What is the motherboard and what is it for?

The motherboard, also known as the motherboard or motherboard, is the most important part of the Central Processing Unit (CPU) and is a complete circuit that serves to unite all the necessary components to process the information received by the computer. In other words, the RAM, the processor, the video card and the hard disk are installed on the motherboard, which are the three key pieces for a CPU to become a functional computer. In the processor the information is received and processed, the RAM memory is responsible for supporting the process and the information is stored on the disk.

What is the main function of the motherboard?

In short, the motherboard is the card that is responsible for giving a main structure to the computer, since the other important elements that make up the CPU are placed on it.

Likewise, the motherboard also has the objective of establishing communication between all the components of the CPU, since if the components are not well communicated, the computer will not work correctly. The importance of the motherboard is so great that the lack of maintenance is the cause of a large number of errors in the computer, such as blue screens or that the computer turns on, but the video does not work.

All the motherboards that we can find in the market are manufactured to use different families of processors; In other words, a motherboard only accepts a specific family of processors, such as AMD and Intel, so in many cases it is very important to understand that a motherboard for Intel will not be compatible with some of the AMD processors and vice versa.

It is for this reason that many agree that the motherboard is the most important component that must be taken into account when building a computer; since a motherboard will determine what type of processors can be used, the amount of memory supported and the slots that will allow connecting other additional cards, such as the graphics or network card.

Those who are thinking of building a computer to work, play or edit, the first thing to do is know which motherboard is compatible with all the elements that must be purchased to assemble a computer.

What is the motherboard for

In addition to being used to insert and connect the key elements of a computer, it also serves to monitor the different elements of the system, such as voltages, voltages, temperatures, memory status and even the speed at which the fans rotate.

Another key utility of the motherboard is that it contains the BIOS; the software that has basic programs with which you can control elements of the hardware. The BIOS is in the ROM, FLASH-EPRON, or EROM memory on the motherboard. Thanks to the BIOS it is possible to configure a large number of functions on the computer, such as increasing the processor frequency by overclocking, ordering the startup of the devices, among others.

Parts of the motherboard

The motherboard has electrical components that make up the circuits that fulfill certain functions. These can change depending on the manufacturer and the model of the card, although it is true that there are some common elements that are found in all motherboards or in most of them.

One of the most common elements is the chipset, the one in charge of communicating the processor with other components; the memory slots for RAM and the processor socket. Likewise, we can also find expansion slots or slots, which allow inserting expansion cards such as graphics or sound cards.

So that there is no doubt about the different components that make up the motherboard, below, we will explain each of them and their function:

Processor socket

This is the base or connector for the processor. All motherboards have one and it is only compatible with one family of processors, be it Intel, AMD or another manufacturer; it also has a support for the fan and heatsink to prevent overheating of the processor, which can reach very high temperatures.

Chipset

It is integrated into the motherboard and serves to synchronize all the components connected to the motherboard. In general, there is a chipset for each family or generation of processors, in addition to having the ability to support memories or buses for optimal performance. Many consider them to be the nervous system of computers.

RAM memory slots

This is one of the best known parts of the motherboard because many people increase the RAM memory of their computers to extend their useful life a little while having optimal performance.

In these slots the RAM memory is connected and it is important to be careful, since, depending on the model of the mother great and its specifications, only a certain type of memory and capacity are supported. Among the most common families of RAM are: DDR, DDR2, DDR3 and DDR4.

Power connector

In this connector the power source is connected, which is responsible for supplying power to the entire computer so that it can work. The most used connectors today are the ATX, since the AT have been discontinued.

Expansion slot

The expansion slots or slots are connectors that allow users to add other elements to their computer. They can be from USB connectors, a network card or a video card to improve the multimedia performance of the computer. They are a bus system known as PCI.

Motherboard types

In the current market we can find a wide variety of motherboards, each with certain capacities and characteristics that adapt to the demands of a certain type of user.

Next, we will briefly explain the differences that exist between the different types of motherboard:

Placa AT

As we already mentioned, it is a motherboard model that has been discontinued. It was used by IBM AT INC and had a large size. It was created in 1984 and had several errors due to its power connector.

Placa Baby AT

Created in 1985, it was a motherboard that worked the same as the AT board but was smaller. They were very successful in the market thanks to the fact that personal computers were smaller, being a very modern option in their time. Unfortunately they presented the same error caused by the power connector.

 ATX board

This type of board is the most used today and was created in 1995 by Intel. Since they were launched on the market they have constantly evolved to the point of making the aforementioned models completely obsolete.

One of the main features of this model is that it has the expansion ports at the bottom of the card and locates the other connectors at the back, improving space and ventilation to eliminate a large number of errors.

Placa micro ATX

It is the most modern motherboard model and is quite small compared to the normal model. It is large enough to connect the most important elements and a maximum of 2 expansion slots.

Conclusion of the importance of the motherboard

The motherboard is what allows the parts of a CPU to connect and function properly. Without this device a computer cannot function. Therefore, as it is the board on which the other components will be connected, it is vitally important to buy a motherboard that supports the hardware pieces that are required.