby Lake and, accordingly, their "old" BIOS is designed only for Skylake (6th generation Intel processors). However, if you buy a new motherboard of the hundredth series, then the BIOS will most likely be flashed at the factory by the manufacturer itself (usually indicated on the packaging), which means it will support processors of both generations. The 200 series supports both Kaby Lake and Skylake out of the box.
All the features and functions of the 100-series have been carried over to the 200 with some additions. For example, the operation of an SSD with Optane cache support will require a strictly 200-series chipset and Kaby Lake processors of at least i3. The best PC in 2018 is to read.
Features of motherboards based on the H110 chipset
If you decide to build a system on a tight budget, then the H110 chipset is your choice.
H series chipsets have traditionally served as stripped-down versions of the Z series due to smaller HSIO slots and lack of overclocking support.
- No processor overclocking (with the exception of very rare models which are quite difficult to get in Russia)
- The power system is usually 5-7 phases. (For a motherboard not designed for overclocking, it is enough)
- Two slots for RAM
- One graphics card (no Crossfire/SLI capability)
- Maximum RAM frequency - 2133MHZ
- Up to 4 USB, 4SATA 3x4PIN FAN
- Technology missing: INTEL SMART RESPONSE RAPID STORAGE
All these limitations lead to the fact that this motherboard is very cheap. It is perfect for budget builds, but with the ability to install the latest generation of processors. Based on this chipset, you can assemble gaming computer elementary-intermediate level. The average price of motherboards based on the H110 chipset is 2.5-3.5 thousand rubles.
Features of motherboards based on B150/B250 chipsets
Motherboards based on B150/B250 chips have, perhaps, the most optimal price/quality ratio (if overclocking is not important for you). Ideal for medium system.
The price for boards based on B150/B250 chips is from 4,000. The only drawback is that there is no support for a raid array (combining two (or more) physical disks into one "physical" disk).
- No CPU overclock
- No overclocking RAM
- Maximum RAM frequency - 2133MHZ (B250 - 2400MHZ)
- Up to 12 USB, 6 SATA 3-5 X4PIN FAN, up to 2 M2 connectors? USB 3.1 support
- Technology support: INTEL SMALL BUSINESS ADVANTAGE
Features of motherboards based on H170/H270 chipsets
H170 based solutions are a compromise between B150/B250 and Z170/Z270 chips. The user gets even more features: support for a raid array, more ports, but still cannot use this motherboard for overclocking.
- No CPU overclock
- No overclocking RAM
- Power system 6-10 phases (typically)
- Up to 4 RAM slots
- There is Crossfire X16X4, No SLI support
- Maximum RAM frequency - 2133MHZ (H250 - 2400MHZ)
- Up to 14 USB, 6 SATA 3-7 X4PIN FAN, up to 2 M2 connectors? USB 3.1 support
Features of motherboards based on Z170/Z270 chipsets
Motherboards based on the Z170/Z270 chipset are overclockable. There are useful features for enthusiasts, such as: power buttons directly on the motherboard itself, post-code indicators, additional fan headers, BIOS reset and switch buttons. All this greatly simplifies the life of enthusiasts (people who are engaged in overclocking).
In addition to the fact that motherboards with Z170 / Z270 chips can drive the processor, they also allow you to use faster sets of random access memory (RAM) and overclock them.
- Supports CPU overclocking
- Supports overclocking RAM
- Power system 7-13 phases (typically)
- Up to 4 RAM slots
- CROSSFIRE X8X8/X8X4X4/X8X8X4, SLI X8X8 possible
- Maximum RAM frequency - 4500MHZ (B250 - 2400MHZ)
- Up to 14 USB, 6 SATA 5-7 X4PIN FAN, up to 3 M2 connectors, USB 3.1 support
- Technology support: INTEL SMALL RESPONSE TECHNOLOGY, INTEL RAPID STORAGE
Comparative characteristics of motherboards for the LGA1151 platform
|
Characteristics |
H 110 | B150/B250 | H170/H270 |
Z170/Z270 |
|
Overclocking the processor, memory |
No | No | ||
|
Connectors (slots) for RAM |
2-4 | 4 | ||
|
Maximum RAM frequency |
2133/2400 | 2133/2400 | ||
|
Number of power phases |
6 — 10 | 6 — 11 | ||
|
SLI support |
No | No | ||
|
CROSSFIRE support |
X16X4 | X16X4 | ||
|
Connectors SATA 6 GB/S |
6 | 6 | ||
|
Total USB (USB3.0) |
12 (6) | 14 (8) | ||
|
Connectors M 2 |
1 — 2 | 1 — 2 | ||
|
Intel Smart Response |
No | Yes | ||
|
Support SATA RAID 0/1/5/10 |
No | Yes | ||
|
Intel Small Business Advantage |
No | Yes | optional | |
|
Number of monitor outputs |
3 | 3 |
By the way, we have not touched on motherboards based on the chipset with the "Q" index. These motherboards are used primarily for business and very rarely in home assemblies. In fact, the Q170 chip is an analogue of the H170, but with corporate "chips". By the way, you may be interested in the article “The best gaming processor. Review Intel Core i7-8700K", you can read it.
If you are building a computer and looking for the best prices for components, then the number one option is computeruniverse.com. Time-tested German store. Coupon for 5% euro discount — FWXENXI. Happy assembly!
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