Best Motherboards for Home Theater Pc – Now that you’ve identified what kind of motherboard you’ll need to build out your specific PC, or that should serve as the foundation of that pre-built PC you’ll be picking up, you’ll want to give some thought to its manufacturer. Some companies focus on providing motherboards aimed at gamers, with tons of space for adding GPUs and with LED light systems, while others focus on more mainstream systems.
Some connections are located directly on the motherboard and internal to the case, and they’re sometimes meant to connect to ports on the front, top, sides, or rear of a case as well as to other internal and external components.
ROUND UP
1.ASRock Micro ATX
Pros & Cons
- Socket AM3+/AM3
- Chipset: North Bridge AMD 970 & South Bridge AMD SB950
- Memory: 4x DDR3-2400+(OC)/ 2100(OC)/ 1866(OC)/ 1800(OC)/ 1600(OC)/ 1333/ 1066 DIMM Slots, Dual Channel, Non-ECC, Unbuffered, Max Capacity of 64GB
- Slots: 2x PCI-Express 2.0 x16 Slots (one run x4), 1x PCI-Express 2.0 x1 Slots, 1x PCI Slot
- Storage: 6x SATA3 Ports, Support RAID 0, 1, 5, 10
- Form Factor: MicroATX
Micro-ATX always seems to be left out. It’s just not as hot, sexy, and fully featured as Full Size ATX, and not as cute and tiny as Mini-ITX. It’s a crying shame because Micro-ATX has the ability to support more devices, and provide better power delivery than Mini-ITX, and still fit in a much smaller enclosure than a full ATX motherboard.
There are also some excellent cases for Micro-ATX which aren’t much larger than many of the ITX cases on the market right now.
The thing is this series is so good that those problems almost don’t matter. No matter what your price range or needs, there is a Ryzen 3000 processor and motherboard combo for you…unless you are a fan of the Jan Brady of motherboard form factors, Micro-ATX.
2.ASRock 760GM-HDV
Pros & Cons
- Supports Socket AM3+ processors
- supports Socket AM3 processors - AMD Phenom II X6/X4/X3/X2 (except 920/940)/Athlon II X4/X3/X2/Sempron processors
- Supports 8-Core CPU
- Supports AMD Overdrive with ACC feature (Advanced Clock Calibration)
- Supports CPU up to 125W
The thing is this series is so good that those problems almost don’t matter. No matter what your price range or needs, there is a Ryzen 3000 processor and motherboard combo for you…unless you are a fan of the Jan Brady of motherboard form factors, Micro-ATX.
This board is designed to build up the most powerful system and delivers the most demanding technology for users nowadays. Just enjoy next generation computing with ASRock 8-Core CPU Ready motherboard.
Who says high quality audio is only available on high-end motherboards? ASRock applied ELNA audio capacitors on mainstream and entry-level motherboards! Compared with traditional solid caps, the leakage current of ELNA audio caps is merely 3uA. This is the key to reduce noise level significantly and satisfy even the pickiest audiophiles.
3.ASRock B365M PRO4
Pros & Cons
- CPU: LGA1151, Supports 9th/ 8th Generation Intel Core Processors, CPU up to 95W
- Chipset: Intel B365
- Memory: 4x DDR4-2666/ 2400/ 2133 DIMM Slots, Dual Channel, Non-ECC, Unbuffered, Max Capacity of 64GB
- Slots: 2x PCI-Express 3.0 x16 Slots (single at x16; dual at x16/ x4), 1x PCI Express 3.0 x1 Slot (Flexible PCIe)
- Multi-Graphics: Supports AMD Quad CrossFireX and CrossFireX Technology
Today, we’ll be taking a quick look at the ASRock B365M Pro 4 Motherboard, which utilizes Intel’s latest B365 chipset and supports all of Intel’s 8th and 9th Gen Core processors LGA1151 (14nm Coffee Lake).
It comes in a micro ATX form factor and features 2 x M.2 lots for your SSDs, PCIE steel slot, Intel Gigabit LAN, 7.1 HD audio, and of course ASRock Polychrome RGB. It also supports Optane memory, memory speeds of up to DDR4 2666, AMD Quad CrossFireX™ and CrossFireX™ multi-GPU.
I would like to thank ASRock for providing the review sample. This is a snippet from what ASRock has to say about themselves on their website:I would like to thank ASRock for providing the review sample. This is a snippet from what ASRock has to say about themselves on their website:
4.ASRock Motherboard
Pros & Cons
- Socket: LGA 1151
- Chipset: Intel H110
- Memory: 2x DDR4-2133 DIMM Slots, Dual Channel, Non-ECC, Unbuffered, Max Capacity of 32GB
- Slots: 1x PCI-Express 3.0 x16 Slot, 1x PCI Express 2.0 x1 Slot
- SATA: 4x SATA3 Ports, Support NCQ, AHCI and Hot Plug
- Ports: 4x USB 3.0 Ports (2 rear, 2 via header), 6x USB 2.0 Ports (4 rear, 2 via header), 1x PS/2 Mouse Port, 1x PS/2 Keyboard Port, 1x DVl-D Port, 1x RJ45 LAN Port, Audio I/O Jacks
You could grab an Nvidia RTX 3080, a top spec NVMe SSD , and 32GB of DDR4-3600, and use them all with an A520 motherboard. That would be an unlikely combo, but would remain a high performing one nonetheless.
And compare A520 to Intel’s B460 motherboards for a minute. You can run memory speeds at well above B460’s DDR4-2666 or 2933 hard limit, and you’re less likely to run into VRM heating issues thanks to the more power thrifty nature of Ryzen CPUs.
Then there’s the cherry on top which is support for the upcoming AMD Ryzen 5000 series and, almost as importantly, Ryzen 4000 series APUs. Combine a Zen 3 CPU with a motherboard such as this ASRock A520M ITX/ac and you’ll be able to build an affordable and compact system that—if AMD is to be believed—may beat any Intel in any kind of workload.
5.MSI MEG GODLIKE
Pros & Cons
- Supports 10th Generation Intel Core / Pentium Gold / Celeron Processors for LGA 1200 socket
- Supports dual channel DDR4 memory up to 128GB total (5000MHz)
- Triple Turbo M.2 with double-side M.2 Shield Frozr - transfer speeds of up to 32 GB/s bandwidth, with M.2 XPANDER-Z GEN4 S accessory card adds two additional M.2 slots
- 2x Thunderbolt 3 ports on the rear panel provide up to 40GB/s transfer speed. Supports daisy chain configurations and 4K displays.
- On-board 10G super LAN plus 2.5G LAN with Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
- Frozr Heatsink designed with active cooling, Double Ball Bearings, Zero Frozr Technology, and MOSFET Backplates for high-performance heat dissipation
A motherboard with a name like “Godlike”—and it’s not MSI’s first bite at the apple with that family name—sets some serious expectations. Though we’re not here to debunk the dominance of this deluxe motherboard, we have to observe: Its price is as equally high in the heavens as its name.
As MSI’s flagship Ryzen board, the MEG X570 Godlike serves as the company’s most powerful AMD X570 chipset platform for AMD’s AM4-socket processors. It comes with an encyclopedic list of features and two snazzy add-on cards, at a $699.99 price that, alas, makes it all a bit hard to swallow. We’d recommend looking to make sure you actually need both of the add-on cards and are truly entranced by the radical, showy design before paying the major premium to this PCB deity.
6.MSI MEG Z490
Pros & Cons
Performance results of the MEG Z490 Ace is generally close to its compatriots, though slower in some regards.Using the default settings, the board ran the CPU at 4.8 (versus 4.9 GHz) GHz and reached Terminal Velocity Boost (TVB) when it could.
Overclocking was painless and let our 5.2 GHz Core i9-10900K CPU run to its thermal limits. The automatic overclocking worked well, too, but overvolted slightly compared to our manual result; that seems to be the theme with the Z490 boards we’ve tested so far. The monster 16-phase VRM easily handled the CPU at these speeds
Additional features on the Z490 Ace include 90A power stages, RAM support up to DDR4 4800+, six SATA3 ports, Realtek’s ALC1220 premium codec and a Realtek 8125B 2.5 GbE LAN.
7.ASUS Prime Z490-A
Pros & Cons
- Intel LGA 1200 Socket: Designed to unleash the maximum performance of 10th Gen Intel Core processors
- Enhanced Power Solution: 12+2 DrMOS power stages, 6-layer PCB, ProCool sockets, alloy chokes and durable capacitors for stable power delivery
- Comprehensive Cooling: VRM heatsink, PCH heatsink, hybrid fan headers and Fan Xpert 4 utility
- Boosted Memory Performance: Careful routing of traces and vias, plus ground layer optimizations to preserve signal integrity for improved memory overclocking with ASUS OptiMem II
- Built for Productivity : Intel 2.5 Gb Ethernet, front USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C and Thunderbolt 3 header support, Dual M.2 slots
- Personalization: ASUS-exclusive Aura Sync RGB lighting, including RGB headers and Gen 2 addressable headers
- Immersive Gaming Audio: The Realtek S1200A codec offers pristine audio quality to draw you deeper into the game action or to enhance your favorite music tracks or videos.
The Prime Z490-A features a black PCB with white strips running across it. The rear I/O shield, as well as the chipset heatsink on this board, are also colored white. The bright, contrasting color on this otherwise dark component is eye-catching and draws your attention to these two areas on the board.
Other than that, the board isn’t particularly decorative. The rear I/O panel and chipset heatsink are plainly adorned and not much to look at. This changes when you power up the system and RGB LEDs embedded in these two items illuminate, but even then the Z490-A has to be one of the least flashy premium boards I’ve reviewed lately.
8.GIGABYTE X570 AORUS
Pros & Cons
- Supports AMD 3rd Gen Ryzen/ 2nd Gen Ryzen/ 2nd Gen Ryzen with Radeon Vega Graphics/ Ryzen with Radeon Vega Graphics processors
- Dual channel non-ECC unbuffered DDR4, 4 DIMMs
- 12 plus 2 phases digital VRM solution with DrMOS
- Advanced heatsink design with enlarge heatsink
- Dual ultra-fast NVMe PCIe 4.0/3.0 x4 M.2 with single thermal guards
- Memory storage capacity: 1000 TB
The X570 Aorus Pro Wi-Fi embodies this, while sitting in the lower end of the line’s product stack, with a couple of budget boards the only lower-priced options (we also reviewed the $200 X570 Aorus Elite) in the lineup.
Like other X570 boards, the Gigabyte X570 Aorus Pro Wi-Fi supports both Ryzen 2000 and Ryzen 3000 series processors and includes six SATA ports, a pair of PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots, and four DIMM slots capable of supporting up to 128GB of DDR4 RAM with overclock speeds up to DDR4 4400 MHz.
For networking and audio, we find an Intel I211-AT GbE NIC and Realtek ALC 1220 audio codec which is capable of 7.1 surround. Below is a complete list of specifications from Gigabyte’s website.
9.GIGABYTE B450 AORUS
Pros & Cons
- Supports AMD 1st & 2nd generation Ryzen/ Ryzen with Radeon Vega graphics processors
- Dual channel non-ECC unbuffered DDR4, 4 DIMMs
- Intel Ethernet LAN plus Dual band 802.11AC Wi-Fi
- Dual PCIe Gen3 M.2 NVMe with dual thermal guards
- Alc1220 vb enhanced audio with WIMA capacitors. Support for 11AC 160MHz wireless standard and up to 1.73 Gaps data rate. Intel WI-FI driver only support for Win10 64bit
- RGB Fusion with digital LED & RGB LED headers
- Smart fan 5 with fan stop
- USB 3.1 Gen 2 with USB type C & type A
- Integrated I/O shield of ultra-durable design
- CEC 2019 ready
AMD’s Ryzen 2000 CPUs (like the Ryzen 7 2700X) might be old news by now, but AMD’s new budget-focused B450 chipset comes out of the gate ready to inject more value into the AMD AM4 platform.
Our success with the X470 Aorus Gaming 7 WIFI gives us high hopes for the lesser B450 Aorus Pro board, but Gigabyte does hold back on some features that could have made this board spectacular. Regardless, the B450 chipset is a sweet spot for builders and gamers who don’t need X470’s added feature set, and Gigabyte delivers a great product with the B450 Aorus Pro WIFI, at a surprisingly affordable MSRP
Over the past year of testing Ryzen-based builds, we’ve had nothing but success with the company’s boards, and their B450 takes its improvements from X470 and applies them to AMD’s updated “mainstream” chipset
10.GIGABYTE B365M DS3H
Pros & Cons
- Supports 9th and 8th Gen Intel Core processors
- Dual channel non-ECC unbuffered DDR4
- New hybrid digital PWM design
- High quality audio capacitors and audio noise guard with LED trace path lighting
- Ultra-fast M.2 with PCIe Gen3 x4 and SATA interface
These boards have a minimized power system, which may not cope with powerful processors such as Core i5 or Core i7 and can become very hot in subsequent use. Also on the motherboards of the H310 chipset there is no connector for connecting SSD drives of the M.2 format, which have a very high data transfer speed and allow the whole system to work much faster.
In some motherboards, there are only two slots for installing RAM, which also limits, in a sense, the possibility of a subsequent upgrade. It was decided that H310 motherboards are not suitable for my system.
B365. This is the middle ground, since for the most part these cards have four slots for installing RAM, which may come in handy in the future. They also have a connector for high-speed SSD drive M.2, which allows you to assemble a system with quick response to your commands.
Best Motherboards for Home Theater Pc – BUYER’S GUIDE
Form factor
Motherboards come in different sizes, meaning that you have some flexibility in building your PC to fit into your environment. If you have plenty of space then you might want to use a full-size tower case, while if you’re building a home theater PC (HTPC) that’s meant to sit beneath your family room TV then you’ll likely want a much smaller case.
That’s why motherboards come in various sizes, or form factors, and these standards define not only the size of the motherboard but also how many of various components they tend to support. There are variations in the latter, but generally speaking, the larger the motherboard’s physical size the more components it will support. Not all cases support all form factors, and so you’ll want to make sure your motherboard and case match up.
RAM
Your CPU needs somewhere to store information while your PC is turned on and working. That’s called “random access memory,” or RAM, and today PCs are commonly equipped with at least 4GB of RAM. How much RAM you need for your own PC depends on how you plan to use it, and 8GB is typically a safe recommendation for most lighter users with 16 or more GB being a good bet for heavier users.
Today’s RAM plugs into a motherboard via a rectangular slot that’s named for the kind of RAM in use today: the dual in-line memory module (DIMM). The number of DIMM slots in a motherboard determines how much RAM you can add, and it most commonly varies from two to eight slots. You can add one RAM module at a time, but you will get the best performance when you install RAM in matched pairs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a motherboard?
A motherboard is a printed circuit board (PCB) that creates a kind of backbone allowing a variety of components to communicate, and that provides different connectors for components such as the central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), memory, and storage. Most computers made today, including smartphones, tablets, notebooks, and desktop computers, use motherboards to pull everything together, but the only kind you’ll typically purchase yourself are those made for desktop PCs.
WRAP UP
Best Motherboards for Home Theater Pc – If you’re looking to build your own mother board for pc , or to buy a pre-built PC that you might want to expand or upgrade later, then there’s one component that will serve as its foundation. That component is the motherboard, and it’s an incredibly important piece of the PC puzzle. It determines many of the other components that you’ll be able to choose, and at the same time some other choices — such as the processor that you’ll use in your new PC—determine which motherboard you can use.
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