Comparison Asus ROG STRIX Z790-H GAMING WIFI vs MSI MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK WIFI DDR5

The number of processor power phases provided on the motherboard.

Very simplistically, phases can be described as electronic blocks of a special design, through which power is supplied to the processor. The task of such blocks is to optimize this power, in particular, to minimize power surges when the load on the processor changes. In general, the more phases, the lower the load on each of them, the more stable the power supply and the more durable the electronics of the board. And the more powerful the CPU and the more cores it has, the more phases it needs; this number increases even more if the processor is planned to be overclocked. For example, for a conventional quad-core chip, only four phases are often enough, and for an overclocked one, at least eight may be needed. It is because of this that powerful processors can have problems when used on inexpensive low-phase motherboards.

Detailed recommendations on choosing the number of phases for specific CPU series and models can be found in special sources (including the documentation for CPU itself). Here we note that with numerous phases on the motherboard (more than 8), some of them can be virtual. To do this, real electronic blocks are supplemented with doublers or even triplers, which, formally, increases the number of phases: for example, 12 claimed phases can represent 6 physical blocks with doublers. However, virtual phases are much inferior to real ones in terms of capabilities — in fact, t...hey are just additions that slightly improve the characteristics of real phases. So, let's say, in our example, it is more correct to speak not about twelve, but only about six (though improved) phases. These nuances must be specified when choosing a motherboard.

The presence of its own LED backlight on the motherboard. This feature does not affect the functionality of the "motherboard", but gives it an unusual appearance. Therefore, it hardly makes sense for an ordinary user to specifically look for such a model (a motherboard without backlighting is enough for him), but for modding lovers, backlighting can be very useful.

LED backlighting can take the form of individual lights or LED strips, come in different colours (sometimes with a choice of colours) and support additional effects — flashing, flickering, synchronization with other components (see "Lightning synchronization"), etc. Specific features depend on the motherboard model.

Synchronization technology provided in the board with LED backlight (see above).

Synchronization itself allows you to "match" the backlight of the motherboard with the backlight of other system components — cases, video cards, keyboards, mice, etc. Thanks to this matching, all components can change colour synchronously, turn on / off at the same time, etc. Specific features the operation of such backlighting depends on the synchronization technology used, and, usually, each manufacturer has its own (Mystic Light Sync for MSI, RGB Fusion for Gigabyte, etc.). The compatibility of the components also depends on this: they must all support the same technology. So the easiest way to achieve backlight compatibility is to collect components from the same manufacturer.

The maximum RAM clock speed supported by the motherboard. The actual clock frequency of the installed RAM modules should not exceed this indicator — otherwise, malfunctions are possible, and the capabilities of the “RAM” cannot be used to the fullest.

For modern PCs, a RAM frequency of 1500 – 2000 MHz or less is considered very low, 2000 – 2500 MHz is modest, 2500 – 3000 MHz is average, 3000 – 3500 MHz is above average, and the most advanced boards can support frequencies of 3500 – 4000 MHz and even more than 4000 MHz.

Number of SATA 3 ports on the motherboard.

SATA is now the standard interface for connecting internal drives (mainly HDDs) and optical drives. One device is connected to one such connector, so the number of SATA ports corresponds to the number of internal drives / drives that can be connected to the motherboard through such an interface. A large number ( 6 SATA ports and more) is necessary in case of active use of several hard drives and other peripherals. For domestic use, 4 is enough. SATA 3, as the name suggests, is the third version of this interface, operating at a total speed of about 6 Gbps; the useful speed, taking into account the redundancy of the transmitted data, is about 4.8 Mbps (600 MB / s) — that is, twice as much as in SATA 2.

Note that different SATA standards are quite compatible with each other in both directions: older drives can be connected to newer ports, and vice versa. The only thing is that the data transfer rate will be limited by the capabilities of the slower version, and in some cases it may be necessary to reconfigure the drives with hardware (switches, jumpers) or software. It is also worth saying that SATA 3 is the newest and most advanced variation of SATA today, but the capabilities of this standard are not enough to unlock the full potential of high-speed SSDs. Therefore, SATA 3 is mainly used for hard drives and low-cost SSDs, faster drives are conn...ected to specially designed connectors like M.2 or U.2 (see below).

Operating modes of PCI-E 16x slots supported by the motherboard.

For more information about this interface, see above, and information about the modes is indicated if there are several PCI-E 16x slots on the board. This data specifies at what speed these slots can operate when expansion cards are connected to them at the same time, how many lines each of them can use. The fact is that the total number of PCI-Express lanes on any motherboard is limited, and they are usually not enough for the simultaneous operation of all 16-channel slots at full capacity. Accordingly, when working simultaneously, the speed inevitably has to be limited: for example, recording 16x / 4x / 4x means that the motherboard has three 16-channel slots, but if three video cards are connected to them at once, then the second and third slots will be able to give speed only to PCI-E 4x level. Accordingly, for a different number of slots and the number of digits will be appropriate. There are also boards with several modes — for example, 16x/0x/4 and 8x/8x/4x (0x means that the slot becomes inoperable altogether).

You have to pay attention to this parameter mainly when installing several video cards at the same time: in some cases (for example, when using SLI technology), for correct operation of video adapters, they must be connected to slots at the same speed.

Specialized TPM connector for connecting the encryption module.

TPM (Trusted Platform Module) allows you to encrypt the data stored on your computer using a unique key that is practically unbreakable (it is extremely difficult to do this). The keys are stored in the module itself and are not accessible from the outside, and data can be protected in such a way that their normal decryption is possible only on the same computer where they were encrypted (and with the same software). Thus, if information is illegally copied, an attacker will not be able to access it, even if the original TPM module with encryption keys is stolen: TPM will recognize the system change and will not allow decryption.

Technically, encryption modules can be built directly into motherboards, but it is still more justified to make them separate devices: it is more convenient for the user to purchase a TPM if necessary, and not overpay for an initially built-in function that may not be needed. Because of this, there are motherboards without a TPM connector at all.

The number of USB-C 3.2 gen2 connectors provided in the motherboard.

USB-C connectors (all versions) are used to connect to the "motherboard" USB-C ports located on the outside of the case (usually on the front panel, less often on the top or side). With a special cable, such a port is connected to the connector, while one connector, usually, works with only one port. In other words, the number of connectors on the motherboard corresponds to the maximum number of USB-C chassis connectors that can be used with it.

Recall that USB-C is a relatively new type of USB connector, it is distinguished by its small size and double-sided design; such connectors have their own technical features, so separate connectors must be provided for them. Specifically, the USB 3.2 gen2 version (formerly known as USB 3.1 gen2 and USB 3.1) operates at speeds up to 10 Gbps and allows you to implement USB Power Delivery technology, thanks to which the power supply of USB peripherals can reach 100 W per port. However, the presence of Power Delivery in specific motherboards (and even in specific connectors on the same board) should be specified separately.

The number of USB-C 3.2 gen2x2 ports provided on the motherboard.

USB-C is a universal connector. It is slightly larger than microUSB, has a convenient double-sided design (it doesn’t matter which side you connect the plug), and also allows you to implement increased power supply and a number of special functions. In addition, the same connector is standardly used in the Thunderbolt v3 interface, and technically it can be used for other interfaces.

As for the specific version of USB-C 3.2 gen2x2, it allows you to achieve a connection speed of 20 Gbps — that is, twice as fast as USB-C 3.2 gen2, hence the name. It is also worth noting that the connection according to the 3.2 gen2x2 standard is implemented only through USB-C connectors and is not used in ports of earlier standards.