What is a motherboard - Features and operation

One of the most important elements of any computer is the motherboard. This element is of great importance, since it is where the components are installed and allows them to communicate with each other. Inside the motherboard we can find a great variety and quantity of sockets and connectors designed for different elements. Here we will explain the most important parts and main characteristics of motherboards

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What is a baseboard?

The motherboard is the element where all the components of a computer are connected and through which they communicate. There are different formats of motherboards, thus being able to develop large format systems or compact systems. We must also take into account what type of processor they are manufactured for, since those manufactured for Intel processors are not compatible with AMD processors and vice versa.

All hardware, whether primary or peripheral, connects to the motherboard. The primary hardware it is installed directly on the motherboard, while the peripheral depends on the connectivity of the motherboard. Components such as processor, RAM or graphics card connect directly to it. Peripherals such as keyboard, mouse or speakers are connected through specific ports.

These components can communicate directly with each other (such as the processor and the graphics) or communicate indirectly through data buses managed by the chipset or processor. This will depend on the manufacturer of the motherboard and who made the processor.

To avoid compatibility problems between manufacturers and in order to unify computer chassis, the motherboards have specific dimensions. While it is true that some OEM system manufacturers make their own custom motherboards.

Note that the following essential elements are installed on the motherboard for a computer to work:

• Processor
• Graphic card
• RAM
• Storage unit
• Fuente de alimentación

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Motherboard formats

We can find different formats of motherboards on the market. Although there are other formats currently, we are going to focus on the four most common formats.

E-ATX

Currently the E-ATX format is the largest on the market and is specially designed for advanced systems. The base plates of this format have standard dimensions of 305x330mm.

Typically these motherboards are intended for Workstation category processors and the like. They are characterized above all by having up to 8 RAM memory slots and a large number of VRM phases. Additionally, this type of motherboard usually has between 4 and 5 PCIe x16 slots for expansion cards, such as graphics cards.

ATX

This motherboard format was developed in 1995 by Intel and is the most common format in gaming motherboards. This motherboard has dimensions of 305x244mm, although some manufacturers can change it to make it a little wider. It is not the most common, but still the anchor holes remain in the same position.

This type of format is the most used for the configuration of all types of desktop computers. Normally this type of motherboard has 3 PCIe x16 slots and one or two PCIe x1, although in modern systems the latter are being replaced by M.2 slots. Additionally, this type of motherboard usually has 4 slots for RAM memory.

Micro ATX

Micro ATX format motherboards have dimensions of 244x244mm, reducing their surface by 25%. Initially it was thought as a format for systems intended for offices and the like, although they are also quite common in the gaming market. It allows the development of more compact systems without losing connectivity with respect to the ATX format.

Mini ITX

Finally we have the smallest motherboard format that is marketed today. These motherboards have dimensions of 170x170mm and connectivity is reduced to its minimum expression. Motherboards of this format usually have only one PCIe x16 slot and two RAM memory slots. Some modern motherboards for the gaming market support M.2 drives on the back of the motherboard.

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Physical components of a motherboard

chipset

This integrated circuit is in charge of managing communication between the processor and other components on the motherboard. Typically handles processor communication with some expansion slots, storage drives, and input and output ports.

We have to highlight that Intel and AMD manufacture their chipsets separately and only work with their respective processors. In addition, the chipsets of each of the manufacturers are usually updated with each new generation of processors. There may be compatibility of the chipset with several generations of processors, something that is happening more and more.

Chipset design on older motherboards

Formerly motherboards had two chipsets, one near the processor called Northbridge and one in the lower right corner, called Southbridge. These two chips carried out different procedures and shared the workload. Currently the Northbridge is already integrated within the same processor, leaving only the Southbridge.

North Bridge: Manages the communication bus between the processor and RAM. This bus is called Front Side BUS or FSB and is responsible for managing data transfer speeds. Currently, this port is also in charge of managing a part of the PCIe lines and the bus speeds.

South Bridge: It communicates directly with the Northbridge via the Direct Media Interface or DMI bus. It has the ability to handle additional PCIe lanes, as well as other input and output ports. It is currently in charge of managing the SATA ports for storage, USB connectivity and some of the network connectivity as well. The network connectivity in modern processors are managed by the Northbridge and the Southbridge would manage additional network connectivity chips such as Ethernet, WiFi or Bluetooth.

Chipset design on modern motherboards

Multi-core Intel Core processors and AMD FX processors have been integrated into a single chipset on the motherboard. We could say that the Northbridge was absorbed and the processor was integrated into the DIE itself. Currently motherboards only have one chipset, the Southbridge which is usually installed in the lower right corner of the motherboard.

The XNUMXrd Gen AMD Ryzen They have removed the Northbridge from the CPU DIE, but it is in the same package. AMD has renamed it DIE I / O and manages some PCIe lanes, the RAM bus, communication with the Southbridge, and communication between the processor DIEs.

Chipset types

Currently we can find three types of chipset (Southbridge) according to the needs of the user. First we have the high-end chipsets, which are the ones that offer greater connectivity and overclocking capacity. Mid-range chipsets tend to be more limited in connectivity and typically don't offer overclocking support. Finally we have the low-end chipset, which has very limited connectivity and does not integrate support for overclocking.

We must remember that Intel manufactures its chipsets that are only compatible with its processors, just like AMD.

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Processor socket

One of the elements that is installed on the motherboard is the processor, which is installed in a specific socket. All motherboards have a specially designed processor socket. It should be noted that the Intel sockets and the AMD sockets are different and do not support compatibility between them. In addition, the socket can be switched between generation of processors or between processor ranges.

There are three types of socket:

• PGA (Pid Grid Array): This is designed for processors that have their own pins. Here you have to be delicate with the handling and installation of the processor, since we could bend some pins.
• LGA (Land Grid Array): The pins are already installed in the socket and the processor has a 'smooth' surface. The processor must be placed carefully in the socket, as we could bend or damage any of the pins
• BGA (Ball Grid Array): The processor is directly soldered on the motherboard. This is often the case with laptops and other compact systems.

RAM

The RAM memory slots are easy to identify and are usually close to the processor. We can find groups of 4 slots for commercial computers and 8 slots for professional and more advanced systems. Note that Mini ITX format motherboards only have 2 RAM memory slots.

All motherboards with 4 RAM memory slots (and also those with 2 slots) make use of Dual Channel technology. This means that the RAM memory modules are grouped in pairs working in parallel, improving performance. The motherboards with 8 RAM memory slots make use of Quad Channel technology. In this case the modules are grouped into sets of 4 to perform tasks in parallel.

The current memory tin is DDR4, although some systems that make use of DDR3 can still be seen. The design of DDR4 prevents it from being installed on a DDR3 motherboard and vice versa.

VRM (Voltage Regulator Module)

Set of electronic circuits and capacitors that are responsible for supplying power to the processor. These components have the ability to regulate the processor's input voltage and current. These elements are usually hidden under passive heat sinks.

Expansion slots

It allows to install additional hardware in our system, usually allowing to install graphics cards, hard drives, network cards, etc. These slots are standardized and are called PCIe, which are available in different formats. Its name depends directly on the length, which usually coincides with the number of lines.

Currently the most used formats are: PCIe x1, PCIe x2, PCIe x4 and PCIe s16. We also have the PCIe x8 format, although it is becoming less and less used. It should be noted that the x16 length slots may have a limited number of lines, which may be: x8 and x4.

Additionally, along with these slots, we can find the M.2, which is also based on the PCIe interface, but has a different name and design. This type of M.2 slot is primarily intended for hard disk drives.

BIOS

The Basic Input-Output System chip, also known as BIOS, is usually a ROM, ERPM or Flash RAM type memory. The BIOS contains all the information regarding low-level motherboard settings. The BIOS is accompanied with the CMOS memories that contains software to initialize our hardware.

CMOS, in addition to initializing hardware, has the ability to detect errors in installed hardware. It can detect problems in the RAM, hard disk or processor, in addition to the lack of these elements.

It should be noted that the BIOS has a battery that powers this chip permanently. It serves so that the configuration is not lost when we turn off our computer. When the battery is depleted or removed, the BIOS reverts to the factory default settings. Even without the stack, critical information is never lost.

Sound card

Normally modern motherboards already integrate this type of memory in the motherboards itself. It is usually in the lower left part of the motherboard and is usually based on a specific sound chip and rectifier capacitors. Some motherboards have a simple sound card and others offer different sound settings, such as 5.1.

NIC

Some modern processors already integrate it in the same silicon and in other cases it is the chipset that is responsible for the management. Some manufacturers choose to install higher quality network cards on the motherboard. Some motherboards even have expansion slots for WiFi + Bluetooth network cards, to offer more possibilities to the user.

SATA connectors

They are the communication ports with the storage units that are currently used by SSDs and HDDs. The SATA port makes use of a serial bus instead of using a parallel system for data transmission. Additionally, it allows the installation and disconnection of units hot.

M.2 slot

Developed specifically for storage units, although it can also be used for network cards. This type of connection can install drives based on a SATA bus or NVMe. Normally one or two of these connectors tend to go directly to the processor, offering high data transfer speed.

Power connectors

ATX 24 pins

Conventional power connector that is based on 24 pins (and cables) that power different aspects of the motherboard. It is normally located in the right area, next to the RAM memory slots.

EPS + 12V

Motherboards integrate this power connector to power the processor. This connector goes to the VRM phases and from there the processor is fed. Currently this connector has a 4-pin, 4 + 6-pin, 8 + 6-pin, and 8 + 8-pin configuration. The configuration depends on the motherboard and for which processors it is destined, its overclocking capacity is also taken into account.

Additional internal connectors

We can find different types of connectors on motherboards that allow us to install or offer connectivity expansion. The most common are:

• Fan connectors: Motherboards usually integrate a wide variety of 3-pin or 4-pin connectors to connect fans. Some modern high-end motherboards have special connectors for liquid cooling pumps
• USB ports: They are integrated into the lower area of ​​the motherboard and are intended to offer USB connectivity on the front of the chassis. Some motherboards even have a Thunderbolt connector
• Sound ports: Next to the sound card we find a connector for microphone input and sound output jacks on the front of the chassis.
• Starter connections: They are a set of connectors where the start and reset buttons of the chassis are connected. The power and status button of the hard disk is also connected
• RGB lighting: Many modern motherboards integrate RGB or ARGB connectors to add color-changing LED strips that synchronize with the rest of the lighting system

External connectors

All motherboards have a series of connectors in the upper left area to connect different peripherals. Expansion, video, sound and network ports are commonly found. The main connectors are:

• PS / 2: Currently this port is practically deprecated, but it is still found on some motherboards. It has 6 pins and modern systems support a mouse or keyboard interchangeably. Modern keyboards no longer use this connector, they use the USB port
• USB (Universal Serial Bus): Most used connection standard in the world. They are plug and play type connectors and allow any device to be hot removed. Currently the most common standards are: USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB 3.1 and USB 3.2
• Thunderbolt: High-end motherboards make use of the most advanced connection port on the market. It is based on a special Type-C connector and is compatible with USB and DisplayPort
• HDMI: Video output port that allows you to take advantage of the integrated graphics chip in some modern processors. It only offers support for video and audio output, but does not support data transfer
• DisplayPort: Video output port that allows you to take advantage of the integrated graphics chip in some modern processors. In addition to allowing video and audio transfer, it also allows data transfer
• DVI: Video-out port that is the predecessor of the DisplayPort connector. Some of these connectors allow data and video transfer, but not all versions.
• VGA: Old disused video out port that only allows video transfer
• Ethernet: It is based on the RJ45 connector and allows the computer to connect to the router via cable and connect to the internet. Some modern motherboards can contain two of these ports that are controlled by two different network cards. Additionally, some add connectors to connect to WiFi networks
• 3.5mm jack: They are connectors for audio input or output and allow different configurations

Motherboard operation

A motherboard has a fairly complex operation, although at first glance it is a fairly 'simple' element. The motherboard has a large number of elements and buses that exchange information between the different elements that are installed.

The first step that the motherboard performs is the initialization of the components and their verification. This process is carried out through the software integrated in the BIOS, which performs a check of the devices connected to it. The items it checks are: the processor, the graphics card, the RAM and the storage units. If any are faulty, broken, or have a malfunction, the motherboard will emit a series of tones indicating the type of fault. Some modern motherboards have a small LED display that shows a code.

In parallel, the processor, which integrates the Northbridge, loads the RAM memory and initializes the graphics card. In this case, it will take care of the installed graphics card (s) that communicate directly with the processor.

When the verification process finishes, the internal bus loads the information from the storage units. Currently who performs this process is the chipset (the classic southbridge)

After requesting and uploading the information obtained, it proceeds to verify other parameters. Specifically, it initializes the input and output devices connected to the motherboard. This is a process that runs in parallel while loading the operating system data in the boot process.

The boot process is basically an exchange of data between the different communication buses, the processor and the chipset.

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