The Best Motherboards for Gaming in 2013 (AMD)

If you're looking to build yourself a new gaming computer and you're going to go with an AMD processor, one component you'll definitely need to take some time when choosing is your motherboard. While it's true that your motherboard isn't going to directly impact your gaming experience, it will dictate what you can and can't do with your gaming computer in the future. If you choose a high-quality motherboard now, you will be able to make more upgrades in the future and make your gaming computer stay relevant for a lot longer.

In this article I will go over a few different options you have for motherboards at various different price ranges. The motherboards listed below are excellent boards that are awesome options for their price points. Each motherboard has been carefully researched and I can safely say that you can't go wrong by choosing any of them. So, if you're looking for a quality motherboard for your AMD gaming rig, then check out the boards listed below.

The Best Motherboard for Gaming in 2013 (AMD) Under $100

AS Rock EXTREME3 AMD 970 & SB950 ATX DDR3 800 AMD - AM3+ Motherboard ($84.99)

AS Rock has long been known for their ability to produce high-quality and feature-packed motherboards at affordable prices. The EXTREME3 is no different. At well under $100 this standard ATX motherboard is one of the best priced boards relative to the features and quality it brings to the table.

The EXTREME3 is the perfect motherboard for gamers who are working with a tight budget, but don't want to sacrifice the options that will allow them to upgrade their entry level system to a high-end gaming computer later down the road. So, if you're looking for a great budget-friendly board for your system, then this board is exactly what you need.

AS Rock EXTREME3 Features

• An incredibly well-built and feature-rich board at a ridiculously low price.


• The perfect board for gamers who want to upgrade their system in the future.


• Can handle multiple video cards and will allow users to overclock their processors for added performance.

Reviews of the AS Rock EXTREME3

From B. Chestnut on Amazon:

"I bought this because I was building a gaming pc and wanted a powerful motherboard. Its fast and can handle any game I throw at it. It is well worth the money."

From D. Waugh on Amazon:

"I'm typing on this board in my computer right now. One year installed with no problems so far. Stable, lots of options."

Buy the AS Rock EXTREME3 Today!

The Best Motherboard for Gaming in 2013 (AMD) Between $100-$150

ASRock 990FX EXTREME3 Socket AM3+/ AMD 990FX/ AMD Quad CrossFireX& nVidia Quad SLI/ SATA3&USB3.0/ A&GbE/ ATX Motherboard ($119.99)

At $100-$150 AS Rock has another more advanced version of the EXTREME3 that was listed above. For only $30 more you can get a board that will allow you to run quad video cards in CrossFireX or SLI configuration. And, while you may not be able to do that now, it certainly does give you the potential to do so in the future.

Not only can this board support four video cards, but it also has a ton of other features as well. It can handle a 7.1 surround sound speaker set for a fully immersed gaming experience and comes with all of the other options you can expect from a high-end motherboard.

AS Rock 990FX EXTREME3 Features

• Quad CrossFireX or SLI support is enough to make any gamer drool.


• A great board that's affordable and will work well with all kinds of different budgets.


• Features USB 3.0 and will accommodate 8-core processors and makes it easy to overclock.

Reviews of the AS Rock 990FX EXTREME3

From Garret Rice on Amazon:

"No issues, plug and play basically. SATA connector locations work great when combined with a good tower that lets you hide wires."

From John Blake III on Amazon:

"Fully enabled board. Has great works. Will almost anything you want. Great software included. Booted up and loaded fast and easy the first try."

Buy the AS Rock 990FX EXREME3 Today!

The Best Motherboard for Gaming in 2013 Between $150-$200

ASUS M5A97 Evo - AM3+ - 970 - SATA 6Gbps and USB 3.0 - ATX AMD ATX DDR3 2133 Motherboards ($179.99)

Perhaps no other company is as well known for making quality motherboards than ASUS. If you're looking for a high-quality board with a ton of options and upgrade potential for your mid-to-high-end gaming rig, then you'll probably want to take a long look at the ASUS M5A97 Evo AM3+ motherboard.

This board has everything you could ever want and then some. With USB 3.0 and Quad-GPU support for either CrossFireX or SLI configurations, there really isn't anything you can't do with this board. And, with one of the most easy BIOS setups to use, you will have no problem overclocking and system-tuning your computer.

ASUS M5A97 Evo AM3+ Features

• High-end high-quality motherboard that gives you a ton of options and upgrade potential


• Supports multiple video card installation for incredible performance


• The perfect board for overclockers who want more performance out of their system

Reviews of the ASUS M5A97 Evo AM3+

From Bob on Amazon:

"Matched this up with an AMD Phenom II 1090T Black Box Edition and an Artic Cooling Freezer 13. No problems, booted right up. The new bios is awesome! Overclocking seems to be limited only by the amount of cooling I can provide. Would recommend. My existing Windows 7 migrated to the new MB without a hitch from Microsoft. I changed MB, CPU and memory all at once, authenticated my existing Windows OS online, and changed the boot/OS drive a few days later without any issues."

From Johnnyb5mb on Amazon:

"Best Board for on a budget. I only have had it for two days but it has worked flawlessly so far. The UEFI bios is top notch. Will comment in a couple months to see how it is still working."

Buy the ASUS M5A97 Evo AM3+ Today!

Build Your Own Gaming Computer Today!

If you need more help choosing components or building your gaming computer, check out Elite Gaming Computers. They have all of the information you could ever need in order to build your own gaming rig.

The Best Motherboards for Gaming in 2013 (Intel)

If you're in the market for a new Intel-based gaming computer, and you're thinking about building it yourself, one component that you'll definitely need to spend some time picking out is your motherboard. Although your motherboard will not have a direct impact on your gaming experience, it will dictate the quality of components that go into your build.

By choosing a high-quality motherboard for your Intel gaming computer, you will set yourself up for a solid gaming machine now, and in the future. In this post I will take a look at some really good options you have at various different price ranges.

The motherboards listed below are high-quality boards that will give you plenty of options and will allow you to make the necessary upgrades in the future.

The Best Motherboards for Gaming in 2013 Under $100

AS Rock LGA 1155 Intel Z77 CrossFireX SATA3 USB3.0 ATX Motherboard Z77 PRO3

For just under $100 you can land yourself a high-quality board that has USB 3.0, will allow you to overclock your processor, and will accommodate multiple video cards. That's pretty incredible for an intel board under $100.

The AS Rock PRO3 board is not just a perfect motherboard for gamers on a budget... it's perfect for anyone who wants to get more out of their system. This board will give you a ton of options now, and will set you up with a ton of upgrade opportunities in the future. So, if you're looking for a cost-effective motherboard that doesn't lack any features, this is the board for you.

AS Rock PRO3 Features

• A ton of features and options for just under $100!


• Great board for budget-builds and high-end systems alike.


• USB 3.0, multiple video card accommodation, and overclock-friendly

Reviews of the AS Rock PRO3

From Chris Gordon on Amazon:

"Has lots of controls for CPU/GPU/RAM overclocking, even for a noob like me! Has everything advertised of course! Very happy with this budget purchase."

From Greg Henry on Amazon:

"This is a great Z77 board regardless of the price. I highly recommend it for any budget to mid range build."

Buy the AS Rock PRO3 Z77 Today!

The Best Motherboard for Gaming in 2013 Between $100-$150

AS Rock LGA1155 DDR3 SATA3 USB3.0 Quad CrossFireX and Quad SLI A GbE ATX Motherboard Z77 EXTREME4

The AS Rock EXTREME4 plays like a high-end motherboard, but costs a lot less. This motherboard is perfect for Intel-lovers who want to build a mid-to-high-end gaming computer. The EXTREME4 can handle an unlocked processor and will support quad CrossFireX or SLI video card configurations.

Basically, if you're looking for a high-end board but you don't want to pay a crazy amount of money (because you want to put that extra money into other components) then the EXTREME4 is the motherboard you need.

AS Rock EXTREME4 Features

• All the features you could ever hope for for a lot less than the other high-end Intel motherboards


• Excellent board for building a system that is powerful now and can be upgraded in the future.


• USB 3.0, multiple video card accommodation, and overclock-friendly

Reviews of the AS Rock EXTREME4

From Arel Armour on Amazon:

"Well this was rated Toms Hardware best board of 2012, so its gotta be pretty good. And it is. Installation was painless (although it seems smaller than standard ATX). Have yet to have a hiccup. The UEFI BIOS is amazing, and the fact that there is an on-board diagnostic LED is extremely handy. Plenty of room for all your goodies, and yeah...now for the bad"

From M. Lowney on Amazon:

"My second AS Rock MBA and just like the last one, this one was great. I will buy another without hesitation."

Buy the AS Rock EXREME4 Today!

The Best Motherboard for Gaming in 2013 Between $150-$200

ASUS P8Z77-V LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

ASUS has always been a major player in the motherboard business. That's because they continually produce the highest quality motherboards on the market. The ASUS P8Z77-V is no exception.

This board has everything you could ever need, including multiple video card support and USB 3.0 technology. It's the perfect board for any gamer who wants to put together a high-end gaming computer. And, it definitely has enough options so that you can make upgrades in the future as necessary.

ASUS P8Z77-V Features

• High-end high-quality motherboard that gives you a ton of options and upgrade potential


• Supports multiple video card installation for incredible performance


• The perfect board for overclockers who want more performance out of their system

Reviews of the ASUS P8Z77-V

From Lavon on Amazon:

"Overall Excellent Motherboard. I used this for my first build and i enjoy it very much. It has a very simple BIOS that is easy to navigate and easy to set up OC for your CPU. This is a good buy, I recommend it."

From Pat Harrington on Amazon:

"This is one of the best Motherboards I have ever purchased or used. I have been a home PC builder enthusiast for 20 years and I have always found ASUS products to be some of the best. I tried a Gigabyte mother board for this project and returned it to Amazon because of hardware compatibility issues. This board worked right out of the box. I do recommend updating the bios immediately for Windows 8 compatibility. The software suite that comes with this board is wide and deep. The Wi-Fi works flawlessly but be sure to mount it on the motherboard before mounting the ATX motherboard in your case. Amazon is also my go to for great prices and support."

Buy the ASUS P8Z77-V Today!

The Best Motherboard for Gaming in 2013 Over $200

ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

Up until the ASUS Sabertooth hit the scene, there was really no such thing as a "cool-looking" motherboard. That's all changed with the Sabertooth's Thermal Armor Technology. However, cool-looking is just one of the many features that sets the Sabertooth apart from all of the other boards...

The ASUS Sabertooth is a high-end motherboard meant for high-end machines. With it's Thermal Armor Technology and Dust Defender features, the Sabertooth is better equipped to have an extended lifespan than any other motherboard on the market. So, if you're putting together a high-end gaming computer, and you want to choose a motherboard that will stay with you through multiple upgrades, then the Sabertooth is definitely what you're looking for.

ASUS Sabertooth Features

• Built with military-grade components to ensure durability


• Every feature and option you could ever hope for out of a motherboard


• Thermal Armor Technology and Dust Defender ensure that the Sabertooth is the longest lasting motherboard on the market

Reviews of the ASUS Sabertooth

From BMac on Amazon:

"It's the Sabertooth, it has a 5 year warranty, military-grade components, and it also has surprisingly vibrant audio! I was actually taken back by how well this board throws out music, videos, and games. I know on the RoG lines Asus always adds extra power and islolates the audio driver on the board, and this technology has certainly carried over! What you get is audio that is crisp, clean, and powerful when that 'nade explodes beside you!

Overall, I would get this board again and again, it is extremely high quality, looks fantastic in a case, offers great cooling, and has all the latest capabilities."

From Cray on Amazon:

"The most amazing mobo I have ever owned. The item came in a perfectly safe packaging and the installation is very easy. What I like the most was the multiple onboard sensors which told you the temperatures at various points in your motherboard. The software features included in the AI Suite II are definitely great and easy to use. Before buying this, I did a great deal of my own homework on various other mobo's and decided to go with this one. The dust protection features and just the layout of the motherboard is lovely. A great motherboard I'd recommend to whoever wanting to buy it."

Buy the ASUS Sabertooth Today!

Build Your Own Gaming Computer Today!

For more information on choosing components for your gaming computer, or for help putting your system together, please click here to go to Elite Gaming Computers. There you will find everything you will need in order to choose components for your computer and assemble it correctly.

The Best Gaming Processors for 2013

For those of you who are looking to build your own gaming computer, or upgrade your current system, and you're on a tight budget, this article will give you plenty of ideas on the different processors under $150 that you can choose for your system. The processor you choose will have an enormous impact on your gaming experience and it's important that you take your time when picking out a CPU for your gaming computer.

In this post I'll list multiple processors that are perfect for budget builders and I'll give you some details on why the processor would be a great choice for you.

The Best Gaming Processor Under $150

AMD Phenom II x4 965

While AMD may not be the top dog in the high-end desktop processor market, they do make some quality CPUs that are budget friendly and that can be overclocked to pretty insane levels. This is most true for the AMD Phenom II x4 965. Just a few years ago the Phenom II series CPUs were making waves and were the processors of choice among gamers. And, while a lot has changed since then, the Phenom II x4 965 is still the best budget processor on the market.

With four cores and a ton of overclocking potential, the x4 965 can compete with the higher end processors on the market. For just under $100, this CPU is the only choice for gamers on a serious budget. So, if you're looking to build your own gaming computer, you don't have to worry about spending $200+ on a processor... this one will give you excellent performance for under $100.

AMD Phenom II x4 965 Features

• A quad-core processor under $100... you can't beat that!


• Perfect for budget-builders who want to play the best games on the highest settings.


• Can be overclocked to extreme levels for extreme performance.

Reviews of the AMD Phenom II x4 965

From Carlos Franco on Amazon:

"Excellent processor. Excellent speed and performance on my pc. Good design of the cooling system. all at a good price" (Click here to read the review...)

From M. Strileckis on Amazon:

If you can grab this processor for under $100 for a budget build, I highly recommend it. Paired with a GTX 560, I can max out almost everything available. Also a very easy overclock to 3.9-4.1 GHZ using the AMD autotune software."(Click here to read the review...)

Buy the AMD Phenom II x4 965 Today!

The Best Gaming Processor Under $150 in 2013

Intel Core i3-3225

For just under $150 you can have the best dual-core processor on the market. But don't let the fact that it's a dual-core CPU fool you... the i3-3225 competes with and surpasses a lot of the AMD quad-core processors. Not only that, but by going with an Intel processor, you are setting yourself up with the ability to upgrade to an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor in the future. And, since those processors are currently the top CPUs on the market, choosing an i3 now will give you options in the future if you choose to upgrade.

So, if you're working with a low-to-mid-range budget and you want to build for now and the future, then you would be hard-pressed to find a better CPU than the i3-3225.

Intel Core i3-3225 Features

• All the benefits that come with Intel's efficient Ivy Bridge architecture.


• Matches up with and beats other similarly priced quad-core processors.


• Perfect processor for anyone who wants to upgrade to one of the bigger Intel chips in the future and still wants performance now.

Reviews of the Intel Core i3-3225

From April R. Holmstrom on Amazon:

"If you want a great CPU for a sub $140 price, this is your processor." (Click here to read the review...)

From H. Lee Eichelberger on Amazon:

"No complaints. It delivers the goods on both the processing and graphics sides. Best value Ivy Bridge chip you can buy." (Click here to read the review...)

Buy the Intel Core i3-3225 Today!

The Best Gaming Processor Under $200

Intel Core i5-3470

Coming in at just under $200, the i5-3470 is an extremely energy-efficient and powerful quad-core processor. With a stock clock rate of 3.2 GHz and the ability to hit 3.6 GHz with Intel's Turbo Boost technology, this processor is fast enough to handle anything you throw at it.

This processor is perfect for mid-range builds and will keep your computer running strong for a long time.

Intel Core i5-3470 Features

• Quad-core processor that is strong enough to handle pretty much anything you throw at it.


• Built using Intel's award-winning Ivy Bridge architecture.


• Extremely energy efficient.

Reviews of the Intel Core i5-3470

From J Doodle on Amazon:

"I have no bad things to say about this processor. Runs cool with stock fan, its lightning fast, and its well priced..."(Click here to read the review...)

From Michael Foster on Amazon:

"The benchmarks don't lie, if you don't plan on overclocking this CPU is the sweet spot. You get nearly 3570k benchmarks at a much cheaper price. Overclockers should avoid though." (Click here to read the review...)

Buy the Intel Core i5-3470 Today!

The Best Gaming Processor Under $300 in 2013

Intel Core i5-3570k

The Intel Core i5-3570k is the ideal processor for most gamers. It's ridiculously fast. It can be overclocked to pretty awesome levels. It's energy-efficient. It's not ridiculously expensive. All-in-all it's just the perfect processor.

With four cores and the ability to overclock, the i5-3570k will give you more than you could ever need. It's the perfect processor for a mid-to-high-end gaming computer.

Intel Core i5-3570k Features

• Crazy fast clock rates and doesn't use a ton of power.


• Can be overclocked for incredible performance boosts.


• The best processor available on the market dollar-for-dollar.

Reviews of the Intel Core i5-3570k

From Matthew Koloski on Amazon:

"This processor is at the right price-point for gamers. Any more processing power is typically wasted and the returns for price aren't worthwhile..." (Click here to read the review...)

From Patrick Somerville on Amazon:

"I have this 3570k running at 4.5ghz overclocked using 1.248v. I am getting 30c idle and 74c-78c at 100% cpu usage. I am using a ARCTIC Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 with 92mm PWM Fan cpu cooler on a Asus p8z77-v pro motherboard. I am new to overclocking and used the asus auto tuning to help me figure it out. I have noticed a huge improvement in video ecoding time, almost cut in half from a i5 2400 sandy bridge." (Click here to read the review...)

Buy the Intel Core i5-3570k Today!

Best Gaming Processor Over $400 in 2013

Intel Core i7-3770k

Maybe you're a gamer with a large budget that isn't just a gamer. Maybe you're a video/image editor. Or maybe you work a lot with 3D graphics. Or, maybe you just want to record or stream your gameplay. Either way, if you're looking to get more out of your build, you will probably want to take a long look at the Intel Core i7-3770k.

The i7-3770k introduces hyperthreading to the table. While most games don't accommodate hyperthreading, there are a lot of other tasks (like video/image editing or video recording) that do benefit from hyperthreading. So, while the i7-3770k won't give you any increase in performance over the i5-3570k, it will help with other things you may or may not like to do with your computer. If you are looking to do some image/video editing, then the i7-3770k is the CPU for you.
Intel Core i7-3770k Features

• Top of the line processor for gamers who also need to use their computer for other CPU-intensive tasks.


• Phenomenal overclocker for even more performance.


• Four cores and eight threads will keep this high-end processor future proof for a long time.

Reviews of the Intel Core i7-3770k

From Michael Brule on Amazon:

"Blazing fast - video editing, photo editing, gaming - anything you throw at this it can handle!! This is such an awesome processor!" (Click here to read the review...)

From Scott B. Husted on Amazon:

"I have this mounted in an ASUS P8Z77-V LK motherboard and have it overclocked to 4.66GHz with absolutely no heating or stability issues. I am using an after market Cooler Master cpu air cooler, but temps are absolutely not a problem at all." (Click here to read the review...)

Buy the Intel Core i7-3770k Today!

Build a Good Gaming Computer Today!

If you're looking to build your own gaming computer, but you're not sure what parts to get, you can always check out the budget builds section at elitegamingcomputers.com to give you a guide of what kind of components work well together.