Computers are essential tools in the day-to-day life of almost anyone, whether for work or academic reasons or in any other field. That is why it is extremely important to carry out preventive maintenance.
But whether it is in the case that, unfortunately, your computer has suffered damages, or that you feel attracted to the idea of starting to build a computer from scratch, the truth is that without a motherboard, you will not be able to progress.
What is a baseboard?
This component is what gives life to your computer, so if it is damaged, you will not be able to use the computer.
The motherboard could be defined as the operations center of your computer, since, from it, you will be able to know the different types of slots and connectors that you can count on, as well as the size of your CPU.
What is the motherboard for?
The motherboard is the one that will help the rest of the components of your computer function, hence its importance. Through it, the available slots, as well as the connectors and ports, will be able to work the mouse, keyboard, monitor, sound equipment, processor, RAM memory, graphics card, etc.
Motherboard Models
One of the steps to choose the ideal motherboard for your computer is the model. This decision should also be based on the use that you are going to allocate to the computer, to finally determine the type of processor you need for it.
Choosing your motherboard model will also determine how much CPU house space you will need. So in this case, size does matter. There are several motherboard models, but among the most used, there are:
- ATX: On the market since 1995, it has become the most widely used motherboard around the world. In terms of dimensions, it is one of the largest on the market. This is not exactly a disadvantage, since the larger the size of the motherboard, the greater the amount of slot and connectors available to integrate more components.
- Micro ATX: Smaller in size and capacity, this type of motherboard is very popular for computers that are intended for office tasks and that do not present higher demands in terms of functionality.
- Mini ATX: Finally, this is the smallest motherboard on the market, it has only two slots for RAM memory expansion, it is perfect for its performance and low cost, being intended for computers that fulfill very basic functions.
The ideal socket
Another element to take into account when purchasing a motherboard for your new computer is the space for the processor, which is called a socket.
The processor is important to ensure the performance of the rest of the motherboard components, so it is important to ensure that they are compatible.
Chipset knowledge
Within the processor section, you will find, with equal importance, the chipset. This component determines the availability of connections that your motherboard may have: USB, SATA, among others.
Circuits suitable for use
Do not forget that the motherboard is composed of a system of electrical circuits that guarantee its operation. That is another reason why there are different types of plates.
The quality of the circuits that surround your motherboard must be equal to or greater than the workload that you will give it. Since, in case of an overload, the board could be damaged, or damage some of its components.
Graphics or video cards
If you plan to install a couple of games on your computer, it is always good to have a video card to improve its sharpness.
In this sense, you should be well advised if the motherboard you are purchasing for your computer supports the installation of simultaneous graphics cards (in case you do not get one of ideal capacity), checking if it is compatible with SLI (for Nvidia graphics cards) o Crossfire ( ATI graphics cards ).