Comparison MSI B250M MORTAR ARCTIC vs MSI B250M MORTAR

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 design of the motherboard has a separate heatsink for VRM.

VRM is a voltage regulation module through which power from a computer power supply is supplied to the processor. This module steps down the standard power supply voltage (+5V or +12V) to a lower value required by the processor (usually just over 1V). At high loads, the voltage regulator can get very hot, and without a specialized cooling system, the matter can end with overheating and even burnout of parts. The VRM heatsink reduces the likelihood of such situations; it can be useful for any CPU, and highly desirable if the board is planned to be used with a powerful high-end processor (especially overclocked).

Number of PCI-E (PCI-Express) 4x slots installed on the motherboard.

The PCI Express bus is used to connect various expansion cards — network and sound cards, video adapters, TV tuners and even SSD drives. The number in the name indicates the number of PCI-E lines (data transfer channels) supported by this slot; the more lines, the higher the throughput. 4 PCI-E lanes provide data transfer speeds of about 4 GB/s for PCI-E version 3.0 and 8 GB/s for version 4.0 (for more information about the versions, see "PCI Express Support").

The general rule for PCI-E is this: the card must be connected to a slot with the same or more lanes. Thus, boards for 1 or 4 PCI Express lanes can be installed in a standard PCI-E 4x slot. However, it is worth noting that in the design of modern "motherboards" there are slots of increased sizes — in particular, PCI-E 4x, corresponding in size to PCI-E 16x. The type of such slots in our catalog is indicated by the actual throughput, that is, the mentioned example will also be counted as PCI-E 4x. At the same time, peripherals with 16 PCI-E channels can also be physically connected to this connector — however, you should make sure that the throughput will be sufficient for the normal operation of such peripherals.

Number of PCI-E (PCI-Express) 16x slots installed on the motherboard.

The PCI Express bus is used to connect various expansion cards — network and sound cards, video adapters, TV tuners and even SSD drives. The number in the name indicates the number of PCI-E lines (data transfer channels) supported by this slot; the more lines, the higher the throughput. 16 lanes is the largest number found in modern PCI Express slots and cards (more is technically possible, but the connectors would be too bulky). Accordingly, these slots are the fastest: they have a data transfer rate of 16 GB / s for PCI-E 3.0 and 32 GB / s for version 4.0 (for more information about the versions, see "PCI Express Support").

Separately, we note that it is PCI-E 16x that is considered the optimal connector for connecting video cards. However, when choosing a motherboard with several such slots, it is worth considering the PCI-E modes supported by it (see below). In addition, we recall that the PCI Express interface allows you to connect boards with a smaller number of lines to connectors with numerous lines. Thus, PCI-E 16x will fit any PCI Express card.

It is also worth mentioning that in the design of modern "motherboards" there are slots of increased sizes — in particular, PCI-E 4x, corresponding in size to PCI-E 16x. However, the type of PCI-E slots in our catalog is indicated by the actual throughput; so only connectors that support 16x speed are considered as PCI-E 16x.

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.

Motherboard support for AMD's Crossfire technology.

This technology allows you to connect several separate AMD graphics cards to a PC at once and combine their computing power, respectively increasing the system's graphics performance in specific tasks. Accordingly, this feature means that the "motherboard" is equipped with at least two slots for video cards — PCI-E 16x; in general, Crossfire allows up to 4 separate adapters to be connected.

Such functionality is especially important for demanding games and "heavy" tasks like 3D rendering. However, note that in order to use several video cards, this possibility must also be provided in the application running on the computer. So in some cases, one powerful video adapter is more preferable than several relatively simple ones with the same total amount of VRAM.

A similar technology from NVIDIA is called SLI (see below). Crossfire differs from it mainly in three points: the ability to combine video adapters with different models of graphics processors (the main thing is that they are built on the same architecture), no need for additional cables or bridges (video cards interact directly via the PCI-E bus) and somewhat lower cost (allowing the use of this technology even in low-cost "motherboards"). Thanks to the latter, almost all motherboards with SLI also support Crossfire, but not vice versa.

The presence of reinforced steel PCI-E connectors on the "motherboard".

Such connectors are found mainly in gaming (see "In the direction") and other advanced varieties of motherboards, designed to use powerful graphics adapters. Steel slots are usually made PCI-E 16x, just designed for such video cards; in addition to the slot itself, its attachment to the board also has a reinforced design.

This feature offers two key advantages over traditional plastic connectors. Firstly, it allows you to install even large and heavy video cards as reliably as possible, without the risk of damaging the slot or board. Secondly, the metal connector plays the role of a protective screen and reduces the likelihood of interference; this is especially useful when using multiple video cards installed side by side.

The number of USB 2.0 connectors provided on the motherboard.

USB connectors (all versions) are used to connect to the "motherboard" USB ports located on the front panel of the case. 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 front USB connectors that can be used with it.

Specifically, USB 2.0 is the oldest version widely used nowadays. It provides data transfer rates up to 480 Mbps, is considered obsolete and is gradually being replaced by more advanced standards, primarily USB 3.2 gen1 (formerly USB 3.0). Nevertheless, a lot of peripherals are still being produced under the USB 2.0 connector: the capabilities of this interface are quite enough for most devices that do not require a high connection speed.

The number of USB 3.2 gen1 connectors provided on the motherboard.

USB connectors (all versions) are used to connect to the "motherboard" USB 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 case USB connectors that can be used with it. At the same time, we note that in this case we are talking about traditional USB A connectors; connectors for newer USB-C are mentioned separately in the specifications.

Specifically, USB 3.2 gen1 (formerly known as USB 3.1 gen1 and USB 3.0) provides transfer speeds of up to 4.8 Gbps and more power than the earlier USB 2.0 standard. At the same time, USB Power Delivery technology, which allows you to reach power up to 100 W, is usually not supported by this version of USB A connectors (although it can be implemented in USB-C connectors).