Choosing a motherboard. Motherboards Compare motherboards by performance online

The configuration of this card is such that you can put almost everything on it; it has not yet obsolete types of slots for connecting external and internal adapters. RAM expansion up to 4 GB. Possibility of installing a new video card, sound, and network card. Dual-core AMD Athlon processor. The motherboard supports total memory capacities of 256, 512 MB, 1 GB, 2 GB, and 4 GB, provided that unbuffered DDR2 (ECC/non-ECC) DIMMs are used. Additionally, memory modules must be installed in the DIMM slots in accordance with with memory module configurations.

For normal operation You need to install two identical DDR2 connectors (same type and size) DDR modules 2 DIMM.

Motherboard supports OS Windows 2000/32-bit XP/64-bit XP/32-bit Vista/64-bit Seven/32-bit. To get the best experience from your MP, always update the software to enhance the functionality of your hardware. This motherboard is quite powerful. With CPU DualCore AMD Athlon X2 BE-2300, 1900 MHz, 2GB random access memory, and video card nVidia GeForce 8600 GTS 256 Mb, it easily supports modern games, which came out after the creation of this motherboard. Simultaneously surfing the Internet, working with files, processing photographs, and, for example, listening to music, you can cope with these tasks immediately and without unnecessary hassle. This card has some disadvantages: noise and increased processor temperature. During powerful operation, the temperature rises to almost 60 C. This drawback can be eliminated by installing an additional cooler or made easier by opening the side panel on the system unit.

ASUS P4P800-VM

Service capabilities: i865G is the most modern set of system logic from Intel with integrated graphics Intel Extreme Graphics 2. Unfortunately, despite the presence of a 2-channel DDR SDRAM memory controller, the graphics core from Intel demonstrates quite moderate performance even by system standards entry level. Therefore, planning to buy a PC based on the Asus P4P800-VM motherboard only makes sense if you will use it for work or for games since the creation of this MP.

If we talk about processor support, then the Asus P4P800-VM is fine with this. The manufacturer has declared compatibility with all models of Pentium 4 and Celeron processors designed for the Socket478 connector, including the future Prescott. The system bus is capable of operating at frequencies up to 800 MHz, and the memory bus - up to 400 MHz.

Owners of Asus P4P800-VM will certainly be satisfied with the capabilities of the ICH5 south bridge. Support for Serial ATA, 6-channel audio and networking technologies - a good set for a PC of that time. This motherboard was one of the most modern motherboards developed by ASUS for the Pentium 4.

Settings and monitoring: the Asus P4P800-VM motherboard does not have a developed settings system. The user does not even have the ability to change the FSB frequency. On the other hand, the BIOS provides a wide range of memory subsystem adjustments - setting timings, selecting the memory bus frequency and voltage of DDR SDRAM modules.

The board is monitored according to the standard scheme - the processor and chipset temperatures, voltages and fan speeds are monitored.

Wiring: Asus P4P800-VM is made in the microATX form factor. Nevertheless, the developers have arranged all the elements very conveniently. As in full-size systems, the power connector is located next to the IDE and FDD connectors, and the latter are in close proximity to the drives.

Note that problems will arise when changing memory modules if an external video card is installed.

In general, the Asus P4P800-VM is a board with rich functionality, but with a low-performance integrated graphics core. This model can only be used with medium- and low-power programs, but for programs where the graphics core is important, this MP is not very good.

When the ASUS P4P800 board was released, Intel tried hard so that it would not spoil their image.

Let's sort it out in order. The first of them is Asus P4P800. This board features Hyper-Path technology, which optimizes the performance of the chipset, thereby adding speed to the entire system. The DDR memory that this system uses also works for this result. There is support for the AGP 8X bus, the most modern slot at that time, providing data transfer rates between the video adapter and the system up to 2.12 Gb/s. P4P800 gives you the ability to connect to a gigabit network using the built-in network adapter 3COM 3C940. Thanks to the efforts of Intel's engineers, the board supports Serial ATA technology, a new format of the drive connection interface: data transfer speed of 150 MBs, hot installation, convenient cables, and so on. And, of course, the ability to organize a RAID array on SATA drives. The board has multi-language BIOS menu, which helps you better understand the settings. The device also has a 6-channel AD1985 audio codec, which recognizes devices included in the audio connectors and alarms if the connection is incorrect. For people who are annoyed by the noise coming from the processor cooler, there is a function Q-Fan, which adjusts the fan speed depending on the system load. To exchange information with external devices, the P4P800 supports up to eight USB 2.0 ports. The next P4P800-X board is more a new version P4P800, made on the same chipset as its predecessor. This makes them very similar, but the P4P800-X has a few new features. You can note the presence of an S/PDIF output on the rear panel, with which you can connect your computer to a six-channel sound system and, avoiding analog-to-digital conversion, get very high-quality sound. The third representative of the family is the P4P800 Deluxe. Like previous devices, it has the same standard features, but also several new useful features. For example, compatibility with FireWire peripherals, support for POST Reporter technology and an IDE RAID controller. Using this controller you can build RAID arrays of level 0, 1, 0+1 and JBOD of four hard drives ATA133. The P4P800-E Deluxe board is equipped with a slot Wi-Fi standard 802.11b, which is designed specifically for ASUS Wi-Fi/b WLAN cards. This slot will be useful for those who did not like wires since childhood, since with its help you can organize wireless network, as well as connect your computer with a laptop, PDA and other WLAN devices. Well, the latest board made on the same chipset is the P4P800 SE. As always, the FSB frequency at which the device operates remains unchanged, but the developers had to sacrifice something. It looks like this board was released as a simplified version of the P4P800-E Deluxe, and is therefore cheaper. It doesn't have a Wi-Fi slot and uses a simpler 6-channel audio codec (the P4P800-E Deluxe has an eight-channel audio adapter based on a Realtek ALC850 chip). All devices - P4P800S, P4P800S-X, P4P800S-E Deluxe and P4P800S SE - are based on the Intel 848P chipset. Since the devices are made on the same NMS, they do not have significant differences in performance. The presence of a new chipset made it possible to support Pentium 4 (including Prescott) and Celeron processors. These motherboards are very similar, probably the only difference that immediately catches your eye is the presence of a Wi-Fi slot on the P4P800S and P4P800S-E Deluxe boards. It is quite possible to overclock this processor to 3.6 GHz with a rated power of 2.8 GHz.

ASUS Crosshair IV Formula

The layout of the ASUS Crosshair IV Formula motherboard was also quite successful - power connectors and interface ports are located at the edges of the board, which is convenient for connection. The RAM slots on the bottom side do not have latches, so a video card installed in the upper PCIEx16 slot will definitely not interfere with the removal of memory modules.

In addition, the RAM modules are powered by a 2-phase stabilizer, which should increase the stability and reliability of the system, especially in overclocking mode. Three aluminum radiators are used as a cooling system for system logic chips and a power stabilizer, which are combined together with a copper heat pipe. During testing, the cooling system had a completely acceptable temperature. The temperature of the radiator of the south bridge reached - 40? C, and the temperature of the radiator on the north bridge was higher - about 43 ° C. One of the functional advantages of ASUS Crosshair IV Formula is the ability to organize ATI CrossFireX in x16+ x16 or x16+x8+x8 configurations. To do this, the board has three PCI slot E x16, and the slots are placed one after another so that you can easily install video cards with a dual-slot cooling system. In addition, the motherboard has a PCIE x4 slot located at the very bottom and two PCI slots. Based on the SB850 south bridge, six SATA 3.0 ports are implemented, with the ability to organize SATA RAID 0, 1, 5 and 0+1, as well as 12 USB 2.0 ports, six of which are located on the rear panel. Due to additional controller The JMicron JMB363 board supports two more SATA 3Gb/s ports, one of which is located on the interface panel.

But the ASUS Crosshair IV Formula motherboard does not support PATA devices, just as it does not support the outdated LPT, COM and FDD data exchange interfaces. Among those installed on the motherboard ASUS board Crosshair IV Formula controllers include the VIA 6312N FireWire controller and the Marvell 8059 gigabit LAN controller.

Updated 01/16/2018. The information is valid for the whole of 2018.
This article is devoted to choosing a motherboard for your home computer. In it we will tell you which board parameters are the most important, what you should pay attention to first, and what you don’t even have to think about. After reading, you will easily determine which socket will fit your processor, how many RAM slots are required, and so on. At the end of the article, you can find up-to-date information about modern motherboards for Intel and AMD.

It's always worth starting with the processor. Yes, even though the article is about the motherboard, our main criterion will be the processor. To choose the right motherboard, you first need to decide between Intel or AMD. Each company has created many boards that differ in chipsets and sockets. We will talk about this in more detail in the relevant paragraphs. Next, when it comes to Intel processors, then immediately decide for yourself whether you will overclock? The answer to this question will immediately seriously reduce the search area.
Separately, I would like to note that in a computer assembly everything must be balanced. There is no need to buy an expensive motherboard for 2 video cards if there is only one card or there are none at all, that is, the graphics core of the processor is used, for example. Likewise, you shouldn’t skimp on the board if you’re taking an expensive processor for overclocking. All parts must be carefully selected and their compatibility with each other looked at.

Form factor

This parameter characterizes the dimensions of the motherboard. The standard is ATX with dimensions of 305x244 in millimeters. This is a fairly large fee and previously they had few alternatives. But today they are:

miniATX(284×208),
microATX(244×244),
miniITX(170×170),
nanoITX(120×120),
picoITX(100×72).

Here's a visual illustration to help you visualize the relative sizes of boards with different form factors. It can be seen that picoITX is almost 3 times smaller than standard ATX:

If we are talking about assembling a regular home computer for gaming and work, but most likely microATX will suit you. They contain most of the necessary connectors, for example, USB 3.0, SATA 6Gb/s, PCI-E x16 v3.0 and PCI-E x1-x4 for expansion cards, such as network or audio. When assembling a possible workstation for work and modern games (at ultra settings), you will need a full-fledged ATX board with 2 or even 4 PCI-E x16 slots for video cards, 4-8 DDR3 (or even DDR4) slots with support for up to 64 or 128 GB of RAM memory, as well as a powerful processor power system, a chipset for overclocking (usually the Z series for Intel) and so on. It all depends on your needs and availability of money.

It is clear that the larger the board, the easier it is to place a large number of useful slots and connectors on it, as well as to place them further away from each other to avoid overheating of nodes and bridges. However, if the system is of medium or low performance, for example, for home theater(HTPC) or a simple torrent downloader (part-time home server- file storage), then you will probably want to make them small and quiet (with passive cooling). This is where small form factor motherboards, such as miniITX or even picoITX, come in handy.

Chipset

There are several of them, separately for Intel and AMD. A chipset is a set of chips and their arrangement. These microcircuits are responsible for the normal joint (!) operation of the processor, RAM, video card and all other equipment. The chipset includes a north bridge, which is responsible for the interaction of the graphics core, RAM and central processor. Via buses (front, memory, graphics controller) they communicate with each other and transmit information for processing. And the south bridge, which provides interaction with I/O devices ( hard disks, flash drives, sound and network cards, and so on).

But, for the average user, the chipset will primarily mean reliability, the ability to overclock the processor and a set of connectors, the presence of certain ports.
The current Intel processor chipsets include the Z, H, B and Q series. At the same time, only the Z series supports overclocking the processor and memory. In the name, after the letter there is a number, for example, Z97, H97, B85 and the like. What opportunities does one or another have? specific model motherboard you need to look at the official website or, as a last resort, on Yandex Market.
For AMD chipset usually begins with the letter A, or contains no letters at all. Examples are A68, A88, AMD 970 and so on.

Socket

One of the fundamental factors that you need to understand before choosing a motherboard. A socket is a connector for a processor. Intel and AMD have several different Sockers, but one or two are always considered modern. For example, Intel today has 1150, and AMD AM3+ and FM2+. If the processor socket and motherboard do not match, then you will not be able to install it. That is why, when upgrading a system, it is usually necessary to change both of them at once, and possibly the video card and RAM too, because their connectors, although rarely, also change.

Another interesting fact. For Intel, the number characterizing the socket indicates the number of contacts between the processor and the motherboard. Previously, for example, there were 476, 775, 1155 and 1156, now there are 1150. Also, these contacts had different forms. At first there were legs on the processor and holes in the motherboard, but this caused some inconvenience - the legs could bend. Then the engineers took this fact into account and made ordinary convex contacts on both the processor and the board; they are simply pressed tightly against each other with a special latch.

RAM slots

The differences at this point lie in the connector itself and in their number. There can be from one (although usually there are at least two) to 8 or even more. The most popular and affordable type today is DIMM DDR3, but DDR4 has also appeared. The latter has its advantages, but it has never fully reached the masses. Mainly because everyone is waiting for a socket update from Intel and, accordingly, a new generation of processors themselves.

The next important parameter here is the frequency and amount of memory. A frequency of at least 1600 MHz must be supported, and a total volume of 32 GB, although older models also support 2400 MHz with a capacity of up to 128 GB. But in ordinary home computers this would be superfluous; more modest numbers will do here. If you are building a system based on processors with integrated graphics and do not plan to buy a video card (for example, if your budget does not allow), then all the textures and other information needed for graphics will be stored in RAM. In this case, it is recommended to take an operational memory with a higher frequency, for example, 2133 MHz and a capacity of at least 8GB. Therefore, the motherboard must support this frequency.

Video card connectors

They may not exist at all, for example, on some picoITX motherboard, which is usually used with integrated graphics and an integrated processor. Or maybe 2 or even 4 connectors at once. PCI-E x16 version 3.0 is considered modern. In the vast majority of cases, using one video card is more preferable than two. Therefore, for a home computer, you can safely choose a motherboard with one slot for a video card. If you are sure that you will build a gaming station and one video card will not be enough for you, then buy a full-size ATX board with 2 PCI-E x16, and full-fledged x16 can only be afforded by top-end motherboards like MAXIMUS or SABERTOOTH, for which you will pay a tidy sum, but it's worth it if you're an avid gamer or a professional designer (photographer). Other boards usually lower the second slot to x4 or x8.

Other internal and external connectors, slots and outputs

These include all USB, SATA, PCI, PCI-E x1-x8, Ethernet, Audio and other slots (connectors, outputs). Depending on your needs, you can choose a motherboard with one or another set of connectors. But not everything is so smooth. For example, you want to connect your old sound card or network card to your computer, it is likely that they connect to the IDE, but there may be problems. There is no place for the outdated IDE in the new chipsets; now all expansion cards are manufactured for PCI-E x1-x4, so perhaps you will have to say goodbye to old sound and network cards. The same goes for old hard drives and CD-DVD drives. If they are on the IDE, you will have to throw them away. You can, of course, try to purchase a controller for PCI-E x1 with IDE outputs, but whether it’s worth it is a big question.

Also pay attention to the presence of modern ports, for example, USB 3.0 or even 3.1. For fast operation of hard drives - SATA 6 Gb/s, for a PCI-E x16 video card it is version 3.0, not 2.0. The built-in sound cards are also different. This could be a decent model with 7.1 or 5.1 outputs, or it could be an entry-level board with outputs for a 3.1 system. Network cards are usually set at 1 Gb/s, but sometimes you come across 100 Mb/s, this also deserves attention. Maybe you want a motherboard with two Ethernet ports, or maybe with a built-in WiFi module; not all models support it.

How and where to find out all the characteristics of the board

This can be done, first of all, on official websites. Oddly enough, many people ignore official websites, even when they are looking for some program, they do not go to the official websites and it is in vain. Always go there and only if you can't find it from the manufacturer (developer) necessary information- look further on other resources.

For example, you have chosen a motherboard from ASUS and want to learn more about it. Immediately go to the ASUS website and look for a board by model in their internal search. Yes, this is simple advice, but for some reason the vast majority of users do not do this. The same goes for support. All drivers are the most latest versions available on the official websites. There are no viruses. Support is always free!

As for characteristics, the second source after official sites can be called Yandex Market. It also has everything you need and even links to the manufacturer. You can safely use it.

Introduction

1. Comparison of motherboards

1.1 ASUSM2N-XPlus

1.2 ASUS P4P800-VM

1.3 ASUS Crosshair IV Formula

2. MP characteristics

3. Testing

General conclusion

List of literature and normative technical documentation

Introduction

The motherboard is the main component of every computer, which controls both internal and external devices. The stability of the entire computer as a whole depends on its operation. The type of motherboard installed determines the overall performance, as well as its upgrade.

Motherboards contain all the main elements of a PC. Their connection lines and connectors for connecting external devices:

1. Socket type processor connector

2. Connectors (slots) for installing RAM modules

3. Slots for installing expansion cards (video, sound, network cards)

4. Connector for connecting data storage devices (ATA, SATA)

5. Connectors for connecting external peripherals

6. A set of chipsets for data exchange between all PC components.

MP always has two bridges: North and South Bridge

Northbridge - its functions are to ensure interaction between the processor, RAM and video adapter.

South bridge - its functions are to ensure interaction of I/O buses with the central processor and RAM.

Both bridges can be implemented on one chip or on two.

All MP components are connected to each other by a system of conductors through which information is exchanged between devices (buses).

Information highways that connect PC components and devices together are called buses. A bus may be a set of conductive lines etched onto a printed circuit board; twisting of wires; cables (the same cable, only flat). The bus is designed to exchange information between two or more devices and the central processor. A bus connecting only two devices is called a port. The exception is the PCI bus - you can’t call it a port.

The bus functions differ:

1. System buses (CPU buses) are designed to send information from the processor and back.

2. The memory bus is designed to exchange information between the CPU and RAM.

3. The I/O bus is designed to exchange information from peripheral devices to the CPU.

Each bus has its own architecture. This includes the following components (lines):

1. Channels for data exchange;

2. Address buses (channels for transmitting data addresses);

3. Control buses (transmits service data management commands)

Motherboard form factor is a standard that determines the dimensions of the motherboard for a personal computer and where it is attached to the case; the location of bus interfaces, input/output ports, the central processor socket (if there is one) and slots for RAM, as well as the type of connector for connecting the power supply.

The form factor (like any other standards) is advisory in nature. The form factor specification defines the required and optional components. However, the vast majority of manufacturers prefer to comply with the specification because the cost of compliance existing standards is the compatibility of the motherboard and standardized equipment (peripherals, expansion cards) from other manufacturers.

Obsolete: Baby-AT; Mini-ATX; full-size AT board; LPX.

Modern: ATX; microATX; Flex-ATX; NLX; WTX, CEB.

Implemented: Mini-ITX and Nano-ITX; Pico-ITX; BTX, MicroBTX and PicoBTX.

There are motherboards that don't fit any of the existing form factors. This is usually due to either the fact that the computer being produced is highly specialized, or the desire of the motherboard manufacturer to independently produce peripheral devices for it, or the inability to use standard components (the so-called “brand”, for example AppleComputer, Commodore, SiliconGraphics, HewlettPackard, Compaq, most often ignored standards ; in addition, in its current form, the distributed production market was formed only by 1987, when many manufacturers had already created their own platforms).

The most famous motherboard manufacturers in Russian market currently the companies are Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, Intel, Elitegroup, AsRock. Previously, boards from Abit and Epox were very popular. Today, both companies have stopped producing motherboards. From Russian manufacturers motherboards, we can only mention the Formosa company, which produced boards using components from Lucky Star and Albatron. From the Ukrainian ones - the Kvazar-Micro corporation.

1. Comparison of motherboards

1.1 ASUS M2N-X Plus

The configuration of this card is such that you can put almost everything on it; it has not yet obsolete types of slots for connecting external and internal adapters. RAM expansion up to 4 GB. Possibility of installing a new video card, sound card, and network card. Dual-core AMDathlon processor. The motherboard supports total memory capacities of 256, 512 MB, 1 GB, 2 GB, and 4 GB, provided that unbuffered DDR2 (ECC/non-ECC) DIMMs are used. Additionally, memory modules must be installed in the DIMM slots in accordance with with memory module configurations.

For normal operation of DDR2 connectors, you need to install two identical (same type and size) DDR2 DIMM modules.

The motherboard supports operating systems Windows systems 2000/32-bit XP/64-bit XP/32-bit Vista/64-bit Seven/32-bit. To get the best experience from your MP, always update the software to enhance the functionality of your hardware. This motherboard is quite powerful. With a DualCore AMD Athlon X2 BE-2300 CPU, 1900 MHz, 2GB of RAM, and an nVidia GeForce 8600 GTS 256 Mb video card, it easily supports modern games that have come out since this motherboard was created. Simultaneously surfing the Internet, working with files, processing photographs, and, for example, listening to music, you can cope with these tasks immediately and without unnecessary hassle. This card has some disadvantages: noise and increased processor temperature. During powerful operation, the temperature rises to almost 60 C. This drawback can be eliminated by installing an additional cooler or made easier by opening the side panel on the system unit.

1.2 ASUS P 4 P 800- V.M.

Service capabilities: i865G is the most modern set of system logic from Intel with integrated Intel Extreme Graphics 2. Unfortunately, despite the presence of a 2-channel DDR SDRAM memory controller, the Intel graphics core demonstrates quite moderate performance even by the standards of entry-level systems. Therefore, planning to buy a PC based on the Asus P4P800-VM motherboard only makes sense if you will use it for work or for games since the creation of this MP.

The board is monitored according to the standard scheme - the processor and chipset temperatures, voltages and fan speeds are monitored.

Note that problems will arise when changing memory modules if an external video card is installed.

Overall, the Asus P4P800-VM is a board with rich functionality, but with a low-performance integrated graphics core. This model can only be used with medium- and low-power programs, but for programs where the graphics core is important, this MP is not very good.

When the ASUS P4P800 board was released, Intel tried hard so that it would not spoil their image.

Let's sort it out in order. The first of them is Asus P4P800. This board features Hyper-Path technology, which optimizes the performance of the chipset, thereby adding speed to the entire system. The DDR memory that this system uses also works for this result. There is support for the AGP 8X bus, the most modern slot at that time, providing data transfer rates between the video adapter and the system up to 2.12 Gb/s. The P4P800 gives you the ability to connect to a gigabit network using the built-in 3COM 3C940 network adapter. Thanks to the efforts of Intel's engineers, the board supports Serial ATA technology, a new interface format for connecting drives: data transfer speed of 150 MB/s, hot installation, convenient cables, and so on. And, of course, the ability to organize a RAID array on SATA drives. The board has a multi-language BIOS menu, which helps you better understand the settings.The device also has a 6-channel AD1985 audio codec, which recognizes devices included in the audio connectors and alarms if the connection is incorrect. For people who are annoyed by the noise coming from the CPU cooler, there is a Q-Fan function that adjusts the fan speed depending on the degree of system load. To exchange information with external devices, the P4P800 supports up to eight USB 2.0 ports. The next P4P800-X board is a newer version of the P4P800, made on the same chipset, as its predecessor, making them very similar, but the P4P800-X has a few new features, including an S/PDIF output on the rear panel, which allows you to connect your computer to a six-channel sound system, avoiding analog-to-digital conversion , get very high quality sound. The third representative of the family is the P4P800 Deluxe. Like previous devices, it has the same standard features, but also several new useful features. For example, compatibility with FireWire peripherals, support for POST Reporter technology and an IDE RAID controller. Using this controller, you can build RAID arrays of levels 0, 1, 0+1 and JBOD from four ATA133 hard drives. The P4P800-E Deluxe board is equipped with an 802.11b Wi-Fi slot, which is designed specifically for ASUS Wi-Fi/b WLAN cards. This slot will be useful for those who have not liked wires since childhood, since it can be used to organize a wireless network, as well as connect a computer to a laptop, PDA and other WLAN devices. Well, the latest board made on the same chipset is P4P800 SE. As always, the FSB frequency at which the device operates remains unchanged, but the developers had to sacrifice something. It looks like this board was released as a simplified version of the P4P800-E Deluxe, and is therefore cheaper. It doesn't have a Wi-Fi slot and uses a simpler 6-channel audio codec (the P4P800-E Deluxe has an eight-channel audio adapter based on a Realtek ALC850 chip). All devices - P4P800S, P4P800S-X, P4P800S-E Deluxe and P4P800S SE - are based on the Intel 848P chipset. Since the devices are made on the same NMS, they do not have significant differences in performance. The presence of a new chipset made it possible to support Pentium 4 (including Prescott) and Celeron processors. These motherboards are very similar, probably the only difference that immediately catches your eye is the presence of a Wi-Fi slot on the P4P800S and P4P800S-E Deluxe boards. It is quite possible to overclock this processor to 3.6 GHz with a rated power of 2.8 GHz.

1. 3 ASUS Crosshair IV Formula

In addition, the RAM modules are powered by a 2-phase stabilizer, which should increase the stability and reliability of the system, especially in overclocking mode. Three aluminum radiators are used as a cooling system for system logic chips and a power stabilizer, which are combined together with a copper heat pipe. During testing, the cooling system had a completely acceptable temperature. The temperature of the radiator of the south bridge reached - 40? C, and the temperature of the radiator on the north bridge was higher - about 43 ° C. One of the functional advantages of ASUS Crosshair IV Formula is the ability to organize ATI CrossFireX in x16+ x16 or x16+x8+x8 configurations. To do this, the board has three PCIE x16 slots, with the slots placed one after another so that you can easily install video cards with a dual-slot cooling system. In addition, the motherboard has a PCIE x4 slot located at the very bottom and two PCI slots. Based on the SB850 south bridge, six SATA 3.0 ports are implemented, with the ability to organize SATA RAID 0, 1, 5 and 0+1, as well as 12 USB 2.0 ports, six of which are located on the rear panel. Thanks to the additional JMicron JMB363 controller, the board supports two more SATA 3Gb/s ports, one of which is located on the interface panel.

But the ASUS Crosshair IV Formula motherboard does not support PATA devices, just as it does not support the outdated LPT, COM and FDD data exchange interfaces. Among the controllers installed on the ASUS Crosshair IV Formula motherboard are the VIA 6312N FireWire controller and the Marvell 8059 gigabit LAN controller.

2. MP characteristics

ASUS M2N-X Plus	ASUS P 4 P 800- V.M.	ASUS Crosshair IV Formula
Chipset	nVidianForce 430 MCP	Intelli865G	AMD 890FX/SB850
CPU socket	Socket AM2 plus, Socket AM2	Socket478.	Socket AM3
Supported processors	Sempron, Athlon 64, Athlon 64 FX, Athlon 64 X2 (Agena, Kuma, Rana, Toliman, Windsor, Brisbane, Orleans, Lima, Sparta, Manila)	IntelPentium 4 Willamette/Northwood/Prescott, including those supporting Hyper-Threading technology, Intel Celeron.	AMD AM3/AM2+/AM2; Phenom II/Athlon II/Phenom/Athlon/Sempron processor series
System bus frequency	1600~2000 MHz	400, 533 and 800 MHz	HyperTransport 3.0 supporting up to 5200 MT/s
Number of DDR2 connectors	2 (to activate 2-channel memory mode, modules are installed in pairs)	dual-channel memory controller. Supports up to 4 DIMMs DDR 266/333/400 MHz.	4 x 240-pin DIMMs, dual-channel architecture up to 16 GB
Disk subsystem	4 x SerialATA 3 Gb/s supporting RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 5 and JBOD functions	2 channels UDMA 33/66/100/Serial ATA 150, 1 channel FDD.	AMDSB850 chipset supports: 6 xSATA 6.0 Gb/s with support for RAID 0, 1, 5 and 0+1 JMicronJMB363 PATA controller supports: 1xSATA 3Gb/s port (black) 1x External SATA 3 Gb/s port (SATA On-the-Go)
Sound	5.1 channel. sound Intel High Definition Audio (Azalia) MicrosoftDirectSound3D	Audio, based on Analog Devices AD1985 AC’97 codec Audio, with the ability to reproduce 5.1 audio	8-channel High-Definition Audio codec SupremeFX X-Fi EAX Advanced HD 4.0 X-Fi Crystalizer Creative ALchemy
Net	Controller integrated into the chipset + physical layer interface 10/100 Mbit/s	network FastEthernet.	Marvell 8059 Gigabit LAN Controller
Expansion slots	PCI Express 1 slot 16x, 2 slots 1x	1 AGP 8x, 3 PCI.	3 x PCI Express 2.0 x16 (dual @ x16, triple @ x16 x8 x8) 1 x PCI Express 2.0 x4
Cooling	AMD Cool-n-Quiet, ASUS Q-Fan 2	Radiator, cooler	Passive heat pipe cooling system
Ports	PS/2 mouse and keyboard; LPT, S/PDIF type Coaxial, 1 COM port; two USB port; two USB and RJ-45 (GigabitEthernet) ports; three audio jacks (Mic-In, Line-In, Front).	1x PS/2 keyboard, 1x PS/2 mouse, 4x USB 2.0, 1x LPT, 1x COM, 1x RJ-45 LAN, 1x coaxial S/PDIF-out, Line-out, Line-in, Mic-in	1 xPS/2 port for connecting a keyboard 1 x optical S/PDIF output 6 xUSB 2.0/1.1 ports 2 x USB 3.0 ports 1 x External SATA 1 x ROG port 6 x audio ports (for 8 channel audio)
BIOS	AMI BIOS, 8 Mbit	4MBit Flash ROM AMI BIOS with support for Enhanced ACPI, DMI, Green, PnP Features Asus EZ Flash Technology CrashFree BIOS 2 technology Asus MyLogo2 technology Multi-languages BIOS	PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.4, ACPI 2.0a
Proprietary technologies	ASUS CrashFree2 BIOS ASUS Q-Fan Technology	ASUS 8+2 power stabilizer Loadline Calibration COP EX (Component Overheat Protection - EX) ASUS C.P.R.(CPU Parameter Recall) ASUS Q-Connector ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
Form factor	ATX 305 x 193 mm	microATX, 243x243 mm	ATX 305 x 245mm

3. Testing

The test took place on an ASUS M2N-X Plus MP

750 MB versus 450 MB of loaded memory, and here is the result:

Fig.5 (450 MB of occupied memory)

Fig.6 (750 MB of occupied memory)

The results showed that MP performance dropped by 0.45 GFlops and processor speed also dropped by an average of 0.5 s. This result can be considered quite normal. After removing unnecessary programs from the processor and freeing up RAM, the results returned to the same level on average. The speed indicator of this card cannot be shown at 100% due to busyness system programs in RAM memory.

FLOPS (or flops or flop/s) (an acronym for Floating point Operations Per Second, pronounced flops) is a value used to measure computer performance, showing how many floating point operations per second a given computing system performs.

Fig.7 (450 MB of occupied memory)

Safety and hygiene rules when working on a PC

Electrical safety requirements.

A personal computer is an electrical device. It differs from other electrical appliances in that it can be used for a long time without being disconnected from electrical network. In addition to the normal operating mode, the computer can be in an operating mode with reduced power consumption or in a standby mode waiting for a request. Due to the possibility of prolonged operation of the computer without disconnecting from the power supply, special attention should be paid to the quality of the power supply.

It is unacceptable to use low-quality and worn-out components in the power supply system, as well as their surrogate substitutes: sockets, extension cords, adapters, tees. It is unacceptable to independently modify sockets to accept plugs that meet other standards. Electrical contacts of sockets should not experience mechanical stress associated with connecting massive components (adapters, tees, etc.).

All power cables and wires should be located at the back of the computer and peripheral devices. Their placement in the user's work area is unacceptable.

It is prohibited to perform any operations related to connecting, disconnecting or moving components of a computer system without first turning off the power.

The computer should not be installed near electrical heaters or heating systems.

It is unacceptable to place foreign objects on the system unit, monitor and peripheral devices: books, sheets of paper, napkins, dust covers. This results in permanent or temporary blockage of the ventilation openings.

Do not introduce foreign objects into the service or ventilation openings of computer system components.

Features of the monitor power supply. The monitor has elements that can save high voltage for a long time after disconnecting from the network. Opening the monitor by the user is unacceptable under any circumstances. This is not only life-threatening, but also technically useless, since there are no organs inside the monitor that the user could adjust or configure to improve its performance. Opening and servicing of monitors can only be carried out in special workshops.

Features of the power supply of the system unit

All components of the system unit receive electricity from the power supply. The PC power supply is a stand-alone unit located at the top of the system unit. Safety regulations do not prohibit opening system unit, for example when installing additional internal devices or upgrading them, but this does not apply to the power supply. The computer power supply is a source of increased fire hazard, so it can only be opened and repaired in specialized workshops.

The power supply has a built-in fan and ventilation holes. In this regard, dust inevitably accumulates in it, which can cause short circuit. It is recommended to periodically (once or twice a year) use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust from the power supply through the ventilation holes without opening the system unit. It is especially important to perform this operation before each transportation or tilt of the system unit.

Hygiene requirements system

Working with a computer for a long time can lead to health problems. Short-term work with a computer installed in gross violations of hygiene standards and rules leads to increased fatigue. The harmful effects of a computer system on the human body are complex. Monitor parameters affect the organs of vision. The equipment of the workplace affects the organs of the musculoskeletal system. The nature of the arrangement of equipment in a computer class and the mode of its use affects both the general psychophysiological state of the body and its visual organs.

Video system requirements

In the past, monitors were viewed primarily as a source of harmful radiation, primarily affecting the eyes. Today this approach is considered insufficient. In addition to harmful electromagnetic radiation(which on modern monitors have been reduced to a relatively safe level) image quality parameters must be taken into account, and they are determined not only by the monitor, but also by the video adapter, that is, the entire video system as a whole.

Your computer monitor must meet the following international safety standards:

in terms of electromagnetic radiation level - TSO 95;

in terms of image quality parameters (brightness, contrast, flicker, anti-glare properties, etc.) - TCO 99.

You can find out about the compliance of a specific model with these standards in the accompanying documentation. To work with monitors that meet these standards, special protective screens are not required.

asus motherboard

At the workplace, the monitor should be installed in such a way as to exclude the possibility of reflection from its screen towards the user from sources of general lighting in the room.

The distance from the monitor screen to the user’s eyes should be from 50 to 70 cm. There is no need to try to move the monitor as far as possible from the eyes for fear of harmful radiation (based on everyday experience with TV), because the viewing angle of the most characteristic objects is also important for the eye. Optimally, the monitor should be placed at a distance of 1.5 D from the user's eyes, where D is the size of the monitor screen, measured diagonally. Compare this recommendation with the 3...5 D value recommended for household televisions, and compare the size of the characters on the monitor screen (the most typical object that requires concentration) with the size of objects typical for television (images of people, buildings, natural objects). An excessive distance from the eyes to the monitor leads to additional stress organs of vision, affects the difficulty of transition from working with a monitor to working with a book and manifests itself in the premature development of farsightedness.

An important parameter is the frame rate, which depends on the properties of the monitor, video adapter and software settings of the video system. To work with texts, the minimum frame rate allowed is 72 Hz. For graphics work, a frame rate of 85 Hz or higher is recommended.

Workplace requirements

The requirements for the workplace include requirements for a desktop, a seat (chair, armchair), rests for arms and legs. Despite its apparent simplicity, ensuring the correct placement of computer system elements and the correct seating of the user is extremely difficult. A complete solution to the problem requires additional costs comparable in magnitude to the cost of individual components of a computer system, therefore, both in production and in production, these requirements are often neglected.

Despite the fact that schoolchildren spend relatively little time in the computer classroom, teaching them proper occupational hygiene through a worthy example is very important so that useful skills are reinforced for life. This is not just a requirement of hygiene, but a requirement of methodology.

The monitor should be installed directly in front of the user and should not require rotation of the head or body.

The desktop and seat should be of such a height that the user's eye level is slightly above the center of the monitor. You should look at the monitor screen from top to bottom, and not vice versa. Even short-term work with a monitor installed too high leads to fatigue of the cervical spine.

If at correct installation monitor relative to eye level, it turns out that the user’s feet cannot rest freely on the floor, a footrest should be installed, preferably inclined. If the legs do not have reliable support, this will certainly lead to poor posture and fatigue of the spine. It is convenient when computer furniture (desk and work chair) have means for height adjustment. In this case, it is easier to achieve the optimal position.

The keyboard should be located at such a height that the fingers rest on it freely, without tension, and the angle between the shoulder and forearm is 100° - 110°. When using ordinary school desks, it is almost impossible to achieve the correct position of both the monitor and the keyboard at the same time. For work, it is recommended to use special computer tables that have pull-out shelves for the keyboard. If there is no such shelf and the keyboard is located on the same table as the monitor, the use of a footrest becomes almost inevitable, especially when children work with the computer.

Working with the keyboard for a long time can cause fatigue in the tendons of the wrist joint. A serious occupational disease is known - carpal tunnel syndrome, associated with incorrect hand position on the keyboard. To avoid excessive stress on the hand, it is advisable to provide a work chair with armrests, the height of which, measured from the floor, coincides with the height of the keyboard.

When working with the mouse, your hand should not be suspended. The elbow or at least the wrist should have firm support. If it is difficult to provide the necessary location of the desktop and chair, it is recommended to use a mouse pad with a special support roller. There are often cases when, in search of support for the hand (usually the right one), the monitor is placed on the side of the user (respectively, on the left) so that it works half-turned, resting on the elbow or wrist right hand about the table. This technique is unacceptable. The monitor must be directly in front of the user.

Requirements for organizing classes

The monitor screen is not the only source of harmful electromagnetic radiation. Monitor developers have been successfully overcoming them for a long time. Less attention is paid to harmful spurious emissions arising from the sides and rear walls of equipment. In modern computer systems, these areas are the most dangerous.

The computer monitor should be positioned so that its back wall faces the wall of the room rather than people. In computer classes with several computers, workstations should be located along the periphery of the room, leaving the center free. In this case, it is additionally necessary to check each of the workplaces for the absence of direct reflection of external light sources. As a rule, it is quite difficult to achieve this for all jobs at the same time. Possible Solution consists of using curtains on the windows and thoughtful placement of artificial sources of general and local lighting.

Devices are strong sources of electromagnetic radiation uninterruptible power supply. They should be located as far as possible from user seats.

In organizing classes, their duration plays an important role, on which psychophysiological loads depend. For high school students, the duration of a computer session should not exceed 30 minutes, for elementary school students - 20 minutes. The rest of the computer science lesson is spent communicating with the teacher and teaching aids.

Due to a lack of equipment, computer classes sometimes conduct group classes, during which two or three students study at one workstation. This organizational technique is unacceptable from a hygienic point of view. Some students have to sit to the side of the monitor, which negatively affects both the visual organs and the musculoskeletal system. The educational process must be planned so that every student has the opportunity to learn the correct techniques for working with a computer.

conclusions

Comparing the ASUSP4P800-VMASUS M2N-X Plus and ASUS Crosshair IV Formula motherboards, I could say that at the time of their creation they were one of the best motherboards in terms of performance, speed, operability, upgrade methods and other parameters. Of course, each had its own pros and cons, but you can still draw a conclusion in a little more detail:

The first MP AsusM2N-XPlusThe performance of this motherboard can reach up to 8 GFlops, a good indicator for modern personal computers. The MP is equipped with an AMD processor which has shown good performance on this motherboard.

Advantages

Good performance;

Dual-core processor;

Support for modern equipment.

Flaws

CPU heating;

When the processor works intensively, it makes noise.

The second MP, during its release, made a “breakthrough in the creation of MP,” writes Hacker magazine. Tests have repeatedly shown good performance. “There is support for the AGP 8X bus, the most modern slot at that time, providing data transfer rates between the video adapter and the system up to 2.12 Gb/s. The P4P800 gives you the ability to connect to a gigabit network using the built-in 3COM 3C940 network adapter. Thanks to the efforts of Intel engineers, the board supports Serial ATA technology, a new format of the drive connection interface: data transfer speed of 150 MB/s, “hot” installation, convenient cables, and so on.” (Hacker magazine, 2005). ASUSP4P800-VM will not surprise computer users with anything now, but at one time they made a good leap in MP production. Compared to the previous motherboard, it is single-core, but with clock frequency higher – 2800 MHz. So if it were dual-core, it would undoubtedly be better. It is worth noting that already at that time some models of this series had Wi-Fi modules; this was a rarity and know-how then. Good performance and fast action, that's all ASUSP4P800-VM is all about. Nowadays they stopped producing it 4 years ago.

Very high performance;

2 channel IDE RAID controller;

SerialATA support (2 channels with RAID functions);

Built-in 6-channel audio and network (Gigabit Ethernet);

USB2.0 (8 ports) and IEEE-1394 (Firewire; 2 ports) interface support;

Supports processors with HyperThreading and 800MHz FSB;

A wide range of proprietary Asus technologies (Q-Fan; CrashFree BIOS 2, etc.);

New technologies: AI Net and AI Audio; Instant Music;

Very powerful overclocking capabilities (+excellent results!)

Poor equipment;

Board Features:

Poor compatibility with modules Kingston memory PC2700 ValueRAM.

The third board is ASUS Crosshair IV Formula. Powerful, modern, fast motherboard. It has a lot of advantages and various innovations. Its distinctive design matches its functional ambitions, including the ability to organize ATI CrossFireX in a x16+x8+x8 configuration, as well as excellent overclocking capabilities, both automatically and using a fairly large set of parameters that can be changed in small increments. It is worth noting that the ASUS Crosshair IV Formula motherboard can automatically overclock the system within reasonable limits without any problems, quite correctly controlling the supply voltage of various components, which may appeal to novice overlockers. In addition, to help professionals, it has a somewhat innovative ROG Connect function for remote overclocking, thanks to which in some cases it will be more convenient to conduct experiments and monitor system parameters. At the same time, the Crosshair IV Formula board provides support for all the new and most current data transfer interfaces, including SATA 3.0 and USB 3.0, and is devoid of the baggage of increasingly less popular “old” ports, and a fairly functional and high-quality multi-channel audio codec with support for dubbing games and movies will help EAX Advanced HD 4.0, X-Fi CMSS-3D and X-Fi Crystalizer.

Advantages:

High processor overclocking capabilities;

Possibility of organizing ATI CrossFireX in x16+x16 or x16+x8+x8 configurations;

Powerful power supply;

ProbeIt panel;

ROG Connect function;

Efficient cooling system;

6 SATA 3.0 connectors supporting RAID 0, 1, 5 and 0+1.

Flaws:

Lack of LPT, COM, IDE and FDD ports;

Only USB mice are supported.

List of literature and normative technical documentation

1. Magazine "Hacker" 2005

2. http://www.smotherboards.ru/2010/08/10/

3. http://comp.potrebitel.ru/

4. http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/

A motherboard, system board, or in common parlance a “board” is a complex and basic component when assembling a computer, used to house all the elements to run the system. The main materials used are textolite and getinaks, created using special printing technologies. Motherboards are available in several main form factors:

Micro-ATX
Mini-ATX

Mini-ATX are used to build entry-level systems or mini-assemblies to save space and budget. Their main disadvantage is the lack of enough space for upgrades and installation of powerful components. Micro-ATX are installed in mid-range systems and allow you to accommodate both low-budget and some high-end components. ATX is used when assembling top-end systems that require not only a lot of space for the component base (for example, a video card or cooling system), but also high-quality materials of the board itself to withstand heavy loads.

We have selected the top 15 best motherboards for assembly gaming computers on the most popular and current sockets in 2019.

The best motherboards for AM4

AM4 is designed to replace the obsolete platform on AM3+, depriving it of its shortcomings and at the same time compete with the now popular LGA1151. Its main innovations include:

Support for the new DDR4 RAM format and frequency up to 3200 MHz;
Stable operation with multi-threaded Ryzen processors with and without integrated graphics;
Reduced heat dissipation, average 65 W;
Supports USB1 and 3.0 gen 2 at speeds of 5 and 10 Gbps.

The main drawback was the partial incompatibility of the boards with previous sockets - only a few models support them.

4 ASRock B450M Pro4

Best cheap board on the market for AM4
Country: China
Average price: 6237 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.9

The board has 3 reinforced power phases and 3 regular ones, albeit in the lower arm and containing a pair of mosfets. Both VRM zones are covered with modestly sized heatsinks, but thanks to the cuts, they have an increased dissipation area for better heat dissipation. 6 cores will keep up with overclocking, but you won’t be able to drive it on the bus, since not a single “board” on the 450 chipset has such functions.

Traditionally, the board has a curve for ASRock BIOS. Buyers praise many ports in their reviews. By default, there are 5 slots for connecting coolers or water cooling systems. In order not to overheat and burn the system, it is recommended to have a well-ventilated case or purchase additional turntables. Considering the price, it turned out to be an excellent product, with the exception of the randomness with the oils, which varies from delivery to delivery.

3 MSI B450 TOMAHAWK

The coldest motherboard
Country: China
Average price: 9000 rub.
Rating (2019): 5.0

The power supply system firmly supports the overclocking of any six-core processor and is quite capable of pushing the Ryzen 2700 to 4 GHz without any overhead. This is the coolest B450 board on the market thanks to a strong power supply and a horse-sized heatsink.

The only hot spot is the controller. There is no offset here, but there is the possibility of autonomous BIOS flashing. "Tomahawk" has 4 slots for high-frequency RAM with a maximum of 3466 MHz. Supports first and second generation Ryzen processors. MSI tried hard and if it was still possible to get to the bottom of the B350 chipset, then TOMAHAWK will withstand any criticism and give a big head start to competitors, despite not the best best sound and the network, which is justified by the manufacturer’s desire to stuff the feeder to the maximum.

2 MSI X470 GAMING PLUS

Excellent VRM equipment
Country: China
Average price: 11,800 rub.
Rating (2019): 5.0

The board has 4+2 reinforced power phases, each of which has a double set of components. In the last generation, MSI surrendered under a barrage of criticism and stopped purchasing second-rate elements, catching up with ASUS in quality. For its money it has the best VRM equipment, even taking into account the lower number of phases than the famous ASUS Prime. In general, it heats up just as well, but costs less.

The disadvantages include the inability to overclock on the bus and the traditionally good overclocking potential of the memory. There is no clock generator and voltage offset. The ability to overclock the integrated APU graphics has also been removed. Thus, the board became an example of how you can save on minor things for the sake of more important things. Mediocre sound and network are compensated by a high-efficiency power supply, which is also not without heating under load.

Motherboards for office or school

Motherboards for work purposes are much cheaper than their gaming counterparts. They have a weak component base, they may lack protection against voltage surges, and there will be few power circuits at all. They can also be limited by the frequencies of the supported RAM and its volume. BIOS is very limited in functionality.

Gaming motherboards

This is the complete opposite. For a good gaming board you need 4 slots for RAM with a capacity of 16 GB or more. It is recommended to use RAM with frequencies of 1866 MHz and higher. An excellent option would be a model with powerful cooling radiators and at least 5 power circuits, so that in case of overclocking the “board” does not burn out. It is worth noting that there are gaming boards and without overclocking, but they must be used extremely carefully. The BIOS of a good board will have an interface for overclocking the bus and other PC components.

1 MSI X470 GAMING PRO CARBON

The best combination of characteristics
Country: China
Average price: 16106 rub.
Rating (2019): 5.0

The Gaming PRO version has 1 more power phase, which has a positive effect on temperatures and the behavior of the board as a whole. As a result, MSI engineers managed to make a top power supply among pre-top motherboards. It is characterized by excellent memory overclocking, a simple and clear BIOS with fast navigation. A conveniently located reset button on the I/O panel will also please the owner who decides to play with the settings.

This board opened a new era for MSI, stopping the voltage drop during overclocking. This feature does not have the best effect on temperatures and power consumption when idle, but oddly enough, it fully complies with AMD specifications. Not suitable for overclocking APU due to missing settings in BIOS. The maximum amount of supported RAM is 64 GB with a frequency of up to 3466 MHz.

The best motherboards for the Intel LGA1150 socket

The LGA 1150 socket replaces the LGA 1155 and is designed for most modern processors. If you don't care about overclocking, go for boards from MSI or GIGYBITE. Want to save money on an external sound card? Then pay attention to “boards” with built-in at least Realtek 1150. The combination of all of the above will give you a high-quality base for assembling an inexpensive computer for both work and games.

4 Esonic H81-BTC-KING

Choice of buyers and miners
Country: China
Average price: 3430 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.1

Lost among the famous competitors is a board from Esonic. This is a rather modest “board”, created exclusively for office purposes and for playing simple browser games without any hint of serious games or leveling up.

2 slots for DDR3 RAM, only 4 power phases and an abundance of USB slots indicate that this board has a place only in the office - printing documents or just watching movies. On the plus side, there are Japanese capacitors. There are 4 SATA extensions, which will allow miners to attach 6 video cards to the board at once.

3 ASUS B85M-G

Best price. One of the best-selling motherboards for socket 1150
Country: China
Average price: 4940 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.6

Third place rightfully went to the ASUS B85M-G motherboard. It can be classified as one of the best-selling models that are equipped with an Intel LGA1150 socket. The cost of the device is quite low, so it is very popular. An ideal option for those who want to save money and at the same time collect good system multimedia for your home or office computer.

All external interfaces have reliable protection; the panel is made of steel, which is not subject to corrosion. The model is especially relevant for the office, since the manufacturer has equipped COM ports and LTP. In the presented motherboard, the cooling system is based on high-quality solid capacitors, which guarantee durability even at critical temperature conditions (up to 105 degrees).

USB 3.0 interfaces speed up up to 170% when interacting with any compatible peripheral devices, since they support the UASP protocol. As for management and settings, even a beginner can figure it out. Software Al Suite 3 is distinguished by its simplicity and wide functionality.

2 ASRock H81 Pro BTC R2.0

For entry level overclocking
Country: China
Average price: 5879 rub.
Rating (2019): 5.0

With the latest BIOS versions, the board is capable of delivering up to 1.35 Volts to the processor, although this is not the maximum that is needed. However, these indicators are quite enough for most users who want to have an overclock of 4.6-4.7 GHz.

Outwardly, it seems quite simple and has only 2 external USB 3.0 ports, plus two regular ones - laughter, and that’s all. Built-in sound card nothing stands out either. However, the abundance of PCIe slots is captivating. There are only 2 slots for RAM with a total capacity of no more than 16 GB and a frequency of 1866 MHz. Buyers in their reviews note that this model can be safely used for mining, it has excellent compatibility with GTX1080 Ti video cards and is characterized by a good cooling system. Please note that there is another port above the video card slot, which makes it possible to install any large cooler to provide vertical airflow.

Despite ASUS's unconditional leadership in the board-building market, their products for socket 1150 are simply overpaid. They are not distinguished by textolite, overclocking capabilities, or components, but the manufacturer asks on average more for his creations than others. Even very controversial motherboards from MSI look more solid than ASUS with a circle.

1 GIGABYTE GA-B85M-D3H-A (rev. 1.0)

No overclocking restrictions
Country: China
Average price: 5925 rub.
Rating (2019): 5.0

The board has no restrictions on overclocking, which is why it has become one of the most popular and relatively inexpensive options. It supports many processors, the list of which is as follows:

Intel Core i7;
Core i5;
Core i3;
Pentium;
Celeron.

BIOS has built-in security and system disaster recovery in case of overheating or critical errors. The maximum amount of supported RAM is 32 GB DDR3 format with a frequency of no more than 1600 MHz. There is support for the CrossFire system.

The best motherboards for the Intel LGA1151 socket

The LGA 1150 socket replaces the LGA 1155 and is designed for most modern processors. If you don't care about overclocking, go for boards from MSI or GIGYBITE. Want to save money on an external sound card? Then pay attention to “boards” with built-in no lower than Realtek 1150 and no worse. The combination of all of the above will give you a high-quality basis for assembling an inexpensive computer for both work and play.

4 MSI H110M PRO-VD

Best price
Country: China
Average price: 3400 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.7

This model, unlike ASUS MAXIMUS VIII HERO, allows you to deploy a full gaming system with a relatively modest investment. The main advantage of the H110M PRO-VD is the large number of connectors: there are 8 of them for devices supporting USB 3.1, and as many as 6 for SATA ( throughput each – up to 6 Gbit/s). It is possible to install DDR4 RAM with frequencies from 2133 to 3600 MHz. There are 4 slots for this, which makes it possible to equip your PC with up to 64 GB of high-speed and energy-efficient RAM.

The built-in sound chip from Realtek can also be added to the list of advantages - many manufacturers of expensive motherboards do not consider it necessary to add it to their solutions. In general, the H110M PRO-VD is not much inferior in hardware capabilities to the ASUS MAXIMUS VIII HERO, giving the latter a 30 percent head start in price. The reason for this is passive cooling: at maximum loads of a PC based on ASUS MAXIMUS VIII HERO, the performance drop will be more noticeable.

3 ASRock Z370 Pro4

Excellent choice of ATX format
Country: China
Average price: 7949 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.9

Not everyone will like the fact that the heatsinks here are only on the left side and there are only 6 standard external USBs. But in this case, taking into account the fact that the case will be for ATX and 7 expansion slots, it is possible to display memory sticks with external USB ports. There is a Z370M Pro4 variant on the market - the same thing, only Micro ATX and with the same problems. Although, in games it makes no difference whether there are heatsinks around the socket or not - the 5 GHz frequency will remain stable.

The maximum supported amount of RAM is 64 GB, a total of 4 slots are available with support for DDR4 up to high-frequency 4266 MHz. Buyers in their reviews praise the convenient BIOS, good overclocking capabilities and the lack of ready-made profiles for overclocking. And advice: do not buy identical models on the H chipset - they are more expensive and there are no heatsinks on the socket. Be careful when purchasing - many manufacturers indicate SLI support, but this function Available only on single variants.

2 MSI Z370 KRAIT GAMING

Cool board with great features
Country: China
Average price: 12690 rub.
Rating (2019): 5.0

Powerful radiators, a cool sound card, the ability to print additional accessories on a 3D printer - these are just a small part of all the possibilities that the Z370 KRAIT GAMING can provide you with. For lovers of pleasant things appearance backlight available. There is also SLI, but memory is officially supported only at 4000 MHz. Therefore, there may be a feeling that everything is cool, but what is missing. Audio Boost 4 with Nahimic 2+ technology will help you enjoy high-quality sound. It will help give your headset a studio-quality touch without noise or interference.

In case of problems, the built-in EZ Debug debugging system will help you, and of course the convenient Click BIOS 5. 2 slots for M.2 will help you easily install a couple of additional modules to expand the functionality. The only catch is a small overpayment for a strange design, which you can easily do without.

1 ASUS MAXIMUS VIII RANGER

For overclocking to 4.9 GHz via bus
Country: China
Average price: 6740 rub.
Rating (2019): 5.0

The board is perfect for those who want to build a computer with high frequencies processor. With it, you can overclock the i7-6700 processor to 4.9 GHz on the bus or up to 5 GHz on the multiplier in the case of the i7-7700K. 4 slots for RAM with a frequency of 3400 MHz and a capacity of up to 64 GB - an excellent indicator for its category. What's nice is the simultaneous support for SLI and CrossFireX technologies.

The board has a simple and effective design without frills, the cooling of the power phases is simply excellent. New drivers are released on the site approximately every 1-2 months. It’s better not to use the CPU Installation Tool, but to install the processor the old fashioned way, so as not to break anything. The BIOS has many settings and the average user will have to read the manual and watch guides to get comfortable with the controls.

Best motherboards FOR AM3+

Socket AM2+ was AMD's response to the creation of Intel LGA1150. These solutions combine two features: versatility and affordability of motherboards based on them. A bonus for buyers was the AMD AM1 module, which ensures compatibility with subsequent generations of processors. The next step for AMD was the more powerful AM3+, created specifically for the FX line of processors and designed for overclocking top-end systems. Its characteristic features are the absence of integrated graphics, a “hot” north bridge and good overclocking potential. At the same time, the matter is not limited to setting the multiplier - you need to “drive” along the bus, forgetting about the voltage and RAM, the frequency of which for effective operation should not be less than 1866 MHz.

After the unexpected disclosure, as tech bloggers say, the “danced” AM3+, AMD significantly pushed Intel, finishing off its competitor with a line of budget “stones” of the A4-A10 series.

3 ASUS M5A78L-M LE/USB3

The optimal choice for office systems and gaming PCs without overclocking
Country: China
Average price: 4173 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.7

This is an entry-level board that is not intended for overclocking due to the 760G chipset, a relatively weak cooling system and a small number of power circuits. It is capable of running RAM with frequencies up to 1866 MHz, but there are only 2 slots for RAM and one dual-channel mode. The maximum amount of RAM is only 16 GB and it is not capable of seeing more.

It is simply not recommended to drive the processor above 4.1 GHz, otherwise you will see reboots and blue screens of death. Solid-state capacitors do not swell under load and are made very well. It often comes from the factory with the latest or penultimate version of the BIOS, but it itself is already obsolete. It is not recommended to install processors with a TPD higher than 95 Watt, otherwise the power circuits will heat up and the circuits themselves will melt. Sometimes you come across defective versions with a fouling sound system at more than 50% volume.

2 GYGABITE GA970-DS3P (rev. 2.x)

Ideal for mid-range builds
Country: China
Average price: 5074 rub.
Rating (2019): 5.0

Meet the people's favorite, chosen by the majority of buyers. Using this plan is comparable to playing the violin by Paganini - it is very difficult, but if you delve into the nuances, it can give the most vivid sensations from the gameplay. The optimal frequencies for FX are from 4.0 to 4.2 GHz, which increases heat dissipation to 125 Watts; accordingly, the north bridge and power circuits can no longer cope with such a load and require the placement of additional coolers with a diameter of 40 mm, otherwise overheating will occur in 10-15 minutes.

Shows himself well new BIOS, now customizable not only using the keyboard but also the mouse. The board has a slot for USB connections 3.0, as well as 8 ports on the rear panel, 6 of which are USB 2.0. Realtek 7.1 is responsible for the sound, and the maximum supported RAM frequency reaches 2000 MHz with a capacity of up to 32 GB. Users in their reviews recommend not to get carried away with overclocking without additional airflow, otherwise you can safely warm your hands on the system unit.

1 ASUS M5A99FX PRO R.2.0

The best overclocking board for AM3+
Country: China
Average price: 10,770 rub.
Rating (2019): 5.0

This is the best and most affordable motherboard for FX, Phenom, Athlon 2, Sempron 100 processors today. And at the same time the most expensive. It is not distinguished by the number of slots for RAM - there are 4 of them according to the classics. But the main trump card is the increased frequency of the OP - up to 2133 MHz. The maximum volume is 32 GB, which is enough for all possible operations. Powerful bridge radiators for passive cooling with heat pipes are installed along the periphery of the case.

An important element is the many 4-pin connectors for connecting fans, since additional fans are often required to improve air circulation. It’s also nice that there are 8 power phases at once, so you don’t have to worry about protecting the board from “burning out.” With a complete and correct upgrade, the board can handle the 5.1 GHz FX8300 processor without any problems. The main material used is strong hardboard for increased loads and heavy “tower” cooling systems.

How to choose a motherboard?

When choosing motherboards, rely on the following aspects:

Compatibility is an important parameter when choosing a motherboard. Any element and external device must be compatible physically and software with the board. An excellent option would be a board that allows you to switch to another processor in case of improvement.
The required number for ports, slots and socket (socket is a connector or “pocket” for connecting a processor). It is integrated into all boards, but as for USB ports and other elements, they may vary depending on the modifications. This is especially important when building a foundation for an upgrade in the future.
Availability of cooling systems (cooling radiators) on the chipset. Chipset is a set of microcircuits mounted on the motherboard. Most often, all logic is tied to the northern and south bridges. There are boards that do not have bridges, but there is a different logic organization scheme.
Other components: built-in sound controller (connecting speakers), video adapter (analogous to an external video card), network controller (internet connection), CMOS battery, Russified BIOS (optional), built-in recovery software.

Among the models designed for overclocking, the dominant positions were occupied by ASRock and MSI motherboards.

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The ASRock Z170 Pro4S wins the Best Budget Buy for Skylake Overclocking category. The MSI Z170-A Pro is slightly behind it. The first board is physically well prepared to handle higher processor frequencies - ten power phases and a power circuit completely covered by radiators.

MSI relaxed a little on this issue, paying less attention to the board: six power phases with cooling. Both boards feel comfortable in the lower price range for PCH Z170 (9,000-10,000 rubles). Of course, they will not please lovers of innovations and modern standards. However, for a reasonable person, an offer is considered the most profitable if it is balanced in terms of characteristics and capabilities.

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Leaders in ATX equipment

This group consisted of solutions designed to work in a system with one or more video cards. Such things still occur, but at the current exchange rate they have become almost the exception to the rule.

And again, the ASRock motherboard with the best combination of price/features - the Z170 Extreme4 - climbed onto the pedestal.

Following it is ASUS Z170-A.

Both models are well prepared to accept two to three video cards, connect USB 3.1 peripherals, are equipped with cooling systems and ten/twelve power phases. Overall, the average equipment score ranges between 93 and 90.

Impact of RAM on system performance

Now - a little practice. Let's compare the data exchange speed for different Intel chipsets and its dependence on the standard of RAM used, frequency and timings.

Chipset	Memory	Frequency	Timings	WinRAR	MemTweakIt Score	Reading	Record	Copy	Delay	Cinebench	Java Micro Benchmark	3Dmark 11P
B150	DDR4	2133	10-11-11-32 1T	5950	55011	32074	32359	28139	55.6	595	2389	1710
B150	DDR4	2133	11-12-12-33 1T	5814	53968	31871	32302	27689	59.3	597	2387	1703
B150	DDR4	2133	12-13-13-34 1T	5670	52910	31716	32151	27144	59.6	592	2388	1701
B150	DDR4	2133	13-14-14-35 1T	5535	51971	31530	32152	27159	61.2	593	2387	1696
B150	DDR4	2133	14-15-15-36 1T	5410	50981	31292	31916	26953	63.6	592	2383	1687
B150	DDR4	2133	15-16-16-36 1T	5286	50042	31143	31964	25372	65.6	589	2382	1684
B150	DDR4	2133	16-17-17-36 1T	5109	49106	30829	31840	26376	70.7	579	2298	1674
B150	DDR4	2133	17-18-18-38 1T	5028	48250	30562	31784	25891	72.5	567	2279	1670

H170	DDR3	1866	8-9-9-28 1T	5595	54687	28368	28583	27137	61.2	590	2381	1696
H170	DDR3	1866	9-10-10-28 1T	5491	53498	28230	28545	26991	65.0	590	2381	1696
H170	DDR3	1866	10-11-11-28 1T	5350	52344	28213	28538	26980	68.2	590	2380	1687
H170	DDR3	1866	11-12-12-28 1T	5195	51243	28119	28565	26488	68.7	588	2377	1683
H170	DDR3	1866	12-13-13-28 1T	5046	50098	27993	28534	25958	71.1	587	2370	1676
H170	DDR3	1866	13-14-14-28 1T	4979	48900	27918	28526	25586	73.5	586	2367	1670

H170	DDR3	1333	9-9-9-28 1T	4608	47617	20448	20470	19324	77.4	580	2377	1597

Z170	DDR3	1333	9-9-9-28 1T	4612	48113	20614	20587	19428	76.9	579	2384	1594
Z170	DDR3	2400	10-12-12-31 1T	6261	56477	35655	36932	34969	52.6	643	2590	1969
Z170	DDR3	2500	10-12-12-31 1T	6416	56761	37077	38434	36213	51.7	646	2594	1976

Z170	DDR4	2133	15-15-15-35-2T	5075	48000	30605	31690	26066	68.8	571	2324	1648
Z170	DDR4	3333	15-16-16-36-1T	6900	58188	58188	46480	49640	45.6	652	2594	1989
Z170	DDR4	3600	17-18-18-34-1T	6887	66690	48508	53401	44992	46.3	654	2574	2011

For systems with initial chipsets, Intel provides for the use of memory with the following frequencies: for DDR3 base – 1333 MHz, maximum – 1866 MHz; for DDR4 – 2133 MHz (base and maximum are the same).

Generalized conclusions suggest themselves - why buy expensive modules when the difference in real applications is almost invisible? For the DDR3 standard, 1333 MHz is too low to unlock its potential, but 1866 MHz sticks are already common and not too expensive.

Note that a good set of G.Skill memory with a frequency of 3600 MHz literally fails in tests due to too relaxed timings. And when comparing the 3333 MHz 15-16-16-36-1T and 3600 MHz 17-18-18-34-1T modes, the choice is obvious. Moreover, achieving 3333 MHz is much easier even on weaker boards.

Conclusion

So, let’s briefly list those models that distinguished themselves above. In the case of the micro-ATX form factor, ASRock H110M-HDV, ASRock B150M Pro4S/D3 and ASRock H110M Combo-G deserve attention in terms of price and capabilities. If we focus on equipment, then the top three here are ASUS Maximus VIII Gene, MSI Z170M Mortar and ASUS Z170M-Plus.

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When planning a compact system based on a micro-ITX motherboard, the best in this class become ASUS H110I-Plus D3, ASUS H170I-Plus D3 and ASUS Z170I Pro Gaming. If the ATX standard is your everything, then ASUS B150 Pro Gaming D3, ASUS B150-Pro and MSI B150 PC Mate are at your service.

What to do if overclocking is necessary? In this case, you can take a closer look at both affordable solutions - ASRock Z170 Pro4S and MSI Z170-A Pro, as well as more functional and expensive ASRock Z170 Extreme4 and ASUS Z170-A. And, perhaps, with this motherboards Socket 1151 is all for now.

Now about the subtleties. When planning a configuration without overclocking the graphics core and processor, it is more profitable to choose an Intel B150 motherboard with support for the DDR3 standard. In such a system, it is desirable to operate RAM at a frequency of 1866 MHz with latencies no higher than 10-11-11-28 1T/11-12-12-28 1T. In principle, DDR4 modules are slightly faster than their DDR3 counterparts, but in general the advantages are hardly visible to the naked eye.

As for systems on Intel based Z170, then based on the results obtained, approximate parity occurs when using DDR3 memory at a frequency of 2400 MHz with timings of 10-12-12-31 1T or DDR4 3333 MHz with timings of 15-16-16-36-1T. It is obvious that on this moment There is no point in chasing the absolute speed of RAM.

Rasamaha (Dmitry Vladimirovich)

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Thank you for your help in preparing the material for publication: donnerjack.