10 Best Budget Motherboards

The most affordable ATX form factor motherboard with very rich features. It is based on the Intel H170 chipset and has an LGA1151 socket for Intel Core i3/i5/i7 processor families. The board has four slots for installing DDR3 RAM with support for 2-channel mode and operating frequencies in the range of 1333 - 1866 MHz. In addition, the arsenal includes two PCI, PCI-Ex1 and PCI-Ex16 slots with support for CrossFire X technology. 4 SATA ports and one M.2 Socket 3 are provided for installing hard drives.

This budget model captivates with its affordable price and rich installation options for various equipment, which will allow you to assemble even a gaming PC, but only an entry-level one due to limited RAM. In addition, reviews often include complaints about the inconvenient location of some of the connectors, in particular, the M.2 slot is inconveniently mounted, which limits the list of SSDs that can fit on the board.

Equipped with an LGA 1151 socket for Intel 6th generation processors, this affordable and compact Micro-ATX motherboard is the best choice for a simple office PC. It has a couple of slots for DDR4 RAM with a frequency of only 2133 MHz, but a very rich set of expansion slots as compensation: 4 SATA, a pair of PCI-Ex1 and one PCI-Ex16. In addition, there are four USB connectors on the board, plus 6 more USB ports located on the rear panel.Among other features, we highlight two 4-pin connectors for fans, separate PS / 2 ports and the presence of an LPT interface for printers.

In general, this cheap model is well balanced, but it is noticeable that it represents the era of already outdated components, because it was released in 2016. On the other hand, the reviews indicate that ASUS H110M-R/C/SI continues to receive BIOS updates with support for the latest processors, plus it works without problems with Windows 7.

An inexpensive Micro-ATX motherboard with an AM4 socket, suitable for building budget PCs, including entry-level gaming PCs. The board has two slots for DDR4 RAM with support for an operating frequency of 3200 MHz and a capacity of up to 32 GB. In addition, the board has SATA slots (4 units) and one M.2 slot for connecting an SSD drive. The rest can be connected via two PCI-Ex1 and a PCI-Ex16 slot for a video card. The board provides 12 USB connectors, plus there are two video outputs (DVI-D and HDMI), as well as three audio connectors and a pair of PS / 2.

The board is quite cheap, but at the same time it impresses with its reliability in operation, the abundance of various connectors and the high-quality elaboration of the BIOS menu. Separately, we highlight the support for Game Boost from GIGABYTE, which will optimize performance in games. Among the minuses, the lack of full support for options for overclocking the processor is most often mentioned.

Interesting and cheap Micro-ATX motherboard with LGA 1151-v2 socket (Intel processors). This inexpensive model has two slots for DDR4 2133 - 2666 MHz memory, is built on the Intel H310 chipset and was released in 2018, i.e. passed the test of time for reliability in operation. To expand the PC configuration, there are 4 SATA connectors and one PCI-Ex1 and PCI-Ex16 slots each. In addition, the board has room for 10 USB ports, a pair of video outputs for graphics integrated into the CPU (VGA and DVI-D), an RJ-45 network connector, a combo PS/2, and audio outputs supporting 7.1-channel audio.

This budget model is perfectly adapted for use in office PCs, so it is devoid of any frills that can lead to a decrease in service life. Of the minuses appearing in the negative reviews, we note the not very convenient location of the SATA ports and the poor elaboration of the protection against short circuits.

The ASRock A320M-HDV R4.0 motherboard, made in the Micro-ATX form factor, was released in 2019, but has already gained popularity among connoisseurs of AMD processors due to its low price, excellent balance of features and high-quality ergonomics. The board is based on the reliable AMD A320 chipset and received two slots for DDR4 standard RAM with support for frequencies up to 3200 MHz. In the arsenal of this inexpensive model, there is a rather rich selection of ports: 4 SATA, M.2, PCI-Ex1, PCI-Ex16, 6 USB on the board and 6 more on the rear panel.There are also three video outputs for using the processor's integrated graphics, one RJ-45 and three analog audio connectors.

This cheap motherboard has a good BIOS menu, 6-phase CPU power and an additional 3-pin fan header. In the reviews, the model is praised for its excellent balance, and among the minuses, problems with installing the outdated Windows 7 OS are most often indicated.

A very cheap motherboard for an AM4 CPU socket from AMD. It entered the market in 2017 and was positioned as a mid-budget, but since then it has fallen in price, moving into the inexpensive segment. Of course, with such a history, there is also a rich arsenal of features: two slots for DDR4 2133 - 3200 MHz RAM, 4 SATA ports, one M.2 connector, a pair of PCI-Ex1 and a graphics PCI-Ex16. On board, a total of 12 USB 2.0 and 3.2 Gen1 connectors, two video outputs (VGA / HDMI), RJ-45 and three analog audio connectors are typed.

A bonus of this model can be considered the support of most modern ASUS technologies for controlling the board's capabilities through the BIOS: ASUS DIGI + VRM, ASUS Fan Xpert, ASUS LANGuard and ASUS SafeSlot Core. There are no particularly critical complaints about ASUS PRIME A320M-K in the reviews, often only incompatibility with some of the latest processors is mentioned, which makes it necessary to reflash the BIOS.

Budget motherboard Micro-ATX form factor with socket LGA 1151-v2. Like most other cheap boards, it received only two slots for DDR4 RAM and with a frequency of no higher than 2666 MHz. The board also has 4 SATA ports, a set of two PCI-Ex1 and one PCI-Ex16. Despite the fact that the board is inexpensive, it is equipped with support for 7.1-channel audio, and the total number of USB connectors of different standards reaches 10. To use the capabilities of the graphics integrated into processors, GIGABYTE H310M S2 2.0 is equipped with a VGA port.

This model went on sale in 2019 and is in fairly high demand, which is based on the excellent geometry of the arrangement of elements, which allows you to easily insert even a large video card, and reliability during intensive PC use. As a result, GIGABYTE H310M S2 2.0 is the best choice for a 24/7 office computer.

Inexpensive motherboard for office PCs with the ability to assemble a budget gaming build. Based on LGA 1151-v2 socket for Intel CPU and Intel H310 chipset. This cheap model offers users two slots for DDR4 RAM with a frequency of no more than 2666 MHz, a pair of PCI-Ex1 slots and one PCI-Ex16 slot for a discrete graphics card. Otherwise, nothing unusual: 4 SATA ports, 4 USB connectors on the board itself and 6 on the rear panel, three standard video outputs (HDMI/VGA/DVI-D), an RJ-45 port and three analog audio connectors.

This Micro-ATX form factor board entered the market in 2018 and received quite a lot of positive reviews for reliability, plus it has a stylish LED-backlit elements, i.е.can be used to build a simple gaming PC with no pretensions to run demanding games. Among the obvious shortcomings, we note weak integration with the integrated graphics of processors, which may cause short-term flickering of the image.

Compact motherboard with Micro-ATX form factor. Received an LGA 1151-v2 socket for 8/9th generation Intel Core CPUs and a couple of slots for DDR4 memory with a maximum frequency of 2666 MHz. Among the expansion slots are only PCI-Ex16 for a video card and PCI-Ex1, plus there are four SATA connectors and four internal USB 2.0 and 3.2 Gen1 connectors. Among the external outputs, there are 6 more USB ports, three video outputs for using the graphics integrated into the processor, an RJ-45 port and audio outputs for 7.1-channel sound.

A unique feature of this budget board is the presence of an LPT connector for connecting outdated equipment, mainly printers, which can still be used in offices. As for the shortcomings, users in the reviews note the presence of minor problems with the translation of individual BIOS items and the lack of a lock on one of the RAM slots.

Pretty simple, but inexpensive and perfectly balanced Micro-ATX motherboard with socket AM4. At the same time, the MSI brand is a guarantee of good quality even in the budget segment, where manufacturers often strive to save a lot.The model is relatively new, appeared on the market in 2019 and has already gained fame as the best value for money among cheap components for home or office PCs.

The most important feature of this board is the ability to use DDR4 memory with a frequency of up to 3200 MHz and a capacity of up to 32 GB. True, there are only two memory slots, but these are the costs of the segment. There was a place on the board for a PCI-Ex16 slot, one PCI-Ex1 slot, an M.2 port, and four SATA. Separately, we note a good sound adapter Realtek ALC892, which supports 7.1-channel audio. The choice of USB ports is also rich, of which, taking into account the internal connectors, there are 12 pieces.