The heart and soul of any PC is the motherboard. It’s the component that connects everything together, from the CPU to the memory to the storage and the graphics card. When it comes to building a budget gaming PC, the motherboard is just as important as any other component, if not more so. So, what’s the ultimate motherboard for a budget gaming PC? Let’s find out!
First things first, what exactly do we mean by a budget gaming PC? For the purposes of this article, let’s say that a budget gaming PC is one that costs around $500 to $700 to build, not including peripherals like the monitor, keyboard, and mouse. This is typically the sweet spot for most people who want to get into PC gaming without breaking the bank.
Now that we have our budget set, let’s talk about what we should be looking for in a motherboard. There are a few key factors to consider:
– Socket type: The socket is the physical interface between the motherboard and the CPU. You need to make sure your motherboard supports the same socket as the CPU you want to use.
– Chipset: The chipset determines the motherboard’s features and capabilities, such as how many USB ports it has, what type of memory it supports, and whether it has built-in Wi-Fi.
– Expansion slots: You’ll want to make sure your motherboard has enough expansion slots to accommodate all the components you plan on using, such as a graphics card, additional storage, and a sound card.
– Overclocking support: Overclocking is the process of running your CPU and/or graphics card at higher speeds than they were originally designed for, in order to get better performance. If you’re interested in overclocking, you’ll want to make sure your motherboard supports it.
– Brand and quality: Finally, you don’t want to skimp on the brand and quality of your motherboard. A cheap motherboard may seem like a good deal, but it could cause stability issues, limit your performance, or even fail completely.
With those factors in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best budget gaming motherboards on the market, starting with Intel-based systems.
Intel-based budget gaming motherboards
1. MSI B460M PRO-VDH WIFI
The MSI B460M PRO-VDH WIFI is a great budget gaming motherboard that supports Intel’s latest 10th generation CPUs. It has a micro-ATX form factor, meaning it’s a bit smaller than a standard motherboard, but still has plenty of features. It has four memory slots for up to 128GB of DDR4 RAM, one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot for a graphics card, and two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots for other expansion cards. It also has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which is a nice touch in a budget motherboard.
2. ASRock B460M-HDV
The ASRock B460M-HDV is another great budget gaming motherboard for Intel CPUs. It has a similar feature set to the MSI board, with four memory slots and one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, but only one PCIe 3.0 x1 slot. It doesn’t have built-in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, but it does have plenty of USB ports and support for M.2 SSDs. It’s also a bit cheaper than the MSI board, making it a good choice for budget-conscious builders.
3. ASUS Prime H410M-A
The ASUS Prime H410M-A is a no-frills budget gaming motherboard that supports Intel’s 10th generation CPUs. It has two memory slots for up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM, one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, and two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots. It doesn’t have built-in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and only has four USB ports, but it’s a solid option if you’re on a tight budget and don’t need a lot of extra features.
AMD-based budget gaming motherboards
Now let’s take a look at some budget gaming motherboards for AMD CPUs. AMD has been making a comeback in recent years with their Ryzen line of CPUs, which offer great performance at affordable prices.
1. ASUS Prime B450M-A/CSM
The ASUS Prime B450M-A/CSM is a great budget gaming motherboard for AMD Ryzen CPUs. It has a micro-ATX form factor and supports up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM across two memory slots. It has one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot for a graphics card, two PCIe 2.0 x1 slots, and four SATA III ports for storage. It also has built-in Gigabit Ethernet, which is a nice feature to have.
2. Gigabyte B450M DS3H
The Gigabyte B450M DS3H is another great budget gaming motherboard for AMD Ryzen CPUs. It has a similar feature set to the ASUS board, with two memory slots and one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, but also has four PCIe 2.0 x1 slots for other expansion cards. It has built-in Gigabit Ethernet and support for M.2 SSDs, which is a nice touch for a budget motherboard.
3. ASRock B450M-HDV R4.0
The ASRock B450M-HDV R4.0 is a solid budget gaming motherboard for AMD Ryzen CPUs. It has two memory slots for up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM, one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, and two PCIe 2.0 x1 slots. It doesn’t have built-in Ethernet or Wi-Fi, but it does have plenty of USB ports and support for M.2 SSDs.
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing the ultimate budget gaming motherboard, there isn’t one definitive answer. It ultimately depends on your specific needs and preferences, such as whether you’re using an Intel or AMD CPU, how many expansion slots you need, and whether you plan on overclocking. However, the motherboards listed above are all great options that offer a good balance of features, performance, and price. Just remember to not skimp on the quality and brand of your motherboard, as it’s one of the most important components in your system!
HTML formatting:
<h1>What’s the Ultimate Motherboard for a Budget Gaming PC?</h1>
<h2>Intel-based budget gaming motherboards</h2>
<h3>1. MSI B460M PRO-VDH WIFI</h3>
<p>The MSI B460M PRO-VDH WIFI is a great budget gaming motherboard that supports Intel’s latest 10th generation CPUs.</p>
<h3>2. ASRock B460M-HDV</h3>
<p>The ASRock B460M-HDV is another great budget gaming motherboard for Intel CPUs.</p>
<h3>3. ASUS Prime H410M-A</h3>
<p>The ASUS Prime H410M-A is a no-frills budget gaming motherboard that supports Intel’s 10th generation CPUs.</p>
<h2>AMD-based budget gaming motherboards</h2>
<h3>1. ASUS Prime B450M-A/CSM</h3>
<p>The ASUS Prime B450M-A/CSM is a great budget gaming motherboard for AMD Ryzen CPUs.</p>
<h3>2. Gigabyte B450M DS3H</h3>
<p>The Gigabyte B450M DS3H is another great budget gaming motherboard for AMD Ryzen CPUs.</p>
<h3>3. ASRock B450M-HDV R4.0</h3>
<p>The ASRock B450M-HDV R4.0 is a solid budget gaming motherboard for AMD Ryzen CPUs.</p>
Image Credit: Pexels