How to check RAM slots available on Windows 10. To confirm the number of memory slots available on your computer or laptop, use these steps on Windows 10. Open Start.; Search for Task Manager. ASRock B450M Steel Legend AM4 AMD Promontory B450 SATA 6Gb/s Micro ATX AMD Motherboard. Number of Memory Slots: 4×288pin Memory Standard: AMD Ryzen series CPUs (Matisse) support DDR4 3200/ 2933/ 2667/ 2400/ 2133 ECC & non-ECC, un-buffered memory. AMD Ryzen series CPUs (Pinnacle Ridge) support DDR4 3533+(OC)/ 3200(OC)/ 2933(OC)/ 2667/2400/2133 ECC & non-ECC, un-buffered memory. AMD Ryzen. . Better aesthetics than micro-ATX. More expensive than micro-ATX. Won’t look right in larger cases. Won’t work for multi-GPU setups. Not ideal for extreme overclocking. Typically, only have two RAM slots.
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
Micro ATX Motherboards | Chipset and Socket | Memory Slots | Warranty | Buy Now |
---|---|---|---|---|
Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming Motherboard | B450, AM4 | 4 slots | 3 year long | |
MSI Performance Gaming AMD Motherboard | B450, AM4 | 4 slots | 3 year long | |
Gigabyte B450M DS3H Motherboard | B450, AM4 | 4 slots | 3 year long | |
ASRock B450M PRO4 AM4 AMD Motherboard | B450, AM4 | 4 slots | 3 year long |
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
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.
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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.
Make sure to share your thoughts in the comments section. You can also post any questions down there if you have any!
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Planning to build a PC? Let’s figure out which motherboard is best for you among the most commonly available optionsATX vs Micro ATX vs Mini ITX.
When you are thinking of building a PC whether its a gaming PC, Workstation, or even desktop. You might be confused to make a decision for the best available options whether it’s a mouse, keyboard, and a chair.
Just Like all of the other components the motherboard is one of the most important parts of your computer. If we talk about computer technology a couple of years back we used to have very simple motherboards with limited features and limited ports to connect external parts to it.
However, Nowadays everything in your system will go through your motherboard so whether you are looking for a gaming system or a workstation the performance of your system will be dependent upon your motherboard.
Selecting the best motherboard for you could be a little confusing task as just like all other components of your computer, motherboards also come in different sizes which is known as Form Factor.
The Form Factor is based upon the size of your board, dimensions, number of ports, and your power supply’s type.
Motherboards are available in a big variety in the market but the most common and mostly sold options are ATX, Micro ATX and Mini ITX.
Although their size is considered as the biggest factor that differentiates them, there are lots of other factors that make one board differ from the other.
Short Introduction of ATX and ITX
ATX: It stands for “Advance Technology eXtended”, Basically it is a motherboard and power supply configuration specification which was developed by intel back in 1995 to improve the previous standard just like AT design. ATX is the most common motherboard design which consists of some others in smaller sizes known as MicroATX and FlexATX.
ITX: It is a motherboard technology that has been developed by VIA Technologies. ITX or Mini ITX usually is in the small size that is used with the small configured computer system. This technology is designed for low power consumption architecture that provides you a fanless cooling experience.
Micro ATX:
The MicroATX is 25% shorter in length as compared to the Standard ATX while both variants are similar in the width. The dimensions of Micro ATX is 9.6’’ x 9.6’’ (244 x 244 mm).
Mainly the MicroATX was designed to provide backward compatibility to the sATX. The Mounting ports and the I/O panel are pretty Identical with Standard ATX so it’s suitable to fit in the larger ATX cases as well.
Intel is using the similar power connectors for MicroATX that enable it to use power supplies of the standard ATX model.
Along with the power supplies, intel is using a similar chipset that allows both of these variants to use many of the same components.
Smaller in size Micro ATX motherboard offers fewer expansion options.
This motherboard comes with support for 2 memory slots and a number of 4 PCI or PCIe expansion slots.
Fewer ports won’t be a drawback as each slot supports up to 32 GB of Ram so in total it is capable to hold 64 gigs of memory, which makes it pretty suitable to run every available game in the market.
Since 2006 all of the new models of Micro ATX come with Dual GPU support just like the standard ATX models that enhance the user’s high-end gaming experience.
Mini ITX:
The Mini ITX form factor was developed in 2001. It is mainly designed to be used in small configured computer systems as we can guess by its name as well.
It comes in a squared design with dimensions of 170 x 170 mm.
Initially, they have designed a less power consuming system that doesn’t utilize fans for cooling purposes.
Basically removing fan cooling helps you to minimize the power consumption along with that it was designed to provide the noise-free environment, for example, no fan experience would be a suitable option for cinema purposes where fan’s sound could be a little distracting.
It comes with four mounting ports just like the ATX and Micro ATX motherboard that enables it to ideally fit it any bigger in size cases of ATX and Micro ATX as well.
Also Read: B450 VS X470 Best Motherboard for AMD Processor?
The Mini ITX comes with the support of 2 RAM slots that can handle a total of 32 GB RAM with 16 GB gigs of memory support for each slot. The support of 32 gigs of ram with a system with a smaller size is pretty nice to have that makes it capable to fulfill the requirements of a gaming pc.
Dual GPU functionality is something that you would be missing with Mini ITX as it has a single PCIe slot so you will be allowed to use only a single GPU with it.
Mini ITX vs Micro ATX:
As we went through the details of both Micro ATX and Mini ITX let’s compare both of these boards as per the following important factors.
Size:
As we all know size is a very considerable factor for most of the users, Some of the users are sticky with smaller systems while on other hand some users are interested in a bigger system having more functionality.
Both of the models offer a squared motherboard design with the following dimensions.
Dimensions:
Micro-ATX: 9.6’’ x 9.6”(244 x 244mm)
Mini-ITX: 6.7” x 6.7” (170 x 170mm)
Micro-ATX: 9.6’’ x 9.6”(244 x 244mm)
Mini-ITX: 6.7” x 6.7” (170 x 170mm)
MicroATX is a little bigger than the ITX variant and of course, bigger in size will also allow it to offer more functionalities. The Bigger size of mATX allows it to have Multi GPU functionality which is a lacking feature in Mini-ITX
Smaller Size of Mini ITX gives it little advantage as it could be fit easily in the Micro-ATX case because the mounting pins of both systems are similar. While Micro-ATX wouldn’t be able to fit in ITX’s case and the same goes for the Power supply as well.
RAM and Storage:
Talking about the storage, mATX offers support for a higher number of SATA ports enables you to connect multiple hard drives at a time for larger storage which is somewhere lacking in ITX.
For the RAMs as we discussed above it’s clearly a big edge to mATX due to its support for up to 64 gigs of RAM with its 2 slots while ITX can hold a total 32GB of memory which is 16 GB for each slot.
PCIe Slots
If you are planning to run Multi-GPU on your system then it is a clear call for you to go with Micro ATX as it comes with 4 PCIe Slots while on the other hand mini-ITX offers only 1 single PCIe slot.
To maintain a short size of Mini-ITX only a single PCIe lane was added. So by graphics cards, you will not be able to add any other peripheral device to it which is the biggest drawback for some of the users.
Design and Cooling System:
Talking about the design first, It’s a clear edge for the Mini-ITX motherboard as it offers a unique compact design with its smaller size. While the mATX’s look won’t be that much fancy unless you spend some money to buy expensive cases for it.
ITX is mainly designed to provide a less noisy cooling fanless system. But If you are concerned with proper cooling then it’s not an issue anymore for you like lots of people are using custom liquid cooling solutions along with that there are Liquid-cooled single-slot graphics cards available that could solve this issue and make this system super unique.
Portability:
Portability is another demanding feature for some of the users, If you are someone who probably moves a lot then there is a big plus one for Mini-ITX as the smaller size motherboard would be the ideal option for you.
ATX vs Micro ATX vs Mini ITX
As we went through the details of both Micro ATX and Mini ITX now let’s compare both of these boards along with the Standard ATX as per the following important factors.
Size:
Considering all of the factors that make difference between these variants the Size is considered as the first most important factor that makes huge differences between these models.
Dimensions:
Standard ATX: 12.0’’ x 9.6’’ (305 x 244mm)
Micro-ATX: 9.6’’ x 9.6”(244 x 244mm)
Mini-ITX: 6.7” x 6.7” (170 x 170mm)
Micro-ATX: 9.6’’ x 9.6”(244 x 244mm)
Mini-ITX: 6.7” x 6.7” (170 x 170mm)
As the width of both ATX and mATX is the same but height is the only factor that makes some difference between both of these variants. The extra height gives an edge to the ATX motherboard that allows it to have some extra PCIe Lanes and RAM slots.
Extra Height also gives an advantage to the ATX to make it more suitable for multi-GPUs setup when users want to utilize multiple PCIe slots.
While the MicroATX comes with the dual GPU support but fewer expansion slots will cause some limitations to it.
Mini-ITX motherboard is the smallest in terms of both height and weight. It’s smaller size allows it to feature one single PCIe lane. On the other hand smaller size of ITX gives it the advantage to have more small form cases along with that its ideal to be fit in ATX and Micro-ATX motherboard’s cases as well.
The smaller size of mATX than the sATX with similar mounting ports enables it to be fit in the Standard ATX cases along with the small Micro-ATX cases.
RAM Capacity:
After the Size definitely RAM is 2nd most considerable factor for a motherboard. Motherboard’s RAM Capacity and the number of slots could change your mind among these options as well.
The both Standard ATX offers four RAM slots while the both Micro ATX and the Mini ITX offer 2 RAM slots only.
The both Standard ATX offers four RAM slots while the both Micro ATX and the Mini ITX offer 2 RAM slots only.
Mini-ITX comes with the two slots which are capable of handling a maximum of 32 GB RAM which means one slot can handle up to 16 Gigs only. While both ATX models offer you 64 GB total RAM capacity.
Less Ram storage won’t be a downside for Mini-ITX as it’s pretty capable to run every game just because nowadays games could be playable with 16 GB RAM.
PCIe Slots:
The PCIe slot is the factor where you will feel the difference among these variants. Here the ATX Motherboard will be the leading one as it offers 7 PCIe slots.
Taking about the MicroATX it supports 4 PCIe Slots while the Mini ATX supports only a single slot.
With the more PCIe slots for both ATX versions, you might not feel a big difference. But If you have planned to run Multi-GPUs or are interested in any other peripheral device cards then there is a big downside for Mini-ITX.
Price of ATX, Micro ATX, and Mini ITX motherboards
Talking about the price tag you might be thinking that Mini ITX would be a cheaper one but unfortunately, you are wrong here with the compact design Mini-ITX is the most expensive in this list.
Micro ATX is considerably low in price due to the higher demand in the market because of its medium and ideal size while the Standard ATX option is still a little more expensive than the Micro ATX just because of being bigger in size and having some extra PCIe lanes as well.
Side by Side Comparison of ATX, Micro ATX, and Mini ITX
Which One You Should Buy?
Now as we have looked over the specifications, Pros and Cons, features, detailed comparison for Micro ATX vs Mini-ITX, along with that we have compared both of the motherboards with the standard ATX model. Now moving toward the important question is which one you should pick?
Which motherboard is the best for you is most likely dependent upon what type of PC you are looking for, your use indent and how many PCIe and RAM slots you are looking for.
Gaming PC
If you are planning to build a gaming system then, then definitely we will recommend you to go with Micro-ATX motherboard.
Micro ATX is a very common and easily available option that offers the best value to the users. It offers 64 GB of RAM capacity with two of its slots which is more than enough.
Multi-GPU support was a lacking feature till 2006 but after that Intel integrated the Multi-GPU support with all of its new micro-ATX motherboards.
By using Dual-GPU in your system yet you will have some free slots for additional PCIe expansion cards. There would be only one reason to select the Standard ATX motherboard if you are looking to utilize more PCIe slots than Micro ATX or you are interested to have a quad GPU setup.
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We are less likely to recommend you to Mini-ITX for gaming purposes unless you are planning to have a portable gaming PC. The compact design and the overcrowded area of Mini-ITX will demand the advanced cooling system to get rid of excessive heat generation.
If you are interested in having a small case with this small motherboard then you must have to keep the size of your graphics card in mind before purchasing.
Workstation
If you are a professional user and looking for a system that could handle all of your heavy software.
Whether it’s video editing, graphics editing, or any programming related software where you might be processing numerous of the tasks, then we strongly recommend you to go with Standard ATX just because it provides you additional PCIe lanes and extra RAM slots.
Although Micro ATX yet remains the best option if the number of extra PCIe Lanes isn’t that useful to you and if you have a pretty average amount of tasks then Its recommended to go with mATX.
Mini ITX is not preferred when you are up to building a workstation as due to limitations in RAM capacity and lack of heat management system won’t make it suitable to use as a workstation. Although you can install a liquid cooling system but yet it wouldn’t be that much suitable for heavy usage.
If you are looking for a small portable workstation that could run limited numbers of professional software then you can prefer to use Mini-ITX but after installing a powerful GPU and a liquid cooling system in it.
Desktop PC
If you are looking for a system that could be suitable for Day to day internet uses, multimedia, Office works, and little bit gaming then of course Micro ATX is going to be the perfect choice for you.
Micro-ATX is the cheapest option and a suitable option among these three. MicroATX offers support for 64 gigs of RAM and 4 PCIe Lanes So If in future you are interested to use this system for gaming purposes then its easy to upgrade by installing some new GPU and a cooling management system.
If you are looking for a small decent size PC with slim and sleek in design for your day to day usage then Mini ITX would be most ideal for you but keep in mind that you have to pay little more for ITX Motherboard.
Conclusion
So as we have been through all of the details and comparisons and we are pretty sure that you must have decided which motherboard you are going to have for your system.
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As you know that all of these motherboards are different from each other and it could be a very straight forward selection for you on the basis of your usage.
Whether you are looking for a Gaming PC or looking for a Desktop PC for your day to day usage that doesn’t cover a lot of space, you are very well aware of which motherboards will suit you more.
Which motherboard have you selected for your system? And for what intent you have selected it? Please let us know in the comment section below!
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