Javier Pérez Pedriza | Inglés Técnico | 1º A.S.I.R.

2010-2011

MOTHERBOARD SELECTION
Source: Beginner’s Guide to Motherboard Selection, by Thomas Sodestrom
(www.tomshardware.com, 2006)

Here’s a compact guide to new builders who are choosing for very first time the mother
board of his desired PC. It tries helping them to acquire the worthiest option –depending on their
needs- from the wide variety of mother boards available in the market while it also avoids inexpert
customers wasting his money as it may result of purchasing components incompatible between
them.
Before any advice about choosing a particular brand, model –or family- is given, it’s briefly explained
the common architecture of any mother board, and what are all those things that may look weird at
first glance. See the figure below:
As you can see,
every component of the
mother board is
numbered so you can
check it at the bottom of
the picture, where they
are all listed.
Have to say that most
important to determine
what boards fits to you
are Main logic, Memory,
Drive interfaces and
expansion slots sections,
numbers 1 to 11, but also
keeping an eye of the
Power requirements
(12,13,14) helps choosing
the right power supply.
Main logic components, as
long as they are
compatible with only
some of the available
processors, make smaller
the variety of options to
choose one from, as lets
you have an idea of the
mother board
performance, as it mainly
depends on this three
components.
 Javier Pérez Pedriza | Inglés Técnico | 1º A.S.I.R. 2010-2011

Memory channels also meet a certain slot form standard for connecting the modules, which must be
compliant with.
Expansion slots standards are pretty different between each other, although the physical slot are
commonly similar in size and shape, and is important to know what expansion capabilities will need
your desired PC because not every mother board offers the same, so keeping these on mind is
required to have success in the selection.
Finally, you should know if you’re whether or not requiring special (or less common) power
requirements for getting the best of your rig, as in most cases of gaming-oriented PCs, where one or
several powerful graphic cards need to be stably powered for an optimal performance, a good –
stable, fail-safe and powerful- power supply is basis of. So, as this is determined by the mother board
specs, you should attend to the possibly of having to spend more money on a better quality PSU,
while in most cases generic (and inexpensive) ones will comply with required.

FIRST STEP: THE FORM FACTOR

DR. FRANKENSTEIN CHOSE IT BIG. DO YOU AS WELL?

While many form factors are prevalent in pre-built systems, ATX, BTX and smaller derivatives
dominate the build-your-own market. Of those, ATX is the most common.
Reduced-size variations of ATX and BTX form factors limit room for expansion and increase reliance
on integrated or external devices (but they allow compact system dimensions). Even as
advancements in integrated audio and network controllers have improved these to the point that
most enthusiasts require nothing more, you may not be happy with the limited graphics
performance of these, also needing a great number (actually more of 3) of expansion slots does not
get well with what these smaller form factors offer as expansion capability.

ATX

ATX was designed to address three major shortcomings of the earlier AT form factor, and it
offers a few minor improvements as well. Designated portion of the board for CPU placing, built-in
rear port panel and a better cooling path -from front to rear, bottom to top- for venting the hot air
were the three most significant.
ATX come across several sizes derived from first one, the full-ATX. They are compliant with ATX
form factor so smaller ATX variations fit perfectly in any case where full-ATX does.

BTX

BTX family was designed and pushed out by Intel in 2003 with the introduction of a straight,
front to rear cooling path (supposed to be more efficient) as its major advancement. Also the
board has a reversed layout compared to ATX, placing graphic card coolers in the way of the
cooling stream. BTX specifies a fixed depth due to the front-attached CPU cooler location, but BTX
spec comprises several size variations as in ATX, totally compatible with full-BTX, as in ATX.
 Javier Pérez Pedriza | Inglés Técnico | 1º A.S.I.R. 2010-2011

SECOND STEP: THE SOCKET

GIVING YOUR CREATURE A BRAIN...

Several very old CPU sockets have remained on the market to support the least expensive
processors, as buyers expect to pay more for the latest technology. In chronological order, these
progress from Socket 370 and Socket 462 to Socket 478 and 754, followed by LGA 775 and Socket
939 and finally Socket AM2.
Multi-processor PCs were once feasible for desktops, and AMD's upcoming 4x4 technology may once
again make dual-socket solutions more attractive to PC buyers. Until then, these are limited to
business-oriented solutions.

SOCKET 370 (INTEL’S CHEAP RANGE)

Lackluster performance and scarce availability makes this antiquated interface a poor choice
for even the cheapest computers.
Bus speed support and electrical specification changes prevent later boards from supporting the
earliest processors and vice versa.

SOCKET 462 (AMD’S CHEAP RANGE)

Supporting everything from a 600 MHz Duron to the 2.2 GHz Athlon XP 3200+, processor
availability is still good. Price to performance ratios are quickly falling out of favor however, so is
suggested choosing a newer solution.
As with Socket 370, changes in supported bus speeds and electrical specifications restrict
compatibility between certain generations of boards and processors.

SOCKET 478 (INTEL’S MIDRANGE)

Intel's first Pentium 4 socket (423) was a temporary solution that has long since exited the
market, but its second Pentium 4 socket (478) is still around, supporting processors from 1.6 GHz
to 3.4 GHz. It has been replaced at the high-end by LGA 775, but is currently seeing resurgence at
the low end due to low chipset prices and sub-$50 Celeron D processors. As such, it may still be an
option for the most frugal buyers.

SOCKET 754 (AMD’S MIDRANGE: ATHLON 64 AND SEMPRON)

First to support AMD's modern Athlon 64 processors, Socket 754 supports a single-channel
of DDR-SDRAM memory via its On-chip memory controller. The seemingly incredible increase in
 Javier Pérez Pedriza | Inglés Técnico | 1º A.S.I.R. 2010-2011

pin count is a result of the CPU being separately linked to both memory and the chipset, rather
than accessing memory through the chipset. Sockets 754 and 939 were the first to replace the
parallel processor bus by a serial interconnect (HyperTransport), with a 200 MHz base clock speed.
Prices under $50 for certain Sempron processor models make Socket 754 worthy of consideration
for budget system builders, even though there won't be any new processor models for this socket.

LGA 775 (INTEL’S HIGH-END: PENTIUM 4, PENTIUM D, CELERON, CORE 2 DUO)

Supporting the highest-performance processors using the latest motherboard revisions, and
with the ability to last at least through several careful rebuilds, LGA775 is an excellent choice for
performance enthusiasts. It will also host Intel's first quad core Kentsfield processor later this year,
but a bus speed increase to 333 MHz (FSB1333) is likely, so you will need a new motherboard.

SOCKET 939 (AMD MID-HIGH RANGE: AMD ATHLON 64, ATHLON 64 X2,
ATHLON 64 FX)

Like Socket 754, Socket 939 saw its increased pin count based on the addition of direct
connections to the memory, in this case by providing the CPU with dual-channel memory support.
Socket 939 also received AMD's first dual-core PC processors, Athlon 64 X2, and two cores are
better able to use the extra memory bandwidth than a single core.
It’s currently being replaced by the new Socket AM2, which supports DDR2 memory. But 939
motherboards are a safe bet because they are mature. Additionally, buyers who already own high-
capacity DDR1 memory should find Socket 939 offers the most performance for their upgrade
dollar.

SOCKET AM2 (AMD’S HIGH-END: ATHLON 64, ATHLON 64 X2, ATHLON 64 FX,
SEMPRON)

A change in AMD's on-die memory controller to support DDR2 also required a change in the
CPU socket. Though not immediately showing a noticeable performance advantage, the change
from DDR to DDR2 was a measure to assure that future/faster models would receive adequate
memory bandwidth. AM2 supports the latest AMD processors, and support for future cores,
makes it a great choice for enthusiasts.

THIRD STEP: THE CHIPSET

SPINAL MEDULLA AND HEART ARE BASIC.

The gateway between a processor and other parts of the computer is a set of interface controllers
generically called the chipset. Traditional chipsets include a Northbridge, with a memory controller
and either a PCI Express or an AGP interface for graphics, and a Southbridge, containing the standard
PCI controller and various peripheral/communications busses for networking, audio and other
components.
 Javier Pérez Pedriza | Inglés Técnico | 1º A.S.I.R. 2010-2011

The northbridge

Traditional northbridge designs include a memory controller linked directly to the CPU through
the Front Side Bus. AMD later removed the memory bus entirely from the chipset in its Athlon 64,
with separate northbridge and RAM pathways on the CPU replacing the Front Side Bus. What
remains common to all Northbridge designs is an AGP or PCI Express controller and a southbridge
interface.
The northbridge used by the Intel 370 or AMD 462 chipsets are mostly based on Double Data Rate
technologies, to fully exploit the DDR memory bandwidth, Single Data Rate based northbridges
cannot be considered as option, since they’re enough old to deserve spending money on them.
Intel’s most recent northbridge technologies are based Quad Data Rate transfers, doubling the
bandwith of DDR based chipsets. This forced memory bus width to double for being fully efficient.
This is called Dual Channel mode. Anyway, single channel is totally supported. This feature is
present in Intel 478 and 775 socket chipsets, compatible with DDR and DDR2 memory modules
respectively, so a motherboard with an Intel 775 socket is the most recommended if best
performance is wanted.
AMD latest chipsets are based on HyperTransport technologies, so motherboard with 754, 939 or
AM2 sockets make choosing a northbridge less important as factor. With the memory bus
removed from the northbridge, the choosing decision may rely on compatibility whether with AGP
or PCI-express, so graphic card must be selected according to the chipset, or vice versa.

The southbridge

The southbridge contains most peripheral, multimedia, and communications busses including
the PCI, ATA, USB, network and audio controller interfaces, and often even a modem interface.
Most chipsets from any given time period offer similar performance, but reviews can inform the
buyer of potential inadequacies.
Even so, limiting motherboard selection by first choosing a Northbridge further limits choices in
Southbridge, as most chipsets only support a small number of Northbridge/Southbridge
combinations from the same chipset manufacturer. The exceptions use AMD's HyperTransport
protocol to link chipset components.

FOURTH STEP: CHOOSING THE

MEMORY/EXPANSION SLOTS
HEALTHY ORGANS COMPLETE THE BODY

Memory type and configuration limits are normally thought to be those of the memory
controller, but motherboard's slot configuration can further limit choices, like two memory slots
instead of four, in which dual-channel capability makes no sense at all.
While owners of reasonably powerful AGP graphics cards may still wish to choose AGP-supporting
motherboards as replacement products, AGP/AGP Pro slots have lost their value compared to PCI
 Javier Pérez Pedriza | Inglés Técnico | 1º A.S.I.R. 2010-2011

Express parts. PCIe x16 slots are normally dedicated to graphics cards, but a second slot can also be
used for non-graphics purposes, and newer high-end ATI and Nvidia chipsets support the additional
pathways needed for two actual x16 slots. PCIe slots with less pathways are suited for mid-high
performance devices such as RAID controllers, or mid-low performance devices such network or TV
tuner cards.
With PCI, supporting the widest variety of cards and still dominant for years, any of these slot types
can prove equally valuable in a new build, making card selection an important first step towards
determining motherboard requirements.
Adding to the vast array of features controlled by the Southbridge are third-party devices such as
secondary ATA controllers, usually using a logical PCI "slot" where no room exists on the
motherboard for a physical slot. In a full-sized ATX or BTX motherboard, a typical chipset will have
unused connections, which can be routed directly to onboard PCI devices. So exploiting chipset
capabilities is best done in bigger motherboards, which often include one or more of these added-in
controllers. Also, disabling unused device/s can reduce boot time as BIOS will omit checking
that/those device/s, but this is a minor issue, that drives us to the final consideration.

ANNEX: BIOS FEATURES

WANTING IT ALIVE, BUT ALSO PIMPED OUT.

Motherboard manufacturers rarely advertise which features the BIOS makes available to the
end user, but it’s the vital and most basic part of a motherboard, being responsible for start system
checking and also, in big words, “beating the time” for the rest of components.
Performance boards usually have far more performance-oriented adjustments than lower-market
boards, letting you to enhancements such as memory adjustment and CPU over or under clocking.
But beside that, BIOS commonly allows:
1. Setting the boot device order.
2. Disabling of undesired onboard features such as sound controllers, modem and network
interfaces, and unused ATA/SATA controllers, no longer consuming CPU resources or having to care
about while using the computer.

CONCLUSION
― I’TS ALIVE! IT’S ALIVE! IN THE NAME OF GOD ! {...}

By now what we got is an easier challenge. Quoting the author of the source article, we
come to that ‘buying a motherboard shouldn't be difficult: simply choose a processor, a chipset,
and your preferred form factor, then choose a board and build the rest of the system around it.’...
Not that easy. Unexpected issues will come up, for example, if the full-ATX motherboard you want
doesn’t fit your computer case, or if BTX is the chosen form factor for optimal cooling but no
available model matches your need, or if you need a small solution but you also want top
performance.
 Javier Pérez Pedriza | Inglés Técnico | 1º A.S.I.R. 2010-2011

So, determining your needs first, then having them suit with the motherboard, and accepting to pay
for unwanted features (or miss some) in most of cases are the three overall steps leading to worth
buying your motherboard, which is our main goal.
Source review’s author tells as personal opinion that “going big” from the beginning is a -long-term-
worthy component selection, as big components are more likely to be re-used in a future upgrade.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SELECTING A

MOTHERBOARD IN 2006 AND IN 2010
After having summariced the 2006 review and having read that of 2010, differences (bold in
the following paragraph) between are less than coincidences.
The socket availability has developed in the way it could have been expected, so if we had a list
headed by the Intel 775 and AMD AM2 sockets as most recent and of highest performance, they’re
now the oldest and less capable of analyzed in the 2010 review. Also it’s explained the new features
of some of them, like the lack of a southbridge in newer X58 chipset based motherboards, which
functions are now arranged by a PCH or Platform Controller Hub, and classic busses are now
denominated DMI or QPI, and some data transfer pathways has been redesigned and/or improved.
Northbridge is not controller for the PCIe and memory anymore, as long as those tasks have been
assigned to the CPU.
Also Intel 775 has been kept as a low-price alternative for cheap systems, and barely updated to
comply with last models of the Intel Core-2 series, needing a BIOS update to boot.
AMD retrocompatibility is again present because every of the actual AMD sockets are cross-
compatible between them, choosing one is only defining the memory to use with (DDR2 or DDR3).
But old AM2 socket is not recommended as option to consider, since it’s soon discontinued and AM2
processors compatible with newer socket models.
Also chipset range has drastically widen, so the section is a white paper with the most relevant
advantages (and disadvantages) of every chipset that could be considered buying. Memory and
expansion slots and BIOS sections remain almost equal, so the conclusion of comparing both reviews
is that CPU (and consequently the socket) and main busses have been greatly improved to achieve
the best results, while standards like PCIe or DDR memory transfer remains almost equal as they
work fine by now.