There are many things to consider when purchasing a motherboard, including the size and features supported. These will all impact the price of a motherboard significantly.
I have been working with computers for more than eight years. This has given me experience using many kinds of motherboards, from laptops to desktops.
The size of a motherboard and the features you want will impact the price of a motherboard. Today we will discuss these, and then go over the usual pricing ranges for budget, mid-range and high-end motherboards.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- There are lots of factors in the pricing of motherboards.
- The number of features has a big impact on pricing.
- The size of the motherboard is important as well.
Size of Motherboard
There are several sizes of motherboards. Generally, the bigger the motherboard the more expensive it will be due to the extra materials needed to make them.
The sizes are given various names using the acronym ATX. The order from smallest to largest is Mini-ITX, MicroATX, ATX and EATX. ATX stands for Advanced Technology eXtended, and is a form factor created by Intel and adopted by the rest of the industry as well.
The only one that stands out is Mini-ITX, and this stands for Information Technology eXtended. This was a form factor created by VIA Technologies, and is used for very small motherboards that would go in very small computers.
However, the most expensive ones will be the ATX and EATX, as those are the largest. ATX is also the most common motherboard used in computer builds today.
Features
There are several features on a motherboard that can affect the price as well. Some of these include the PCIe slots, CPU socket type, ports, overclocking support and the design.
PCIe slots are what allow you to plug in a graphics card, and some motherboards have more than others. The more you have, the more expensive the motherboard will be. This is also true of the ports. There are many different kinds, and the more there are, the more expensive it is.
The CPU socket type also affects the price. A higher-end socket type will allow you to plug in more powerful processors, but is also more expensive to make. Along with the CPU, is overclocking support. Some motherboards have this built in, and will cost a little more.
Lastly, the design is a huge element of what makes up the price. Some motherboards come with RGB lighting, and special designs to make them look a certain way. This will increase the price as well.
Budget, Mid-Range and High-End Motherboards
There are 3 ranges of motherboards that are generally used. These are budget motherboards, mid-range motherboards, and high-end motherboards.
The budget motherboards are the cheapest, and will also have the least amount of features. These usually come in between $65-100 and won’t offer much support for specific ports or multiple PCIe slots. The design is usually also very bland.
Mid-range motherboards will come in around $100-250 and will offer good performance, pretty good support for various features, and can sometimes come with designs. These are good for someone who wants to build a good custom computer but not break their wallets.
High-end motherboards are the most expensive and offer the most. These will range from $250 and up. They offer many different features and lots of support for various things, as well as designs and sometimes RGB lighting.
FAQs
Here are some other questions you might want to check out as well, I’ll answer them quickly below.
How Much is a Motherboard for a Gaming PC?
A gaming PC can usually get away with a mid-range motherboard, so the pricing will usually be around $100-250. This is not a set number, however, and can sometimes be cheaper with sales or more expensive with more features.
How Much is a Motherboard for a Laptop?
While you can sometimes get a motherboard for a laptop, they usually do not sell them. This is because the motherboard is usually embedded with other components of the hardware making them difficult to replace.
What Size Motherboard Should I Get?
The size you need depends on the size you want your case to be. An ATX motherboard will need a bigger computer case than a Mini-ITX motherboard. This is important to consider when building a computer or upgrading your computer parts.
Wrapping Up
Overall, there are many things to consider when getting a motherboard and seeing its pricing. If any of the information in these articles helped you, leave a comment and let me know!
