I'm in the market for a new motherboard and noticed that many of the budget options don't show a rear plate for the case in their product photos. It's been a while since I last bought a motherboard, so I'm unsure whether they typically come with these back plates. I've seen that the pricier models feature some fancy plates, which makes me tempted to opt for one of them just for that. Does anyone know if all motherboards come with this back shield or if it's hit or miss?
3 Answers
Are you asking about the backplate that covers the entire motherboard or just the CPU mounting area? I know some sockets come with that part by default. For example, my B650 board has one already. Higher-end boards sometimes include a full cover as part of their premium features.
It really depends on the motherboard platform you're looking into. For instance, all AM5 motherboards come with a permanent back plate, as do the newer Intel LGA1851 boards. But if you're looking at older Intel or AMD models, they might not have one. What specific ones are you considering?
It sounds like you're referring to a backplate like the ones on GPUs. Those are pretty uncommon for motherboards. If a motherboard doesn't explicitly say it includes one in the specs, it's safe to assume it doesn't come with a backplate. You won't see it unless you're looking at high-end models or specific types, really.
Yep, some of those ultra-high-end boards, like the X870E ACE MAX, have a full backplate—though they can be pretty pricey, around $650 USD!