When you're buying a motherboard, the chipset is a shorthand for the kind of features and quality you can expect. A B650 or B850 chipset will entail a relatively reduced feature set compared to an X670 or X870 chipset. A higher-end chipset might give you access to more Gen5 lanes and universal PCIe 5.0 connectivity, but, for most people, the real differences between motherboards lie in features like high-quality VRMs, decked-out I/O, and onboard Wi-Fi, and these aren't tied to the chipset.

A Gen5 M.2 slot

Slowly becoming the standard

Gen5 SSDs might not be relevant for most users, but you should still have at least one PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot on your motherboard. If you're buying a motherboard in 2025, having Gen5 storage support is necessary even if you aren't planning to install a Gen5 SSD yet. The prices of blazing-fast Gen5 SSDs will keep dropping, and games and other applications will gradually leverage their read/write speeds. You need to be prepared for when that happens. Besides, even today's budget motherboards feature a single Gen5 M.2 slot — it has started to become a standard.

Gen5 storage support isn't mandatory on every chipset, hence it's better to focus on the spec sheet instead of the chipset mentioned in the motherboard's name. For those who're ready to move to Gen5 SSDs right away, multiple Gen5 M.2 slots should be at the top of the priority list. Fortunately, you don't need to spend a bomb for that privilege; a $250 motherboard will provide you with dual Gen5 and dual Gen4 M.2 slots.

Onboard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

A must-have feature still absent from cheap boards

In 2025, onboard wireless connectivity might be the bare minimum, but some motherboards still don't come with onboard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. If you're building a starter PC, and have a tight budget to play with, you might have to sacrifice onboard Wi-Fi when choosing a motherboard. Wi-Fi shouldn't be optional on motherboards anymore, and users shouldn't be forced to buy a Wi-Fi adapter, but that's how it is. Thankfully, once you cross the $130 mark, almost every motherboard will sport Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E connectivity alongside Bluetooth.

You'll realize the importance of onboard Wi-Fi when your PC is out of reach of a wired connection. Whether a temporary or permanent situation, having the feature as a backup is always recommended.

QoL features

Making life easy for all

QoL or quality-of-life features on motherboards are underappreciated additions that enhance the PC building experience. Whether it's the M.2 slots with pre-installed heatsinks or tool-less functionality, BIOS flashback, or a 7-segment display for debugging, these little additions not only make a motherboard feel more premium, but also improve your experience each time you remove your graphics card or update your BIOS. Many motherboards now come with quick-release PCIe slots and dual BIOS to simplify regular PC maintenance.

Even onboard power and reset buttons that most people can do without are welcome additions on any motherboard. These features might not be directly tied to performance, but they play a significant role in the overall PC building experience.

Ample fan and RGB headers

You know you'll need them sooner or later

There's nothing worse than running out of motherboard headers when installing case fans or ARGB cables. While most motherboards have a decent number of fan and RGB headers, you need to inspect this closely to determine whether it'll be enough for the components you're planning to connect to the board. Not every motherboard will satisfy every user — someone might be content with the stock fans, while someone else might need all the headers they can get.

Being forced to buy a fan or RGB hub even after buying an expensive motherboard sucks big time. Before you part with your money, check the detailed spec sheet of the motherboard to ensure you're getting enough headers — at least 4 system fan headers, 3 ARGB headers, and 1 RGB header is what I recommend.

Quality VRMs

A non-negotiable

You buy a motherboard not just for its features and compatibility, but also for durability. An entry-level motherboard might be fine for a home office PC, but gamers and professionals who intend to stress their hardware a bit more need to consider the VRM quality seriously. The VRM design of your motherboard determines how well it can supply clean and reliable power to your CPU, memory, and other components. If you're planning to run mid-range or high-end processors and RAM, you should value quality VRMs that can tackle your hardware without thermal throttling.

Motherboard reviews and roundups often list VRM temperatures, and will tell you which motherboard model is worth investing in. Often, more expensive motherboards fare worse in these tests, making it clear that the chipset alone doesn't guarantee a high-quality VRM design.

A robust I/O stack

It's more important than you think

Finally, a capable I/O stack is a must for almost all gamers, enthusiasts, and professionals. The number of USB devices on a modern PC is nothing to be scoffed at — keyboards, mice, headphones, speakers, external drives, VR headsets, and more. Even wireless peripherals need dedicated USB-A or USB-C ports for their dongles. The USB speeds need to be sufficiently high to accommodate the demands of modern devices. This makes features like 20Gbps USB ports, USB-C support, and multi-gig Ethernet more important than ever before.

You might not need all the I/O functionality on day one, but you might need it when you buy more peripherals and connect other wired or wireless devices over time. The I/O stack on most budget motherboards feels lacking by modern standards, so you might have to upgrade to a mid-range model if you need sufficient USB ports and high-speed Ethernet.

The motherboard chipset matters, but only so much

When choosing a motherboard for your CPU, you obviously need to pick the right chipset. However, the rest of the functionality and quality of your motherboard isn't guaranteed by a high-end chipset. It depends on the price of the motherboard and the choices made by the manufacturer on a particular model. Features like high-quality VRMs, onboard Wi-Fi, and an extensive I/O stack are more important than many people realize. So, the next time you're shopping for a motherboard, focus on everything instead of just the chipset.