Then we have the issue that separates PC enthusiasts and performance hounds from everyday users: overclocking. Most folks won't care about this niche concern, and indeed will opt for motherboards with chipsets that aren't overclocking-ready at all. For that very reason, we saved this section until last. Several things are worth scrutinizing when buying a motherboard for overclocking, though, if that is your jam.

Start with the power-regulation circuitry. The job of the power-regulation circuitry on a motherboard is to provide a clean, compatible power source to the CPU and RAM. The power supplied by the power supply doesn’t arrive at the motherboard at the correct voltage for these components, which is why this hardware is essential. A motherboard with an insufficient power-regulation system can hamper performance if pushed too far in an overclock, and power circuits have even been known to blow out when overdriven.

Most motherboards are designed with a sufficiently capable power system and fail-safes to avoid such issues. Typically, you only encounter problems on a rare motherboard with a flawed power design or a manufacturing defect. It’s worth noting, however, that not every motherboard can handle the power needs of every "compatible" CPU that physically fits in its socket, even if the board supports other CPUs in the same immediate family. Some motherboards will explicitly state a maximum CPU power limit, but the safest thing to do here—again, we stress this!—is to check the motherboard maker’s list of supported processors for the board.

If you’re overclocking, the importance of the power-regulation hardware increases. That’s because overclocking often requires increasing the power flow to the CPU. The power-regulation hardware is made up of components that are commonly referred to as power phases, VRMs, or MOSFETs. Essentially, the job of this hardware is to take the power sent from the power supply and adjust its voltage and amplitude to better suit the processor. Often, motherboard OEMs will specify the number of power phases a board is designed to support for overclocking, and the materials may also list the current capacity that these components can handle.

Regardless, you'll encounter a lot of marketing fog around these parts, with no easy, golden number for how many phases you want or how much current they should be able to handle to get good overclocking results. Instead, it’s easiest to just remember this: More phases and higher current ratings are generally better, all else being equal. Phases share their workload, so the more of them you have, the less likely it is that any one of them will be overworked to the point of failure or crash.

You should also assess the cooling hardware around the CPU socket, as this metal cools the powerful hardware. You want to see large heatsinks here at a minimum, but more premium models will also feature heat pipes in some series and sometimes include a fan to further enhance cooling performance. It’s impossible to draw firm conclusions at a glance about this stuff, but a robust set of cooling gear around the socket indicates a higher-end board in which the maker took care to outfit it properly.

Many motherboards designed for overclocking have several helpful features to aid in troubleshooting and resolving problems. Some boards have LED pinpoints onboard that correspond to messages in the manual or an “88”-style red LED numeric readout that displays a numbered error code to indicate specific troubles.

On some boards, you’ll also find buttons on the board itself or its rear I/O panel that can clear the BIOS, which is exceedingly helpful if you overclock your PC too far and cannot get into the BIOS. A few boards have two BIOS chips for the same purpose; you can switch between the two BIOSes and their discrete settings to resolve issues. This can even save you from what would otherwise be a complete system failure if, for some reason, one of your BIOSes gets corrupted and unrecoverable. It happens! (See our guide to BIOS tweaking basics.)

As you can see, there is a lot to remember when buying a motherboard. Unlike buying a single component—such as a CPU, GPU, or RAM—numerous interlocking factors need consideration beyond just performance benchmarks. With the CPU socket, the RAM support, the audio hardware, the networking hardware, the power hardware, overclocking features, and so much more, buying a motherboard can start to feel rather overwhelming.

Just take things in order to keep the task from feeling too daunting. It's easiest to pick a motherboard once you know how big a PC you are building or upgrading. Settle on a size, after which choose a CPU that you want to buy and fits your budget. Then comes the chipset consideration; that, to a large extent, will set the price range for the board itself, and you can make sure it fits your budget.

We didn’t delve deeply into the issue of price in this article, because motherboards can range from as low as $50 for the most basic models (likely last-generation) to more than $1,000 for rare and elite, extreme-tweaker models with built-in liquid cooling hardware. Simply put, we can find no way to do justice to that large a price range with one-size-fits-all advice. The vast span and mix of parts that can change on a motherboard also significantly alter the value of any given board for people with specific needs. It needs to be calculated on a case-by-case basis.

To be sure, some boards offer more value than others. However, don't fret; as long as the board you buy is compatible with the CPU you want, the size you want, and within a comfortable price range, it should generally work fine. All of the other features—an I/O port mix, an onboard audio solution, and suitability for overclocking—are best considered only if they are important to you personally. These factors may also help you decide between two similarly priced motherboards. But, ultimately, features like the audio and networking systems should be secondary considerations.

Our helpful comparison grid and list of product picks showcase some of our favorite models that we have tested in recent months, organized by platform and rough use case. Regardless, motherboard manufacturers release a vast array of models, and no one on the internet comes even close to reviewing them all. Use these models as a jumping-off point in your search, and look for professional reviews of the specific models you are considering for the fine points.

Over the years, a few motherboard sizes, typically called “form factors,” have dominated the PC market. Three are today by far the most common: ATX, MicroATX, and Mini-ITX.

Think of these sizes as large (ATX), medium (MicroATX), and small (Mini-ITX). The first thing you should do when picking a motherboard is decide which of these form factors is best for you. All three have advantages and disadvantages.

For some of you, the Mini-ITX option will be the most attractive. The smallest of standard motherboards, Mini-ITX boards fit into compact PC cases. They are the best choice if you’re in a cramped office or building a gaming system or home theater PC (HTPC) that will be situated in your living room.

The downside is that Mini-ITX systems and boards have fewer connectors for peripherals and fewer expansion slots for installing components, as they are smaller than standard systems. These boards will have only a single PCI Express x16 slot (typically reserved for a graphics card) and limited storage connections, such as Serial ATA ports and M.2 slots (more about those later). Another downside is that these boards cost a premium versus equivalent MicroATX and ATX boards. In the case of Mini-ITX, "less" actually costs more.

At the other end of the size spectrum, ATX motherboards (and a few larger, less common variants) take up the most space, but they also gain you the most expansion options. ATX motherboards can have up to seven PCI Express expansion slots to install several cards alongside your graphics card. Multiple-GPU desktops were once a significant feature in high-end gaming PCs. However, with the last few generations of GPUs from AMD and Nvidia, support for multi-card CrossFireX and SLI/NVLink configurations has fallen by the wayside. So the need for three or four PCI Express x16 slots has fallen off most wish lists. 

Still, some folks will want access to multiple full-size PCI Express slots for a graphics card, plus a wireless networking or video capture solution, a pro-level audio card, or other specialized needs. Plus, ATX boards frequently have more robust integrated hardware. This can mean better onboard audio circuitry, more connections for storage devices (a larger circuit board, or PCB, should have more room for M.2 slots, for one thing), and in some cases, better overclocking performance, thanks to a more robust power delivery system.

As you shop, you’ll also encounter a few other form factors that are larger variants of full-size ATX, notably the oversized Extended ATX (EATX) and XL-ATX formats. Remember that your PC case needs to support that larger board size specifically. Plain ATX support is insufficient for those large boards.

If the size of your PC case is not a factor in what hardware you buy, an ATX board is the default choice. Even if you don’t expect to use all the extra features and ports, having them gives you more options for expanding the system with new hardware down the road. Furthermore, ATX motherboards tend to be among the most affordable due to economies of scale. Conversely, though, the most expensive, tricked-out boards on the market are also usually ATX. Regardless, you can find ATX boards with better features priced lower than equivalent Mini-ITX solutions.

The third common motherboard form factor is MicroATX, the middle option between ATX and Mini-ITX. Some shoppers see this size as a “Goldilocks” just-right compromise. It provides a balanced solution that’s more space-efficient than ATX, but also offers significantly more onboard components and connections than a Mini-ITX board. Most MicroATX boards have up to four expansion slots and can comfortably accommodate two graphics cards or a GPU plus an expansion card or two.

On MicroATX boards, other onboard elements, including the circuitry for handling power and audio, are typically on par with what you get on ATX motherboards. In terms of size, MicroATX is closer in size to ATX than it is to Mini-ITX. This is MicroATX's main drawback, as a MicroATX system won’t sit as neatly in a compact office PC chassis or in your entertainment center's niches as a Mini-ITX system might. A MicroATX PC chassis just isn't as small.

Here’s a handy cheat sheet for typical motherboard sizes. But know that if a PC case says it supports one of these board sizes, you don’t have to get out your ruler if the board uses that form factor. It should just fit.