Those of you who are familiar with the computer world must already know what a motherboard is and the components in it. That’s because one of the keys to a computer can be operated is this motherboard. Motherboards are not only found in computers, but also in other modern devices such as cellphones, tablets, and laptops. The motherboard itself is a printed circuit board (Printed Circuit Board or PCB) that holds all the main components of the computer, such as RAM slots, CPU slots, BIOS, and so on. The motherboard serves as the communication center between all the other computer components. Here are some of the most common types of motherboards used today.
1. ATX Motherboards
This is a type of motherboard that is more advanced than the abandoned AT motherboards. ATX which stands for Advanced Technology eXtended means that this motherboard has undergone a number of improvements compared to the previous generation of motherboards. This type of motherboard has a number of advantages, such as providing multiple PCI slots and at least 4x DIMM slots that can support a lot of memory, and having many SATA ports and other storage device ports. In fact, high-end ATX motherboards have 3 to 4 PCI-Ex 16 slots capable of handling multiple graphics cards.
2. Micro-ATX Motherboards
Micro-ATX motherboards have a number of advantages over ATX motherboards, including being smaller and more compact and more affordable. There are also higher variants of Micro-ATX motherboards with superior features. Modern ATX motherboards have a maximum of seven PCI or PCI-Express expansion slots, so microATX motherboards only have a maximum of four. The amount can also vary depending on the dimensions.
3. Mini ITX Motherboards
Mini ITX motherboards are capable of providing all the basic features found in large motherboards. Some of the advantages of this motherboard in addition to its space-saving size is that it has a fanless cooling system that allows for low power consumption and its board that can be used in many ways is designed for ATX, Micro-ATX motherboards and other ATX variants if desired. Due to its mini size, Mini-ITX motherboards are only able to provide a maximum of 1x PCI-Ex 16 Slot and 2x DIMM slots for memory. Almost every ITX board only has 4x SATA ports for storage and a few fan headers, but other features can vary depending on the price they offer.
4. E-ATX Motherboards
E-ATX motherboards are an excellent choice if you need a computer that is powerful enough for gaming and other demanding tasks, such as rendering and video processing. This motherboard has a much more powerful socket and processor, so it’s incredibly capable. Some of the features possessed by E-ATX motherboards are having many PCI-Ex 16 slots (four or more), having 8x DIMM slots for RAM, capable of supporting 3 to 4 graphics cards, supporting installation of RAM up to 128 GB, having built-in wifi, card sound, and many others.