Current Use, Functionality & Demand for microATX Motherboards

For microATX motherboards, the maximum size would be 244mm by 244mm. In some microATX boards, they are about 171.45mm by 171.45mm. For ATX size, the standard is actually longer by 25% - around 305mm by 244mm.

Popular microATX motherboards these days are capable of supporting CPUs like:

? AMD
? Intel
? VIA

Characteristics of microATX include backward-compatibility and expandability. When it comes to backward-compatibility, mounting points of this motherboard standards follow a subset of those that are being used on full-sized ATX boards as well as having an I/O panel that are identical.

These microATX motherboards can also be used in full-sized ATX cases. They also use the same power connectors just like ATX motherboards. This enables the use of full-sized ATX power supplies having microATX boards. These boards also use the same chipsets like that of full-sized ATX boards. This enables them to utilize most of the same components. The only problem would be the fact that since microATX cases are a bit smaller than ATX cases, only a few expansion slots are available.

In terms of expandability, modern ATX motherboards feature 5 or more PCI-Express or PCI expansion slots. This is while microATX boards usually have only 4 slots. To conserve expansion slots as well as case space, what most manufacturers do is they produce microATX motherboards having a full-range of integrated graphics and integrated peripherals. These will serve as a basis for media center PCs and small form factor PCs.

MicroATX Limitations

Due to reductions in drive bays, there are modern limitations in microATX cases. Current southbridges are capable of supporting 6 SATA devices and 4 legacy IDE devices. A full range of connectors found in microATX devices can be fully exploited if it is mounted on an ATX case.

There are also microATX cases that use low profile PCI cards as well as power supplies having non-standard dimensions.

Having second thoughts if these microATX motherboards are still capable of doing the job?

Wit the release of Intel's Core 2 and Quad Core processors, the desktop market are now divided. Those who are on a tight budget would settle for an AMD Athlon 64 X2. For those who want the perks of the latest models, Quad Core or Core 2 processors are the most likely options.

For Intel's low cost processors, microATX motherboards are still used. These are still good for business PCs and for home theater PCs.