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When you’re designing and building your PC, you’d know that the motherboard plays a crucial part as the skeleton of the whole project. You need one that is built well and offers a stable platform since all your essential units will be attached to it.
AM3+ motherboards are generally less expensive than newer motherboards like the AM4. However, that doesn’t mean you only have cheap and unimpressive choices to choose from.
In this detailed guide, we’ve narrowed down the best AM3+ motherboards that will give you the best value for your money and still offer great quality.
The Gigabyte GA-78LMT micro motherboard is the most impressive among our selection. It has all the features you need if you’re a gaming buff and can use it for both smaller and larger PCs.
If you have enough of dealing with slow computers as you use it for games, designing, or listening to music, then you will definitely appreciate this motherboard for improving your computer’s performance.
This motherboard features a 4+1 phase power design for 125 W CPUs and 4 RAM slots that supports 2133 MHz speed. It also has multiple display ports for HDMI, D-Sub, and DVI, and comes with a hybrid EFI technology plus Gigabyte DualBIOS.
Another advantage is that it comes with an ATI Radeon HD 3000 graphics card which means you won’t need to purchase one.
Pros
Cons
The ASUS M5A78L-M Plus motherboard has a slick design, incredible performance supported by an energy saving mode for a low cost.
This ASUS motherboard emits 50% less radiation than other motherboards to protect you from the hazards that come with technology, and has a core unlocker to allow you to take full advantage of the performance.
It also has 4 memory slots and a 32 GB sized RAM with an ATX form factor.
Pros
Cons
The MSI 970 motherboard is excellent for gaming thanks to its neat design, high quality audio, and incredible performance. You’ll even be able to leave your computer running for 24 hours straight without an issue.
This motherboard is designed to dissipate the heat and prevent your computer from overheating. It’s equipped with USB 3.0 and SATA 6 Gb/s plus 4 RAM slots, and can run at 2133 MHz.
The MSI 970 has a memory of 32 GB and is primed with audio boost for an immersive sound experience.
Pros
Cons
The ASRock motherboard is a good affordable replacement if you’re facing issues with your original motherboard. Like other models, it’s compact and great for gaming.
It supports CPU up to 125 W and AMD overdrive with Advanced Clock Calibration. It has a variety of other support features including Hyper-Transport 3.0 plus 3 slots and 4 SATA 2 ports.
It also has an integrated AMD Radeon 3000 Graphics with 1GB of maximum shared memory, and Realtek ALC887 with high audio definition.
Pros
Cons
This ASUS motherboard has a great combination of design and features for powerful gaming performance.
This motherboard’s form factor is ATX and has 4 memory slots plus 10 SATA ports and 6 PCI slots. It has a maximum RAM memory of 32GB and SupremeFX III which is excellent for your gaming experience.
The 4 RAM slots can run at 2400 MHz which is decent for DDR3 memory but not great compared to new standards. Additionally, you’ll find support for Native BIOS and a Fast Boot feature.
Pros
Cons
You will either love or hate this motherboard for your computing needs. It’s decent but has not outperformed the other ones on this list.
The ASRock ATX DDR3 1600 motherboard has various features including 4x DDR3 memory and 46GB capacity. You will find 2 PCI express and 2 PCI slots, 12 USB 2.0 ports, 6 SATA3 ports and is embedded with the ATX form factor.
Pros
Cons
Make sure to find a motherboard that has a socket compatible with your processor, otherwise it won’t be of any use. There are multiple brands available on the market for you to choose from so pay particular attention to sockets before you purchase anything.
There are three sizes available for you to choose from: ATX, Micro-ATX, and MINI-ITX. The size that you choose depends on what you need it for. It all comes down to the space that you need for add-ons, plugs, and expansion slots.
Like any other product, motherboards range in price. You’ll find on average fifty dollar boards, but as you start looking for more features, the more the cost will go up. However, that also comes with your knowledge of what these motherboards can do.
Some of them have sleeker designs which also drive the price up. Assess what features you need and the type of performance that you want before making a purchase, because that’s what will define your overall gaming experience in the end.
High-end ports and built-in Wi-Fi are one of these features that you may or may not feel is necessary. These all come at a price, so if you’re using a wired connection, stick to it.
Instead focus on upgrading your PC with Thunderbolt 3 support or other enhancing features that are useful to improve your experience,
When it comes to building your PC, the motherboard is not something you’d want to take lightly. Take the time to do your research and get the right one that’s suited to your needs. The motherboards that have made it to our list right here will be able to serve any gaming enthusiast or developer well.
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