Motherboards Components Overview

Motherboards

A motherboard is the main printed circuit board found within computers. It's where all components connect internally to share power and data. Today's motherboards can support everything from overclocking, multitasking, streaming to having more storage space and improved graphics.

CPU Socket

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is connected to the motherboard via a CPU socket. This socket has pins that allow the CPU to make contact with the motherboard and transfer data back and forth between them, allowing the computer to start up, run programs, and perform tasks. There are various sizes of sockets available, such as LGA, PGA, BGA, and others.

RAM Slots

Random Access Memory (RAM) slots or modules are vital hardware components in your computer system. They are designed to accommodate physical sticks of memory which come in different dimensions depending upon their speed. Commonly used RAM slot sizes include DDR2, DDR3, and DDR4. Each generation offers faster performance compared to its predecessor.

SATA Ports

Serial ATA (SATA) is a standard interface for connecting devices like hard drives, solid state drives, optical disc drives, and other peripherals to the motherboard. These cables transfer data sequentially, hence the term 'serial,' making them well-suited for high-speed data transfer.

Expansion Slots

Expansion slots are small, rectangular holes located on the motherboard, which allow you to plug in additional components called expansion cards. These cards can expand the capabilities of your computer beyond what's offered by the motherboard itself. Some examples of expansion cards include sound cards, network cards, video cards, and PCIe x8 expansion cards.