Motherboard

• Motherboard


  Everything in your PC system either plugs into your motherboard or plugs into something else that plugs into your motherboard
• Motherboard

  • The socket and chipset will determine which processors you can install in your CPU socket
  • It will also dictate the size of the PC case you'll need to use

  
• Motherboard

  The most important component in the computer because it connects all the other components together

  
• Motherboard

  Functionally, it acts much like the nervous system of the computer

  
• Motherboard

  Also known as the system board, mainboard and mobo
• Popular motherboard brands

  • Asus
  • Gigabyte
  • MicroStar (MSI)
• Motherboard form factor


  The design of the motherboard
• There are dozens of motherboard form factors in existence</b>
• Desktop computer cases often support multiple sizes of motherboards, but laptops are another story

  
• With laptops, you almost always need to replace an old motherboard with the same version
• Motherboard form factor

  It will dictate the size of the PC case you'll need to use

  
• Chipset


  A collection of chips or circuits that perform interface and peripheral functions for the processor
• Northbridge


  Responsible for management of high-speed peripheral communications, including communications with integrated video and processor-to-memory communications
• Frontside bus (FSB)


  The set of signal pathways connecting the CPU and main memory
• Backside bus (BSB)


  The set of signal pathways between the CPU and any external cache memory
• Southbridge


  Responsible for providing support to the onboard slower peripherals (PS/2, parallel ports, serial ports, Serial and Parallel ATA, and so on), managing their communications with the rest of the computer and the resources given to them
• CPU socket


  A specific part on a motherboard that is purposely designed to hold a central processing unit (CPU)

  
• CPU socket

  • Designed with thousands of pins or contact points for power and data transfer between the CPU and the rest of the processors on the motherboard
  • CPU socket designs are commonly found among desktop PCs and workstations
• Typically, the processor is the easiest component to identify on the motherboard

  
• Most of the commercial motherboard comes with only one CPU socket and some products may have dual-CPU sockets on a single motherboard
• CPU socket

  • Designed to securely hold a CPU processor on the motherboard and help to prevent potential damage when the device is moved
  • A locking mechanism mounted a CPU tight in place with a lever that applies constant pressure on the CPU and makes sure the CPU's contact points are properly aligned with the CPU socket
  • CPU slots are made out of high-heat-resistant material that can withstand the heat from the CPU
• Although CPU slots and CPUs are squared shaped, there is only one correct installation alignment which is indicated with a small triangle on the edge of the CPU and CPU socket
• PGA (Pin Grid Array)


  A zero insertion force (ZIF) socket where there are thousands of metallic pins on the CPU that will connect to the CPU socket with thousands of pin gaps that match each of the CPU pins

  
• PGA

  • The pins are thick enough to handle more current, tougher compared to LGA, and it's easier to install or repair
  • The disadvantage is the fragile parts or the pins are located on the CPU, so you need to replace the expensive CPU when the pins get damage
• Many AMD CPUs use PGA sockets
• LGA (Land Grid Array)


  A CPU socket type where the metallic pins are located at the socket on the motherboard and the CPU is designed with flat gold contact pads located on the bottom of the CPU

  
• LGA

  • Cheaper repairing costs on the motherboard and more pins can be fit in the same space compared to the PGA style
  • The disadvantage is the LGA pins are thinner and more fragile that makes it harder to repair damaged pins
• LGA has been used since the later versions of Pentium 4 and is commonly used today on Intel motherboards
• BGA (Ball Grid Array)


  A CPU socket type that requires soldering the CPU on the CPU socket during installment using tiny solder dust the create a stronger bond and permanent link between the CPU and the CPU socket
• BGA

  • More durable, required less space, and provide more precise and faster connections
  • Requires special tools to install, complicated installation process, permanent installation, and is not replicable
• Intel uses mostly LGA socket type for their CPUs and AMD uses PGA for most of their CPUs

  
• SoC (System-on-chip)


  An integrated circuit that contains CPU, GPU, RAM, peripherals interfaces, and more that are all configured into a single silicon chip

  
• SoCs are much more power-efficient and faster than separate CPU, GPU, RAM components
• The latest huge leap for SoC is the Apple M1 chip that is integrated on MacBook laptops, replacing the x86 CPU that is commonly used for PC or laptop devices
• DIMM slots


  Memory or random access memory (RAM) slots for the modules that hold memory chips
• Expansion slots


  Small plastic slots used to install various devices in the computer to expand its capabilities, such as video, network, sound, and disk interface cards
• PCI expansion slots


  Operate at 33 MHz or 66 MHz over a 32-bit (4-byte) channel, resulting in data rates of 133 MBps and 266 MBps, respectively
• AGP expansion slots


  Known mostly for legacy video card use and have been supplanted in new installations by PCI Express slots
• PCIe expansion slots


  One of the newest expansion slot architectures that is being used by motherboards, faster than AGP while maintaining the flexibility of PCI
• IDE hard drive connectors


  The older hard drive standard connector