Micro Atx Ram Slots

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With the LGA1151 socket, this micro-ATX motherboard supports Intel “Coffee Lake” processors meaning Intel 8th gen CPU is on. There are 4 DIMM slots for DDR4 RAMs but it can hold a max of 32 gigs of memory which is fine for running regular games like CSGO, Forza etc. Asus seems to be going all-out with its ROG Maxiumus X1 Gene to help users who want a compact Micro ATX board, but don’t want to sacrifice features or the ability to plug in lots of high-speed.

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.

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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.

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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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Standard ATX, Micro ATX, & Mini ITX are the most popular form factor among PC builders. Beginners would often wonder what the differences are, and what’s the best. It’s not just size that separates these motherboards.

They differ regarding size & compatibility mostly, but they have slight differences that make a large difference.

The motherboard is one of the most important parts of your build. It dictates Expandability, Compatibility, and the overall size of the system. When choosing a form factor, you must have your intentions in mind.

Form Factors Come In Different Sizes

The most obvious difference is the difference in size, Standard ATX being the largest, and Mini ITX is the smallest.

In this table, you can tell that the smaller motherboards are compatible with the larger form factor cases. This is because of the screw holes. Micro ATX and Mini ITX screw holes are a subset of the full-sized ATX boards.

So that means you can use a Mini ITX board in a Full tower PC case, but it does sound pointless doing that because your case’s upgradability will be bottlenecked by the motherboard.

Your choice of form factor will determine which case you will be using. Keep in mind, if you go for Standard ATX, you may not be able to use cases smaller than a Mid Tower.

Larger Form Factors Have More Upgradability

We can see a trend, the larger the motherboard, the more slots it has. Micro and Standard ATX motherboards share the same width, but standard ATX motherboard is longer in length.

The height advantage of the standard ATX motherboard allows for more PCI-E slots resulting in more upgrade potential.

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PCI-E Limitations With Smaller Form Factors

The problem with smaller form factors is that they’re extremely limited with PCI-E slots. It the price you pay for portability & compactness.

The Mini ITX motherboard only has 1 PCI-E slot, you will likely be installing a graphics card here, but there is no hope for installing other PCI-E devices.

If you have thoughts about installing extra PCI-E cards like Sound cards and Wifi Cards, then you will need a Micro ATX motherboard or larger.

Mini ITX builds are niche builds with very specific intentions. If you’re thinking about running multiple graphics cards, with a ton of RAM, then Mini-ITX definitely isn’t for you.

RAM Upgradability

Standard and Micro ATX Motherboards both support up to 4 RAM sticks, whereas Mini ATX can only support up to 2. The max capacity of a Mini ATX motherboard is 2×16 which is 32GB of memory.

Micro

Standard and Micro ATX can support up to twice that capacity. 32GB of RAM is more than enough, but just in case you need that extra capacity, Standard & Micro ATX can give you that extra capacity.

Smaller Form Factors Are More Portable

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A smaller motherboard means you can fit it inside a tiny, compact case. That is one of the many benefits of going for Mini or even Micro ATX.

Micro ATX has the benefit of being a balance between both Standard and mini ITX motherboards. It retains upgradability whilst also offering portability.

Does Micro Atx Have 4 Ram Slots

Mini ITX motherboards can become so compact that you can hold them with one hand. You can build such a tiny PC with the same power as a standard ATX motherboard. This is attractive to a lot of people, especially gamers.

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Pros And Cons For Each Motherboard Form Factor

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Keep in mind, preferences vary from person. No motherboard is better than the other. Someone may have a specific reason to build a Mini-ITX build, it doesn’t make it better than a standard ATX motherboard.

Standard ATX Motherboard – Pros & Cons

  • Standard ATX builds definitely have the most upgradability out of the three. With up to 6 PCI-E Slots, you are able to install extra PCI-E cards such as sound, and wifi cards.
  • 4 memory slots are great if you’re going to fill them all up. You have the ability to use up to 64GB RAM.
  • When using a standard ATX motherboard you’re going to be using a larger case. With that being said, the airflow will be excellent. Extreme overclocking is possible with such a build.
  • However, standard ATX comes with a price. You won’t be moving this build around a lot due to the size.
  • Also, you cannot fit a standard ATX motherboard into a case smaller than a mid-tower. You cannot have both compactness and upgradability

Micro ATX Motherboard – Pros & Cons

  • Micro ATX motherboards are the cheapest out of the three. You can easily build a budget build with these motherboards.
  • They can also fit into larger cases.
  • Micro ATX boards have the same RAM capacity as standard ATX motherboards. They have up to 4 DIMM slots.
  • It is also a balance between both standard ATX and Mini ITX. It is compact to a certain extent and maintains decent expandability.
  • However, it has fewer PCI-E slots than the standard ATX motherboards, only supporting up to 4 PCI-E slots.
  • Extreme overclocking may not be possible due to fewer power phases on the motherboard.

Mini ITX Motherboard – Pros & Cons

  • Mini ITX motherboards are extremely compact. If you go far enough, you can make a build that you can hold with one hand.
  • Due to its size, it is extremely portable.
  • They can also be aesthetically pleasing. This may be subjective, but smaller builds are generally better looking.
  • Overclocking will be an issue due to fewer power phases on the motherboard.
  • Minimal expandability, only one PCI-E slot, most likely reserved for a graphics card.
  • Compatibility issues are also a thing with these extremely tiny motherboards. Some graphics cards are incompatible with these motherboards. You may have to search for a “mini” variant of a GPU.

What Motherboard Form Factor Is The Best?

Again, it is subjective, you can build a powerful Mini ITX gaming build, but you will suffer from a lack of expandability.

But for a beginner that wishes to build their first gaming or video editing PC, I’d suggest going for a Standard or Micro ATX motherboards.

Both of those form factors are very beginner-friendly, and it is very unlikely that you will run into compatibility issues when installing hardware.

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And since games and video editing tend to be intensive on the hardware, you will be generating a lot of heat. Standard and Micro ATX builds tend to deal with heat better than Mini-ITX builds.