All about the motherboard. Motherboard - what is it? Device and main characteristics

Any computer user sooner or later hears this strange name - motherboard, let's try to figure out what it is. It is the largest part inside the system unit. It has many names, among the most common are: motherboard, mother, mother, motherboard, MB. As is already clear from the names, it is the main part, the heart of the system, although it can rather be compared with the human nervous system. All other computer components are installed on it or connected to its connectors. The motherboard ensures the interaction of all components as a single system, managing their joint work.

Indeed, there is HDD with data, but they are processed by the processor, and for this they must be in random access memory. In order for a computer user to see the results of the processor, the video card must display them on the monitor, and data from the keyboard and mouse, on the contrary, must enter the processor. Finally, the results of the work must be saved back to the computer’s hard drive. The computer motherboard coordinates this work. This is what this diagram looks like in its most simplified form.

Let's take a closer look at what a computer motherboard is. Physically, the motherboard is a complex printed circuit board with many chips. Since all other devices are connected to it, it is a limiting factor when choosing other components, or if you already have some system components, you will have to select a motherboard for them. Let's take a simple example, you have old computer, which you want to upgrade. For example, install a new powerful video card. However, it turns out that the motherboard uses an outdated AGP bus. New video card with an AGP interface you will have a hard time searching, and it will be quite weak and cost more than a similar one with the PCI-E bus. Some readers may object that it’s easier to throw out such old stuff and buy a new normal computer, and perhaps they will be right. Then let's consider another situation. Has a computer processor Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400, which you decided to replace with a more powerful Core i7. But that's not a problem, it cannot be installed on your motherboard, since it uses a different processor socket. You will also have to buy a new mother, and at the same time new memory DDR3. Rapid development technology hurts your pocket when trying to upgrade old equipment. This must be taken into account when choosing new components in order to reduce the costs of further modernization.

How to find out what motherboard is in your computer.

There are several ways to define a model motherboard used in a computer. Look in the documentation for your computer, find the model name written on the motherboard itself, or use one of the programs that shows the hardware used in the system. We recommend paying attention to the CPU-Z program. We launch it and on the mainboard tab we see which motherboard and chipset are used in the computer.

Let's look at the main characteristics of the motherboard that affect its consumer properties.

The following elements are marked in the figure:

1 - pins for connecting peripheral devices

2 — slot for installation central processor

3 - north bridge radiator

4 - PCI Express x16 slot

5 - standard PCI slot

6 - BIOS battery

7 — SATA port connectors

8 - south bridge radiator

9 - slot for connecting FDD

10 - slot for IDE

11 - connector for connecting power to the motherboard

12 - RAM slots

Chipset or set system logic— implements data exchange between the central processor and RAM, as well as controllers of peripheral devices. Most often it consists of two large functional blocks “north bridge” and “south bridge”. All the main characteristics of the motherboard depend on the chipset. The speed and stability of interaction between system components, how many and what devices can be connected to it, and the ability to overclock the system, not least of all, depend on the chipset.

Actively heating components must be cooled. There are two options: active and passive cooling. Active is more effective because an air flow from a fan or a water cooling system is used, but it is less reliable and noisy. Passive is simply a radiator that dissipates heat naturally. Will never break, silent, but only suitable for low-heat parts. Why are we telling all this? The chipset requires cooling, and the noise and overclocking capabilities of the system will depend on how it is done on the motherboard. Everything is clear with noise, but passive cooling can somewhat limit the overclocking potential.

The central processing unit (CPU) socket, or socket, is used to install the processor on the motherboard. Provides easy installation and replacing the processor if necessary. It has its own conditional number that determines which family of central processors can be installed in it. For example, Socket B2 (LGA1356) is intended for a family of processors Intel Sandy Bridge and no others can be installed in it. This must be taken into account if you are assembling a computer from separate components and when upgrading the system, because Each next generation of processors has its own socket that is not compatible with the previous ones.

The question arises, how to find out which socket is on the computer. There are quite a few ways, we will list some of them. Look in the documentation for your computer. Look at the motherboard model printed on it and look at the documentation on the motherboard manufacturer's website. Use one of the computer diagnostic programs, such as the free CPU-Z program. Just run the program and get a lot useful information about the system.

Number of RAM slots, type and amount of memory supported by the motherboard. Nowadays the most common types of memory are DDR2 and DDR3. What type of memory and its maximum amount is supported can be found in the specifications for the motherboard. Now the average computer has about 2-4 GB of memory installed, and Windows 32-bit will see only about 3.2 GB (depending on the specific hardware).

Slots for the high-performance PCI Express (PCI-E) bus are used to install a video card. The specific implementation of a slot may vary throughput, details are specified in the specifications for the board. The motherboard can have multiple slots for installing video cards to create a high-performance computer graphics system. The more slots a board has and the higher their speed (more lines), the more flexible options it provides. Hot swapping of cards is supported.

Slots for low performance PCI bus. The interface has lost ground a lot PCI-E bus, but can also be useful for connecting old peripheral equipment. The need for such slots is strictly individual.

SATA connectors are used to connect storage devices (hard drives and optical drives). The SATA interface is a development of the IDE interface previously used for drives. The speed of operation depends on the SATA revision, for example, the Revision 3.0 specification provides a throughput of up to 6 Gbit/s. Supports hot-swappable hardware. The more connectors on the motherboard, the more devices you can connect.

IDE is an outdated interface for connecting drives. After the appearance of the SATA interface, it was renamed PATA (Parallel ATA). Not compatible with SATA. Two devices can be connected to one loop. One is called a master, the other a slave. Devices require configuration using jumpers on the housing. It is still found in motherboards to ensure backward compatibility. There are adapters for IDE connections devices to the SATA port and vice versa. May be useful for connecting old equipment to new computer or modernizing the old one.

USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector used for quick connection of low and medium speed devices. It is widely used for connecting printers, scanners, flash drives, card readers, cameras, phones and many other peripheral devices. It has several revisions that differ in interface performance and are backward compatible. The most common USB 2.0 is gradually being replaced by USB 3.0. The more USB ports there are on the motherboard, the better. It is desirable to have at least several USB 3.0 ports. Please be aware that there are several physical implementations of connectors. When buying a wire to connect any device, you need to remember this.

The ROM chip (BIOS) contains a set of microprograms necessary for the initial initialization of the equipment and subsequent booting operating system. Modern implementation often allows you to update the BIOS from external media. Usually it contains many settings for configuring equipment, enabling/disabling it, setting the order of loading the OS from media and performing some other functions. The ability to overclock a system is largely determined by the settings provided by the BIOS for this. Due to the ongoing BIOS functions its performance is critical for the system. Incorrect settings or damage will result in the system being unable to boot, so many motherboard manufacturers provide emergency protection systems such as a backup BIOS chip. If the computer refuses to boot due to the BIOS not working, you can remove the CR2032 battery installed on the computer's motherboard for a few minutes. To get to the BIOS menu, you must press a specific key or key combination when checking the system's functionality immediately after turning on the computer. The most common options are F2, F10, Del, Ecs. The exact key can be found in the documentation for the motherboard.

The last point we wanted to consider is the so-called motherboard form factor. It determines the overall dimensions, location of mounting holes, type of power connector, location of interfaces and some other things. Among the most common form factors today are:

The system unit case must be designed to accommodate a board of this form factor. You can install other smaller boards in an ATX case, but you cannot install an ATX motherboard in a MicroATX case. It is also necessary to take into account that due to the dense layout of boards such as MicroATX, MiniATX, Mini-ITX, Nano-ITX and other reduced sizes, some components will not be able to be installed, because they will physically lack space. For example, a powerful large video card or a large processor cooler will run into RAM or capacitors.

That's all we wanted to tell you about the computer motherboard. Of course, this is a rather superficial description, but it is quite sufficient for a novice computer user to imagine what a computer motherboard is.

During the operation of a computer, users encounter not only the software, but also the hardware of the system. The main and main component of every computer, smartphone or tablet is its motherboard (mother board - another name).

The concept of a motherboard, its functions

The motherboard (system) board is the main device of the computer, which ensures the functionality of all child components and communication between them. Opening the cover of the computer system unit, it is very easy to notice the mother board, because it is the most labor-intensive and largest component. The main computer circuit looks like this:

The MP has many connectors, thanks to which you can connect a hard drive, processor, RAM, video card and other equally important computer hardware components.

In physical terms, a standard MP resembles a complex board with many different chips and connectors. When choosing computer components, first of all pay attention to the characteristics of the motherboard, because it determines what components of what power can be connected to it. The speed and multitasking of the computer depends on the mother board.

If, for example, you need to change the video card in your computer, then first of all you need to determine which motherboard (circuit) is in the system unit. For example, an AGP type scheme is long outdated and finding a video card for it with powerful characteristics almost impossible.

Where can I find information about which main circuit is used on a specific computer? This can be done in two ways:

1. Read directly on the diagram itself.
2. In the documentation for the device (provided that no hardware components have been changed or modified since the date of purchase).
3. Use special software that can show information about all equipment. For example, a program called "CPU-Z" can provide the user with information about the motherboard model. To do this, you need to install and run the program. On the Maindoard tab, select the model field. Which indicates the type and all necessary information about the scheme.

In order for all MP components to communicate with each other, so-called communication buses are used - the structural unit of all mother boards. Tires come in two types:

1. home computer bus- this is a MP component with the help of which cache memory and the Central Processing Unit (central processor) operate.
2. System computer bus. Operates with information from all components of the motherboard.

Motherboard components

You can learn more about what a computer motherboard is by delving into its components. Diagram of components connected to the mother board:

The above diagram is very simplified, however, with the help of it you can get an understanding of how the motherboard of any computer works.

The characteristics of the motherboard consist of the following main points:

1. Shape and type. This item determines the size of the circuit and the types of connectors located on it.
2. Main power type system diagram. This characteristic implies Various types connector to which the computer's power supply is connected.
3. CPU socket. Important stage in choosing any motherboard - this is the selection of a processor and circuits that will be interconnected. The processor socket connector must match specific model and CPU functionality. It is worth noting that almost always the documentation for the motherboard indicates all brands and models of CPUs compatible with it, so choosing this component will not be difficult even for inexperienced users.
4. RAM slots. This characteristic is measured quantitatively, that is, each circuit has a certain number of slots for RAM - they determine the maximum amount of RAM that can be installed on a computer. Note that the more slots a motherboard supports, the higher the cost will be.
5. Bus frequency. This is a system bus type. This characteristic implies a certain speed at which the board components will operate. It is measured in gigahertz.

In many cases mother circuit may contain a built-in video system (video card). In this case, purchasing a separate video card is not required. Of course, such boards will cost slightly more than similar options without built-in video systems. However, there is one drawback to this type of video card - if you often change hardware components or over time you need to improve the video card, then this will be extremely difficult or completely impossible.

An audio system can also be built into the diagram. In this case, there is no need to buy and install an audio card. Disk controllers show the user what options for removable and hard drives can be connected to the mother board.

Modern microcircuits are equipped Bluetooth technology, it is this that allows you to work with wireless mice, monitors, keyboards and other devices. In the same way, some schemes support Wi-Fi technology.

Modern boards and rating of the best manufacturers. Tips on how to choose a good motherboard

Tips are selected based on the latest computer characteristics modern computers. A correctly selected mother board will allow the computer to operate as stably as possible and without system failures.

Since each main computer chip has its own processor (that is, chipset), an important factor in choosing the entire board is correct selection its chipset.

The most popular companies in the world that develop chipsets for motherboards are AMD and Intel:

1. AMD chipsets are suitable for office models and are intended primarily for corporate use.
2. Chipsets from Intel are perfect for gaming, home or office devices.

Every day, millions of people sit down at their desks, turn on their PCs and begin to carry out their duties. However, most of them have no idea how their computer works or how it all works. If you ask about its device, most users will answer: monitor, keyboard, mouse and system unit. And when asked about what you can’t start a car without, they answer: without electricity. At the same time, few people guess about the structure and are able to distinguish at least some boards inside.

This article will discuss one of the fundamental parts of a computer, without which its operation would be impossible in principle. If you are a novice user and are planning to build your own PC rather than using ready-made market offers, you will find the motherboard advice you will get here useful.

Computer support

The motherboard is nothing more than the core of your computer. The fundamental and connecting link of all elements. Another name for it is the system board. Its main function is the transmission of control signals and data between components - processor, chipset, expansion cards, external devices.

The main characteristics of the motherboard that you should pay attention to are the form factor, the number of slots for PCI Express expansion cards, the type of supported RAM and its volume, and the type of processor socket. And some additional, but not critical details - type of mouse port, version of USB port, availability of Wi-Fi and HDMI.

Based on these characteristics, the user must make a choice when purchasing. The main thing to remember is that the best motherboard is the one that fits perfectly with the other components you have chosen.

Structure

Any motherboard is divided into two main interacting parts - the north and south bridge.

The south bridge is a single chip that connects most of the slow connections in the computer and also connects them to the processor through the north bridge. Physically, the southbridge consists of the following parts:

• PCI, LPC, Super I/O controllers;
• IDE and SATA controllers;
• watch;
• Bios;
• power management;
• sound;
• network card management.

In some cases, it can directly control the mouse, keyboard, and external ports, although they are often controlled through a special Super I/O input/output controller.

The Northbridge, otherwise called a memory controller hub, includes:

• CPU;
• RAM, if it is not directly connected to the processor;
• video adapter

Exactly north bridge as part of the motherboard allocates greatest number heat, as a result of which in most cases, when implementing a computer architecture, it requires an individual cooling system.

With the development of computer technology, some manufacturers began to abandon the northbridge as part of the architecture. For example, maternal Intel boards, starting with Intel Nehalem, they removed the northbridge, transferring some of its functions to the central processor, thus reducing the number of active components on the motherboard.

Assembling a computer

The first thing you need to find out before purchasing is the form factor. Be sure to check with the seller about the dimensions of the motherboard. Most modern personal desktop computers use the ATX standard. Let's look at how to connect the motherboard in more detail below.

1. First of all, install the board into the computer case and secure it with screws.
2. Connect the cable coming from your power supply to connector 1. This is the main element that supplies power to the motherboard. Be careful, there are 20 and 24 pin connectors (number of pins), so when purchasing, make sure that your power supply fits the motherboard. As a piece of advice, it’s worth saying that first of all you should take the motherboard. And already select a power supply for it.
3. In the second connector we also connect the cord coming from the power supply, intended for powering the central processor. We also press all the way so that the latch snaps into place and the power does not turn off during operation.
4. In third place is a connector on the motherboard for a slightly outdated, but still common, floppy disk drive. This connector has minor differences from connector 4, but if you look closely you can easily see the differences.
5. To connect hard drive or CD/DVD drive uses the IDE ATA interface. The cable for this connector is different in that it has two output interfaces, so when connecting one cable, you can connect both a CD drive and a hard drive at once. Unlike the example above, most motherboards have several of these connectors.
6. Another way to connect a hard drive and CD/DVD drive is the SATA interface. It is connected via connector No. 5. It is used in new devices, and it is not possible to confuse it with another connector.

Having figured out how to connect the motherboard, we move on to connecting the remaining devices and interfaces.

Expansion cards

After connecting external and internal devices, as well as power to the motherboard, you can begin connecting expansion cards - RAM, graphics adapter, network card.

You should have been given full specifications and connector types upon purchase. Remember that RAM must be selected of the same standard as specified in the documentation. DDR2 memory cannot be connected to a DDR3 slot, so when purchasing, make sure you buy a modern motherboard with the latest interfaces. Finding components of old formats is problematic, but new ones are not much different in price category.

Concerning graphics adapter, then you can't go wrong here. In most cases, this is the largest connector on the motherboard. In older models, the connection was made by simply snapping the video card into the slot. Modern powerful video cards have their own independent cooling system. It also needs to be connected directly to the motherboard using a two-pin cable. Usually the power connector is located closer to the processor, since the cooling of the processor itself is also connected to it.

Most important part, connected to the system board, will become the CPU. Processors also have their own unique sockets. For example, the ASUS VANGUARD B85 motherboard has an LGA1150 socket to which Intel i7/i5/i3 processors can be connected, while others may have problems.

Let's consider below the concept of what is the best motherboard. Despite the fact that Intel has extensive experience in developing equipment for personal computers, it is now developing components. Therefore, even the largest companies are forced to produce products for Intel motherboards.

ASUS Z97-A

At the 2014 forum held by Asus, new products were presented, as usual. Among them is this budget motherboard, the price of which will be affordable for most people. Abandoning the usual design, the Asus company released a motherboard in bronze shades, with fairly rich equipment. This inexpensive board includes:

• three PCIe x16 slots;
• four DIMM slots for RAM, supporting up to 32 gigabytes;
• one modern SATA Express slot;
• and also, even on such a nondescript motherboard, it was installed sound chipset Crystal Sound 2.

Without a doubt, Asus company is raising the bar for its motherboards while remaining in the same price range as before. This will allow them to remain among the leaders in the computer components market.

ASUS Z97-DELUXE

At the same exhibition, another motherboard model was presented. We can say that she deserves to become a true leader among her sisters. The ASUS flagship motherboard provides the user with truly limitless expansion potential for their computer. The secret of this success is the number of interfaces, which have doubled. Here are the motherboard specifications:

• two Sata interface Express;
• 6 additional SATS 6G ports;
• 8 USB 3.0 ports;
• 3 PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots;
• Crystal Sound 2.

Of course, such a motherboard, the price of which can exceed 10,000 rubles, is not suitable for the average user, so if you are trying to assemble budget computer do it yourself, then be sure to explore the options. Sales consultants in stores provide a wide variety of choices in an affordable price range from 2,000 to 8,000 rubles.

Laptop

A laptop motherboard is more than just a body to which devices are connected. This is the very life of a laptop. If, God forbid, you spill coffee on it or damage it, then in most cases get ready to say goodbye to half of the equipment installed inside.

The fact is that not all laptops have components on the motherboard that can be replaced. A built-in video card or RAM will require additional costs in case of repair, so always have a clear idea of ​​what you need a computer for and whether you need a laptop at home.

Replacing laptop components seems difficult even for experienced system administrators, therefore, if a part of it or, especially, the motherboard breaks down, in 90% of cases you will have to contact a service center.

Motherboard Care

Many people believe that a personal computer is a kind of tool for work, like a saw or hammer. It is clear that in this case the user is absolutely wrong. A computer, like the motherboard in particular, is an entire interacting system consisting of millions of parts. Imagine that the motherboard lying on the table is a city, and the billions of bits of information passing through it every day are the inhabitants. It is clear that you need to monitor and care for your instrument.

When a manufacturer tests his product, he does not expect insects or worse than that, rats. Probably, the benefits of computer maintenance are obvious; how you treat your workplace will determine how long it will serve you. Moreover, caring for the motherboard and the insides of the computer will not take much of your time.

At least once a month, or better yet more often, completely unplug your computer and remove the cover from the power supply. You can buy a can of compressed air at any computer store, or you can use a vacuum cleaner set to blow. Be sure to blow through all radiators and corners of the system unit, avoiding direct contact with boards and wires.

If you have not cleaned the system unit for a long time, do it outside and wearing a gauze bandage to avoid inhaling dust. Never use liquids or aerosols. Remember that dust in cooling systems, and even on the boards themselves, increases the temperature and can lead to their failure. Therefore, cleaning the inside of your computer is not a whim, but rather a vital necessity.

Repair

If you still could not protect your computer from breakdown and are not able to determine on your own which part is damaged, it is better to use the services of a service center. In most cases, you can determine the problem yourself only if one of the components breaks. If the problem is in the motherboard, then only an electronics engineer can handle it.

The motherboard is a critical component that requires repairs.
special skills and equipment. If your laptop breaks down, there is also plenty of space to disassemble it.

The key to successful repair of this most important part is correct diagnosis and troubleshooting. The biggest mistake the average user will make is trying self-repair. In this case, a person may not only fail to repair the board, but also bring it to a state where it has to be thrown in the trash.

If your laptop malfunctions, take it to a service center as soon as possible. A laptop motherboard is a difficult element to replace. Therefore, ignoring minor failures can lead to the fact that, remaining indifferent to the error once, you will have to face more serious problems.

It is important to realize that the motherboard is the main component of the cost of a laptop. Therefore, in case of failures, it is better to contact professionals immediately and not delay; they will help bring your laptop back to life at minimal cost.

Conclusion

So, the motherboard is the lifeblood of your computer. Many programmers argue that computers have their own soul and character. They recognize only one master. If you believe in this theory, then the soul of the computer is located in the motherboard.

A motherboard chosen with soul and attention, with proper care, will serve you for a long time, regardless of its cost or components. You need to take care of it, look after it, and then it will serve you for a very long time. Never hesitate to contact specialists and do not carry out repairs yourself.

By following the advice in this article, you can easily assemble your computer and not worry about it suddenly failing you at the most inopportune moment.

The motherboard (system) board is the main element of any modern computer and combines almost all the devices included in its composition.
The basis of the motherboard is a set of key system logic chips (chipset).
The type of chipset entirely determines the type and number of components that make up the computer, as well as its potential capabilities.

The system board contains:

DIMM slots for installing SDRAM/DDR/DDR2/DDR3 memory modules (different for each memory type).
Most often there are 3-4 of them, although on compact boards you can only find 2 such slots.

A specialized AGP or PCI-Express x16 type connector for installing a video card.
There are boards with two or more video connectors.
There are also motherboards (of the cheapest) without video connectors at all - their chipsets have a built-in graphics core, and external graphics card not necessary for them.

Next to the slots for video cards there are usually slots for connecting additional expansion cards of PCI or PCI-Express x1 standards.

An important group of connectors are interfaces (IDE and/or the more modern Serial ATA) for connecting disk drives - hard drives and optical drives.
There is also a connector for a floppy drive (3.5" floppy disk), although everything is going to the point that it will soon be completely abandoned.

All disk drives connected to the motherboard using special cables (cables).

Connectors for power supply (most often of two types - 24-pin ATX and 4-pin ATX12V for an additional +12 V line) and a two-, three- or four-phase voltage regulation module VRM (Voltage Regulation Module), consisting of power transistors, chokes and capacitors.
This module converts, stabilizes and filters the voltage supplied from the power supply.

On the back of the motherboard there is a panel with connectors for connecting additional external devices: monitor, keyboard and mouse, network, audio and USB devices, etc.

Any motherboard has a large number of auxiliary jumpers (jumpers) and connectors.
These can also be contacts for connection system dynamics and buttons and indicators on the front panel of the case, and connectors for connecting fans, and contact blocks for connecting additional audio connectors and USB connectors and FireWire.

Each motherboard must have a special memory chip, most often installed in a special socket (bed) containing BIOS firmware, and a battery that provides power when the external voltage is lost.

Thus, with the help of all these slots, connectors and additional controllers, the motherboard combines all the devices that make up the computer into a single system.

Motherboard(System board) is the second most important component in . In addition to the term “motherboard”, the name “motherboard” is used. The main purpose of the motherboard is to connect all the components of the computer into one device, so, by and large, it is just a set of wires between the processor contacts and the contacts of memory modules and peripheral devices. All other elements located on it have secondary functions, serving only to decouple and coordinate signals. Of course, some block on the system board may bear the proud name of “controller”, but even in this case its purpose is to perform auxiliary functions.

Structurally, the PC motherboard is made in the form of a multilayer textolite printed circuit board. The number of layers can reach 12, but most often 8 are used (not counting paint and varnish). Between each layer there are printed conductors made of metal foil (deposition or sputtering method can be used), which connect the contact pins of microcircuits, resistors, capacitors and connectors to each other. Below is a cross-section of a motherboard manufactured by Gigabyte, which proposed increasing the thickness of the copper layers for power and grounding to 70 microns.

As a rule, the thickness of the conductors is half as much, so increasing the thickness of the copper busbars improves the cooling of the system board elements, but a lot of technological difficulties arise. Since modern processors operate with external devices at a frequency of several hundred megahertz, the length and location of printed conductors are now calculated according to the same principles as for microwave devices, when every extra centimeter of conductor plays a huge role.

Between the processor, RAM modules and external devices there is a chipset - a set of microcircuits that perform service functions for distributing signals between all blocks. When the supply voltage is applied, the chipset generates a specific sequence of commands that activates the processor. The processor, in turn, BIOS program tests and activates other devices installed and connected to the system board. If the computer starts successfully, then the chipset chips connect the processor, memory and peripheral devices into a single whole - a computing device that is ready to execute user commands or react in a certain way to the appearance of signals in the interface lines. The flow of information from the processor to the RAM and back passes through the chipset electronics. Even if the chipset only has buffer circuits, then, alas, they also introduce a small time delay, even if ideally in one clock cycle system bus. For modern computer systems such a delay is already a lot, so first AMD Corporation and then Intel moved the memory controller to the chip. With this design principle, the processor works with memory directly, and unnecessary links are eliminated, which increases the overall system performance. There are other options for constructing motherboards, which depend on the processor architecture. For example, in Lately It is becoming popular to transfer the interface (for PCI-E) from the chipset to circuits located on the processor chip, which speeds up the operation of the graphics subsystem. In particular, it is possible to mount all external device controllers on a processor chip; note that a similar scheme has been used since the days of Intel 80186 processors, but has not taken root in desktop computers.

ATX form factor

Oddly enough, the most constant thing about PC personal computers is the form factor (overall dimensions and arrangement of elements), which seems to make new and old models similar to each other. Due to the fact that all developers of motherboards and peripherals adhere to the same rules for attaching boards and locating components in the case, users can independently upgrade their computer by installing the necessary peripheral devices, replacing the old processor with a new one, etc. There are two main standards for motherboards - AT and ATX. The first is the AT form factor - this is a board for a computer with an obsolete processor. The second, the ATX form factor, is the standard in accordance with which new computers are developed. The difference between these two standards is in the location of the processor and interface connectors, which necessitates the use of different housings. But everything else - attaching the motherboard to the case, the location of the slots, etc. - is one way or another the same. As a transitional option between AT and ATX, for example, motherboards were produced that could be installed either in a case with an AT power supply or in an ATX case.

Below is the location of the main elements of a personal computer according to the ATX specification, including version 2.2. In particular, one of the main differences of this version of the ATX specification is that it is located outside the contour of the motherboard, which turned out to be necessary due to the huge size of the cooling system of a modern processor. Please note that in previous versions The specification allowed for the power supply to be installed above the processor, but this led to huge problems with cooling the processor.

The situation is somewhat more complicated with small-sized and proprietary computers that use motherboards whose dimensions differ from standard ones (other form factors are used, which are developed based on the ATX form factor). To reduce the size they are used various techniques, for example, reducing the number of slots for peripheral devices, using various adapters to be able to position peripheral cards not vertically, but horizontally, parallel to the plane of the motherboard. For such motherboards and cases, there is always the problem of upgrading, which often leads to the fact that it is easier to buy a new computer than to search for suitable elements for the old one. Below are the maximum dimensions of personal computer motherboards, which are most common in Russia.

VTX form factor

Intel Corporation published the BTX (Balanced Technology Extended) specification in 2004, which is a development of the ATX standard for new high-performance processors. The main purpose of the specification is to improve cooling and increase the mechanical strength of the motherboard; as defined by the BTX specification. In addition, the specification standardizes the methods of connecting input/output interfaces to the system board and the design of the case. Since the appearance of computers made according to the BTX specification implies the development and release of new motherboards, even after five years things have not yet reached any significant industrial release. Here it can be noted that redesigning a PC motherboard is a lot of work for developers and engineers, plus a huge amount of testing the product, correcting errors and problems. True, today, when processor developers are finally concerned with the problem of reducing heat generation, the introduction of the VTX form factor turned out to be not as relevant as it was necessary for the latest versions of processors Intel Pentium 4 Prescott and for a range of quad-core Intel and AMD processors.

Sockets

Over the past decade, a wide variety of processors have been produced for use in personal computers. Some types of processors turned out to be so successful that they were produced for a wide variety of applications, for example, for installation in laptops and industrial devices. When the type of processor or its purpose changed, the silicon crystal with millions of transistors was mounted in a new case, which had different dimensions and methods of attachment to the motherboard. Unfortunately, the main path of modern microelectronics goes in the direction of increasing the number of contacts with which the processor case is supplied. Naturally, when the number of pins changes, the design of the processor socket, which is installed on the motherboard, also changes. If the founder of the current processors had only 16 contacts and was installed in a very simple connector - a “crib”, then the models of modern processors have surpassed the mark of a thousand contacts. The connector for installing modern processors is called a socket. It is also called a connector for installing microcircuits with zero force (ZIF-Zero Insertion Force), and the numbers in the marking, starting with the Socket 370 model, indicate the number of contacts. In the recent past, the most popular socket for installing processors was Socket 7, intended for Pentium processors, and Socket 370, into which Pentium III processors were installed. It can be noted that it was permissible to install both Intel processors and AMD processors in Socket 7. For some time, processors mounted on printed circuit boards, which were designed to be installed in special slots resembling slots for memory modules. For Intel processors, this socket was called Slot 1, and for AMD - Slot A. The earliest models of Pentium 4 processors were designed for installation in Socket 423. Later, Socket 478 (mPGA478) was used for Pentium 4 processors.

Intel Core 2 processors and the latest versions of Pentium 4 are available with flat pins (“pinless”) and are installed in the Socket LGA 775 socket.

The new Intel Core i7 processors, released in late 2008, use the same processor pin and socket design, only the number of pins is significantly increased, and the socket name is LGA 1366. In 2009, it was proposed LGA socket 1156 for Intel Core i5 processors

Athlon processors are installed in Socket 462, also known as Socket A. Socket 940 (and its upgrade Socket 939) was developed for Opteron and Athlon 64 processors, and the first Athlon processors 64 were produced for Socket 754 (the production of processors for this socket continues to this day). socket 940 and AM2, to clarify the socket mounted on the motherboard, it is better to look at the inscription on the plastic body of the socket.