How to Guide                                                    

Beginner’s Guide to Choosing a Motherboard

Before selecting a motherboard, it's crucial to first choose your CPU. This is because Intel and AMD processors are compatible with different motherboards. For DIY PC beginners, this distinction is important to keep in mind. Below is a breakdown of motherboards into entry-level, mid-range, and high-end categories to help you find the right fit.

When choosing a motherboard, consider your specific needs, budget, and usage scenarios to find the most suitable model and category for your build.



Beginner’s Guide to Choosing a Motherboard

Before selecting a motherboard, it's crucial to first choose your CPU. This is because Intel and AMD processors are compatible with different motherboards. For DIY PC beginners, this distinction is important to keep in mind. Below is a breakdown of motherboards into entry-level, mid-range, and high-end categories to help you find the right fit.

Entry-Level Motherboards

Target Audience:





Basic home PCs



Office PCs

Key Features:





Basic expansion options, typically with 2 RAM slots and a single PCIe slot.



No heat sinks on the I/O section, exposing the chips on the PCB.

Recommended Processors:





Intel: i3 series, i5 series



AMD: R3 series, R5 series

Recommended Motherboard Models:





Intel: H series, some entry-level B series, e.g., H610



AMD: A series, e.g., A520, A620







Mid-Range Motherboards

Target Audience:





Casual gamers



Content creators with moderate workloads

Key Features:





Better expansion options, typically with 4 RAM slots and multiple PCIe slots.



Improved thermal management compared to the H series, with some models featuring ARGB lighting.

Recommended Processors:





Intel: i5 series, i7 series



AMD: R5 series, R7 series

Recommended Motherboard Models:





Intel: B series, e.g., B660, B760



AMD: B series, e.g., B550, B650





High-End Motherboards

Target Audience:





Hardcore gamers



Professional content creators



High-performance PC enthusiasts

Key Features:





Maximum expansion with full heat sinks, multiple PCIe slots, and USB Type-C ports.



Supports overclocking, allowing you to unlock the full potential of your CPU.

Recommended Processors:





Intel: i7 series, i9 series, and all K-series CPUs



AMD: R7 series, R9 series

Recommended Motherboard Models:





Intel: Z series, e.g., Z790



AMD: X series, e.g., X670, X670E





When choosing a motherboard, consider your specific needs, budget, and usage scenarios to find the most suitable model and category for your build.

Motherboards can be categorized into entry-level, mid-range, and high-end options. By identifying which category best suits your needs, you can more quickly select the right motherboard for your setup.

Beginner Guide of Choosing Motherboard

As one of the important components in the entire computer, the CPU should understand its own usage situation and select the appropriate model. When purchasing a CPU, there are mainly two brands, Intel and AMD. Both CPU models of the two have their own codes. For Intel, it would be I9-14900K, and for AMD, it would be R9-7900X. Behind these complex models, what exactly do they mean?

How to interpret the models of Intel CPUs?

Take the model I9-14900K as an example, it can be divided into four parts: level, generation, code, and suffix.

The performance levels of processors are categorized into I3, I5, I7, and I9, with higher numbers indicating greater performance.

The generation following the level indicates the generation of the processor, for example: I9-14900K, where 14 represents the 14th generation of the I9 level processor. By simply looking at the processor code, you can quickly understand whether it is the latest generation processor.

The code following the generation is used to distinguish different functions of the processor, including the processor's base clock speed, frequency, cache, cores, etc. Generally, the higher the number, the stronger the performance.

The processor suffix represents the key characteristics of the processor, with different suffixes representing different processor features.

The naming rules of Intel and AMD are almost the same, except that AMD has its own model names. Here, take AMD R7 7900X as an example.

Like Intel, the generation of the processor comes after the level, for example: R7 7900X, where 7 represents the 7th generation of the Ryzen 7 processor. Generally, within the same level, the newer the generation, the stronger the performance.

After the generation comes the processor's code, which mainly indicates the different clock speeds of the processor. Generally, the higher the number, the higher the processor's clock speed and the better the performance.

By understanding the model naming conventions of both Intel and AMD processors, you can help users more accurately select the processor that suits their needs.

As one of the important components in the entire computer, the CPU should understand its own usage situation and select the appropriate model. When purchasing a CPU, there are mainly two brands, Intel and AMD. Both CPU models of the two have their own codes. For Intel, it would be I9-14900K, and for AMD, it would be R9-7900X. Behind these complex models, what exactly do they mean?

 

How to interpret the models of Intel CPUs?

Take the model I9-14900K as an example, it can be divided into four parts: level, generation, code, and suffix.





 

Level

The performance levels of processors are categorized into I3, I5, I7, and I9, with higher numbers indicating greater performance.





Core I3 Processor: Entry-level processor. Suitable for light document use, web browsing, and video watching.



Core I5 Processor: Mid-range processor. In addition to document processing, it can play light games.



Core I7 Processor: Near-flagship processor. Capable of playing some AAA titles and medium-level games, and can also handle live streaming.



Core I9 Processor: Flagship-level processor. Not only can it play games smoothly, but it can also simultaneously open high-performance live streaming quality.

 

Generation

The generation following the level indicates the generation of the processor, for example: I9-14900K, where 14 represents the 14th generation of the I9 level processor. By simply looking at the processor code, you can quickly understand whether it is the latest generation processor.



Code

The code following the generation is used to distinguish different functions of the processor, including the processor's base clock speed, frequency, cache, cores, etc. Generally, the higher the number, the stronger the performance.



Suffix

The processor suffix represents the key characteristics of the processor, with different suffixes representing different processor features.





No suffix: Represents a general performance CPU with no special features.



Suffix K: Represents a CPU model that is overclockable, with overclocking enhancing the CPU's performance, suitable for streamers or heavy gamers.



Suffix F: Indicates that the CPU itself does not have an integrated graphics core, and consumers who purchase this type of CPU must purchase a graphics card to enable the screen to display normally.

 





How to interpret the models of AMD CPUs?

The naming rules of Intel and AMD are almost the same, except that AMD has its own model names. Here, take AMD R7 7900X as an example.







Level





Ryzen 3 Processor: Entry-level processor. Suitable for everyday office work, watching videos, and light gaming.



Ryzen 5 Processor: Mainstream-level processor. Suitable for moderate gamers and general content creators.



Ryzen 7 Processor: Near-flagship-level processor. Suitable for most AAA title games and moderate content creation.



Ryzen 9 Processor: Flagship-level processor. Suitable for all AAA title games, heavy content creators, and streamers.



Generation

Like Intel, the generation of the processor comes after the level, for example: R7 7900X, where 7 represents the 7th generation of the Ryzen 7 processor. Generally, within the same level, the newer the generation, the stronger the performance.



Code

After the generation comes the processor's code, which mainly indicates the different clock speeds of the processor. Generally, the higher the number, the higher the processor's clock speed and the better the performance.



Suffix





Suffix F: Indicates that the processor itself does not have an integrated graphics core. Consumers who purchase this type of processor must buy a graphics card to enable the screen to display normally.



Suffix X: Represents high performance, with higher clock speeds and better performance.



Suffix X3D: It has the same performance as the X series but adds AMD 3D V-Cache technology, which offers higher performance in gaming compared to the X series.







By understanding the model naming conventions of both Intel and AMD processors, you can help users more accurately select the processor that suits their needs.

Both Intel and AMD offer a variety of processor models to meet the needs of different users. The numbers and letter suffixes in the models provide crucial product information to help users choose the processor that best suits their needs.

What Do the Mysterious Codes After the Model Numbers of Intel and AMD CPUs Mean?

As an enthusiast of games and computer DIY in this age, we, darkFlash, feel proud and grateful for keep thinking how to develop impressive and extraordinary products with high-end facilities by assembling and using the PC cases, CPU coolers, case fans, and even gaming chairs and tables in person.

Our goal is to create products that could extremely exert its effect by every user.