Whats with all the microATX boards ?

BoozerDawg · 1 Dec 2010 at 13:15

Havent really been keeping an eye on motherboards n such, but my brothers looking to upgrade to an i7, and looking at the motherboards, most of them appear to be microATX with the few ATX boards being rather expensive. Whats caused all this ? Everyone going mATX these days ?

95thrifles · 1 Dec 2010 at 13:18

most 1366 boards are full ATX, not many mATX, theres much more 1156 boards which are mATX though, I think there is more of a drive atm for smaller more efficient systems
All part of the being green thing I guess, lol, but no on serious note a mATX board is still perfectly adequate for >95% of users, onlt really need full ATX nowadays if youre planning on dual gfx or lots of additional cards

Liampope · 1 Dec 2010 at 13:21

If you mean an i7 9xx, and therefore a socket 1366 mobo, there are hardly any matx mobos - like only one of them in this shop. You looking at socket 1156 mobos (for i7 8xx)?

BoozerDawg · 1 Dec 2010 at 14:01

Liampope said:
If you mean an i7 9xx, and therefore a socket 1366 mobo, there are hardly any matx mobos - like only one of them in this shop. You looking at socket 1156 mobos (for i7 8xx)?

Ah hadnt realised the 9xx required 1366 (hadnt researched to much into it yet as the purchase is a way off

), so yeah it would be 1156

Fair enough if its about being green etc, my brother doesnt use the extra slots anyway so its a non-issue, was just curious to know why so many of them (1156 boards) have gone mATX is all. Thanks for the replies

Liampope · 1 Dec 2010 at 14:07

More likely the popularity of HTPCs in small cases than going green if you ask me.