The Search for the Best Motherboard for Gaming

2. MSI Motherboard B450M PRO-M2 (AMD Ryzen)

One hallmark of this MSI Motherboard is its high reliability and stability whether in business applications or intense gaming. A system founded on AMD Ryzen processor will fit perfectly in any PC as it is crafted to satisfy savvy computer professionals who are used to demand and get top performance and solutions. Every inch of this gaming PC is optimized to take advantage of every space of the motherboard landscape. Transferring a high volume of data is uncompromising and when you are playing graphics hogging games, this is a critical requirement. Fast storage speed is easily obtained through PCI E SSD installed in the M.2 slot. Graphics cards are ready to be dropped into the PCI-E steel slot primed for gaming action at a moment’s notice. Audio Boost provides studio-quality sound reproduction. Even budget gaming players will not resist the temptation to opt instead to use this impressive motherboard.

3. Asus Motherboard TUF B350M-PLUS Gaming (AMD Ryzen)

The Asus Motherboard TUF B350-PLUS GAMING is configured to outperform other systems and reach your potential beyond your expectations in spite of your protestations and screams of budget gaming. It can deliver speeds that with combined your own customized AMD Ryzen build can exceed even other better builds. Besides, the CPU VRM was upgraded and larger VRM heatsinks were added. You will certainly appreciate a better audio CODEC resulting in a better sound output as compared to the previous iteration. Asus engineered SafeSlot to safeguard your graphics card. This special piece of technology provides first-rate shearing resistance and retention. This gaming PC is certainly one to be your best option.

4. ASUS Motherboard ROG Strix B360-H Gaming/Optane (Intel LGA1151)

Experienced gamers couldn’t look for a better a gaming motherboard performance than the ROG Strix B360-H Gaming Optane. And paired with an Intel Core CPU, they can’t go wrong. It boasts of Gamer’s Guardian that comes with patent-pending SafeSlot that ensures component longevity. Dynamic cooling for the entire system is provided by Fan Xpert 4 which gives users confidence even in prolonged activities. Forget budget gaming as gamers desiring for HD audio will not be disappointed through the 8-channel system, immersing you, the gamer every time in a rich aural world. The high degree of graphics rendering is not to be laughed at.

5. MSI Motherboard X470 Gaming PRO Carbon (AMD Ryzen)

Not a few experienced gamers opt to build their gaming PC using the MSI Motherboard X470 Gaming PRO Carbon for the sheer enjoyment of being able to customize their PC with unlimited possibilities. Coupled with the AMD Ryzen CPU, virtual worlds come alive and immersing yourself in one such a world becomes amazingly real. This is the gaming motherboard for hardcore gamers who expect performance par excellence. Who wants to talk about budget gaming if your motherboard has a powerhouse of features and high-end parts that are products of intensive MSI technologies that will elevate the gaming experience and give you the highest street cred in the gaming circles such as Core Boost that delivers stable power when needed. This gaming motherboard is more than able in rendering astounding sound through Audio Boost 4 and delivering top-notch memory performance through DDR4 Boost. To reach the pinnacle of visuals, it is possible to pair it with several available graphics cards of your choice.

6. MSI Motherboard X470 Gaming Plus (AMD Ryzen)

We usually equate low budget gaming or entry-level components, especially with such gaming motherboards with inferior quality and thus, they have the reputation, sometimes not deserved, as not durable and not long-lasting. However, MSI has come up with the MSI Motherboard X470 Gaming Plus that fits the low budget but quality component mold perfectly. Gamers who cautiously spend on their ideal rigs will do very well look to the X470 motherboard. They will not be disappointed but, especially if used with AMD Ryzen and the right graphics card, rather pleasantly surprised in finding out that this motherboard doesn’t appear short of essential attributes at all when it comes to having important features such as Gaming Hotkey, X-Boost and Game Boost. These inclusions are all that make a PC worth playing any time of the day.

7. MSI Motherboard Z390-A PRO (Intel LGA1151)

A PC builder like yourself will always look to push the boundaries of motherboard technology whether talking of budget gaming or otherwise. But certainly, you have already found one in the MSI motherboard Z390-A PRO. This chipset has up to eight cores and supports the 9th/8th generation of Intel Core processors. With this pedigree, you can be certain of having the opportunity to build and top-up your dream PC as it has at your disposable tons of the latest components and tools. Building your rig with Intel Core, you will have MSI’s renowned stability and reliability when it comes to working even under the most inhospitable computing environment as well as DIY-friendly components and pleasing aesthetics that all speak of professional work. You will not want for faster program start, faster data load and of course, more than adequate productivity. MSI provided the PCI-E steel slot to protect graphics cards against accident bending.

8. GIGABYTE Motherboard X470 AORUS Gaming 5 WiFi (AMD Ryzen)

One of the user experience that clinches the decision to select a specific motherboard is the boot times, even if your thinking of budget gaming. The GIGABYTE Motherboard X470 AORUS Gaming 5 WiFi boasts of the combination of fast SSDs and high capacity HDDs in a single drive while remaining at an affordable price. This results in blazing-fast read/write operations and thus enhances data performance too. An everyday PC equipped with AMD Ryzen is transformed to a value-laden system. Any energy-sapping and power-hungry components are tamed easily by this motherboard, resulting in your ideal computer both at work and at play. Overall experience with this motherboard is easy, fast and smooth. This motherboard supports the more popular graphics card in the market today.

9. ASUS Motherboard Prime B360-Plus (Intel LGA1151)

Don’t let this ASUS Motherboard Prime B360-Plus fool you even if it is advertised as in the mid-range line of very affordable motherboards. Asus made sure that this one is above the rest of the budget gaming boards as it still packs a solid performance and dependable features. As with par components, it fully supports Intel Core CPU overclocking and RAID levels. Compared to high-range products, this board has four native SATA ports instead of six, and only two USB 3.1 ports instead of six ports. The Prime B360-Plus is ready at the get-go for Intel Core processors 8th generation and as expected it is customizable to fit system performance requirements. Hardware-level safeguards are standard for multiple GPUs. Those who expect superb sound reproduction is in for a treat as provided by an 8-channel HD Audio system. You will not be wrong if you choose this budget gaming motherboard especially if it is your first build. It provides enough flexible features that can allow you to grow using only the essential components you need but still be productive. It can adequately handle graphics rendering whatever you throw to it every time.

10. MSI Motherboard B360M Bazooka (Intel 1151)

Many PC builders will be happy just to see a system that will work as it was intended but one that works and surprise, surprise, is a combination of style, quality and with a budget-friendly price, this is indeed an extraordinary find. The MSI Motherboard B360M Bazooka is one gem of a motherboard that will delight anyone who is out to look for an elegant gaming experience. Following a hint of toughness borne of fierce military stance, this micro ATX form factor motherboard can go at full speed without hiccups thanks to sturdy heatsinks that dissipate heat so efficiently. EMI will not affect the VGA cards as PCI-E Steel Armor is there to protect. Any PC enthusiast and especially hardcore gamers will be charmed by the performance of the Intel Coffee Lake 6 core processors. Most sought-after features include Audio Boost, Core Boost, X-Boost, DDR4 Boost, EZ Debug LED, Gaming Hotkey, In-Game Weapons and a host of others that help deliver a rich virtual reality gaming experience without latency and with reduced motion sickness. An Intel Core chipset in this motherboard will never be more so immersing in a graphics-immersing gaming mode.

How To Choose A Motherboard

When it comes to motherboards, more doesn’t always mean better. What you want are the essentials that contribute to having an experience based on the purpose of using the PC. Off the bat, the two most important ones are form factor and processor socket type.

The form factor refers to the physical size and shape of the motherboard that determines if it will fit the case you have in mind. It also includes supported power supply, locations of the mounting holes, expansion slots and the actual organization and layout of the board. Since 1995, the majority of PCs having using the ATX or microATX form factor for both case and motherboard. Ensuring that both conforms to the latest form factor standard for both, you will have an easier time to fit one with the other and other peripherals.

On the other hand, the processor socket is what physically connects the processor to the motherboard. You can see that the motherboard has hundreds of pins arranged in an array and these pins exactly match into the holes in the typical processor socket. Different sockets come with a set of pins and holes. Whether you prefer AMD or Intel Core, you will need those processor sockets to accommodate your chipsets and you have to make sure they fit right.

If you are upgrading your old system, you can identify the type of processor socket you have by checking our motherboard’s model number on the Internet or by using several software for this purpose. You can also examine the socket itself although this may involve dismantling some peripherals such as the processor cooler or the processor itself.

Tips from the pros: consider first what processor you want to use before getting your favorite motherboard to make sure that the sockets are compatible. This will save you some frustrations and money later on if they didn’t fit together. This will ensure that your finished project will be efficient enough so you can beat your opponent in a game or be productive if your PC is going top speed without significant time outs and lagging.

Other items that can be considered essentials include RAM (Random Access Memory), SATA ports, expansion cards, on-board audio, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. You might want to have other options if you want better sound since onboard audio leaves much to be desired.

What Makes A Good Motherboard For Gaming

Before we go to the nitty-gritty of what makes a good motherboard for gaming, let us first delve into the depth of the mystery of what is a motherboard or more specifically, what is its importance in getting a motherboard that is compatible with your other components and if it is suitable for your gaming needs and style.

Time and again, PC techies have drilled into us that the CPU is the brains that run the content in the system and provides the thinking drive. The motherboard, on the other hand, is the computer’s central nervous system or if you want, like the Matrix that connects all the other components and holds them together, bound to one whole system. The most popular among the current crop of chipsets are AMD and Intel Core. Take your pick as you please.

After we have understood what a motherboard is and what its functions are, now we can go to the details on makes a good motherboard for gaming. 

Motherboards come in all sizes, form factors, processor sockets, and other peripherals that all affect the overall performance of your ideal system. A PC used for business applications will be different from the one used for gaming. So for gaming what you want is a motherboard that will match with your CPU. You cannot put both together that didn’t match. As we said above, the most popular CPU/motherboard pair are Intel Core and AMD. However, there are other things to consider before you finally put all together, like advanced specs and features, design considerations, overclocking, LED lighting among others. But after all is said and done, and you have done a diligent search on your part what you would want is a gaming motherboard that will provide with a custom gaming experience like no other.

Advantages Of The Best Gaming Motherboard

If you’re after a mediocre gaming experience, well. you are likely not be looking for the advantages of the best gaming motherboard. Such PC components will not provide you with high-quality materials that will quit on you after a few minutes of intense skirmishes and ambushes, especially when you are playing with your teammates. 

Intense virtual reality gameplay requires high specs when it comes to your clocking speeds, high-end networking, multichannel audio, heatsinks, LED lighting and other compatible parts and if they are not the best or the state of art offered by manufacturers then you will lose your game. Overheating due to a failing heatsink, for example, will lose your battle, you will be captured by the enemies, and your teammates annihilated.

High-end gaming motherboards will come with plenty of cool features that certainly enhance your game. And if you are more than a casual game enthusiast you would have invested in the best and you will be able to tell the difference between high end and low budget motherboard. If you enjoy the best gaming motherboard that has all the bells and whistles you want, then go ahead. The average gamers may not be able to differentiate HD audio or Core Boost and maybe they don’t care. For you, however, you know what it means to have the advantages of the best gaming motherboard.

Note that most non-gaming motherboards can be used for playing high-end games anyway, even if they only have onboard graphics cards. However, the addition of a GPU board will certainly help enhance your game. The best motherboard for gaming is a worthy investment if you want the best gaming experience.

Best AMD Motherboard

Choosing the motherboard that fits your budget and one that has the features and peripherals you want and need can be a daunting task. You might have already searched far and deep into the Internet to have the idea which motherboard you have to select. One option that you might have encountered and perhaps read online are recommendations for the best AMD motherboard. It could be the most important single decision that you could make regarding building your PC whether it is for business or personal gaming. You can further search or ask your tech-savvy friends for the best AMD motherboard and you can be sure that the information you will receive will not be wrong. Reports in 2017 concerning AMD have mentioned success with the Ryzen CPU and have continued reaping accolades. In the industry.

Your choice of motherboard will ultimately determine how powerful or full of features your PC because it will dictate how many numbers of add-on peripherals or slots you can layout or fit in your computer case. You will need to put in a CPU, graphics card, audio, and all the top-notch hardware all you want but it will start with choosing the motherboard. Purchasing the best AMD motherboard now is one way to make sure you can enjoy your PC for a long time This is a crucial point since it can break or make your grand design of building the ultimate PC.

Best Ryzen Motherboard

For most people wanting to build, upgrade or purchase a computer their ultimate choice will boil down to cost. However, the wise choice, in the end, is one that will give you the best value for your money. Whether you opt for high-end or budget components, you will still be the one who will enjoy or suffer from your purchase.

The logical starting point in your efforts to get your PC working is the CPU because after all, it is the heart of your system. For the CPU, the two contenders are AMD and Intel. AMD chipsets traditionally cost less and have fared worse in the past CPU races. But in their latest generation, AMD has managed to more than hold their own against the better-known brand. The Ryzen line is one of AMD’s new generation chipsets and has been racking up points as the go-to chipsets for those who want real value for their rigs. The best Ryzen motherboard is consistent in being popular among those who want the best CPU and motherboard combination. AMD has every Ryzen CPU covered from entry-level to high-end and thus they have also covered the best Ryzen motherboard across all market segments from multi-core and single-core chipsets. AMD Ryzen processors compatible motherboards are perfect for 3D rendering, video editing, and general-purpose productivity work.

Best Intel Motherboard

Intel has and will always be known for quality, power and reach in the computing world. And although we have pointed above, the CPU landscape has changed radically what with the advent of other equally popular manufacturers backed up with giants in the tech research and development world. However, Intel continues to innovate and not simply sit on their CPU laurels. The best Intel motherboard for example still ranks above the competition in all ranges from budget to high-end CPU and their peripherals.

The most powerful CPU for gaming is made by Intel with the Intel Core i9-9900K as attested by independent testers where results showed 5GHz boosted clock speeds. This makes this chipset the latest top-of-the-line gaming processor these days. On the other hand, the best value CPU for gaming is the Intel Core i7-8700K which still just a little below gaming CPU option. We know of course that besides the processor, other important parts contribute to the PC’s overall performance such as graphic and audio cards and compatible motherboard. All of them are part of the whole and can certainly help achieve your ultimate gaming experiences or highest productivity.

Final Word

So here we have our 10 Best Motherboards for gaming. We have explored an extensive gamut of gaming PC and gaming motherboards including their CPUs, their graphic cards, sockets, and peripherals without which no PC can function or exist at all. We have known about budget gaming PCs and high-end ones. We have witnessed even for a short glance the processor chipset battle for world domination between AMD and Intel. Through all of these we heard of AMD Ryzen and Intel Core i5 or i7 processors that you might not understand nor have any iota of thought or for what purpose they serve (until now probably).

In any case, you will win both either with AMD or Intel CPU depending on how you see your time and pocket. However, it is worth considering the status of current-generation components for both manufacturers as you may come out with the same performance level for both. Intel excels a bit better in the gaming front and browsing productivity. AMD for its part manages quicker tasks in intensive video editing.

Serious gamers will know what we are talking about but we doubt the average person will have second thoughts in the ideas we have expounded here. For all we know, the ultimate gaming motherboard and CPU as still to be brought and paired together or the best gaming rig with all the bells and whistles might have already been built, or just the same might still in the last stages of being assembled or might still be in the planning stage. The best motherboard for gaming may not necessarily fit your limited budget but those that will give you priceless enjoyment experience. The future of the best of the computing and tech universe is out there and we are waiting.

The form factor refers to the physical size and shape of the motherboard that determines if it will fit the case you have in mind. It also includes supported power supply, locations of the mounting holes, expansion slots and the actual organization and layout of the board. Since 1995, the majority of PCs having using the ATX or microATX form factor for both case and motherboard. Ensuring that both conforms to the latest form factor standard for both, you will have an easier time to fit one with the other and other peripherals.

On the other hand, the processor socket is what physically connects the processor to the motherboard. You can see that the motherboard has hundreds of pins arranged in an array and these pins exactly match into the holes in the typical processor socket. Different sockets come with a set of pins and holes. Whether you prefer AMD or Intel Core, you will need those processor sockets to accommodate your chipsets and you have to make sure they fit right.

If you are upgrading your old system, you can identify the type of processor socket you have by checking our motherboard’s model number on the Internet or by using several software for this purpose. You can also examine the socket itself although this may involve dismantling some peripherals such as the processor cooler or the processor itself.

Tips from the pros: consider first what processor you want to use before getting your favorite motherboard to make sure that the sockets are compatible. This will save you some frustrations and money later on if they didn’t fit together. This will ensure that your finished project will be efficient enough so you can beat your opponent in a game or be productive if your PC is going top speed without significant time outs and lagging.

Other items that can be considered essentials include RAM (Random Access Memory), SATA ports, expansion cards, on-board audio, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. You might want to have other options if you want better sound since onboard audio leaves much to be desired.