Strangely enough, the most exciting CPU release in Intel's 7th generation lineup is the dual-core, Hyperthreaded Pentium G4560. If you're building a budget gaming PC, this is the most exciting processor in years, but it makes picking a motherboard an interesting proposition. If your processor is only $60, it may feel strange to spend more than that on a motherboard, but that's what I did for my most recent computer build, pairing that Pentium with 2x4GB DDR4-2400 RAM and the MSI B250i Gaming Pro AC. I was working with a $500 budget and some leftover/spare/budget sale components, but I wanted a feature-rich ITX motherboard that I could hold onto if I upgraded the CPU in this PC at a later date.
Sure, you can get a cheaper board for $60 or so, but this one is worth your money if you choose to go ITX. The built-in WiFi is actually really good, with rock-solid connectivity and stability, and fantastic reception. I've been extremely impressed. The DDR4-2400 supported speed improves CPU performance. You also get plenty of USB and SATA ports plus an M.2 on the bottom of the motherboard, and support for 4K playback. The board itself looks amazing and is well-constructed, and I had no issues at all with the install or posting.
I included some photos of how the board looks before and after component install. It is pretty sharp. In a few years I'll probably shuffle some components around and put a faster 6th gen CPU in here, and knowing I've got that flexibility to move something like an i5-6500 into this board if I upgrade my main PC to Ryzen or Intel's 8th gen processors, is a great reason to use the Pentium with a solid motherboard for your budget system.
| Processor | pentium |
|---|---|
| RAM | SDRAM |
| Memory Speed | 2400 MHz |
| Number of USB 2.0 Ports | 6 |
