Deciding on the self-assembly of a new computer from individual components, a person should be well versed in how to choose a motherboard (motherboard, mainboard). Despite the fact that this element of the computer system directly affects performance negligibly, errors in the selection may in the future cause certain difficulties. Each collector has his own point of view on the order of selection of components. Some believe that it is necessary to start from the central processor, and the motherboard and other components "tied" to the computational core. Others, on the contrary, are convinced that the assembly of the platform begins with the "motherboard". Accordingly, it is necessary to understand well how to choose a motherboard, because the characteristics of the future system depend on this. In fact, both points of view have a right to exist. Well, to understand how to choose a motherboard, it is necessary in any case. Since this is, in fact, the basis, which, although not directly involved in the calculations, but serves to bundle all the components together.
Choosing a motherboard
On the mainstream market, the central processors are supplied by two companies - Intel and AMD. Although the main commands are compatible, the constructive and logical differences do not allow creating a universal motherboard, which makes it possible to work with any processor. Thus, before you buy a "motherboard", you need to understand that it actually means the subsequent choice of the processor of a certain firm. Some boards work only with AMD, and others only with Intel. It is also necessary to pay attention to the type of processor socket, which is far from universal.
RAM
Since the CPU manufacturers moved the memory controller inside the chip, the buyers were practically unable to choose any type of RAM. So, if earlier there were boards supporting DDR2 and DDR3 standards modules, in modern solutions the type is determined only by the processor. Therefore, if for some reason you need to support the outdated type of DDR2 chips, then you need to choose a board designed to work with this kind of memory. In general, you can recommend to pay attention to the number of slots for the modules - the more of them, the better (and do not listen to the consultants that 2 is enough!).
Expansion slots and ports
Beginners who ask on the forums the question "how to choose a motherboard" are often interested in what connectors should be present on the "motherboard". Although most modern models are equipped with only one or two PCI-E 16 connectors and a couple of PCI-E 1, it is recommended to choose solutions with at least one slot of the classic PCI bus. This allows you to connect almost any expansion card if necessary. It is very important that the connectors for the expansion cards are far enough away from the PCI-E 16. Otherwise, the outboard discrete video adapter connected to such a card can completely block its access to the PCI slot by its cooling system.
The number of USB ports should be sufficient to connect all planned devices. If you need support for LPT or COM, then this should certainly be emphasized when selecting.
For demanding customers, it makes sense to stay on motherboards with support for the third-party USB and PCI-E 16 latest revision.