Gavin Bonshor breaks down just what makes your mobo tick, in this primer on the computing world’s most underlooked piece of tech

Gavin Bonshor

LET’S FACE IT, much of the buzz surrounding product launches of new CPU architectures revolve around core count, thread count, clock speed, turbo clock speed, supported memory speeds-you name it. However, if the CPU is the engine of a system, then the motherboard is the manifold without which nothing would function.

With so many different key components that make up a computer system, the motherboard is the central hub that binds and connects the processor to the graphics card, memory, storage, and so on. Not only that, but it also connects a whole host of controllers from the motherboard chipset to the CPU, which essentially manifests into input and output, such as USB ports, audio jacks, M.2 slots, networking controllers like Ethernet and Wi-Fi, and even Thunderbolt 3 on premium models. At the launch of every new chipset, motherboard vendors release swathes of models, from the more budget-focused to the highly premium that are decked out with more features than you can shake a stick at.

The core fundamental aspects of a motherboard consist of much the same across all models, whether that’s an AMD or Intel-based board, with each motherboard vendor implementing its own aesthetic and feature sets based on support from both the processor and the motherboard chipset.

In this issue, we’re going to take a journey through how a motherboard “works,” what components make up a conventional consumer-level desktop motherboard, and why each component is important.

THE MODERN MOTHERBOARD A BASIC DIAGRAM

One of our favorite quips within this industry is that “no motherboard is created equally,” and although true to a certain degree, in this instance it doesn’t have much swing. This is because each desktop motherboard has the same core characteristics that makes it a motherboard, and that remains the same 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.

ASUS PRIME X299-DELUXE MOTHERBOARD

1 CPU socket

2 Memory slots

3 PCIe x16 slot

4 PCIe x1 slot

5 Chipset

6 SATA ports

7 M.2 slot

8 U.2 port

9 Audio codec

10 CMOS battery

11 Motherboard 12 V ATX power connector

12 CPU 12 V ATX power connector

13 Power delivery/ VRM

14 Fan header

15 Front panel header

16 USB 3.x header

17 USB 2.x header

18 Rear panel I/O

19 LED debug

20 Power/Reset buttons

FORM FACTORSIZE 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: