General informations I need(&want) to know about motherboard and other stuff when it comes to building PC

[weasel24]

A little bit of background....I'm currently in the process of learning how to building my own gaming pc for the first time. My budget is $2500aud( for pc only.$3400 including the monitor and a mechanical keyboard) I want a pc that can support max settings in video games ( mostly mmorpg,rpg and MOBA games such as Black Desert, Monster Hunter, LoL, Lost Ark ect..) as well as support some image and low/medium poly 3D editing. Although I've been using PC for a long time, I'm yet to actually understand how the inside works...All I know about pc is it has graphic cards, CPU, power-supply,Fan, CPU cooler and they all connect to the motherboard...tho I have no idea how they all connect, as well as technical terms related to motherboards.
Atm this is the PC build that I'm considering to do:
https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/CHNfFt (monitor and keyboard is included in here hence the price is over $2500) now these parts are based on recommendation that I got from the website that i'm planning to buy to. https://www.mwave.com.au/cpc/configure/intel-z370-custom-gaming-pc-121
I still have a lot of questions about the other stuff but first I'm gonna go for motherboards for now.
the motherboard that i'll be getting is MSI Z370 GAMING PLUS LGA 1151-2 ATX Motherboard.

questions: (simplified answer would be helpful for me...i'm retarded lmao)
1. what are these 'letters and numbers that are on the Motherboard's product name? ( the Z370, 1151-2, ATX?) can someone SIMPLY explain to me what do they mean and what do they indicate?
2.how do I know what CPU,RAM and other parts is compatible with the motherboard that I've chosen? (like the one that I mentioned above)
3. what are PCIe and why do some have more than 4 of them? (all I know about them is that they're slot mainly for graphic cards...I think)
4.how do RAM slots works? cause I heard you cant just place any RAM to any of the RAM slots...apparently, some RAM have specific slot that they need to be placed
5. what are the 'slots' that I generally need to know(or locate) in motherboards when building PC's parts all together
and a little request. if you dont mind, can someone label the image below the 'slots' that i'll generally use when connecting all the parts together (e.g the RAM, videocard,powersupply and cable stuff slots..not sure if 'slot' is the right term here.....)

anyway thats all for now...I'm terribly sorry for the long wall of text, Just wanna make sure I explained things clearly. I know I can just google or watch them on youtube about some of these questions; but generally when I do that, It raises more question than answering my questions resulting in me getting overload with tons of information that I dont know...my poor quality brain cant handle too much of it lmao
probably my biggest fear ( and main reason) why i'm hesitant to build my own PC is either fucking up the set up (the slots that the parts go in) and the parts compatibility...yeah...I'm that retarded...

 

[bmockeg]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-8600K 3.6GHz 6-Core Processor ($358.00 @ Shopping Express)
CPU Cooler: EVGA - CLC 240 74.8 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($129.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Motherboard: ASRock - Z370 Killer SLI ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($175.00 @ Shopping Express)
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LED 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($285.41 @ Amazon Australia)
Storage: Intel - 760p Series 512GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($229.00 @ IJK)
Storage: Seagate - BarraCuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($55.00 @ Shopping Express)
Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1070 Ti 8GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($599.01 @ PCCaseGear)
Case: NZXT - S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($99.00 @ Scorptec)
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G2 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($145.00 @ Amazon Australia)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($122.00 @ Shopping Express)
Monitor: Asus - ROG SWIFT PG248Q 24.0" 1920x1080 180Hz Monitor ($578.00 @ Shopping Express)
Keyboard: AZIO - MGK1 RGB Wired Standard Keyboard ($216.00 @ Skycomp Technology)
Other: Deepcool CFAN-RGBSTP350 RGB 350 Colour LED Strip Magnetic Lighting Kit With Remote (Avail: In Stock ) ($19.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Total: $3009.42
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-08-09 15:55 AEST+1000

Here is my recommendation on changes.
1. EVGA cooler is very good and much cheaper. Software is very good as well.
2. You don't need thermal paste. The cooler will come with it.
3. Cheaper motherboard but better quality IMO.
4. Same RAM but cheaper.
5. Big GPU upgrade with previous savings to a 1070ti.
6. Much better quality case for same price.

If I get a chance to answer your questions I'll try.

 

[canadianvice]

And I'll tackle the questions:

questions: (simplified answer would be helpful for me...i'm retarded lmao)
1. what are these 'letters and numbers that are on the Motherboard's product name? ( the Z370, 1151-2, ATX?) can someone SIMPLY explain to me what do they mean and what do they indicate?
2.how do I know what CPU,RAM and other parts is compatible with the motherboard that I've chosen? (like the one that I mentioned above)
3. what are PCIe and why do some have more than 4 of them? (all I know about them is that they're slot mainly for graphic cards...I think)
4.how do RAM slots works? cause I heard you cant just place any RAM to any of the RAM slots...apparently, some RAM have specific slot that they need to be placed
5. what are the 'slots' that I generally need to know(or locate) in motherboards when building PC's parts all together
and a little request. if you dont mind, can someone label the image below the 'slots' that i'll generally use when connecting all the parts together (e.g the RAM, videocard,powersupply and cable stuff slots..not sure if 'slot' is the right term here.....)

I don't maybe do simple so well, I apologize. I find being thorough is important though, as small details can sometimes mean big mistakes if they're omitted. In sum: It's like LEGO. Follow your manuals, don't forget to use your motherboard standoffs, and be careful putting in your processor, and there's not much you can do irreparably wrong.

Question #1:
So, this won't always be the case since manufacturers may vary the naming scheme they use for their motherboard models. Thankfully, in this case those all correlate to a standard the motherboard is built to meet.

Z370 - This is one version designation for what's known as the "chipset", specifically for Intel processors. It's related to your processor, and compatibility for some special features like quad channel RAM, and other things can depend on it. Usually, the newer, the better. Another common one you may see in the market on INTEL based boards is Z270, which is their older chipset offering. AMD has their own names for chipsets, you'd need to look into those to know.

1151-2: This almost certainly refers to the CPU socket (that big square in the center of your mobo with the pins - in your picture it has that wire frame around it and the black cap covering it) version on your motherboard. There are lots of these out there, depending on what processors you want to stick in a given board. Much like a wall plug, they need to match the processor for your motherboard to be compatible. This specific value means you have a processor that fits into an 1151 socket. My own board, on the other hand, uses an 1150 socket. We could not share processors, as they would not fit. AMD uses names like AM4+ and AM3 for socket designations.

ATX: This refers to the size of the motherboard. Depending on the size of the computer you want to build, there are many motherboard offerings to pick from. ATX is the second largest size with many ports. My own computer is very small, as I like compact ones. For me, I had an mITX or ITX motherboard. It's a designation of how big the board is - you need to match it with a case of the same or greater size (usually bigger cases will support smaller boards, but obviously the opposite is not true).
Some sizes:
ITX/mITX: Presently one of the smallest form factors. Typically has 2 RAM slots, and 2 PCIE lanes.
mATX: This is a middle-sized form factor. 4 RAM slots and 4 PCIE lanes.
ATX: Pretty big. 4 RAM slots, and 4+ PCIE lanes. Lots of IO usually.
EATX: Huge. 4+ RAM slots, and usually more than 4 PCIE lanes with lots of IO. Big computer!

Question #2:
Usually, by numbers like those I discussed above. Typically, you need to do a baseline check for a few things:
1. The processor must have the same socket number as the motherboard. For instance, an Intel i7-6700K uses an LGA 1150 (being the important part) socket. If I bought a motherboard with an AM4 socket, my processor would not fit.
2. The motherboard will typically list models of things like CPUs and RAM it is compatible with. Each of these parts have things to check, for instance, a motherboard may only support RAM up to a certain speed. Mine can only take up to 2400mhz RAM, whereas premium boards may accept up to 3200mhz RAM.

There are lots of these numbers. Generally, I just ask if there's confusion, but on the whole the only one you really have to look out for is the processor socket vs. the motherboard, and making sure there's enough IO on your mobo (so like, PCI lanes for graphics cards, RAM slots for RAM sticks, etc.). It is technically more finicky than that, hence why I've always posted my prospective builds on Toms before buying to verify with the wonderful folks here, but really, that's the major point of contention.

QUESTION #3:
PCIE is just a very fast communication slot for the computer. In other words, it can transfer lots of data at any given time, with relatively low latency. This is why graphics cards generally go here. In terms of how they are named (x1, x4, x16) think of it exactly like a highway with cars - which number of lanes do you think gets the most cars through the fastest? Your processor will have a set number of lanes it can support in tandem with the chipset. That's the hard limit - beyond that, it's just up to your motherboard (mobo) maker to put enough of these slots on it.

There's not really a why, otherwise. It's just up to how the board is made and what features the manufacturer wants to include.

QUESTION #4:
This is true. RAM is often put in what is known as dual-channel or quad-channel, for really nice new systems. It helps speed up access to data on the RAM by placing them in these slots, which are paired, hence why if you only have two sticks, you typically have to use slots 1 and 3. How this helps is think of a hot-dog stand. Do you think you would get your condiments quicker if there was one line for ketchup, relish, and mustard, or would it be faster to have a lineup for each?

This helps split up the work each RAM stick has to do, because fast as RAM is, it's not as fast as your CPU's capacity to process data. CPUs generally have some small memory pool that's EXTREMELY fast to pull from to avoid going to RAM, as in objective terms it's actually quite slow, but when it has to reach outside the cache, things like dual channel and quad channel help. It can offer some performance improvements.

As to the difference - dual channel means he can get stuff off of each stick available as a pair, so 1/3 and 2/4. Quad means the same, but all the sticks spread the work. IF you don't have enough to fill these, you just do what you can. Start at slot 1, and then 3, then 2, then 4. Or as required in your motherboard instruction manual. I don't know if this is standardized, but it'll tell you which slots are paired.

QUESTION #5:
It's very late here so I can't label this diagram. Good news: Your motherboard manual will have a labelled diagram for you.

The big central square pit is where your processor goes. Pay mind to orientation when you're putting it in - there's usually a triangle on the processor top that should match up with one etched somewhere nearby on the frame surrounding the socket or the socket itself to indicate which way your processor goes in. Be gentle - bent pins are a bitch to fix.

In terms of the basics, those lower horizontal slots going across the bottom are your PCIE slots. You put your GPU or PCIE SSDs here typically.

The vertical slots to the right of that big central square are your RAM slots. This is where you put your RAM.

That far right connector with all the squarish shaped holes in it is for your 12v 24pin ATX power rail. It's typically the widest connector your PSU will come with.

There will be 4-pin connectors (with just the small pins, nothing major) scattered around the board. They will usually be labelled FAN_<something> or CPU_Fan. This is where the connections for your case fans and other fans usually go.

Your power supply manual will detail those as well. The usual important connectors are:
12v 24pin ATX power rail: Right side of the motherboard. Provides much of its power.
4-8pin CPU: Typically mounts off to the top-left of the CPU. Provides processor power.
PCIE: These often plug into your graphics card to provide it subsidiary power - weaker cards may not need it as they can draw enough from the PCIE slot.

SATA Power: Shaped like a long L. These go into the matching slot on your hard drive to give them power.

Hope that helps! If this is a first time build for you, I'd strongly recommend following along with a build tutorial by someone like LinusTechTips on Youtube. Read the manuals as you go along, remember your motherboard standoffs, and have fun!

Also, go to the motherboard manufacturer support page and pull down the latest drivers for all your stuff, as well as doing this for the Graphics card on its support page. Put them on a USB using a good computer, and keep it safe. It'll save you a lot of trouble getting things all set up once you're installing your operating system. Particularly the LAN driver - if you can get internet on the system, you can download the rest automatically through Windows update, generally.

 

[bmockeg]

@canadianvice gave a very detailed response. As he said, your motherboard will have a very detailed manual with diagrams and instructions. It will basically walk you through everything related to the motherboard, installing the CPU,RAM and,GPU. Your CPU cooler will,have a manual as well explaining how to install. There are countless YouTube videos that can walk,you through the process as well.

 

[weasel24]

oh my god..this is the kind of explanation i'm looking for ..THANK YOU...the reason I said 'simplified' is because the sites that I visit in order to answer my questions generally tosses in these technical terms as well as information (that is generally not that relevant for me) causing more questions than answer....
I didnt know the manual provides label details cause I havent bought them yet(which is why I was initially concerned that the manuals doesnt contain much information..I thought its gonna be like those 'manuals' that only has a safety warnings and warranty notes on 5 language and on more than 10 page...all 10 page is just warranty info lmao)...i'm still making sure I know stuff first lol

anyway thank you so much for this...

oh and one last thing...based on the parts that i'm considering to buy, do you have any recommendation?
(@bmockeg already made some nice suggestions but I would also like a 2nd opinion)

also thank you @bmrockeg btw

 

[bmockeg]

No problem, if you go to the motherboard manufacturer's website and go to the specific motherboard there is a download section where you can get an electronic copy of the manual and review before you purchase.

 

[weasel24]

No problem, if you go to the motherboard manufacturer's website and go to the specific motherboard there is a download section where you can get an electronic copy of the manual and review before you purchase.

Oh ...I didnt know that...thanks!