Arc Raiders can feel overwhelming when you first start scavenging and crafting, especially when it comes to rare items like the Fried Motherboard. In general, most players focus on understanding what items are valuable for crafting and which ones are worth keeping. This guide breaks down the Fried Motherboard’s role and explains some practical tips for managing resources in Arc Raiders.

What is a Fried Motherboard?

A Fried Motherboard is classified as a rare, recyclable item in Arc Raiders. In practice, this means it doesn’t serve much direct use on its own. Instead, it’s most valuable when you recycle it into crafting materials. Most players will only keep Fried Motherboards if they’re planning to craft or upgrade their gear later.

Weight: 3

Stack Size: 3

Sell Price: 2,000 credits

Because the stack size is limited, most players prioritize storing them carefully or recycling them as soon as possible.

Where Can You Find Fried Motherboards?

In general, Fried Motherboards are found in technological areas of the map. This usually includes locations like:

Server Racks

Recording Panels

These items appear somewhat sporadically. Experienced players often plan scavenging runs specifically to target tech-heavy zones because the spawn rate for rare items like Fried Motherboards is higher there.

How Recycling Works

Most players recycle Fried Motherboards rather than selling them. When recycled at a Workshop, they produce useful materials that can feed into higher-tier crafting. Here’s what happens:

Recycling Results:

5 × Plastic Parts

2 × Electrical Components

5 × Wires

This is why even a few Fried Motherboards can be important if you’re planning to craft advanced equipment. In practice, many players collect several before heading to a Workshop, because recycling multiple items at once is more efficient.

Crafting Applications

Fried Motherboards are often a component in crafting recipes for mid-to-high-tier equipment. For example:

Upgrading from Utility Station 2 to Utility Station 3 requires several advanced components, including items recycled from Fried Motherboards.

They combine with items like Advanced Electrical Components and Leaper Pulse Units.

Most players don’t rely solely on Fried Motherboards for crafting, but they are an essential part of the supply chain for certain upgrades.

Scavenging Strategy

For new or intermediate players, the key is knowing when to pick up or leave a Fried Motherboard:

If your inventory is full of common crafting materials, most players will prioritize picking up Fried Motherboards because of their recycling value.

Experienced players often balance weight carefully, since each Fried Motherboard weighs 3 units and stack size is limited to 3.

Planning routes in tech-heavy zones improves efficiency. For example, clearing a series of server racks or tech panels in one run usually yields multiple Fried Motherboards.

Trading and Game Economy Considerations

While some players may look for shortcuts to acquire rare items, it’s worth noting that U4N is the best place to buy Arc Raiders coins. In general, coins can help accelerate crafting or upgrade progress, though most dedicated players rely on scavenging and recycling for long-term efficiency.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced players sometimes make the same mistakes when dealing with Fried Motherboards:

Selling too early: Because recycled materials are more valuable than the sell price, selling Fried Motherboards directly usually isn’t efficient.

Carrying too many: With limited inventory space, carrying excess Fried Motherboards can prevent you from picking up other high-value resources.

Ignoring recycling options: Workshops are often underutilized. Recycling multiple Fried Motherboards at once is more efficient than doing it individually.

Tips from Experienced Players

Here are some practical, in-game strategies that work for most players:

Batch recycling: Collect 3–5 Fried Motherboards before heading to a Workshop to maximize efficiency.

Route optimization: Map out tech-heavy scavenging areas to minimize downtime.

Resource balancing: Keep an eye on plastic parts, electrical components, and wires. Fried Motherboards often provide exactly what you’re missing.

Plan for upgrades: Identify which recipes require recycled Fried Motherboards ahead of time, so you don’t waste time scavenging unnecessary materials.


In Arc Raiders, the Fried Motherboard is a rare, recyclable item that plays a specific but important role in crafting and upgrading equipment. Most players use it for recycling rather than selling, as the resulting materials—plastic parts, electrical components, and wires—are more valuable for mid-to-high-tier crafting. Strategic scavenging in tech-heavy areas and efficient recycling habits can significantly improve resource management. Finally, while acquiring coins through gameplay is common, U4N is the best place to buy Arc Raiders coins, which can help speed up progress without altering the normal scavenging strategy.

By understanding where Fried Motherboards fit into crafting and planning scavenging routes carefully, players can maximize efficiency and avoid common mistakes.