You want to build a custom PC for a smooth gaming experience and worry about which motherboard you should use. Don’t worry because you will be clear about the role of the motherboard at the end of this.
In short, answering does motherboard matter for gaming, there is no major role of the motherboard in providing you smooth gaming experience. The motherboard is just a circuit board that conducts electric currents and connects different components. It does not directly improve video game performance.
The motherboards are only responsible for the overall stability of the system. They play their role in the smooth working of all the components of the CPU. In the last age, there were not different motherboards for gaming or regular PCs.
But in this modern era, separate gaming motherboards are available in the market. These are considered high-end motherboards and costs some extra bucks than the traditional ones.
Table of Contents
Does a Motherboard affect FPS?
Both CPU and GPU are connected to the motherboard. The motherboard is responsible for the proper working of all these components. Therefore, the motherboard does not directly affect the gaming performance or frame rates. But it influences CPU and GPU.
Frames per second or FPS is the parameter that tells us about the performance of a game on a device. If the FPS is high, then the game will run smoothly and stutter-free. In converse, if the FPS is low, then you will feel lag or stutters in the game.
The FPS on which a game is considered smooth is 60 FPS. Now, the GPU and CPU are responsible for the game processing. So, these two components majorly contribute to high frame rates and high graphics.
CPU
The processors are the vital components of a computer as all the processing and performance depend on them. Now, each processor has its in-built clocking speed. For instance, the clocking speed of Intel Core 2 Duo is almost 2.5 GHz on average. Now, this clocking speed varies based on the task performed by the computer.
When the clock speed of a processor exceeds its built-in limit, then it is called overclocking. When we want to perform heavy tasks or try to run a high-end game, then our processor overclocks to give us maximum performance.
Also, some motherboards do not allow overclocking of processors. Because overclocking raises the temperature of processors and the overall system. It can damages the other components present on the motherboard.
Now, if you want to build a gaming PC, that can also overclock, then you should use a motherboard that supports overclocking. In Intel, only the Z-series of motherboard supports overclocking. While in the case of AMD, only the Ryzen series supports overclocking.
GPU
GPU is another important component of a PC. It plays a vital role in producing high-quality video and pictures. Hence, a good GPU is also essential for smooth gameplay. Without it, you will not be able to perform well in gaming. It also provides high performance during photo editing or video editing.
Every motherboard has dedicated ports for connecting GPU. A graphic card can be connected to the motherboard using a slot having 16 pins. This slot is called the PCI slot.
There are also other slots available in a motherboard. There are also 1 pin, 2 pins, 4 pins, and 8 pins slots. We can connect sound cards, WiFi adapters, and other components through these slots.
Standard Motherboard v/s Gaming Motherboard
Although there is not much difference in the gaming performance of both these motherboards. But their price differs very much. If you use a normal motherboard, then it will do all your tasks without any problem. Even you will not face any problems during gaming.
Although gaming motherboards do not offer as much upgrade in gaming performance. But they come with some extra features. These extra features almost double the price of a motherboard.
A standard motherboard will perform all tasks but it may lack overclocking, extra USB ports, and maybe less fancy. In contrast, the gaming motherboard has the following additional features:
- Overclocking Support.
- RGB Lights.
- Extra ports and slots.
- Liquid Cooling system.
- Wireless network support.
- System Stability.
- Temperature monitoring.
Price Differences
As we have discussed before, that there is not much performance difference between a standard or gaming motherboard. But the price of both these motherboards differs by twice.
A normal motherboard will costs you around $100 to $150. While the gaming motherboard will cost you around $300 to $350.
The price can vary based on the features. For instance, if you want 3.0 USB ports instead of 2.0 version, then it will definitely cost you more.
Do You Need a Good Motherboard for Gaming?
A good motherboard with some extra features can enhance your productivity. It does not directly affect the performance but it can play role in a smooth working experience.
Now, there are some things you need to keep in mind about the motherboard to build a good gaming PC. A motherboard is just an electrical circuit board that has resistors, capacitors, and many other electrical components. It just transmits data between different components.
Now, for the smooth flow of current, a motherboard should be made up of a good conductive material that can also bear high temperatures. Now, the following factors affect the quality of the motherboard:
- Good quality electrical components.
- Overclocking support.
- Aesthetics.
Does the motherboard matter for gaming? Yes it helps having a gaming motherboard because it offers capabilities like overclocking that is missing in most regular motherboards. It also lets the GPU perform up to its optimum level of performance. You can also use multiple GPUs in gaming motherboards.
Guide for selecting Best Motherboard for Gaming
There are various components in the motherboard. For heavy tasks like gaming, all these components should of high-end specs and your motherboard should have support for them.
Following are the details of every component that contributes to a good gaming experience:
CPU
The processors are the main components of a PC that are responsible for the performance of a computer. When building a gaming PC, you must select a good processor that is suitable for your needs. Intel and AMD are two major suppliers of processors.
After choosing a processor of your choice, now you need to pick a motherboard that has support for your selected port. If you want to use the overloading effect of the processor, then pick a motherboard that has support for it.
RAM Support
A good RAM is also necessary for a PC to handle multi-tasking and to provide a stutter-free gaming experience. Now, each motherboard can support a limited amount of RAM storage and has limited RAM slots available.
Although, motherboards can support RAM storage of up to 64 GB. But 32 GB of RAM is enough for all types of gaming and multi-tasking at this time. Also, there should be an extra slot available for RAM, if you intend to upgrade in the future.
Graphic Card
Graphic cards or GPU also play a vital role in a seamless gaming experience. It processes images and videos to provide you with sharp and appealing colors on screen. You can select these graphic cards according to your needs.
For gaming, Nvidia and AMD cards are famous in the market. Now, for a motherboard, you should select one that has at least one PCI and PCIe slot. In these slots, you can connect a graphic card, sound card, or wireless network (WiFi, Bluetooth) card.
Also, there should be an extra slot for this. So, if you want to expand your graphic card or want to insert another card in the future, then you can do it easily.
Hard Drives
Hard drives do not affect the FPS of the game directly. But it serves its function in app opening time. If you have a good hard drive, then your game will boot up fast. Also, game-saving and loading time will be improved.
Now, in a motherboard, you should have support for more than one hard drive. So, if you want to add more games or want to add extra storage, then you can do it easily. Also, a motherboard should have support for M.2 slots, because it offers good speed and reliability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use an old motherboard for gaming?
The new motherboards have new types of ports and slots for modern-day devices. If your old motherboard has ports and slots for supporting these newer devices, then you can reuse it. But if there are different sockets on it, then you need to replace it.
For example, the older motherboards did not have HDMI ports or wireless network adapters. So, if you need these features, then absolutely you have to use a newer model of the motherboard.
Can I upgrade the CPU without changing motherboard?
Generally, you can do this. But there is one condition in doing this and that is your motherboard should be compatible with the new chip. Your motherboard should have support for the new features that a new processor has to offer.
For example, Intel’s newer generation processors have a feature of Turbo Boost. In turbo boost, the processor can give you performance more than its designed capability. This feature will only work if your motherboard has support for it.
Can the old motherboard support the new GPU?
Every motherboard has a PCI slot for connecting a GPU to it. Also, new GPUs can be fitted in this same slot. So, generally, you can upgrade your GPU without changing a motherboard. Getting the most out of your GPU is one of the reasons motherboards do matter for gaming.
Conclusion
After all the discussion, we have come to know that a motherboard does not directly affect gaming performance. Actually, it is CPU and GPU that contribute to providing high frame rates and smooth gameplay.
The motherboard can only play its role in the smooth working of CPU, GPU, and other components of a PC. If all these components work fine, then it will boost your gaming performance to some extent.
Hope this article is helpful for your understanding of motherboard importance in PC building.