Types of ATX Motherboards
ATX (Advanced Technology Extended) is a computer industry specification directly applied to motherboards. Beyond its reference as a category of motherboard is also an indirect categorization of computer chassis and power supplies. The ATX specification is used by home computer builders, as well as industry-leading OEM system builders to ensure upgradability and compatibility. Due to the fact that the computer's motherboard is the foundation from which all computers are built, and by extension, the ATX specification, it is important that computer users have at least a general understanding of its details.
History
The ATX specification was set forth publicly by Intel Corp. in 1995. The ATX specification was released as a successor to the AT specification. The necessity for this action on Intel's part was that the AT form factor was significantly antiquated, and possessed several design flaws when coupled with the modern computer hardware of the time. Though Intel has subsequently released the BTX form factor, it has not taken hold as an industry-standard and as a corollary, the ATX specification continues to be updated and revised.
Function
ATX form factor is the governing specification concerning the motherboard's dimensions, electrical connectivity and I/O interface placement. The specifications govern acceptable power supplies, cases and the overall maximum size of hardware devices that can be installed on the motherboard. For example, the current ATX specification, revision 2.2, requires a 24 pin power connector, and is 12-by- 9.6 inches in dimension. The design also allows for further spacing between PCI-e interfaces on the motherboard to accommodate larger graphics cards which have come into use as of 2007.
Micro ATX
The micro ATX motherboard design is intended to be slim and small in stature. This form factor has a maximum dimension specification of 9.6-by-9.6 inches. However, there is no limit to how much smaller than this an ATX motherboard can be. Some models in this form factor can be found as small as 7-by-7 inches. This form factor is most prevalent with users who demand mobility from their computing solutions, and within integrated electronics such as GPS devices, digital cable boxes and HD TV recorders. These use scaled-down versions of the Micro ATX boards for their integrated microcontrollers.
ATX
The ATX form factor is the most common form factor within the ATX family. This form factor has a dimensional limitation of 12-by-9.6 inches and is seen in most tower desktop computers. The most recent revision to the ATX form factor came in 2004. This revision called for a higher quality power connector to be utilized by the ATX form factor in response to the ever-increasing power supply wattages, which pressed the previous standards to their thermal capacity.
Extended ATX
The extended ATX, or eATX, form factor was originally released as a workstation level motherboard specification. The physical dimensions of the motherboard could be 12-by-13 inches. This somewhat dramatic increase in size is due to the fact that enterprise level motherboards are required to house much more internal hardware than consumer level computers. Recently, however, there has been a higher consumer user demand for this form factor as technologies such as NVIDIA's SLI and ATI's Crossfire call for very large motherboards to accommodate two to four graphics cards, each two PCI slots in width.
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