# Forum for folks who build their own computers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 8, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529 "2010-10-08T20:11:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/1 "2010-10-08T20:11:31Z")
I have a rather specialized question about computer motherboards and was wondering if anyone here knows of a good forum to be asking such questions? ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/2 "2010-10-08T20:16:54Z")
How specialized? There is a lot of knowledge here. ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/3 "2010-10-08T20:25:52Z")
If you can’t get an answer here, this is a good site: > **[AnandTech Forums: Technology, Hardware, Software, and Deals](https://forums.anandtech.com/)** > > Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech. (I’m an engineer who has designed motherboards, so I may be able to help.) ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/4 "2010-10-08T20:26:31Z")
I’m looking for a mini-ATX motherboard for the Intel i5 quad-core processor. The quad-cores don’t have on-board video so I am looking for a motherboard that supplies VGA output without the need for an external video card. ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/5 "2010-10-08T20:44:49Z")
Do you mean micro-ATX? Or mini-ITX? Mini-ATX is pretty rare. What sort of case do you want to fit this board into? In general, if you can find a suitable motherboard with an NVIDIA or ATI chipset, you should be able to get on-board video. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/6 "2010-10-08T20:50:35Z")
> [@Iggins](#): > > Do you mean micro-ATX? Or mini-ITX? Mini-ATX is pretty rare. > > What sort of case do you want to fit this board into? > > In general, if you can find a suitable motherboard with an NVIDIA or ATI chipset, you should be able to get on-board video. Yeah, that was supposed to me micro-ATX. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/7 "2010-10-08T21:01:42Z")
> [@Iggins](#): > > Do you mean micro-ATX? Or mini-ITX? Mini-ATX is pretty rare. > > What sort of case do you want to fit this board into? > > In general, if you can find a suitable motherboard with an NVIDIA or ATI chipset, you should be able to get on-board video. I find lots of motherboards for the AMD processors with the NVIDIA chipset but haven’t seen one for the Intel processor. I’m thinking there is probably a reason for that. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/8 "2010-10-08T21:32:24Z")
[Here’s](http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prods/components/motherboards/intel1156h55and57fori3,i5andi78series/gigabyte/ga-h55m-s2.html) one. ETA They seem to be plentiful. Maybe you’re looking in the wrong places? ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/9 "2010-10-08T22:24:00Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > > [@Iggins](#): > > > > Do you mean micro-ATX? Or mini-ITX? Mini-ATX is pretty rare. > > > > What sort of case do you want to fit this board into? > > > > In general, if you can find a suitable motherboard with an NVIDIA or ATI chipset, you should be able to get on-board video. > > I find lots of motherboards for the AMD processors with the NVIDIA chipset but haven’t seen one for the Intel processor. I’m thinking there is probably a reason for that. nvidia doesn’t have a DMI bus license to make chipsets for the Intel Core i-series CPUs. as such, nvidia has shuttered their chipset business. You won’t ever see one for these CPUs. And since AMD bought ATi, you won’t find an ATi chipset for them either. Your only hope is a Core i5-600 series CPU with a matching motherboard. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/10 "2010-10-08T22:26:24Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > [Here’s](http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prods/components/motherboards/intel1156h55and57fori3,i5andi78series/gigabyte/ga-h55m-s2.html) one. > > ETA They seem to be plentiful. Maybe you’re looking in the wrong places? the _board_ doesn’t have integrated graphics, it only has the support in place for the GPU that’s on the processor package. ---
**Author:** ![AmunRa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AmunRa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AmunRa)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/11 "2010-10-08T23:10:51Z")
What is your reason for not wanting an external video card? You can add a card [like this](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127436) that will preform better than any on board graphics for a very modest price. It doesn’t need its own connection to the power supply like larger cards either. If you look around or wait for a sale you should be able to get a cheap modern budget card for about 20 bucks. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/12 "2010-10-09T00:30:37Z")
[www.tomshardware.com](http://www.tomshardware.com) or [www.amd.com](http://www.amd.com) forums. They’re about equal. You can get more info at tom’s but faster responses at amd. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/13 "2010-10-09T01:40:23Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > [www.tomshardware.com](http://www.tomshardware.com) or [www.amd.com](http://www.amd.com) forums. > > They’re about equal. You can get more info at tom’s but faster responses at amd. I’d second Tom’s Hardware ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/14 "2010-10-09T03:13:00Z")
never mind. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/15 "2010-10-09T03:18:41Z")
[Ars Technica](http://www.arstechnica.com) is another good place to go. The main site has shifted a bit away from the original focus on homebuilt PCs to “Science & Technology news”, but the forum still has plenty of people who could answer your questions. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/16 "2010-10-09T05:15:01Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > > [@Quartz](#): > > > > [Here’s](http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prods/components/motherboards/intel1156h55and57fori3,i5andi78series/gigabyte/ga-h55m-s2.html) one. > > > > ETA They seem to be plentiful. Maybe you’re looking in the wrong places? > > the _board_ doesn’t have integrated graphics, it only has the support in place for the GPU that’s on the processor package. Ah. Should have checked Gigabyte’s website. According to Novatech’s specifications page, it does have onboard graphics. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/17 "2010-10-11T11:59:28Z")
Thanks everyone for the info. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-for-folks-who-build-their-own-computers/556529/18 "2010-10-11T13:23:35Z")
[newegg.com](http://newegg.com) is the biggest supplier for builders these days. They sponsor /host a forum. I’ve got questions answered there. [http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/default.aspx](http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/default.aspx)