The motherboard is a primary component of a computer. And it is connected to all the other components in the system. So, upgrading the motherboard is a think-worthy task.
With the consideration of all the factors like money, performance, time, difficulty, etc., we should decide when to change a motherboard on a desktop computer and on a laptop.
When you want to upgrade your motherboard, you have two scenarios.
- To fix your PC performance
- To enhance your PC performance
The motherboard upgrade will be the solution for both cases. Let’s see both of them in detail. So, you’ll get clarity on why and when you should upgrade your motherboard.
Motherboard Upgrade to Fix Your PC Performance –
You are the one who knows about your computer. All the details I’m giving here are my thoughts and good suggestions.
If performance matters, the motherboard, and processor stand in front of any other components. Even though all the other components are important, these two (motherboard and processor) play a key role in the computer.
Is it the right decision to change your motherboard because of the processor?
If you have been using a computer for 10 years, it’s time to upgrade. The tech world is changing with quantum speed. The old computers can’t compete with the new ones.
Not only in comparison but in processing the new software, the present generation motherboards and processors are efficient.
Here the question is, how old is too old?
If you bought a new PC 2 years back or changed the processor 2 or 3 years back, then you do not need to change your processor again, and no need to upgrade your motherboard. Because the motherboard and the processor on a computer can efficiently work for 3 to 5 years.
So, what about the speed of your computer if you don’t change the motherboard and processor?
You need to increase RAM, upgrade GPU, or clear cache to increase the performance of your PC. These are the causes of your slow-running PC.
Do you want to change the motherboard because of the RAM?
The RAM plays a key role in running the computer smoothly. For a normal user, 8GB RAM is enough. It can perform more than 10 apps at a time. If you use cheap quality RAM sticks, you may face trouble like Blue Screen errors, etc, so pay attention to selecting your PC components.
If you want to use more apps at a time like 15 or 20 on your PC, then you need to increase your RAM capacity.
First, go with the empty slots on your current motherboard, fill the slots with RAM sticks, and check the performance of your PC. If you aren’t satisfied, then you’ll look for a motherboard upgrade.
I think you’ll not find any performance issues after adding more RAM to your PC (only if you have a software running problem).
But, what about the versions in RAM like DDR3, DDR4, or DDR5 and their series?
You just need to care about the versions, not about the series. Of course, the DDR4 and DDR5 RAM sticks perform better compared to DDR3. And DDR5 performs better than DDR4.
Upgrading the motherboard just because of RAM is not a suggestible idea. Because the money you are investing on board is more compared to the performance, you’ll get with RAM.
Upgrade motherboard because of power consumption:
You may think “My computer consumes so much power. Upgrading the motherboard might help.” Here you can find how much power a PC will consume on average. So that you can better understand your PC power consumption.
This is completely not the right way to think. In fact, the latest-gen motherboards consume more power because of their features.
However, you’ll also find less power-consuming motherboards, but the problem is their cost is high. So, if PC power consumption is your problem, a motherboard upgrade is not the right choice for you.
For SSD or M.2 storage:
Agreed, you can upgrade your motherboard if you want to use the latest storage on your computers like SSD or M.2. Their performance is simply awesome.
If you want, you can compare the two PCs with the hard disk (old storage type) and M.2 storage. Here is the complete comparison between the hard disk and SSD.
The computer having M.2 storage boots faster and in rendering also, you’ll find good results.
If changing the storage type is your reason, then I suggest you go with the motherboard upgrade.
To upgrade GPU or for Gaming:
Upgrading the motherboard because of changing the GPU is completely suggestible. With this action, you can increase gaming performance without a doubt. Remember, you should upgrade both the motherboard and GPU here.
A gamer needs a high GPU on his computer. If you have a low one like a 1GB or 2GB graphics card, you will not play well with medium and high-end games. However, for normal or low-level games, 1 or 2GB is enough.
Because of a faulty motherboard:
If you have a damaged motherboard on your computer, you don’t have any other option except to replace it with the new one. Here is a guide for you to find the dead motherboard on a computer.
Here you’ll have two options.
- Buy the same model board or
- Upgrade with the new one
Buying the same model is completely safe and suggestible if you don’t know much about PC component compatibility. Here you can find multiple ways to find the motherboard model of your computer.
In this scenario, all your PC components are working fine and the performance is as usual as before. No more, no less.
The real discussion is when you upgrade to the new one.
You must know what motherboard you are going to buy and find out whether it is compatible with the other PC components on your CPU.
For example, if your new (upgraded) motherboard supports DDR4 RAM but you have DDR3 RAM, which supports the previous motherboard, then I’ll say you lost the compatibility of your PC components.
Here, the RAM version is just my example. You need to consider various factors before buying the motherboard like size, power utility, GPU, etc.
When you face connecting issues with the motherboard ports:
You need to change or upgrade your motherboard if you face connecting issues with your board. The damaged ports on the board will be the reason here. Here you can find the audio ports on the motherboard.
However, there is no need to change your motherboard if only the single port on the board is damaged. For example, if the DVI port is damaged, use the HDMI port to connect your CPU and the monitor.
There are possible causes you would find to change your motherboard. Now, you’ll find when to change the board if you want to improve your PC performance.
Upgrade Motherboard to Enhance PC Performance:
Everyone is interested in high-performing PCs. But the problem is, it costs too much. So you really need to care about the performance you’ll get to the amount you spend.
However, enhancing computer performance is completely optional. So you have a lot of time to decide and take action accordingly.
Here I’m going to ask you some questions about your present computer. By this, you can make a decision whether to buy a motherboard or do something else.
Performance is the collection of all components:
The computer is a collection of components like a motherboard, processor, stock cooler, RAM, SSD, Monitor, etc. So every part of the PC definitely shares its quota in performance.
If you just want to change your motherboard without considering all the other components, they may or may not be compatible with the new board.
If they are compatible, that’s fine. But what happens if they don’t? Again, you need to buy a separate processor or cooler or RAM. It is just a waste of money.
Remember, you don’t want to build another PC. Right? If you buy a motherboard without knowing about your current PC components, it will lead you to build another PC.
So, to avoid compatibility issues, first, analyze your PC components.
- Check the processor type and its generation
- What type of stock cooler do you have? Liquid or normal air cooler and its pin connectivity type.
- What are the storage devices you are using on your PC? Hard disk, SSD, M.2
- You should know about the RAM version, whether it is DDR3 or DDR4
- What GPU are you using? NVIDIA or AMD or the integrated graphics
- You must consider the monitor you are using and the ports it has
If you don’t know about all these things, what will you do with the new motherboard if you are facing issues like a Blue screen error, no signal, or something?
There is no problem if all the components are not supported by your new motherboard, you can simply replace it. And no problem if the motherboard is compatible with all other parts – you can use it.
But, you’ll get a problem when some are supported by the new board and some don’t. In that case, you may or may not have extra money for other parts to buy.
Upgrading your motherboard for performance is not a bad idea, but you must know what components you have on your current PC and what the new motherboard supports.
Should I upgrade the motherboard or build a new PC:
Based on your working requirements and your PC specifications, you should decide whether it works fine for your work after changing the motherboard or building a new one. If the current PC has old components, then I suggest that you build the new PC.
If money is your problem, then building a new PC is not the right option for you.
However, if you build a new PC, the old one will be your backup. You can give it to your family members. These days, children also use computers for online classes, YouTube videos, etc. Here is the list of things that a computer will do.
Can I upgrade my laptop motherboard?
You can upgrade your laptop motherboard based on all other components in it. However, there is no guarantee of getting better performance after the upgrade.
To avoid various problems and compatibility issues, avoid upgrading the motherboard on your laptop. If you have any issues with your laptop, replace your current motherboard with the same model. That’s completely fine and suggestible.
Replacing the board of the same model and motherboard upgrade are two different things.
Conclusion:
Let me hope you got clarity on whether or not you should upgrade your motherboard.
Remember, the motherboard manual is a great tool to check compatibility. Suppose you don’t have a physical manual. Search for the manual on the web. And find out about the compatible components.
Do the same thing to the motherboard you want to upgrade. You’ll understand the similarities and differences.
However, if all the computer components in the CPU are compatible with the new motherboard you want to upgrade, then upgrade your board. Otherwise, build a new PC or replace the board with the same model.
Let me know what you decide on changing or upgrading the motherboard on your PC or laptop.