Micro vs regular motherboard

[chrismclain]

What is the exact difference between micro and regular motherboard. are there specific cases for specific motherboard or is a motherboard universal fit in any computer case.

 

[IntelEnthusiast]

On average 12.5" x 9.5" for ATX vs. 9.5" x 9.5" for Micro-ATX in most cases the Micro-ATX board will not have 1 or 2 expansion slots (I.E. PCI-e or PCI).

For example the ASRock Z77 Extreme4 has 2 PCI-E x16 slots, 1 PCI-E slot, and 2 PCI slots. The ASRock Z77 Extreme4-M has 2 PCI-E x16 slots, 1 PCI-E slot, and 1 PCI-E x16 (at 4x eletrical).

 

[the great randini]

Micro Atx: clearance can be a problem with heatsinked memory and large graphic cards,
also large aftermarket cpu coolers can have clearance problems with some chipsets...

 

[ittimjones]

unless you are going for a small tower case, just get the regular. idk why people get micro boards and mid tower cases. they are only losing out on functionality.

 

[nukemaster]

With more and more devices on board. MicroATX gives users an option for smaller systems.

I agree with the users above, If you are going to use a large case, you should most likely look for a ATX board. I think some use MATX boards in ATX cases because they got a sale on board + cpu or something.

If you are looking for SMALL. Look into miniITX But remember, only 1 (ONE) expansion slot.

As for clearance issues of MATX. Yeah, things JUST fit.


Check out the video card to heatsink space The fan clip needed a bit of bending

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[electronian]

Besides ATX (12" x 9.6" max) and micro-ATX (9.625" x 9.625" max), there is also,
BTX and micro-BTX (10.4" x 1.5" max). The BTXs came out after the ATX design. The BTX design included better thermal design considerations. The BTX did not achieve the popularity that ATX did, though, and was abandoned by manufacturers by 2006. I hear the BTX had the 1st PCIe bus.

My micro-ATX (an MSI MS-7696 [an FM1 {uPGA}]) has a free PCI slot, 2 free PCIe x16, and a PCIe x1 slot free, along with 3 USB 3.0 ports, two 2.0s, and s 1.0s, and supports 16G memory.

 

[grumbledook]

Why pay for things you don't use? M-atx boards are cheaper, and do you really need all those pci slots? I don't see the love for the big midtower cases either to be honest. Most people seem to just have up to a couple of HDDs and a dvd rom. A lot of wasted space in other words.

M-atx and m-itx both fit in midtower cases btw, though I can't imagine why anyone would put a m-itx mobo in one.