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A recent Tech Tip covered the basics of selecting a computer case & made mention of the various sizes that correspond to motherboards of different form factors. A few people wrote in expressing interest in understanding more about the basics of motherboards, & that’s exactly what this Tech Tip intends to address.
A motherboard, also known as a main board, is the primary circuit board inside of a computer, & is where the central processing unit (CPU), memory, expansion slots, drives, & other peripheral devices are connected. The circuitry on a motherboard facilitates the communication between all of the devices in the computer, making them as critical to a system’s performance as items such as the CPU or memory.
The core circuitry of a motherboard is referred to as its chipset, & generally the manufacturer of the motherboard is not the manufacturer of the chipset. Intel does produce motherboards with their own chipsets, but buying a motherboard brand such as Gigabyte, Biostar, & ASUS means getting a board with either a VIA, Nvidia, SIS, or Intel brand chipset.
1. Form Factor
The different basic shapes & sizes of motherboards are categorized as form factors. There’s several standard form factors obtainable, but some of the more common ones found in desktop computers include:
(http://www.formfactors.org/developer/specs/atx2_2.pdf), ATX (http://www.formfactors.org/developer/specs/matxspe1.2.pdf), Micro ATX (mATX) (http://www.formfactors.org/developer/specs/FlexATXaddn1_0.pdf) FlexATX (http://www.via.com.tw/en/initiatives/spearhead/mini-itx/) & Mini-ITX
The basic sizes of each are as follows:
* ATX: 12″ x 9.6″ (305mm x 244mm)
* Micro ATX: 9.6″ x 9.6″ (244mm x 244mm)
* FlexATX: 9.0″ x 7.5″ (229mm x 191mm)
ATX & mATX are by far the most popular motherboard sizes for desktop computers, & as seen in the list above, are also some of the largest. More real estate on a motherboard allows for greater expansion possibilities & extra features, which make the use of these boards more flexible. A Mini-ITX board may feature one slot for memory & one slot for an expansion card, while a typical ATX board may feature 4 memory slots & four slots for expansion cards.
* Mini ITX: 6.7″ x 6.7″ (170mm x 170mm)
2. CPU Socket
Each form factor has its own niche that it fits in to, from workstations & gaming systems for larger boards to media centers & in-car computers for smaller boards. There is definitely overlap between the potential applications of each form factor, & other features & capabilities will also influence the targeted use.
The major processor manufacturers, AMD & Intel, are constantly waging a battle to offer the fastest, most powerful processors obtainable. Getting more speed & performance out of a relatively tiny chip generally requires a change to the physical dimensions as each new generation of processor is released. Therefore, motherboards need to evolve at the same pace in order to accept the new CPUs.
Back in the day, AMD & Intel processors shared a common CPU socket, but those days were short lived. AMD & Intel have since been travelling down their own, relatively parallel, paths of performance & speed increases, while using different designs. Selecting a motherboard for a modern AMD processor eliminates the use of any Intel processor, & vice versa.
AMD’s current offering for desktop processors includes the Athlon 64, which is obtainable in Socket 939 & Socket 754 formats. The number in the names represents the number of pins present on the backside of the CPU that connect to the motherboard’s socket. The Socket 939 Athlon 64 therefore has a staggering array of nine hundred & thirty nine tiny pins to match up with the motherboard’s socket. The Chaintech VNF4 Ultra is an example of a Socket 939 motherboard based on Nvidia’s NForce4 Ultra chipset technology. In addition to these four sockets, plenty of AMD processors, including Athlon XPs, Semprons, & Durons, share the Socket A format, also known as Socket 462 thanks to it having 462 pins for connecting to a motherboard.Socket adapters
Intel’s latest offering for their Pentium 4 & Celeron processors, LGA 775, doesn’t have pins at all & basically swaps the pins to the motherboard for the socket. Perhaps this design move puts the burden of crooked pin warranty claims on someone else, but it is distinctive. The Biostar P4M80-M7 is an example of an LGA 775 motherboard based on the VIA P4M800 chipset. Other Intel processors still on the market utilize the Socket 478 format for Pentium 4 & Celeron processors.
3. Components
Although most motherboards support one CPU socket, some applications benefit from having over one processor to tackle the tasks at hand. Servers & high finish workstations are four examples where a dual processor process, such as could be run on the Tyan Thunder i7500 motherboard, might make light work of more advanced applications.
‘Components’ is a vague term to report this section, but the items to be covered are diverse. Computer systems all use memory, storage devices, & power supplies, but among the plenty of differences motherboards have is the type & quantity of connections for these components.
Most modern systems use DDR memory, but DDR-2 memory is becoming more common & will finally become the standard. Although some boards provide slots for both types of memory, it is generally the case that either one or the other technology is supported. Besides operating differently, the physical difference of DDR having 184 pins & DDR-2 having 240 pins prevents them from being interchangeable. Going forward, users will have to select whether they need to jump on the new technology bandwagon when selecting a motherboard, or to try to continue using their existing DDR for as long as possible. Regardless of technology, most motherboards come with 2 to 4 slots for memory, although as mentioned, Mini-ITX boards may offer 1 slot.
As systems become more advanced, they plenty of times impose special power requirements to keep them jogging smoothly. Most motherboards feature the typical 20 pin ATX power connector, while some server boards may have a 24 pin connection in its place. Motherboards for AMD Athlon 64 & Pentium 4 processors will have a second power connection located in close proximity to the CPU socket for providing the extra power that today’s high finish processors demand. This special 4 pin connection isn’t found on every AMD Socket A motherboard, but it will most definitely be located on an AMD Socket 939 motherboard. Power supplies have been including this special connection for years, but for those upgrading an elderly process with a new motherboard, the power supply may be one more item that has to be upgraded as well.
Hard drive technology is changing , as mentioned in the Tech Tip comparing SATA to ATA hard drives. Most motherboards over the past few years have offered four ATA connections, which could support up to 4 drives. With SATA becoming more popular, some boards now offer a mix of ATA & SATA connections, while others have abandoned ATA all together, & instead offer multiple SATA connections which only support one drive each. In addition to type & quantity, motherboards can also offer choices in hard drive capabilities by integrating RAID controllers onboard, as found on the ASUS K8V SE Deluxe.
4. Extra Features
Plenty of motherboards now include features onboard that were four times only obtainable as expansion cards to be purchased separately. A typical motherboard will now include stereo sound capabilities, a 10/100 LAN connection, as well as a few USB 2.0 ports on the back panel connection. Depending on the budget & needs of the finish user, plenty of motherboards may also include other convenient features such as integrated Firewire ports, VGA connections, & onboard RAID controllers.
Motherboards Extra Features
Although plenty of of these items may be added later with expansion cards, if you know you need them upfront, a bit of installation hassle & expense can be eliminated by finding a board with about everything you need included. That said, there aren’t plenty of choices of onboard components, so it’s a case of take it or leave it. For example, you may need stereo sound included, but find most motherboards offer 5 channel, where you would prefer 8 channel. In that case, it may be a lovely thing that motherboards include expansion slots to add the sound card of your choice.
5. Expansion Slots
A motherboard typically provides at least one slot for the installation of a graphics card as well as a few slots for expanding the capabilities of the process in other areas.
Graphics cards are obtainable in PCI, AGP, & now PCI Express formats, & matching a motherboard to the appropriate card is a key step. Most motherboards released over the past few years include an AGP slot,
& the new wave of motherboards are now beginning to feature PCI Express slots for graphics card installation.
PCI slots are found on most motherboards, but are
much slower than AGP & PCI Express slots, so they are not the optimal choice for graphics. ATX motherboards may typically feature one to one PCI slots, & although they could be used for secondary display graphics cards, more common applications include sound cards, network cards, RAID controllers, TV tuners, modems, & USB/Firewire controllers. Considering that plenty of of these items are now included onboard, having multiple PCI slots isn’t as important as it used to be.
With enthusiasts adding windows & special lighting effects to about every feature of a computer, why should the motherboard be left out of the action? Long gone are the days of the stereotypical green PCB with white connectors, & now most boards feature a vibrantly colored PCB as well as a rainbow of colors on expansion slots, memory slots, drive connectors, & so on.
6. Style
For example, if someone was undecided on a mATX board for their Socket 754 AMD Athlon 64, style might be the deciding factor. The Chaintech MK8M800 & the Biostar K8VGA-M-N are similar boards featuring the VIA K8M800 chipset & prices under $70. The golden PCB with black & white features of the Chaintech board may appeal to some, while the red, white, blue, & yellow of the Biostar may sway others.
In general, a particular model is only obtainable in one color technique, & plenty of manufacturers use the same theme across their entire current line up. As an example, the Biostar board for AMD Athlon 64 processors above features the same basic style as this Biostar board for the new Pentium LGA 775 processors. In addition to coloring, some manufacturers will include LED lighting on chipset cooling fans, or accessorize motherboards with matching cables to complete the distinctive looks of the board.
Final Words
Some people may scoff at colors being included in the list of key features on motherboards, but there will be some that shop for style first, & then performance.
There’s plenty of factors to address in selecting a motherboard, & this Tech Tip scratched the surface of the basic choices that may need to be considered. Much more technical decisions may need to be made by the advanced user, but covering the four basic areas discussed above is a lovely start for users of any level.
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