Comparison Asus PRIME X470-PRO vs Asus PRIME X370-PRO

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 chipset model installed in the motherboard. AMD's current chipset models are B450, A520, B550, X570, X570S, A620, B650, B650E, X670 and X670E. For Intel, in turn, the list of chipsets looks like this: X299, H410, B460, H470, Z490, H510, B560, H570, Z590, H610, B660, H670, Z690, B760, Z790.

A chipset is a set of chips on the motherboard through which the individual components of the system interact directly: the processor, RAM, drives, audio and video adapters, network controllers, etc. Technically, such a set consists of two parts — the north and south bridges. The key element is the northbridge, it connects the processor, mem...ory, graphics card and the southbridge (together with the devices it controls). Therefore, it is often the name of the north bridge that is indicated as the chipset model, and the south bridge model is specified separately (see below); it is this scheme that is used in traditional layout motherboards, where bridges are made in the form of separate microcircuits. There are also solutions where both bridges are combined in one chip; for them, the name of the entire chipset can be indicated.

Anyway, knowing the chipset model, you can find various additional data on it — from general reviews to special instructions. An ordinary user, usually, does not need such information, but it can be useful for various professional tasks.

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.

The ability of the motherboard to work with RAM modules that support XMP (Extreme Memory Profiles) technology. This technology was developed by Intel; it is used in motherboards and RAM blocks and only works if both of these system components are XMP compliant. A similar technology from AMD is called AMP.

The main function of XMP is to facilitate system overclocking (“overclocking”): special overclocking profiles are “sewn” into the memory with this technology, and if desired, the user can only select one of these profiles without resorting to complex configuration procedures. This is not only easier, but also safer: every profile added to the bar is tested for stability.

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).

The number of M.2 connectors provided in the design of the motherboard. There are motherboards for 1 M.2 connector, for 2 connectors, for 3 connectors or more.

The M.2 connector is designed to connect advanced internal devices in a miniature form factor — in particular, high-speed SSD drives, as well as expansion cards like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules. However, connectors designed to connect only peripherals (Key E) are not included in this number. Nowadays, this is one of the most modern and advanced ways to connect components. But note that different interfaces can be implemented through this connector — SATA or PCI-E, and not necessarily both at once. See "M.2 interface" for details; here we note that SATA has a low speed and is used mainly for low-cost drives, while PCI-E is used for advanced solid-state modules and is also suitable for other types of internal peripherals.

Accordingly, the number of M.2 is the number of components of this format that can be simultaneously connected to the motherboard. At the same time, many modern boards, especially mid-range and top-end ones, are equipped with two or more M.2 connectors, and moreover, with PCI-E support.

Electrical (logical) interfaces implemented through physical M.2 connectors on the motherboard.

See above for more details on such connectors. Here we note that they can work with two types of interfaces:

• SATA is a standard originally created for hard drives. M.2 usually supports the newest version, SATA 3; however, even it is noticeably inferior to PCI-E in terms of speed (600 MB / s) and functionality (only drives);
• PCI-E is the most common modern interface for connecting internal peripherals (otherwise NVMe). Suitable for both expansion cards (such as wireless adapters) and drives, while PCI-E speeds allow you to fully realize the potential of modern SSDs. The maximum communication speed depends on the version of this interface and on the number of lines. In modern M.2 connectors, you can find PCI-E versions 3.0 and 4.0, with speeds of about 1 GB / s and 2 GB / s per lane, respectively; and the number of lanes can be 1, 2 or 4 (PCI-E 1x, 2x and 4x respectively)

Specifically, the M.2 interface in the characteristics of motherboards is indicated by the number of connectors themselves and by the type of interfaces provided for in each of them. For example, the entry "3xSATA / PCI-E 4x" means three connectors that can work both in SATA format and in PCI-E 4x format; and the designation "1xSATA / PCI-E 4x, 1xPCI-E 2x" means two connectors, one of which works as SATA or PCI-E 4x, and the second — only as PCI-E 2x.

Motherboard-integrated cooling for M.2 SSD drives.

This connector allows you to achieve high speed, however, for the same reason, many M.2 SSDs have high heat dissipation, and additional cooling may be required to avoid overheating. Most often, the simplest radiator in the form of a metal plate is responsible for such cooling — in the case of an SSD, this is quite enough.

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.