All of the computer's internal components attach to the mainboard.
The mainboard, also known as the motherboard, is the backbone of a computer: everything in the computer is interfaced through it. Mainboards are categorized in two different ways. One is by "form factor," which describes the mainboard's size. Since most computer cases can only support certain sizes, the form factor is an important consideration for determining physical compatibility. The other descriptor is the CPU socket type. Since a mainboard can only accommodate a particular series of processors, this is an important consideration.
Form Factor
A motherboard's form factor describes the physical size and arrangement of components. The most common form factor is ATX, or Advanced Technology eXtended, which commonly measures 305 mm by 244 mm. The ATX form factor is broken down into smaller categories like micro-ATX, Flex-ATX and Mini-ATX. The BTX, or Balanced Technology eXtended, form factor is designed for optimized heat dissipation; it measures 325 mm by 267 mm. Smaller BTX designs include the micro-BTX and pico-BTX. Another form factor is ITX, or Informational Technology eXtended, which is the smallest form factor of them all. Mini-ITX and nano-ITX mainboards measure 170 mm by 170 mm and 120 mm by 120 mm, respectively. Finally, there is NLX, or New Low-Profile eXtended. As the name implies, the motherboard is low-profile, which conserves space in narrower computer cases.
Socket Type
Most mainboard are designed for a specific processor or group of processors. Since processors interface with a mainboard using a socket, this socket type is used to describe the mainboard itself. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) chips commonly use the socket types AM2, AM2+ and AM3, or a combination thereof. Intel processors use the socket types LGA 1366, LGA 1156, LGA 775, 478, 370 and Socket P. A mainboard is sometimes referred to as either an AMD or Intel mainboard, depending on which manufacturer's chips it supports.
Components & Slots
Many people quality motherboards based on the components or slots it offers. A mainboard may use either DDR2 or DDR3 RAM; it can be described in terms of the maximum quantity of this RAM it can hold. Hard drives can be connected with IDE, SATA or SAS. A mainboard may have integrated audio, video and/or Ethernet, or it may require additional cards for these functions. A mainboard's available slots might include AGP, PCI Express, PCI Express 2.0 or PCI; additional ports might include USB, Firewire or eSATA. The more slots and ports available, the more upgradeable your entire system is.
Tags: form factor, Technology eXtended, computer cases, eXtended which, important consideration