Everything you need to know about the types of form factors of motherboards.

Introduction:

In this section of our website, we will share useful information about different types of motherboard form factors with you, our dear users, so that you can ultimately have a better understanding of these form factors in the world of computer hardware. In the rest of the article, we will also discuss topics such as the key differences between ATX, Micro ATX, Mini ITX, and EATX form factors. We will also discuss the capabilities, power consumption, and prices of different motherboard form factors. So please stay with us on the website until the end of this article.

What are the most important form factors of motherboards?

In this article, we will share useful information about the most important motherboard form factors and explore the main categories in the motherboard world. Motherboards are generally classified into four main form factors: ATX, Micro ATX, Mini ITX, and EATX. The ATX form factor is the most common form factor in the world of computer motherboards, This is mainly because it offers a good balance of size, features, and upgradeability for users. ATX motherboards are generally 12 inches by 9.6 inches in size, This allows them to easily accommodate various RAM slots, storage options, and more.

Micro ATX is another popular form factor, It can be considered a compact and smaller version of the larger ATX motherboards. Micro ATX motherboards measure 9.6 inches by 6.9 inches, This compact size makes them ideal for small and compact cases. Usually, smaller graphics cards are installed on Micro ATX cases because these motherboards often have fewer slots for storage expansion and have limitations due to their smaller size. Mini ITX is another form factor that can be useful for users in certain situations due to its very small size, It measures 6.9 inches by 6.9 inches, making it an ideal choice for very compact cases and single-slot graphics cards.

EATX is a much larger form factor, It is essentially a larger version of ATX motherboards and is designed for more advanced computers such as high-performance workstations. Since this type of motherboard has more expansion slots and features, it requires a larger case to install and assemble in computer systems. We recommend that you always choose the motherboard form factor based on your needs, If you are a regular user or gamer in the PC world, an ATX motherboard can probably meet all your needs. If you are a user who wants to have a regular computer with a small size, choosing a Mini ITX motherboard may be the best choice for you. Also, if you are a user who needs excellent features in your workstation-class system, choosing a motherboard form factor like ATX or EATX may be the right choice for you.

What features do ATX and micro ATX form factors have?

As mentioned in the previous section of this article, ATX and Micro ATX are two of the most common motherboard form factors, In this section, we will further explore their features for our users. ATX motherboards are generally larger and more balanced in size, They are found in most gaming systems. Additionally, motherboard manufacturers like Asus, MSI, and Gigabyte often base their mid-range and high-end motherboards on this form factor.

These motherboards typically have at least 4 to 7 PCIe slots for installing graphics cards and storage devices such as NVMe SSDs. They also offer more comprehensive features for system overclocking or using communication features such as Wi-Fi and network services for users. However, due to these extensive and useful features, the price of ATX motherboards is also relatively high. As explained in the previous section, Micro ATX is another popular motherboard form factor, Due to their compact size, they can be very appealing to users who are limited by case size.

These motherboards typically have fewer expansion slots and memory slots than ATX motherboards overall. For example, these small motherboards usually only have between 2 and 4 PCIe slots, which prevents users from installing heavy and multi-slot graphics cards on them. It is also worth mentioning that these motherboards have limited space for installing coolers and other computer components, making them not very suitable for more demanding tasks such as professional overclocking. However, in recent years, some motherboard manufacturers have introduced such small motherboards with limited overclocking capabilities to the market for users. Due to their smaller weight and size, as well as having fewer features, Micro ATX motherboards are more economical than larger ATX motherboards.

What features do mini ITX and E-ATX form factors have?

As mentioned in the previous sections of this article, Mini ITX and EATX are two of the most common motherboard form factors, In this section, we will further explore their features for our users. Mini ITX motherboards are the smallest and most compact motherboards in the world of computer hardware, They are sometimes used by users to build ultra-compact systems. Additionally, these motherboards usually only have one PCIe slot and offer minimal features for users in all respects. So, if you are a user who values a lot of features on your motherboard and needs a lot of features for your daily tasks, you should not use this type of motherboard. However, if you have a very small case and usually have a simple office system and also have limited space to use your case, this type of motherboard may be useful for you sometimes.

As mentioned in other sections of this article, EATX is another motherboard form factor that is actually a larger version of ATX motherboards. Overall, it can be said that this type of motherboard is one of the most feature-rich motherboards, and motherboard manufacturers usually introduce their best flagship models with this form factor to the market. These motherboards typically have more than 7 PCIe slots, They also have various storage slots for users to use faster NVMe memory. In terms of other features, these motherboards usually have the best and fastest options, such as the latest version of Wi-Fi, network, sound card, and more. So, if you are a user who needs an all-in-one motherboard and also have a very powerful computer, you can consider this option as well. However, be sure to consider the compatibility of your EATX motherboard with your chosen case when making your purchase to avoid any problems with system assembly and installation.

What are the best form factors of motherboards in gaming and rendering?

To choose the best motherboard form factor for tasks like gaming and rendering, there are important points to consider to ensure a near-flawless purchase. Based on the explanations provided in different sections of this article, all four form factors mentioned above can be used for gaming and rendering. However, our recommendation is that if you are looking for a motherboard with adequate features and are a gamer who pursues gaming professionally, you should first look for a suitable ATX motherboard with useful and sufficient capabilities.

This is because this type of motherboard usually meets all the requirements of a gamer or those who spend most of their time doing moderate rendering. So, if you have no problem with the case size and assembly of such a motherboard in your case, choosing this form factor can be pleasant and useful for you. It is worth noting that you should consider a reasonable budget and cost in this regard. Of course, there are various economical and expensive motherboards with ATX form factor, and there is usually no problem in choosing for users.

However, if you are a user who constantly intends to perform advanced and heavy rendering, you should definitely choose a suitable motherboard from among the ATX and EATX form factors. This way, you can have a powerful and stable motherboard to successfully carry out your rendering operations for long hours. Finally, if you are a user who wants to play games for fun or do short daily renders, you may be able to use motherboards with Micro ATX form factors. Especially if you intend to do such a thing, try to use Micro ATX motherboards with more powerful circuits, phases, and MOSFETs in the market.

What effect do the form factors of motherboards have on their price and energy consumption?

Motherboard form factors can directly impact a motherboard’s price and energy consumption, In this section of the article, we will discuss the most important of these impacts. Motherboard form factors can directly affect the price of a motherboard. Since each form factor has its own specific dimensions and features, the final price may increase significantly due to these additional features and options. For example, motherboards like ATX and EATX, due to their larger size and more features, definitely use more advanced materials and tools in their production and development. These factors collectively increase the final price of these motherboards. Also, since these two types of motherboards have more complexities in their research and development and manufacturing processes, they usually have higher prices for sale in the motherboard market.

However, smaller motherboards like Mini ITX or Micro ATX motherboards, since they have simpler production processes and have fewer features and options installed and embedded on them, may also have a lower price for the end consumer in the market. In terms of the power consumption factor, motherboard form factors usually do not have a significant impact on the user’s computer system. Instead, it is the other high-consumption components in the user’s system, such as the graphics card, CPU, etc., that cause a user’s system to have higher power consumption. Also, in laptop motherboards, where various electronic components such as RAM, graphics card, CPU are soldered together on the laptop chassis as BGA motherboards, the power consumption of the motherboard is usually a small amount that is not significantly calculated compared to other high-consumption components in the system.

Conclusion:

We hope this article has been useful for you, our dear users, and you have been able to gain more information about different motherboard form factors in the world of computer hardware. In general, as you can see in the text of the above article, ATX, Micro ATX, Mini ITX, and EATX form factors can have an impact on various tasks such as overclocking, gaming, and rendering, and they come with their own advantages and disadvantages. If you have any other questions about different motherboard form factors, please feel free to share them with us in the comments section of this article.

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