Budget Motherboards for General Use: 2026 Buyer's Guide

B75M-Plus

At $34.80, the B75M-Plus is the most affordable option, making it suitable for the absolute tightest budgets. It's best for building a very basic system using older Intel LGA1155 CPUs. Its Micro-ATX form factor fits most standard cases.

• Strengths: Lowest price point, supports readily available LGA1155 CPUs, Micro-ATX for compact builds.
• Caveats: Limited to DDR3 memory, B75 chipset offers basic features, no modern connectivity like M.2 or USB 3.1.

B360M D3H

The B360M D3H, priced at $39.99, stands out as the only board in this selection supporting DDR4 memory. This makes it a compelling choice for users who want to leverage slightly newer, more power-efficient DDR4 RAM, albeit with an LGA1151 CPU. It's a solid foundation for a general-purpose office or home PC.

• Strengths: Supports DDR4 memory, B360 chipset offers a more modern feature set than H81/B75, Micro-ATX form factor.
• Caveats: LGA1151 CPUs are still older generation, limited overclocking capabilities due to the B360 chipset.

GA-H81M-DS2

For $48.14, the GA-H81M-DS2 offers a basic LGA1150 platform. This board is a no-frills option for users with access to or preference for Intel Haswell/Broadwell CPUs. Its Micro-ATX size is standard for budget builds.

• Strengths: Supports widely available LGA1150 CPUs, Micro-ATX form factor.
• Caveats: H81 chipset is very basic, limited to DDR3 memory, fewer expansion slots compared to higher-end boards.

A88M-G/3.1

Priced at $48.89, the A88M-G/3.1 is the only AMD-platform board on this list, specifically for FM2+ socket CPUs. This is a niche option for those building an AMD-based system, potentially utilizing integrated graphics from an APU. Its AMD A88X chipset offers some flexibility.

• Strengths: Supports AMD FM2+ APUs (good for integrated graphics), AMD A88X chipset, Micro-ATX form factor.
• Caveats: Limited to DDR3 memory, FM2+ platform is older and has limited CPU upgrade options, not suitable for high-end dedicated GPUs.