ATX Motherboard Specifications

Form Factor

ATX motherboards typically adhere to the standard ATX form factor, which measures around 12 × 9.6 inches (305 × 244 mm).

This size allows for ample space for various components and expansion slots.

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ATX Motherboard

CPU Socket

ATX motherboards commonly support various CPU socket types, such as Intel LGA 1151 or AMD AM4, depending on the generation and compatibility.

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CPU

Chipset

The chipset determines the features and capabilities of the motherboard, including its compatibility with certain CPUs, memory types, and peripherals.

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Chipset

*​under heatsink*

Memory Slots

ATX motherboards usually come with multiple DIMM (Dual In-Line Memory Module) slots for installing RAM.

The number of slots can vary but is typically four, allowing for a maximum RAM capacity of 64GB or more, depending on the supported memory technology and the number of channels.

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Memory Slots

Expansion Slots

ATX motherboards offer several expansion slots for installing additional components such as graphics cards, sound cards, networking cards, and storage controllers.

Common slot types include PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) slots and legacy PCI slots.

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Expansion Slots

Storage Interfaces

ATX motherboards typically feature multiple SATA (Serial ATA) ports for connecting SATA-based storage devices such as hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs).

They may also include M.2 slots for high-speed NVMe SSDs.
(Nonvolatile Memory Express, Solid-State Drive)

Storage Interfaces

SATA - ​Serial Advanced Technology Attachment | HDD - Hard Disk Drive
SSD - Solid-State Drive | M.2 - Form-Factor | NVMe - Nonvolatile Memory Express

Connectivity

ATX motherboards come equipped with various ports and connectors for connecting peripherals and external devices.

These may include USB ports (USB 3.0, USB 3.1, USB-C), Ethernet ports, audio jacks, HDMI/DisplayPort outputs for onboard graphics, and more.

Connectivity

USB - Universal Serial Bus | HDMI - High-Definition Multimedia Interface

Power Connectors

ATX motherboards require a primary power connector from the power supply unit (PSU), typically a 24-pin ATX power connector.

They may also have additional power connectors, such as an 8-pin EPS connector for providing power to the CPU.

Power Connectors

BIOS/UEFI

ATX motherboards use BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) or UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - firmware to initialize hardware components during the boot process and provide system configuration options.

BIOS/UEFI