Comparison Asus PRIME X570-PRO vs Asus PRIME X470-PRO

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 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 type of BIOS installed on the motherboard. Note that only “classic” BIOSes are taken into account here — from Ami, from Award and from Intel; a more advanced UEFI BIOS has been moved to a separate item (see below).

The BIOS is the basic input/output system, the motherboard's own software firmware stored in its permanent memory; it allows all the hardware components of the system to interact with each other, even if the computer does not have an OS installed. In other words, it is the “bios” that controls the computer from the moment it is turned on until the operating system boots. This firmware also includes a set of tools for changing the basic settings.

Speaking about specific varieties, it is worth saying that the mentioned "classic" firmware do not have fundamental differences between themselves; in addition, the set of features is largely determined not by the type of BIOS, but by the model of the motherboard. Therefore, the type of BIOS is not a key choice; even for professionals and enthusiasts, it rarely turns out to be fundamental.

The presence of its own built-in active cooling system.

Active cooling is called, in which heat is forcibly removed from a heated object and this function is usually provided with the help of fans. This solution is designed to reduce the thermal load on motherboards without external coolers, which anyway will be additionally installed.

The mode of operation of the motherboard with RAM installed on it. It may be as follows:

— Single channel. The simplest mode of operation: one controller works immediately with the entire amount of RAM. The main advantages of this mode are the simplicity and low cost of controllers. However, its performance is very low, so single-channel "motherboards" are extremely rare nowadays — mainly among inexpensive models for home / office.

— Dual channel. In this mode, two independent controllers work with RAM, the memory itself is divided into two blocks, and information is exchanged in two streams, which increases the speed of operation. Performance gains can range from 5-10% to 100%, depending on the specific application and system features. Note that two RAM sticks with identical characteristics are highly desirable for dual-channel operation — this allows you to achieve optimal performance, in addition, not all "motherboards" are able to work with pairs of unequal memory modules.

— Two / three-channel. Motherboards that support three-channel RAM. This mode is similar to dual-channel and fundamentally differs only in the number of threads and memory bars — there must be 3 of them (or a number that is a multiple of 3). At the same time, again, ideally, such strips should be the same; the possibility of using different brackets is not guaranteed in all motherboards, and if the frequency does not match, the channel speed will be limited by the spe...ed of the slowest RAM module. If only two compatible brackets are installed, the system will operate in dual-channel mode.

— Two / four-channel. Motherboards that support quad-channel RAM. This mode is completely similar to the two/three-channel mode described above and differs only in the number of RAM modules — they need 4 (or a multiple of four). At the same time, again, when installing a smaller number of slats, such a motherboard can operate in the appropriate mode — two or three-channel (the main thing is that the slats meet the requirements for this mode).

— Six-channel. An operating mode that assumes the presence of 6 separate memory controllers and a multiple number of slots for individual modules (12 in some boards, more theoretically possible). It is found exclusively in top-end solutions, usually of the HEDT class (see "By Direction"), designed for uncompromising performance.

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 maximum amount of RAM that can be installed on the motherboard.

When choosing according to this parameter, it is important to take into account the planned use of the PC and the real needs of the user. So, volumes up to 32 GB inclusive are quite enough to solve any basic problems and run games comfortably, but without a significant reserve for an upgrade. 64 GB is the optimal option for many professional use cases, and for the most resource-intensive tasks like 3D rendering, 96 GB or even 128 GB of memory will not be a limit. The most “capacious” motherboards are compatible with volumes of 192 GB or more - they are mainly top-end solutions for servers and HEDT (see “In the direction”).

You can choose this parameter with a reserve – taking into account a potential RAM upgrade, because installing additional RAM sticks is the simplest way to increase system performance. Taking this factor into account, many relatively simple motherboards support very significant amounts of RAM.

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.

The ability of the motherboard to work with memory modules that support ECC (Error Checking and Correction) technology. This technology allows you to correct minor errors that occur in the process of working with data, and increases the overall reliability of the system; mainly used in servers.