Does a gaming motherboard make a difference?

When you’re talking about computer hardware, it can be hard to separate the marketing from the reality. Case in point: gaming motherboards. You can spend $200 on one of these boards, only to have it fall short of your expectations when playing the latest and greatest games. But here’s the thing – most gamers don’t need high-end motherboards to play their favorite games well, so how much do they really improve your experience? I set out to find out, and this is what I discovered...

What is a gaming motherboard?

A computer's motherboard is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: a board onto which its central processor and storage drive are attached. One of your first decisions when choosing between two given gaming desktops, for example, is to figure out if you want to go with a pre-built system or build your own. If you're choosing between buying a new laptop or building one yourself from scratch (something that's cheaper than ever these days), deciding whether to use an off-the-shelf laptop motherboard or building your own can be just as big of a decision point.

Why get an expensive one?

There are three main reasons why you may want to get an expensive motherboard for your computer. The first one is because it’s got more support features than cheap motherboards, such as better heat sinks and board layouts. An expensive motherboard also has better diagnostic tools to help you troubleshoot problems, and they have enhanced ports that can control external hard drives and optical drives. Finally, if you really like overclocking your computer, then an expensive model will be better at handling these types of extreme changes in speed. But if you don’t really use any of these features, then a cheap model is just fine for most people’s needs.

Which things to look out for when buying

When you’re looking for an LGA1151 socket, there are few things to look out for. First, if you want to upgrade your CPU or graphics card in future, make sure your mobo supports that sort of upgrade path. Otherwise, all other features should be viewed as nice-to-haves. For example, some boards feature RGB lighting or built-in Wi-Fi that may be great for some but unnecessary for others. Second, when comparing price versus performance, it is important to note how well equipped each board is compared to its competition. Some boards can compete with models two times their price; some simply cannot compare to their competition at any price point.

Advice before buying

Buy an overclocking-friendly motherboard if you’re planning to squeeze out more performance from your CPU, memory and graphics card. The MSI Z270 Gaming Pro Carbon is one of many boards that offers advanced overclocking features such as automatic voltage tuning and enhanced CPU power phase control. Its Realtek ALC1220 audio codec is also ideal for gaming because it provides immersive surround sound. You can find several budget options on Newegg if you don’t have enough cash for a high-end board like MSI’s; even better, some are VR-ready and meet or exceed Intel's VR specifications.

What if I don’t want to overspend on a board

A lot of people ask me if it’s necessary to have an expensive or gaming type motherboard when building their gaming PC. The short answer is no, you do not need a high-end board, but it will allow you more features and options when choosing your components. When building your first gaming PC I would recommend purchasing an average board that fits your budget; don’t stress about what kind of board you are getting at first. I would only recommend upgrading if there are multiple expansion slots for RAM/graphics cards and/or onboard USB 3.0 ports in order to make future upgrades easier. It is always better to start simple and upgrade down the road as needed.