across each platform regardless of processor, brand, or chipset
model. Let’s have a look at a typical motherboard and its most
commonly associated and distinctive features.
Each motherboard will include a different feature set, and as
a result will include different headers—some more and some
less—especially when compared with the premium ASUS Prime
X299-Deluxe motherboard we’ve illustrated above. This includes
things like M.2 slots, with some models opting for one, and some
even managing to include three or four. Parts including Power/
Reset buttons and LED debuggers are more commonly found on
premium models, and are omitted from a lot of budget-focused
models primarily due to cost.
Now let’s take a dive into some of the more intricate
motherboard characteristics and commonly used terminology,
and what it means.FORM FACTOR SIZE MATTERS
When it comes to motherboards and deciding which one is the
right one for the job, the form factor is one of the most important
aspects for a multitude of reasons. Firstly the form factor relates
to the size of the motherboard, with the most common form
factors consisting of ATX, micro-ATX and mini-ITX. Each includes
its own set of characteristics, as the smaller the motherboard,
the less that can be placed onto it. Technically speaking, a mini-
ITX system will have a smaller desktop footprint than that of an
ATX-sized PC, and will restrict things like memory capacity and
expansion slot (PCIe) support. The dimensions of the three most
common form factors are as follows:- ATX – 12 x 9.6 inches
- Micro-ATX – 9.6 x 9.6 inches
- Mini-ITX – 6.7 x 6.7 inches
EXPANSION SLOTS THE TL:DR ON PCIE
Related to sizing, each motherboard includes an array of expansion
slots, with PCIe x16 slots or full-length slots for devices such as
graphics cards, and PCIe x1 slots for things like network controllers,
SATA controllers, and premium sound cards. Each motherboard
chipset and CPU has a limited amount of PCIe and high-speed input
and output (HSIO) lanes, which determine how many slots can be
implemented and how they can be used. A common example of this
is multi graphics card support, which will require two or more full-
length PCIe slots, with AMD Crossfire two-way requiring a minimum
of P CIe x 4 to o p er ate, an d N v idia S L I d em an din g at l e a s t P CIe x 8. O nmore recent models, there is support for the PCIe 4.0 standard (here’s
looking at you AMD Ryzen 3000), which is the latest and greatest,
but there is still little in the way of components on the market to
fully utilize the extra bandwidth available. Most motherboards on
the market include PCIe 3.0, although it is backwards compatible,
meaning a PCIe 3.0 card could be placed into a PCIe 4.0 slot, but it
would just operate at PCIe 3.0 speeds. Some older models and the
cheapest of the cheap sometimes include PCI slots, which is an older
standard and virtually non-existent in today’s ever-evolving industry.CPU SOCKET LGA AND PGA
One of, if not the most important trait of a motherboard is the
CPU socket, as this is where the PC’s brain and engine rests.
For consumer models, there are two primary socket types: LGA,
or land grid array; and PGA, also known as pin grid array. AMD
has opted for a PGA socket that, when reverting to basics, means
the pins are on the CPU, with pin slots in the socket, for example
socket AM4. For as long as we’ve been using computers, Intel has
used an LGA design, which means the pins are in the socket.
Regardless of whether or not the pins are in the CPU socket or
on the CPU itself, these are very fragile, and one slight knock
or slip can result in dead hardware. To make the installation of
CPUs easier, Intel LGA sockets use a mechanism and latch to
create compression force when installing it, with a notch to show
which way the processor is installed. For AMD, there is a similar
notch or arrow in one of the corners of the CPU, and it uses aExpansion slot connection standards have been backwards
compatible since PCIe 2.0.Whether it’s PGA or LGA, the CPUs effectively connect
the same way.motherboards unwrapped
36 MAXIMUM PC SEP 2020 maximumpc.com