While not as exciting as the best processors or graphics cards, the best motherboards arguably carry more weight than any other component in your system.
Not only do they serve as the backbone of your PC, but the best motherboards also feature the latest technologies behind all of the best PCs.
These features will help your computer reach its full potential by fully utilizing your hardware.
They can even give your CPU more overclocking headroom, further expanding your potential performance.However, because of the vital importance the best motherboards carry, it's absolutely necessary to ensure you get one that will last.
If you try to cut corners and pick up an unreliable motherboard it may eventually fail, and when that happens youll have to deal with the literal nightmare of having to replace it.
To replace a malfunctioning motherboard, youll have to pull your entire PC apart and rebuild it from scratch its not like upgrading to the best graphics card.
At the end of the day, you should do yourself a favor and get one of the best motherboards today, so you wont have to replace it tomorrow.Luckily, if you pick up a new Coffee Lake CPU youll no longer be stuck with the expensive Z370 chipset, as Intel has announced the much cheaper H370, H310, Q370 and B360 chipsets.
As such, you wont have to empty your savings to buy a Coffee-Lake compatible motherboard anymore.Thats why we created this list to help you find the best motherboard for your needs in 2018.
Every single motherboard here has been tested by the TechRadar editorial staff and has earned our seal of approval.
Not only will the motherboards on this list do everything you need them to do and more, they are built to last.
And, considering how many different kinds of motherboards are out there, its important to know exactly what to look for.Best Intel motherboard: Z370 Aorus Gaming 7Find the top of your gameForm Factor: ATX | Socket: LGA-1151 (8th-gen only) | Chipset: Intel Z370 | Memory support: 4 x DIMM sockets (up to 64GB) | Multi-GPU support: Nvidia 2- and 4-way GPU SLI, AMD 2-, 3- and 4-way CrossFire | Features: 3 x PCIe M.2 (Key M)Flashy designA-1 overclcockerNo Thunderbolt 3ExpensiveIf money isnt an issue, the Z370 Aorus Gaming 7 from Gigabyte literally shines.
Packed with more RGB lighting than you can shake a stick at, its the best way to celebrate Intels 8th-generation Coffee Lake Processors in an ATX tower case.
Its also an overclocking champion its only limits are the restraints of your other components.
You can reasonably expect upwards of 5GHz consistently with this motherboard.
Were not joking.Best budget Intel motherboard: MSI B250M Gaming ProLight things up with this low-cost motherboard from MSI.Form Factor: Micro ATX | Socket: LGA-1151 (7th-gen and earlier) | Chipset: Intel B250 | Memory Support: Dual-Channel 2 x DDR4 2400MHz (up to 32GB) | Multi-GPU support: No | Features: 1 x PCIe M.2 (32-110mm), Intel Optane Memory ReadyMicro ATX form factorInexpensiveNot much room for expansionOnly 2 RAM slotsYou don't need to break the bank to get your computer off on the right footing.
This board from MSI is a great, inexpensive solution.
It's limited in options for future expansions, so it's ideal for a one-and-done build.
Since it's a gaming motherboard it has support for things like "Mystic Light Sync," which lets you synchronize all your RGB lighting with a single click.
Best Intel Micro ATX motherboard: ASRock B250M Pro4A smaller form-factor with some room for you to improveForm Factor: Micro ATX | Socket: LGA-1151 (7th-gen and earlier) | Chipset: Intel B250 | Memory Support: Dual-Channel 4 x DDR4 2400MHz (up to 64GB) | Multi-GPU support: 2-Way SLI, AMD Quad CrossFire X | Features: 1 x U.2, 1 x M.2 (Key M), Intel Optane Memory ReadyOn-board video supportSupports 7.1 channel surroundLimited PCIe expansionThis Micro ATX motherboard from ASRock packs a lot of features onto a smaller form factor.
You lose out on the possibility of extra PCIe slots, but there are 4 memory slots to upgrade to a maximum 64GB DDR4 RAM.
It also has support for on-board graphics, so if you're building a computer piecemeal, you can still use it before buying a dedicated graphics card.Best Intel Mini-ITX motherboard: Asus ROG Strix Z370-I GamingThis small form factor motherboard is litForm factor: Mini-ITX | Socket: LGA-1151 (8th-gen only) | Chipset: Intel Z370 | Memory Support: Dual-Channel 2 x DDR4 4,333MHz | Multi-GPU support: No | Features: Aura Sync RGB lighting, onboard M.2 heatsink, 5-way optimization, USB 3.1 Gen 2, Gigabit Ethernet with LANGuard, GameFirst, 2x2 802.11ac Wi-Fi and MU-MIMO supportFlashy looksWi-Fi antennas includedLacks SLI/Crossfire supportThe best Intel Mini-ITX motherboard on this list kicks things off by being one of the best Z370 motherboards you can buy today.
Featuring the chipset behind Intels 8th-generation Coffee Lake processors, the Asus ROG Strix Z370-I Gaming will support everything from the Core i7-8700K all the way down to the Core i3-8100.
While it may lack support for Nvidia SLI and AMD Crossfire, it does ship with an included Asus 2 x 2 Wi-Fi adapter.Best AMD motherboard: Gigabyte X470 Aorus Gaming 7 Wi-FiForm Factor: ATX | Socket: AM4 | Chipset: AMD X470 | Memory Support: Dual-Channel 4 x DDR4 3,600MHz (up to 64GB) | Multi-GPU support: Quad-GPU SLI, CrossFire | Features: 2 x M.2 (Key M), Q-Flash, Multi Zone RGB lightingAmazing looking motherboardGreat expandabilityExpensiveWith the X470 Aorus Gaming 7 Wi-Fi, Gigabyte further illustrates its mastery of motherboard design.
Rocking the new AMD X470 chipset, allowing full support of the new AMD Ryzen 2nd Generation processors, this is the best motherboard if youre looking to side with Team Red.
Whats more, it supports Quad-GPU SLI and extremely fast RAM (up to 3,600 MHz) for peerless expandability, and thanks to its multi-zone RGB lighting, it looks good while it does it.Best budget AMD motherboard: MSI X470 Gaming PlusForm Factor: ATX | Socket: AMD AM4 | Chipset: AMD X470 | Memory Support: Dual-Channel 4 x DDR4 3,466MHz (up to 64GB) | Multi-GPU support: Crossfire | Features: 2 x PCIe M.2 (Key M)Great priceGreat expansionNeed a larger caseFor years, AMD has been the reigning champion of budget builds, and in 2018 that doesnt seem to be changing.
Marketed exclusively to gamers, the MSI X470 Gaming Plus is loaded front to back with features like 2 PCIe M.2 slots and quick performance tweaking buttons to make sure youre on top of the game at all times.
And, since its a gaming-centric motherboard, you can expect it to have all kinds of flashy RGB lighting that you can even customise from your smartphone.Best AMD Micro ATX motherboard: ASRock AB350M Pro4Nothing flashy, but plenty of performance to loveForm Factor: Micro ITX | Socket: AMD AM4 | Chipset: AMD Promontory B350 | Memory Support: Dual-Channel 4 x DDR4 3,200MHz (up to 64GB) | Multi-GPU support: 2-Way SLI, AMD Quad CrossFireX | Features: 1 x PCIe M.2 (Key M)Excellent priceSupports RAM overclocked to 3200MHzNot flashy or excitingIf you want to get where you need to go, and you don't care about things like fancy RGB lighting or eye-catching, futuristic-looking heat dissipators, the AB350M Pro4 is the motherboard for you.
In spite of its plain-Jane looks and no-frills aesthetic, this is a solid motherboard with plenty of room to expand and grow with your computer needs.Best AMD Mini-ITX motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix X470-ISmall size, huge performanceForm Factor: Mini-ITX | Socket: AMD AM4 | Chipset: AMD X470 | Memory Support: Dual-Channel 2 x DDR4 3,466MHz (up to 32GB) | Multi-GPU support: No | Features: 1 x PCIe M.2 (Key M)Dual-channel RAM supportM.2 compatibilityRAM tops out at 32GBBig things come in small packages a fact that ASUS aims to prove with the ROG Strix X470-I.
Supporting the latest AMD chipset, everything in this tiny board is designed with performance in mind.
Even down to the BIOS, where you can find a stress-test for overclocks before you boot into Windows.
This board even elevates beyond the constraints of the Mini-ITX form factor by including a M.2 Audio Combo riser, so that you can install your M.2 NVMe drive without getting in the way of other components.Best Intel Core X-Series motherboard: ASRock X299 Taichi This one goes up to 11, but more accurately, 4400MHz memoryForm Factor: ATX | Socket: LGA-2066 | Chipset: Intel X299 | Memory Support: Quad-Channel 8 x DDR4 4,400MHz (up to 128GB) | Multi-GPU support: Nvidia 3-Way SLI, AMD 3-Way CrossFireX | Features: 3 x PCIe M.2 (Key M)Gigantic memory supportSlots for 8 RAM modulesHigh priceThe X-series processors are here and they're spectacular, so if you want to take advantage of all they have to offer, you need an X-series motherboard.
This ASRock X299 is an excellent choice, with support for overclocked memory speeds up to 4400MHz(!!!) and 8 different slots for memory modules.
It also supports up to 128GB of RAM, so with an X-series processor and a good graphics card (or 3) this thing will absolutely tear apart anything you throw at it.Best AMD Ryzen Threadripper motherboard: ASRock X399 Professional Gaming sTR4This is the motherboard AMD dreams are made ofForm Factor: ATX | Socket: sTR4 | Chipset: AMD X399 | Memory Support: Dual -Channel 4 x DDR4 3,200MHz (up to 128GB) | Multi-GPU support: 4-Way SLI, AMD Quad CrossFireX | Features: 1 x U.2, 3 x PCIe M.2 (Key M)4-way SLI or Crossfire supportAwesome RGB lightingReally expensiveIf you're the type of builder with lots of cash to burn and an everything and the kitchen sink build-method, this Ryzen Threadripper board is certainly for you.
It supports 4-way SLI or Crossfire configurations, so you can just empty your bank account in the name of PC glory.
All that graphical horsepower can be supported by as much as 128GB DDR4 memory, and it even features some flashy RGB lighting to let everyone know what theyre looking at.Coming to termsIf youre unfamiliar about what makes the best motherboards, well, the best, we would like to include a bit of a primer for anyone who might not know what to look for.
Motherboards are available in a range of different form factors, most commonly ATX and micro ATX.
However there are plenty of more esoteric form factors including the recent mini ITX.
Dont worry though, because most of the time PC cases will support one or both of these form factors.Moreover, in our rundown of the best motherboards, we detailed the socket type that each mobo adheres to.
For those not in the know, the socket is the part on the motherboard that the CPU locks into.
Typically, newer Intel processors use either LGA 1151 or 2066 while the latest AMD Ryzen architecture is designed for the AM4 chipset.HAKqTKChcmhFEAvpN7qeGh.jpg#