Motherboard upgrades

fmw · 17 Dec 2021

I have three older computers built by yours truly that aren't compatible with Windows 11. While I find nothing particularly enchanting about windows 11 I want to upgrade them in advance of any end of life situation.

The new mainboards are very different from the boards I used in the past. I'm trying to decide whether it makes more sense to upgrade them or simply replace them with entry level business computers. I'm all caught up on M2, NVME and all the other features. But I can't figure out whether these boards have integral video or require the addition of a PCIe graphics card. None of them seem to explain it and it makes all the financial difference to have the answer. They appear to have integral audio and ethernet. How about video?

steve108 · 17 Dec 2021

Windows 10 is supported through October 2025 - you have plenty of time.

Check out elevenforum.com

Megahertz · 17 Dec 2021

Welcome to the Forum

I wouldn't spent money on a computer that I wouldn't use right away. If you ever need to use them in the future, there will be a faster and cheaper hardware.
You didn't give ANY information about the existing MB and CPU they have so we can't suggest anything for you.

Most CPUs nowadays comes with a GPU and the MB for them come with a display port (DVI or DP)

fmw · 17 Dec 2021

Megahertz said:

Welcome to the Forum

I wouldn't spent money on a computer that I wouldn't use right away. If you ever need to use them in the future, there will be a faster and cheaper hardware.
You didn't give ANY information about the existing MB and CPU they have so we can't suggest anything for you.

Most CPUs nowadays comes with a GPU and the MB for them come with a display port (DVI or DP)

We use these computers every day. Our laptops and one of our towers already have windows 11 so there is some benefit in terms of support to have them all the same. Thanks for the answer. It is what I needed to know. The CPU's have the video processor. Yes they all seem to have HDMI and DisplayPort connections. I thought they may connect to a PCIe slot. Apparently not.

I didn't provide any information because it would be unrelated to my question. These towers are old and obsolete and changing the motherboards and processors would remove them from the picture entirely. Thanks.

SIW2 · 17 Dec 2021

But I can't figure out whether these boards have integral video or require the addition of a PCIe graphics card.

Many recent processors have graphics built in. The motherboards do not, they support the processors in built graphics, or a separate card .

For Intel processors an F suffix indicates no graphics and a separate card is needed. Non F processors have graphics built in and no separate card is needed

For Amd processors a G suffix indicates built in graphics and no separate card is needed.

Unless you are a fanatical gamer, the graphics provided by modern Non-F Intel , and G Amd processors is plenty good enough.

fmw · 17 Dec 2021

steve108 said:

Windows 10 is supported through October 2025 - you have plenty of time.

Check out elevenforum.com

I promise not to hurry. I did sign up on eleven forum but was unable to post after having done it.

selden · 17 Dec 2021

You might need to check the motherboards' manuals.

Both CPU and motherboard have to support integral graphics if you want to be able to use it. The motherboard has to provide the graphics generated by the CPU's integrated GPU on one or more video connectors on the motherboard's I/O panel. There usually are several different types of video connectors on the I/O panel: HDMI and DisplayPort are the most common. Usually those video outputs are all simultaneously active. Most modern IGPUs are capable of driving as many as three displays, each with a different image. The documentation for a motherboard should include a description of the video connectors, certainly in its installation manual.

However, some high-end motherboards intended for overclocking and gaming do not support integral graphics and do not have video connectors on their I/O panels. Their designers assume that the buyer of that type of board will be using a high-end graphics card. Integral GPUs simply do not have the performance necessary to deliver high framerates with AAA games on high resolution (e.g. widescreen 4K) displays.

Hopefully you're aware that you have to be very careful when specing a modern, pre-built business computer. Most have proprietary motherboards and power supplies, with little or no expansion capability: M.2 storage soldered to the motherboard, only two memory slots and no SATA connections.

steve108 · 17 Dec 2021

fmw said:

I promise not to hurry. I did sign up on eleven forum but was unable to post after having done it.

This site is run by the same admins that run that site. You can contact a local admin here and inquire about your elevenforum account.

z3r010 · 17 Dec 2021

steve108 said:

This site is run by the same admins that run that site. You can contact a local admin here and inquire about your elevenforum account.

I've just looked, he was awaiting email confirmation of his account, but I've manually done it now.

steve108 · 17 Dec 2021

z3r010 said:

I've just looked, he was awaiting email confirmation of his account, but I've manually done it now.

What service