Most customers, when shopping for a new trading computer, are focusing on which processor they need and how much memory (RAM) the system has. There are a lot of components that go into a desktop computer. We don’t expect our customers to research all the parts, that’s the job of a good system integrator such as Blue Aura Computers. This article will focus on the current best Intel Z790 motherboards we’re using for our trading computers. Keep the article date in mind, as we move into 2024 we’ll probably be using different motherboards when new chipsets are released from Intel.
As you’re configuring one of our trading computer models, it’s understandable to have questions about the component choices. We try to make everything as simple as possible with components marked as “highly recommended” in most categories to indicate what we view is the best choice. We are 100% transparent about the components we use in our custom computers.
When you receive your new system, you aren’t required to have any intimate knowledge of the components, these systems are 100% plug-n-play right out of the box – ready to use and start trading.
We typically have 2 or 3 different motherboard models to choose from when configuring a system. The default model is usually our preferred choice, based on price and features. We’ll usually have one or two upgraded boards that have additional features. The upgraded boards are not required but will provide a nice upgrade for customers that want to pay extra for one of the most advanced motherboards on the market for a given chipset.
As a system integrator, one of our main jobs is to select the best component brands for our customers. ASUS and MSI are the top 2 motherboard manufacturers that we use, with ASUS being the most common that are used in our systems.
ASUS is the largest motherboard manufacturer in the computer industry, they dominate over the other brands in global sales. There are a lot of reasons ASUS is our #1 choice. Their BIOS layout is simple, intuitive and upgrading the firmware is easy to do. We’ve found that ASUS is very attentive to bugs/fixes that are needed and provide frequent BIOS updates to address any problems.
MSI is our #2 choice. We often list MSI motherboard models as a choice in our systems. We like their BIOS layout (but not as much as ASUS) and they’re also good at providing firmware updates to their boards. MSI also manufactures video cards, most of the NVIDIA gaming cards we list have been MSI models.
The motherboard chipset controls the communication for the current generation of chips from Intel or AMD. The communication takes place between the installed processor (CPU), RAM, storage (M.2 SSD drives) and other peripherals (add on cards).
The chipset is designed by Intel or AMD. Then, companies such as ASUS or MSI design, manufacture and sell motherboards that are based on the chipset and specs provided by Intel or AMD.
Chipsets are designed for specific processors (CPUs). In the case of the new Intel Z690 or Z790 they support Intel 12th and 13th Gen processors but are not guaranteed to support future generations of chips. When Intel releases a new generation of processors they often will release a brand new chipset with it, so all the motherboard manufacturers will sell new board models to support those new CPUs.
Intel and AMD will release several chipsets that support a current generation of chips. Those chipsets will support more or less features depending on the chipset (and price).
In 2022 we were using Intel’s Z690 chipset on a couple different ASUS motherboards. In 2023 we are only using the newest Z790 chipset on two new ASUS motherboards. There are very few differences between the two chipsets, performance will be nearly identical.
With a few minor exceptions, the two chipsets are very similar in terms of features. The Z790 supports a max RAM speed of 6800 and has more support for USB 3.2 Gen ports. Since the Z790 motherboards are priced nearly the same as the Z690 we’ve found no reason to offer the Z690 anymore. Most importantly for us, we’ve build up a reputation selling computers that have the most advanced parts, which includes the newest chipsets and top brands for all the components.
There are a lot of motherboards to choose from. Over the past 10 years we’ve sold mostly ASUS Prime series motherboards, and in recent years we offer ASUS Creator motherboards for customers that want to spend extra for the best board available.
The motherboards we use in our systems can change, so make sure to check the customization options on our systems to see what we are offering. At the time of this article publication, we are using two different ASUS motherboards.
Both boards have the same Intel chipset, so they will perform similarly with the same combination of components (memory, ram, video cards, add on cards).
The notable differences are:
| ASUS Prime Z790-P WiFi 6 DDR5 | ASUS ProArt Z790-Creator WiFi 6E DDR5 |
| One PCIe 5.0 slot for the primary video card | Two PCIe 5.0 slots for video cards |
| 14+1 teamed power solution rated for 50A per stage | 16+1 teamed power solution rated for 70A per stage |
| AEMP II for Ultimate DDR5 Performance | AEMP II for Ultimate DDR5 Performance |
| USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C & Thunderbolt (USB4) Support | Two Thunderbolt 4 ports (USB4 Compliant) |
| WiFi 6 | WiFi 6E |
| 2.5Gb Ethernet | 10Gb & 2.5Gb Ethernet |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth |
What we love about the newest motherboards over the last couple of years from both Intel and AMD is that Wireless (WiFi) and Bluetooth are included. No need for add on cards.
If you’re looking for an MSI or Gigabyte Z790 motherboard there are some great options out there. We usually stick with ASUS, but depending on the market and availability we’ve used some great boards in the past from MSI and Gigabyte. We prefer MSI over Gigabyte most of the time. One of our favorite MSI Z790 boards is listed below.
MSI PRO Z790-A WIFI LGA 1700 Intel Z790 SATA 6Gb/s DDR5 ATX Motherboard
You don’t need to be a tech expert, but learning the basics about the motherboard choices we offer on our custom computers helps with making a decision on which board to go with. If you have any questions about configuring a system on our site please contact us. We can help you configure a new computer on our website by going through the entire configuration form section by section, until the perfect system has been assembled for your needs. Reach out at 920-344-5642.