If you were to compare the human anatomy to a computer, the processor could be compared to analytical thinking, the graphics card to visual and creative thinking, the RAM would be the brain’s short term memory, and the hard drive would be the brain’s long term thinking. The motherboard is what ties it all together, and could best be described as the spine of the computer.
Because you need a spine to live, it goes without saying that a computer also needs a motherboard in order to make anything happen. The motherboard controls the communication between every single device in the system. For this reason, it’s important to pick the right motherboard for the job. There are dozens of variables which contribute more or less equally to your ultimate selection of a motherboard. The good news is at StealthMachines we have preselected the very best motherboards which meet or exceed the expectations of nearly all of our clients. Rest assured that the motherboard which you pick, so long as it is picked from our website, is the correct selection. However, if you’re the type who likes to know exactly what you’re buying, I’ll tell you a few pointers.
The most important things to consider when purchasing a motherboard are as follows. Make sure that the processor and memory are compatible with the motherboard. Again, we do this for you. When selecting a motherboard’s memory, make sure that the amount of memory which the motherboard supports will provide you with all of the memory which you ever plan to upgrade to. It’s always good to provide yourself with some wiggle room in this regard. Make sure the motherboard can support the latest PCI-E slot (currently 3.0) and has room for more than one PCI-E slot. The PCI-E slot, for those of you who are not in the know, is the port which the graphics card is installed on. Make sure that the motherboard supports USB 3.0. Make sure that the motherboard supports the latest SATA connection speed (currently 6Gb/s). There are PLENTY of USB 2.0 ports on every motherboard. Don’t stress about this.
Most importantly, read reviews. No two motherboards, even with the same specs, were created equal. The masses are your friend… use the masses to tell you what motherboard is best right now. Newegg.com provides an excellent collection of reviews to read on the individual part level. Don’t trust a knock off brand to your spinal cord. Spinal cords are very expensive to replace, so don’t mess around with this.
I recommend EVGA all the way. No other company provides the level of reliability and service of this company, bar none. Avoid Asus when EVGA can provide a comparable replacement. Asus used to be the king of the industry, but they have since lost that title to poor customer service and unreliable motherboards. That’s not to say they don’t put out a great product once in a while, but lately it seems very hit or miss. MSI is decent. Gigabyte is decent. Intel and ASrock apparently do a good job too. All the others are probably crap. Seriously.
And then there’s Foxconnn. I don’t trust Foxconn anymore (Read this article to find out why). If you are an informed consumer, you probably will want to read this article.
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