Part of the process of building a PC or choosing a pre-built PC is selecting a motherboard that fits your needs. This buying guide will help you do just that.
Knowing what to look for when choosing a motherboard is fairly straightforward, even if it seems complicated. You just need to know which features matter most to you whether you want the best motherboard for gaming, creative work or general productivity. Some of the technical terms used in motherboard specifications can be hard to understand, but once you know what you need, your options are simplified.
Whilst most specifications tend to focus on the processor, memory and graphics card, the motherboard is in fact the best place to start. With every component being connected to the motherboard, compatibility and features are key. This guide will help you understand what a motherboard is and does, choose a model that meets your needs, and answer the important questions you may have before purchase.
In all PCs, the motherboard is an essential core piece of technology that allows you to connect components such as graphics cards, memory, storage etc. to the power supply. Importantly, these components are then linked to the processor (CPU) via the motherboard, enabling you to do everything from play games to opening a spreadsheet on last year's finances.
The motherboard is programmed with firmware known as UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) or BIOS (Basic Input/Output System), accessed during PC startup, which is the core software that controls the functions of each component, and also enables them to interface with the operating system (OS).
Most components communicate with each other via the CPU, and this is facilitated by the motherboard through "buses", which are circuits on the board itself. Both AMD and Intel have specific requirements for the type of processor that can be used with their range of motherboards, which we'll discuss further on.
As PC enthusiasts and gamers demand more from their specifications, motherboard vendors like ASUS, MSI and ASRock have been at the cutting edge of making it all work together, connect seamlessly, and deliver performance at the bleeding edge of PC technology. Whilst a lot of focus is on what the new processors can do, the leaps in technology that allow faster communication are the main advances made in the last ten years.
Gamers form a huge proportion of PC ownership, and motherboard vendors have worked extremely hard to ensure the latest graphics technologies are able to communicate with the processor at the fastest speeds. PCIe or PCI-E (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) represents some of the most significant changes in PC gaming. With the latest generation PCIe Gen 5.0, graphics cards and storage devices can communicate with the CPU at lightning fast speeds, elevating gaming performance to the highest possible levels.
The combination of next gen graphics cards, motherboard connectivity and overall architecture refinement results in the best experiences for the end user. In essence, without the technology leaps in motherboard technology, advancements in components are stalled.
The first thing you need to check is what size case you currently have. If you are replacing your current motherboard, then you will definitely need to ensure your new motherboard fits the case. If you have an ATX case, you will also be able to use smaller motherboard sizes. If you only have a Mini-ITX case, you won't be able to fit an ATX motherboard in it. To see what size case you have, look it up online. You will then be able to see what size motherboards it accepts.
To check your motherboard model, simply open Run dialog using Windows + R. Type msinfo32 and press Enter. You will now see the Windows System Information overview. Your motherboard info will be specified as Baseboard Manufacturer, BaseBoard Product, and BaseBoard Version. This information is useful to see what size your board is and its current features.
There are three most common motherboard sizes or form factors. ATX, Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX. There are others, but these three are the most supported motherboard . These form factors affect the size and footprint of your case and the type of connectivity and number of available expansion slots you have available.
If you want a PC case with a smaller footprint, this will limit the number of expansion slots (PCIe) you have. An ATX board will usually have 7x expansion slots, Micro-ATX (mATX) will have 4x slots and a Mini-ITX (ITX) case will have just one. There is some real compromise in the mATX size, and manufacturers have tried to keep as much functionality and features in this size to get the best of both worlds for PC builders - smaller footprint with a good amount of features and expansion. With smaller cases, however, heat management and airflow is a primary concern - so you need to spend extra in this department.
CCL recommendation: ATX or mATX
Some ATX cases offer cavernous space for components, where mATX is a more compact approach. The difference is you need rock solid heat displacement, good airflow and expansion capabilities are limited in mATX.
If you're shopping for a new motherboard and want cutting-edge tech balanced with long-term value, AMD now takes the lead. The AM5 platform—supporting the latest Ryzen 7000, 8000 and 9000-series processors—offers full PCIe 5.0 support, DDR5 memory, and promises long-term socket support, a key strength of AMD's past AM4 era. Despite a slower start, AM5 motherboards have matured significantly, with B650 and X670 boards now competitively priced.
On the Intel side, LGA 1851 motherboards are the latest offering, designed to support the Arrow Lake CPUs. While LGA 1700 (Alder Lake and Raptor Lake) boards are still widely available and affordable, they're now at the end of their upgrade path, as Intel is moving to a new socket and architecture. Ultimately, your motherboard choice hinges on the processor you plan to use. Both AMD and Intel platforms offer feature-rich boards across all price points. In terms of raw performance, Intel’s Raptor Lake CPUs remain extremely capable, but AMD's Zen 4 CPUs on AM5—especially with continued optimisations and newer 3D V-Cache models—offer excellent gaming and productivity performance with strong future-proofing.
CCL recommendation: AMD Socket AM5
With forward-looking platform support, excellent performance, and improving value, AM5 is now the recommended socket. Paired with Ryzen 7000 or newer CPUs, it offers a solid foundation for gaming, content creation, and beyond—making it the best long-term investment for most users today.
Choosing a motherboard is the same process as any other component in your PC, in that you will select it based on what you will use your PC for. That said, no two PC users are the same. Everyone uses a PC in their own way, and specific requirements from the hardware - whether that is WiFi 7 connectivity or the ability to overclock. Gamers, designers, audio engineers and Photoshop artists all have different needs, so the motherboard is the perfect place to start when selecting features.
Of course, it can get a little complicated if you are trying to balance a smaller budget against needing certain high end features, but there are workarounds. PCIe and third party USB-C adaptors can turn a mid-range motherboard into a full functioning high end creator PC, for instance. So, don't worry if you can't spend £600 on a motherboard that has support for the latest tech. It might just mean you need to buy and extra component, and "bolt it on" as it were.
So, how do you choose a motherboard?
It would be very easy to say "start with budget", but that's not the case. It's all well and good choosing a motherboard under £100, but what if you need to add a Thunderbolt adaptor for transferring large files quickly - and the motherboard won't support it? Or, if you're a simulation gamer, then USB slots are going to be important, so you can attach your gear to your PC when playing driving or flight sims. If you're into editing audio, chances are you'll want good sound output and plenty of I/O ports to attach speakers, mics and other auxiliary devices. So, as you can see, it gets a little complex to give a "one size fits all" answer.
We can, however, split this choice into two options - gaming and creative. The features of most motherboards align with these types of users, and advanced specifications really only matter to those who need a workstation rather than a gaming rig.
CPU - If you’re just playing games, multitasking might not be a concern—unless you’re planning to stream or record your gameplay. This is where modern CPUs with high efficiency and smart cache usage shine. AMD’s latest 7000 and 8000-series processors, especially the X3D variants, are currently at the top of the gaming stack. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D and Ryzen 9 9950X3D lead the pack with superb framerates and excellent latency performance.
Intel’s latest generation of processors on the LGA 1851 socket (Arrow Lake) are strong contenders and particularly capable in multitasking, creative workloads, and AI-driven tasks. However, when it comes to raw gaming performance, AMD’s 3D V-Cache models still hold the edge—especially the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and 7800X3D, which consistently outperform even Intel’s top chips in gaming benchmarks.
Lower down the ladder, Ryzen 5000-series AM4 processors (like the 5600X and 5700X3D) remain solid budget options for gaming, particularly when paired with an affordable GPU. Intel’s 12th-Gen CPUs such as the Core i5 12400F are still excellent budget choices, though AM5 provides more futureproofing.
Overclocking - Gamers have long loved to push their hardware, and overclocking is now easier than ever. Both Intel and AMD support overclocking through modern UEFIs and Windows-based tuning utilities. AI-assisted tuning allows users to quickly and safely overclock with minimal risk. XMP (Intel) and EXPO (AMD) memory profiles allow for fast and simple RAM overclocking. While Intel still holds the crown for manual overclocking potential with their unlocked “K” CPUs, AMD’s 3D V-Cache processors deliver peak performance right out of the box—no tweaks needed.
RAM - For modern gaming, 16GB is still the baseline, with 32GB being the sweet spot for multitaskers or streamers. Anything beyond 64GB usually indicates heavy creative workloads or VM use. For AM5 and LGA 1851 systems, DDR5 is the new standard—aim for 5200MHz or faster, with 6000MHz sweet-spot kits available for gamers.
Storage - To keep your load times fast, a high-speed NVMe SSD is now essential for modern gaming titles. Many motherboards now support multiple NVMe drives. Pair your SSD with a larger SATA HDD for bulk game library storage. Moving titles between SSD and HDD depending on usage is still a good way to manage performance. For best speeds, ensure your motherboard supports PCIe Gen 4 or Gen 5 NVMe SSDs.
Connectivity - If you’re into simulation games—flight sims, racing, or VR—you’ll need multiple USB 3.2 ports for all your accessories. Most modern motherboards now offer both USB-A and USB-C, with transfer rates up to 20Gbps. PCIe Gen 5 support is also becoming common, especially in newer AM5 and Intel 1851 boards, ensuring compatibility with the latest GPUs.
WiFi - If you’re not using Ethernet, you’ll benefit from motherboards with WiFi 6E or even WiFi 7 support. WiFi 6E offers up to 9.6 Gbps, while WiFi 7 can push beyond 40 Gbps—great for high-bandwidth usage if you’ve got a compatible router.
RGB - For those who want their PC to look as good as it runs, RGB is still a key feature. Most motherboards now support full RGB control through UEFI or Windows software, allowing control of RGB RAM, fans, strips, and other components.
CPU - Your choice of CPU will be very important as a creator. If you use Blender, Premiere Pro, After Effects, or any other intensive software, you’ll want excellent multi-core performance and reliability. That now comes in the form of Ryzen 9000-series AM5 processors and Intel’s Core Ultra (Arrow Lake) on Socket 1851. Both ranges are highly capable of handling complex workflows, with AMD’s 3D V-Cache CPUs like the Ryzen 9 9950X3D standing out in rendering tasks and project load times. Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285K is a powerhouse for video editing and heavy multitasking, and both platforms now support the latest standards in RAM, storage, and connectivity.
Overclocking - Overclocking isn’t usually the first consideration for creative PCs, but it remains a useful way to push performance when rendering or exporting large files. UEFI interfaces and software tools make it easy to access CPU and RAM overclocking. RAM tuning through XMP (Intel) or EXPO (AMD) can significantly improve memory bandwidth and system responsiveness, which is helpful in large-scale projects.
RAM - For creative work, more RAM equals better performance—particularly in applications like Adobe After Effects, Cinema 4D, and DaVinci Resolve. 32GB is ideal for most professional creatives. For 4K–8K footage, 10-bit colour editing, or multi-layer compositions, consider 64GB or even 128GB. With AM5 and Intel 1851 platforms, DDR5 RAM is now the standard, and 5200–6000MHz+ memory speeds are recommended for best results.
Storage - Large file sizes are a given when working with high-res video, RAW images, or project archives. You’ll want a fast NVMe SSD for current projects and OS, and large SATA HDDs or secondary SSDs for archival storage. Most modern motherboards support multiple M.2 NVMe slots, including Gen 4 and Gen 5 drives for peak transfer rates.
Connectivity - Creators typically use a wide range of USB peripherals—from drawing tablets to audio gear. Ensure your motherboard has plenty of USB 3.2 ports and at least one or two USB-C. For rapid external drive access or working with client files, Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 support is a huge plus. While not all boards include it by default, many now offer headers or compatibility with PCIe Thunderbolt expansion cards.
Yes. We offer various finance options, with flexible payments depending on the price of the motherboard.
