Motherboard (the mother to all the other components) A typical motherboard has attachment points for all the

common components in a computer. These are the Power Supply, CPU (Central Processing Unit), hard drive, RAM (Random Access Memory), graphics card, CD drive and other peripheral devices such as sound cards, network cards etc.

Built-in Motherboards In recent motherboards, the sound cards and even the network cards are built into the motherboard making it unnecessary to purchase additional cards. Some even have built in graphics card; but personally I would recommend buying a separate card. The reason for this, is because if you buy a motherboard that has the graphics card built in then it becomes much harder to upgrade your graphics in the future. Also unless you are just using your computer for word processing and the internet then you will need a better graphics card then those that are built into motherboards. So what is a motherboard's most important component? The chipset is, because it determines the capabilities and features of the motherboard. Every motherboard is different. Some have more expansion slots others have fancy features such as Wi-Fi or a 1394 connection. It is important that when you buy a computer you choose one that suits your needs. For example, if you have a wireless network that you want to connect to then it would be wise to purchase a motherboard that has wireless built into it.

Choosing a Motherboard Its important to know what a motherboard is before going out and buying one. I have made this error myself in building a computer. I thought I would save a bit of money and buy a cheaper motherboard, one that still ran my CPU fine but didnt have all the extras (wireless, firewire etc.) Well the motherboard ran fine but in the end I needed to purchase all the extras (wireless and firewire) because I needed them in my computer. So to avoid having to purchase parts later it is a wise idea to not be skimpy on the motherboard and buy one that really suits your needs. My page on Choosing a Motherboard will explain the choosing process in more detail.

CPUs and Motherboards Now every CPU (Central Processing Unit) does not go into every motherboard. This means that if you buy an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU then you will need to buy a motherboard that supports that CPU. Check with the manufacturer before buying the motherboard to make sure that the CPU suits the motherboard.

What is a Motherboard?
The motherboard is the main circuit board inside your PC. Every components at some point communicates through the motherboard, either by directly plugging into it or by communicating through one of the motherboards ports. The motherboard is one big communication highway. Its purpose inside your PC is to provide a platform for all the other components and peripherals to talk to each other.

Types of Motherboards
The type of motherboards depends on the CPU it was designed for. You can therefore categories motherboards by which socket type they have. e.g. Socket A, Socket 478 etc. The Type of motherboard you buy is very important, as it will need to house your CPU, and they are not interchangeable. When buying a motherboard, it will always tell you what socket type it has.

When Buying a Motherboard

As everything you have on the PC at some point needs the motherboard, you need to consider these components when buying a motherboard. Foe example, if you have a lot of devices with a PCI interface that you wish to use, there is little point buying a motherboard that only offers you 3 PCI slots. Like wise with memory, you have to make sure that there are enough slots for the amount of memory you have or wish to have. The motherboard also needs the correct type of interface for your Memory, Graphics card, Hard disks and other items as well. You will find that most motherboards offer everything you need however it needs checking on when buying. Its especially important to pay detail to your motherboard if you want to use older components, which a new motherboard may or may not support. The major difference between motherboards that support the same CPU is the model of the chipset (more on the chipset later). Different chipsets offer different performance and different features in terms of memory support, AGP port speed, Multiplier numbers, Bus speeds and much more.

Speed of a Motherboard
Motherboards have got to be one of the hardest components to measure the speed of. Performance can really only be measured by benchmarking using the same components in several motherboards of the same type. You often find that motherboards with the same chipset have roughly the same performance in real world tests. The minor differences that do occur are down to the quality of the materials used and the quality of the manufacturing. The Motherboards speeds that are quoted on the box are maximum supported speeds for other components. For example motherboards will quote the maximum FSB (Front Side Bus) speed. However without a CPU that also supports this speed, it will never be reached. Likewise when it quotes the maximum memory speed. The memory of this speed has to be present.

What is a Motherboard Chipset?

A motherboard chipset controls all the data that flows through the data channels (buses) of the motherboard. The primary function of the motherboard chipset is to direct this data to the correct area's of the motherboard, and therefore the correct components.

Components of a Motherboard
The motherboard contains many connections for all type of components. Motherboards contain expansion slots such as the ISA, PCI, AGP and DIMM sockets. It also contains external connections for your onboard sound card, USB ports, Serial and Parallel ports, PS/2 ports for your keyboard and mouse as well as network and Firewire connections. So the motherboard has a massive part to play in the workings of your PC. Components that you buy all rely on the motherboard to have the correct connections are available and working. Its best to buy a decent motherboard especially if you plan on buying extra's in the future.

Types of Motherbroad
1. ATX (Advanced Technolgy Extended) :The most motherboard designs in use today are based on ATX design. ATX motherboard always have tworaw port cluster on the rear of the motherboard which is cvered with removable plate. When viewed fro near an ATX power supply is at the left and its expansion slots are at the right. A full size ATX motherboard can have as many as 7 expansion slots but most have five or six. ATX flower cases are open from the left hand side. 2. Micro ATX/ Flex ATX :These are the reduced size versionof ATX,using the small overall layout but with fewer expansion slots, fewer memory sockets and smaller overall design. Micro ATX motherboard used in low cost system have 3 or 4 slots. Flex ATX motherboards are smaller typically have two one or no slots. Normally ATX motherboard supports 20 pin ATX power supply where AT motherboard supports 12 pin AT power supply. 3. BTX (Balanced Technology power supply) :It is the latest type motherboard, introduced in 2004, BTX tower cases are opened from right hand. BTX system uses in-line air flow, larger fans and thermal module for the processor to provide more effective cooling than ATX. Other differences include a larger connector. Except these, there are other types motherboards like AT, Baby-AT, LPX, NLX, etc.

PCI Slot :- Most desktop systems have one or more PCI slots. It is very flexible supporting all

types of ad in cards including video desktop systems use 32 bit, 33 mhz virsion of PCI while work

station server use 64 bit and 66 Mhz version as well for faster interfacing to high performance drives and network adaptor.

AGP Slot :- Usually it comes with brown color. It is single slot dedicated to high speed video. Some systems with integrated video offer an AGP port for video upgrades. PCI-X slot :- Bassically it comes with some work stations and servers. It is faster versions of PCI slot which also support PCI cards. Gigabytes ethernets cards plug into PCI-X slots. AMR/CNR slot :- Some motherboards features one or two riser card standard for connected also supports surround sound as well as modem and network function.