3 PCI Express x16 slots on a Micro ATX motherboard. 8 SATA ports, 3 high-speed M.2 ports, built-in Wi-Fi, overall stellar build quality, this motherboard pretty much has everything you need. Befitting Threadripper’s hybrid server-grade/gaming nature, this motherboard has the makings of a truly stellar personal server/rendering machine/gaming rig. The ATX motherboard also assists in handling high-quality items and office computer programs. Benefits: High performance. Have four slots of RAM. Lots of PCIe Slots. Buyer: Larger sizes cannot be compared to standard computer cases. Micro ATX: The Micro ATX Motherboard was first introduced in 1997 by Intel.

Modern micro ATX motherboards also offer either 1 or 2 NVME slots, which can be used to install much faster NVME SSD for excellent storage access speeds. SilverStone LD01 is undoubtedly one of the best inverted micro-ATX cases around. This is a clean looking beautiful case that is practical, spacious yet compact, packs a lot of features and delivers good cooling performance. For airflow, you can install two 120mm/140mm fans on the front, two on top, and one 120mm fan at the rear.

What makes Micro ATX motherboards so popular for desktop computers? Find out if this form factor is right for you and how to choose a MicroATX motherboard right here.

When ATX and MicroATX (also known as mATX) motherboards were introduced back in 1995, ATX quickly took over as the most popular form factor for desktop computers while the compact Micro ATX fell by the wayside as a niche product.

Fast forward to today and things are looking quite different - In recent years, Micro ATX has been steadily replacing ATX as the preferred form factor for mainstream consumers.

Why the newfound love for MicroATX? With more and more features integrated into the CPU and motherboard chipset, a large ATX motherboard with seven expansion slots is starting to look like overkill for most people. Current motherboards don't need a dedicated sound card, and integrated graphics has evolved to a stage where it's able to match low-end discrete graphics cards.

See the image below for a motherboard size comparison between MicroATX (24.4 x 24.4 cm, 9.6 x 9.6 in) vs. ATX (30.5 x 24.4 cm, 12 x 9.6 in):

When Should You Buy a Micro ATX Motherboard?

1. You are going after the cheapest possible motherboard

With a bit of homework and bargain hunting, you will discover most of the lowest-priced motherboards are MicroATX ones. This comes as no surprise, since the smaller Mini ITX motherboard calls for more refined manufacturing techniques while the larger ATX board requires more components.
On top of that, most Micro ATX cases are able to accept standard components such as ATX power supplies and full-height expansion cards so gives you more (cheap) choices for your other hardware as well.
That being said, we want to add that Micro ATX motherboards come at all price points... from the bargain basement boards to the top-end models with all the bells and whistles.

2. You want a compact computer for flexible placement

Some people prefer to have their computers on the desk while others rather have them sit on the floor. A Micro-ATX mini tower allows you to do both with comfort.
The diminutive Mini-ITX case looks good on a desk, but it's too short for you to leave it on the floor (you'll have to do a sit-and-reach each time to turn on the computer).
And sure, noone's stopping you from hefting a ATX full tower onto the table, but imagine the amount of workspace it's going to take up (assuming that your table is able to support its weight)... plus imagine the hassle if your USB ports, audio ports and power switch are located at the top of the case.

3. You want a computer that's good enough for most purposes

There are no official figures, but it's quite safe to say that a mATX motherboard are able to satisfy the needs of at least three quarters of computer users. Other than price, that's the other major reason for the Micro ATX form factor gaining widespread popularity with mainstream consumers.
However, being a jack of all trades also implies Micro ATX isn't the best form factor for some specific needs.
For example, the even smaller Mini-ITX is a better choice in general if you're building a home theater PC, NAS or a semi-portable computer. At the other end, power users such as serious gamers, overclockers, server admins and graphics designers will be better off with the full-sized ATX form factor.

How to Choose the Perfect Micro ATX Motherboard

Recommended Motherboard CPU Combos

Budget Computer:
AMD Athlon 3000G CPU
Gigabyte B450M DS3H Motherboard

Mid Range Computer:
AMD Ryzen 5 3400G CPU
Gigabyte B450 Aorus M Motherboard

Gaming Computer:
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 CPU
Asus AM4 TUF Gaming X570-Plus Motherboard

Home Theater PC:
AMD Ryzen 3 3200G CPU
Gigabyte B450 I Aorus Pro Wi-Fi Motherboard

Click here for our buyer's guide to the best motherboard CPU combos.

RAM Slots

Most budget MicroATX motherboards have two RAM slots, while mid to high end models tend to offer four slots. So should you go for four slots or make do with just two?
The answer will depend on the intended use for your computer. We highly recommend that you read our 'How Much RAM Do You Need' article for more details.
Our general advice is to go for a motherboard with four RAM slots... Unless budget is a big concern or you're certain that two slots will suffice for now and the foreseeable future. You can always begin with two RAM sticks and leave two free slots in case you need more RAM for the future.

Expansion Slots

Micro ATX mainboards can have two, three or four expansion slots. Given that modern CPUs and motherboards come with tons of integrated features (e.g. video, audio, network capabilities), most light to moderate users will do just fine with two expansion slots.
What matters more (than the number of slots) is what type of expansion slots are on the motherboard. If possible, always try to go for PCI Express slots (unless you still have older expansion cards that make use of the outdated PCI slots).
If you intend to use your computer for gaming, then it's quite essential to have at least one PCI Express x 16 slot so you can install a discrete graphics card. Heavy gamers can go a step further and opt for Micro ATX motherboards that support multiple graphics cards (Nvidia SLI, AMD CrossFireX).

SATA Connectors

Every internal hard drive and optical drive requires an individual SATA connector. Modern mATX motherboards have at least four such connectors, which is enough for most users. What's more important is to make sure that you have at least one SATA 3 connector (vs. the slower SATA 2) if you intend to install a SATA 3 solid state drive.

Power Phases

In general, a motherboard with more power phases is able to deliver cleaner and more stable power to the CPU and RAM... allowing the them to hit higher overclocks. Having more power phases also means less load on motherboard transistors, prolonging their lifespan.
If you intend to overclock your CPU and RAM on a Micro ATX motherboard, it should at least have a 4 + 2 power phase (6 + 2 is better). 4/6 here is the number of phases for the CPU while 2 refers to the number of phases for the memory (RAM) controller.
All the power phases in the world is not going to matter if you don't have a high quality VRM (Voltage Regulator Module) to begin with. To avoid substandard VRMs, stick to reputable motherboard manufacturers: Asus, Gigabyte, ASRock, MSI.

Others

Whenever possible, always choose Micro ATX motherboards with USB 3.0 back panel ports and/or USB 3.0 front panel connectors. They make a big difference over USB 2.0 (two to four times real-world speed improvement) when you're hooking up your computer to USB 3.0 storage devices (flash drives and external hard drives).

SEE ALSO: Recommended Motherboard CPU Combos

MOTHERBOARD GUIDE

• Recommended Motherboard CPU Combos
  
• The Difference Between USB 2.0 and 3.0
  

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Summary :

Micro Atx Slots Games

Are you considering buying a Micro ATX or Mini ITX motherboard? If you are, then you should know some information about Micro ATX vs Mini ITX before buying. In this post, MiniTool compares their differences on four different parameters: size, RAM slots, PCIe slots, and price.

The motherboard is an essential part of your computer. If you want to build a new computer but don’t know which motherboard is suitable for you, then you are in the right place. Although there are multiple formats and sizes available in motherboards, Micro ATX and Mini ITX are the two most popular.

This post is mainly talking about Micro ATX vs Mini ITX. After reading this post, you should know which one is good for you.

Micro ATX vs Mini ITX

This part gives some differences between Micro ATX vs Mini ITX from 4 different aspects.

Size

When talking about Micro ATX vs Mini ITX, the first thing need to compare is their size. The size of the Micro ATX is 244 x 244 mm (9.6″ x 9.6″). On the other hand, the size of the Mini ITX is 170 x 170 mm (6.7″ x 6.7″). When you compare the size of them, the winner is the Mini ITX.

RAM Slots

Another thing to compare when talking about Micro ATX vs Mini ITX is RAM slots. For Micro ATX, it supports up to 4 memory slots. However, Mini ITX only supports two RAM slots, and each slot can only hold 16 GB RAM.

Therefore, if you need more than 32 GB of RAM in the future, in Mini ITX, you will not be able to choose to expand RAM. This is one of the reasons why you should not only consider the size, but also the slots provided.

PCIe Slots

In terms of PCIe slots, the difference between Micro ATX vs Micro ITX is even greater. Micro ATX motherboard has four slots. Mini ITX motherboard only has 1 PCIe slot. These slots are used to integrate the graphics card with the system.

Micro Atx Slots Slot

Slots are usually placed on the edge of the circuit board. Therefore, if the space on the motherboard is small, it may not be possible to install a heavy-duty graphics card. Hence, it is best to choose Micro ATX motherboards because they provide more PCIe slots.

Price

Micro Atx Slots Poker

The last thing to compare between Micro ITX vs Micro ATX is the price. It is generally believed that due to the smaller Mini ITX motherboard, the price will be cheaper. However, you are wrong here. Micro ATX is the most affordable. This is because the demand for them is high, and therefore, the company can reduce costs. However, when choosing a Micro ATX motherboard, you need to ensure that the quality of the components meets the requirements.

Related post: 6 Best X570 Motherboards Paired with the Ryzen 3000 CPU

Which One to Choose?

After getting some information about Micro ITX vs Micro ATX, then which one should you choose? The choice between Micro ATX and Micro ITX depends on the type of PC you are building.

For Gaming PC

If you plan to build a gaming PC, the Micro ATX motherboard is your ideal choice. It will allow you to integrate more RAM. It also supports the Dual-GPU setup. Even after that, empty slots for expansion will be provided. As the number of PCIe slots increases, you can expand your computer later.

If there is not enough space, only Mini ITX is a good choice. However, it must be remembered that if you want to use Mini ITX, the size of the graphics card to be integrated with the system should also be small. This is because the slot faces the edge.

For Workstation

When creating a workstation, you can use the Mini ITX. This is because you do not need high RAM. You will not need an additional slot to integrate the graphics card. This is why Mini ITX can be used if there is not enough space when building a workstation.

Related post: How to Test Motherboard for Faults? Much Info Is Introduced!

Final Words

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To sum up, this post has listed the differences between Micro ATX and Mini ITX from four parameters. After reading this post, you should know which one is suitable for you.