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DISCOUNT MOTHERBOARDS BUYING GUIDE
Also known as: Mainboard
/ System board / Logic board / Baseboard / Planar board
I'll start with the one that is called motherboard. Motherboard is the
backbone of your computer. It connects all the computer parts or
components together. The computer parts (input and output) include
mouse, video card, printer, monitor, keyboard, sound card, speakers,
modem, etc. The motherboard allows these computer parts to communicate
with one another.
Choose a CPU First
First and foremost, you need to choose a CPU,
unless you already have one. The reason is because the CPU determines
which motherboard you can use.
Make sure
the motherboard you are choosing supports your CPU !
Integrated and
Non-Integrated Motherboard
Are you aware that there are 2 types of motherboards? One is integrated
and the other is non-integrated. Here are the differences:
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Types of Motherboards |
Pros and Cons of Motherboard |
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Integrated
Motherboard / On-board / Built-in |
Some
integrated motherboards have sound, video, and network features
built-in. However, you can still add-on similar-function add-in
cards should you want to upgrade later.
Pros:
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It is
cheaper than buying a non-integrated motherboard.
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It frees
up some space, which reduces heat in the system.
Con:
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If the
motherboard is spoilt (which is rare), the built-in features
would be useless too!
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Non-Integrated Motherboard |
A
non-integrated motherboard is a bare motherboard that needs
other add-in cards to expand its functions.
Pro:
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You can
customize it based on your own needs.
Con:
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It is
costlier, since you need to buy the add-in cards
separately.
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FSB (Front Side Bus)
Another factor that you need to consider is FSB. FSB is the measurement
of how fast the CPU (Central Processing Unit) can communicate with the
components on the motherboard. Examples of FSB frequencies are 333 MHz,
400 MHz, and 533 MHz.
Other Considerations
These on-board features can be found on some motherboards:
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10/100 Mbps RJ-45
Ethernet LAN Port: It allows you to connect to other computers or
networks using RJ-45 cable.
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USB 2.0:
Supports reading up to 4 MB/sec; Writing up to 3 MB/sec
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Type and Number
of ports: Before you buy a motherboard, ensure that it has the type
of ports and the sufficient quantity (1 or 2) especially newer ports
like USB and FireWire. However, you can still add-on a USB or
FireWire card in the future should your needs arise.
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