motherboards

A motherboard is the main printed circuit board in a modern computer. It provides the physical and electrical connections for the central processing unit, memory, storage devices, and expansion cards, and it coordinates communication between these components through the chipset and firmware. It also distributes system power to subsystems via power connectors and carries system-wide interfaces such as USB, network, and audio.

Motherboards come in standardized form factors that determine size, mounting points, and the number of I/O ports and expansion slots. Common sizes include ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX, with larger E-ATX used in high-end systems. The CPU socket is specific to processor families and limits which CPUs can be installed (for example, Intel LGA sockets or AMD AM5).

Key components include RAM slots for volatile memory, PCIe expansion slots for GPUs and add-in cards, and storage interfaces such as SATA and M.2 NVMe. Motherboards also provide onboard controllers for networking, audio, and USB, plus headers for front-panel ports, fans, RGB lighting, and TPM modules when available.

The chipset on the motherboard controls I/O traffic and determines available PCIe lanes, storage options, and network features. Higher-end motherboards exchange more PCIe lanes and offer advanced cooling, more robust power delivery, and more USB and NIC options. BIOS or UEFI firmware allows configuration, updates, and boot management, and may include security features and overclocking support.

Compatibility depends on the CPU socket, RAM type and speed, and the motherboard’s electrical and thermal design. Proper choice involves matching the CPU, RAM, storage, and expansion needs with the board's form factor and feature set.