An ATX motherboard is a type of motherboard that follows the Advanced Technology eXtended (ATX) standard, which was developed by Intel in 1995. It's one of the most common Motherboard World form factors used in desktop computers. The standard ATX motherboard typically measures 12 x 9.6 inches (30.5 x 24.4 cm), although there are smaller variations like Micro ATX and Mini ATX. ATX motherboards typically come with 7 expansion slots (PCIe slots for graphics cards, sound cards, network cards, etc.), giving users the flexibility to add multiple components. ATX motherboards use a 24-pin power connector for the main power supply and often have a 4/8-pin connector for the CPU.
They usually have 4 RAM slots, supporting a larger amount of RAM compared to smaller form factors. ATX boards provide plenty of ports and connectors on the rear I/O panel for things like USB, Ethernet, audio, and sometimes even legacy ports like VGA. Because of their size, ATX motherboards allow for larger cooling solutions and more room for airflow, making them ideal for high-performance builds. ATX motherboards are widely used in gaming PCs, workstations, and custom PC builds, offering plenty of space and flexibility for adding components like high-end GPUs, multiple hard drives, and other peripherals.
