Micro Atx Board in Mini Itx Case

Looking for a primer on the dissimilar motherboard form-factors? In this mail service, we've highlighted the master differences between mini-ITX, micro-ATX, and standard ATX motherboards.

Should you get a micro-ATX, mini-ITX, or standard ATX motherboard? If you're looking to build a new computer, one of the most important components you'll demand to purchase is a motherboard. However, not all motherboards are created the same.

Motherboards can vary in features, cost, and size. The main matter that offset-fourth dimension builders struggle with, is knowing what the deviation is between motherboard form-factors (or sizes).

In this guide, we're going to get over what the main differences are between motherboard form-factors. And, that should requite you a amend idea of which course-factor motherboard is best for you and your build.

Micro-ATX vs Mini-ITX vs ATX: A Size Comparing

The biggest deviation betwixt micro-ATX (mATX), mini-ITX, and standard ATX motherboards are their dimensions:

Standard ATX: 12.0″ x 9.6″
Micro-ATX: 9.half-dozen″ ten nine.vi″
Mini-ITX: 6.7″ 10 six.7″

Every bit you lot tin come across, mATX motherboards are the same width as standard ATX motherboards, but they are a couple of inches shorter. This meridian reward for standard ATX motherboards allows them to feature more PCIe lanes. And, that makes them meliorate suited for multi-GPU setups, or for users that want to utilise multiple PCIe devices.

Mini-ITX motherboards, on the other hand, are shorter in both height and width than micro-ATX motherboards. They typically but characteristic a single PCIe lane. Their advantage, however, is in their smaller size. They are typically compatible with more than small form-factor cases than both standard ATX and micro-ATX motherboards.

The biggest have away on the sizes of each of these motherboards are that they mostly determine what PC example you tin can (or cannot) use.

For case, if you want to build a small form-cistron gaming estimator, it is highly likely that you will not be able to use a standard ATX motherboard in it. And, in fact, yous may not even be able to utilise a micro-ATX motherboard in it equally well.

On the other hand, if y'all want to go with a larger instance, yous'll likely be able to fit whatsoever motherboard in it. That is because most medium-to-larger sized cases volition conform smaller form-factor motherboards. (However, from an aesthetics stand indicate, you may non desire to put a mini-ITX motherboard in a larger example, as your components will look scrunched upward in the top left corner of your case.)

But, it is important to notation that the opposite is non true and that you typically cannot put standard ATX or mATX motherboards in mini-ITX cases, or standard ATX motherboards in micro-ATX cases.

The Pros and Cons of Each Form-Gene

You might be thinking to yourself… "Why would I want anything other than a standard ATX motherboard and instance? Isn't bigger better?"

And, the reply to that is that there is a fourth dimension and place for each motherboard form factor. Each of the three near popular form-factors discussed in this article will brand more sense than the others in different scenarios.

And then, in this section, we'll go over the pros and cons of each class-gene so that yous'll have a meliorate idea of which i meets your needs the best.

Form	Pros	Cons
ATX	• Meliorate-suited for overclocking • Amend for aesthetic purposes • More than PCIe lanes • Higher RAM capacity	• More expensive • Won't fit inside most smaller cases
Micro-ATX	• The to the lowest degree expensive pick • Platonic for single-GPU PC builds • Can fit into pretty much whatever instance • Higher RAM chapters than mini-ITX	• Non suitable for multi-GPU setups • Not platonic for farthermost overclocking • Typically lack in aesthetics
Mini-ITX	• Best option for smaller cases • Ameliorate aesthetics than micro-ATX	• More expensive than micro-ATX • Won't await correct in larger cases • Won't work for multi-GPU setups • Not platonic for extreme overclocking • Typically, only have 2 RAM slots

Which Motherboard Form-Factor Should You Cull?

If you have looked over the pros and cons of each of the iii nearly popular motherboard form-factors higher up, you probably already have a skillful idea of what motherboard is best for you.

But, if you are nonetheless unsure of which motherboard is correct for you, let me outline a few common use cases and which motherboard form-factor makes the almost sense for them:

1. You want to build a budget-friendly gaming PC

If you want to build a upkeep-friendly gaming PC, your best bet is to go with a micro-ATX motherboard. The reason being is that, no components are going to take as large of an impact on your in-game performance as will your graphics card, processor, and memory.

And, so the general rule of pollex when building a budget-friendly gaming PC is to allot every bit much of your budget every bit is possible to those three components. As a result, you'll have to sacrifice a bit of quality on your other components (which doesn't mean to purchase depression-quality components).

Fortunately, mATX motherboards are perfect for budget-friendly gaming PCs, as they even so have all of the main features that standard ATX motherboards have. The just real difference is that standard ATX motherboards offer better aesthetics, more than PCIe slots, and beefier VRMs for overclocking.

And, since most budget-minded gamers won't take the money necessary to drop on the components that are more suited to the features than standard ATX motherboards offer, there should actually be no loved lost for users who don't end upwards spending extra on ATX boards.

ii. You want to build a high-terminate gaming PC

Whether you lot're looking to build a high-end gaming PC that has multiple graphics cards, or y'all want to overclock your processor and push button it to the farthermost, or yous desire a really fancy-looking motherboard equally part of a nice color-coordinated build you are doing, you'll probably want to look at a higher-end standard ATX motherboard.

And, while there are standard ATX motherboards that offer more than of the blank minimum in terms of features, if you desire a high-end lath, you're probable going to be forced to cull a standard ATX (or even a larger extended ATX) motherboard.

3. You want to build a minor form-cistron PC

If you want to build a PC that has a smaller footprint, whether because you lot want it to be mobile, or you adopt a minimalistic blueprint, your all-time bet volition be to become with a smaller mini-ITX or micro-ATX motherboard.

And, apparently, if you want to go as small-scale every bit possible, mini-ITX motherboards will exist your all-time bet.

Smaller form-factor PCs are usually best-suited for gamers who want a arrangement that is easy to move around (like to take to LAN parties) or for HTPC systems.

Make the Correct Motherboard Choice for Your Needs

Hopefully, later on reading this guide, y'all'll take a better idea on what form-factor motherboard is right for your needs.

If you desire specific motherboard recommendations, be sure to cheque out our motherboard heir-apparent's guide, every bit nosotros've rated a bunch of the all-time motherboard options for each motherboard socket.