Motherboards tie all hardware devices together in a PC.
The motherboard is the device that connects the central processing unit, or CPU, to the rest of the system's devices. Its is also sometimes called a mainboard. Motherboards have been around longer than the home computer, but are an often overlooked part of the system. Matching the right motherboard to the right CPU and video card will give you the best PC performance.
Motherboard Components
Motherboards have many different components that are meant to interact with other system devices. There are ports to attach hard drives and USB devices. It also has connectors for the power supply, the RAM and the CPU. Motherboards may have a slot for a separate video card, or they may have a video card built into the board.
Function of the Motherboard
The motherboard acts as a highway and traffic cop that connects the computer's devices to the CPU. Every device that connects to a computer routes through the motherboard in some way. Some of its other functions include providing initial instructions to the CPU when the computer boots, and routing power to onboard components such as the CPU and RAM.
Types of Motherboards
Motherboards are classified by their form factor, their chipsets, and the type of CPU that they take. The form factor is determined by the size of the computer's case. The ATX form factor is currently the most popular for home PCs, but there are others such as microATX, miniATX. The chipset is dependent on the type of CPU the motherboard will be using. Both chipset and CPU types change frequently.
Motherboard Upgrade Considerations
A motherboard upgrade is not one to be taken lightly. While some PC cases allow quick access to the motherboard, most case configurations force the technician to remove many of the other components in the computer first. It's usually best to do a motherboard and CPU upgrade at the same time, considering your new CPU may not be compatible with your existing motherboard.
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