When you’re building or upgrading a PC, choosing the right motherboard is essential. Your choice dictates the size of the case you’ll need and determines the scope of upgrades you can execute in the future.
Dimensions and Size
ATX, short for Advanced Technology eXtended, is a motherboard form factor specification which determines the board’s physical size, the placement of mounting holes, and the port and connector layouts.
Here’s a brief comparison of the different ATX form factors:
- ATX: 12.0″ x 9.6″ (30.5cm x 24.4cm)
- Micro-ATX: 9.6″ x 9.6″ (24.4cm x 24.4cm)
- Mini-ITX: 6.7″ x 6.7″ (17cm x 17cm)
The sizes descend from ATX to Mini-ITX, offering a range of motherboard dimensions to accommodate various case sizes and user requirements.
Component Compatibility
The compatibility of components largely depends on the form factor:
- ATX motherboards offer more expansion slots for graphics cards, sound cards, or network cards, and they typically support a higher number of RAM slots, drives, and sometimes additional features like dual-CPU setups.
- Micro-ATX motherboards strike a balance between space-saving and expansion. Despite being smaller, they still generally support a good number of PCI expansion slots, often enough for a multi-GPU setup.
- Mini-ITX motherboards prioritize compact design for small form factor builds. They commonly offer fewer expansion options, usually with a single PCI slot, and are designed for basic computing needs or small-scale servers.
Micro ATX vs Mini ATX
When choosing between Micro ATX and Mini ATX motherboards, you must consider their performance, connectivity options, and price to determine which fits your needs.
Performance and Use Cases
Micro ATX motherboards offer a balance between size and performance, supporting enough features for most users.
Typically, these boards come with four RAM slots, allowing for up to 128GB of memory. They also have enough PCIe slots for graphics cards and other expansions, and adequate space for cooling solutions.
Commonly used in home desktops and gaming systems, they strike a good compromise between size and functionality.
In contrast, Mini ATX motherboards are designed for smaller form factor cases and offer basic functionality with generally less expandability due to fewer RAM and PCIe slots.
They are perfect for media centers, small workstations, or any situation where space is at a premium and the demand on resources is lower.
Motherboard Connectivity
| Feature | Micro ATX | Mini ATX |
|---|---|---|
| RAM Slots | Typically 4 | Usually 2 |
| PCIe Slots | Up to 4 | 1 or 2 |
| SATA Ports | Up to 8 | Usually 4 or fewer |
| USB Ports | More than Mini ATX | Fewer compared to Micro ATX |
Micro ATX motherboards generally offer more connectivity than Mini ATX. You’ll likely have a higher number of USB and SATA ports, giving you the freedom to connect more peripherals and storage devices.
Mini ATX motherboards are more limited in connectivity. You will have enough ports for essential devices, but expansion is constrained.
Pricing and Availability
Micro ATX motherboards are widely available and often priced competitively due to their popularity.
They offer a good balance between cost and features, making them an excellent value for most builds.
Mini ATX motherboards may come at a slight premium due to their compact size and specialized use.
Because of their niche application, they are less commonly found on the market compared to Micro ATX boards.