Best DDR3 Motherboards of 2023 – Ultimate Round-up

Austin
| Last Updated: January 14, 2023

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Tired of choppy gameplay and endless hours of waiting for your computer to respond? Well, not anymore. This guide will help you get through the thick and thin of selecting a reliable and convenient DDR3 motherboard for your old machine that best suits your needs and budget while exhibiting a flawless user experience.

Comparison of the Best DDR3 Motherboards

IMAGEPRODUCT
  • Unlock true Core performance with Core Unlocker
  • 50% reduction in radiation due to low EMI
  • Anti-surge mechanism making it less prone to risk
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  • Glass fabric PCB design works effectively in humid conditions
  • Negates power surge damages with its anti-surge protection
  • Best AM4 DDR3 motherboard
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Are All DDR3 Motherboards The Same

motherboard is a printed circuit board that provides a connection between the hardware components of the computer by allocating power and a communication channel between the processor (CPU), memory (RAM), video card, and the hard drive on which data is stored. A variety of motherboards have been designed and developed according to different types and sizes of computers.

Each type of motherboard is constructed to operate with a unique set of processors and memory. Thus, they might not be compatible with each and every processor or the type of memory. Hard drives, on the other hand, are universal and are compatible with a majority of motherboards regardless of the type or brand name.

MACHINIST LGA 1150 DDR3 Gaming Motherboard

MACHINIST LGA 1150 DDR3 Gaming Motherboard

DDR3 motherboards are quite capable and can carry out daily routine tasks with ease. This depends upon the functionality of the user combined with an effective assembly of a sound processor and memory. A large number of companies like Asus, MSI, and Gigabyte have indulged in manufacturing DDR3 motherboards and their upgraded versions to-date. 

These DDR3 motherboards might possess similar features when compared to one another. However, the architectural design of these circuit boards and their compatibility with various processors and memory types along with video cards and hard drives is what decides the performance and value.

What Should I Look For When Buying a DDR3 Motherboard

Before purchasing any motherboard, you should thoroughly acknowledge the availability of these core features in a motherboard, whether it be a DDR3 or DDR4.

Form Factor

Initially, you will have to decide the architecture of your motherboard. ATX motherboards are generally regarded as highly capable with multiple expansion slots for power users and high-end gaming. Mini ATX comes with fewer expansion slots, while a micro ATX motherboard features the least available expansion slots. 

Processor Socket

After selecting a form factor, you will require considering an appropriate power socket. Intel uses LGA while AMD uses PGA processor sockets, both of which are worth considering.

RAM (Random Access Memory)

The type of motherboard you purchase will determine the type and available slots for RAM. We recommend a model that has a capacity of 16GB of RAM, even if you do not intend to purchase that much initially.

PCI Slots

These are ports located on the motherboard which allow expansion cards to be installed directly. Depending upon your functionality, these slots can be used for additional components like sound cards, Wi-Fi adaptors, and even graphics cards.

SATA

SATA ports allow you to connect storage drives like an SSD or HDD to make sure you have enough space to store useful data.

Review of the Best DDR3 Motherboards

With the knowledge of how to select the desired motherboard for your computer, you can now easily identify the features you are looking for and choose a motherboard for yourself! Listed are some of the most reasonable DDR3 motherboards along with the product review.

Best Overall:
ASUS M5A78L- M Plus/USB3 DDR3

PROS

  • Readily supports AM3+ CPU
  • Core Unlocker unleashes true core power
  • Low EMI results in 50% reduced radiations
  • Risk-free system with the anti-surge capability
  • Enhanced energy saving with ASUS EPU system

CONS

  • Lacks USB 3 internal header
  • Windows 10 not supported officially
  • North bridge heat sink is quite disturbing

What Recent Buyers Report

Highly positive customer feedback regarding the performance of this motherboard makes it the second-best product in our list. Apart from several users complaining about the absence of official support for Windows 10, this motherboard outperforms a majority of others within its league. To put it simply, users are quite in love with it. 

Why it Stands Out to Us

We believe that this motherboard, although being launched in 2016, is a highly reliable and futureproof motherboard even today. A lot of positive feedback from its users suggest that it is capable enough to handle complex modern-day tasks. All of these features make it highly competitive and a reasonable choice.

Who Will Use This Most

With this motherboard at hand, you can expect your office work or any modern application to run flawlessly on your computer without any lags or spikes. Its energy-efficient mechanism allows the user to conserve energy while also dealing with reduced radiation, making it a user-friendly purchase.

Bottom Line

If you are looking for a product that exhibits a ‘customer first’ mechanism, then you are in the right place. With this product, you can not only witness a risk-free system but also enjoy a seamless experience while dealing with complex modern applications that slow down your computer a great deal.

Best AM4 DDR3 Motherboard:
Gigabyte GA-78LMT-USB3

PROS

  • Built-in electrostatic protection 
  • Enhanced power failure protection
  • Officially supports Windows 8 operating system
  • Humidity protection with Glass Fabric PCB design
  • North bridge AMD 760G and South Bridge SB710 chipset

CONS

  • Lacks SATA 3 support
  • No UEFI rather an old Award BIOS
  • Radeon HD 3000 GPU is ineffective for serious gaming

What Recent Buyers Report

A majority of the users report loving the cheap price tag for this product. Apart from being a much less expensive alternative from 760GMA MSI motherboard, this one has also proven to be highly compatible with a number of processors. At the same time, it delivers flawless operability and mid-level gaming experience.

Why it Stands Out to Us

Although the users are greatly overwhelmed by the reasonable price of this device, what strikes us the most about it is the intuitive BIOS, which is extremely easy to navigate. In addition, its overclocking feature, high durability, and high compatibility with Windows 10 and Linux operating systems make it a great overall investment.

Who Will Use This Most

People who intend to experience a decent gaming performance or looking to get their high-end tasks done flawlessly and with ease will find this product to be perfect. Its highly capable architecture makes it a great choice for budget gaming and other work functionality.

Bottom Line

Those of you who are looking for an AMD board that possesses a ton of features and utilities will love this product. If you’re also looking to make a performance leap, both in terms of gaming and high-end tasks, then this is the device for you. Not only this, this feature-packed motherboard is available at your disposal at a very reasonable price.

MACHINIST LGA 1150 DDR3 Gaming Motherboard

PROS

  • Supports Intel Core Series
  • High data transfer speeds
  • Durable PCB
  • Stable power interface
  • Well-organized slots

CONS

  • Relatively new brand
  • Requires effective cooling
  • Not advisable for new PC builds

What Recent Buyers Report

The MACHINIST LGA 1150 DDR3 Gaming Motherboard is Intel Core Series-compatible, which includes i3, i5, i7 Processors and Xeon E3, V3. While it is a budget-friendly pick, recent users say that this CPU motherboard is not recommended for new and high-end computer builds.

Why it Stands Out to Us

Introducing a new generation of PC motherboards, the MACHINIST’s LGA 1150 DDR3 has an NGFF M.2 high-speed hard disk that is capable of transmission speed of up to 32 Gbps. 

With a well-structured slot, this motherboard handles the following features: Realtek ALC662 audio chip, 6-channel sound card, VGA and HDMI dual output, and Gigabit Ethernet efficiently.

LGA 1150’s H81 mainboard is equipped with a three-phase steady power supply that utilizes an 8- and 24-pin power interface, which can be used with a combination of 4- and 6-pin.

Who Will Use This Most

The LGA 1150 DDR3 is for users who require durability as it is made up of 6-layer thick heavy-duty PCB material and a sturdy capacitor design for long service life. This board is for custom PC builders and its two PS/2 round ports enable them to try various DIY options.

Bottom Line

The MACHINIST LGA 1150 DDR3 is the ultimate pick for computer enthusiasts, it has a flexible power interface that can also be partnered with 4- and 6-pin. However, recent buyers report that the motherboard functions steadily and better with an adequately cooled system.

4. MSI A68HM-E33 V2

PROS

  • MSI live update 6 support
  • Latest UEFI BIOS; MSI Click BIOS 4
  • Fast boot feature allows a quick boot
  • USB Safeguard for external peripherals
  • Advanced military class 4 components 

CONS

  • Lacks an onboard USB 3.0
  • Crossfire support unavailable
  • SLI support is also unavailable

What Recent Buyers Report

Recent customer feedback suggests that the motherboard lacks USB 3.0. However, several users believe that it provides value for money. This is because it offers reasonable features at a low price. Apart from that, users are reasonably satisfied with the performance of the A68H chipset and the availability of HDMI within the price range.

Why it Stands Out to Us

For users, what seems to stand out is the outstanding price point of the product. However, what strikes us more is the super-fast bootup time of the system. Along with that, we love the timely download and installation of updated drivers, which would save the user from any inconvenience.

Who Will Use This Most

Those of you who are looking to purchase a board that is cheap and possess all the vitals of an efficient motherboard without worrying about the budget will find this to be the ideal product. Featuring a cheap price tag and all the essentials of a sound motherboard, this is the way to go.

Bottom Line

A final verdict for this motherboard would be a handy choice considering a low budget while enjoying all the perks of a high-quality motherboard. If you are ready to invest in a motherboard having a low budget, we recommend considering this product as it is feature-rich at a very low price.

Supermicro ATX DDR3 1600 LGA 1150 Motherboard

PROS

  • Affordable price
  • Works perfectly on select OS
  • Features several useful ports
  • Expansion slots
  • Adequate fan headers

CONS

  • Little-known product brand
  • Compatibility issues out-of-the-box
  • Not Windows-ready

What Recent Buyers Report

The Supermicro ATX DDR3 1600 LGA 1150 Motherboard offers reliable features and capabilities at a relatively affordable cost. On the flip side, recent users of the device share that the unit encounters compatibility problems, most especially during first setup and use.

Why it Stands Out to Us

The rising star Supermicro’s ATX DDR3 1600 LGA 1150 operates flawlessly on a variety of selected operating systems such as CentOS Linux, Ubuntu, Fedora, Red Hat, and Gentoo.

Featuring rich server boards and well-organized ports, this professional motherboard is unbeatable since it supports a wide range range of essential attributes from IPMI to sound.   

The ATX 1600 LGA 1150 motherboard has a smart and optimized design layout for ports and card slots. Its expansion slots welcome the reuse of your older yet still workable PCI hardware.   

Who Will Use This Most

The ATX DDR3 1600 LGA 1150 is for heavy PC users since it provides several fan headers for effective heat dissipation and stable data processing. This fantastic motherboard receives compliments from programmers and developers, particularly for Linux and Gentoo OS users.

Bottom Line

The Supermicro ATX DDR3 1600 LGA 1150 introduces well-structured features and useful ports that enable you to experience seamless data processing speeds. However, it comes from a lesser-known brand so only a few reviews and user community support are found online

Advantages and Disadvantages of DDR3 Motherboards

Selecting a motherboard can be quite a task if you are unaware of the basic terminologies and components of a motherboard. Although we have tried to refine your knowledge in this regard, if you already opted for a DDR3 motherboard, it’s necessary to understand the advantages and disadvantages of using that motherboard. It might also help you decide whether to upgrade your motherboard or not, depending upon the functionality.

Advantages

A DDR3 motherboard promises to provide you with the following benefits:

Performance Improvement

The newer set of DDR3 motherboards, as compared to DDR2, provides a considerable improvement in the overall performance of the computer. Better architecture, greater memory capacity, and DDR3 RAMS enable fast processing of data.

Memory Capacity

DDR3 motherboards have a greater memory capacity, inducing improved multi-tasking and gaming experience for users.

Clocking Speed

DDR3 motherboards have greater clocking speeds when we talk about RAMS and processors. These provide a significant boost to the overall efficiency and performance of the system.

Disadvantages

Meanwhile, you must know of the following disadvantage of a DDR3 motherboard

Cost Difference

DDR3 motherboards are considerably expensive when compared to its predecessors. Such a model would require a DDR3 RAM and several other components that are compatible with a DDR3 motherboard only hence, making it a costly upgrade.

Conclusion

A motherboard is the most important component of a computer and determines the installation of the rest of the useful components. So, if you are looking to assemble one for yourself, then we would recommend investing in a model that can handle all the tasks you wish your computer can handle effectively and efficiently.

People Also Ask

There are always certain queries left in the minds of the users which cannot be left unattended. In order to ensure satisfied customers, we have formulated a list of questions that customers often ask regarding the product.

Is DDR3 Compatible With DDR4 Motherboard?

DDR4 motherboards are not backward compatible in order to make sure that the notch is removed and to prevent the accidental insertion of the wrong type of memory in the memory slot. Therefore, a DDR3 RAM might not work for you while inserted in a DDR4 motherboard.

Can You Use GDDR5 on a DDR3 Motherboard?

Yes, you can use a GDDR5 GPU on a DDR3 motherboard. The reason being that graphics card memory and system memory have nothing to do with each other. So, if you have a motherboard that only supports a DDR3 system memory, it would be compatible and readily accept a GDDR5 GPU.

How Do I Know if my Computer is DDR3 or DDR5?

In order to check whether your computer has a DDR3 system or GPU memory or a DDR5, simply access the task manager in the performance tab, which would clearly represent the nature of your respective memory. GPU memory can, however, be checked in the GPU panel. 

Can I Use DDR3 Graphics Card on DDR2 Motherboard?

Yes, you can easily add a DDR3 graphics card to your DDR2 system. It is because the system memory and the graphics memory are two separate memories that are mounted on the motherboard and the graphics card, respectively, that have nothing to do with one another.

Can I Upgrade from DDR2to DDR3?

Yes, you can upgrade from a DDR2 to DDR3 system depending upon your functionality. If you seek an overall performance improvement, look for a DDR3 motherboard that supports the compatible processor socket type and memory. Doing so will ensure that you purchase a compatible processor that can operate efficiently with that specific motherboard.

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Austin

When the tech company I worked for restructured and I ended up jobless, I decided to put the wealth of knowledge and management skills to use somewhere new. I’d checked out a few buyer’s guides on the site in the past and reached out to the previous owner. A few months later, here we are. Now, I get to be behind the scenes, helping people find the best tech.