The best cheap motherboard prices

For years, motherboards have been a barrier between gamers and power users looking to build their own PCs. And, for years, the reality has been far less complicated than the common perception. 

The truth is, it isn’t that tough to comprehend the differences between motherboard brands, chipsets and functionality. Better yet, as the best motherboard deals would suggest, they aren’t nearly as pricey as you might expect, given their stately jurisdiction. 

We’ve gathered the best motherboard deals on the market and integrating them into an ever-changing list that spans five divergent categories. So whether you’re a gamer or a number-cruncher – or even a video production aficionado – you’ll find something on this list that suits your urgent needs. What’s more, you won’t even have to shell out a fortune once you’ve done so.

You don’t have to dig deep into your pockets for the best motherboard deals regardless of your processor type or RAM. So no matter if it’s an AMD Ryzen or Intel Coffee Lake CPU that’s captivated your attention, you can count on spotting a motherboard that fits your criteria among the following entries. We’ve accounted for port selection and case size as well so that, for the sake of convenience, you can skip the research and find the motherboard of your dreams below.

Best ATX motherboard deal

So you’re ready to get your mid-size desktop off the ground and start rolling with a motherboard that’s built to last? As its name suggests, the Asus Prime Z270-A doesn’t support the latest Z370 processors (i.e. the Intel Core i7-8700K), but it was one of the top mobo picks for Intel’s last-generation CPUs, and it has all of the ports you’ll need to get through the day, including Thunderbolt 3.

Because it boasts support for Asus Aura Sync, you’ll never have to worry about your motherboard going out of fashion. More importantly, however, you’ll be the proud owner of a motherboard specializing in 5-way optimization with auto-tuning and FanXpert 4, for the perfect 6th- and 7th-generation Intel Core overclocking experience.

Best Micro ATX motherboard deal

The Gigabyte GA-8250M-DS3H is a tiny motherboard, which occupies but a fraction the size 0f a full ATX part but it packs nearly as many features . It also has. 

Sporting the LGA 1151 socket for 6th- and 7th-generation Intel Core processors, plus six full-size USB ports as well as DVI-D and HDMI-out around the back. This motherboard was one of the first to support Intel Optane memory, the technology designed to make hard drives as fast as SSDs. 

Best Mini-ITX motherboard deal

When you want to go even smaller, this MSI H270I motherboard is choice Though there are plenty of cheaper Mini-ITX motherboards to choose from, this one comes with a Wi-Fi adapter, making wireless internet from your desktop a complication of the past.

Adhering to the standards of Intel’s H270 chipset, the MSI H270I Gaming Pro AC brings support for both 6th- and 7th-generation Intel Core processors, from Celeron all the way up to i7. That said, we’re most proud of the ports here. Like the above Gigabyte micro ATX motherboard, the MSI H270I mini-ITX is stacked with an M.2 slot and six USB ports with no USB-C in sight. However, that’s still pretty impressive when you think about just how compact this mobo really is.

Best gaming motherboard deal

It’s hard not to wince reading the words “MSI Arsenal Z270 Gaming Plus,” but nevertheless, this motherboard is adequately suited for Intel Skylake and Kaby Lake processors. This is an ATX mobo ready for two-way AMD Crossfire or Nvidia SLI, which is really something for this unbeatable low price.

The MSI Arsenal Z270 Gaming Plus promises studio-class audio for a gaming experience that’ll  make you feel like you are truly one step away from death at all times. If that doesn’t compel you, we don’t know what will.

Best mining motherboard deal

The cryptocurrency craze has been going on for quite some time now, and it doesn’t appear to be coming to a close any time soon. Now that one Bitcoin is worth nearly $15,000, you’re going to need a top-notch motherboard to start chipping into that enigmatic world of blockchains. Of the top performing motherboards relative to cryptocurrency mining, the ASRock H81 Pro has adopted somewhat of a cult following for its lofty commitment to a six-GPU setup.

Since mining for cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum is so GPU-intensive, it’s no coincidence that the best mining motherboard deal pushes the limits of how many graphics cards your rig can hold. Gamers beware, this is hardly an exceptional motherboard for playing PUBG at stable frame rates, but it’s one of the better priced motherboard that’s as dedicated to crypto mining as the ASRock H81 Pro is.  

Gabe Carey
Gabe has been writing about video games and technology since he was 16 years old. Currently serving as a Contributing Editor & Producer for TechRadar, where he keeps articles fresh and up to date on the reg, you may recognize his byline from Digital Trends, TechSpot and Kotaku UK. He can't tell if his adoration of Sonic the Hedgehog is genuine or ironic anymore.