A motherboard is a computer component whose purpose is to provide the electrical connections required for the operating system and application software of a computer. It is generally considered to be the central part of most modern computers, with many functions built into it. The motherboard’s main components are called integrated circuits (ICs), or chipsets, which perform all of its major tasks.
The gaming motherboard and the normal one are very close to each other in their characteristics, so what is the difference between them? The ASUS company told about it.
Gaming VS Normal Motherboard
All modern motherboards have 2 slots for DDR3 memory – each of them has 16 pins. Before we got used to seeing 4 or 8 such slots on the mainboards – those were called the DDR2 and DDR. These time slots for the new memory chips which are becoming more popular among gamers (DDR3) have only 16 pins, not 24 or 32 like their predecessors. There is no difference in this from one motherboard to another – even if it’s a gaming product.
The second notable feature is the absence of such a slot. For example, the ASUS P6X58D Premium motherboard is designed for dual-graphics cards – NVIDIA SLI and ATI Crossfire. It has only one PCI Express x16 slot and one PCI Express x4 slot for additional sound or network card installation.
Of course, you’ll see this feature on gaming motherboards more frequently, because gamers want to have the best possible graphics. But that’s not a rule – you can buy something as complex as ASUS Striker II Extreme and then find out there is only one 16x PCI Express x16 slot. And even with this fact, it will be considered to be an excellent gaming product.
The quality of components is also an important factor. The goal of every manufacturer is to produce the best and the most stable product – thus it’s better to use high-quality chips which are less prone to failure working under extreme conditions, as well as solid capacitors, soldering, and connectors with gold pins due to which the reliability and stability of work will increase.
And finally, the last difference between gaming and normal motherboards is the software package. It’s not always present, but it can be useful from time to time. For example, you can get the special drivers for your motherboard with ASUS Q-Design – that means you’ll manage to connect audio and Ethernet cards by switching some cables and pressing only one button on the front panel.
Gaming Motherboards
Gaming motherboards are designed primarily for gamers. They offer more than enough features to enable them to support up to 2 graphics cards without any hassles, and they come with a variety of ports that will ensure your gaming rig is well connected. A gaming motherboard can be used by a casual gamer or a professional gamer; the choice mainly depends on the type of games you usually play and the amount of money you have to spend on hardware.
In terms of performance, there aren’t many differences between standard motherboards and gaming motherboards. However, all gaming motherboards are equipped with peripherals such as memory slots, extra USB slots, and sound cards so that they don’t disappoint gamers who want a comprehensive system for playing their favorite games without incurring any hindrance.
Depending on your budget and gaming needs, you could choose between various brands that manufacture gaming motherboards. Some of the known brands are Asus, ASRock, Gigabyte, and MSI.
Although there is no single gaming motherboard brand that is considered best for all types of gamers, certain qualities of a good gaming motherboard can be drawn from people’s experiences with their products.
Gaming motherboards should at least have four DIMM slots for supporting high-end graphics cards. This will ensure smooth performance when playing games like Bad Company 2 or Call Of Duty Black Ops 2 High stability:
It is advisable to purchase a board that comes with advanced features as well as a strong cooling system. This will ensure the motherboard does not overheat when used for long hours at a time or during intense gameplay and graphics rendering. Advanced sound card: Having a good quality sound card is important since it will ensure your gaming experience remains high-quality without glitches in sound performance. USB slots: The number of USB ports on a gaming motherboard should ideally be between ten and twelve so that you can connect all your devices to the board without spending any additional money on connectors.
It is worth noting that, even though they come with advanced features, getting an affordable gaming motherboard depends mainly on how much you are willing to spend on it. However, if you are looking for something within a budget, read through reviews online before making your final decision.
Normal Motherboard
The normal motherboard is a physical artifact, often considered to be a part of the CPU. It may or may not possess all the properties of an actual motherboard, depending on your favorite model.
In some models it is real and has its own processor; in others, it provides no functionality whatsoever except as a gauge for monitoring CPU activity. It is often required by the CPU to function and may be used as somewhat of a “helping hand” when the CPU finds itself in adverse conditions such as C-137 or Big Blown Up Things. It is known that the normal motherboard can handle semi-baseless theories quite well. Some models are even programmed to respond with full protocols.
Most people are familiar with the normal motherboard, even if they have never seen it. This is because some models come with pre-installed software specifically for monitoring and interacting with the normal motherboard.
The most common versions include:
Hardware variations are just as numerous as software variations. Some models come equipped with a USB port on the back, whereas others are compatible with USB ports only if they are placed on the front.
Some models have a serial port that is utilized for inserting small disks into the motherboard, whereas others are exclusively attached to TV-out. In some rare cases, it is possible to purchase an external normal motherboard; however, often these must be installed internally and therefore make up for the most difficult type of installation.
In other cases, external normal motherboards are sold pre-installed on a small metal plaque, which is often attached to the computer case with screws and nuts. These models are thought to be rather difficult as well. Normal motherboards were first invented on November 19, 1987, by IBM in order to combat the growing popularity of the CPU.
Today, most CPUs have at least one normal motherboard installed, except for: