Building a PC can be an easy decision, but choosing the components which are to be fitted inside a PC is a difficult endeavor. The first hindrance which will come your way, the main component of the entire PC, will be the motherboard. There are different motherboards for a PC, if you want to build a gaming PC there are varieties of motherboards one can install.
There are motherboards of different sizes and this is one of the most technical tasks while building a new PC. The performance of a PC varies because of the sizes of motherboard installed in it with a different number of expansion slots and its compatibility with different kinds of hardware. Their are majorly 3 types of sizes of motherboard, ATX vs Micro ATX vs Mini ITX.
If you are eager to know about different types of motherboards from their sizes to functions stick to this article for more information.
ATX vs Micro ATX vs Mini ITX | Comparison
Let us compare the sizes, compatibility, and pros and cons of the ATX, micro ATX, and Mini ITX. let’s see which motherboard turns out to be the best, so let’s dive in.
ATX
So let’s get started with the gossip of ATX. It has good enough room for multiple expansions slots, RAM slots, and other components making your PC more powerful and compatible to support heavy games and high graphic videos. ATX motherboards are the PC builder’s first choice while selecting a motherboard. Whereas, the size of ATX is generally around 12”x9.6”.
You can easily initiate your plan to build a full tower or mid-tower PC using such motherboards. Furthermore, building a PC using such a motherboard like ATX is comparatively easy than exploring another option.
The size of the motherboard is very much decent. This motherboard has plenty of heat sinks and has more than 2 to 3 PCIe slots for graphic cards.
Moreover, this motherboard has plenty of slots for additional RAMs, video cards, SATA ports, fan headers, and other adapters.
Pros:
- Overclocking capability
- More than 5 PCIe slots
- High RAM capacity
- Room for expansion
Cons:
- Not ideal for small PC cases
- Expensive than motherboards which are smaller as compared to it.
Micro-ATX:
If we cut a few centimeters from the standard ATX, we have the micro-ATX or we can say a smaller version of ATX. Cutting of the few centimeters means the alteration of the slots which play a prominent role in the expansion of the PC.
Micro-ATX is of the same width as the standard ATX, but a few inches shorter than ATX.
Its height and width are 9.6”x 9.6”. Furthermore, due to this smaller size, you lose some of the slots, therefore expansion of PC curbs.
Like standard ATX it has the same similar specs, but less in the count. It has 2GB RAM slots and fewer PCIe slots contrary to other larger sizes.
Because of its smaller size than the standard one, you have lesser ports, but the pricing is very much affordable as compared to standard ATX.
mATX smaller size benefits you to use smaller case which would eventually save your cost from buying a towering case.
Pros
- As compared to large models it is less pricey
- The compatibility rate is higher with ATX cabinets.
- It is ideal for small cases
Cons
- Expansion slots are less
- Fewer PCIe slots
Mini ITX:
From the name, one can easily realize the size of these motherboards. These motherboards are the smallest ones that one can utilize for the standard-sized hardware components.
The size of these motherboards is generally 6.7”x 6.7” making them the smallest motherboard so far. It supports 11th to 10th generation core processors with a VRM solution with 90A smart power stage.
Motherboards like these don’t have more than 2GB ram slots. It supports addressable LED & RGB LED strips. One can’t build a multiple GPU setup utilizing mini ITX because for that you need to have two slots in the motherboard. Whereas, mITX has only one slot for it.
It has 4 power pins so the power supply strength is also not great, but the benefit of using mITX is that they are cheap and can be fitted inside the small case.
Pros
- Intel optimum memory ready
- HDMI 2.00 supporting premium 4K
- Suitable with standard-sized hardware
Cons
- Not suitable for overclocking
- VRM performances and heatsinks are limited
- Only have two RAM slots
It depends on your specific needs and requirements. Mini-ITX and microATX motherboards both have their own advantages and disadvantages. Mini-ITX motherboards are smaller in size, making them ideal for compact builds or systems with limited space.
They typically have only one PCIe slot, fewer SATA ports, and fewer DIMM slots for RAM. This can limit expandability options, but they are often more power-efficient and easier to cool.
No, all motherboards are not the same size. Motherboards come in different sizes and form factors, which determine the size and shape of the board. The most common motherboard form factors include ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX, and E-ATX.
Conclusion:
It completely depends upon the user which motherboard he chooses for his PC. if the user is a gamer and wants to run premium games with high 4K graphics then a standard ATX motherboard is preferable. If you are very less inclined towards playing video games, but you building your PC for children then micro-ATX is a great choice.
If you want a small desktop then mini-ITX is a great choice for the user to fulfill his daily office chores at home.
