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Most motherboards can be considered almost obsolete within a year, two at most. Rapid advances in processor, memory, hard drive and video card technology outstrip motherboard capabilities very quickly. This is also true of other devices as well. It is not uncommon for hobbyists and gamers to upgrade their entire system every year, with some components being replaced even more often.
Though many people feel that performance gains result primarily from faster processors, improvements in I/O and memory transfer rates can provide some rather dramatic results as well. Even a motherboard that is only a year old may not be able to take advantage of the capabilities of the newest hard drives, video cards and memory. Other benefits may include new power management features and connectivity options such as USB.
Many current motherboards offer integrated solutions, including on-board sound, video, LAN and SCSI controllers. Not only do these motherboards have cost benefits, but they also may be easier and more convenient to install. Some hard-core hobbyists and gamers insist on non-integrated solutions so that they can mix and match their own components, though this mostly applies to video cards and 3D accelerators. For those who are serious music aficionados, a high end sound card is a must, however the vast majority of users requirements for sound and LAN features may be satisfied with integrated controllers.
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