PC Upgrades That Are A Waste Of Money

Although it may not get as much attention as a processor, graphics card, or RAM, a PC’s motherboard is a vital part of any build. It’s the piece that ties everything together and makes it all work. Despite its vital role, the motherboard doesn’t really have an effect on your PC’s performance unless you’re overclocking the CPU and/or the GPU (via Whatsabyte). The main bottleneck most people will experience with a motherboard involves compatibility. For example, newer processors may need a newer board to work properly, if they’re going to work at all. Similarly, newer GPUs may see their performance bottlenecked if they’re plugged into an older generation of PCI express slot (via Trenton Systems). Some boards may also have your PC’s WiFi adapter built into them, so a new board might be tempting if you’re upgrading to the next WiFi generation.

But upgrading your motherboard is a huge waste of time. Unlike something quick and easy to put in like RAM, switching out a motherboard essentially involves dismantling and then rebuilding the full PC. As we’ve mentioned, compatibility is probably the best reason to upgrade, so people shopping for a new motherboard are probably purchasing a new CPU or GPU at that point anyway. In terms of budget, this probably crosses the line into “building a new rig” territory. Buying a new motherboard alone is borderline pointless, and the time and money is better spent elsewhere. A good strategy is to initially choose a board with upgrades in mind, that way you should be set for several generations of GPU and CPU. Buy a recently released board when your PC is initially being built, and it should last the life of the machine.