Motherboard Types
Express Bus Speeds
Slots & Sockets
I want an Intel Z490
Connectors
100
One of the most popular motherboard form factor types, it is a standard size and its letters stand for Advanced Technology Extended.
What is an ATX?
100
These are communication paths that go between all of these different components
What is a bus?
100
DIMM, SO-DIMM, and Micro-DIMM are different types and sizes of this kind of memory that fit into slots on the motherboard.
What is Random Access Memory or RAM?
100
Connects the microprocessor to the rest of the motherboard and therefore to the rest of the computer. On a PC, it consists of two basic parts.
What is a Chipset?
100

Electrical connection points that can be set to clear CMOS and functions attached to the motherboard.

What are jumpers?

200
One of two of the most popular motherboards; it’s just a little bit smaller than the standard ATX.
What is a Micro-ATX?
200
An important characteristic of an expansion bus. It determines how fast a bus can send information.
What is Clock Speed?
200
One common memory type, especially on desktop computers, it is a single module plugged into the system.
What is a DIMM Or Dual Inline Memory Module?
200
This chipset connects directly to the processor via the front side bus (FSB). A memory controller is located on it which gives the CPU fast access to the memory.
What is a Northbridge?
200
The best source of information about your motherboard connectors
What is Your Motherboard documentation?
300
Three of the smallest form factor motherboard types.
What is the Mini, the Nano, and the Pico ITX boards?
300
Memory that we can have in a computer that can transfer 64 times the amount of its memory clock speed.
What is DDR3 SDRAM?
300
The number of pins that should be used to connect your DIMM Memory Module to the motherboard, will depend on this type of memory.
What is a DDR memory?
300
This chipset connects to the PCI bus, the USB ports and the IDE or SATA hard disk connections.
What is the Southbridge?
300
One of the most important and biggest connection you plug in to the motherboard. It will have a 20 or a 24 pin connection.
What is the Power Supply?
400
Older Motherboards often had 20 pin connectors but most modern motherboards have this kind.
What is a 24 pin connector?
400
Expansion slots that are used to expand the capabilities of a motherboard.
What are Peripheral Component Interconnects or PCI Slots?
400
If you’re working with a laptop computer, you may need something this type of DIMM because it's smaller.
What is a Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Module or SO-DIMM?
400
The Northbridge chipset connects to this slot that connects sound, video and network cards to a motherboard.
What is a PCI Slot?
400
These often help you identify which connectors on the motherboard you plug wires into.
What are wire labels and text indicators?
500
A motherboard that is compatible in the screw sets with ATX and Micro-ATX. It can fit into almost any enclosure.
What is the Mini-ITX?
500
This bus has effectively replaced PCI, PCI-X, AGP and other types of expansion buses, because it is much more flexible in communicating and is faster.
What is the PCI Express or PCIe?
500

This kind of CPU socket contains tiny pins.

What is a Land Grid Array (LGA)?

500
Two other important chipsets on a motherboard.
What is the keyboard controller and the I/O controller?
500

Besides documentation, these are two other ways to tell if you've plugged a wire into the right connector on the motherboard or if there is a problem.

What are lights and sounds?

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