If you are building your own gaming PC or rebuilding a computer you already have, you will need a motherboard. The motherboard is the main printed circuit board through which the computer’s components—internal and external—talk to each other. Your motherboard will connect your CPU (computer processor) with your RAM (memory), video graphics card and more.

Motherboards not only support the essential and optional components of your computer, they also incorporate the cooling fans that keep your CPU and other power-heavy components from overheating. Plus, they allow for additional inputs via peripheral connectors, such as USB ports.

Motherboards can range in size depending on your needs, and you can build upon them with various components. Gaming motherboards are made for high-performance PCs. They use materials that support the power and speed needed to deal with high data loads. Many motherboards for large gaming PCs include six to fourteen layers of communication material.

To choose the best motherboard for your computer, you need to consider all the components you want to use in your build. You might also have the option of choosing a motherboard processor combo, which can save you money and build time. By getting a motherboard CPU combo, your most important computer component (the CPU) will already be ready to go.

When shopping for the best motherboard for gaming, you will also want to make it easy to upgrade your components in the future. With the right arrangement, it can be surprisingly simple to switch out or add components down the line. For instance, you might want to update your power supply or leave space to add a second hard drive so that you will have extra storage space for your PC games.

Building or modifying your own PC is a great way to get exactly what you want from your computer. If you need help troubleshooting issues along the way or making repairs, do not hesitate to reach out to Best Buy’s team of professionals for computer help and repair.