Antony Leather is Custom PC’s modding editor @antonyleather
T
wo issues ago we reviewed
the NZXT N7 B550
motherboard (see Issue 214,
p20), which is good-looking, has a
unique design and it isn’t outrageously
priced either. While it’s essentially a
rebadged ASRock motherboard, and
not actually manufactured by NZXT,
its considerably different design
compared to other motherboards
got me thinking. What do we actually
need or even want from modern
motherboards, and how can
manufacturers stay ahead of the
curve? Do they even have too many
features now?
One of the more interesting features
of the N7 B550 was its ability to
tie its fan control into NZXT’s CAM
software, which can link components
such as USB-enabled liquid coolers,
RGB lighting and fans together in a
single control suite. It’s by far the best
software I’ve used within Windows for
doing this job, and while it might not
have as many options as the likes of
Gigabyte’s motherboard software, it’s
far cleaner and easier to use.
Of course, NZXT is also hoping to
persuade you to buy into its ecosystem
with a Kraken liquid cooler here, but
Asus, Gigabyte and MSI all have their
It’s time for a motherboard shakeup
Modding your PC
costs no more than
it did before the
pandemic startedNZXT’s good-
looking N7 B550
has a unique
design and isn’t
outrageously
pricedpaint your PC on p102 as well. With
summer fast approaching with warmer
temperatures and drier conditions, it’s
a great time to head into the garden or
garage, if you have one, and have a go
at some of these techniques yourself.
There’s another great reason to have
a go at modding as well. Water-cooling
components, cases and modding
supplies such as paints are all readily
available for prices that are no different
to before the pandemic. Even a last-
gen mid-range graphics card such as
a GeForce RTX 2060 will set you back
more than water-cooling your PC right
now. In fact, you could probably buy the
case of your dreams, spray-paint it and
kit it out with a water-cooling system
for the same price or less.
With that in mind, I’d definitely
consider pointing your spare time and
cash in a slightly different direction
that’s still PC-related. Modding your
PC is fun and rewarding, and the result
is a system that’s truly one of a kind.
Until the prices of graphics cards fall to
more reasonable levels, modding is a
great way to fiddle with your existing
PC hardware and give it your own
personal stamp.own liquid coolers now and none of
them manages to offer such a slick
interface. I’d go as far as saying that I
didn’t even mind the N7 not having a
fan control suite in the EFI as a result,
which surprised me.
Then there’s the design. There
were certainly a few issues with the
large shrouds, specifically the ones
that covered the M.2 ports. Replacing
them after installing your SSD would
see temperatures skyrocket quickly,
resulting in throttling under heavy
loads. Making these shrouds act as
heatsinks would likely fix the issue, but
I also appreciate the bold design and
extensive details on both the black and
white versions of the board.
The inside of the box is markedly
different from usual too. It’s a decidedly
minimalistic affair, with less of the faff
and childish additions you’ll see with
other boards, such as stickers, cup
mats and other rubbish you’ll likely
never use. NZXT even ditched the
paper manual and instead gives you
a QR code to view it online.
This is a great idea, as I regularly
look at the manual of motherboards
online, since it’s quicker and easier
than finding a motherboard’s box
and sifting through dozens of pagesin a paper manual. I’m amazed other
motherboard manufacturers haven’t
done this, as it must cut costs.
Other motherboard makers all
seem obsessed with filling the box
with as many pointless accessories as
possible, instead of offering genuinely
useful gubbins. A few include USB
sticks with drivers on them instead of
a CD, but this would have been more
useful a decade ago.
With AMD and Intel moving to new
sockets in the not-too-distant future, I
hope that motherboard manufacturers
take the opportunity to have a long
hard look at their current products
and take a leaf out of NZXT and
ASRock’s book.