Is it possible to replace a standard "ATX" motherboard of my desktop computer with a new one microATX ?

Question

My desktop is almost 4 years old and I'm thinking of changing the motherboard and CPU.

By searching the Internet I found a lot of microATX mobos and fewer standard ATX.

Will I have a problem if I'll try to replace a standard ATX motherboard with a new microATX mobo? (I mean just in the matter of size and space of the internal of my desktop box)

Has anyone did that kind of change?

Motherboards:
* standard ATX size is 12"×9.6" maximum (305 mm × 244 mm)
* microATX maximum size is 9.6"×9.6" (244mm×244 mm)

Answer 1

Okay, you CANNOT put a micro ATX in a standard ATX case. It won't fit and you will be wasting your time and money. You could make it fit if you want to drill or have self tapping screws and a small saw that you could remove the back panel of the case. Your best bet is to either get a micro atx case or keep searching for standard ATX main board that will fit your needs. Good Luck!

Answer 2

uATX is the same architecture as ATX.. The only difference is the size. The smaller size means there will not be as many PCI slots (usually 2), but that is in addition to the AGP graphix slot. Most boards now have onboard LAN, Most boards have onboard sound too, but you will probably want an Audigy card. You can also get them with onboard SATA, 1394, and other goodies. Onboard video usually sucks (and shares system RAM) so don't use that as a selling point. If you can only get the board you want with onboard video, don't sweat. When you install an AGP video card, it disables the onboard video.

You also have to check and make sure your power supply will support the new board. Under 300w and it probably will be risky. Also, some newer uATX mobos have a 24 pin power connector, and will not work with the 20 pin connector on older power supplies. Some also require a separate 4 pin connector for the processor power, and again, this is required and can't be overlooked. Check your current power supply and make sure it fits the requirements of the board you want to get.

The only other snag you may have is you have to make sure that your case has spots for the standoffs in the right spots. Unless the case is UBER old, it should, since uATX and ATX have most of the same mounting holes.

Physically it should fit. Electrically it may not.



@Truthseeker, you're thinkin of AT cases that had just the keyboard hole and the knockouts for the DB-9 and DB-25s. ATX introduced the changable I/O panel for the rear connectors. The new motherboard will come with the I/O panel that fits it. All he has to do is pop the old panel out and pop the new one in before he mounts the motherboard. The standoffs should actually be more or less in the right spots. He should just have to unscrew the standoffs that dont line up and put them in the right holes.. The pattern is pretty standard.

Answer 3

If cost is not any merchandise... then pick all the costliest stuff... the computer marketplace is not any diverse to the different - the acceptable stuff - prices the most! in case you pick to construct your own equipment to make sure what you could put in it, and how a lot it is going to cost, pass to someplace like Alienware. yet beware, you could throw $10,000 at a operating laptop or computer and it is going to nevertheless be previous-formed in 3 - 5 years. it really is in simple terms the way the marketplace is. human beings look to imagine that pcs get a 'bit extra helpful' each and each year. at the same time as truly, the way issues are going, they DOUBLE in means each and each year, once you're procuring all the present stuff it really is. Quad center very last year, 8 cores this year. 800mhz RAM very last year, 1600+ this year. Do the maths, and be prepared to have your "dream gadget" shattered by the subsequent huge element in 2 years flat!

Answer 4

You might as well go get a used tower from a computer supply store that was used previously with the microATXmobo. Many small businesses offer parts that they have left over from other jobs... Towers really are not that expensive when purchased new. By using the correct tower you will have less issues attaching the motherboard... trust me. The less issues the more pain free the transition.
:o)

Answer 5

Only if your box supports the micro atx And being since your desktop was 4 years ago probably not since micoATX is sorta new

Answer 6

It still has the same connections, it's just smaller and doesn't have as many PCI slots. Also, when you replace a motherboard, you will have to reinstall Windows (if that's what you are using) because it will give you the Blue Screen of Death when you try to boot.

Answer 7

the fact it's atxm shouldn't make a difference as long as your pci cards graphics card , cpu etc are compatable, you tend to only get 2 pci slots on micro boards as opposed to 3,4, or 5 (if they have no onboard graphics)