Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
m×244mm) or the Mini-ATX size of 11.2 inches×8.2 inches (284mm×208mm). Even
smaller boards can be designed as long as they conform to the location of the mounting
holes,connectorpositions,andsoon,asdefinedbythestandard.Fewerslotsaren'taprob-
lem fortypical home orsmall-business PC users because more components such as sound
and video are usually integrated on the motherboard and therefore don't require separate
slots. This higher integration reduces motherboard and system costs. External buses, such
as USB, 10/100/1000 Ethernet, and optionally 1394 (FireWire), can provide additional
expansion out of the box. The specifications for microATX motherboard dimensions are
shown in
Figure 4.16
.
Figure 4.16
microATX specification 1.2 motherboard dimensions.
Smaller form factor (called SFX or TFX) power supplies have been defined for optional
use with microATX systems, although the standard ATX supply also works fine because
the connectors are the same. The smaller size SFX/TFX power supplies encourage flexib-
ility in choosing mounting locations within the chassis and allow for smaller systems that
