A motherboard form factor decides the overall size of your rig, so it is necessary to check your available space and buy the motherboard and case according to the space.
Your selected PC case must also be compatible with the motherboard, as the case is the component that will harbor the motherboard. Due to physical restrictions, you must select the right motherboard form factor, or else you will not be able to install it in your case.
In this article, we will explain everything related to motherboard form factors.
What is a Motherboard
A motherboard is the central electronic board in a computer system that connects all components together. A PC’s performance greatly relies on its motherboard, as it governs the I/O and power delivery of the system. Moreover, a motherboard can only host a specific processor series that is based on its socket.
What is Motherboard Form Factor
Motherboard form factors dictate the overall size of the motherboard. It also means that the larger the motherboard, the more slots you will have available. In general, there are four major form factors of PCs, namely: E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX. There are some other form factors of motherboards as well such as nano-ITX, pico-ITX, femto-ITX, etc. but they are not for PC and are aimed at embedded systems.
ATX Form Factor
ATX motherboards are the most commonly available motherboards. The size of these motherboards makes them compatible with most of the available cases on the market apart from the mini-ITX cases. These motherboards usually come with four DIMM slots along with 3 to 5 PCI-E slots.
The major difference between an ATX motherboard and an EATX motherboard is that the VRM area of the motherboard is smaller, thus the width of the motherboard is a lot less. On the other hand, the micro-ATX motherboards contain fewer PCI-E slots and, thus are shorter in height.
ATX motherboards are a perfect buy for someone who wants a performance motherboard and wants to couple many PCI-E devices. Moreover, these motherboards are great for people who own full-tower cases.
Advantages
- Lots of PCI-E slots
- Great variety available
- Premium mainstream motherboards use ATX form factor
Disadvantages
- Priced higher than micro-ATX
- Most PCI-E slots go unoccupied
- May not fit in smaller cases
For AMD Platform:
- Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite
- Asus Rog Strix B650-A
- Msi Mag B650 Tomahawk Wifi
For Intel Platform:
- Msi Pro Z790-A Max Wifi
- Gigabyte B760 Gaming X
- Msi Mag B760 Tomahawk Wifi
Micro-ATX Form Factor
The micro-ATX form factor is more commonly known among budget users. The reason is that it usually provides fewer I/O features and the overall performance of the motherboards is lower. It is a square-shaped motherboard that provides up to three PCI-E slots.
The price of micro-ATX motherboards makes them fantastic for users who are looking for a mid-range rig. The lower count of PCI-E slots compared to ATX motherboards is fine for someone who only uses the PCI-E slots for graphics cards.
As these motherboards are among the cheapest available motherboards on the market, manufacturers don’t focus much on the overall aesthetics of the motherboard. Moreover, they are not so great for overclocking since most of these motherboards come with mediocre VRMs.
Advantages
- Decently priced
- Enough slots and ports for an average user
- Compatible with most PC cases
Disadvantages
- Rarely provide premium features
- May not be a good choice for overclocking
- Subpar looks
For AMD Platform:
- Gigabyte B650M Ds3h
- Asus Tuf Gaming B650M-Plus Wifi
- Msi Mag B650M Mortar Wifi
For Intel Platform:
- Asus Prime Z790M-Plus D4
- Gigabyte B760M Ds3h
- Msi Pro B760M-A Wifi
Mini-ITX Form Factor
The Mini-ITX form factor is a very small niche among mainstream motherboards. Most manufacturers design a single mini-ITX variant for each chipset, which is why there are not many mini-ITX motherboards on the market.
The size of Mini-ITX motherboards makes them perfect for SFF cases. You get one PCI-E slot and two DIMM slots. The I/O features of most mini-ITX motherboards are comparable to ATX motherboards, as these small motherboards are usually premium products by the company and are priced above the micro-ATX motherboards.
Advantages
- Compatible with all PC cases
- Perfect for strict space constraints
- Available with premium features and performance
- Pleasant looks
Disadvantages
- Price seems inconsistent with features
- Only a single PCI-E slot
- Only a couple of variants are available
For AMD Platform:
- Asus Rog Strix X870-I
- Msi Mpg B650I Edge Wifi
- Asrock B650E PG-ITX Wifi
For Intel Platform:
- Asus Rog Strix Z790-I
- Msi Mpg B760I Edge Wifi
- Gigabyte B760I Aorus Pro
E-ATX Form Factor
E-ATX form factor motherboards are as rare as mini-ITX motherboards if not more. These are humongous motherboards and manufacturers use E-ATX form factor for their premium variants. You get the best of the best with such motherboards but they are priced way more than even the high-end ATX motherboards.
Apart from price, there are not many cases that can host E-ATX motherboards. You will have to look at full-tower cases for these motherboards, as they either provide 8 DIMM slots or 4 DIMM slots with a much wider VRM area for cooling purposes. The height of these motherboards is the same as that of the ATX motherboards, but sometimes, these motherboards provide more PCI-E or M.2 slots.
Overall, E-ATX motherboards are perfect for those users who want top-notch features and don’t care about the costs. Also, these are the best-looking motherboards on the market.
Advantages
- High overclocking performance
- Top-notch I/O features
- Lots of ports and slots
- Premium build quality
Disadvantages
- Available at an absurd price point
- Incompatible with most mid-range cases
- Low variety available
For AMD Platform:
- Asus Rog Crosshair X670E Extreme
- Msi Meg X670E Godlike
- Gigabyte X670E Aorus Master
For Intel Platform:
- Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Master X
- Msi Meg Z790 Ace
- Asus Rog Maximus Z790 Extreme
Frequently Asked Questions
Are ATX motherboards better for overclocking compared to micro-ATX motherboards?
Most ATX motherboards come with higher-quality VRM compared to micro-ATX motherboards which ensures better VRM but it is not a ground rule.
Why are mini-ITX motherboards priced more than micro-ATX motherboards
Mini-ITX motherboards often come with premium features compared to micro-ATX motherboards which raise their price.
Can we fit Mini-ITX motherboards in large cases?
Yes, mini-ITX motherboards are compatible with almost every case on the market, although they don’t match the aesthetics together.
