what's the diff in buying a Mobo?

#1

I’ve built a few computers over the last decade but one thing that stumps me is how I know if the mobo is good enough.
I’ve seen mobos from $100 to $400 and I really don’t know the difference, outside of the basic stuff like what processor it uses, USB ports, and how much RAM it can take.
I assumed most the cost difference comes from the ability to tweak or overclocking (which I don’t plan on doing) or ram slots???
How much would you spend on a mobo for 3D machine? and what makes the difference?

#2

the idiom, “you get what you pay for” generally applies.

most cost differences are due to components used or new/innovative technology… also, every manufacturer has a random QC process… some check more frequently than others (maybe 15-20% check rate)… other are probably only checking start and end runs (some I question if they check at all).

#3

For single CPU consumer mobos it’s down to three things:
*Brand and what it carries (firmware, warranty, additional tools and brand price itself)
*Quality of the components relating to stability (cooling, layout, actual quality of the electrical parts)
*Overclocking capabilities (goes back to previous two points and amps it up a notch)

Q/C is a big part of it.

You can get very lucky with a relatively cheap mobo if you don’t care for overclocking and have a very good experience in terms of lack of glitches and excellent stability, but you can also get those tiny, nagging fluctuations that can lead to glitches.

Reputable brands will normally be a better than a coin-toss chance to have that experience compared to the cheaper models.

That is, of course, on top of the feature list baseline.

#4

so if I ignore all the overclocking options and bling and drop $150-$250 on a compatible, well know brand like Gigabyte or Asus I should be fine. thanks for your input !

#5

most often, yes… but just keep in mind, the QC checks are spot checks and not every single product gets examined for defects. so, you can still get a defective product, even from highly reputable manufacturers… but your chances are lower.

#6

This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.