The best answer provided is A , although it is important to note that the question is somewhat misleading because it asks about motherboard selection but provides mostly incorrect or irrelevant motherboard-related options.
For high-performance workloads such as video editing and virtual reality (VR) using an Intel Core i9 processor and multiple graphics cards (multi-GPU setup) , system design considerations include high power consumption and significant heat output. In the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 objectives under hardware planning and troubleshooting, high-performance CPUs and multiple GPUs require adequate thermal management solutions , including advanced cooling systems (air or liquid cooling) to ensure system stability and prevent thermal throttling.
Why A is the best answer:
High-end CPUs like Intel Core i9 and multiple GPUs generate substantial heat.
Proper cooling is essential for maintaining performance under sustained load (video rendering, VR workloads).
While not strictly a motherboard feature, cooling is a critical system requirement for such a build.
Why the other options are incorrect:
B. Use DDR3 RAM for increased compatibility
Incorrect because modern Intel Core i9 platforms use DDR4 or DDR5 , not DDR3, which is obsolete and incompatible with current high-performance motherboards.
C. Verify there are two PCIe x1 slots for additional devices
Incorrect because PCIe x1 slots are used for low-bandwidth devices (sound cards, network cards), not graphics cards.
Multiple GPUs require PCIe x16 slots , not x1.
D. Select a motherboard with integrated graphics to support video output
Incorrect because high-performance systems with discrete GPUs rely on those GPUs for rendering. Integrated graphics are unnecessary and sometimes disabled when a dedicated GPU is installed.
Exam Insight (CompTIA A+ perspective):
In real-world A+ Core 1 scenarios, the correct motherboard selection for this requirement would focus on:
Multiple PCIe x16 slots (for multi-GPU support)
Compatible socket for Intel Core i9
Support for modern RAM (DDR4/DDR5)
Adequate chipset and power delivery (VRM design)
Proper cooling solution for thermal management
However, since those correct motherboard specifications are not provided in the options, A is the only viable system-level requirement relevant to stability under high-performance load .
