Are motherboards overpriced?

Are motherboards overpriced? That’s the question that you should ask yourself before buying your next motherboard. For example, do you really need all of those extra ports and slots on the motherboard?

There are too many different motherboard brands

People often think they have to get a motherboard from one specific brand, but that's not necessarily true. It seems like there are hundreds of different motherboard brands, but in reality there are only a few. So do you need an MSI motherboard or can you get by with an ASUS or Gigabyte? The short answer is: it doesn't matter which one you choose because they all perform about equally well. No matter what brand of board you purchase, your PC will be up and running as soon as you get it out of the box. While some may offer extra features (like software), choosing a cheaper board won't compromise your setup.

There are too many different motherboard types

Different CPUs are compatible with different chipsets, and different chipsets are compatible with different brands of memory. That means there are a lot of combinations to account for, and each combination has its own price tag. To be fair, building a PC from scratch can be a little overwhelming at first—but it's not nearly as daunting as purchasing everything from scratch. (A ready-made computer will only run you about $400.) Motherboard manufacturers create their products to suit very specific needs—but if those needs aren't your needs, you're paying too much for them.

Motherboard designs are getting more complex

Motherboard manufacturers have to put a lot of components onto a small piece of surface. They're trying to fill a given amount of space with more and more things, and in order to do that they're packing everything closer together. The result is that manufacturers are having to develop different styles for their boards depending on how many slots you want; people who want lots of extra slots can pay for them, whereas people looking for a barebones setup can also save money. Whether or not it's worth it will depend on how you use your computer, but keep in mind that motherboard designs are now so complex that there's no one-size-fits-all solution anymore (at least not when it comes to form factor).

Motherboard manufacturers aren’t making much profit

For manufacturers, a motherboard is nothing more than another component in a machine. It’s not always their number one priority to ensure that these essential parts are up to snuff. A lot of them cut corners by manufacturing boards with components that aren’t as high-quality as they could be, or by including unnecessary components (like bloatware) on their products. The fact is, many motherboards are made to break quickly—so consumers will buy a new one soon after purchasing a new computer. If you plan on spending big bucks on a computer or server and want to avoid getting stuck with an underpowered motherboard, it's best to stick with name brands like Intel or Gigabyte.