Best ITX Motherboard: There are many options for compact and small computers for a home setup. They consume less space, you can carry it from one place to another place and also it looks quite elegant. For the setup, you need the best motherboard which is quite mini. For that, you need some features for better options and performance. Let us look into the features to be considered before choosing the best motherboard.
Socket: For the best mini motherboard for your PC, both the motherboard and PC should have the same socket. The latest AMD motherboard and PCs will use the AM4 socket, whereas intel uses the LGA 1200 socket.
Chipset: For better compatibility, you also have to check the chipset for the motherboard. Because most of the chipsets don’t have more compatibility and you will also find some missing features. Some of the budget offers are for AMD to choose A520, B450, high end B550, and X750 chipset along with the motherboard. Whereas intel choose high end Z490 chipset along with a motherboard.
Warranty: Whether you choose entry level motherboard or high end motherboard check whether it has a warranty option for long lasting life. Anyhow the computer will work well even after a few years but it’s better to check if it has a warranty or not. Most of the mini motherboards will have a warranty for three or four years.
These are some features we have to consider before choosing the motherboard. After looking into the features you are still in confusion to choose the motherboard then look into the buying guide for a quick selection.
9 Best ITX Motherboard For Gaming
1. ASUS ROG Strix Z590-E
If you’re planning on building a high-end Coffee Lake gaming computer and you want to have the option to overclock your processor, then perhaps your best option is the ASUS ROG Strix Z590-E. At just under 40,000, the Z590-E is currently the most expensive Coffee Lake mini-ITX motherboard available.
2. ASUS Prime Z690M-PLUS D4
ASUS Prime Z690M-PLUS D4 comes first on our list of Best mini ITX motherboards. It lets you maximize connectivity as it is designed for 8th-generation Intel Core processors. You will experience enhanced speed with dual M.2. You also get Gigabit LAN and onboard Wi-Fi, USB 3.1 Gen2, and Intel Optane memory compatibility.
ASUS Prime Z690M-PLUS D4 offers the technology of Fan Xpert 4 Core, which takes the fan and cooling control to a whole new level. No matter how many loads you put on your motherboard, its cooling technology is ready to get everything under control.
3. ASRock Mini-ITX Motherboard
The motherboard comes with excellent CPU overclocking and DRAM overclocking features. The motherboard is specially designed for keeping gamers in view. It has a USB 3.1 gen two connectivity, but there are only two ports available – which can be an issue. You also have access to one M.2 storage option as well. You will indeed find the option an excellent choice for mini ITX enthusiasts.
4. MSI MPG B550I
MSI’s MPG B550-I Gaming Edge mini ITX motherboard is present in the 2nd position in this listicle as it can be a great versatile option for your next computer. Since this AM4 motherboard uses the latest B550 chipset, you can use it with AMD Ryzen 2000 series to 5000 series of processors. As for its GPU support, you get PCI-E gen 4 support with it.
5. MSI Gaming Mini itx Motherboard
ASUS ROG Strix Z390-I Gaming LGA1151 Motherboard ranks 6th in our top 8 best AMD and Intel motherboards. At the best reasonable price, this Motherboard plays a useful role in meeting all gaming needs and has the best processor inside.
It has a low price, good storage capacities that include four SATA ports, and a single M.2 slot (unfortunately, without a heatsink), as well as good-quality networking that includes Gigabit Ethernet and Intel 3168 802.11ac Wi-Fi.
MSI B450I GAMING PLUS AC works with the first and second generation of Ryzen processors, it comes with an AM4 socket and more importantly, offers a solid USB capacity, with four USB3.1 ports and two USB2.0 ports.
Best Mini ITX Motherboard Buying Guide
Connecting any component to the computer motherboard will act as the central hub. Because for all connectivity options motherboard is highly important. So it is important to go with the best mini motherboard. For easy selection look into the buying guide and make sure that all the features included in the buying guide were there in your motherboard. This makes your motherboard more compatible with the best features. You can find some major features to be included in the motherboard.
- Socket
In the motherboard, the socket is responsible for communication with the processor and holding the processor. The socket will function when both your motherboard and PC will have the same socket. So it is very important to match the socket which leads to better compatibility. Here are some common sockets you can find for both AMD and INTEL. For AMD choose the AM4 socket and for intel choose LGA 1200 socket for the motherboard and PC.
- Chipset
A chipset is another factor for better compatibility. Even if you match the motherboard and PC with the same socket you cannot have the best compatibility if the motherboard chipset doesn’t support it. And some of the chipsets don’t work at all, and some of the motherboard chipsets will have some limited features.
- Memory support
Whether you choose an entry level motherboard, mid-level motherboard, or high level motherboard you should have a good amount of RAM. So that it will be helpful for multitasking usage for all sorts. Most of the mini motherboards will come with two memory slots. So that it will be available for 64 gigabytes of total RAM. And also you have to choose the option with the best RAM speed. Both the AMD and INTEL will offer with best RAM speed. Some of the motherboards that offer the best RAM speed are 3600 MHz, 4000 MHz, and 4400 MHz.
- Expansion slots and PCI E
Even though the motherboard comes with expansion slots and connectivity options you should have at least one slot for the graphic cards. Maximum all of the motherboards will come with one slot called 16x PCI E slot. Using this slot you can simply install the full size graphic card which will be helpful for gaming and editing.
- Storage options
ITX Motherboards are not the best for the installation of multiple expansion cards. But you can still have multiple storage options. You can have two storage options high speed and bulk speed. Most of the mini motherboards come with dual M2 slots. These slots allow you to get high SSD speed. For connecting traditional hard drives still, you can have 4 or 6 slots.
- Connectivity and ports
Keeping aside various internal components available in the computer there are many output components we connect to the computer like monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers and etc. So it is quite important to have multiple ports on the motherboard like display port, Ethernet, PS2, type A, type C, and audio ports. Moni motherboards are also used for HTPCs making and also include Bluetooth and WIFI connectivity.
- BIOS
The bios of the motherboard are software components and they are not hardware. But make sure that the motherboard is of software components before buying. Choose the motherboard which will get regular updates. Because these bios updates will be helpful for increasing CPU performance, improving system stability, adding more features to the motherboard, and also you can apply security options for both the motherboard and chipset.
- Warranty
It is better to choose the motherboard which has at least 3 years warranty for long lasting life. Because it will be available to stay functional for long period even after use for multiple years.
These are some features you have to look at before you going to buy the motherboard. These features make you buy the motherboard quickly just by filtering the features.