Computers | Motherboards | Processors | Memory | Hard-disks | Graphics cards | Monitors

 

Motherboards
Many companies make motherboards, and most will make them for both Intel and AMD chips. There are different ranges of processors from both companies and you need the right motherboard for the right processor, you can not 'mix and match'.
The motherbooard is the 'hub' of the computer, the place that connects the other components and houses the Central Processing Unit (CPU). It will have slots to plug in hard disks, optical drives, Random Access Memory (RAM) and other add on cards. It has built on to it ports for Universal Serial Bus (USB), PS2 - mice / keyboard, usually network, sound and often graphics.
Different companies make chips for sound, network etc. This means that your motherboard will have a combination of chip sets from different companies regardless of it being 'made' by Apple, Dell, Asus or any other manufacturer.

In this example from an MSI motherboard, the graphics, IDE and SATA are controled by Nvdia chip sets the sound and network by Realtek chip sets

CPU
Support socket AM2 for AMD Athlon 64/Athlon 64X2 CPU / AM2+
for AMD Phenom CPU / AM3 for AMD Phenom II / Athlon II CPU

Hyper Transport Bus
HyperTransport 1.0 supporting speed up to 1000MT/s

Chipset
NVIDIA MCP61P (6150SE)

Main Memory
Supports Dual Channel DDR2 667/800
2 DDR2 DIMMs (240pin / 1.8V)
Supports a maximum memory size up to 8GB.

Slots
One PCI Express 1.0 x16 slot.
One PCI Express 1.0 x1 slot.
Two PCI slots (support 3.3v/5v PCI bus interface).

On-Board IDE
One IDE port by NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE
Supports Ultra DMA 66/100/133 mode
Supports PIO, Bus Master operation mode
Can connect up to two IDE devices

On-Board SATA
Two SATA II ports by NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE
Supports storage and data transfers at up to 3Gb/s

RAID Function
SATA II 1~2 supports RAID 0, 1 mode by NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE

Audio
Chipset integrated by Realtek ALC888S
Flexible 8-channel audio with jack sensing
Compliant with Azalia 1.0 Spec

LAN
Supports 10/100 Fast Ethernet by Realtek 8201EL

Internal I/O Connectors
ATX 24-pin power connector
4-pin ATX 12V power connector
CPU x1 / System x1 FAN connectors
CD-in connector
1 x Floppy disk drive connector
4 x SATA II connectors
1 x ATA133 connectors
2 x USB 2.0 connector support additional 4 ports
SPDIF-Out connector
Front panel connector
Front panel audio connector
Chassis intrusion switch connector
Clear CMOS Jumper
1 x TPM connector

Back Panel I/O Ports
1 x PS/2 Keyboard
1 x PS/2 Mouse
1 x Serial port
1 x VGA port
1 x 3 in 1 audio jack
4 x USB 2.0
1 x RJ45 LAN Jack

 


In choosing the motherboard I select the processor that I wish to run, then look at the motherboards that will support that processor. Check that it will hold the amount of RAM that you want to use and if you wish to use the on board graphics, that it is a chip you like.