{"id":21951,"date":"2023-03-10T11:50:24","date_gmt":"2023-03-10T10:50:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/g100.us\/?p=21951"},"modified":"2023-03-10T20:41:09","modified_gmt":"2023-03-10T19:41:09","slug":"motherboard-chipset-and-impact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-chipset-and-impact\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Motherboard's Chipset and Why Does It Matter?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_39 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-66844815ebe9f\" class=\"cssicon\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-66844815ebe9f\" class=\"cssiconcheckbox\">1<\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-66844815ebe9f\" checked><nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 \"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-chipset-and-impact\/#What_is_a_Motherboards_Chipset\" title=\"What is a Motherboard\u2019s Chipset?\">What is a Motherboard\u2019s Chipset?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-chipset-and-impact\/#How_does_a_Motherboards_Chipset_impact_PC_features\" title=\"How does a Motherboard\u2019s Chipset impact PC features?\">How does a Motherboard\u2019s Chipset impact PC features?<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-chipset-and-impact\/#CPU_Overclocking\" title=\"CPU Overclocking\">CPU Overclocking<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-chipset-and-impact\/#Memory_Overclocking_Support\" title=\"Memory Overclocking Support\">Memory Overclocking Support<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-chipset-and-impact\/#PCI_Express_IO_Support\" title=\"PCI Express &amp; I\/O Support\">PCI Express &amp; I\/O Support<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-chipset-and-impact\/#How_does_a_Motherboards_Chipset_impact_PC_performance\" title=\"How does a Motherboard\u2019s Chipset impact PC performance?\">How does a Motherboard\u2019s Chipset impact PC performance?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-chipset-and-impact\/#How_else_does_a_Motherboard_impact_PC_performance\" title=\"How else does a Motherboard impact PC performance?\">How else does a Motherboard impact PC performance?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-chipset-and-impact\/#FAQ\" title=\"FAQ\">FAQ<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-chipset-and-impact\/#What_are_Motherboards_Made_Of\" title=\"What are Motherboards Made Of?\">What are Motherboards Made Of?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-chipset-and-impact\/#How_much_do_Motherboards_cost\" title=\"How much do Motherboards cost?\">How much do Motherboards cost?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-chipset-and-impact\/#What_does_ATX_stand_for_in_Motherboards\" title=\"What does ATX stand for in Motherboards?\">What does ATX stand for in Motherboards?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-chipset-and-impact\/#Over_to_You\" title=\"Over to You\">Over to You<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>What is a motherboard\u2019s chipset and what makes it so important?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Why should you, the end user, care about something as granular as a motherboard\u2019s <em>chipset<\/em> <strong>when components like thousand-dollar graphics cards exist<\/strong>?<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s dive in and find out!<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_a_Motherboards_Chipset\"><\/span>What is a Motherboard\u2019s Chipset?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>If you were to compare the anatomy of a PC to the anatomy of a human, the motherboard is essentially the \u201cspine\u201d of the PC to which everything else is connected<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s <em>just as important <\/em>as big-name components like the CPU (Central Processing Unit) or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), even if it doesn't have a visible performance impact.<\/p>\n<p>And one of the <em>more<\/em> impactful components of a motherboard will actually be that motherboard\u2019s <strong><em>chipset,<\/em><\/strong> which controls the communication between everything that's attached to it.<\/p>\n<p>Here's how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.intel.com\/content\/www\/us\/en\/gaming\/resources\/how-to-choose-a-motherboard.html#:~:text=The%20chipset%20is%20a%20silicon,connected%20storage%20and%20expansion%20devices.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Intel<\/a> defines a motherboard's chipset:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The chipset is <b>a silicon backbone integrated into the motherboard that works with specific CPU generations<\/b>. It relays communications between the CPU and the many connected storage and expansion devices.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Below's a graph of a modern Intel motherboard with a Z790 chipset and a 13th Gen Intel Core CPU.<\/p>\n<p>If you look at all the components (in blue), you'll notice a couple of things straightaway:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A few components like RAM, some PCIe slots, and a high-speed storage slot or two, can communicate directly with the CPU.<\/li>\n<li>The vast majority of connected devices need to go via the chipset to communicate with the CPU (using that single DMI link). Just look at how much is connected to the chipset (bottom)!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_21969\" style=\"width: 1496px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21969\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21969\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-Z790-Chipset-overview.jpg\" alt=\"Intel Z790 Chipset overview\" width=\"1496\" height=\"1447\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-Z790-Chipset-overview.jpg 1496w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-Z790-Chipset-overview-300x290.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-Z790-Chipset-overview-1024x990.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-Z790-Chipset-overview-768x743.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1496px) 100vw, 1496px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21969\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21969 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201496%201447%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Intel Z790 Chipset overview\" width=\"1496\" height=\"1447\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201496%201447%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1496w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1496px) 100vw, 1496px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-Z790-Chipset-overview.jpg 1496w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-Z790-Chipset-overview-300x290.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-Z790-Chipset-overview-1024x990.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-Z790-Chipset-overview-768x743.jpg 768w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-Z790-Chipset-overview.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-21969\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.intel.com\/content\/www\/us\/en\/products\/docs\/chipsets\/desktop-chipsets\/z790-chipset-brief.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Intel<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>In addition to letting your CPU communicate with a multitude of components, a motherboard chipset also often dictates compatible CPUs. In fact, the motherboard\u2019s<strong> chipset is the true determiner of out-of-box processor compatibility<\/strong>, as CPU sockets can be reused for future releases.<\/p>\n<p>Of course,<strong> BIOS updates<\/strong> can also add CPU compatibility after-the-fact. But a BIOS update cannot add functionality to a cheap chipset that bring it anywhere close to the capabilities of a high-end chipset.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_does_a_Motherboards_Chipset_impact_PC_features\"><\/span>How does a Motherboard\u2019s Chipset impact PC features?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While a motherboard\u2019s chipset handles a <em>lot<\/em> of things, you can <strong>generally<\/strong> break down Chipset differences into <strong>the following four categories: Overclockability, RAM Capacity, RAM Speed, and PCI Express + I\/O  Support.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21960\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Motherboard-Chipsets-Impact-on-PC-Performance.jpg\" alt=\"Motherboard Chipsets Impact on PC Performance\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Motherboard-Chipsets-Impact-on-PC-Performance.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Motherboard-Chipsets-Impact-on-PC-Performance-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Motherboard-Chipsets-Impact-on-PC-Performance-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Motherboard-Chipsets-Impact-on-PC-Performance-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Motherboard-Chipsets-Impact-on-PC-Performance-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21960 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Motherboard Chipsets Impact on PC Performance\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Motherboard-Chipsets-Impact-on-PC-Performance.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Motherboard-Chipsets-Impact-on-PC-Performance-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Motherboard-Chipsets-Impact-on-PC-Performance-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Motherboard-Chipsets-Impact-on-PC-Performance-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Motherboard-Chipsets-Impact-on-PC-Performance-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Motherboard-Chipsets-Impact-on-PC-Performance.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>Here's an overview of how different modern Intel chipsets compare:<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21967\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-z790-chipset-comparison.jpg\" alt=\"Intel z790 chipset comparison\" width=\"1278\" height=\"972\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-z790-chipset-comparison.jpg 1278w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-z790-chipset-comparison-300x228.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-z790-chipset-comparison-1024x779.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-z790-chipset-comparison-768x584.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1278px) 100vw, 1278px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21967 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201278%20972%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Intel z790 chipset comparison\" width=\"1278\" height=\"972\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201278%20972%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1278w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1278px) 100vw, 1278px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-z790-chipset-comparison.jpg 1278w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-z790-chipset-comparison-300x228.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-z790-chipset-comparison-1024x779.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-z790-chipset-comparison-768x584.jpg 768w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Intel-z790-chipset-comparison.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>As you can see, they can differ considerably in things like the amount of PCIe Lanes, USB, DMI (which dictates how fast the chipset can communicate with the CPU, very important!), and overclockability, or RAID capability.<\/p>\n<p>Each generation of motherboards though will have its own new and shiny tiers of chipsets, so be sure to dig into the specifics for the generation you're looking to buy.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CPU_Overclocking\"><\/span>CPU Overclocking<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Depending on your motherboard\u2019s chipset, your motherboard may or may not offer support for CPU overclocking. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>CPU overclocking, especially with the right cooling setup, is a way to manually increase your processor\u2019s performance. However, access to this feature is often restricted by Chipset (especially on Intel).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Other factors<\/strong> tie into CPU overclockability on the motherboard besides just the Chipset, though. <strong>For example, a motherboard\u2019s <em>VRMs, <\/em>and the general quality of the electronics built into it, have a high impact on a CPU's OC potential and stability. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The VRM, or the Voltage Regulator Module, is vital for controlling and \u201ccleaning\u201d power to the CPU in all scenarios, which means <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-vrm-guide\/\"><strong>higher quality VRMs are generally better suited for overclocking<\/strong><\/a><strong>. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That said, even though chipset tier doesn't really determine quality of components, manufacturers will generally use better materials and electrical components on products featuring top-tier chipsets (for example, Z790 on the Intel side and X670 on the AMD side).<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Memory_Overclocking_Support\"><\/span>Memory Overclocking Support<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Setting a memory clock higher than the current JEDEC standard (for example, DDR4-3200 for DDR4 memory) is basically memory overclocking. Any kits on shelves with speeds higher than this JEDEC spec require an &#8220;overclock&#8221; to get there.<\/p>\n<p>However, manufacturers often limit memory overclocking support on budget chipsets. In fact, until very recently, Intel disabled memory overclocks even on its mainstream B-series chipsets - forcing users to opt for a Z-series board instead.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"PCI_Express_IO_Support\"><\/span>PCI Express &amp; I\/O Support<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last but not least, the chipset also defines the maximum number of PCI Express lanes available to your motherboard manufacturer<\/strong>. How they choose to allocate these lanes, is dependent on the manufacturer, though.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_15375\" style=\"width: 2048px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15375\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15375\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/02\/PCIe-Slots-vs-PCIe-lanes.jpg\" alt=\"PCIe Slots vs PCIe lanes\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/02\/PCIe-Slots-vs-PCIe-lanes.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/02\/PCIe-Slots-vs-PCIe-lanes-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/02\/PCIe-Slots-vs-PCIe-lanes-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/02\/PCIe-Slots-vs-PCIe-lanes-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/02\/PCIe-Slots-vs-PCIe-lanes-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15375\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15375 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"PCIe Slots vs PCIe lanes\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/02\/PCIe-Slots-vs-PCIe-lanes.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/02\/PCIe-Slots-vs-PCIe-lanes-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/02\/PCIe-Slots-vs-PCIe-lanes-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/02\/PCIe-Slots-vs-PCIe-lanes-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/02\/PCIe-Slots-vs-PCIe-lanes-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/02\/PCIe-Slots-vs-PCIe-lanes.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-15375\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Even though the slot has a mechanical length of a x16 slot, the pins only reach up to x8 length.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>There\u2019s a lot of nuance to <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/guide-to-pcie-lanes\/\">breaking down the difference between PCI Express Lanes and PCI Express Slots<\/a>, but <strong>a chipset with more Lanes is better<\/strong>, <em>especially<\/em> if you\u2019re using multiple high-speed GPUs or NVMe drives.<\/p>\n<p>How PCIe Lanes are used and provided by the chipset will also determine what kind of I\/O your PC can use, whether its additional USB ports, multiple LAN ports, 10G LAN, Thunderbolt, you name it. All of this is routed and managed through the motherboard's chipset.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_does_a_Motherboards_Chipset_impact_PC_performance\"><\/span>How does a Motherboard\u2019s Chipset impact PC performance?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>How can you actually expect a motherboard chipset to impact your PC\u2019s performance?<\/p>\n<p>Well, the chipset by itself isn\u2019t going to have very much performance impact on its own, but <strong>the features granted to your PC by your chipset (CPU overclocking, added PCIe-Lanes through the chipset, etc.) can have a <em>huge<\/em> performance impact<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t expect the motherboard chipset <em>by itself<\/em> to really have an impact on your PC\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The PCI Express Lanes, overclocking capabilities, and limits applied to your chipset <em>will<\/em> apply to the rest of your PC, though!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Always make sure that you\u2019re buying a motherboard with a chipset actually suited to what you\u2019ll be doing with your system<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>If you <em>aren\u2019t<\/em> going to be overclocking or running high-end storage devices at all, for example, going with entry-level motherboards featuring cheaper chipsets can save you some money.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If your system is geared towards high-end productivity and you want to run multiple GPUs, use several high-speed USB connectors, or want something like RAID capability, your choice of motherboard and chipset should reflect that.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On the Intel side of things, only their highest-end chipset even supports CPU overclocking, which helps streamline your choices. With AMD, <em>most<\/em> of their chipsets support CPU overclocking immediately, but you\u2019ll still gain access to things like more I\/O and premium features on the top-tier X-series chipsets.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_else_does_a_Motherboard_impact_PC_performance\"><\/span>How else does a Motherboard impact PC performance?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Well, that was most of it!<\/p>\n<p><strong>A motherboard\u2019s assigned chipset will tell you <em>most<\/em> of what you need to know about how <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-affect-performance\/\"><strong>your performance will be impacted<\/strong><\/a><strong>, but it does not necessarily tell the entire story<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The rest of your motherboard\u2019s specifications are fairly important, too, but largely speak for themselves- so what else could I be talking about?<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-13453\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2017\/03\/Thermal-Solutions-of-overclocking-friendly-motherboards.jpg\" alt=\"Thermal Solutions of overclocking friendly motherboards\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2017\/03\/Thermal-Solutions-of-overclocking-friendly-motherboards.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2017\/03\/Thermal-Solutions-of-overclocking-friendly-motherboards-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2017\/03\/Thermal-Solutions-of-overclocking-friendly-motherboards-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2017\/03\/Thermal-Solutions-of-overclocking-friendly-motherboards-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2017\/03\/Thermal-Solutions-of-overclocking-friendly-motherboards-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-13453 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Thermal Solutions of overclocking friendly motherboards\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2017\/03\/Thermal-Solutions-of-overclocking-friendly-motherboards.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2017\/03\/Thermal-Solutions-of-overclocking-friendly-motherboards-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2017\/03\/Thermal-Solutions-of-overclocking-friendly-motherboards-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2017\/03\/Thermal-Solutions-of-overclocking-friendly-motherboards-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2017\/03\/Thermal-Solutions-of-overclocking-friendly-motherboards-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2017\/03\/Thermal-Solutions-of-overclocking-friendly-motherboards.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>VRMs and build quality<\/strong>, baby! A motherboard\u2019s VRM, or Voltage Regulator Module, is composed of multiple \u201cPhases\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21961\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-VRM.jpg\" alt=\"Components of a VRM\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-VRM.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-VRM-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-VRM-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-VRM-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-VRM-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21961 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Components of a VRM\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-VRM.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-VRM-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-VRM-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-VRM-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-VRM-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-VRM.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>The quality of <strong>your motherboard\u2019s VRM will determine the stability and quality of its power delivery to your CPU<\/strong>, which is one of the most important components in your whole system.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If you\u2019re looking to overclock or are using a high-end CPU with high Boost clocks, it\u2019s very important to make sure that <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-vrm-guide\/\"><strong>your motherboard\u2019s VRM<\/strong><\/a><strong> is up to the task.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_Motherboards_Made_Of\"><\/span>What are Motherboards Made Of?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Mainly fiberglass and copper<\/strong>, if we\u2019re being reductive and referring only to raw materials. There are many more <em>components<\/em> of a motherboard to speak of, though.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21962\" style=\"width: 2166px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21962\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21962\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-Motherboard.jpg\" alt=\"Components of a Motherboard\" width=\"2166\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-Motherboard.jpg 2166w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-Motherboard-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-Motherboard-1024x511.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-Motherboard-768x383.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-Motherboard-1536x766.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-Motherboard-2048x1021.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2166px) 100vw, 2166px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21962\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21962 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202166%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Components of a Motherboard\" width=\"2166\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202166%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2166w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2166px) 100vw, 2166px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-Motherboard.jpg 2166w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-Motherboard-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-Motherboard-1024x511.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-Motherboard-768x383.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-Motherboard-1536x766.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-Motherboard-2048x1021.jpg 2048w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/03\/Components-of-a-Motherboard.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-21962\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.asrock.com\/mb\/Intel\/Z590%20OC%20Formula\/index.html#Overview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ASRock<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Throughout this article, we\u2019ve been focused on just one component of the motherboard: the chipset.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Like most components of a motherboard, the chipset has an important and irreplaceable job that needs to be done for the whole system to function<\/strong>, even if the end-user isn\u2019t aware of that chipset at <em>all<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Interested in learning a little more about what other components motherboards are made of and how motherboards are assembled? <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-are-motherboards-made-of\/\"><strong>Peruse the extended guide<\/strong><\/a>, especially if you\u2019re trying to narrow down all the nameable components of your PC.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_much_do_Motherboards_cost\"><\/span>How much do Motherboards cost?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The answer to this question <em>very much depends on the motherboard<\/em>, as motherboards can start fairly cheap ($60 or under), but high-end and enthusiast boards climb into the hundreds and, on <em>rare<\/em> occasions, thousand(s) of dollars<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Fortunately for you, the inquisitive reader, I\u2019ve already written <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/how-much-is-a-motherboard\/\"><strong>an extended guide on how much motherboards cost<\/strong><\/a> and what makes the motherboard pricing tiers different. <strong>Consider that guide if you want to know more about the \u201cpricing\u201d side of things.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_does_ATX_stand_for_in_Motherboards\"><\/span>What does ATX stand for in Motherboards?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21809\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison.jpg\" alt=\"PC Case Size Comparison\" width=\"2048\" height=\"2048\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-1536x1536.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21809 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%202048%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"PC Case Size Comparison\" width=\"2048\" height=\"2048\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%202048%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-1536x1536.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>ATX stands for \u201cAdvanced Technology eXtended\u201d, and refers to the \u201cstandard\u201d form factor used by most PC motherboards and cases<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>An ATX motherboard will require a case with support for ATX or larger Extended ATX boards in order to be installed, for example.<\/p>\n<p>For more on the ATX form factor, related form factors, and how these things impact motherboards, <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/atx-stand-for-in-motherboard\/\">consider the extended guide<\/a>!<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Over_to_You\"><\/span>Over to You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>And that\u2019s it! <\/strong>I hope this article helped teach you a thing or two about motherboard chipsets and how important they can actually be when picking out your PC build.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>I tried to write this article to be as \u201cEvergreen\u201d as possible, so I don\u2019t have any specific board or chipset recommendations, but feel free to ask for help with these things in the <a href=\"#comments\">comments<\/a> section below! Me or another member of the G100 Team will be happy to help you out.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Alternatively in the comments section, you can also sign up for the <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/forum\/\">G100 Forums<\/a>. Our expert team and enthusiast community is plenty active, and the forums should be a good place to get feedback or tips on your current PC project.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Until then or until next time, have a good one! And remember: if you wanna overclock, make sure your chipset supports it...and that your VRM is up for the task.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is a motherboard\u2019s chipset and what makes it so important? Why should you, the end user, care about something as granular as a motherboard\u2019s chipset when components like thousand-dollar graphics cards exist? Let\u2019s dive in and find out! What is a Motherboard\u2019s Chipset? If you were to compare the anatomy of a PC to...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2339,"featured_media":21952,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[74],"tags":[119],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21951"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2339"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21951"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21951\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21972,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21951\/revisions\/21972"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21952"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21951"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21951"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21951"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}