Different motherboard sizes: Motherboard Sizes Explained: Charts & Comparisons Available

Motherboard Sizes Explained: Charts & Comparisons Available

Last Updated on August 19, 2022

If you’re interested in building a PC in 2022, either for gaming or productivity, then you’re probably noticing that motherboard sizes and PC component size (and shape) differ, which can be confusing for newcomers. Motherboard sizes are no different

In truth, once you do a little bit of digging, you’ll notice that lots of components are compatible with each other. Once you’ve settled on a CPU and motherboard pairing of the same socket type (for example the AM5 socket from AMD), and the required RAM for the motherboard, then putting together a PC is much, much simpler than one might think. Some people even go as far as comparing it to playing with a LEGO set. On that note, let’s take a look at the different motherboard sizes, the pros and cons of each, and what size would best suit your particular needs.

You’re likely already familiar with the term ATX, which comes up a lot when people are talking about motherboards. But what does ATX mean? ATX is an Intel-coined term and stands for Advanced Technology eXtended. It refers to an industry standard when it comes to motherboard and power supply compatibility and has later incorporated PC cases. By getting everyone to use a standard form factor when manufacturing a component, the PC market became more diverse and accessible to a larger audience.

Today, we have a big number of industry-standard motherboard sizes, each of them having similar features, advantages, and drawbacks. Let’s start by taking a look at everyone’s favorite, the ATX form factor.

ATX

ATX Motherboard

A full-size ATX board has a height of 305mm and a width of 244mm, or 12 x 9.6 inches. When you’re planning a build, if you’re picking up an ATX motherboard, you’re going to want to pair it with an ATX-compatible PC case. These can either be super-towers, full-towers, middle-towers, or mini-towers. As long as they’re built to support the ATX format, then the board will fit 10/10 times.

The ATX board is built for running all sorts of systems. With at least 4 RAM DIMMs, it can support dual or quad-channel memory, giving the user better performance in specific applications over a board that doesn’t support this type of configuration.

ATX boards typically have 7 expansion slots, allowing you to run up to 4 GPUs with Nvidia SLI or AMD Crossfire if your case and power supply are fit to power and house such a system. Moreover, the big number of expansion slots allows users to install quality of life upgrades, like a better network card that can even support Wifi, Bluetooth adapters, sound cards, USB hubs, and more.

This type of motherboard usually provides manufacturers with enough space to install big heatsinks, an intricate VRM (voltage regulator module, we’ll explain later), a bigger rear IO, and more SATA and USB header connectors, giving you a better experience.

This type of motherboard is powered by a 24-pin connector with a 6/8 pin connector for the CPU, allowing you to run high-end processors, and even overclocking the processors on unlocked motherboards. P

Pros

Cons

Extended ATX (EATX)

EATX Motherboard example

Extended ATX boards are slightly bigger ATX boards. I know, kind of anticlimactic. These boards are slightly bigger, measuring 305x330mm (12 x 13 inches rather than 12 x 9.6), giving you more connectors. They sometimes have dual-socket support, allowing you to run two CPUs using the same board, but that’s not always the case.

Pros

Cons

XL-ATX

Unlike the other featured motherboard sizes, XL-ATX boards do not abide by a standard height and width. XL-ATX boards are very rare, with only a handful of manufacturers releasing this quirky format in the past decade. As with the Extended ATX products, they have no clear advantage over their smaller ATX cousins, other than more memory DIMMs (up to 8) for building powerful workstations. With that said, XL-ATX motherboards are slowly disappearing from the market, so it’s pretty unlikely that you’re going to run into this format anytime soon.

XL-ATX Motherboard

Pros

Cons

Micro ATX (mATX)

mATX boards have a square shape, measuring 244x244mm (9.6×9.6 inches). They typically have between 2-4 RAM DIMMs, which is great if you’re looking to have a powerful PC in a compact case, and have up to 4 expansion slots, allowing you to run dual-GPU systems in a handful of cases. IO-wise, you’re going to have enough to get by. Manufacturers also often include extra features like built-in Wifi with this type of card, so you won’t have to use one of your few expansion slots to have such a feature available.

In terms of build quality, you can find boards that are on par with high-end ATX boards for around the same price. While you lose some inputs and outputs, you gain a smaller form-factor and you’ll have access to a whole new lineup of PC cases to build in. When building in a small form-factor case, it’s important to dedicate enough time to cable management for better airflow, and investing in the right components for a cohesive, well-thought rig.

Micro ATX (mATX) Motheboard

Pros

Cons

Mini-ITX

Mini-ITX boards are 170x170mm (6. 7×6.7inches) and are the smallest type of board that can still run full-sized PC components. While the mATX could still function in most aspects like an ATX board, mini-ITX boards are more of a compromise.

You’ll find no more than 2 RAM DIMMs on the typical mini-ITX, with a single expansion slot. With no support for multi-GPU configurations and not enough power to run high-end processors, since most of them are powered using a 4-pin connector, limiting the type of hardware that you can run efficiently on such a motherboard. That being said, CPUs are more power-efficient than ever, so you can still find plenty of boards that will allow you to overclock, you’re just not going to reach very high values with the limited VRM and cooling options.

Mini-ITX Mothberboard

Pros

Cons

What’s VRM and Why It’s A Critical Element for a Well-Built Motherboard

VRM stands for the voltage regulator module. It’s comprised of MOSFETs, chokes, and capacitors. Each of them impacts the way power is distributed from the motherboard to the other components.

MOSFET stands for metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor. Pretty boring, but it’s essential in ensuring that your processor runs efficiently at a stable current. Much like the power supply converts alternating current to direct current, the MOSFETs also amplify or switch the electronic signal to match a particular component’s need. The chokes are inductors that are used to limit the passing DC to a certain frequency, further ensuring a stable voltage while powering your CPU. Transistors function in a similar way.

Whether you’re planning on buying a premium, gaming motherboard or are looking to snatch a good price on a clean-looking, business branded model, you should always purchase a product that has an intricate VRM. The more chokes, MOSFETs and transistors, the better the performance and reliability.

Lastly, make sure that your future motherboard has solid-state transistors. Fluid-based transistors can burst, throwing acid onto your components, damaging the circuits and cutting off power to multiple sectors of the board.

What Type of Board Do You Need

All in all, it all boils down to personal preference when it comes to motherboard sizes. If you’re working with limited space in your home or at the office, then a small form-factor PC is a great choice. A mini-ITX board can rock a potent CPU-GPU combo, allowing you to run demanding software with a compact build. While it’s easy to source components for a compact system, the building process is kind of a drag, and inexperienced PC builders will struggle to get good cable management, resulting in bad airflow and high temperatures during bigger workloads. Fan size is also limited, so this type of system will be louder.

If you’re not constricted by space, then I think that an ATX-based PC is the way to go. Most of the time you’ll get a better VRM, better cooling, and you’ll always get more features. You can use the expansion slots to further customize your build, and you can run powerful hardware at great temperatures. Cooling will never be an issue, with middle-tower and full-tower cases supporting air, hybrid, and water-cooled builds, and the entire building process is much more user-friendly.

Motherboard Sizes | Comparison of ATX, E-ATX, Micro-AT and Mini-ITX

Picking a right-sized motherboard is one of the most crucial tasks while building a new PC. The kind of motherboard you pick highly affects the performance of the PC since all sizes of motherboards come with different numbers of expansion slots and support different kinds of hardware. Hence, if you are curious about different types of motherboards, stick to this page and keep reading until the end to learn about Motherboard Sizes.

Outline

Motherboard Form Factor Comparison Chart
In general, there are four basic motherboard sizes that are most commonly used these days while building a new PC, the Mini-ITX, MicroATX, ATX, and EATX. So, how do they differ from each other apart from their sizes? Let’s take a quick peek:

ATX EATX Micro-ATX Mini-ITX

Max Size 12″ x 9.6″ 12″ x 13″ 9.6″ x 9.6″ 6.7″ x 6.7″

RAM Slots 2 to 8 2 to 8 2 to 4 2

RAM Type DIMM DIMM DIMM DIMM, SODIMM

Expansion Slots 4 to 7 PCIe Slots 4 to 8 PCIe Slots 2 to 4 PCIe Slots 1 PCIe Slot

Graphics Card Slots 1 to 4 1 to 4 1 to 3 0 to 1

SATA ports 4 to 12 4 to 12 4 to 8 2 to 6

Different Motherboard Sizes or Form Factor
Since you are looking around to find the best motherboard for your upcoming PC build, there are a few facts about motherboards regarding their size and form factor. You might already have that in mind whether you want to build a small PC, a standard one, or a full-tower. Depending on that, you have to pick the right size of motherboard that could fit in the chassis while still providing you with max performance.

In terms of form-factor, large-sized motherboards like an EATX or ATX have good enough room for multiple expansion slots, RAM slots, and other components. Hence, a powerful build is easy to make.

On the other hand, if you go with smaller motherboard options like a micro-ATX or mini-ITX, you will have comparatively lesser ports available for expansion cards, and that could become a limiting factor for the overall PC performance. So, to make things clear, let’s discuss each type of motherboard one by one so that you can compare them and choose one suitable for your next PC build.

ATX

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room first; the ATX motherboards are every PC builder’s first choice to consider. Since the size of ATX motherboards is generally around 12″ x 9.6″, you can easily plan to build a full-tower or mid-tower using such motherboards. Moreover, finding a compatible ATX motherboard is comparatively easier than the other options.

Since the size of the ATX motherboard is fairly decent, you can expect the motherboard to come with plenty of heat sinks as well. Apart from that, there’s always an opportunity to use multiple graphics cards as ATX motherboards generally have 2 to 4 PCIe slots for video cards. Apart from that, if we speak about RAM slots, most ATX motherboards come with 4 DIMM slots supporting dual or quad-channel memory.

Moreover, there are usually plenty of expansion slots for video cards, sound cards, SATA ports, fan headers, and other adapters. Apart from that, these motherboards provide you the best value for your money as they are so widely and commonly used.

Pros

IO section has plenty of ports

Ideal for multi-GPU setups

Room for expansion

Cons

Not ideal for small PC cases

A little expensive than smaller motherboards

Extended ATX (EATX)

If you look for a slightly bigger motherboard than the ATX ones, there’s an extended version of such motherboards available as well. E-ATX basically stands for extended-ATX, which generally has a size of around 12″ x 13″.

The features on this kind of motherboard are fairly the same as of an ATX motherboard. But, since the size of the chassis is bigger, EATX motherboards generally have more expansion slots. You can expect an EATX motherboard to come with a few more additional heat sinks than ATX boards.

Apart from that, there can be more heat sinks as well that can help to maintain the temperature of the components. In some cases, there can be up to 8 RAM slots on an EATX motherboard and sometimes up to 2 CPU sockets as well. Having support for dual-sockets allows you to run two processors at the same time which can make your PC’s performance quite high.

Pros

Some motherboards even have dual CPU socket support

More RAM slots are available

Expansion slots are present in abundance

Cons

Rare to find

XL-ATX

Unlike the ATX and EATX motherboards, the XL-ATX motherboards are not used quite often as it does not provide any remarkable advantages over the latter. In terms of size, these are the largest motherboards but are actually very rarely seen in the market these days.

An average XL-ATX motherboard usually has dimensions around 13″ x 10.4″. Since the majority of people are satisfied with the ATX and EATX motherboard, the need for a larger motherboard is vanishing as the hardware components are becoming more powerful and compact with time.

You can definitely use one of these in case you need multiple PCIe slots and need to build a multi-GPU setup for gaming. Apart from offering a few extra expansion slots, and RAM slots, there is no big advantage of using an XL-ATX motherboard.

Pros

Has more RAM slots

Ideal for full-tower builds

Cons

Expensive

Not compatible with standard size PC cases

Micro ATX (mATX)

If you trim down the ATX motherboards by a few centimeters across its length and width, you get a smaller version of it. With smaller size and build, you do sometimes have to sacrifice a few slots as well.

Like an ATX motherboard, you do get to see similar specs like 4 RAM slots, but that’s the case when you are buying the high-end models. In mATX models, you also get to see motherboards with only 2 RAM slots and fewer PCIe slots as compared to other larger sizes.

Although you get most of the features and compatibility as same as the ATX motherboards, the only drawback is that you will have less room for future expansions. As of today, all the mATX motherboards out there are quite similar to ATX ones and support similar hardware components as well.

But, since the size is small and you get a few lesser ports, the pricing of these mATX motherboards is more affordable. Apart from that, the compact size of these kinds of motherboards allows you to use them even with smaller PC cases.

Pros

Less pricey than larger models

Ideal for smaller builds

Also compatible with ATX cabinets

Cons

Fewer expansion slots

Not an ideal option for high overclocking

Mini-ITX

You can pretty much guess about the size of these motherboards by just looking at the name. The mini-ITX boards are actually the smallest motherboards out there on which you can use the standard-sized hardware components.

The size of these motherboards is generally around 6.7″ x 6.7″, which makes them the smallest among all, so far. That said, the availability of a larger VRM section and heatsinks are very rare.

With such a smaller form factor, you cannot expect the motherboard to have more than 2 RAM slots. Apart from that, building a multi-GPU setup using a mini-ITX is not possible either, as you don’t get more than one slot for that.

Most mini-ITX motherboards use 4 pin power connectors; hence power delivery is also not great either. Hence, overclocking dreams can never come true with such builds in most cases. However, the major benefit of using a mini-ITX is that they are cheap, and can fit easily inside a small-sized PC case.

Pros

Can help you build a compact PC build

Can work with standard-sized hardware components

Fit for small cabinets

Cons

Limited VRM performance and Heatsinks

Not a good choice for overclocking

Nano-ITX

Moving over to the next motherboard type, the nano-ITX are even smaller motherboards than the mini-ITX ones, measuring around 4. 7″ x 4.7″ only. Primarily, these motherboards are designed to consume very low power.

Hence, they are pretty limited and only work with specific hardware components. That said, the nano-ITX motherboards are often used to build small computers ideal for smart entertainment purposes like PVRs, smart TVs, or automation purposes mostly.

Pros

Affordable

Compact

Cons

Not compatible with all types of standard PC components

Pico-ITX

Pico-ITX motherboards measure around 3.9″ x 3.9″ and are even smaller than the nano-ITX motherboards having even lesser slots and features. Basically, these motherboards are quite often used in devices designed for IoT and automation purposes. These boards are a great choice for such devices since the power consumption is quite low and can be implemented easily in industrial automation devices, and similar other devices.

Pros

Ideal for small IoT devices

Less complicated to use

Cons

Compatible with a limited range of hardware

Conclusion
We hope you have got a decent idea about each kind of motherboard by now. While buying a motherboard, basically, you pay for the expansion slots and other connection ports. That is why the larger-sized motherboards with more slots are expensive as compared to the smaller boards, which have fewer ports.

For your upcoming PC build, if you want to utilize multiple GPUs and want to build an extremely powerful PC, an EATX or ATX motherboard can be the best pick for you. On the other hand, if you have a limited budget or intentionally want to build a smaller PC, you can choose between mATX and mini-ITX boards as per your requirements. For any other queries related to motherboards, you can feel free to discuss them in the comments section below.

How to choose a motherboard for a computer, what to take

Motherboards

Which motherboard to buy for your computer? What to pay attention to?

Admin, Vyacheslav11/11/2022Last Updated: 11/11/2022

2,636 Reading time: 3 min.

How to choose a motherboard for a computer, dimensions

How to choose a motherboard for a computer , what dimensions and form factor are best — I’ll tell you everything in this article. Many people have confusion with the sizes and form factors of motherboards in their heads. nine0003

I will say right away that the best motherboard is ATX format (full size), especially for games. Do not chase compactness when it comes to motherboards (motherboards).

Now manufacturers are trying to save on everything and are increasingly making micro-ATX motherboard formats, but whatever one may say, this is not a full size, but a reduced one.

Look at good motherboards on Yandex.Market!

I looked through a bunch of articles on the Internet on this topic and everywhere they write about different sizes, different terms and names of cases, and so on. So motherboard sizes are as follows:

E-ATX is an oversized motherboard, 305 x 330 mm;

ATX — Full size motherboard, 305 x 244 (305 x 193) or 12 x 9. 6 inches;

Micro-ATX — (compact version), 244mm × 244mm;

Flex-ATX — dimensions 229mm × 191mm;

ITX — dimensions 215mm × 191mm;

Mini-ITX — dimensions 170mm × 170mm;

Dimensions of motherboards (form factor) nine0003

All other sizes are “stubs” in essence. Cut boards in terms of performance (bus frequency), connectors and other characteristics.

The goal should be clearly defined. If the goal is to build a gaming, powerful PC, then you should buy only ATX. This is a full size full featured motherboard.

If the goal is an average budget computer for Internet and video, you can buy any board you have enough money for, but a fully functional one is better.

If the size of the computer and compactness are important to you, feel free to buy Mini-ATX or Micro. But keep in mind that this is a stripped-down motherboard, and for example, it may not have the necessary ports or slots.

So, how to choose a motherboard for your computer — what to look for when buying?

Physical size. ATX, Micro-ATX or Mini-ATX, depending on the target;

Socket. First of all, you must know under which processor you take the “motherboard”. A processor socket is called a socket (eg socket LGA 775, LGA 1150). It is necessary that the processor that you will insert fits the socket. nine0016
Manufacturer. It is better to look after something from Asus or Gigabyte. I do not advise AsRock, it is difficult to flash the BIOS and stability is in doubt;

Chipset model. (There are Intel, NVidia, AMD, VIA and SIS). It will depend on this performance, functionality and stability. The newer the chipset, the better;

Availability of required slots. Sometimes there are 2 slots for RAM, and sometimes there are 4 slots. It is better to choose a board with 4 slots.

Also see the presence of slots for a video card (PCI-Express) and additional PCI slots (there are regular, long and mini — short). One PCI-Express slot and a couple of PCI slots are enough. nine0003

Having the right ports and connectors

Having the right ports and connectors is very important. The convenience of connecting various additional devices will depend on this. Don’t forget about this too!

Want to know which motherboard is better. See that there are at least 2 USB 3.0 ports (blue inside). This is a high speed interface.

Regular USB 2.0 ports are black inside. It’s good if the motherboard has several different video connectors. It is desirable that there is a VGA connector and HDMI. nine0016

If you are interested in motherboards, I have a very interesting article on the site about the most expensive motherboard. board in the world for home computers — ASUS ROG Dominus Extreme — review.

If it is, then you can connect a monitor to these sockets, without a video card. You can buy a video card later if you wish.

Type of random access memory (RAM) supported. DDR3 or DDR4, system bus frequency (FSB). The higher the frequency, the better. For a budget PC, no matter what type of memory. For a gaming computer, DDR4 is better. The main thing is that the processor also supports this type of memory. nine0016
CPU power socket. There are 4 pin, 6 and 8 pin. The main thing is that your power supply has the right branch.

Perhaps these are the main points. Now you know how to choose a motherboard for a computer and what you should pay attention to when buying.

If you choose a video card for yourself, read the article How to choose a video card or how to install a video card on a PC. There are also a lot of interesting articles on computer topics on the site!

How to choose a motherboard. Socket, chipset, VRM, connectors. The most complete guide. nine0003

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5 Tips When Purchasing Your New Motherboard

PROGRESS

April 21 2020

#AORUS
#motherboard

nine0016

So it’s time to build the PC you’ve been saving for all year, but what motherboard would you buy? We have put together 5 tips for you that will show you how to choose a motherboard and help you choose the best device for the job. As always, when you have an idea of what you want, it’s a good idea to do a motherboard comparison so you can match your choice with all the deals available.

With all that said, let’s move on to our 5 tips to help you choose the best motherboard. After all, the motherboard is one of the key components of your new gaming build. It’s easy to choose things like your graphics card and hard drives, but choosing a motherboard can be tricky. nine0003

Choose a side — Intel or AMD

Ah, the endless debate that rages from an early age. Which is better — Intel or AMD? This is the first piece of the puzzle to understand when choosing a new motherboard. What processor are you going to use?

Intel and AMD are key players when it comes to processors, and it can be hard to choose between the two. Both Intel and AMD offer a full range of processors ranging from entry-level to high-end overclockers. nine0003

It’s really not that easy to answer «choose it» because both companies produce a wide range of products due to the fact that they both constantly update their products with the latest technology and increase productivity.

Which processor is best for you depends on how you want to use your computer. If you need a computer that can take advantage of multiple processor cores, AMD Ryzen may well be a good choice for you. If you’re looking for a gaming CPU beast that can be overclocked to the max, then Intel might be a good choice. nine0003

In any case, do a little research on which processor you want to use, as your choice of motherboard will depend on it.

Once you’ve chosen your processor, you can start looking for Intel compatible motherboards like the Z390 AORUS PRO or AMD compatible motherboards like the X570 AORUS MasterX570 AORUS Master.

Form Factors — Size DOES MATTER

We’ve decided on the processor, now it’s time to move on to the next step in choosing a motherboard. The question you now need to ask yourself is “How big should my computer be?”. nine0003

There are different sizes of motherboards, also known as form factors, and it’s important to choose what size PC you want to build.

Want a large desktop PC with plenty of room for cooling, customization and upgrades? Or do you want something small and portable, perfect for Lan parties? This is where the different form factors come into play.

There are different motherboard sizes, but there are 3 main form factors:

ATX
This is the most common motherboard size and is the main standard. This is a 12″ x 9.6″ full size board that has 7 expansion slots, up to 8 RAM slots, supports up to 4 GPUs and up to 12 SATA ports.

E-ATX
E-ATX boards are larger than ATX motherboards and are 12″ x 13″. These motherboards allow you to expand the feature set and expand your build options. Typically, E-ATX boards have more PCI-E slots and connectivity options than ATX boards. Z390 AORUS XTREME is a great example of a quality E-ATX motherboard.

MicroATX
MicroATX boards are mid-range in terms of size. Measuring 9.6 x 9.6 inches, they provide 4 expansion slots, up to 4 RAM slots, typically support up to 2 GPUS and up to 8 SATA ports.

Mini-ITX
Mini-ITX form factor small. It is ideal for very small PCs. Mini-ITX boards are 6.69 x 6.69 inches and have 1 expansion slot, 2 RAM slots, support for 1 GPU, and up to 6 SATA ports. nine0003

RAM — Need for Speed

RAM is an integral part of your gaming rig, and this is where speed matters. The faster the RAM, the faster you can access stored information, and the more RAM, the better.

All games have the minimum specifications recommended to run them and having the right amount of RAM is critical.

Most games will work fine with 8 GB of RAM, however it is recommended to install at least 16 GB of RAM in your gaming build. With that said, it’s important to make sure you have a motherboard with the right RAM slots. nine0003

If you decide to buy faster RAM such as AORUS RGB 3600MHz DDR4 RAM, it is important to choose a motherboard that supports higher speeds. You don’t want to buy high performance RAM just to have your motherboard run it at slower speeds since it doesn’t support it.

Video card — One or more?

The most important part of your PC when it comes to gaming is your graphics card. It’s this card that gives you the FPS you need to experience the greatness of PC gaming. nine0003

When it comes to your video card, you have 3 options. First, you can use integrated graphics rather than a dedicated graphics card, that’s bad, don’t do it. Second, you can run a single GPU, and third, you can run multiple graphics cards.

It is important to choose whether you want to use a single GPU or multiple cards because not all motherboards support multi-GPU setup. nine0003

Generally, most people stick to one graphics card, such as AORUS GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8G and AORUS Radeon RX 5700 XT 8G. This will provide you with an easy setup that will allow you to play even the most demanding games.

Connectivity — make sure you can connect everything

People who build their own computer usually make the mistake of buying a motherboard that doesn’t have all the necessary connectivity options.

The I/O panel on the back of the computer is where you plug in all the peripherals you want to use. People often connect to multiple monitors and find that HDMI or Display Port outputs are not enough for them. nine0003

Think about your PC setup, how many monitors you are going to use and what connectors they have. Consider which keyboard and mouse you want to use because many keyboards require more than 1 USB port.

Do you need built-in WiFi or multiple LAN ports? Do you need USB 2 or 3? What about USB-C?

Think of everything you want to use and think of things you might want to use in the future. There’s nothing worse than putting together a brand new gaming rig, only to find out you can’t use peripherals. nine0003

As the old saying goes, “Measure twice, cut once”. Make sure everything you need to connect can be connected.

If you follow these tips, you’ll have a much more enjoyable PC building experience that will delight you for years to come.

Bonus Tip — Cooling Matters

One important thing to think about when it comes to your build has to do with CPU cooling. The colder the processor, the better the performance and durability.