Motherboard connectors: The main components of the motherboard
The Mainboard or Motherboard is the Central printed circuit Board in your Computer. It comes in both larger Desktop PCs as well as laptops and Netbooks for use. With every motherboard you will find four main ports:
- Socket: So your Computer works, you need a processor. Is placed on the Pedestal (number 1 in the image) and using an aluminum bracket fixed. Depending on whether you have an Intel or AMD have a CPU, you need a different Socket. The two manufacturers have different connections for their processors.
- PCI slots: most of The processors have an integrated graphics unit, so that individual images can be displayed on your screen. For more complex programs or games, you need an additional graphics card. You can place in the PCI-slots (number 2 in the picture). Meanwhile, the so-called PCI-Express slots with transfer rates of up to 32 GB/s Standard. For the speed, the number of Lanes (x1 through x32) plays a major role. The usual x16, x8 and x4 Lanes for PCI Express are currently. By the way: Here you can connect other cards such as RAID controllers, TV tuners, Thunderbolt, or Sound cards.
- RAM slots: The RAM (RAM: Random Access Memory) fits in the same slot (number 3 in the picture). The storage units are available in different sizes and versions. The fast DDR3 RAM is now Standard and has replaced DDR2 and DDR1. The memory need of the gamers and graphic designers who work with lots of data in the cache.
- SATA: the SATA ports (number 4 in the picture) you can connect hard disks, SSDs and optical drives with your computer. Now about this Port transfer up to 600 MB/s rates are possible, especially in the case of SSD hard drives is noticeable.
Connectors on the motherboard
Motherboard ports: Additional Ports for the main Board
In addition to the Standard connections for the main Hardware of your PC, there are on your motherboard may be many more ingredients:
- ATX-connector: 24-pin ATX connector (number 1 in the image) is supplied the motherboard with power. In older models, the connection may be only 20-pin. In addition, a small, 8-pin ATX connector that powers the processor power is often located in the vicinity of the CPU.
- Fan connector: your fan must be supplied with electricity. The small 3-Pin connectors (number 2 in the picture). Tip: your fan, you can even self-control.
- USB ports: on motherboard you will find connections for USB devices (number 3 in the picture). Here, however, are usually associated only with the interfaces, which you can see at the rear of the housing.
Additional Motherboard Connectors
Motherboard connections: interfaces at the back
Most of the interfaces you find on the back of the enclosure of your computer. Here you can connect additional Hardware without opening the device:
- P/S2 Port: the legacy P/S2 Port (number 1 on picture) to connect older mice and keyboards with the wide, round connectors to your PC.
- HDMI, VGA, DVI: The interfaces HDMI, VGA and DVI (number 2 in the picture) to transport the image to your Monitor. The newer Standards are HDMI and DisplayPort transmit even tone.
- USB: USB Ports (number 3 in the picture, to the left and right below), you can connect external hard drives, USB drives, microphones, Smartphones, and much more. The current, quick, Standard, USB 3.0, you will see the blue inputs on the motherboard. Here you can connect older devices with USB 2.0 or USB 1.0.
- LAN: Through the LAN Port (number 3 in the picture, top right) connect your computer to your Router and then to the Internet.
- Jack connections: The many different 3.5 mm inputs in a variety of colors (number 4 in image) is transmitted only sound. Here you can see sufficient interfaces for a 7.1 Sound System.
Mainboard Interfaces
What are you all about motherboards, need to know, we can tell you in a detailed special-article. In our "best of" list you'll also find the best and cheapest motherboard on the market.
