{"id":16978,"date":"2022-05-01T19:05:03","date_gmt":"2022-05-01T17:05:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/g100.us\/?p=16978"},"modified":"2022-09-03T12:42:43","modified_gmt":"2022-09-03T10:42:43","slug":"atx-vs-micro-atx-vs-mini-itx","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/g100.us\/atx-vs-micro-atx-vs-mini-itx\/","title":{"rendered":"ATX vs Micro-ATX vs Mini-ITX: What\u2019s the Difference?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_39 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-66844b3dc9da5\" class=\"cssicon\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-66844b3dc9da5\" class=\"cssiconcheckbox\">1<\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-66844b3dc9da5\" checked><nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 \"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/atx-vs-micro-atx-vs-mini-itx\/#Motherboard_Sizes_Explained_-_A_Complete_Primer\" title=\"Motherboard Sizes Explained \u2014 A Complete Primer\">Motherboard Sizes Explained \u2014 A Complete Primer<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/atx-vs-micro-atx-vs-mini-itx\/#Motherboard_Format_Differences_-_ATX_vs_mATX_vs_ITX\" title=\"Motherboard Format Differences \u2014 ATX vs. mATX vs. ITX\">Motherboard Format Differences \u2014 ATX vs. mATX vs. ITX<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/atx-vs-micro-atx-vs-mini-itx\/#Does_Motherboard_Size_Matter\" title=\"Does Motherboard Size Matter?\">Does Motherboard Size Matter?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/atx-vs-micro-atx-vs-mini-itx\/#FAQ\" title=\"FAQ\">FAQ<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/atx-vs-micro-atx-vs-mini-itx\/#Can_I_Change_the_Size_of_my_Motherboard\" title=\"Can I Change the Size of my Motherboard?\">Can I Change the Size of my Motherboard?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/atx-vs-micro-atx-vs-mini-itx\/#Does_Motherboard_Size_Affect_Performance\" title=\"Does Motherboard Size Affect Performance?\">Does Motherboard Size Affect Performance?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/atx-vs-micro-atx-vs-mini-itx\/#Can_I_Use_a_Small_Motherboard_Inside_a_Large_PC_Case\" title=\"Can I Use a Small Motherboard Inside a Large PC Case?\">Can I Use a Small Motherboard Inside a Large PC Case?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/atx-vs-micro-atx-vs-mini-itx\/#Which_Motherboard_SizeFormat_Should_I_Go_With\" title=\"Which Motherboard Size\/Format Should I Go With?\">Which Motherboard Size\/Format Should I Go With?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/atx-vs-micro-atx-vs-mini-itx\/#Will_My_Motherboard_Format_Affect_My_Gaming_Performance\" title=\"Will My Motherboard Format Affect My Gaming Performance?\">Will My Motherboard Format Affect My Gaming Performance?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/atx-vs-micro-atx-vs-mini-itx\/#Over_to_You\" title=\"Over to You\">Over to You<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>Like so many other components, motherboards, too, come in different sizes and form factors.<\/p>\n<p>They might all have the same core functions (or purpose, rather), but they can still vary <em>wildly<\/em> when it comes to the features they offer and the <em>ways<\/em> in which one can use and harness their potential.<\/p>\n<p>And, well, they vary in <em>price<\/em>, too, which is also something one ought to keep in mind.<\/p>\n<p>Still, if we focus solely on their <em>dimensions <\/em>\u2014 without taking any other parameters into consideration \u2014 the differences between them aren\u2019t all that big.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, they can mostly be condensed and categorized into just a single category: <strong>expandability<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Motherboard_Sizes_Explained_-_A_Complete_Primer\"><\/span>Motherboard Sizes Explained \u2014 A Complete Primer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are various motherboard sizes and formats, but the three most prevalent ones \u2014 i.e., the ones readily available on store shelves and most often bought by both \u201ccasual\u201d users and those who are anything <em>but<\/em> \u2014 are the following: <strong>ATX<\/strong>, <strong>microATX<\/strong> (or mATX, for short), and <strong>ITX<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The first thing you\u2019ll notice is the difference in <em>size<\/em>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17036\" style=\"width: 2048px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17036\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17036\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Size-Comparison-Chart-1.jpg\" alt=\"Motherboard Size Comparison Chart\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Size-Comparison-Chart-1.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Size-Comparison-Chart-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Size-Comparison-Chart-1-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Size-Comparison-Chart-1-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Size-Comparison-Chart-1-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17036\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17036 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Motherboard Size Comparison Chart\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Size-Comparison-Chart-1.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Size-Comparison-Chart-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Size-Comparison-Chart-1-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Size-Comparison-Chart-1-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Size-Comparison-Chart-1-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Size-Comparison-Chart-1.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-17036\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Motherboard Size Comparison Chart - XL-ATX, E-ATX, ATX, M-ATX, ITX<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Compared to an ATX motherboard, an ITX one is petite and minuscule, almost laughably small. mATX is square in the middle \u2014 not too big but certainly not too small either.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their size, naturally, affects many different things, the most important one being their number of ports\/slots and, in some cases, features.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The biggest motherboards will obviously have the most potential in terms of their connectivity and expandability, but most folks don\u2019t really need a particularly vast array of ports.<\/p>\n<p>Both casual <em>and<\/em> professional users alike will almost always use just a single PCIe x16 slot (<a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/pcie-slot-graphics-card\/\">for their GPU<\/a>), two RAM slots, and potentially a few <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/sata-cables\/\">SATA connections<\/a> and fan headers for any additional cooling.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Those whose livelihood is tightly connected to their computers, however, may want to have more options than what we\u2019ve just mentioned and, well, it\u2019s easy to understand why. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Some users might need a series of expansion cards, all of which require additional PCIe slots.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-16986\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/use-case-for-Unused-PCIe-Slots.jpg\" alt=\"use case for Unused PCIe Slots\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/use-case-for-Unused-PCIe-Slots.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/use-case-for-Unused-PCIe-Slots-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/use-case-for-Unused-PCIe-Slots-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/use-case-for-Unused-PCIe-Slots-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/use-case-for-Unused-PCIe-Slots-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-16986 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"use case for Unused PCIe Slots\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/use-case-for-Unused-PCIe-Slots.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/use-case-for-Unused-PCIe-Slots-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/use-case-for-Unused-PCIe-Slots-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/use-case-for-Unused-PCIe-Slots-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/use-case-for-Unused-PCIe-Slots-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/use-case-for-Unused-PCIe-Slots.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>Others might want as much RAM as they can possibly get, in which case having more RAM slots would be much preferred.<\/p>\n<p>And, well, one can never have enough storage (and options for storage <em>expansion<\/em>), what with today\u2019s most popular games and programs taking up heaps of gigabytes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Whether you\u2019ll go with one format or the other heavily depends on your needs and personal preference.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The format itself changes little else; there\u2019s really no reason to go with a bigger board if you\u2019re not going to harness its benefits.<\/p>\n<p>Then again, having more options in terms of connectivity and expansion might come in handy further down the line, and that\u2019s definitely something you should be aware of when making your purchasing decision.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Motherboard_Format_Differences_-_ATX_vs_mATX_vs_ITX\"><\/span>Motherboard Format Differences \u2014 ATX vs. mATX vs. ITX<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Let\u2019s go over the biggest differences between these three mainstream motherboard formats:<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-143\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-143 tablepress-responsive\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\"> <\/th><th class=\"column-2\">ATX<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">mATX<\/th><th class=\"column-4\">ITX<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>DIMENSIONS<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">12\u201d x 9.6\u201d<br>\n<br>\n[305mm x 244mm]<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">11.2\u201d x 8.2\u201d<br>\n<br>\n[284mm x 208mm]<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">6.7\u201d x 6.7\u201d<br>\n<br>\n[170mm x 170]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>RAM SLOTS<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">2\/4<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">2\/4<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>PCIe SLOTS<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Up to 7<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Up to 4<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>PRICE<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Average<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Least expensive<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">Most Expensive<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-143 from cache -->\n<p><strong>A change in size brings with it a change in expandability <em>and <\/em>flexibility.<\/strong> The smallest motherboards, naturally, have the least number of ports, although they still have the <em>right <\/em>amount for <em>most<\/em> consumers.<\/p>\n<p>It all boils down to what you need <em>right now<\/em>, what you might need <em>in the future<\/em>, and how much money you\u2019re willing to spend.<\/p>\n<p>ITX boards almost always come at a premium.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re the hardest to manufacture and, therefore, have to be sold at a premium. They\u2019re still somewhat niche although, in all fairness, they <em>have <\/em>gotten a lot more mainstream over the years and are now sort of viewed as a \u201chigh-end\u201d option.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s something inherently alluring in a small form factor PC \u2014 <strong>one that doesn\u2019t compromise on performance.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>ATX, on the other hand, is the least enticing format. These boards are comparatively large which may or may not be a dealbreaker, depending on what you\u2019re after and how big of a PC you\u2019re looking to build.<\/p>\n<p>One thing, however, cannot be denied: <strong>they\u2019re the least limiting of these three options when it comes to what you can do with them and how much potential they have in terms of expandability and future upgrades.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That being said, you probably don\u2019t need as many ports and expansion slots as they provide, which is why <strong>mATX<\/strong> is almost always the better choice.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16987\" style=\"width: 2048px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16987\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16987\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Micro-ATX-Motherboard-Specifications.jpg\" alt=\"Micro-ATX Motherboard Specifications\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Micro-ATX-Motherboard-Specifications.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Micro-ATX-Motherboard-Specifications-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Micro-ATX-Motherboard-Specifications-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Micro-ATX-Motherboard-Specifications-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Micro-ATX-Motherboard-Specifications-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16987\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16987 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Micro-ATX Motherboard Specifications\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Micro-ATX-Motherboard-Specifications.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Micro-ATX-Motherboard-Specifications-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Micro-ATX-Motherboard-Specifications-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Micro-ATX-Motherboard-Specifications-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Micro-ATX-Motherboard-Specifications-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Micro-ATX-Motherboard-Specifications.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-16987\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/rog.asus.com\/motherboards\/rog-strix\/rog-strix-b660-g-gaming-wifi-model\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ROG ASUS<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>mATX is a fair bit shorter while retaining much of the same core functionality. These boards are also a fair bit cheaper and can be found at incredibly alluring prices.<\/p>\n<p>They have everything one might need and are a great option for both budget builders <em>and <\/em>enthusiasts alike.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_Motherboard_Size_Matter\"><\/span>Does Motherboard Size Matter?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Well, that depends on your personal preference and the kind of PC you\u2019re looking to build.<\/p>\n<p>As already mentioned, you\u2019re only going to miss out on a bunch of expansion ports by going with a smaller motherboard which may or may not be of any importance to you, depending on the kind of work you do.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re only talking about the form factor here, <em>not <\/em>the chipset, VRM cooling, I\/O, build quality, and so on \u2014 <strong>these things are all hugely important and they can vary in quality <em>regardless <\/em>of your motherboard\u2019s dimensions. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A high-end ITX board, therefore, <em>is <\/em>going to offer incredible performance, although it\u2019ll still be limited when it comes to how many ports it can provide \u2014 <strong>these are physical limitations and they cannot be circumvented.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GvyQXkFUe3E\" width=\"760\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"760\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GvyQXkFUe3E\" class=\" lazyload\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Let\u2019s go over a few questions you might have regarding the three most prominent motherboard formats:<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_Change_the_Size_of_my_Motherboard\"><\/span>Can I Change the Size of my Motherboard?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Only if you sell your existing motherboard and buy a different sized one. You can\u2019t upgrade or adjust the size of your motherboard post-purchase in any way.<\/p>\n<p>You <em>can<\/em> extend its functionality through any PCIe-based expansion card, but that\u2019s about it.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_Motherboard_Size_Affect_Performance\"><\/span>Does Motherboard Size Affect Performance?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Well, that depends.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re a \u201cregular\u201d user then you really won\u2019t notice any kind of difference when it comes to gaming, content creation, or any relatively intensive workload.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re into overclocking or need every ounce of power your motherboard can provide (for whatever reason), then you really ought to read the <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-affect-performance\/\">following piece<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_Use_a_Small_Motherboard_Inside_a_Large_PC_Case\"><\/span>Can I Use a Small Motherboard Inside a Large PC Case?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You absolutely can! It\u2019ll look a bit weird, but that\u2019s pretty much the only \u201cdownside.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Going for such a pairing doesn\u2019t make a lot of sense, though.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Which_Motherboard_SizeFormat_Should_I_Go_With\"><\/span>Which Motherboard Size\/Format Should I Go With?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>That depends solely on your needs and preferences.<\/p>\n<p>If you want a really small computer then you\u2019ll simply <em>have<\/em> to with ITX \u2014 there\u2019s no other option.<\/p>\n<p>If, on the other hand, you want as many ports as you can get, then ATX is the way to go. They <em>are<\/em> quite a bit larger than mATX and ITX, so just keep that in mind as you\u2019ll need to have a large enough enclosure to accommodate it.<\/p>\n<p>For most people, mATX is the sweet spot, both in terms of connectivity <em>and<\/em> price.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Will_My_Motherboard_Format_Affect_My_Gaming_Performance\"><\/span>Will My Motherboard Format Affect My Gaming Performance?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>It absolutely won\u2019t.<\/strong> Just make sure it\u2019s compatible with the <em>rest<\/em> of your components (CPU, GPU, RAM, any potential expansion cards you might have, storage, etc.) and you\u2019ll be good to go.<\/p>\n<p>That being said, higher-end motherboards <em>will<\/em> allow you to overclock your CPU and RAM (along with many other nifty BIOS-related options) which <em>will<\/em> result in better performance, both in games <em>and<\/em> any other workload.<\/p>\n<p>So it all really depends on what you\u2019re after and how much you\u2019re willing to tinker with your PC after you\u2019re done assembling it.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Over_to_You\"><\/span>Over to You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><em>Which motherboard format do you prefer and why? Let us know in the <a href=\"#comments\">comment<\/a> section down below, and in case you need any help, head over to <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/forum\/\">our forum<\/a> and ask away!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like so many other components, motherboards, too, come in different sizes and form factors. They might all have the same core functions (or purpose, rather), but they can still vary wildly when it comes to the features they offer and the ways in which one can use and harness their potential. And, well, they vary...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2343,"featured_media":16979,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[74],"tags":[119],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16978"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2343"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16978"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16978\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17037,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16978\/revisions\/17037"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16979"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16978"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16978"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16978"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}