Motherboards: Types, Components, and Functions Explained

The motherboard is the main component of any branded or assembled PC, laptop, tablet, or mobile phone. Now you must be curious, why is it called the motherboard? The motherboard is a Printed Circuit Board that acts as the main platform for communication between all other system components. All the other computer parts are either directly installed or connected to various motherboard components and all the data is transferred between them through the motherboard.

Different Types of Motherboards

Motherboards come in various types and form factors, each designed to accommodate different hardware requirements, use cases, and form factors. Here’s a detailed explanation of the different types of motherboards: Before proceeding, let’s have a look at a brief history of motherboards.

1. Form Factors

Motherboards are categorized into different form factors based on their size, shape, and layout. Common form factors include:

AT Motherboards

The oldest of the main boards, these motherboards were used in earlier 286/386 or 486 computers. The AT means the board consists of advanced technology(AT) power connectors. There are two power connectors of 6 pins each mounted on the AT motherboards. The AT motherboards were available in the early ’80s.

 

ATX Motherboards

The ATX motherboards started in the ’90s and are still available. The most popular form factor, ATX boards measure approximately 305mm x 244mm. They offer a good balance of size and expandability, typically featuring multiple expansion slots, RAM slots, and a variety of connectivity options. These boards are used for P2/P3 or P/4 processors.

Motherboard for P1/P2 processors:

Pentium 4 motherboard

Also Read: Motherboards with High End Graphics

MicroATX (mATX)

Smaller than ATX boards, mATX boards measure around 244mm x 244mm. They are designed for compact cases but still offer a decent number of expansion slots and features. They are a common choice for budget builds and small form factor PCs.

Mini-ITX

Even smaller, Mini-ITX boards measure 170mm x 170mm. They are used in compact systems where space is a premium, such as home theater PCs (HTPCs) and small form factor (SFF) builds. Despite their size, they can still support powerful components but typically have fewer expansion slots and features.

EATX (Extended ATX)

Larger than standard ATX, EATX boards measure around 305mm x 330mm or larger. They are used in high-end gaming and workstation systems, offering more space for additional RAM, expansion slots, and enhanced cooling solutions.

FlexATX

A variant of ATX designed for smaller cases, measuring 229mm x 191mm. It is less common but provides a middle ground between mATX and mini-ITX.

2. Socket Types

The CPU socket type determines the compatibility with processors. Different sockets are designed to fit specific CPU models and architectures. Common socket types include:

• Intel Sockets: Examples include LGA 1200, LGA 1151, LGA 2066, etc., which support different generations of Intel processors.
• AMD Sockets: Examples include AM4, TR4, and sTRX4, which are compatible with various AMD Ryzen and Threadripper processors.

3. Chipset Types

The chipset on a motherboard dictates the features and capabilities of the board, such as the number of USB ports, PCIe lanes, RAM capacity, and overclocking support. Common chipset categories include:

• Entry-level Chipsets: These offer basic functionality and are suitable for budget systems or general use. Examples include Intel’s H series (like H410) and AMD’s A-series (like A520).
• Mid-range Chipsets: These offer more features and are suitable for mainstream systems. Examples include Intel’s B series (like B460) and AMD’s B series (like B550).
• High-end Chipsets: These chipsets offer the most features, including support for overclocking, multiple graphics cards, and advanced connectivity options. Examples include Intel’s Z series (like Z490) and AMD’s X series (like X570).
• Workstation and Server Chipsets: Designed for professional workstations and servers, these chipsets support additional features like ECC memory, multiple CPUs, and more extensive PCIe lanes. Examples include Intel’s C series (like C621) and AMD’s WRX80.

Motherboard Components

The motherboard consists of various components that have a role to play in the functioning of a computer. Let us discuss various motherboard components and know their definition and role.

Expansion Slots

ISA slots. These were the oldest expansion slots in the history of motherboards. They were found in AT boards and are identified by black color. Conventional display cards or sound cards were installed in these slots. The full form of ISA is Industry Standard Architecture and is a 16-bit bus.

PCI Slots. The full form of PCI is Peripheral Component Interconnect. The PCI slot is one of the important motherboard components today and is vastly used to install add-on cards on the motherboard. The PCI supports 64-bit high-speed bus.

PCI Express. Also known as PCIe, these are the latest and the fastest component of the motherboard to support add-on cards. It supports a full duplex serial bus.

AGP slot. An accelerated graphics port(AGP) is specifically used to install the latest graphics card. AGP runs on a 32-bit bus and both PCIe and AGP can be used to install high-end gaming display cards.

RAM(memory) slots

SIMM slots. The full form is a single in-line memory module. These slots were found in older motherboards, up to 486 boards. The SIMM supports a 32-bit bus.

DIMM slots. The full form of DIMM is a Double inline memory module. These are the latest RAM slots that run on a faster 64-bit bus. The DIMM used on Laptop boards is called SO-DIMM.

CPU Socket

Another vital motherboard component is the CPU socket which is used to install the processor on the motherboard. Some important sockets are explained below.

Socket7. It is a 321-pin socket that supported older processors like Intel Pentium 1/2/MMX, AMD k5/K6, and Cyrix M2.

Socket370.  It is a 370-pin socket that supports Celeron processors and Pentium-3 processors.

Socket 775. It is a 775-pin socket that supports Inter dual core, C2D, P-4, and Xeon processors.

Socket 1156. Found on the latest types of motherboards, it is an 1156-pin socket that supports the latest Intel i-3, i-5, and i-7 processors.

Socket 1366. The socket is of 1366 pins and supports the latest i-7 900 processors.

BIOS

The full form of BIOS is the “Basic Input Output System“. It is a motherboard component in the form of an Integrated chip. This chip contains all the information and settings of the motherboard which you can modify by entering the BIOS mode from your computer.

CMOS Battery

The battery or a cell is a 3.0 Volts lithium type cell. The cell is responsible for storing the information in BIOS and the full form of CMOS is: “Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor“.

Power Connectors

In order to receive power from SMPS, there are connectors mounted on the motherboards.

AT connector. It consists of 2 number of 6 pin male connectors and is found on old types of motherboards.

ATX connector. The latest in the series of power connectors are either 20 or 24-pin female connectors. Found in all the latest types of motherboards.

IDE connector

The Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) connectors are used to interface disk drives. The 40-pin male connector is used to connect IDE hard disk drives and the 34-pin male connector connects to Floppy Disk Drive.

SATA connector

The latest in the series, the connectors, Serial Advance Technology Attachment(SATA) are 7-pin connectors to interface the latest SATA hard disks or optical drives. They are much faster than IDE interfaces.

Co-Processor

The co-processor is one of the important motherboard components and helps the main processor in mathematical calculations and computer graphics.

Cabinet connections

The cabinet in which the motherboard is installed has many buttons that connect to the motherboard. Some of the common connectors are Power Switch, Reset Switch, Front USB, Front Audio, Power indicator(LED), and HDD LED.

I/O interface connectors

Choosing the right type of motherboard that is compatible with other parts of the computer is a vital step in determining the overall speed of your PC. Once you learn about various motherboard components, you can easily assemble your own PC or solve the basic hardware issues in the motherboard.

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