Can i get a quick breakdown of what to look for when buying a new Motherboard

[westinger34]

Hey,

I'm looking to buy a new motherboard for my PC. I would prefer something built for gaming but i'm not sure what exactly to look, for in terms of slots or other things. So i was thinking i could get a quick explanation of what to look for..

 

[JogaBonito1502]

First off, you want to make sure the motherboard is compatible with your processor, so always double check the socket type. Also make sure it is compatible with your RAM. I prefer motherboards with 4 memory slots. You want to try and make sure that the QPI/FSB/HyperTransport matches/exceeds the one of your processor. You also want to make sure that the motherboard has at least 1 PCI-e x16 (preferably 2.0). Lastly, make sure it has enough SATA ports for what you intend on using. If you don't plan on getting a video card, you could try to look for one with decent onboard audio.

 

[westinger34]

well currently ive got an ASUS EAH4670 graphics card a AMD Phenom Quad core 2.1Ghz am3 socket(not too sure about that) everything else i can buy a new one, or plan to buy a new one. I think the EAH4670 is PCI or something close to that.

 

[JogaBonito1502]

The Asus card you have is PCI-e. You should definitely try to find out exactly what the socket on your Phenom is. Or, if you give us its precise name we can find out that information for you.

 

[jason12345]

The Asus card you have is PCI-e. You should definitely try to find out exactly what the socket on your Phenom is. Or, if you give us its precise name we can find out that information for you.

is there more then one amd3 socket?

 

[JogaBonito1502]

The AMD sockets you will find out there are AM2, AM2+, and AM3. Some motherboards are AM2+/AM3.