Motherboards are called the central circuits of a computer that bind all the parts of the computer together. It distributes all its power across the circuits which then acts like a conduit due to which the innards start working together. Motherboards comes in many shapes and sizes but the most used are ATX and Micro ATX.
ATX vs Micro ATX
The main difference between ATX And Micro ATX is that ATX is a rectangular board and its size is 305mm by 244mm whereas Micro ATX is a square board and its size is 61mm by 244mm.
The ATX format was developed in 1995 while the Micro ATX format was developed in 1997. The number of expansion ports that are located at the bottom end is more in the ATX format than the Micro ATX format which is one of the downside of the Micro ATX format. The ATX board has five expansion slots which is two more than the Micro ATX board.
This is a partial offset by most of the board manufacturers integrating the common functions like networking, graphics and sound. It is now common to see computers that no longer use the expansion ports. An ATX board is the best choice for high-performance requirements whereas a Micro ATX board is the best choice in building of a gaming PC.
Comparison Table Between ATX and Micro ATX
| Parameters of Comparison | ATX | Micro ATX |
|---|---|---|
| Size and dimensions | ATX board size is 305mm by 244mm. It is larger than Micro ATX. | Micro ATX board size is 61mm by 244mm. It is smaller than ATX. |
| Shape | The ATX board is rectangular in shape. | The Micro ATX board is square in shape. |
| Expansion slots | The ATX board has five expansion slots. | The Micro ATX board has three expansion slots. |
| Drive bays | The number of drive bays in a ATX form factor is more than the Micro ATX form factor. | The number of drive bays in a Micro ATX form factor is less than the ATX form factor. |
| Installation | An ATX board cannot be installed in a Micro ATX chassis. | A Micro ATX board can be installed in an ATX chassis. |
What is ATX?
The ATX format was developed in the year 1995. It is an enhanced AT model to ensure a more stable circuit. The ATX board is rectangular in shape and it’s dimensions are 305mm by 244mm. There are five expansion slots present at the bottom end of the ATX board.
There have been many noticeable changes or upgrades to the newer models. For example, the ports in the newer models are arranged in such a way that they don’t overlap each other. Another upgrade is made to the integration of the I/O ports along the port’s edges.
Also, the number of drive bays have increased in the new formats. This makes the number of drive bays to be more in the ATX form factor than in the Micro ATX form factor. For someone who has high-performance requirements, an ATX board will be an excellent choice only if full use of all the extra slots is done.
What is Micro ATX?
The Micro ATX format was developed in the year 1997. It is backward compatible with the design of the ATX. It is one of the newer formats that were developed after the development of the ATX board. The Micro ATX board is square in shape and it’s dimensions are 61mm by 244mm.
There are only three expansion slots in the Micro ATX board. It can be expanded to a maximum of four slots. To deal with this problem of limited expansion slots, many peripherals are integrated. The ATX subsets are the mounting points of Micro ATX format and it uses the I/O panel.
The number of drive bays in a Micro ATX board is less. For someone who is looking forward to build a gaming PC, the Micro ATX board will be an excellent choice. It has enough RAM slots and also some free slots to ass any other PCIe expansion cards. Also, the Micro ATX board supports dual-GPU setups.
Main Differences Between ATX and Micro ATX
- ATX board size is 305mm by 244mm while Micro ATX board size is 61mm by 244mm. Thus, ATX board is larger than Micro ATX.
- The ATX board is rectangular in shape whereas the Micro ATX board is square in shape.
- The ATX board has five expansion slots while the Micro ATX board has three expansion slots.
- The number of drive bays in a ATX form factor is more than that of in a Micro ATX form factor.
- A Micro ATX board can be installed in an ATX chassis but the other way is not around is not possible.
Conclusion
Thee most used motherboards are ATX and Micro ATX. The ATX format was developed in 1995 and the Micro ATX format was developed in 1997. They both have different shapes and sizes. The ATX board size is 305mm by 244mm and it is rectangular in shape while the Micro ATX board size is 61mm by 244mm and it is square in shape. Also, the number of expansion slots is different in both of them.
The ATX board comes with five expansion slots whereas the Micro ATX board comes with only three expansion slots. The drive bays in the ATX form factor are more in number when compared to the drive bays in the Micro ATX form factor. There have been many upgrades to the newer models of the ATX board like the ports in the newer models are arranged so that there is no overlaping.
Also, the integration of the I/O ports are upgraded along the port’s edges and the number of drive bays are increased. In case of the Micro ATX board, there are only a limited number of slots present and it can be only expanded to a maximum of four slots. Many peripherals are integrated to make up for this limitation.
References
- https://www.nature.com/articles/1203263
- https://www.mechanika.ktu.lt/index.php/Mech/article/view/19233