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Source: DHgate, Tag: Electronics
Find out the best motherboards for gaming, and how you can enhance your personal computer with state of the art technology
The motherboard installed in a computer has a significant effect on the expansion capabilities & speed of the system as it holds all the logic components. There is no doubt, we live in an era of astounding technological transformation & to stay ahead in the game it is necessary to have enough knowledge about this innovation.
If you are a tech enthusiast, you would surely have complete knowledge about the technical specifications of your personal computer. However, if you are new to the world of computer & technology here is some useful information to help you better understand motherboard & functionalities.
Let's start with the basics of the motherboard, you might be knowing it is the most important part of your personal computer or you could say it is the spine of your pc.
Each chip, slot, or port present on the motherboard plays a different role & affects the performance of your computer differently. Some people usually ignore these aspects, but if you are the do-it-yourself type of person, it is necessary for you to have enough knowledge about the motherboard. It helps you in upgrading, troubleshooting, or even building your own system. It is the central circuit hub allowing the connection among all the components & peripherals attached to the PC.
Let’s dig in deeper to under what actually it is & how it functions…
Processor Socket
It is the central piece of the motherboard & located nearly in the centre of it. The reason behind calling it a central piece is because it holds the processor – which is the brain of your computer. Moreover, a processor socket has multiple cores with one or more layers of memory cache for high memory bandwidth & low latency access.
Power Connector
Computer components are volatile this means they cannot operate with power. The same is the case with the motherboard. The power connector, with 20 or 24 pins can easily be positioned either near the right edge of the motherboard or somewhere close to the processor socket on older motherboards & this is where the power supply’s main connector gets attached. This provides power to the motherboard & other components of components attached.
Expansion Slots
Expansion slots allow you to install additional components to enhance the functionality of the computer system. With this you can easily install, a video capture card, better soundcard, TV turner & many more – you must have got the idea what we are talking about. Moreover, these ports are situated under the video card slot & comes in the form of PCI slots, usually on the old motherboards. Not just this, there is a scaled-down version of PCI-express slots as well which comes on new motherboards. However, motherboards are available in the market with both types of expansion slots.
Memory Slots
Memory slots are located on the upper right part of the motherboard. These slots are used to house the PC’s memory modules. However, the number of slots can vary & it depends on the motherboard. In low-end motherboards, there are up to 2 slots whereas in high-end motherboards it can be up to 8. Some people while buying the motherboard ignore the type of memory it supports, but if you want to buy the appropriate one pay close attention to it.
Video Card Slot
This slot does not need an explanation, since its name clearly indicated what it is. The video card slot is located below the processor, and it comes in the form of a PCI-express slot on the latest motherboards or AGP on an older motherboard. However, it is uncommon for the older motherboards especially those that target the office segment. If you do not have this video card slot you will not be unable to install a discrete video card.
IDE & SATA Ports
SATA ports & IDE are used to provide connectivity for optical drives & storage devices. If we talk about IDE interface in this era is now outdated to some extent. Don’t be surprised if you see a new motherboard with this type of port. This IDE interface has been replaced by the faster & much smaller SATA ports. These ports have reached its 3rd revision, being able to achieve maximum speeds of up to 600 MB/s, as opposed to the IDE interface, which can reach a maximum of 133 MB/s.
Battery & BIOS Chip
You must be aware of the BIOS chip, it contains the basic code that takes your computer through the boost process to the point where the operating system can smoothly take over. In addition to this, the BIOS system is stored on a memory chip and it needs a power supply constantly to function, there is a battery attached to it to supply power to the chips even when the PC is not plugged in.
Rear Connectors
The rear connectors serve as a bridge between the inside & outside of your personal computer & they are situated on the left side of the motherboard. The amazing part is, these connectors can be accessed easily from the outside of your computer. In simpler terms, external peripherals including the keyboard, monitor, mouse speakers & many more can be connected through the rear connector.
Front Panel Connectors, USB Headers & Audio Header
The front panel connector, as the name suggests is a connector having all the elements attached on the front side of the case. The reset button, power button, USB connector, audio connector & power led – they all are connected to the corresponding headers.
Northbridge & Southbridge
Just look at the motherboard, you will see a square metal component in the lower right part of the motherboard. This component is a heat sink providing the thermal protection to the Northbridge. Basically, the Northbridge coordinates the data flow between video card, memory & the processor. Talking about the second chip, the Southbridge, it has the same function as the Northbridge including coordinating the data flow between the peripherals & processors.
Wrapping It Up!!!
So there you’ve it all, the parts & functions of the motherboard, explained. To be more precise & clear, the motherboard acts as the connection point where the main components of the personal computer are attached. Now if you want to buy are motherboard or want to build your own dream PC you have enough knowledge.
The rear connectors serve as a bridge between the inside & outside of your personal computer & they are situated on the left side of the motherboard. The amazing part is, these connectors can be accessed easily from the outside of your computer. In simpler terms, external peripherals including the keyboard, monitor, mouse speakers & many more can be connected through the rear connector.
Front Panel Connectors, USB Headers & Audio Header
The front panel connector, as the name suggests is a connector having all the elements attached on the front side of the case. The reset button, power button, USB connector, audio connector & power led – they all are connected to the corresponding headers.
Northbridge & Southbridge
Just look at the motherboard, you will see a square metal component in the lower right part of the motherboard. This component is a heat sink providing the thermal protection to the Northbridge. Basically, the Northbridge coordinates the data flow between video card, memory & the processor. Talking about the second chip, the Southbridge, it has the same function as the Northbridge including coordinating the data flow between the peripherals & processors.
Wrapping It Up!!!
So there you’ve it all, the parts & functions of the motherboard, explained. To be more precise & clear, the motherboard acts as the connection point where the main components of the personal computer are attached. Now if you want to buy are motherboard or want to build your own dream PC you have enough knowledge.
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