Many users of desktop computers (and laptops too) have a not entirely objective opinion about the importance of the motherboard as part of the PC hardware system. Some underestimate it, allocating minimal amounts for its purchase, while others overestimate it, chasing the most expensive models. To assess your personal need or lack of need for a powerful motherboard, you need to understand what you expect from it. You should not expect a noticeable impact on performance; with such requirements, it is better to allocate more money for a powerful processor and a high-speed SSD drive. But if the potential for overclocking the processor and RAM is important, as well as the presence of a large list of modern interfaces (inputs/outputs), then it makes sense to buy a more expensive motherboard. Below we will look at the best computer motherboards of 2021, based on reviews.
What to look for when choosing a motherboard?
Before moving directly to the rating of the best motherboards, let's figure out what characteristics you should look for in the store.
- Socket. We consider this parameter to be the most important. Have you chosen a “motherboard” with a socket (socket for the processor on the board) that does not match the processor socket? We'll have to return it back. Accordingly, central processor manufacturers AMD and Intel also use completely different connectors, so the boards for them are not interchangeable. Always check that the socket of the selected processor and motherboard match. fees. Modern sockets for Intel - LGA 1150/1151, LGA 2011/2066, for AMD - AM3/AM3+/AM4.
- Chipset. This is the north bridge, which is a set of chips. This is the connecting link between all devices connected to the PC. Different chipset models are suitable for different types of computers. For example, such modern Intel chipsets as X99 and X299 are the ultimate for the most powerful PCs, but the B250 and H270 are suitable for office and simple home systems. Accordingly, the AMD X450/470 chipsets are suitable for enthusiasts, while the A320 is suitable for office or multimedia use.
- Form factor. A parameter that determines the dimensions of the board. The standard is ATX, with dimensions of 305x244 mm, considered a large form factor. Smaller alternatives are miniATX, microATX, miniITX, etc. The more mat. board, the more useful things can be placed on it and the better the heat dissipation conditions will be due to the larger space between the components. For low-performance systems, compact form factors are useful, which will also make the process of transporting/carrying the system unit much more convenient.
- RAM slots (random access memory). Motherboards can differ in the number of slots for RAM sticks (from 1 to 32), the type of connector for them (the most popular and modern is DDR4) and the maximum amount of memory (in GB, up to 256).
- Supports various interfaces for external connections. These primarily include USB, PCI, PCI-E, SATA, Ethernet (RJ-45), Audio others. Pay attention to the port versions. USB 3.0/3.1 are much faster than USB 2.0, and SATA III is a direct necessity for connecting a fast SSD drive. It is also bad if the built-in network card has a speed limit, for example, up to 100 Mb/s, although this is rare. You may need two Ethernet network ports or a built-in Wi-Fi wireless module, which not every model will offer.
Motherboards in mini-ITX format
Asus MAXIMUS VIII IMPACT
manufacturer's photo
We're kicking off our mini-ITX offerings with the most expensive motherboard yet - Asus's Maximus VIII Impact is an offering for gamers , offering a range of proprietary CPU overclocking tools, supporting 4133MHz DDR4 memory, and featuring the excellent SupremeFX Impact III sound chip. with backlight. Importantly, there was a Wi-Fi 802.11ac module and Bluetooth version 4.0.
In addition, you'll find USB 3.0 Type A and C , a super-fast network connector for comfortable online gaming, and the latest Intel Z170 chipset - everything is made for the school five. What more could you want?
ASUS Maximus VIII Impact
from: 582 PLN
»
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from PLN 582 in 5 stores
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Gigabyte GA-Z170N-WIFI
manufacturer's photo
This motherboard is one of the most popular models on the market for one simple reason - it has a very good price/performance ratio . Here you will find everything you need for comfortable work at the computer. The equipment offers built-in Wi-Fi, HDMI and DisplayPort connectors and support for DDR4 memory with a clock speed of up to 3200 MHz; There were also USB 3.0 type A and C ports. Also worth noting are two M.2 connectors based on connectors 1 and 3, which expands the ability to expand the PC with additional components.
Gigabyte GA-Z170N-WIFI
from: 502 PLN
»
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from PLN 502 in 5 stores
- Komputronik.pl
: PLN 558
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ASRock H170M-ITX/DL
manufacturer's photo
ASRock is known for developing budget solutions, and this board is no different - this model is one of the cheapest designs for the LGA 1151 socket . The low price means a slower H170 chipset and support for DDR4 memory with a maximum frequency of “only” 2133 MHz. On the other hand, we have an additional mini-PCI Express slot that allows for additional SSD storage or ports, dual LAN and up to six USB 3.0 ports. It is impossible not to pay attention to good solid-state audio capacitors and special overvoltage protection technology, which is especially important in cheaper designs.
ASRock H170M-ITX/DL
from: PLN 458
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from PLN 458 in 4 stores
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Asus Z170I Pro Gaming
manufacturer's photo
Another design aimed mainly at gamers - for this reason there is no shortage of fast overclocking of the processor using Asus proprietary technologies, faster loading of games using RAMCache or support for DDR4 memory at 4000 MHz (of course also after overclocking). Gamers will also appreciate the high quality of the network card, which is designed to eliminate lag.
also USB 3.1 ports , a very good SupremeFX sound system, and Wi-Fi with MU-MIMO technology, all powered by the Intel Z170 chipset. A good offer for players at a slightly lower price than the Maximus VIII Impact.
ASUS Z170I Pro gaming
from: 581 PLN
»
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from PLN 581 in 4 stores
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ASRock H110M-ITX
manufacturer's photo
The latest offering from the mini-ITX segment is a low-cost design, this time based on the older Intel H110 chipset . This is the basis for the features offered by mobo in this format. However, compared to other boards in this price segment, you will find more features here - just mention DDR4 memory support, there are also USB 3.0 ports and an LGA 1151 socket that supports Intel Skylake processors. Perhaps there are no such features as in Gigabyte or ASUS models, but this is a matter of price compromise.
ASRock H110M-ITX
from: 256 PLN
»
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from PLN 256 in 12 stores
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Comparison of characteristics
| Model | Chipset | RAM slots | Max memory capacity | Price | |
| BEST MOTHERBOARDS FOR SOCKET AM4 | |||||
| MSI X470 GAMING PRO MAX | AMD X470 | 4 | 64 GB | 9 650 ₽ | |
| MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX | AMD B450 | 4 | 64 GB | 9 100 ₽ | |
| GIGABYTE B450 AORUS M (rev. 1.0) | AMD B450 | 4 | 64 GB | 6 300 ₽ | |
| ASRock B450 Pro4 | AMD B450 | 4 | 64 GB | 5 990 ₽ | |
| GIGABYTE GA-AB350M-DS3H V2 | AMD B350 | 4 | 64 GB | 3 740 ₽ | |
| BEST SYSTEMBOARDS FOR INTEL LGA 1150 SOCKET | |||||
| ASUS Z97-AR | Intel Z97 | 4 | 32 GB | 10 660 ₽ | |
| ASRock H81 Pro BTC R2.0 | Intel H81 | 2 | 16 GB | 5 652 ₽ | |
| Biostar H81MHV3 Ver. 7.x | Intel H81 | 2 | 16 GB | 3 580 ₽ | |
| ASUS Q87T | Intel Q87 | 2 | 16 GB | 13 000 ₽ | |
| MSI H81M-E33 | Intel H81 | 2 | 16 GB | 4 200 ₽ | |
| BEST GAMING MOTHERBOARDS FOR INTEL SOCKET 1151 | |||||
| MSI MEG Z390 ACE | Intel Z390 | 4 | 64 GB | 19 950 ₽ | |
| GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS ELITE (rev. 1.0) | Intel Z390 | 4 | 64 GB | 12 298 ₽ | |
| GIGABYTE Z390 UD (rev. 1.0) | Intel Z390 | 4 | 64 GB | 7 627 ₽ | |
| ASUS MAXIMUS VIII HERO | Intel Z170 | 4 | 64 GB | 5 890 ₽ | |
| GIGABYTE GA-B250-FinTech (rev. 1.0) | Intel B250 | 4 | 64 GB | 2 682 ₽ | |
The best motherboards for socket AM4
Socket AM4, which appeared in 2021, is today the most current socket for AMD processors. Supports processors of various levels, such as A6/A8/A10/A12, Athlon 200GE/ 220GE, 240GE, X4 ***, Ryzen 3/5/7/9, as well as the AMD PRO line.
5GIGABYTE GA-AB350M-DS3H V2
Our rating of “the best motherboards for AMD Ryzen” opens with the GIGABYTE GA-AB350M-DS3H V2.
Budget option with excellent features. Here you can install four sticks of RAM with a maximum capacity of up to 64 GB, the maximum memory frequency is 3200 MHz. Supports 8-channel audio, M.2, SATA III drives, and even USB 3.1. High quality audio capacitors are provided. A special utility on the motherboard, cFosSpeed Internet Accelerator, will improve your Internet connection parameters. The board also has the SmartFan 5 function - these are special thermal sensors and a hybrid FAN connector, which allows you to achieve favorable temperatures with stable performance. Overall, this is one of the best budget motherboards for AMD small form factor microATX processors.
Pros:
- Low price
- 4 memory slots
- High frequency RAM support
- There is potential for overclocking
- M.2 slot support
- Adequate BIOS without the need to update
Minuses:
- Few video interfaces
- Southbridge loves to warm itself
- Not very good placement of SATA connectors
4ASRock B450 Pro4
Recommended option for budget or relatively budget computers.
An important advantage of the model is the current B450 chipset, which supports the Zen+ architecture, and effective (to the best of its capabilities) cooling. You just need to understand that there are restrictions on the maximum physical length of the drive, and all because of the unfortunate location of the M.2 slot (there are 2 such interfaces). Quite good VRM heatsinks were used. The ATX form factor board provides four slots for installing DDR4 RAM and 6 SATA III slots. An 8-channel audio system is supported, with Realtek ALC892 acting as the audio controller.
Pros:
- Full value for little money
- Quite massive radiators
- 9 declared power phases
- Native mount for AM3+ coolers
- Multiple 4pin ports for fans
- The manufacturer releases new BIOS versions
Minuses:
- Inconvenient latch for RAM and difficult removal of the strips
- DDR4 reaches 3200 MHz in just one stick
- You come across a marriage
3GIGABYTE B450 AORUS M (rev. 1.0)
This motherboard includes RGB Fusion with proprietary app and user-friendly controls.
This program adjusts the brightness of the backlight and adapts the glow when the temperature changes or the load on the processor increases. The option is ideal for the Ryzen 5 2600 processor and similar CPUs. The Smart Fan 5 option will provide control over the operation of each thermal sensor and fan. There is also a hybrid connector that can detect and switch between cooling system modes. It is also important that GIGABYTE works tirelessly to optimize the BIOS, and this can also be seen in this model.
Pros:
- Variety of ports
- Excellent backlight control
- Good processor power subsystem (4+2 phases)
- Memory can be overclocked up to 3400 MHz
- Automatic overclocking protection
- Dual BIOS
Minuses:
- The location of the M.2 slot is directly under the video card
- Poor BIOS settings for overclocking
2MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX
A trendy model that was greatly loved by customers and received extremely positive reviews.
This is an excellent solution for AMD “stones” from the mid-segment; in such cases, the heating of the VRM (voltage regulator module) without additional purchase of external coolers will always be within acceptable limits. The board has thermal sensors on the PCH and VRM, which sets TOMAHAWK apart from its analogues. This one differs from the previous model, which does not have a MAX prefix, in improved support for RAM - now it can be “driven” to a frequency of 3400 by simply activating XMP, or even up to 3600 MHz with certain skills.
As a result of the purchase, you get excellent overclocking capabilities, a large selection of ports, perhaps the best VRM on the market and even RGB lighting
