Q&A: What’s a good, but cheap motherboard for an Intel Core i7 CPU?

Question from Max R.:  I’m planning to build my first home-built computer using an Intel Core i7 CPU and two Corsair 8GB DDR3 RAM sticks (all gifts from my uncle).

I don’t have a lot of money to spend so I need a recommendation for a good, but cheap motherboard that will work with that CPU and RAM. What do you suggest?

Rick’s answer:  Hi Max. I know how exciting it is to build your very first computer from scratch. Congrats, and good luck!

You didn’t mention anything about a case, video card, power supply or hard drive, so just let me know if you need recommendations for those items as well.

As for the motherboard, I think you’ll find a good combination of functionality and price in the Gigabyte LGA 1150. In addition to supporting the Intel Core i7 CPU and up to 32GB of DDR3 RAM, it also features an on-board graphics processor with both DVI and HDMI connections. It comes with ten USB 3.0 ports as well.

Amazon is currently offering the Gigabyte LGA 1150 for $109.99 with free shipping. This is a great deal for a motherboard with these specs, and the on-board GPU means you won’t have to spend any money for a video card until you’re ready to upgrade.

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