ATX vs Micro ATX vs Mini ITX – Which Should I Choose?

The Motherboard is the most crucial part of your gaming computer, but have you ever thought about the sizes of your Motherboard you are looking to upgrade? Let’s discuss in this guide these sizes: ATX vs Micro ATX vs Mini ITX – Which Should I Choose? Keep reading till the end to understand motherboard sizes.

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ATX vs Micro ATX vs Mini ITX – Which Should I Choose?

The best bet for you while picking the best motherboard size for Gaming would be a Micro ATX case motherboard, and it will have a minimalistic design and give you good performance on a reasonable budget.

ATX vs Micro ATX vs Mini ITX – Which Should I Choose? Detailed Answer:

The Motherboard is a primary component that is required in many electronic devices. These devices include gaming PCs, mobiles, consoles, etc. Now, these motherboards have specifications and capacities to which you can attach more components.

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These specifications differ as per their sizes: ATX, Micro ATX, and Mini ITX. Let us discuss their pros and cons in this article, so keep reading!

Sizes of Motherboard:

The size, called ATX, is the most oversized format with a 305x244mm measurement. Then comes the Micro ATX size, which is a little shorter than the ATX but nearly close to that in measurement: 244x244mm. Then comes the Mini-ITX, the most minor of all three of them, having a measurement of 170x170mm.

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The sizes in motherboards differ, which you must choose for your gaming PC in 2022. It all depends on the computer case that you have. Will the larger one fit in your case or not? The modern-day computer cases also have a standard size for them, and they will have the size of the Motherboard mentioned, which can fit in easily. So selecting the right size of Motherboard will not be difficult for you in 2022. Let us discuss things other than size, which you need to look at in the next paragraph.

The capacity of Rigs in the Motherboard:

Now different motherboards can add RAMs to the slots. The two types of motherboards, Mini-ITX and ATX, differ in terms of the number of rigs slots in them.

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The smallest one, mini ITX, has only two rig slots; the ATX and micro ATX have four rig slots. Some expensive ATX motherboards have an option of as many as eight rig slots in them. The more RAM slots your Motherboard has, the more you can upgrade it over time as the technology advances and requirement increases.

As long as the requirement of a typical gamer or a usual PC owner is concerned, 16 GB RAM is mostly enough for our tasks and games. This 16 GB rig can come in only one slot, so you don’t need so many of them unless you plan a mining or high-performance gaming setup.

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A gamer who chooses a mini ITX motherboard can upgrade the RAM to 32 GB, which is more than enough for now and the next couple of years.

Importance of PCIe slots in a Motherboard:

Another difference in the sizes of different motherboards discussed is the express PCIe slots. They also have their importance as they are required to add cards like CPU, GPU, sound cards, internal modems, etc.

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The ATX motherboard has the most PCIe slots I-e three of them. Some expensive models can have as many as five of them. The Micro ATX has only one, and the mini ITX has only one PCIe slot because it is smaller.

Now, your choice will depend upon the case you have to fit in a motherboard. If you have a minor case that supports Mini ITX, you will not have the luxury of multiple PCIe slots. It again depends on your requirement if you need it or not.

Price of Different Sizes of Motherboards:

Price plays a crucial role in the decision-making of upgrading a gaming PC. All the different sizes of Motherboard have different prices, and we have to make our choices per our dedicated budget.

This detailed information may surprise you, but Mini ITX motherboards are the most expensive of the three sizes we discussed earlier, and the price can be double that of ATX and Micro ATX motherboard sizes.

What to choose for Gaming amongst three sizes of Motherboards?

three-atx-mini-itx-micro-atx-motherboards

Coming to the end of this guide, we have discussed the pros, cons, and details of each of the Motherboard’s sizes. Let us now decide which will be the best pick for you in 2022 for Gaming.

This decision will depend on your budget and the type of gaming PC you are looking to build for yourself. If you need extra PCIe slots, you should pick ATX; if you need most configurations, then you need to pick Micro ATX.

The most preferred choice for many people is the Micro ATX motherboard, which is value for money. It has enough PCIe slots and RAM space that a gaming PC requires, which is a reasonable price compared to the other two.

If you have a small form factor of the case, then Mini ITX is an option. Not the first preference but indeed a good option if you are not willing to change too much in your existing PC and require only limited slots for yourself.

Motherboard Size for Gaming Consoles:

The extra PCIe slots, as well as RAM slots, are not only recommended for games but also for work purposes. They help when you are looking to use professional software on the PC. However, with gaming consoles, you will have minimal space; hence, mini ITX is not recommended. You will require the other options because of your console’s higher workloads.

Some Quick Answers:

What is the Best Micro ATX motherboard for Gaming in 2022?

MSI MAG B550M Mortaris considered the best Micro ATX motherboard for Gaming in 2022. The reason is its brilliant options and compatibility with other important PC components which you can fit in. There are multiple PCIe slots as well as RAM slots available in it.

Micro ATX vs. ITX:

There’s not much of a difference other than case size. If you have a smaller case size, you could pick ITX if it is a little bigger than Micro ATX. The latter is a better option because it has more PCIe and RAM slots which could be helpful for further upgradation of computer components. The other details are discussed in this guide which you could review again if you missed any important information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mini-ITX better than Micro-ATX?

They both have their advantages as well as disadvantages. If you pick the Mini-ITX, it will benefit the compact PC and make it harder for you to install high-end RAM for the latest games. With ATX, you can have more PCIe slots giving you more choices in adding PC components.

Which motherboard size is best?

There are two motherboard sizes that you can pick for yourself, Micro-ATX and the ATX, for everyday use.

Are Micro-ATX excellent for Gaming?

If you want to build a budget gaming PC, then the mini-ATX case size is considered an excellent option for Gaming, and it would give you enough to make you attach necessary PC components to that Motherboard.

Are Mini-ITX motherboards good for Gaming?

Not sure if you should always choose it for the best gaming experience but sometimes it does give a good experience. As the technology has advanced, our hardware options are in a small form factor for modern-day Gaming. So it’s not too bad to pick it for Gaming.

Conclusion:

Share your reviews on our guide: ATX vs Micro ATX vs Mini ITX – Which Should I Choose? Let us know if it helped you make the right decision for yourself in picking the Motherboard size. If you have similar queries related to Motherboard, you can visit our website: gamingzaming.com.

Thanks for reading!