Intel Original 945 Mother BoardINTEL D945 *Intel Socket 775 *ATX Motherboard Integrated Graphics *800 MHZ FSB *DDR2 Dual Channel *SATA *10/100 LAN *5 Channel Audio *For PIV and Pentium D Processors
The motherboard is an extremely important part of a computer system. Not only does it determine what you can and can't have in your system, it also has a big impact on performance. So, choose carefully, and get the best motherboard you can afford.
What Does a Motherboard Do All Day?
All the other devices in your PC such as the microprocessor, memory, drives, multimedia cards, printer, and monitor all "plug" into the motherboard in one way or another. Once connected to the motherboard, each device is able to send data to the main memory. Main memory is a holding ground for the data and instructions the CPU needs in order to complete tasks. When the CPU requests data, the memory locates it, then sends it over to the CPU via a pathway on the motherboard called the system bus. When the processor finishes processing the data, it sends the result back to the memory, which in turn sends it back to the device that needs it. The motherboard's chipset coordinates and controls the speed and timing of those interactions.
On the right is a diagram of a motherboard. Notice it is made up mostly of sockets, slots, connectors, and ports. The two primary exceptions are the chipset and the BIOS chip, which are built into the board.
The chipset is the most important part of a motherboard; it is largely responsible for the stability and performance of the board, and it determines which features are supported and which are not. Some well known motherboard chipset manufacturers include Intel, Via, SiS (Silicon Integrated Systems Corp.), AMD, and Nvidia. ATI has recently entered the core logic market as well.
The BIOS (basic input/output system) is responsible for booting up the computer when you first turn it on. It also helps control the flow of data between the operating system and hardware devices. Traditionally, the BIOS was on a ROM (read only memory) chip to ensure that its instructions would never be erased. However, all modern motherboards now have the BIOS on flash memory, which enables the BIOS to be "flashed" (updated) if desired. Further, most modern motherboards even have dual BIOS, which is described in more detail in "Special Features" below.
What CPU Will You Be Using?
If you already know what CPU you'll be using, great. If not, start there. Think about what type of computer you want. Are you a gamer or someone who does a lot of image editing? If so, you may want a higher-end CPU such as an Intel P4, or an AMD AthlonXP. If you primarily use your PC for Microsoft Office and surfing the Internet, you may want an Intel Celeron or an AMD Duron. If you're not sure what you need, take a look at the Buyer's Guide chapter on CPUs.
Deciding on a CPU will help you narrow down your motherboard choices quite a bit. A motherboard will only support specific types and speeds of processors. For instance, a motherboard designed for an Intel P4 will not support an Intel PIII, and a motherboard designed for an Athlon processor up to 900MHz, will not support a 1400MHz Athlon. Also, it's important to understand that a motherboard will support either an Intel processor or an AMD processor, but not both. Intel and AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) are the two major manufacturers of processors.
In addition, you must purchase a motherboard that your CPU can physically connect to. The motherboard's slot or socket is where you will "plug in" your CPU. (See the CPU socket on the diagram.) Different CPUs come in different types of packaging, which only fit into certain slots or sockets. Therefore, if you know what type of slot or socket you need, you can eliminate all the boards that don't have it.
Before you purchase a motherboard, we urge you to contact the board's manufacturer and double check that it is definitely compatible with your CPU. Accidentally purchasing a board that doesn't support your CPU will put a major damper on your project.
The following are some of the latest CPUs and the socket types they require. Note that the latest processors use sockets rather than slots.
CPU
Compatible Socket type
Intel Celeron
Socket 370 (old) or Socket 478 (new)
Intel P4
Socket 478
AMD Duron
Socket A
AMD Athlon
Socket A
Basic Features
Everyone has different motherboard requirements depending on the type of system they want. However, the following is a list of basics we believe most people will benefit from having. Refer to the motherboard diagram above for a visual representation of the following features.
ATX or MicroATX Form Factor: Form factor refers to the size and layout of your motherboard, as well as the type of case and power supply you need. Currently, most motherboards are ATX. Therefore, if you go with ATX you'll have a lot more options. (The motherboard in the diagram above is an example of an ATX board.)
The second most popular form factor is MicroATX. MicroATX boards are smaller, which makes them more difficult to tweak or plug things into. In addition, there aren't as many sockets for memory, or expansion slots. On the other hand, they are usually less expensive, and a MicroATX case will save you space. A MicroATX board can also be used in an ATX case if needed.
ATA/66, ATA/100, ATA/133 (EIDE): As mentioned in the SCSI section, SCSI and EIDE are your two drive interface options. EIDE (enhanced IDE) comes standard on most motherboards. However, different motherboards have different grades of EIDE. These days EIDE comes in four different bandwidths: 33MB/sec (ATA/33), 66MB/sec (ATA/66), 100MB/sec (ATA/100) and 133MB/sec (ATA/133). Getting a motherboard with ATA/133 will allow you to use ATA/133, ATA/100, ATA/66, or ATA/33 drives, because it is backward compatible. Unless you have an ATA/33 hard drive that you never plan to upgrade, don't opt for ATA/33. You can read more about EIDE in the Hard Drive Buyers' Guide.
An AGP Slot: Most new graphics cards are designed to use AGP (accelerated graphics port) technology. AGP provides a fast data pathway between the video card and the computer's main memory. Formerly, most video cards were made for the PCI bus, which the AGP has surpassed in terms of speed and performance. PCI video cards are still available, but an AGP card is preferable. Choose either AGP4x, AGP8x or AGP Pro. The faster the slot is, the more bandwidth you have for transfering data from the rest of the system to your graphics card. Note that sometimes AGP slots require video cards of a certain voltage. For instance, many Intel boards have an AGP 4X slot that only supports video cards that are 1.5V. This means an older 3.3V video card would not be supported. You can read more about AGP in the Video Card Buyers' Guide.
PS/2: This is the most common type of connector for a keyboard and mouse.
Parallel Port: This is the most common type of port for your printer. Some scanners also use a parallel port connection.
USB Ports ( 2 minimum ): USB 1.1 (universal serial bus) is a data pathway between main memory and peripherals that require a slow to medium data transfer rate such as joysticks, keyboards, and scanners. USB supports plug-and-play, which makes connecting plug-and-play equipped devices very easy. With plug-and-play a computer is supposed to be able to immediately recognize a newly connected device without the user having to configure anything.
In addition, recently USB 2.0 has come to market. USB 2.0 offers up to 40% more bandwidth than USB 1.1, and is even slightly faster than FireWire (IEEE1394). This makes it more viable for devices such as external hard drives and CD-RW drives. In order to take advantage of a USB 2.0 port, however the device you wish to connect must also support the 2.0 specification.
PCI Slots (4 minimum): Even if the PCI bus is no longer ideal for video cards, it is still used for other types of expansion cards such as sound cards, SCSI host adapter cards, IEEE 1394 (FireWire) cards, and network interface cards.
DIMM, DDR DIMM, or RIMM Sockets: Make sure the motherboard can support the amount and type of memory your system needs. Motherboards that support DDR memory are currently very popular because DDR memory offers twice the bandwidth of standard SDRAM.
As far as amount of memory, most systems require at least 64MB, and 128 is becoming pretty standard. If you want to use your system for graphic arts, publishing, and multimedia you'll probably want 256MB of memory or more for optimum performace. It's a good idea to leave yourself room for more memory should you need it.
The motherboard is an extremely important part of a computer system. Not only does it determine what you can and can't have in your system, it also has a big impact on performance. So, choose carefully, and get the best motherboard you can afford.
What Does a Motherboard Do All Day?
All the other devices in your PC such as the microprocessor, memory, drives, multimedia cards, printer, and monitor all "plug" into the motherboard in one way or another. Once connected to the motherboard, each device is able to send data to the main memory. Main memory is a holding ground for the data and instructions the CPU needs in order to complete tasks. When the CPU requests data, the memory locates it, then sends it over to the CPU via a pathway on the motherboard called the system bus. When the processor finishes processing the data, it sends the result back to the memory, which in turn sends it back to the device that needs it. The motherboard's chipset coordinates and controls the speed and timing of those interactions.
On the right is a diagram of a motherboard. Notice it is made up mostly of sockets, slots, connectors, and ports. The two primary exceptions are the chipset and the BIOS chip, which are built into the board.
The chipset is the most important part of a motherboard; it is largely responsible for the stability and performance of the board, and it determines which features are supported and which are not. Some well known motherboard chipset manufacturers include Intel, Via, SiS (Silicon Integrated Systems Corp.), AMD, and Nvidia. ATI has recently entered the core logic market as well.
The BIOS (basic input/output system) is responsible for booting up the computer when you first turn it on. It also helps control the flow of data between the operating system and hardware devices. Traditionally, the BIOS was on a ROM (read only memory) chip to ensure that its instructions would never be erased. However, all modern motherboards now have the BIOS on flash memory, which enables the BIOS to be "flashed" (updated) if desired. Further, most modern motherboards even have dual BIOS, which is described in more detail in "Special Features" below.
What CPU Will You Be Using?
If you already know what CPU you'll be using, great. If not, start there. Think about what type of computer you want. Are you a gamer or someone who does a lot of image editing? If so, you may want a higher-end CPU such as an Intel P4, or an AMD AthlonXP. If you primarily use your PC for Microsoft Office and surfing the Internet, you may want an Intel Celeron or an AMD Duron. If you're not sure what you need, take a look at the Buyer's Guide chapter on CPUs.
Deciding on a CPU will help you narrow down your motherboard choices quite a bit. A motherboard will only support specific types and speeds of processors. For instance, a motherboard designed for an Intel P4 will not support an Intel PIII, and a motherboard designed for an Athlon processor up to 900MHz, will not support a 1400MHz Athlon. Also, it's important to understand that a motherboard will support either an Intel processor or an AMD processor, but not both. Intel and AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) are the two major manufacturers of processors.
In addition, you must purchase a motherboard that your CPU can physically connect to. The motherboard's slot or socket is where you will "plug in" your CPU. (See the CPU socket on the diagram.) Different CPUs come in different types of packaging, which only fit into certain slots or sockets. Therefore, if you know what type of slot or socket you need, you can eliminate all the boards that don't have it.
Before you purchase a motherboard, we urge you to contact the board's manufacturer and double check that it is definitely compatible with your CPU. Accidentally purchasing a board that doesn't support your CPU will put a major damper on your project.
The following are some of the latest CPUs and the socket types they require. Note that the latest processors use sockets rather than slots.
CPU
Compatible Socket type
Intel Celeron
Socket 370 (old) or Socket 478 (new)
Intel P4
Socket 478
AMD Duron
Socket A
AMD Athlon
Socket A
Basic Features
Everyone has different motherboard requirements depending on the type of system they want. However, the following is a list of basics we believe most people will benefit from having. Refer to the motherboard diagram above for a visual representation of the following features.
ATX or MicroATX Form Factor: Form factor refers to the size and layout of your motherboard, as well as the type of case and power supply you need. Currently, most motherboards are ATX. Therefore, if you go with ATX you'll have a lot more options. (The motherboard in the diagram above is an example of an ATX board.)
The second most popular form factor is MicroATX. MicroATX boards are smaller, which makes them more difficult to tweak or plug things into. In addition, there aren't as many sockets for memory, or expansion slots. On the other hand, they are usually less expensive, and a MicroATX case will save you space. A MicroATX board can also be used in an ATX case if needed.
ATA/66, ATA/100, ATA/133 (EIDE): As mentioned in the SCSI section, SCSI and EIDE are your two drive interface options. EIDE (enhanced IDE) comes standard on most motherboards. However, different motherboards have different grades of EIDE. These days EIDE comes in four different bandwidths: 33MB/sec (ATA/33), 66MB/sec (ATA/66), 100MB/sec (ATA/100) and 133MB/sec (ATA/133). Getting a motherboard with ATA/133 will allow you to use ATA/133, ATA/100, ATA/66, or ATA/33 drives, because it is backward compatible. Unless you have an ATA/33 hard drive that you never plan to upgrade, don't opt for ATA/33. You can read more about EIDE in the Hard Drive Buyers' Guide.
An AGP Slot: Most new graphics cards are designed to use AGP (accelerated graphics port) technology. AGP provides a fast data pathway between the video card and the computer's main memory. Formerly, most video cards were made for the PCI bus, which the AGP has surpassed in terms of speed and performance. PCI video cards are still available, but an AGP card is preferable. Choose either AGP4x, AGP8x or AGP Pro. The faster the slot is, the more bandwidth you have for transfering data from the rest of the system to your graphics card. Note that sometimes AGP slots require video cards of a certain voltage. For instance, many Intel boards have an AGP 4X slot that only supports video cards that are 1.5V. This means an older 3.3V video card would not be supported. You can read more about AGP in the Video Card Buyers' Guide.
PS/2: This is the most common type of connector for a keyboard and mouse.
Parallel Port: This is the most common type of port for your printer. Some scanners also use a parallel port connection.
USB Ports ( 2 minimum ): USB 1.1 (universal serial bus) is a data pathway between main memory and peripherals that require a slow to medium data transfer rate such as joysticks, keyboards, and scanners. USB supports plug-and-play, which makes connecting plug-and-play equipped devices very easy. With plug-and-play a computer is supposed to be able to immediately recognize a newly connected device without the user having to configure anything.
In addition, recently USB 2.0 has come to market. USB 2.0 offers up to 40% more bandwidth than USB 1.1, and is even slightly faster than FireWire (IEEE1394). This makes it more viable for devices such as external hard drives and CD-RW drives. In order to take advantage of a USB 2.0 port, however the device you wish to connect must also support the 2.0 specification.
PCI Slots (4 minimum): Even if the PCI bus is no longer ideal for video cards, it is still used for other types of expansion cards such as sound cards, SCSI host adapter cards, IEEE 1394 (FireWire) cards, and network interface cards.
DIMM, DDR DIMM, or RIMM Sockets: Make sure the motherboard can support the amount and type of memory your system needs. Motherboards that support DDR memory are currently very popular because DDR memory offers twice the bandwidth of standard SDRAM.
As far as amount of memory, most systems require at least 64MB, and 128 is becoming pretty standard. If you want to use your system for graphic arts, publishing, and multimedia you'll probably want 256MB of memory or more for optimum performace. It's a good idea to leave yourself room for more memory should you need it.
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