d video and features only one PCI 2.0 slot.

Because I was looking to maximize value without sacrificing future upgrades or performance, I chose a motherboard that includes the latest chipset, offers plenty of expansion options, supports overclocking, and features onboard video as well as integrated sound. My choice: the $150 Asus M4A78T-E system board.

The M4A78T-E offers a plethora of connectivity options and onboard ports that should please even the most fickle of system builders. The board sports HDMI, DVI, VGA, USB, FireWire, Gigabit Ethernet and a slew of other connectors.
Asus M4A78T-E motherboard
Asus M4A78T-E motherboard

In my experience, Asus has always offered high-quality products, with top-notch instructions and support. And system builders will appreciate Asus's specialized features that help to speed assembly, such as the Q-Connector kit, which simplifies the process of plugging in the various case LEDs and switches.
Graphics

When Windows Vista shipped, most experts advised PC buyers to get a discrete graphics card to handle its increased graphical demands. Thanks to motherboard manufacturers using more powerful integrated graphics processing units (GPUs) and better chipsets, however, the performance of onboard graphics has improved a great deal in the last year.

Today's onboard graphics paired with Windows 7 will offer a perfectly acceptable computing experience for most users, with enough oomph to watch HD videos and graphically intense presentations -- and you can save several hundred dollars by not