It has been suggested that PC motherboard be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

A motherboard is the central or primary circuit board making up a complex electronic system, such as a modern computer. It is also known as a mainboard, baseboard, system board, or, on Apple computers, a logic board, and is sometimes abbreviated as mobo.^[1] Image File history File links Mergefrom. ... The ABIT KT7, an ATX format motherboard A motherboard is a printed circuit board used in a personal computer. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 596 pixelsFull resolution (1697 × 1265 pixel, file size: 4. ... For other uses, see ASUS (disambiguation). ... A microprocessor is a programmable digital electronic component that incorporates the functions of a central processing unit (CPU) on a single semiconducting integrated circuit (IC). ... Socket 370 processor socket The term CPU socket (or CPU slot) is widely used to describe the connector linking the motherboard to the CPU(s) in certain types of desktop and server computers, particularly those compatible with the Intel x86 architecture. ... Primary storage is a category of computer storage, often called main memory. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Computer hardware. ... Ports on the Apple iBook (Early 2003) In computer hardware, a port serves as an interface between the computer and other computers or devices. ... ATX form motherboards became increasingly popular because of their advantages over older AT motherboards. ... A8N VM CSM, an ASUS microATX motherboard microATX, also known as µATX (sometimes transliterated as mATX on online forums[1]) is a small form factor standard for computer motherboards, with a maximum size of 244 mm × 244 mm (9. ... For other uses, see ASUS (disambiguation). ... Foxconn (富士康) is the trade name of the Taiwanese firm Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. ... Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC, SEHK: 4335), founded in 1968 as Integrated Electronics Corporation, is an American multinational corporation that is best known for designing and manufacturing microprocessors and specialized integrated circuits. ... . ... Part of a 1983 Sinclair ZX Spectrum computer board. ... This article is about the machine. ... Apple Inc. ... A logic board is the Apple Macintosh equivalent of a motherboard. ...

Most after-market motherboards produced today are designed for so-called IBM-compatible computers, which hold over 96% of the personal computer market today.^[2] Motherboards for IBM-compatible computers are specifically covered in the PC motherboard article. One of the first PCs from IBM - the IBM PC model 5150. ... The ABIT KT7, an ATX format motherboard A motherboard is a printed circuit board used in a personal computer. ...

The basic purpose of the motherboard, like a backplane, is to provide the electrical and logical connections by which the other components of the system communicate. A backplane is a circuit board (usually a printed circuit board) that connects several connectors in parallel to each other, so that each pin of each connector is linked to the same relative pin of all the other connectors, forming a computer bus. ...

A typical desktop computer is built with the microprocessor, main memory, and other essential components on the motherboard. Other components such as external storage, controllers for video display and sound, and peripheral devices are typically attached to the motherboard via edge connectors and cables, although in modern computers it is increasingly common to integrate these "peripherals" into the motherboard. Desktop computer with several common peripherals (Monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, microphone and a printer) A desktop computer is a computer made for use on a desk in an office or home and is distinguished from portable computers such as laptops or PDAs. ... A microprocessor is a programmable digital electronic component that incorporates the functions of a central processing unit (CPU) on a single semiconducting integrated circuit (IC). ... Primary storage, or internal memory, is computer memory that is accessible to the central processing unit of a computer without the use of computers input/output channels. ... A device that temporarily stores information for transporting from computer to computer. ... A video card, also referred to as a graphics accelerator card, display adapter, graphics card, and numerous other terms, is an item of personal computer hardware whose function is to generate and output images to a display. ... A sound card (also known as an audio card) is a computer expansion card that can input and output sound under control of computer programs. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Computer hardware. ... An edge connector is a type of electrical connector for use with PC boards. ...

Components and functions

The 2004 K7VT4A Pro^[3] motherboard by ASRock. The chipset on this board consists of northbridge and southbridge chips.

The motherboard of a typical desktop consists of a large PCB. It holds electronic components and interconnects, as well as physical connectors (sockets, slots, and headers) into which other computer components may be inserted or attached. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 504 pixel Image in higher resolution (1296 × 816 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 504 pixel Image in higher resolution (1296 × 816 pixel, file size: 1. ... ASRock main board - KT400A chipset ASRock Incorporation, started in 2002 in Taiwan as an ASUS subsidiary. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Part of a 1983 Sinclair ZX Spectrum computer board. ... Look up header in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Most motherboards include, at a minimum:

• sockets in which one or more microprocessors (CPUs) are installed^[4]
• slots into which the system's main memory is installed (typically in the form of DIMM modules containing DRAM chips)
• a chipset which forms an interface between the CPU's front-side bus, main memory, and peripheral buses
• non-volatile memory chips (usually Flash ROM in modern motherboards) containing the system's firmware or BIOS
• a clock generator which produces the system clock signal to synchronize the various components
• slots for expansion cards (these interface to the system via the buses supported by the chipset)
• power connectors and circuits, which receive electrical power from the computer power supply and distribute it to the CPU, chipset, main memory, and expansion cards.^[5]

The Octek Jaguar V motherboard from 1993.^[6] This board has 6 ISA slots but few onboard peripherals, as evidenced by the lack of external connectors.

Additionally, nearly all motherboards include logic and connectors to support commonly-used input devices, such as PS/2 connectors for a mouse and keyboard. Early personal computers such as the Apple II or IBM PC included only this minimal peripheral support on the motherboard. Additional peripherals such as disk controllers and serial ports were provided as expansion cards. Socket 370 processor socket The term CPU socket (or CPU slot) is widely used to describe the connector linking the motherboard to the CPU(s) in certain types of desktop and server computers, particularly those compatible with the Intel x86 architecture. ... A microprocessor is a programmable digital electronic component that incorporates the functions of a central processing unit (CPU) on a single semiconducting integrated circuit (IC). ... CPU can stand for: in computing: Central processing unit in journalism: Commonwealth Press Union in law enforcement: Crime prevention unit in software: Critical patch update, a type of software patch distributed by Oracle Corporation in Macleans College is often known as Ash Lim. ... Two types of DIMMs: a 168-pin SDRAM module (top) and a 184-pin DDR SDRAM module (bottom). ... Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is a type of random access memory that stores each bit of data in a separate capacitor within an integrated circuit. ... Diagram of a motherboard chipset A chipset is a group of integrated circuits, or chips, that are designed to work together, and are usually marketed as a single product. ... Front Side Bus (FSB) is the term used to describe the CPU data bus. ... PCI Express bus card slots (from top to bottom: x4, x16, x1 and x16), compared to a traditional 32-bit PCI bus card slot (bottom) In computer architecture, a bus is a subsystem that transfers data or power between computer components inside a computer or between computers, and a bus... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with NVRAM. (Discuss) Non-volatile memory, nonvolatile memory, NVM or non-volatile storage, is computer memory that can retain the stored information even when not powered. ... Flash memory is a form of EEPROM that allows multiple memory locations to be erased or written in one programming operation. ... A microcontroller, like this PIC18F8720 is controlled by firmware stored inside on FLASH memory In computing, firmware is a computer program that is embedded in a hardware device, for example a microcontroller. ... For other uses, see Bios. ... A clock generator is a circuit that produces a timing signal (known as a clock and behaves as such) for use in synchronizing a circuits operation. ... In synchronous digital electronics, such as most computers, a clock signal is a signal used to coordinate the actions of two or more circuits. ... The top cover has been removed to show the internals of a computer Power supply Unit. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1097x1061, 451 KB) 386DX-40 Motherboard Octek Jaguar V. Source/Photographer: Appaloosa 00:05, 20 November 2005 (UTC) File links The following pages link to this file: Motherboard Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1097x1061, 451 KB) 386DX-40 Motherboard Octek Jaguar V. Source/Photographer: Appaloosa 00:05, 20 November 2005 (UTC) File links The following pages link to this file: Motherboard Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or... Industry Standard Architecture (in practice almost always shortened to ISA) is a bus standard for IBM compatibles introduced in 1984 that extends the XT bus architecture to 16 bits. ... The PS/2 connector is used for connecting a keyboard and a mouse to a PC compatible computer system. ... Operating a mechanical 1: Pulling the mouse turns the ball. ... The Apple II was one of the most popular personal computers of the 1980s. ... IBM PC (IBM 5150) with keyboard and green screen monochrome monitor (IBM 5151), running MS-DOS 5. ... The disk controller (or hard disk controller) is the circuit which allows the CPU to communicate with a hard disk, floppy disk or other kind of disk drive. ... A male DE-9 connector used for a serial port on a PC style computer. ...

Given the high thermal design power of high-speed computer CPUs and components, modern motherboards nearly always include heatsinks and mounting points for fans to dissipate excess heat. The Thermal Design Power (TDP) represents the maximum amount of power the thermal solution in a computer system is required to dissipate. ... A large copper heatsink. ... A set of 4 industry standard 80mm fans, most commonly used in personal computers. ...

Integrated peripherals

Diagram of a modern motherboard, which supports many on-board peripheral functions as well as several expansion slots.

With the steadily declining costs and size of integrated circuits, it is now possible to include support for many peripherals on the motherboard. By combining many functions on one PCB, the physical size and total cost of the system may be reduced; highly-integrated motherboards are thus especially popular in small form factor and budget computers. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 382 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (800 × 1256 pixel, file size: 133 KB, MIME type: image/png) This is just a rasterization of the SVG version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 382 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (800 × 1256 pixel, file size: 133 KB, MIME type: image/png) This is just a rasterization of the SVG version. ... Integrated circuit of Atmel Diopsis 740 System on Chip showing memory blocks, logic and input/output pads around the periphery Microchips with a transparent window, showing the integrated circuit inside. ... For an account of the words periphery and peripheral as they are used in biology, sociology, politics, computer hardware, and other fields, see the periphery disambiguation page. ... The Shuttle XPC SN25P Small form factor (SFF) computers are housed in smaller cases than typical desktop computers. ...

For example, the ECS RS485M-M,^[7] a typical modern budget motherboard for computers based on AMD processors, has on-board support for a very large range of peripherals: “AMD” redirects here. ...

• disk controllers for a floppy disk drive, up to 2 PATA drives, and up to 4 SATA drives (including RAID 0/1 support)
• integrated ATI Radeon graphics controller supporting 2D and 3D graphics, with VGA and TV output
• integrated sound card supporting 6-channel audio and S/PDIF output
• fast Ethernet network controller for 10/100 Mbit networking
• USB 2.0 controller supporting up to 8 USB ports
• IrDA controller for infrared data communication (e.g. with an IrDA enabled Cellular Phone or Printer)
• temperature, voltage, and fan-speed sensors that allow software to monitor the health of computer components

Expansion cards to support all of these functions would have cost hundreds of dollars even a decade ago, however as of April 2007 such highly-integrated motherboards are available for as little as $30 in the USA. A floppy disk is a data storage device that is composed of a disk of thin, flexible (floppy) magnetic storage medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic shell. ... ATA connector on the left, with two motherboard ATA connectors on the right. ... SATA redirects here. ... For other uses, see Raid. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles. ... “ATI” redirects here. ... ATI Radeon is a brand of graphics processing units (GPU) that has been manufactured by ATI Technologies since 2000 and the successor to their Rage line. ... VGA Port VGA plug Video Graphics Array (VGA) is an analog computer display standard first marketed in 1987 by IBM. It has been technologically outdated in the PC market for some time. ... TV-out with S-Video connector TV-out is commonly used to label the connector of equipment offering an analog video signal that is acceptable for a television AV-input. ... A sound card (also known as an audio card) is a computer expansion card that can input and output sound under control of computer programs. ... TOSLINK connector (JIS F05) 75 ohm coaxial cable with BNC-to-RCA adapter. ... In computer networking, Fast Ethernet is a collective term for a number of Ethernet standards that carry traffic at the nominal rate of 100 Mbit/s, against the original Ethernet speed of 10 Mbit/s. ... A network card, network adapter or NIC (network interface controller) is a piece of computer hardware designed to allow computers to communicate over a computer network. ... The Megabit is a unit of information storage, abbreviated Mbit or sometimes Mb. ... “USB” redirects here. ... The Infrared Data Association (IrDA) defines physical specifications communications protocol standards for the short range exchange of data over infrared light, for uses such as personal area networks (PANs). ... // April 2007 is a common month and is the fourth month of that year. ...

History

Prior to the advent of the Apple II in 1977, a computer was usually built in a case or mainframe with components connected by a backplane consisting of a set of slots themselves connected with wires. The CPU, memory and I/O peripherals were housed on individual PCBs or cards which plugged into the backplane. The Apple II was one of the most popular personal computers of the 1980s. ... For other uses, see Mainframe. ... A backplane is a circuit board (usually a printed circuit board) that connects several connectors in parallel to each other, so that each pin of each connector is linked to the same relative pin of all the other connectors, forming a computer bus. ... CPU can stand for: in computing: Central processing unit in journalism: Commonwealth Press Union in law enforcement: Crime prevention unit in software: Critical patch update, a type of software patch distributed by Oracle Corporation in Macleans College is often known as Ash Lim. ...

With the arrival of the microprocessor, it became more cost-effective to place the backplane connectors, processor and glue logic onto a single "mother" board, with video, memory and I/O functions on "child" cards — hence the terms "motherboard" and daughterboard. The Apple II computer featured a motherboard with 8 expansion slots. In electronics, glue logic refers to the custom electronic circuitry needed to achive compatible interfaces between two (or more) differrent off-the-shelf integrated circuits. ... A daughterboard or daughtercard is a circuit board meant to be an extension or daughter of a motherboard (or mainboard), or occasionally another card. ... The Apple II was one of the most popular personal computers of the 1980s. ...

During the late 1980s and 1990s, it became economical to move an increasing number of peripheral functions onto the motherboard (see above). In the late 1980s, motherboards began to include single ICs (called Super I/O chips) capable of supporting a set of low-speed peripherals: keyboard, mouse, floppy disk drive, serial ports, and parallel ports. As of the early 2000s, many motherboards support a full range of audio, video, storage, and networking functions without the need for any expansion cards at all; higher-end systems for 3D gaming and computer graphics typically retain only the graphics card as a separate component. Super I/O is the name given to a class of I/O controller integrated circuits that began to be used on personal computer motherboards in the late 1980s. ... This article is about the scientific discipline of computer graphics. ...

The early pioneers of motherboard manufacturing were Micronics, Mylex, AMI, DTK, Hauppauge, Orchid Technology, Elitegroup, DFI, and a number of Taiwan-based manufacturers.

It can be argued that the motherboard industry was born by IBM in 1981 with the release their entry level 5150 Personal Computer (IBM PC) which was based on a motherboard. The motherboard provided an Intel 4.77MHz 8088 with 16K bytes of on-board memory, expandable to 640K through the use of plug-in memory boards, eight 8-bit ISA expansion connectors, cassette tape port and keyboard port. All other I/O such as the interface for 160K 5-1/4" floppy drives, serial and parallel ports were provided by plug-in boards. IBM approached Digital Research about using DR/DOS as an operating system but was rebuffed. IBM approached Microsoft and licensed PC-DOS. Microsoft released PC-DOS 1.1 in 1982 by retaining rights to the operating system allowing them to sell it to other manufacturers.

IBM published the schematics and I/O map allowing the birth of the clone motherboard industry.

Software Meets Hardware: the BIOS

A computer motherboard is a piece of hardware: it is the physical circuits and interconnecting wires that forms the backbone of a computer. It has logic circuits which can be manipulated and controlled by the operator, the software program, and input peripherals. But in order to begin operating from a power-off state, a motherboard must be bootstrapped (or simply, booted) by an initial set of software instructions. Without this vital software, the motherboard is rendered useless. For other uses, see Hardware (disambiguation). ... Circuits are a British group from London, England. ... A digital circuit that acts as a binary clock, hand-wired on a series of prototyping sockets. ... A computer program (often simply called a program) is an example of computer software that prescribes the actions (computations) that are to be carried out by a computer. ... For an account of the words periphery and peripheral as they are used in biology, sociology, politics, computer hardware, and other fields, see the periphery disambiguation page. ... Bootstrapping alludes to a German legend about a Baron Münchhausen, who was able to lift himself out of a swamp by pulling himself up by his bootstraps. ... For other senses of this word, see boot (disambiguation). ...

Most modern motherboard designs use a BIOS, stored in a EEPROM chip soldered to the motherboard, to bootstrap the motherboard. (Socketed BIOS chips are widely used, also.) By booting the motherboard, the memory, circuitry, and peripherals are tested and configured. This process is known as a Power On Self Test or POST. Errors during POST result in POST error codes, ranging from simple audible beeps from the speaker to complex diagnostic messages displayed on the video monitor. For other uses, see Bios. ... An EEPROM (also called an E2PROM)[] or Electronically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory, is a non-volatile storage chip used in computers and other devices to store small amounts of volatile (configuration) data. ... Look up chip, chips in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A solder is a fusible metal alloy, with a melting point or melting range of 180-190°C (360-370 °F), which is melted to join metallic surfaces, especially in the fields of electronics and plumbing, in a process called soldering. ... Power-on self-test (POST) is the common term for a computers, routers or printers pre-boot sequence. ... A video monitor is similar to a television. ...

The BIOS often requires configuration settings to be stored on the motherboard. Since configuration settings must be easily edited, these settings are often stored in non-volatile RAM (NVRAM) rather than in some sort of read-only memory (ROM). When a user makes configuration changes or alters the date and time of the computer, this small NVRAM circuit stores the data. Typically, a small, long-lasting battery (e.g. a lithium coin cell CR3032) is used to keep the NVRAM "refreshed" for many years. Therefore, a failing battery on a motherboard will produce the symptoms of a computer that cannot determine the correct date and time, nor remember what hardware configuration the user has selected. The BIOS itself is unaffected by the status of the battery. Look up RAM, Ram, ram in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Non-volatile memory. ... Look up ROM in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Symbols representing a single Cell (top) and Battery (bottom), used in circuit diagrams. ... A button cell usually a single cell, lithium or silver-oxide based battery. ...

When IBM first introduced the PC in the 1980s, imitations were quite common. (The physical parts which made up the motherboard were trivial to acquire.) However, the imitations were never successful until the IBM ROM BIOS was legally copied.^[8] To understand why copying the BIOS was an important step, consider that the BIOS contained vital instructions which interacted with peripherals. Without these software instructions in the BIOS, a PC would not function properly. (In most modern computer operating systems, the BIOS is bypassed for most hardware functions, but in the 1980s, the BIOS served many vital low-level functions.) For other uses, see IBM (disambiguation) and Big Blue. ... A personal computer (PC) is a computer whose price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals. ... The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ... In computing, the Basic Input-Output System or BIOS is computer interface code that locates and loads the operating system into RAM. It provides low-level communication, operation and configuration to the hardware of a system, which at a minimum drives the keyboard and provides primitive output to a display. ... For other uses, see Bios. ...

So when Compaq Computer Corp. spent US$1 million to clone the IBM BIOS using reverse engineering, they became an elite computer manufacturer of IBM PC Clones. Phoenix Technology soon matched their feat and began reselling BIOSes to other clone makers.^[9] It has been noted that Microsoft was more than happy to license the operating system (DOS), and IBM was more than happy to sue companies^[10] that violated the copyright of their BIOS. But by documenting and publicizing the reverse engineering of the BIOS, Compaq and Phoenix were legally competing with IBM using their own copyrighted BIOS. Compaq Computer Corporation is an American personal computer company founded in 1982, and now a brand name of Hewlett-Packard. ... Reverse engineering (RE) is the process of taking something (a device, an electrical component, a software program, etc. ... Microsoft Corporation, (NASDAQ: MSFT, HKSE: 4338) is a multinational computer technology corporation with global annual revenue of US$44. ... This article is about the family of closely related operating systems for the IBM PC compatible platform. ... The copyright symbol is used to give notice that a work is covered by copyright. ...

Once the bootstrapping of the computer's peripherals are complete, the BIOS will normally pass control to another set of instructions stored on a bootable device.

Devices which are normally used to boot a computer:

• floppy drive
• network controller
• CD-ROM drive
• DVD-ROM drive
• SCSI hard drive
• IDE, EIDE, or SATA hard drive
• External USB memory storage device

Any of the above devices can be stored with machine code instructions to load an operating system or a program. A floppy disk is a data storage device that comprises a circular piece of thin, flexible (hence floppy) magnetic storage medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic wallet. ... Look up network, networking in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The CD-ROM (an abbreviation for Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (ROM)) is a non-volatile optical data storage medium using the same physical format as audio compact discs, readable by a computer with a CD-ROM drive. ... DVD is an optical disc storage media format that is used for playback of movies with high video and sound quality and for storing data. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Binomial name Leuciscus idus Linnaeus, 1758 The Ide or Orfe, Leuciscus idus, is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae found across northern Europe and Asia. ... County Møre og Romsdal Landscape Nordmøre Municipality NO-1551 Administrative centre Eide Mayor (2003) Arnfinn Storvik (H) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 356 152 km² 146 km² 0. ... A SATA power connector. ... Typical hard drives of the mid-1990s. ... Note: USB may also mean upper sideband in radio. ... Machine code or machine language is a system of instructions and data directly understandable by a computers central processing unit. ... An operating system (OS) is the software that manages the sharing of the resources of a computer. ... Program or Programme may refer to: Computer program Radio programming Television program(me), Webcast Program (management) 12-step program Program (The Animatrix), a short film in The Animatrix series Event programme British tabloid form of comic book, called prog in short. ...

Form factors

Main article: PC motherboard

Motherboards are produced in a variety of sizes and shapes ("form factors"), some of which are specific to individual computer manufacturers. However, the motherboards used in IBM-compatible commodity computers have been standardized to fit various case sizes. As of 2007, most desktop computer motherboards use one of these standard form factors—even those found in Macintosh and Sun computers which have not traditionally been built from commodity components. The ABIT KT7, an ATX format motherboard A motherboard is a printed circuit board used in a personal computer. ... List of motherboard manufacturers Albatron Abit Asus Asrock Axper Chaintech DFI ECS Epox Foxconn Gigabyte MSI PCChips Shuttle Soltek Tyan VIA Categories: | | ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Commodity computing. ... A tower case featuring a modern design. ... 2007 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Desktop computer with several common peripherals (Monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, microphone and a printer) A desktop computer is a computer made for use on a desk in an office or home and is distinguished from portable computers such as laptops or PDAs. ... For other uses, see Macintosh (disambiguation) and Mac. ... Sol redirects here. ...

These are some of the more unpopular motherboard form factors:

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into comparison of computer form factors. (Discuss)

• PC/XT - created by IBM for the IBM PC, its first home computer. As the specifications were open, many clone motherboards were produced and it became a de facto standard.
• AT form factor (Advanced Technology) - created by IBM for its PC/XT successor, the AT. Also known as Full AT, it was popular during the era of the Intel 80386 microprocessor. Superseded by ATX.
• Baby AT - IBM's 1985 successor to the AT motherboard. Functionally equivalent to the AT, it became popular due to its significantly smaller size.
• ATX - created by Intel in 1995. As of 2007, it is the most popular form factor for commodity motherboards. Typical size is 9.6x12" although some companies extend that to 10x12".
• EATX - Refers to Extended ATX with a size of 13x12". Typically used for Server Class type motherboards with dual processors and too much circuitry for a standard ATX motherboard. The mounting hole pattern for the upper portion of the board matches ATX.
• ETX - used in embedded systems and single board computers.
• microATX - a smaller variant of the ATX form factor (about 25% shorter). It is compatible with most ATX cases, but supports fewer expansion slots due to its smaller size. Very popular for desktop and small form factor computers as of 2007.
• FlexATX - a subset of microATX developed by Intel in 1999. Allows more flexible motherboard design, component positioning and shape.
• LPX - based on a design by Western Digital, it allowed smaller cases than the AT standard, by putting the expansion card slots on a riser (image). LPX was never standardized and generally only used by large OEMs.
• NLX - a low-profile design released in 1997. It also incorporated a riser for expansion cards, and never became popular.
• BTX (Balanced Technology Extended) - a standard proposed by Intel as a successor to ATX in the early 2000s.
• Mini-ITX - a small, highly-integrated form factor created by VIA in 2001. Mini-ITX was designed for small devices such as thin clients and set-top boxes.
• WTX - created by Intel in 1998. A large design for servers and high-end workstations featuring multiple CPUs and hard drives.

Laptop computers generally use highly integrated, miniaturized, and customized motherboards. This is one of the reasons that laptop computers are difficult to upgrade and expensive to repair. Often the failure of one laptop component requires the replacement of the entire motherboard, which is usually more expensive than a desktop motherboard due to the large number of integrated components. Image File history File links Merge-arrow. ... It has been suggested that motherboard be merged into this article or section. ... The IBM PC/XT (also written PC-XT or PC XT), commonly referred to as the XT, was IBMs successor to the original IBM PC. It was released on March 8, 1983, and was one of the first computers to come standard with a hard drive. ... IBM PC (IBM 5150) with keyboard and green screen monochrome monitor (IBM 5151), running MS-DOS 5. ... The Jargon File has this definition for clone: An exact duplicate: Our product is a clone of their product. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without... Baby AT motherboard. ... IBM PC (IBM 5150) with keyboard and green screen monochrome monitor (IBM 5151), running MS-DOS 5. ... The Intel386[1] is a microprocessor which was used as the central processing unit (CPU) of many personal computers from 1986 until 2007. ... It has been suggested that Baby-at be merged into this article or section. ... ATX form motherboards became increasingly popular because of their advantages over older AT motherboards. ... 2007 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The ATX (for Advanced Technology Extended) form factor was created by Intel in 1995. ... ETX computer-on-module (COM) is a highly integrated and compact (3. ... A router, an example of an embedded system. ... This article needs cleanup. ... A8N VM CSM, an ASUS microATX motherboard microATX, also known as µATX (sometimes transliterated as mATX on online forums[1]) is a small form factor standard for computer motherboards, with a maximum size of 244 mm × 244 mm (9. ... The Shuttle XPC SN25P Small form factor (SFF) computers are housed in smaller cases than typical desktop computers. ... 2007 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... FlexATX is a PC motherboard form factor derived from ATX. It is the smallest of the ATX-based form factors. ... LPX (Low Profile eXtension) was a loosely defined motherboard format (form factor) widely used in the 1990s. ... Western Digital Corporation (NYSE: WDC) (often abbreviated to WD) is a manufacturer of a large proportion of the worlds hard disks, and has a long history in the electronics industry as an IC maker and a storage products company. ... In sand casting, a riser prevents shrinkage in metal cast parts during the solidification process. ... Original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, is a term that refers to containment-based re-branding, namely where one company uses a component of another company within its product, or sells the product of another company under its own brand. ... NLX is a form factor proposed by Intel and developed jointly with IBM, DEC, and other vendors for low profile, low cost, mass-marketed retail PCs. ... BTX (for Balanced Technology Extended) is a form factor for PC motherboards, originally slated to be the replacement for the aging ATX motherboard form factor in late 2004 and early 2005. ... Mini-ITX is a low-power motherboard form factor developed by VIA Technologies. ... VIA Technologies logo VIA Technologies is a Taiwanese manufacturer of integrated circuits, mainly motherboard chipsets, CPUs, and memory, and is part of the Formosa Plastics Group. ... A HP T5700 thin client, with flash memory A Neoware m100 thin client. ... A set-top box (STB) or set-top unit (STU) is a device that connects to a television and an external source of signal, turning the signal into content which is then displayed on the television screen. ... Motherboard form factor introduced by Intel in 1998, for its use at high-end, multiprocessor, multiple-hard-disks server and workstations. ... CPU can stand for: in computing: Central processing unit in journalism: Commonwealth Press Union in law enforcement: Crime prevention unit in software: Critical patch update, a type of software patch distributed by Oracle Corporation in Macleans College is often known as Ash Lim. ... Typical hard drives of the mid-1990s. ... For the band, see Laptop (band). ...

Visual comparison

This image compares the sizes of common form factors to ISO 216 paper sizes (e.g. A4): ISO 216 specifies international standard (ISO) paper sizes, used in most countries in the world today. ... Comparison of the most common paper sizes. ...

Image File history File links Motherboards_form_factors. ...

See also

Motherboards for sale at retail.

• PC motherboard, for more information about motherboards for "IBM-compatible" personal computers
• Computer case
• BIOS
• Chipset
• Front side bus
• List of manufacturers
• Offboard
• PCI
• PCI Express
• Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (3072x2304, 3786 KB) Summary Myke Waddy, edmonton alberta canada. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (3072x2304, 3786 KB) Summary Myke Waddy, edmonton alberta canada. ... The ABIT KT7, an ATX format motherboard A motherboard is a printed circuit board used in a personal computer. ... For other uses, see IBM (disambiguation) and Big Blue. ... A tower case featuring a modern design. ... For other uses, see Bios. ... Diagram of a motherboard chipset A chipset is a group of integrated circuits, or chips, that are designed to work together, and are usually marketed as a single product. ... In computers, the front side bus (FSB) or system bus is the physical bi-directional data bus that carries all electronic signal information between the central processing unit (CPU) and the northbridge. ... . ... An offboard circuit is one that is not connected to a main circuit board in an electronic system. ... 64-bit PCI expansion slots inside a Power Macintosh G4 The Peripheral Component Interconnect, or PCI Standard (in practice almost always shortened to PCI), specifies a computer bus for attaching peripheral devices to a computer motherboard. ... PCI Express (formerly known as 3GIO for 3rd Generation I/O, not to be mistaken with PCI-X) is an implementation of the PCI computer bus that uses existing PCI programming concepts and communications standards, but bases it on a much faster serial communications system. ... The Accelerated Graphics Port (also called Advanced Graphics Port, often shortened to AGP) is a high-speed point-to-point channel for attaching a graphics card to a computers motherboard, primarily to assist in the acceleration of 3D computer graphics. ...

Notes

1. ^ The abbreviated name "mobo" is generally credited to the magazine Maximum PC.
2. ^ See the chart at the bottom of this page: http://arstechnica.com/articles/culture/total-share.ars/10
3. ^ K7VT4A Pro. Retrieved on 2007-06-27.
4. ^ In the case of CPUs in BGA packages, such as the VIA C3, the CPU is directly soldered to the motherboard.
5. ^ As of 2007, some graphics cards (e.g. GeForce 8 and Radeon R600) require more power than the motherboard can provide, and thus dedicated connectors have been introduced to attach them directly to the power supply. (Note that most disk drives also connect to the power supply via dedicated connectors.)
6. ^ Golden Oldies: 1993 mainboards. Retrieved on 2007-06-27.
7. ^ RS485M-M (V1.0). Retrieved on 2007-06-27.
8. ^ [1]
9. ^ [2]
10. ^ like Eagle Computer and Corona Data Products, both sued by IBM.

Maximum PC, formerly known as boot, is an American magazine published by FutureNet, focused on modern day PC hardware. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A ball grid array is a type of surface-mount packaging used for integrated circuits. ... The VIA C3 is an x86 central processing unit for personal computers produced by VIA Technologies. ... 2007 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A graphics/video/display card/board/adapter is a computer component designed to convert the logical representation of visual information into a signal that can be used as input for a display medium. ... 8 Series, or G80, will be the eighth generation of NVIDIAs GeForce graphics cards. ... The graphics processing unit (GPU) codenamed R600 is the foundation of the Radeon HD 2000 series and the FireGL 2007 series video cards developed by ATI Technologies. ... Disk Drive is the afternoon show on CBC Radio Two. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see IBM (disambiguation) and Big Blue. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Computer motherboards

• Jumper settings for Motherboard
• What is a motherboard?
• The Making of a Motherboard: ECS Factory Tour
• The Making of a Motherboard: Gigabyte Factory Tour
• Motherboard reviews
• Open Directory motherboard links