Collection: Motherboards

Which motherboard do you actually need?

Most PC builders get better results by picking the motherboard around the CPU and the features they will actually use, rather than buying the most expensive board their budget allows. A motherboard is the platform. It decides how your CPU is powered, how many drives you can run, how fast your GPU slot is, and how painful upgrades will be later.

Entry boards (AMD A620, Intel H810) use simpler VRMs, often with fewer power stages and small, thin heatsinks. They are fine for a 6 or 8 core chip at stock, but under sustained all-core loads the power stages run hotter and the board can throttle. They usually have two M.2 slots, limited rear I/O, and restricted memory overclocking.

The sweet spot is B850 for AMD and B860 for Intel. Here you typically get VRMs with 12 to 16 or more power stages at 60A to 80A, chunkier aluminium heatsinks, a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot on most AMD boards, and decent networking. This tier handles a Ryzen 7 or Core Ultra 7 flat out for hours without drama.

Enthusiast boards (X870E, Z890) add 80A to 110A power stages, thicker heatsinks with heatpipes, more PCIe 5.0 lanes, USB4 or Thunderbolt, and 5GbE or faster networking. The catch is diminishing returns. A better VRM won't add frame rates unless you're overclocking or running a flagship chip with heavy multi-core loads. You're paying for lane flexibility and I/O, not speed.

Upgrading and technical nuances

Platform generation matters more than chipset names. AM5 is DDR5 only and has had broad CPU support across multiple Ryzen generations, so a B850 board bought today often takes a future drop-in CPU upgrade. LGA1851 for Core Ultra 200S is the other active socket. Check the manufacturer's CPU support list, and be aware that an older board may need a BIOS update before a newer chip will boot. Many boards offer USB BIOS Flashback, which lets you update without a CPU installed, and it's worth paying a little extra for.

Lane layout is where cheaper boards trip people up. A board might have three M.2 slots, but populating one can disable SATA ports or drop a slot to a lower speed because they share lanes. On B650 and B860 the chipset link is narrower than on top-tier boards, so heavy simultaneous use of several fast drives and USB devices can bottleneck. For most gaming and creative builds, one fast NVMe on CPU lanes plus a secondary drive is plenty. Look at the Solid State Drives (SSD) range and match the drive to the slot. A PCIe 4.0 drive like a Samsung 990 Pro or Crucial T500 is much easier to cool than a PCIe 5.0 drive, and in games the difference is negligible.

Memory is worth thinking about. Four-DIMM boards give you more upgrade flexibility, but two-DIMM boards (often marketed as better for overclocking) have shorter trace paths and can hit higher stable speeds. On AM5, sweet-spot DDR5 sits around 6000 MT/s with low CL, while Intel is more tolerant of higher speeds. Browse Desktop Memory for kits like Corsair Vengeance, Kingston Fury or G.Skill Ripjaws, and check the board's QVL list if you want to run a 64GB or higher kit at rated speed.

Benchmark series to look for: ASUS Prime and TUF Gaming for dependable mainstream boards, MSI Pro and MAG Tomahawk for strong VRMs at sensible prices, Gigabyte B850 Gaming X and AORUS Elite for good all-rounders, and ASRock Pro RS or Steel Legend for value. At the top end, look at ROG Strix, MSI MPG, AORUS Master and ASRock Taichi.

Practical things to check before buying

Form factor first. ATX gives you the most slots and the best spacing. Micro-ATX is cheaper and fits smaller Computer Cases, but you lose expansion slots. Mini-ITX packs everything into a tiny footprint, which means compact VRMs, one PCIe slot and usually a price premium. Confirm your case supports the board and has the right standoffs.

Cooler clearance is another common trap. Large air coolers like the Thermalright Peerless Assassin can overhang the first RAM slot or sit tight against tall heatsinks, so check the specs. If you prefer liquid, a 240mm or 360mm AIO such as the Arctic Liquid Freezer needs radiator space and a header that can supply the pump. Have a look at CPU Cooling and Fans, Heatsinks & Cooling for compatible options.

Power connectors matter. Most boards need a 24-pin plus one or two 8-pin CPU connectors, and some high-end boards want two 8-pin or an 8+4 pin combo. Make sure your Power Supplies unit has enough CPU leads, and if you are running a modern high-end card, an ATX 3.x unit with a native 12V-2x6 connector avoids adaptor headaches. The ATX Power Supply range covers this. Units such as Seasonic Focus and Corsair RMx are solid benchmarks. Check Cables & Connectors if you need extensions or adaptors.

For GPUs, check slot spacing. Big cards are 3 to 4 slots thick and can block M.2 slots under the PCIe slot, which makes it hard to swap drives later. Our Graphics Cards / GPU range lists card dimensions. Also check front-panel headers: USB-C front panel ports need a specific header, and some cases require it.

Finally, check networking and display. Onboard Wi-Fi 7 and 2.5GbE are standard on mid-range boards. If you have a fast home network, see Networking, Wired Networking and TP-Link. If you plan to use integrated graphics, make sure the rear I/O has video outputs for your Monitors.

Brands and local warranty

ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte and ASRock are the main names for good reason. All have local distribution, mature BIOS support and years of platform experience. Biostar and a few others appear occasionally, but the big four have the best update cadence and the most reliable support.

Warranty matters more for motherboards than people expect. They're complex, and faults like a dead memory channel, flaky PCIe slot or bent socket pin can take weeks to diagnose. Under Australian Consumer Law, you're entitled to remedies for faulty goods, and buying through an Australian retailer with local distribution means the claim is handled here rather than via overseas shipping. Grey imports can complicate that. Keep your invoice, and check whether the brand's warranty covers your serial number locally.

If you're buying a full system, our Computers range comes tested and warrantied as a unit. For a self-build, pair your board with the right CPUs & Processors, update the BIOS early, and keep the box.

Frequently asked questions

Is a more expensive motherboard faster?

Not directly. A mid-range B850 or B860 board will give the same gaming performance as a flagship with the same CPU and memory. Higher-end boards offer stronger VRMs, more connectivity and better overclocking headroom, which matters for flagship CPUs under heavy load, not for most gaming builds.

Do I need PCIe 5.0 on a motherboard?

For GPUs, almost never, as current cards barely saturate PCIe 4.0 x16. For storage, Gen5 drives are faster in sequential transfers but run hot and show small gains in games. It's nice for future-proofing, but not a priority.

Will my old DDR4 RAM work?

No. Current AM5 and LGA1851 boards are DDR5 only, and the slots are physically different. You'll need new memory when moving to a modern platform.

How do I know if a CPU will fit my board?

Check the socket, then check the manufacturer's CPU support list for BIOS versions. If a BIOS update is needed and the board lacks BIOS Flashback, you may need an older CPU to update it first.

Is it worth paying for Wi-Fi and 2.5GbE built in?

Usually yes. Adding it later costs about the same, and onboard versions save a slot. If you're wired up at home, 2.5GbE is handy for NAS transfers, and Wi-Fi 7 helps if your router supports it.