Base Plates: What are they, what are they for and what should I take into account when choosing mine?

In recent times, more and more people are dedicated to building their own computer. So that, choosing hardware such as a motherboard is not a simple taskmore when the user needs to have certain technical requirements.

The motherboard is an essential element for the operation of a computer, whether it is a desktop or a laptop. This is because all the other components are connected to this electronic device that work in a synchronized way so that the user can execute his tasks.

Have you ever wondered how a motherboard works? In this article we will answer that question. In addition, we will show you all the internal components that a board with these characteristics has, as well as which are the best mainboard manufacturers.

What is a motherboard and what is it used for in a computer?

The motherboard is an electronic component that is used to connect different devices through expansion slots. For example, the RAMvideo card and audio card.

This hardware is also called mainboard, motherboard, mother card or main board and has its own software, called bios. This is used to load the operating system and make the keyboard and other physical components work.

It is formed by a printed electronic circuit that is designed with tracks of a conductive material and that allow information to be transported through these buses. In addition, it serves to hold different connectors, diffusers, switches, ports and any other hardware that allows the correct operation of this board.

In this way, we can say that a motherboard is housed inside a PC case and it is used in a computer to put together all the elements that are necessary for the computer to start up and work according to user instructions. If you don’t know which motherboard you have, you can check this post.

What are the main components of a motherboard or motherboard?

Among the most important components that can be found on a motherboard we can mention the following:

• Processor: It is a silicon component and is in charge of receiving all the information, interpreting it and executing it according to the operating system and the applications that are installed on the computer. It works in conjunction with RAM memory and its speed is measured in Hertz units.
• RAM: This temporary storage device allows you to save all the information that was recently used by the user. It is related to the improvement in the experience of people using the computer.
• Discs: They are storage units that are used to save the data of the operating system and the different programs that are used. They rotate at speeds that can reach 10 thousand RPM.
• Power supply: As the motherboard is an electronic device, it needs electrical power. So this hardware is in charge of regulating the voltage and serving as a source for the mainboard.
• Graphic card: It is also called a video card and it is an integrated electronic circuit that is used to process all the graphic data so that the microprocessor works more efficiently.

These are not the only components that exist on a motherboard. We can also mention the following that have important functions, but we will detail them in another post.

The other components are:

• LGA or PGA socket.
• Voltage regulator module or VRM.
• departure ports. EthernetHDMI, DisplayPort, Jack, USB, etc.
• Network and sound chip.
• SATAused as a data transfer interface for storage devices.
• 2 and PCI Express, used as expansion cards.
• Various internal connectors. For example, fan, ATX, internal USB, CPU, etc.

Types of motherboards How are these hardware components classified?

Motherboards are classified according to the microprocessor they use as internal components. In this way, we can say that the types of motherboard that you can find are:

• With AMD microprocessor: Within this classification are sockets AM2, AM3, AM3+, AM4, FM1 and FM2.
• Intended for Intel microprocessors: You will find sockets LGA 1155, LGA 1150 and LGA 1151 as the most recent.

What is the format of a motherboard and what are all the ones that exist?

When we refer to motherboard format, what we are saying is what physical dimensions should a motherboard have to be compatible with the physical space of the pc case. That is, when you know the “form factor” physical characteristics can be defined, such as the location of the holes for the fastening screws, width and length of the card and the characteristics of the output connectors.

Currently used:

• Extended AXT: Its dimensions are 30.5 x 33 cm and are characterized by enough space for the installation of expansion cards. It has 8 slots for RAM memory.
• ATX: It measures a little less than the previous one 30.5 x 24.4 cm. They are intended more for home work or Gaming computers, since they have a fairly acceptable number of expansion slots. They have 7 in slots for RAM.
• Micro-ATX: As you will already realize, it is much smaller than the previous model, since it has a dimension of 24.4 x 24.4 cm. It is designed for office work and is characterized by the position of the screws, since not all PC cases are compatible with this model.
• Mini-ITX: She is one of the smallest. The dimensions of it are 17 x 17 cm. She has a single expansion slot for a video card and two for RAM.
• Private: Used to maintain a closed scheme according to the characteristics that the manufacturer incorporates in its products. It is very common to find it in Dell computers

You can also find some that are no longer so used:

• XT: It is the oldest of all and its size is that of an A4 sheet with a single output connector.
• AT: It was used until 1995 and its dimensions were 30.5 × 30.5 cm.
• ATX: It was released on the market in 2001 and was characterized by having a 24-pin connector for the power supply. It has several versions, being the original one from Intel with 30.5 × 24.4 cm. can also be found FlexATX Y MiniATX.
• ITX: It includes hardware that replaces the graphics card. Its surface is 21.5 × 19.5 cm. There are also other models like NanoITX 12 square centimeters and the PicoITX 10 × 7.2 cm.
• BTX: It was characterized by making little noise when the cooling process occurs. Its measurements were 32.5 × 26.7 cm and it was manufactured by Intel. There were also smaller models.
• DTX: AMD created this board with an area of ​​24.8 × 20.3 cm. Although there were also models Mini-DTX Y Full-DTX.

What should I take into account before choosing the ideal motherboard for me?

The first thing you should know is if you will use the computer for work or play. Since, if you need for gaming, you must have an SLI connection with game routes in 4K quality. Therefore, in order to build a computer that is ideal for you, you should keep in mind that the processor must be compatible with the socket. That is, you must verify that the motherboard compartment is suitable for AM2, AM3, AM3+ and AM4 (in the case of AMD), or with Ryzen (if you will use an Intel processor).

Also, you must verify that the integrated chip meets the technical specifications you need, especially when you have a high-end processor. This is necessary since you will not be able to count on the full power of the processor if the chip is not the right one.

Another aspect that you should consider is the frequency it supports for RAM memory. That is, if you need a memory that works at 3200 Mhz, you should consider that the motherboard must have at least this feature for the memory to work correctly.

A point that few people take into account is ventilation. The heatsink can be made of a more or less heat-conducting material, which means that in the medium or long term it can cause breakdowns in your computer. You should also take into account if the refrigeration I know will produce by liquid or by air and if this is compatible with the expansion slots that the board has.

List of the best motherboard manufacturers on the market

Motherboard manufacturer are:

• ASUS: The motherboards of this manufacturer belong to the Z370, X299 and X399 series. They have Intel processors and have more than 540 million motherboards sold worldwide.
• Dell: Optiplex TM is the name of the motherboards used by this company. It has series that allow 4 cabinet options and stand out for having Intel microprocessors and slots designed for PCI-Express.
• Intel: World leader in technology. It offers the market motherboards for servers and its HNS2600JF model is one of the most sought after by users.
• Lenovo: It provides boards that are compatible with Intel processors and the models from this company are ThinkCentre. It has a slot for PCI Express and 2 for PCI. It is characterized by presenting a security chip that allows the acceptance of digital signatures.
• SapphireTechnology: It is a company that manufactures its motherboards with AMD processors. They are ideal for video games and for office work. Its external expanders make these hardware a truly robust tool.