Despite all the heated debate on whether an Intel or AMD CPU and chipset is better for gaming, or whether 6-cores are enough for modern gaming, there's one major factor these debates overlook. It doesn't matter which chipset architecture you use, how many cores your SoC features, or even how many gigahertz your CPU's clock speed maxes out at.

Your motherboard's voltage regulator module (VRM) has a higher impact on performance than you might think. Opting for a motherboard with a particularly poor VRM could be hamstringing your PC's performance, especially when using a high-end CPU, while getting a motherboard with a higher quality VRM just might be the PC upgrade you actually need, instead of slotting in a new CPU or GPU.

What does a motherboard's VRM do?

And why does it impact performance?

A motherboard's VRM regulates the voltage coming into the motherboard from the power supply. The VRM solution on any motherboard is made up of MOSFETs (transistors), chokes, capacitors, and PWM controllers that make up the power delivery pipeline. The voltage regulator module takes the power coming from the PSU and converts it to a lower, stable voltage that can be used by the CPU, chipset, and memory.

Essentially, a motherboard's main VRM is primarily responsible for powering the CPU, which gives it a key part to play in overclocking your PC. However, you'll want a good VRM regardless of whether you overclock your PC. After all, if the VRM isn't sufficient, you'll get inconsistent power delivery to your components, and that'll tank your PC's overall performance since your motherboard's VRMs control power to the CPU, RAM, and chipset.

Building a PC with a good VRM means your build will last longer since the VRM will provide stable power to those vital PC components. Plus, a good VRM will ensure you don't overload your motherboard in the event you decide to overclock your PC. When talking about VRMs, they're often advertised in the format of (CPU phases)+(SoC phases)+(Chipset/Other phases). For example, you might see a 10+2+1 VRM design, and the quality of the power phases often matters more than the sheer numbers. It's better to look into the power stage rating, the true phase count, and independent VRM thermals captured by testers, especially if you're planning on breaking CPU performance records.

How to fix your motherboard's VRM performance?

You can sometimes improve performance without swapping your board.

VRM isn't the kind of thing you can easily fix on a motherboard, but you do have options other than just buying a new motherboard. While you can't directly fix a faulty voltage regulator on a motherboard, you might be able to swap out the VRM heat-sink for a better model, or you can adjust your CPU fans to add some additional airflow cooling over the VRM for additional stability and performance.

You could also opt for a water-cooling solution for additional thermal management on your VRMs, though this is often more costly than just getting a new motherboard and is typically a band-aid solution for a poorly performing VRM. It's also a bit more involved as you'll need to replace the water or coolant fluid periodically to keep the PC operating smoothly, assuming that you've built a custom loop.

Alternatively, you can get a new motherboard to avoid the issue. But, before you decide to scrap your existing motherboard, you might want to check your VRM to make sure a new motherboard is the fix you actually need. If you are in the market for a new motherboard for your PC, you'll want to make sure you choose the right motherboard. Essentially, you want to make sure you've got the right chipset and socket, the right price-point, solid reviews, and the right set of features, I/O ports, and heat-sinks built in.

What's a good VRM?

What to look for in your next motherboard.

If you do end up looking into a new motherboard, you'll want to make sure you check out the VRM solution on that particular board to ensure it will handle as well as you need.

An easy way to tell if your possible future motherboard has a good VRM is to see how many phases the VRM is rated for. A VRM with more phases puts less load on each individual phase, resulting in lower voltage fluctuations between phases. And this gets you a more stable power delivery to the CPU, memory, and chipset.

You can also check the phase design. Even though budget boards will feature a 10+2+1 phase design, you'll probably want a bit more headroom than that, assuming that the quality of those VRMs isn't really up to par.. This is particularly true if you plan to do any overclocking or serious gaming. If you plan to overclock your CPU, you'll want to do a lot of research to ensure that you have an adequate number of CPU phases and have a high-enough quality VRM.

VRM isn't everything

You also need a good power supply.

Your VRM is only as good as the power being fed to the motherboard, and that means you'll need a stable power supply that can provide the same voltage power to your motherboard regardless of workload. Plus, a powerful, stable power supply is also a key component for overclocking.

If you plan to overclock your PC, you'll want quality parts all around. A good motherboard with a high-quality VRM, a powerful CPU, a fast memory kit, a powerful CPU cooler, and a stable power supply are all necessary for overclocking your CPU, and you'll also want a good GPU to go with. While sourcing quality PC hardware can get a bit pricey for an initial build, getting better parts at the outset saves you on future upgrades. And it gets you a better PC in the short term as well.