Motherboards for Intel Skylake processors

Asus H110I-PLUS D3

Intel has not yet released all Skylake processors to the market, and board manufacturers have already presented their solutions in all form factors and on different chipsets. Mini-ITX boards are designed for those who want to build a really compact PC. After all, such solutions — 170 ×170 mm in size — serve as the basis for assembling systems that are about 3 times smaller than conventional "systems" (in Midi-Tower enclosures).

The Asus H110I-PLUS D3 is inexpensive, but it has excellent workmanship and the manufacturer has shown attention to detail. Therefore, this board costing less than $100 will be a reliable basis for a PC, and it will be convenient to use it. It has a UEFI BIOS and proprietary utilities almost like expensive Asus models. For example, the overclocking capabilities of systems that are unnecessary for such systems have been reduced. But the proprietary AI Suite 3 programme will allow you to configure the system so that the fans (processor and cabinet) work quietly, and power consumption is minimal.

An important feature of the Asus H110I-PLUS D3 is the presence of two slots for DDR3L memory, not DDR4. Therefore, this board is suitable for those who do not see the need to switch to DDR4. For example, to use an existing set of "RAM", and not to buy a new one. Although, this is relevant if there is a DDR3L kit (regular DDR3 is not recommended for use). If you want a Mini-ITX board with DDR4 slots, pay attention, for example, to the Asus Z170I PRO GAMING or MSI H110I PRO. But there are no restrictions with processors — without overclocking, you can use any Skylake (with socket 1151).

Also note that the H110I-PLUS D3 does not have USB Type-A and Type-C ports. This is predictable, given the low cost of the fee. If you are looking for a Mini-ITX board with this option, you will have to fork out for a more expensive model (like Gigabyte GA-H170N-WIFI). And at the disposal of economical buyers of this model will be 4 USB 3.0 ports (two of them are displayed on the front panel of the case). It turns out that the board has no "frills" and it works on an entry-level chipset (Intel H110). Therefore, it has an excellent value for money, and you will not overpay for features that are not usually used in inexpensive office and home (non-gaming) machines for which the H110I-PLUS D3 is designed.

Gigabyte GA-B150M-D3H DDR3

The transition to the new Intel platform is interesting not only for those who build a powerful PC for games and professional applications. Skylake will also be used in office machines (when Intel CPUs of previous generations go out of sale). Therefore, inexpensive "office" boards like Gigabyte GA-B150M-D3H DDR3 will be in demand.

GA-B150M-D3H DDR3 is a solution for those who need an inexpensive Skylake board with support for DDR3L memory and without any special functions and overclocking capabilities. In principle, this is the most optimal option in our selection for office machines and for inexpensive home PCs whose owners do not belong to enthusiastic players and overclocking enthusiasts. Together with an entry-level SSD and Celeron, Pentium or Core i3, you will get a low-cost PC with low power consumption and quiet operation. Especially if you take a processor with a TDP (maximum heat dissipation) of 35 watts, like, say, G4400T or i3-6100T.

If you are looking for a similar economical solution with support for DDR4, Gigabyte can offer you a slightly more expensive GA-B150M-D3H. And if you want to experiment with overclocking Core i5 or i7 with index K, you can take GA-Z170-HD3 DDR3 on the Z170 chipset for $130. Only the latter is deprived of the Intel Small Business Advantage option, which is useful for office machines. After all, it simplifies the management of a fleet of cars, allowing, for example, remotely monitor their work, block the use of USB drives, etc.

Otherwise, the fee meets the criteria of 2015. It has an M.2 PCI Express 3.0 x4 slot for compact SSD drives (like Samsung 950 Pro) and three SATA Express ports for regular ones. There are also a few "regular" SATA, so you can use any hard drives. And three output outputs will allow you to connect any monitor, TV or projector. Considering the price ($100), GA-B150M-D3H DDR3 has no critical disadvantages. Unless I would like to see a couple of USB 3.1 ports on it. Probably, Gigabyte will eventually have such models.

MSI B150 GAMING M3

All motherboard manufacturers have already released a line of gaming solutions for the new Intel platform — from low-cost to flagship. We have included two such models in our rating: MSI — for entry—level and mid-level gaming PCs and ASUS — for high-end systems with the ability to overclock the processor.

The B150 GAMING M3 is a model with an excellent price ratio ($130) and features. The MSI solution will provide the same performance as the $200-300 fees, both in the hot online battles of Star Wars Battlefront and when traveling through the open world of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. This model, like the more expensive ones, has 3 connectors for case fans (the "iron" can be cooled well), there will be no problems with connecting game manipulators, etc. Therefore, by saving on the purchase of a board, you can invest more money in the processor and graphics card — they determine the FPS (number of frames per second) in toys.

What did the manufacturer save on? The cost of the model is reduced by using a low-cost chipset B150. Unlike more expensive solutions on the Z170 chipset, it does not support Core overclocking with the K index. However, this is not a minus of the B150 GAMING M3 — Intel imposes such a restriction in its CPU and chipsets. If you are planning to overclock the system, pay attention to the gaming models with the Z170 chipset.

The board will delight players with a basic set of appropriate "chips". The network adapter is optimized for online games: they have the highest priority among applications and when fighting on the Internet you will get the lowest possible ping (fast connection to the server). And the improved sound adapter is able to "pump" any headphones, including models with a resistance of 600 ohms (that is, almost any).

The MSI B150 GAMING M3 has a number of improvements compared to the boards for Haswell: Support for DDR4 memory, SATAe interface (SATA Express) for connecting fast SSDs and 4 USB 3.1 ports (plus 2 can be connected to the panel on the case) for external storage devices and accelerated charging of gadgets. There are few compatible devices on the market now, but in a year or two the situation will change and the owner of the board will be able to use the newest drives. In addition, MSI has also updated proprietary software for GAMING series boards. So, it became possible to launch games and applications (for example, Steam) or log in by pressing one of the keys on the keyboard, which is important for online games.

ASRock Z170 Extreme4

The ASRock brand is not as well known as Asus, MSI and Gigabyte. This manufacturer has to attract the attention of customers to its products with greater capabilities and/or a lower price than similar solutions from the "big three". This is also true for the Z170 Extreme4 model. At a cost comparable to the previous model, it is based on the more advanced Z170 chipset and makes it easy to increase the frequency of Core i5-6600K or Core i7-6700K above 4 GHz. She also has such useful little things as a button to reset the BIOS settings on the back panel. However, if you don't force the system, the ASRock Z170 Extreme4 still deserves attention.

Despite the "extreme" name, this board is a balanced model for assembling a home PC. It has an Intel Gigabit Ethernet adapter, a better sound adapter than low-cost solutions (Realtek ALC1150) with a headphone amplifier (up to 600 ohms) and an optical output, three audio outputs (DVI-D, HDMI, DisplayPort) and even CrossFire and SLI support (two AMD or NVIDIA graphics cards work in tandem).

Unlike models of previous generations, the Z170 Extreme4 has not only a solid amount of USB 3.0 (6 pcs), but also USB Type-C and Type-A ports. By the way, pay attention to the modification of the Z170 Extreme4+, which is equipped with a remote front panel with a pair of USB 3.1. The second feature is the M.2 slot for fast SSDs. They may not be popular yet, but after all, the PC is usually not going to be for a year or two.

The manufacturer offers a utility for installing Windows 7 from a USB stick (models with Intel 100 series chipsets have difficulties with this).

The Z170 Extreme4 can be used for workstations and gaming machines (if you don't like regular gaming boards). Just consider one point if you plan to use an SSD drive M.2. During the testing of the board by IT publications, it turned out that when installing the drive in the M slot.2 there may be a problem with installing a large graphics card. Less problems have been identified.

Asus Z170 PRO GAMING

The Asus Z170 PRO GAMING gaming board can be considered exemplary for middle-class models. This $200 model is noticeably more expensive than some low-cost solutions. This is justified by the fact that it has excellent equipment and it allows you to accelerate Skylake to the maximum.

Firstly, the Asus board is equipped with an M.2 PCI-E 3.0 x4 slot for SSD drives, a SATAe connector and USB 3.1 Type-A and Type-C ports (except 4 USB 3.0). Therefore, you can use the fastest drives, both for system installation and for storing content on external disks. And also charge mobile devices quickly. In addition to CrossFire support, Asus, unlike the MSI board, can work with 2 or 4 NVIDIA cards in SLI mode.

Secondly, Asus has supplemented the capabilities of the Z170 chipset for overclocking processors with improved components for stable operation of the CPU and memory at increased "speeds". A proprietary AI Suite 3 programme and a BIOS rich in settings will allow you to configure many system parameters. Therefore, the Z170 PRO GAMING will be a good purchase not only for gamers, but also for overclockers who want to "squeeze" the maximum out of the new Intel platform. Keep in mind that without overclocking, the difference in games will not be noticeable in comparison with low-cost solutions.

However, even if you do not plan to overclock the CPU, buying Z170 PRO GAMING will bring only positive impressions. This board has an Intel network adapter optimized for online games, and an improved sound controller is equipped with a headphone amplifier (up to 300 ohms). And from gaming solutions from other manufacturers, Asus differs in proprietary technology for visualizing sound sources in games. In online shooters, it will allow you to more clearly determine where shots are fired or where the enemy is sneaking up from. Caring for the buyer is also manifested in such details as a gift to them in the form of a premium for World of Warships.