Which Brand of Motherboard is Better to Buy for a PC

When we are going to configure a PC, we start by choosing a motherboard and a processor according to it. The choice of these 2 components is vital for the equipment to function as it should, as well as for subsequent part upgrades. Depending on what we need, we will find more interesting brands than others.

Choice of chipset

Obviating that we have already chosen the socket we want, the next step is in choosing the chipset. The chipsets are divided into 3 different ranges : entry range, mainstream and enthusiast. Depending on the range we choose, we will enjoy more or less functions. Once the chipset has been chosen, we have to choose the model of the board we want. Let’s see what brand of plate you can buy.

Enthusiast range: ASUS, GIGABYTE and MSI as benchmarks

Starring the “Z” for Intel and the “X” for AMD, we see 3 predominant brands on these chipsets: ASUS , GIGABYTE and MSI . All 3 have very good models and for all audiences, having less demanding models and others that even equip liquid cooling.

MSI is the cheapest of the 3, while ASUS and GIGABYTE have a higher price. The truth is that the last two offer spectacular performance, but their price is not that attractive, at least when we leave the “Prime” or “TUF” range of ASUS. Our budget will give us clues about which plate to buy, greatly reducing the options.

ASRock is a very good brand and has models in this range, but they don’t have as much packaging as the products of the 3 already mentioned. The reason lies in the technologies they offer, in the quality of the materials or in the VRMs themselves, which are essential for a good overclock.

That said, you may find some EVGA model in this range because it is a brand that offers premium products . In my opinion, it is a very good brand, but it will only be worth it if we want to make an ecosystem with components of the brand, or if it is an economical option. Their products are very aesthetic, but their price is higher than the others.

Mainstream range: ASUS and GIGABYTE make the difference

In the mainstream range we find the same problem: MSI , GIGABYTE and ASUS offer value for money that ASRock cannot match. On the other hand, the choice of Intel or AMD is going to influence the final brands. For example, Intel’s H470 chipset has practically no MSI boards, forcing us to choose between GIGABYTE and ASUS . In the AMD B550 we have the usual 4, disappearing EVGA.

You can see that MSI can offer very attractive prices, although their VRMs are usually worse than those of GIGABYTE or ASUS. It all depends on what you are looking for, but ASUS or GIGABYTE are the most consistent options in this mid-range.

Entry range: MSI and ASRock, the most affordable options

Here the economy reigns, since the functions are bare and we look for motherboards that are basic. Therefore, the price will be an important asset when choosing one brand or another. Within the entry range, the cheapest brands are MSI and ASRock . You may see an ASUS model in promotion, or with fewer functions than usual.

In my experience, MSI usually offers near knockdown prices and guarantees very good performance. If I had to choose an A320 board, I would go for MSI or ASUS , although I would lean towards ASUS if it offers the same specs as MSI. In the H310 boards we have more variety, being able to choose a GIGABYTE or ASUS on equal terms.

Overclock, ASUS offers the coolest VRMs

Users who want to overclock have to choose the enthusiast chipset from Intel (Z490, for example) or the mainstream and enthusiast chipsets from AMD (B550 and X570, for example). Not only do we have to make sure that our motherboard offers overclocking, but it is of vital interest to know the performance of its VRMs .

When we overclock we raise the processor voltage, which increases the temperatures on the motherboard. Depending on the quality and the number of VRM phases that we have, the plate will heat up more or be cooler. If it gets hotter, our chances of overclocking are reduced; on the contrary, with better VRMs we can get the most out of our CPU.

In my opinion, the brand that offers the best VRMs is ASUS , followed closely by GIGABYTE because the quality of theirs is excellent. You will be right choosing either one because they are magnificent brands, but ASUS may be a bit above the rest.

Wireless connectivity technologies: MSI, GIGABYTE and ASUS at the forefront

Many people look for the motherboard to have a built-in Wi-Fi adapter to be able to connect to the router without problems. If we go to the market, we will realize that most plates do not have this feature, being reduced to a few models those that bring Wi-Fi with them.

If we raise the level and ask for Wi-Fi 6, the discard will be even higher. Most of the models with this feature belong to enthusiast chipsets, which means raising the price. What’s more, ASRock raises the price more for carrying this feature, which makes it an unfeasible option. It may be silly for many, but only MSI , GIGABYTE and ASUS offer this feature at an affordable price .

Ending with EVGA , it only has 2 boards with Wi-Fi 6 and only on the Intel platform from more than € 300. You will already know which plate not to buy, if you care about the Wi-Fi 6 connection.

USB connections: ASRock offers you the latest

USB connections are more important than people think, especially when choosing a PC case. In this regard, we see USB 3.1 Gen 1 and Gen 2 interfaces on all boards with no rare exceptions, but we have to do a “halt” on USB 3.2. This is because only one brand of motherboard offers USB 3.2 : ASRock .

By now, you may have assumed that ASRock is the budget motherboard brand par excellence, as it does not match the standards of ASUS or GIGABYTE. However, there is always an exception and ASRock is the one that offers this latest standard. You may find a specific model from MSI or another brand, but only ASRock offers this internal connection with guarantees.

In case you do not care too much about these connections, you can choose any other that supports not so recent connections, such as USB 3.1 Gen 2. So, if you are wondering which board to buy in relation to USB connections, keep ASRock in mind.

Multi-GPU

Now is the time to tackle the issue of connecting multiple graphics cards simultaneously. We should definitely go to the enthusiastic chipsets from AMD and Intel, although the former offers NVIDIA SLI or AMD CrossFire support on its B550 chipset, which is mainstream. For Intel, you will have to choose its “Z” chipset par excellence.

In this sense, we do not contemplate an abysmal difference between some brands and others. What we do recommend is to go to the enthusiastic chipsets because they are the ones that work best using these technologies. To choose the right model, you will have to pay attention to the reinforced slots, such as the PCI-Express rails.

Form factor

Finally, we can find out which brand of motherboard to buy based on the form factor that we are looking for. Mainly, we find the E-ATX , Micro-ATX , Mini-ITX and ATX form factors. Depending on which one you choose, you have to choose one brand of plate or another.

E-ATX

We only see this form factor in enthusiast chipsets, and its functionality is not surprising. It is the largest form factor of the desktop platform and is led by 2 brands: ASUS and GIGABYTE . Both brands are focused on the most demanding users, who do not place much emphasis on price, but on performance.

We can find models from MSI and ASRock , but they are somewhat lower compared to the other two. As a detail, GIGABYTE offers interesting functions, such as having the possibility to install 2 independent BIOS, using a backup one. These characteristics are what make you stand out from others.

ATX

In this sense, I would recommend any of these brands: MSI, ASRock, GIGABYTE, EVGA or ASUS. It is difficult, but it may be the case where you find Biostar , Foxconn , Abit , DFI or ECS boards. They are not bad plates, although, perhaps, they are not the most recommended for desktop.

You will see that it is a form factor that starts at € 100, regardless of the chipset we choose. It is the most used factor , so the price competitiveness is brutal. Disregarding the brands that we have previously warned about, you will still have a dilemma about which board to buy because we do not rule out any brand based on this form factor.

Micro-ATX

It is one of the most used form factors for 2 reasons: its cheaper price in mainstream chipsets and sufficient specifications for most needs. Typically, the micro-ATX form factors are characterized by having a more powerful PCI-Express slot and 2 RAM memory slots, which is what 90% of people use. That said, we can see many models with 4 slots and the occasional M.2 slot.

If you are wondering which micro-ATX board to buy, we would recommend GIGABYTE or MSI . Both companies have a huge product assortment in this form factor. GIGABYTE is a more expensive brand than MSI, except for a specific promotion, with MSI being the economic option par excellence. Logically, if you find an interesting ASUS model for a competitive price, keep that in mind.

Mini-ITX

This form factor is one of the least used, but it is catching on. We can find Mini-ITX boards in enthusiast chipsets from AMD and Intel, so don’t underestimate their potential because they are a very interesting option.

Looking for models in this form factor, the most specialized brands are GIGABYTE, ASUS and ASRock , leaving MSI out of the ranking. I would recommend ASRock for the cheaper models , leaving GIGABYTE and ASUS for much more demanding options. MSI has not offered any recent options that are very interesting, so we leave it in the background.