The two most common form factors currently in use are the baby at motherboard and the atx motherboard. The nlx form factors are smaller and target basic pc systems. Alternatively referred to as the mb, mainboard, mboard, mobo, mobd, backplane board, base board, main circuit board, planar board, system board, or a logic board on apple computers. The atx form factor is essentially a baby at motherboard rotated 90 degrees within the chassis enclosure and providing a new mounting configuration for the power supply.
The terms motherboard, main board, system board, and planar are interchangeable, although i prefer the motherboard designation. Recall from chapter 1 that a motherboard form factor determines the size of the board and its features that make it compatible with power supplies and cases. Limited to 1mb of memory has an eightbit isa bus atstyle form factor motherboard come in a variety of form factors and are designed with different clock speeds and. Motherboard form factors as computers advanced, so have motherboards. In this video i show four different motherboards and describe their form factor and main components. The at motherboard can be up to approximately 1 foot wide. This cumbersome size led to the development of smaller form factors. New form factors are developed all the time, this list may not cover all of them. Pages in category motherboard form factors the following 37 pages are in this category, out of 37 total. Align the slots on the fan duct, with the screws on the heat sink. Power supply form factors used by computer cases, power supplies, and motherboards 1.
Motherboard form factors early pcs used the at form factor and 12in wide motherboards. Types of computer cases and motherboard factors utilize windows. This file is licensed under the creative commons attributionshare alike 3. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The name of the bios backup file can be anything you want, though it. In many cases the the style of processor is also listed. Various form factors of motherboards are at, baby at, atx, miniatx, microatx, flex atx, lpx and mini lpx and nlx. Wtx atx nlx the wtx and atx form factor cards have the same component area, io bulkhead panel, and brackets as pci cards. Motherboard, central processing unit cpu, and heat sink b.
While there are dozens of form factors for desktop computers, most of them are either obsolete or developed for specialized purposes as a result, almost all consumer motherboards sold today belong to one of these form factors. Also what fits in one hp laptop may not fit in another hp. What motherboard fits in an hp specific model may not fit in a dell etc. Probably the most common form factor for a motherboard is the atx form factor. For comparison purposes, the size of an sff case is usually measured in litres. One series of smaller motherboard is the itx form factor. Motherboards, power supplies, and cases are surprisingly interchangeable due to industry standards called form factors. In computing, the form factor is the specification of a motherboard the dimensions, power supply type, location of mounting holes, number of ports on the back. What manuals most likely in pdf format are found on the cd.
While there are dozens of form factors for desktop computers, most of them are either obsolete or developed for specialized purposes. To help you compare the difference in motherboard sizes, we have laid out all three standard motherboard form factors side by side in the image below. An older motherboard form factor is the at see figure 53. If purchasing a new motherboard and a new case, make sure you purchase a case that supports the form factor of your motherboard. The terms motherboard,main board, system board, and planarare interchangeable, although i prefer the motherboarddesignation. Below is a listing of the various motherboard form factors and links to additional information about each of them. It allocates power and allows communication to and between the cpu, ram, and all.
Without a doubt, the most important component in a pc system is the main board or motherboard. Motherboard form factors 167 babyat 167 fullsize at 169 lpx 170 atx 173 nlx 176 proprietary designs 179. Form factor refers to the size and shape of the motherboard, the types of connectors on the board, their layout, and how the board fits into the computer case. Form factors such as physical size, shape, component placement, power supply connectors etc. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in. Name some components that motherboards may come with. What type of motherboards do laptops use, form factors etc. A miniatx motherboard is a slightly smaller variation of the full atx size that measures 11. The approximate size of the board is listed after the common name. The flexatx addendum to the microatx specification addresses the requirements of only the motherboard and not the overall system solution. Configured manually using jumpers, switches or both. To help you compare the difference in motherboard sizes, we have laid out all three standard motherboard form factors side by side in the.
As such, it does not detail the interfaces, memory or graphics technologies required to develop a successful product design. Form factors describe the physical dimensions of the motherboard. It also specifies what type of case and power supply will be supported, the placement of mounting holes, and the physical layout and organization of the board. The miniitx is one that is compatible in the screw sets with atx and the microatx.
Motherboards and bios 85 inside information the motherboard manual theres no way that a single book like this can show you all of the. Also, microatx and miniitx motherboards have been developed specifically for applications where small size, low power consumption and minimal noise is desired. Sound files 552 midi files 553 presentations 556 recording 557 voice annotation 558. Sep 05, 2016 types of motherboard based on form factor 1. The term system board can be used to describe any number of circuit boards that make up the internals of your computer, but it is used most often to. Standard atx most of the time referred to as simply atx standard atx specifies length to. The shape and layout of a motherboard is called the form factor. Amd and older intel chipsets include a northbridge that connects the cpu, ram, and x16 pcie devices, and southbridge that connects secondary systems such as usb, sata, ide, and sound.
Asus tuf gaming x570plus wifi socket am4 usbc gen2 amd motherboard with led lighting. Ibms longstanding standard, at advanced technology, was superseded in 1995 by the current industry standard atx advanced technology extended, which still governs the size and design of the motherboard in most modern pcs. And one nice thing about these is, that there are some very small form factors they can fit almost anywhere. What are the primary functions of the motherboard and list. A newer motherboard form factor, atx, improved on the at design. Typical form factors include atx most common, microatx, itx, and btx.
Form, hardware, hardware terms, motherboard, motherboard terms, standard. This guide can be a pdf file stored on the cd or dvd. Motherboard form factor guide to increase general awareness of pc users on motherboard sizes and form factors, the following outlines most known atx motherboard form factors in a simple guide. Recent motherboards have one of four socket sizes, three for intel cpus and one for. The agp pro specification targets the wtx and atx form factor implementation of the agp specification. The btx standard builds on this, and the standards work should do likewise. A form factor is a specification of physical dimensions, layouts, and other explicit information that helps ensure the hardware works with products that support that form factor computer form factors are related to other computer hardware. Same form factor is used for case and power supply. Motherboard form factors without a doubt, the most important component in a pc system is the main board or motherboard. Nlx short for new low profile extended was a form factor proposed by intel and developed jointly with ibm, dec, and other vendors for low profile, low cost, massmarketed retail pcs. Atx combines the best functionality from the form factors that dominated the computer industry in the early 1990s. To gain a ce mark, the viglen computer range has had to undergo many difficult tests to ensure it is. As a result, almost all consumer motherboards sold today belong to one of these form factors.
Chapter form factors, power supplies, and working inside a. Amd works closely with our partners to ensure customers have access to a wide selection of available board options to meet their specific requirements. The succession of motherboard form factors the form factor of a motherboard determines the specifications for its general shape and size. The most popular motherboard form factors are atx, microatx a smaller version of atx, and miniitx a smaller version of microatx. What are the primary functions of the motherboard and list out their various form factors. Motherboard form factors form factor specifies size, shape. Initially these boards only supported the via processors. Various form factors of motherboards are at, baby at, atx, mini. Motherboard form factors and types as computers advanced, so have motherboards. Dec 06, 2000 form factor refers to the size and shape of the motherboard, the types of connectors on the board, their layout, and how the board fits into the computer case. Now, dell offers what we might well call the pamphlet p, because thats just about the size of the optiplex 7070 ultras footprint. Nlx was similar in overall design to lpx, including a riser card and a lowprofile slimline case. If youre looking to integrate a standard form factor motherboard into your custom enclosure, the common atx motherboard is universal, powerful, and costeffective. Form factor processor socket for cpu and chipset buses and number of bus slots speed other power connectors, slots, and ports on the motherboard motherboard types and features.
The atx standard allows power supplies and cases to be commodity parts, dramatically reducing the cost of computer design. To increase general awareness of pc users on motherboard sizes and form factors, the following outlines most known atx motherboard form factors in a simple guide. Today, the most common motherboard form factor for desktop computers is the atx form factor. The flexatx is a natural evolution of the intels microatx form factor which was first unveiled in late 1999. In computing, the form factor is the specification of a motherboard the dimensions, power supply type, location of mounting holes, number of ports on the back panel, etc.
Nlx thermal design suggestions thermal and mechanical design guide rev 1. This board maintains the electrical pathways that enable all other components to communicate with each other. Specifically, in the ibm pc compatible industry, standard form factors ensure that parts are interchangeable across competing vendors and generations of technology, while in enterprise computing, form factors ensure that. The sheer size of an at motherboard caused problems for upgrading pcs and did not allow use of the increasingly popular slimline desktop cases. Some companies refer to the motherboard as a system board or planar. Jul 06, 2018 inside youll have a fusion 360 3d file containing atx, matx and miniitx motherboards, along with 2d dxf and pdf files for printinginserting into other programs. The placement of heat sinks and fans often interferes with the use of expansion slots in smaller form factors. Small form factor sff or sfx refers to various computer form factors designed to minimize the volume and footprint of a desktop computer compared to the standard atx form factor. Open and upgradeable vs limited and sealed desktop pcs have always enjoyed the advantage of easy upgradeability. Motherboard form factors explained guide to motherboard. And repairing pcs tenth anniversary edition contents at a glance introduction 1. The motherboard acts as the central backbone of a computer on which other modular parts are. However form factors are different per laptop models and brands. Motherboard form factors recall from chapter 1 that a motherboard form factor determines the size of the board and its features that make it compatible with power supplies and cases.
A typical atx motherboard with nothing connected chapter 4. Motherboard form factors have been on the move as of late, and with the recent introduction of the intel btx family, a new generation is upon us. Techs should know common form factors and the benefits and challenges of each of them. Lessons learned from the success of this standard show why standardizing parts is important. If an operating system supports the feature, it can turn off the power to a system after the shutdown procedure is done. Several common form factors are used for pc motherboards. May 01, 2005 motherboard form factors have been on the move as of late, and with the recent introduction of the intel btx family, a new generation is upon us. The atx form factor dominates the current pc landscape, so a tour of the typical. Determines general layout, size and feature placement on the motherboard.
Motherboard form factors explained guide to motherboard sizes. Install and summarize the various motherboard types, form factors and processor installations. Choosing the best motherboard is in many ways the most integral part of your pc build, although graphics cards and cpus often get more attention. Standard atx most of the time referred to as simply atx. There are several specific form factors that most pc motherboards use so that they can all fit in standard cases. The motherboard is a printed circuit board and foundation of a computer that is the biggest board in a computer chassis. Sffs are available in a variety of sizes and shapes, including shoeboxes, cubes, and booksized pcs. Although it is a slower process, form factors do evolve regularly in response to changing demands. Types of form factors at advanced technology form factor specified motherboard dimensions of 12x. The picoitx is the motherboard form factor announced by the via technologies in january 2007. When choosing a system case, other than considering the size of the computer that we want, the most important thing is to match the motherboard form factor with the form factor supported by the computer case. We use your linkedin profile and activity data to personalize ads and to show you more relevant ads.
Usbfirewire ports, audio, video, raid, and amr or cnr slots for modems and network cards. The motherboard is the main board in your computer that contains the bios chips, ram, io ports, and cpu. Permission is granted to copy, distribute andor modify this document under the terms of the gnu free documentation license, version 1. The form factor affects where individual components go and the shape of the computers case. How to design custom enclosures for motherboardbased systems. Below is a list of the various motherboard form factors and additional information about each, including atx, which is the most common. Some of the prime functions of a computer motherboard are as follows. Ensure that components will fit within a computer case, and. Below is a listing of the various motherboard form factors and additional information about each including atx, which is the most common. Types of computer cases and motherboard factors utilize. For a comparison of form factors, past and present, check out motherboards. But here we generally talking about motherboard form factors, which are directly. Chapter form factors, power supplies, and working inside. This is a listing of personal computer mother board form factors.
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