Characteristics of the PC motherboard. Motherboard: structure, functions, types, dimensions

During the operation of a computer, users encounter not only the software, but also the hardware of the system. The main and main component of every computer, smartphone or tablet is its motherboard (mother board - another name).

The concept of a motherboard, its functions

The motherboard (system) board is the main device of the computer, which ensures the functionality of all child components and communication between them. Opening the cover of the computer system unit, it is very easy to notice the mother board, because it is the most labor-intensive and largest component. The main computer circuit looks like this:

The MP has many connectors, thanks to which you can connect HDD, processor, RAM, video card and other equally important hardware components of the computer.

In physical terms, a standard MP resembles a complex board with many different chips and connectors. When choosing computer components, first of all pay attention to the characteristics of the motherboard, because it determines what components of what power can be connected to it. The speed and multitasking of the computer depends on the mother board.

If, for example, you need to change the video card in your computer, then first of all you need to determine which motherboard (circuit) is in the system unit. For example, the AGP type scheme is long outdated and it is almost impossible to find a video card with powerful characteristics for it.

Where can I find information about which main circuit is used on a particular computer? This can be done in two ways:

  1. Read directly on the diagram itself.
  2. In the documentation for the device (provided that no hardware components have been changed or modified since the date of purchase).
  3. Take advantage of the special software, which can show information about all equipment. For example, a program called "CPU-Z" is able to provide the user with information about the model motherboard. To do this, you need to install and run the program. On the Maindoard tab, select the model field. Which indicates the type and all the necessary information about the circuit.

In order for all MP components to communicate with each other, so-called communication buses are used - the structural unit of all mother boards. Tires come in two types:

  1. The main computer bus is a component of the MP with the help of which cache memory and the Central Processing Unit (central processor) operate.
  2. System computer bus. Operates with information from all components of the motherboard.

Motherboard components

You can learn more about what a computer motherboard is by delving into its components. Diagram of components connected to the mother board:

The above diagram is very simplified, however, with the help of it you can get an understanding of how the motherboard of any computer works.

The characteristics of the motherboard consist of the following main points:

  1. Shape and type. This item determines the size of the circuit and the types of connectors located on it.
  2. Main system circuit power supply type. This characteristic implies different types of connector to which the computer's power supply is connected.
  3. CPU socket. An important step in choosing any motherboard is the selection of a processor and circuitry that will be interconnected. The processor socket connector must match the specific CPU model and functionality. It is worth noting that almost always the documentation for the motherboard indicates all brands and models of CPUs compatible with it, so choosing this component will not be difficult even for inexperienced users.
  4. RAM slots. This characteristic is measured quantitatively, that is, each circuit has a certain number of slots for RAM - they determine the maximum amount of RAM that can be installed on a computer. Note that the more slots a motherboard supports, the higher the cost will be.
  5. Bus frequency. This is a system bus type. This characteristic implies a certain speed at which the board components will operate. It is measured in gigahertz.

In many cases, the mother circuit may contain an integrated video system (video card). In this case, purchasing a separate video card is not required. Of course, such boards will cost slightly more than similar options without built-in video systems. However, there is one drawback to this type of video card - if you often change hardware components or over time you need to improve the video card, then this will be extremely difficult or completely impossible.

An audio system can also be built into the diagram. In this case, there is no need to buy and install an audio card. Disk controllers circuits show the user what options for removable and hard drives can be connected to mother board.

Modern microcircuits are equipped with Bluetooth technology, which allows you to work with wireless mice, monitors, keyboards and other devices. In the same way, some schemes support Wi-Fi technology.

Modern boards and rating of the best manufacturers. Tips on how to choose a good motherboard

The tips are selected based on the latest computer characteristics of modern computers. A correctly selected mother board will allow the computer to operate as stably as possible and without system failures.

Since each main computer chip has its own processor (that is, a chipset), an important factor in choosing the entire board is the correct selection of its chipset.

The most popular companies in the world that develop chipsets for motherboards are AMD and Intel:

  1. AMD chipsets are suitable for office models and are intended mainly for corporate use.
  2. Chipsets from Intel are perfect for gaming, home or office devices.

The motherboard is the main one in the system unit. It contains components that define the computer architecture:

    CPU;

    constant ( ROM) and operational ( RAM) memory, cache memory;

    bus interface circuits;

    expansion sockets;

    mandatory system input/output facilities, etc.

Motherboards are based on chipsets called chipsets(ChipSets). Often, disk drive controllers, a video adapter, port controllers, etc. are also installed on motherboards. Cards for peripheral devices such as a modem, network card, video card, etc. are installed in the motherboard expansion slots.

IV. Computer system interfaces

In order to connect different computer devices to each other, they must have the same interface(English interface from inter - between, and face - face).

If the interface is generally accepted, for example, approved at the level of international agreements, then it is called standard.

Interface - this is hardware and software (connection elements and auxiliary control circuits, their physical, electrical and logical parameters) designed to interface systems or parts of a system (programs or devices). Pairing refers to the following functions:

    issuing and receiving information;

    data transfer control;

    coordination of the source and receiver of information.

In connection with the concept interface also consider the concept tire (backbone) is a signal transmission medium to which several components of a computer system can be connected in parallel and through which data is exchanged. Obviously, for most hardware components interfaces the term is applicable tire, therefore these two designations are often used as synonyms, although interface- a broader concept.

Each of the functional elements (memory, monitor or other device) is associated with a bus of a certain type - address, control or data bus.

To coordinate interfaces, peripheral devices are connected to the bus not directly, but through their controllers(adapters) and ports approximately according to this scheme:

Controllers and adapters are sets of electronic circuits that are supplied to computer devices for the purpose of compatibility of their interfaces. Controllers, in addition, directly control peripheral devices at the request of the microprocessor.

Ports are also called standard interface devices: serial, parallel and game ports (or interfaces).

TO consistent The port is usually used to connect slow or fairly remote devices, such as a mouse and modem. TO parallel“faster” devices are connected to the port - a printer and a scanner. Through game port connects the joystick. The keyboard and monitor are connected to their specialized ports, which are simply connectors.

The main electronic components that define the processor architecture are located on the main board of the computer, which is called systemic or maternal(MotherBoard). And controllers and adapters of additional devices, or these devices themselves, are made in the form expansion boards(DaughterBoard - daughter board) and are connected to the bus using expansion connectors, also called expansion slots(English slot - slot, groove).

For interfaces, providing a point-to-point connection (as opposed to bus interfaces), the following implementations of exchange modes are possible: duplex, half-duplex and simplex. Duplex includes interfaces, providing the ability to simultaneously transfer data between two devices in both directions. In the case when the communication channel between devices supports bidirectional exchange, but at any given time information can be transferred only in one direction, the exchange mode is called half-duplex. An important characteristic of a half-duplex connection is the mode reversal time - the time during which the transition from sending a message to receiving it and vice versa occurs. If interface implements data transfer only in one direction and the movement of the data flow in the opposite direction is impossible, such interface called simplex.

The following are also important specifications interfaces:

    capacity (maximum possible number of subscribers simultaneously connected to the controller interface without extenders);

    throughput or transmission speed (duration of operations to establish and disconnect communications and the degree of combination of data transfer processes);

    maximum communication line length;

    bit depth;

    connection topology.

Based on their functional purpose, system systems can be distinguished interfaces (interfaces, connecting individual parts of a computer as a microprocessor system) and interfaces peripheral devices.

System interface usually performed in the form of standardized system buses. However, recently there have been trends in the introduction of networking concepts into the architecture of system interfaces.

There are two classes of system interfaces: with common tire(address and data signals are multiplexed) and with isolated tire(separate data and address signals). The ancestors of modern system buses are:

    Unibus from DEC ( interface with a common tire),

    Intel Multibus ( interface with isolated tire).

System interfaces for PCs based on Intel-386 and Intel-486

The first standard system interface for PC based on IA-32 CPU should be considered ISA(Industry Standard Architecture - Industrial Standard Architecture). ISA represents tire, used in IBM PC-compatible PCs to provide power and interface between expansion cards and the system board into which they are inserted. Full description tires, including its timing characteristics, was published as IEEE P996-1987.

The first iteration of this architecture for the 4.77 MHz 8086/8088 CPU was a 62-pin tire with 8 data lines, 20 address lines, signals for interrupts and DMA requests and acknowledgments, as well as power lines and clock signals.

The advent of 32-bit Intel-386 and Intel-486 processors showed that the speed of the ISA bus was a limiting factor in improving computer performance. In 1989, a group of companies (Compaq, Hewlett Packard, NEC, etc.) proposed an evolutionary development of the ISA architecture - the EISA (Extended ISA) bus. On the one hand, EISA had all the advantages of a high-performance 32-bit bus, and on the other hand, it was fully compatible with ISA "top-down" and did not require a transition to a new elementary base.

An alternative system architecture, MCA (Micro Channel Architecture), was proposed by IBM in 1987 with the PS/2 PC series. The main advantage of MCA compared to ISA was the increase in the data bus width to 32 bits.

MCA is processor-independent and completely asynchronous. This bus, in addition to the IBM PS/2 PC, was also used in IBM RS/6000 workstations and in high-performance computers of the Power Parallel SP2 series (for example, Deep Blue).

Automatic system configuration is provided for the MCA trunk. In this case, the user can change and assign priorities to various devices. To increase the transfer speed in DMA mode, a special block mode (burst mode) is used.

In a typical Intel-386/486 based system ( rice. 14.1) used separate tires for memory and input/output devices, which made it possible to make maximum use of the capabilities of RAM and ensure maximum speed of working with it. However, in this case, devices connected through the described system interfaces, cannot achieve transfer speeds comparable to the processor. This is mainly required for video adapters and storage controllers. To solve the problem, an architecture based on local buses was proposed ( rice. 14.2), which directly connected the processor with peripheral controllers.

Rice. 14.1. Typical Low Speed ​​I/O Bus System

Rice. 14.2. Local Bus (VLB) System

The most common local tires were considered VLB And PC I. VLB (VESA Local Bus) is an extension tires processor without intermediate buffers, which sharply limits its load capacity (2-3 devices). VLB is 32-bit tire data and 32-bit tire addresses. The advantage of VLB is its simplicity and low cost. However, this development has not found wide application, because was forced out tire PCI.

PCI interface

The dominant position in the PC market is occupied by systems based on tires PCI(Peripheral Component Interconnect - Interaction of peripheral components). This interface was proposed by Intel in 1992 (standard PCI 2.0 - in 1993) as an alternative to local tire VLB/VLB2. She is not tire processor. Because the tire PCI It is not processor-specific and can be used for other processors. Tire PCI was adapted to processors such as Alpha, MIPS, PowerPC and SPARC. Exactly PCI replaced NuBus on the Apple Macintosh platform.

Tires ISA, EISA or MCA can be controlled tire PCI using an interface bridge ( rice. 14.3), which allows you to install I/O device boards with different system interfaces.

Rice. 14.3. PCI based system

PCI supports direct memory access procedure of the master device on tire(bus mastering DMA). The processor can operate in parallel with peripheral devices that are master devices. tire.

In addition, fees PCI support:

    automatic Plug&Play configuration (does not require manual assignment of BIOS extension addresses);

    interrupt sharing (where the same interrupt number can be used by different devices);

    signal parity tires data and address tires;

    configuration memory from 64 to 256 bytes (manufacturer code, device code, device class (function) code, etc.).

Personal computers may have two or more buses PCI. Each tire manages your bridge PCI, which allows you to install more boards into your computer PCI(up to 16 - addressing limitation).

AGP port

With the widespread adoption of multimedia bandwidth technologies tires PCI The video card became insufficient for productive operation. In order not to change the existing standard to tire PCI, but, at the same time, to speed up data input/output to the video card and increase the performance of three-dimensional image processing, in 1996 Intel proposed a dedicated interface to connect a video card - AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port - high-speed graphics port). For the first time port AGP was introduced on Pentium II based systems. In such systems, the chipset was divided into two bridges ( rice. 14.3): “north” (North Bridge) and “southern” (South Bridge). The Northbridge connected the CPU, memory and video card - the three devices in the system between which the largest data flows travel. Thus, the north bridge is assigned the functions of a main memory controller, a bridge AGP and interface devices with the façade tire FSB (Front-Side Bus) processor. The bridge itself PCI, which serves the remaining I/O devices in the system, including the IDE controller (PIIX), is implemented based on the south bridge.

One of the developers' goals AGP there was a reduction in the cost of the video card due to a decrease in the amount of built-in video memory. According to Intel, large amounts of video memory would not be needed for AGP cards, since the technology provided high-speed access to shared memory.

The main processing of 3D images is performed in the computer's main memory by both the central processor and the video card processor. AGP provides two mechanisms for the video card processor to access memory:

    DMA (Direct Memory Access) - regular direct memory access. In this mode, the main memory is considered to be the built-in video memory on the card, textures are copied there from the computer's system memory before being used by the video card processor;

    DIME (Direct In Memory Execute) - direct execution in memory. In this mode, the main and video memory are located in a common address space. The shared space is emulated using the GARP (Graphic Address Remapping Table) in 4 KB blocks. Thus, the video card processor is able to directly work with textures in main memory without the need to copy them to video memory. This process is called AGP texturing.

To benefit from the port application AGP, in addition to the required hardware support (i.e. graphics adapter AGP and system board), the necessary support must be provided by the operating system and video adapter driver, and the application program must use the new port capabilities AGP(e.g. 3D texture projection).

PCI Express

Interface PCI Express (original name - 3GIO 1) ) uses the concept PCI, however, their physical implementation is radically different. On the physical level PCI Express does not represent tire, but some kind of network interaction based on a serial protocol. High performance PCI Express allows you to abandon other system interfaces (AGP, PCI), which also makes it possible to abandon the division of the system chipset into north and south bridges in favor of a single controller PCI Express.

One of the conceptual features interface PCI Express, which allows you to significantly increase system performance, is the use of a “star” topology. In the "bus" topology ( rice. 14.5a) devices have to share bandwidth PCI between themselves. With a star topology ( rice. 14.5b) each device exclusively uses the channel connecting it to the hub (switch) PCI Express, without sharing the bandwidth of this channel with anyone.

Rice. 14.5. Comparison of PCI and PCI Express topologies

I used to lead a very active life: I played tennis, football, chess and shooting, took part in car racing, seduced beautiful girls... But it all ended when the motherboard on the computer burned out!

Surely any user, even the most hopeless "teapot", has ever heard this phrase - "motherboard". And this is not surprising - after all, the reliability and efficiency of the PC largely depends on the quality and capabilities of this element of the computer, and, consequently, this computer term is very popular.

Each computer is a complex device containing many nodes and chips. It would seem that placing them all so that they do not interfere with each other and can interact effectively is an impossible task for designers. But a solution to this problem was found - it turns out that it is enough to place all the most important microcircuits, including the processor, on one single large board.

So, the computer motherboard (in English written as motherboard, we will also use this term in the future), also called the system board, is the main device of a personal computer. Its main purpose is to connect and combine all the nodes and components of the computer into a single whole. Many nodes are physically located on the motherboard, while others are connected to it using cables.

Main functions of the motherboard:

  1. Placement of main components and PC systems
  2. Integration of main components and PC systems
  3. Power supply to main components and PC systems

What devices are placed on the motherboard:

  • CPU socket
  • Chipset
  • Expansion slots
  • Memory connectors
  • Connectors for connecting drives
  • Ports
  • BIOS chip
  • Network card (optional)
  • Video card (optional)
  • Sound card (optional)

The motherboard is secured using special screws in the computer case. In practice, replacing the motherboard essentially means upgrading the entire computer.

It should be noted that the form factor, that is, the standardized motherboard size is tied to the form factor of the system unit, and a motherboard having a certain form factor is unlikely to fit into system unit, designed for a different form factor.

Perhaps the most famous function of the motherboard is the placement of slots for expansion cards, the pins of which are located at the rear of the system unit. Surely, not all users have replaced the motherboard itself in the computer case, as well as upgrading the processor, but most probably know the process of replacing or adding expansion cards to slots on the motherboard. By the way, the motherboard is called motherboard precisely in relation to the daughterboards, that is, the boards located in the expansion slots.

A significant number of modern boards contain many built-in elements that previously could only work through expansion slots - this is a video card, LAN card, sound card, etc. These are usually entry-level devices, very cheap and intended for undemanding users. However, these devices usually add very little to the cost of the entire system and at the same time free up expansion slots for something more important. In addition, the presence of these devices does not prevent the user from upgrading the system; for example, an avid gamer can always install a simple video camera instead of a simple one. latest version a sophisticated three-dimensional accelerator. In this case, the device installed in the expansion slot will always have priority over the built-in one.

A few words should be said about the manufacturing technology of motherboards. The material for motherboards is usually fiberglass, on which conductive metal tracks are applied. There can be several such layers of PCB in a board. The top of the board is coated with dielectric varnish, usually green.

History of motherboards

The idea of ​​a single board for integrating all elements did not gain its place immediately. In the early years of the PC, so-called backplanes were widespread, that is, boards on which not all the functional blocks of the computer were located. These blocks were placed on different boards, which were inserted into the expansion slots of the backplane - these could be chipsets, drive controllers, port controllers, and even the processor itself. But then such a scheme had to be abandoned (and IBM was the first to set an example of this) due to the cheapening of modern integrated motherboards on which all the components were located, as well as due to the difficulties that arose when upgrading computers on backplanes.

In the first modern motherboards, however, the processor and memory were non-removable. Subsequently, memory slots and processor sockets appeared. This improvement has made upgrading your computer much easier.

At first, the AT form factor was widespread among motherboards, originating from the motherboards of AT architecture computers. But boards of this size were very large, and therefore the Baby-AT form factor was more often used.

Form factors of modern motherboards

AT was replaced by the ATX form factor in the mid-1990s. Currently, the AT form factor and the types of motherboards derived from it are practically not used in modern PCs.

Advantages brought by the ATX form factor compared to AT:

  • More convenient dimensions, increase free space in the case.
  • The distance between the board and the drives has been reduced, allowing the cable length to be reduced.
  • The processor socket is located closer to the system unit fan, which improves processor cooling.
  • Ability to control computer power.
  • The processor is powered from the system unit without a voltage converter.
  • Placement of ports on the motherboard itself.
  • More convenient placement of connectors for expansion cards.
  • Availability of a single contact for the power cable

The ATX form factor and its derived form factors mATX (micro ATX), mini-ATX and the EATX (Extended ATX) server form factor are still the most common in most computers.

There is also a newer motherboard BTX form factor, developed in 2003, but it has still not been able to dethrone ATX from its pedestal.

Comparative dimensions of boards of some formats (LxW, mm):

  • AT – 351 × 305
  • Baby AT – 330 x 216
  • EATX – 330 × 305
  • ATX – 305×244
  • miniATX – 284 × 208
  • mATX – 244 × 244
  • BTX – 325 x 267

System Board Setup

As a rule, for a modern motherboard, not only functions such as upgrading individual elements, such as the processor, memory and expansion cards, are available, but also adjusting the basic parameters of the motherboard and processor, such as the operating frequency of the system bus and processor, frequency multiplier , etc.

It should be remembered that setting motherboard parameters is a very delicate matter, and if you do not know all the intricacies of the operation that you are about to perform, then keep in mind that incorrect settings may result in the inoperability of the entire system or its individual elements.

Setting up the motherboard is usually done through the BIOS Setup program interface. Also, setting many parameters can be done through special programs on Windows.

Conclusion

In this article, you got acquainted with the concept of a motherboard (system) board, learned for what purposes it is intended, what components are placed on it, how to configure the main parameters of the motherboard, what is the form factor of the motherboard, got acquainted with the history of the development of motherboards in personal computers, as well as various types motherboards.

The motherboard or system board is the foundation on which any modern computer, be it a desktop PC, laptop or embedded system.

It is the motherboard that combines components that are different in nature and functionality, such as a processor, RAM, expansion cards and all kinds of storage devices.

It is thanks to the motherboard that you can connect peripheral devices to the computer, because even if the system logic set (chipset) supports various buses and interfaces, it is unlikely that anyone will be able to directly connect, for example, a printer to a regular chip.

What is a modern motherboard?
We will talk mainly about boards for desktop PCs, as they are the most common and close to the reader, but a significant part of their description also applies to boards for servers, laptops and embedded computers.

The motherboard is the main and largest printed circuit board in a computer.
According to the complexity of manufacturing itself printed circuit board"motherboards" lag only behind the most cutting-edge graphics accelerators.

A typical motherboard is built on a four- to six-layer PCB, while some video cards are built on eight- and even ten-layer PCBs.

The use of multilayer boards allows, while maintaining standard dimensions, to separate various electrical circuits in such a way that their mutual influence is minimal.
Power and grounding circuits are routed along those layers that are located deep in the board, and the signal circuits themselves are routed through the other layers, including the top and bottom layers.

In order not to overload the reader with specific information, we will focus only on two purely electrical parameters of the motherboard.
Since microcircuits are designed to operate in strictly specified modes, high-quality power supply is required to ensure their reliability and durability.

Of course, the power supply to which the board is connected plays a significant role here, but different components require different power, and the power consumption of individual components, for example, the processor, is not constant.

All these factors force us to resort to additional tricks.
To supply the necessary voltage to various components, all modern motherboards use a voltage stabilizer, which is most often installed directly on the board, but sometimes it is made in the form of a separate small board, placed for proper cooling in close proximity to the power supply.

The voltage stabilizer operates automatically, depending on which contacts the load is applied to, in other words, which connector a particular device or board element is connected to.

The processor overclocking function, often supported by modern motherboards, uses manual voltage adjustment (within reasonable limits, of course), which is implemented for the user through the BIOS or through a specialized utility.

To combat voltage surges, which are destructive for many components, capacitors are designed to accumulate and then smoothly release a charge.
It is no coincidence that there are so many capacitors on motherboards, especially around the central processor, which is characterized by sharp jumps in power consumption, depending on the load.

It is with capacitors that the reliability of the motherboard decreases over time: their capacitances age faster than other components, in particular due to exposure to high temperatures.

As a result, the capacitance of the capacitors drops, and they lose their ability to “withstand the blow” and equalize the voltage in the circuit, which negatively affects other components and, in the worst case, disables them.
So the recommendations to change your computer every three years are generated not only by marketing considerations of “moral obsolescence”, but also by completely objective reasons.

Let's move on to the immediate functions of the motherboard.
This board must include a system bus, a processor socket, slots for RAM modules (an option is when memory chips are soldered directly into the board), expansion slots, various controllers, as well as input and output ports.

As you can see, the motherboard combines all the components of the computer into a single system - without it they would remain just a set of components unrelated to each other.

Let's turn to the photograph.
It shows a typical modern P5GDC-V Deluxe motherboard manufactured by the famous Taiwanese company Asus.

This board is based on the Intel 915G chipset and is designed for Intel processors The Pentium 4 comes in an LGA 775 package and supports almost all technologies found in modern desktop computers.

Brief characteristics of this model:

Chipset 915G with built-in graphics accelerator (“north bridge”) + ICH6R (“south bridge”).
- Support for Pentium 4 or Celeron D processors in LGA 775 packaging.
- Supports DDR and DDR2 533 RAM up to 4 GB.
- Support PCI buses Express x16 and x1.
- PCI bus support.
- Support for high-speed USB 2.0 and IEEE 1394 (FireWire) interfaces.
- IDE and Serial ATA controllers.
- Gigabit network controller.
- Eight-channel (7.1) sound controller.
- ATX form factor (dimensions - 305 x 244 mm).

Twin BiCS FLASH - new technology three dimensional flash memory

On December 11, 2019, at the IEEE International Electronic Devices Meeting (IEDM), TOKYO-Kioxia Corporation announced 3D flash memory technology - Twin BiCS FLASH.

Driver AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition 2020 19.12.2 WHQL (added)

On December 10, AMD introduced the mega driver Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 Edition 19.12.2 WHQL.

Cumulative Windows update 10 1909 KB4530684

On December 10, 2019, Microsoft released cumulative update KB4530684 (Build 18363.535) for Windows 10 November 2019 Update (version 1909) on x86, x64 (amd64), ARM64, and Windows Server 2019 (1909) processors for x64-based systems.

NVIDIA Game Ready GeForce 441.66 WHQL Driver

Every day, millions of people sit down at their desks, turn on their PCs and begin to carry out their duties. However, most of them have no idea how their computer works or how it all works. If you ask about its device, most users will answer: monitor, keyboard, mouse and system unit. And when asked about what you can’t start a car without, they answer: without electricity. At the same time, few people guess about the structure and are able to distinguish at least some boards inside.

This article will discuss one of the fundamental parts of a computer, without which its operation would be impossible in principle. If you are a novice user and are planning to build your own PC rather than using ready-made market offers, you will find the motherboard advice you will get here useful.

Computer support

The motherboard is nothing more than the core of your computer. The fundamental and connecting link of all elements. Another name for it is the system board. Its main function is the transmission of control signals and data between components - processor, chipset, expansion cards, external devices.

The main characteristics of the motherboard that you should pay attention to are the form factor, the number of slots for PCI Express expansion cards, the type of supported RAM and its volume, and the type of processor socket. And some additional, but not critical details - the type of mouse port, the version of the USB port, the presence of Wi-Fi and HDMI.

Based on these characteristics, the user must make a choice when purchasing. The main thing to remember is that the best motherboard is the one that fits perfectly with the other components you have chosen.

Structure

Any motherboard is divided into two main interacting parts - the north and south bridge.

The south bridge is a single chip that connects most of the slow connections in the computer and also connects them to the processor through the north bridge. Physically, the southbridge consists of the following parts:

  • PCI, LPC, Super I/O controllers;
  • IDE and SATA controllers;
  • watch;
  • Bios;
  • power management;
  • sound;
  • network card management.

In some cases, it can directly control the mouse, keyboard, and external ports, although they are often controlled through a special Super I/O input/output controller.

The Northbridge, otherwise called a memory controller hub, includes:

  • CPU;
  • RAM, if it is not directly connected to the processor;
  • video adapter

It is the north bridge as part of the motherboard that generates the greatest amount of heat, as a result of which in most cases, when implementing a computer architecture, an individual cooling system is required for it.

With development computer technology some manufacturers began to abandon the northbridge as part of the architecture. For example, Intel motherboards, starting with the Intel Nehalem, have removed the northbridge, moving some of its functions to the central processor, thus reducing the number of active components on the motherboard.

Assembling a computer

The first thing you need to find out before purchasing is the form factor. Be sure to check with the seller about the dimensions of the motherboard. Most modern personal desktop computers use the ATX standard. Let's look at how to connect the motherboard in more detail below.

  1. First of all, install the board into the computer case and secure it with screws.
  2. Connect the cable coming from your power supply to connector 1. This is the main element that supplies power to the motherboard. Be careful, there are 20 and 24 pin connectors (number of pins), so when purchasing, make sure that your power supply fits the motherboard. As a piece of advice, it’s worth saying that first of all you should take the motherboard. And already select a power supply for it.
  3. In the second connector we also connect the cord coming from the power supply, intended for powering the central processor. We also press all the way so that the latch snaps into place and the power does not turn off during operation.
  4. In third place is a connector on the motherboard for a slightly outdated, but still common, floppy disk drive. This connector has minor differences from connector 4, but if you look closely you can easily see the differences.
  5. To connect hard drive or CD/DVD drive uses the IDE ATA interface. The cable for this connector is different in that it has two output interfaces, so when connecting one cable, you can connect both a CD drive and a hard drive at once. Unlike the example above, most motherboards have several of these connectors.
  6. Another way connecting hard disk and CD/DVD drive are SATA interface. It is connected via connector No. 5. It is used in new devices, and it is not possible to confuse it with another connector.

Having figured out how to connect the motherboard, we move on to connecting the remaining devices and interfaces.

Expansion cards

After connecting external and internal devices, as well as power to the motherboard, you can begin connecting expansion cards - RAM, graphics adapter, network card.

You should have been given full specifications and connector types upon purchase. Remember that RAM must be selected of the same standard as specified in the documentation. DDR2 memory cannot be connected to a DDR3 slot, so when purchasing, make sure you buy a modern motherboard with the latest interfaces. Finding components of old formats is problematic, but new ones are not much different in price category.

When it comes to graphics adapter, you can't go wrong here. In most cases, this is the largest connector on the motherboard. In older models, the connection was made by simply snapping the video card into the slot. Modern powerful video cards have their own independent cooling system. It also needs to be connected directly to the motherboard using a two-pin cable. Usually the power connector is located closer to the processor, since the cooling of the processor itself is also connected to it.

The most important part connected to the motherboard will be the CPU. Processors also have their own unique sockets. For example, the ASUS VANGUARD B85 motherboard has an LGA1150 socket to which Intel i7/i5/i3 processors can be connected, while others may have problems.

Let's consider below the concept of what is the best motherboard. Despite the fact that Intel has extensive experience in developing equipment for personal computers, it is now developing components. Therefore, even the largest companies are forced to produce products for Intel motherboards.

ASUS Z97-A

At the 2014 forum held by Asus, new products were presented, as usual. Among them is this budget motherboard, the price of which will be affordable for most people. Abandoning the usual design, the Asus company released a motherboard in bronze shades, with fairly rich equipment. This inexpensive board includes:

  • three PCIe x16 slots;
  • four DIMM slots for RAM, supporting up to 32 gigabytes;
  • one modern SATA Express slot;
  • and also, even on such a nondescript motherboard, the Crystal Sound 2 sound chipset was installed.

Without a doubt, Asus is raising the bar for its motherboards while remaining in the same price range as before. This will allow them to remain among the leaders in the computer components market.

ASUS Z97-DELUXE

At the same exhibition, another motherboard model was presented. We can say that she deserves to become a true leader among her sisters. The ASUS flagship motherboard provides the user with truly limitless expansion potential for their computer. The secret of this success is the number of interfaces, which have doubled. Here are the motherboard specifications:

  • two Sata Express interfaces;
  • 6 additional SATS 6G ports;
  • 8 USB 3.0 ports;
  • 3 PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots;
  • Crystal Sound 2.

Of course, such a motherboard, the price of which can exceed 10,000 rubles, is not suitable for the average user, so if you are trying to build a budget computer with your own hands, then be sure to explore the options. Sales consultants in stores provide a wide variety of choices in an affordable price range from 2,000 to 8,000 rubles.

Laptop

A laptop motherboard is more than just a body to which devices are connected. This is the very life of a laptop. If, God forbid, you spill coffee on it or damage it, then in most cases get ready to say goodbye to half of the equipment installed inside.

The fact is that not all laptops have components on the motherboard that can be replaced. A built-in video card or RAM will require additional costs in case of repair, so always have a clear idea of ​​what you need a computer for and whether you need a laptop at home.

Replacing laptop components seems difficult even for experienced system administrators, so if a part of it or, in particular, the motherboard breaks down, in 90% of cases you will have to contact service center.

Motherboard Care

Many people believe that Personal Computer- This is a kind of tool for work, like a saw or hammer. It is clear that in this case the user is absolutely wrong. A computer, like the motherboard in particular, is an entire interacting system consisting of millions of parts. Imagine that the motherboard lying on the table is a city, and the billions of bits of information passing through it every day are the inhabitants. It is clear that you need to monitor and care for your instrument.

When a manufacturer tests their product, they do not expect insects or, worse, rats to live in it. Probably, the benefits of computer maintenance are obvious; how you treat your workplace will determine how long it will serve you. Moreover, care motherboard and the insides of the computer will not take you much time.

At least once a month, or better yet more often, completely unplug your computer and remove the cover from the power supply. You can buy a can of compressed air at any computer store, or you can use a vacuum cleaner set to blow. Be sure to blow through all radiators and corners of the system unit, avoiding direct contact with boards and wires.

If you have not cleaned the system unit for a long time, do it outside and wearing a gauze bandage to avoid inhaling dust. Never use liquids or aerosols. Remember that dust in cooling systems, and even on the boards themselves, increases the temperature and can lead to their failure. Therefore, cleaning the inside of your computer is not a whim, but rather a vital necessity.

Repair

If you still could not protect your computer from breakdown and are not able to determine on your own which part is damaged, it is better to use the services of a service center. In most cases, you can determine the problem yourself only if one of the components breaks. If the problem is in the motherboard, then only an electronics engineer can handle it.

The motherboard is a critical component that requires repairs.
special skills and equipment. If your laptop breaks down, there is also plenty of space to disassemble it.

The key to successful repair of this most important part is correct diagnosis and troubleshooting. The biggest mistake the average user will make is trying self-repair. In this case, a person may not only fail to repair the board, but also bring it to a state where it has to be thrown in the trash.

If your laptop malfunctions, take it to a service center as soon as possible. A laptop motherboard is a difficult element to replace. Therefore, ignoring minor failures can lead to the fact that, remaining indifferent to the error once, you will have to face more serious problems.

It is important to realize that the motherboard is the main component of the cost of a laptop. Therefore, in case of failures, it is better to contact professionals immediately and not delay; they will help bring your laptop back to life at minimal cost.

Conclusion

So, the motherboard is the lifeblood of your computer. Many programmers argue that computers have their own soul and character. They recognize only one master. If you believe in this theory, then the soul of the computer is located in the motherboard.

A motherboard chosen with soul and attention, with proper care, will serve you for a long time, regardless of its cost or components. You need to take care of it, look after it, and then it will serve you for a very long time. Never hesitate to contact specialists and do not carry out repairs yourself.

By following the advice in this article, you can easily assemble your computer and not worry about it suddenly failing you at the most inopportune moment.

mob_info