ATX vs Micro-ATX vs Mini-ITX (All Differences)

The importance of a good motherboard is something that we simply cannot overlook. I have seen so many people buying motherboards that look good from afar but, in reality, have a whole host of issues, and we do not want that to happen, in the first place.

The point that I am making is that you should always carefully choose the motherboard you are looking for.

Whether you are trying to figure out about ATX vs Micro-ATX vs Mini-ITX or you are looking at general specifications, it is always better that you look into the proper offerings before you decide.

Now, in this post, we are going to look at what the difference between form factors is, so let’s not waste time and have a look.

Let’s Discuss ATX Motherboards

ATX is perhaps the most common form factor, easily available, and honestly, the most complete solution for those who are looking for a good motherboard.

These motherboards start from really affordable and go all the way up to really expensive offerings. It all depends on what you are looking to get your hands on, and it is always a good thing to know what you want to buy and what you want to avoid.

ATX motherboards are generally favored by a lot of people and are easy to work with, thanks to how generic they are, in a good way.

What are some advantages?

As for some advantages of ATX motherboards, you can have a look at them below.

• Easily available.
• Excellent compatibility with cases.
• Has the most number of ports.
• You get more advanced features.

What are some cons?

Moving onto the disadvantages, with ATX motherboards, you don’t normally run into any issues. However, there is one that comes to mind.

• An abundance of options can easily confuse even the most veteran PC builders.

Let’s Discuss Micro ATX Motherboards

Moving on, we have micro ATX or MATX motherboards. These are smaller than ATX counterparts but still offer plenty of use-case scenarios.

They are not as common as the ATX motherboards, but more and more manufacturers have finally shifted focus on these motherboards, which is resulting in increased availability as we go forward.

• Related: How to select a motherboard

In terms of price, micro ATX motherboards are slightly more expensive, and you don’t get as many options as ATX motherboards.

What are some advantages?

You can see some of the key advantages of micro ATX motherboards listed below for your convenience.

• They are smaller and easily fit into smaller supported cases.
• They do deliver comparable performance to their ATX counterparts.
• They still offer all the modern technology found in ATX motherboards.
• They are no longer as difficult to find in the market.

What are some cons?

As for some cons revolving around the micro ATX motherboards, you can have a look at them below.

• They don’t always offer the same number of ports and slots on the motherboard.
• These motherboards, although excellent, often lack on some advanced features.
• Smaller size means you have to settle for smaller cases, and there can often be compatibility issues with other components.

Let’s Discuss Mini ITX Motherboards

On the last, we have mini ITX motherboards. As the name suggests, these are the smallest motherboards in the standard, consumer-level form factor for motherboards and, over time, have become a bit more accessible for those who are looking for a decent experience.

Now, there are certain benefits to going for a mini ITX motherboard, and at the same time, you do often run into some issues.

But don’t worry; we are going to take a look at some of the things you should know about these motherboards.

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What are some advantages?

Some of the common advantages of mini ITX motherboards are listed below for your convenience so you do not run into any issues understanding.

• They are small and can be very powerful.
• Excellent offerings for those who want to build small but powerful computers.
• Has all the modern features.
• It can easily be overclocked.

What are some cons?

As for the cons of mini ITX motherboards, we are going to explore just those in this post as we look into everything that you need to know.

• They are generally more expensive with the least amount of variety to choose from.
• Lacks a lot of ports.
• Mini ITX cases often run into compatibility issues with other components.

ATX vs Micro ATX

Now that we are done looking at the advantages and disadvantages of all motherboard form factors, we are now going to compare them on an individual level, starting with ATX and micro ATX, considering how these motherboards are a lot more common.

Now, we can say that micro ATX is slightly smaller than ATX, wherein there is not a massive difference.

For instance, a micro ATX motherboard has 244x244mm dimensions, and it supports almost everything that you can find on a normal-sized ATX motherboard, with the main difference coming in the shape of some features being cut away.

You even get 4 slots on almost all micro ATX motherboards, so that is not really a problem.

ATX vs Mini ITX

Moving on, we look at the ATX and mini ITX motherboards and how they compare. Honestly, these are the motherboards that have the biggest difference in terms of size, with ATX being the standard size and mini ITX being the smallest.

While it might not sound like a lot, but an ATX motherboard measures at 305x244mm, whereas an ITX motherboard measures at 170.18×170.18mm. So, you can see the difference.

Not just that, ITX motherboards also have the least number of ports, just two RAM slots and a single PCI-express slot.

As far as VRM design and other aspects are concerned, mini ITX motherboards do offer those and can be overclocked, provided that is what you paid for.

Last but not least, mini ITX motherboards are more expensive than their larger counterparts and are not as commonly available in the market.

Micro ATX vs Mini ITX

Next up, we have micro ATX motherboards and mini ITX motherboards. These motherboards might not sound like they differ from each other, but in reality, they are inherently different, with size being one of the factors that differentiate them.

Mini ITX motherboards are not as common as micro ATX motherboards and, in almost all the cases, require smaller hardware and the rest of the components to fit the motherboards properly.

ATX vs Micro-ATX vs Mini-ITX

Comparing all three motherboards, one thing is for sure, the difference is there, and you will not have any issues identifying these motherboards from each other.

I do understand that sometimes, it can be difficult to figure out which offers you should go for, but for the most part, finding the difference is not really that complicated, and you should be able to identify things rather carefully and without any confusion.

I would suggest that you are always going for an ATX motherboard because the size is near perfect, and you will not have any complications either.

More motherboard guides:

• How to tell what motherboard I have
• Does a motherboard affect gaming performance
• How to tell if your motherboard is dead