The first thing you need to know about a motherboard is that it’s the backbone of your computer. It connects all of the parts and ensures that everything runs smoothly. A PC isn’t just a collection of devices – these devices have to work together, so they’re connected by cables or physically placed next to one another on the motherboard. The motherboard also controls how data moves between devices.
Parts Of A Motherboard
Ports for all internal components are found on the front of the motherboard. The CPU is housed in a single socket/slot. Multiple slots enable you to add one or more memory modules. Other ports may be found on the motherboard, and these allow data cabling from the hard drive and optical drive to connect.
The main parts of a motherboard:
- CPU
- RAM slots
- BIOS
- Power supply unit connections
- Processors, chipsets, and memory controllers
- Integrated graphics
- PCI slots
- USB ports
- Mouse and keyboard ports
- Ethernet Jacks and jacks for video and sound output.
- Heat sinks
BIOS
A motherboard’s BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is the firmware that enables the computer hardware to communicate with the operating system software. A PC’s BIOS is built into its motherboard and can’t be changed or updated without flashing it.
A BIOS is similar to the brain of your computer. It controls everything that is happening in your computer, including hardware interactions. The BIOS identifies the pieces of hardware to the operating system and tells it what to do with them.
It also stores information about what hardware is installed in your PC, which settings are available for these components, and how to access this information. When you turn on your computer, the BIOS will initialize all of the basic functions that are needed before Windows starts up, such as testing memory circuits or checking that video card connections are working correctly.
The BIOS is the first thing that starts when you turn on your computer. Without a working BIOS, nothing else can be done.
Motherboard Models
Motherboards come in various models for different use cases. Check out our post on Motherboard Sizes, for more info.
- ATX
- Micro ATX (mATX)
- Mini-ITX
- EATX
- XL-ATX
Where is the motherboard located?
A motherboard is the computer’s main circuit board located inside the case at the bottom or the side of the PC case. All of the system components plug into the board, so it’s easy to find. It contains all the essential components that make up the system, such as RAM, CPU, PCI slots, and USB ports. These components are connected via electrical signals that pass through the motherboard and enable communication between them.
