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A longer video card can block the RAM slots on some micro-ATX boards. Generally not an issue anymore, but it was a plague across the industry only a few years ago. Micro ATX – 2-4 memory slots and 3 or more PCIe slots. Ideal for those who don’t need a system as small as Mini ITX, but also don’t need all the expansion offered by Full ATX. Full ATX – 4 memory slots and 6 or more PCIe slots. Ideal for users who want the most expansion possible without opting for an HEDT or server-centric chipset.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Pros And Cons For Each Motherboard Form Factor

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.

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.

When choosing the right components and parts for your PC, you will find a wide range of options out there. This especially gets confusing when choosing the motherboard of your computer since it acts as the central hub for the rest of the components.

Even if you are looking for a mid-range motherboard, going with the one of the best micro ATX motherboards present in this article can be a great option because of these reasons:

• Chipset and Socket: The chipset and socket of your computer’s motherboard more or less tell you about its compatibility. As for the options present in this article, all of them are AM4 sockets along with the B450 chipset. Thanks to this, you can use almost any Ryzen processor with these motherboards.
• Memory Slots: Since having enough RAM is important for a high-performance computing experience; you might end up installing more RAM. But, this is only possible when your computer’s motherboard has 4 memory slots, which is true for all the options present here in this article.
• Warranty: You would expect a brand new computer to stay new for a long time without having any issues or lags. Because of this, all micro ATX motherboards present in this article come with a 3-year long warranty making them quite reliable.

Apart from these important factors, there is still more to check with micro ATX motherboards. Thus, all of these details have been mentioned in this article. You can also find a detailed Buying Guide related to the best micro ATX motherboards. This will allow you to get the right one by following this article until the end.

4 Best Micro ATX Motherboards 2020

4 Best Micro ATX Motherboards 2020 Reviews

1. Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming Motherboard (ATX)

Out of the various motherboard brands, Asus is considered one of the best ones when it comes to performance, which you can also get a small and compact unit from Asus.

The Asus micro ATX motherboard is present in the 1st position in this article as it is the most powerful option in this article. Apart from being a B450 motherboard with an AM4 socket, this micro ATX motherboard is highly compatible with most AMD Ryzen CPUs.

With this premium motherboard from Asus, you get a 3-year long warranty for your peace of mind. One of the best things about this motherboard is that it comes with dual NVME slots, USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports, USB Type C ports, and even an HDMI port making it a great for easily connecting external devices.

Best Features:

• Uses the B450 chipset with AM4 socket
• Offers 4 memory slots
• Comes with a 3-year long warranty

Pros:

• Excellent power deliver
• Offers a wide range of ports
• Includes onboard RGB lights

Cons:

• A bit on the expensive side

2. MSI Performance Gaming AMD Motherboard

You can also consider MSI before getting a motherboard for your computer since most of its offerings are as popular as other high-end brands like Asus.

MSI’s micro ATX motherboard is present in the 2nd position in this article as it can be another high-performance model. Just like the previous one, it is also a B450 motherboard along with the AM4 socket making it viable for various AMD Ryzen processors.

The 4 memory ports of this motherboard can support up to 4133 MHz RAM, making it one of the fastest out there. You also get ample storage space with 6 SATA ports, NVME M.2 slots, USB 3.2 Gen ports, and even an HDMI port for easily connecting to external devices.

Best Features:

• Uses the B450 chipset with AM4 socket
• Offers 4 memory slots
• Comes with a 3-year long warranty

Pros:

• Great performance for the price
• High memory speed rating
• Includes multiple storage options

Cons:

• Lacks USB Type C connectivity

3. Gigabyte B450M DS3H Motherboard

If you are on a budget, then you should also consider Gigabyte because of the various value for money options like their micro ATX motherboard option in this article.

Being one of the most affordable options out there, this one also uses the B450 chipset and AMD AM4 socket for Ryzen CPUs. Many AMD Ryzen CPUs will work with this motherboard despite its average power delivery system.

Speaking of the power delivery, you get various internal connectors like NVME SSD, SATA ports, and various other things. This is also true for the USB 3.0 ports, HDMI port, PS/2 port, DVI-D, and many others.

Best Features:

• Uses the B450 chipset with AM4 socket
• Offers 4 memory slots
• Comes with a 3-year long warranty

Pros:

• Decent number of input and output ports
• Affordable micro ATX motherboard
• Includes 4 memory slots

Cons:

• Average power delivery

4. ASRock B450M PRO4 AM4 AMD Motherboard

At the last option in this article, we have Asrock, which can be another great option if you want a micro ATX motherboard without breaking the bank.

Despite being the cheapest option in this article, it still uses the B450 chipset and AMD socket AM4, which is the same as more expensive options out there. Even the power delivery of this motherboard is quite decent, making it viable for many higher-end AMD Ryzen CPUs as well.

Looking at the insides, you will find an NVME SSD slot, 4 RAM slots, and various SATA ports. If that is not enough, then you will be glad to know the ports on the back include USB Type C, HDMI, USB 3.0 ports, and other basic ports such as audio, PS/2, VGA.

Best Features:

• Uses the B450 chipset with AM4 socket
• Offers 4 memory slots
• Comes with a 3-year long warranty

Pros:

• Viable entry-level micro ATX motherboard
• Uses high-speed USB Type C ports
• Comes with various internal ports

Cons:

• Does not have any RGB

Buying Guide For The Best Micro ATX Motherboards

If you are on a budget but still want a decent computer, then going with a micro ATX motherboard can be a great pick. Even though they are quite cheaper than standard ATX motherboards, you get most of the functionality of a full-size ATX motherboard. Such motherboards can also be viable if you simply want to make a compact computer.

You can get one of the best micro ATX motherboards present here in this article. To help you out in picking up the right one, all of them have been mentioned, along with their major features and options. And now, we are here with a detailed buying guide for the best micro ATX motherboards so that you can get the right one after following these factors one by one:

1. Socket and Chipset

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The first and most important thing to check before getting a micro ATX motherboard is its socket and chipset. These essentially tell you about the processor that you can use with a given motherboard. As for the micro ATX motherboards present in this article, all of them use the AM4 CPU socket.

This socket is combined along with the decently powerful and feature-rich B450 motherboard chipset. Thanks to this, you can use almost any AMD Ryzen CPU ranging from the 1000 series to the brand new 5000 series with a BIOS update. Although, with these mid-tier motherboards, it is not recommended to use a high-end processor for obvious budget and power delivery restrictions.

2. PCIE Slots

Since AMD Ryzen CPUs do not have an internal graphics card, you are surely going to install a dedicated one on your computer. There are also other things like sound cards and network cards that can be installed on your computer’s motherboard.

All of these things are installed in the PCIE slots offered by the motherboard, which makes them quite important. Most micro ATX motherboards will offer two full-size PCIE slots along with a small one, which should be quite decent in most cases.

3. Memory Support

Even if you have a powerful CPU, you cannot get the most out of it unless you have enough memory on your computer. Hence, checking the memory support offered by your computer is quite important.

You will find micro ATX motherboard models with either 2 or 4 memory slots where having more slots is always better. Other than this, you should also check the maximum memory capacity of your micro ATX motherboard. Similarly, the maximum memory speed supported is also quite important to check.

4. Storage Support

You should also check the storage options offered by your micro ATX motherboard to ensure that you have enough storage speeds along with high storage speeds. For bulk storage and moderate speeds, you are either going to use an HDD or a SATA SSD.

Thus, almost all motherboards come with 4 or 6 SATA slots, where having more slots is always better. Modern micro ATX motherboards also offer either 1 or 2 NVME slots, which can be used to install much faster NVME SSD for excellent storage access speeds.

5. Ports

Apart from connecting all of the internal components of your computer, the motherboard is also used to connect external devices like peripherals and storage devices. All of these are connected to the rear ports offered by your motherboard. While choosing the right motherboard, you should go with the one that offers multiple high-speed ports.

Apart from basic audio ports, PS/2 port, USB 2.0 ports, VGA port, DVI-D port, ethernet port, you should also look out for high-speed USB 3.0 ports, USB Type C port, HDMI port, and others. Any motherboard that offers multiple high-speed ports is going to be highly practical and handy in the long run.

6. Warranty

The motherboard of your computer is one of the most important components of your computer. Thus, if you want your computer to keep working without any issues, then your computer’s motherboard should also last for a long time. Thankfully, almost all motherboards come with a 3-year long warranty for peace of mind as it should be more than enough for most buyers.

Conclusion

Out of the various motherboard form factors available in the market, micro ATX motherboards are considered to be the most popular ones. These offer almost as good performance as larger ATX boards while having a smaller size and a lower price tag. Thus, these are great for buyers on a budget as well as for small form factor computers. Hence, we have mentioned the best micro ATX motherboards above in this article.

All of them have been mentioned, along with major features and options. You can even find a comprehensive buying guide related to these micro ATX motherboards. And based on these factors, here is one of our most favorite micro ATX motherboard recommendations:

Even though it is the cheapest option present in this article, the Asrock B450M motherboard offers very similar performance as more expensive options out there. This B450M motherboard comes with 4 RAM slots, NVME SSD slot, USB 3.1 Gen 2, USB Type C, HDMI, and decent power delivery for most medium to high-end AM4 processors.

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