When we buy a motherboard, we navigate through a sea of different ports or connectors. Between acronyms, versions and so on, you can end up with a big headache. We simplify it for you and we explain to you what are the ports which yes or yes must have the motherboard.
Connectivity on a motherboard is important and can be quite limited. Not all motherboards are the same, and many include connectors that are completely unnecessary and, in many cases, obsolete. We are going to tell you which are the most important and which ones you should despise.
These are the fundamental ports
The first thing that comes to mind is surely the USB port, which cannot be missing on any motherboard. Also, the more of these connectors you have, the more likely you think the better. But the version, the type of connection and the additional features are even more important than the quantity.
There are other connectors that must be present on a motherboard. We are going to explain to you what they are and what characteristics they should have:
- USB port : no motherboard includes a bunch of them, but in many cases they may be outdated. We should pay attention to the following aspects
- USB 3.1 Gen1 and Gen2: They are quite similar and offer speeds of up to 10 Gbps
- USB 3.2: It offers speeds of up to 20 Gbps and is intended for use with the USB-C connector. This provides compatibility with DisplayPort
- USB4: Newer version that offers up to 40 Gbps using the USB-C connector exclusively. In addition to being DisplayPort compatible, it is also Thunderbolt compatible.
- Ethernet connector: It is present in all motherboards and is essential for connecting to the Internet. We have to look for it to be 2.5G which gives us speeds of up to 2500 Mbps if it says Gigabit Ethernet that means it gives speeds of up to 1000 Mbps
- HDMI 2.0: Whether this version or higher is the best option, older versions have limitations for 4K resolutions
- DisplayPort 1.4a: slightly improved version of DisplayPort 1.4 which adds some plugins to improve graphics quality. This version offers support for a maximum resolution of 4K @ 120 Hz. The most interesting thing is that it was DisplayPort 2.0, but it has hardly been adopted and is intended for 8K resolutions.
- Audio connectors: it is quite obvious that he has to wear them and there is not much to say here, because they are still the same as years ago. Ideally, they offer 7.1 sound support and have an SP/DIF or digital audio connector.
Irrelevant ports on a motherboard
In many cases we will find connectors that remain. Most of these ports are more than obsolete and it is extremely rare to find devices that use them. We do not know why some integrate it, even in high-end motherboards when they no longer have any interest. These are:
- PS/2: this connector for keyboard and/or mouse is still visible, even if it is completely obsolete. Some say it’s because of its low latency, but the truth is that nowadays with the quality of USB ports it doesn’t make sense.
- VGA: You can mostly see this outdated analog video connector on lower end motherboards. It is more and more difficult to find monitors with this connector, but there it continues, by settling.
- DVI: precursor to HDMI and is also considered obsolete. If it is already rare to see monitors with VGA, with this connector it is even rarer, since its presence on the market was very short.
- Serial/parallel port: both connectors have been obsolete for about two decades, but are still included. They have been replaced by USB ports and are still seen on lower end motherboards. Some consider it to be because there are still very specific and old products that use this connector, but to know
- USB 2.0 / 3.0: it’s not uncommon to find these connectors on a motherboard these days. They make little sense and are a complement to install simple devices that do not require high transfer speeds
