Micro ATX vs Mini ITX vs ATX

February 03, 2021

If you are making a plan for building a PC for yourself? Therefore, choosing the best motherboard can be very difficult for you because you can't even guess which motherboard fulfills your needs. When you look at these Micro ATX, Mini ITX, ATX motherboards, you only get to see the size difference inside them, but when we go into its details, you will see a lot more factors inside it.

Inside this guide, you will be introduced to all the factors and differences you can see inside these motherboards, and that is essentials for best performance. When it comes to choosing a motherboard, the most crucial factor is the purpose for which you want to use the motherboard. Micro ATX, Mini ITX, and ATX motherboards mentioned below are specially designed for their assembled purposes, and they will meet all your needs.

It would be better to look at the size of these motherboards before learning more about them.

ATX: 305×244 mm
Micro ATX: 244 x 244mm
Mini ITX: 170 x 170mm

Table of Contents

Micro ATX vs Mini ITX vs ATX

You may have guessed from the measurements that the largest motherboard out of all these motherboards is the ATX. Secondly, when it comes to smaller motherboards than the ATX, you can see the Micro ATX, and the smallest motherboard is mini ITX. Especially when it comes to ATX and Micro ATX motherboards, they both look alike.

On the other hand, the only thing which is not similar in this motherboard is their length. After seeing the standard ATX motherboard size, the question comes to your mind: Why is this motherboard so big? The main reason for its considerable length is that you can see many PCIe and RAM slots inside the ATX motherboard.

Plus, inside the micro ATX motherboard, you get to see the small number of PCIe slots compared to the ATX. Finally, when we talk about the Mini ITX motherboard so you can only get two slots inside, it is the biggest reason for its small size.

Without further ado, let's take a closer look at these motherboards and try to find out about their specifications and their advantages and disadvantages.

ATX Motherboards

If you are keen on gaming and want to develop a great workstation, there is no better choice for you than this motherboard in which you get to see high-end specifications. Inside, you get to see many factors and unique features that are incredibly beneficial to meet your gaming needs.

The most prominent feature and advantage you get inside this motherboard are seeing four RAM slots inside it. The advantage of this is that you can expand your PC's memory to improve overall performance. One fantastic thing for you is that each of these four RAM slots has a capacity of 32 GB of RAM.

After looking at this motherboard, you can call it an excellent motherboard for gaming because you get to see a massive amount of RAM inside it. When it comes to its benchmark and if you put 8 GB of RAM or 16 GB of RAM in it, you won't see much difference between performance and frame rates.

On the other hand, if you are a developer and want to make an excellent PC for yourself and work professionally on it, then 32 GB of RAM may not be enough for you, and you should put more RAM. Lack of RAM often annoys developers when they see the PC in slow after running extensive applications.

This motherboard is perfect as it gives you the best performances in all categories, and because of this, you also get the benefit of additional upgrades. Inside you can see 7 PCIe slots, and it also supports multi-GPU and other PCIe cards. Finally, inside, you get to see this motherboard in a larger size, and it can be more expensive than the competitor.

Pros

Comes with More PCIe Slots
Offers High-End and Excellent Performance
It comes with 4 RAM Slots

Cons

Large in Size
Expensive Compared to the Competitors

Micro ATX Motherboards

If you want the best gaming PC within a reasonable budget, then Micro ATX motherboard is especially for you which will meet all your needs. You can see all the specifications inside the Micro ATX motherboard that have almost an ATX motherboard in terms of specifications. When it comes to the difference between the two, the only difference you can see in it is that it is slightly smaller in size and PCIe slots' availability.

Inside, you get four RAM slots that are enough to meet all your memory needs and perform well in aspects of gaming. By the way, you can see many factors inside this motherboard, but when it comes to the best and highlight factor, this motherboard is significantly cheaper than both competitors. Micro ATX motherboard is considered to be widely used by all gamers, workstation users, and all over the world and highly demanded motherboard.

On the other hand, when it comes to its shortcomings, you only see the lack of GPUs in it. If you are building a PC with more GPUs inside, then this motherboard choice is not right for you. As you know, this motherboard is available to you in the best and appropriate size. Therefore, because of this, you can put it inside any case and use it later.

The advantage of its medium size is that it allows all of the above features to work correctly and reduces your hassle. Inside, you can see the upgrading feature, but not as much as the ATX motherboard. Therefore, within a reasonable budget, this motherboard is primarily known as High Demand Motherboard.

Pros

Better RAMs Slots Availability
Best Motherboard for Budget Gaming
Proves to be Cheapest and Demanded Motherboard
Comes with Fitting Capability in All Cases

Cons

Does Not Support Multi GPU Inside
Few Slots if You are Professional Developer

Mini ITX Motherboards

When it comes to the Mini ITX motherboard, it is available to you in the smallest size. It is usually used by people who want a portable PC and can quickly move from one place to another. Inside this motherboard, you get to see only two RAM slots, and each RAM slot has a memory capacity of only 16GB. To a large extent, the Mini ITX motherboard meets gaming needs, but it is not as capable as ATX and Micro ATX.

It works well for gaming, but it runs slow when you use the motherboard as a professional workstation. Plus, you get to see only one PCIe slot inside this motherboard, which means you can only run a single GPU on top of the Mini ITX motherboard. This motherboard can be perfect for many gamers who want a motherboard in a smaller size. But when it comes to high-end gaming, this type of gaming is almost impossible on this motherboard.

As you know, it is available in a small size so you will be surprised to hear about its price as it is more expensive than a micro ATX motherboard. They are available to you because it comes with a double feature compared to other motherboard types and it is known as the latest edition. Using this motherboard, you can create a unique small factor gaming PC.

Therefore, for many gamers who mostly want to make a portable PC, Mini ITX is the best motherboard.

Pros

Comes with Low Power Consumption
Smaller in Size Means Less Weight
Easy to Carry Anywhere
Comes with Latest Technology
Next and Latest Generation Motherboard

Cons

Comes with Only 1 PCIe Slot
It only comes with 2 RAM Slots
Expensive

Micro ATX vs Mini ITX vs ATX

First of all, we want to tell you that if you want a motherboard with your needs and run high-end games without lagging, the ATX motherboard is known as the expensive motherboard. Because with this motherboard, you can efficiently run high-end games as you see the lots of RAM and PCIe slots inside.

ATX motherboard is the superior motherboard as compare to the Micro ATX and Mini ITX motherboard. The biggest reason behind its expensiveness is that it comes with a premium feature inside, like top overclocking and RGB lighting.

On the other hand, if you have a low budget and want the best gaming experience without losing compatibility is, it would be the best choice to select the t mid-end Micro-ATX motherboard. This motherboard has normal in society, and most people tend to buy it because it comes at a reasonable price and offers the best performance with good compatibility.

Also, if you decide on buying the Mini ITX motherboard so, first of all, make sure that you need such a motherboard for finding compatible components can be complicated. Moreover, when it comes to buying the Mini ITX motherboard, there is not much to choose from about it. Inside, you can get a little airflow and low PCIe and RAM slots. You might have to look at the liquid cooling solution inside this Mini ITX motherboard.

Overall, the Mini ITX motherboard proves to be the best, pretty nice, and cute. It is mainly for those who want a compatible and portable system if you decide on buying the Mini ITX motherboard to use it as an HTPC system.

Finally, let's take a brief overview to compare motherboards with each other and find out the difference.

ATX VS Micro ATX

When it comes to comparing these two ATX and Micro ATX motherboards, you see many differences. When it comes to the ATX motherboard, it has broad compatibility, and the ATX motherboard has great features, especially among the legal community. You can easily fit this motherboard inside a mid-tower case. Its means that if you want an excellent and high-end mainstream gaming experience and that too with the right cooling solution, then buying an ATX motherboard may be the best for you.

Within the first difference, when we talk about its size and shape, you see the ATX motherboard usually inside the rectangular shape and the micro ATX in square shape. It is an essential question on what basis these shapes differ from each other? The answer is that you can see the difference in the number of PCIe slots inside it.

When it comes to its availability and high-end motherboards, you get to see the ATX form factor. On the contrary, it is not considered high-end motherboards when it comes to micro-ATX form factor motherboards. If you want to have a high-end system for a better gaming experience, the ATX motherboard is best for you.

When we talk about the price difference between these two motherboards, you get the ATX motherboard pricier than the Micro ATX motherboard. The biggest reason behind the price difference is that in the ATX motherboard, you get to see lots of RAM and PCIe slots, bigger sizes, and the other kinds of stuff. This motherboard offers the best feature, like RGB lighting. Simultaneously, in terms of the micro ATX motherboard, it is known as the best motherboard for budget users interested.

Now, when we talk about these motherboards' generic features, the ATX form factor offers enough slots of RAM for gaming. The downside of the Micro ATX motherboard is that it won't install the dedicated sound card, LAN Card, and other PCIe devices because you usually get the only two slots inside the micro ATX motherboard.

On the other hand, when it comes to the ATX form factor, it has lots of slots inside compared to the micro ATX motherboard. Inside the ATX motherboard, you will be easily installed NVMe cards, sound cards, Bluetooth cards, and many more devices. Overall, the ATX motherboard is best when we compared the ATX motherboard with the Micro ATX motherboard.

ATX VS Mini ITX

As we already know, the ATX motherboard is usually considered as being chosen for a high-end gaming rig. Now Whenever you compare the ATX motherboard with the Mini ITX motherboard, the most significant difference you get to see inside is its size. The size of the ATX form factor is much more significant than the Mini ITX motherboard. Many users consider the micro ITX motherboard because of its small size and for carrying it anywhere.

Micro ITX motherboard is also included in our top list because it is more compact, and you can quickly move it from one place to another than ATX motherboards. If you want to develop a remote form factor PC, the mini ITX motherboard comes in small components and conjunction within the Compatibility section.

In terms of power supply and cooling solution, you get a Mini ITX motherboard in small components, and it is not best when we compare it with the ATX motherboard. Moreover, the mini ITX motherboard is often typical and provide the low specification. Inside this motherboard, you get to see the small amount of PCIe, RAM, and SATA slots.

On the other hand, when it comes to the ATX form factor, you get to see the broad compatibility inside as it offers lots of RAM, PCIe, and SATA slots, and other kinds of stuff. ATX motherboard is one of the best motherboards as you can put any things like graphic card, RAM, and sound card inside it you can easily experience any game.

Inside the motherboard, when you are thinking about choosing it, you usually see the host graphics card inside it. It only works for that, and you can't put extra graphic cards inside it because you won't get any space. However, you can easily use a Mini ITX motherboard in mid-tower cases, and although it destroys the motherboard's necessities.

Finally, when we compare prices, you get to see the ATX motherboard at a higher price, but the mini ITX motherboard has good demand in the market. It comes with a portable feature. If you need a PC with portable quality and not for high-end games, that mini ITX motherboard is best.

Micro ATX VS Mini ITX

First of all, you don't get to see the price difference inside both micro ATX and Mini ITX motherboard. Both motherboards are specially manufactured for budget users. However, you will find it a lot easier to find a micro ATX motherboard because the biggest reason is that peoples typically want to have a larger case.

You will find both motherboards with the best feature as the ATX motherboard case support the Mini ITX motherboard in terms of compatibility. On the other hand, you can't consider the mini ITX motherboard case for micro ATX. Usually, when it comes to the mid-tower cases is best and enough to host high-end gaming because you can easily fit all types of the high-end graphic card inside.

Inside Micro ATX motherboard, you get to see the large cases and try fans, which cool the motherboard when experiencing high-end games. We do not prefer to buy a Mini ATX motherboard. The biggest secret to advising them not to buy it is that it does not work well for the high-end gaming system. Because you only see two slots inside it, and one slot supports a maximum of 16 GB RAM.

In today's modern world, people love to play games to consider medium-sized and regular-sized motherboards because they can efficiently run high-end games. You will also find most people buying a mini ITX motherboard because inside it, you get a unique look, and it is lightweight and portable.

Also, the specific difference you get to see inside each motherboard is that the Micro ATX motherboard supports many RAMs, PCIe, and SATA slots and ample storage. On the other hand, inside the Mini ITX motherboard, you see only two RAM slots and only more than one or two hard drives. Given this difference, choosing the Micro ATX motherboard may be best for you.

Finally, the most prominent feature you get inside the Mini ITX motherboard is its portability. If you are a tourist, then the selection of this motherboard is a perfect idea.

The Pros and Cons of Each Motherboard

After knowing all the above motherboard comparisons and separate details, you must have known which motherboard meets your needs. You also need to be aware of the pros and cons clearly and concisely. Therefore, to make your thinking clearer and purer, we have brought to you below its advantages and disadvantages.

Form Factor	Pros	Cons
Standard ATX	It comes with At least Seven PCIe Slots Comes with Efficient Heat Management It Supports Overclocking Feature Comes with Higher RAM Capacity	Expensive Unable to Fit in Small Cases
Micro ATX	Comes with Ultra-Low Power Reliable CPU Cost	Comes with Less RAM Capacity Fewer PCIe Slots Comes with Small Size
Mini ATX	Comes with Portable Feature It is Best and Ideal for Home Theater System It will Easy to Manage Hardware Components	Only 32 GB RAM Capacity Graphics Card Compatibility is Limited Expensive No Support Overclocking

Which Motherboard Should You Choose?

You may be familiar with all the motherboard details, but you will still have to decide which motherboard is best for PC and gaming. You will find different PC motherboards in the market and use them by changing them for other categories. Therefore, without delay, let's try to find out about these categories and clear our minds as to which motherboard suits best for most.

Motherboard for WorkStation

As a developer or professional, if you are also thinking of developing a PC that meets your developing and professionalism needs, then the ATX Motherboard is a suitable motherboard for you. In today's modern world, high-end PCs are used to run various software and gaming workstations.

Therefore, for this type of gaming and editing and rendering purposes, you need a massive number of graphic card memory and RAM. To best serve this purpose, the ATX motherboard meets all your needs and offers a complete solution. To complete the solution, you get to see seven PCIe slots on top of this motherboard and four RAM slots that meet your needs and all the requirements.

Inside, due to its large size, you can easily install two GPUs, which is perfect for visual memory. As you know, it has four RAM slots inside, and each slot is capable of storing 32GB of memory. On top of the gaming workstation, if you use all the slots inside it, it proves to be a very suitable motherboard for you and dramatically enhances the performance while meeting all your needs. In the end, if you are using a workstation, then the ATX Motherboard is the best choice.

Motherboard for Gaming Computer

If you are a gamer and want to develop a PC produced at a reasonable price, we would especially recommend you choose the Micro ATX motherboard. First of all, the most significant advantage you get is that you can easily fit this motherboard into any case and use it for gaming purposes. Simultaneously, the biggest secret behind its high performance is that it provides you with upgrade components and four RAM slots, and four PCIe slots.

Any gamer who develops this PC will increase the RAM inside it up to a maximum of 64 GB, which is sufficient and ideal for a gamer. For gamers who have a reasonable budget and can't find the best motherboard due to lack of budget, choosing this motherboard is a mid-range option for you. Therefore, this is one of the best motherboards that can be used to complete your PC.

Also, inside the micro ATX motherboard, you get to see another feature that makes it useful to experience high-end PC gaming, supports VR, and uses today's modern technology. In addition to the Micro ATX motherboard, if you feel better and have the budget, you can also buy the slandered ATX motherboard for gaming as it allows you to put a multi-GPU inside.

Motherboard for Desktop Computer

If you want to have a PC ready for your personal use, there is no better choice than a mini-IDX motherboard that will perform all the tasks correctly in your daily routine. Not only is the Mini ITX motherboard great for a desktop computer, but you can get more features using the Micro ATX motherboard.

This motherboard's advantage is that you can easily carry it as it provides you with a portable feature. As you know, the Mini ITX motherboard is a portable motherboard, so you can see only two RAM slots and a single PCIe slot inside it, which is enough for a regular use desktop computer.

The advantage of this is that it is available to you in small size and within the size in which the Micro ATX fits, the Mini ATX also provides quickly. In the end, it is said that if you are looking for a motherboard for home use, then Mini ITX motherboards are the best choice for you.

Recommendation

ATX (Advanced Technology Extended)

When it comes to ATX motherboards, this is especially true of the motherboard in 1995, which has a lot more improvements than its old motherboard. Advanced Technology Extended Motherboard is primarily known as the big motherboard and designed for large desktop computers.

On the other hand, Mini ATX and Micro ATX are known as motherboards that enhance their identity within the market, but the upcoming ATX motherboards are still in high demand. The advantage of this large-size motherboard is that it gives an excellent performance to graphic designers, computer network administrators, and PC games as it also provides overclocking feature.

The advantage of overclocking is that it speeds up the processor inside the motherboard and speeds up your overall performance. Big PC gamers, graphic designers, and professionals who mostly prefer the ATX motherboard have a lot more graphic processing units and faster speeds. When you run any heavy tasks, if you see any heat inside it, you see a fan inside it because of the large area, which cools it in every way.

When it comes to ATX motherboards, one of the problems you may have is which motherboard to buy. Here are three best examples of ATX motherboards.

GIGABYTE Z370 AORUS
MSI X299 Gaming Pro
ASA TUF X299 Mark 1

Micro ATX (Micro Advanced Technology Extended)

The Micro ATX Motherboard can be the best motherboard for you as it is neither too big nor too small and fits snugly inside any fitting. It is an excellent motherboard for those who have a reasonable budget, and inside, you find the best slots selection that performs best for graphic designing and gaming.

Due to its medium size, you don't need any other PC gaming resources, and it completes all your tasks. If you like to play games as much as possible, if you have 16gp RAM inside your PC, it is enough to support Micro ATX. However, you still see a limit somewhere in which you can't customize the maximum RAM.

Micro ATX motherboard is ideal in the work environment. It allows you to see the availability within a reasonable price and provides you with a high-end processing option. You may also find a shortcoming in it that you don't see the processor's overclocking inside it. It provides you with an upgrade feature, and if you are working from an office, it is medium-size and meets all your needs.

If you are thinking about buying the micro ATX motherboard, then here are some examples of the motherboard that will fulfill your requirements.

MSI MPG Z390M Gaming Edge
Asus ROG Maximus XI Gene
Aorus Ultra Durable B450

Mini ITX (Mini Technology Extended)

Mini ITX motherboard is typically known as the smallest motherboard from within all three motherboards that enhance portability and prioritize single task workstations. It has some features that you can easily carry from one place to another, and inside, you will find it as a home theatre system.

This motherboard does not take much power as you only see one PCIe slot inside it, and it is only capable of supporting 32GB RAM. As you know, you can't use the motherboard for much gaming and, foremost for a single task, so you don't see overclocking inside it, and it doesn't get hot too fast.

The low power requirement you see inside it makes it popular because you can easily use it in the office building, hospital, and other small complex tasks. Here are some of the examples of Mini ITX motherboards.

MSI H3101 Pro
MSI B450I
ASUS ROG Z370

Here's why a micro ATX motherboard is an excellent option as a budget-friendly gaming PC:

It has some capabilities that can provide ATX motherboard level performance but lacks slots.
You can quickly move it from one place to another if you are a tourist.
It comes with Heat Management Feature

Conclusion

We hope you have chosen the best motherboard for yourself by seeing the details and comparison of all the motherboards mentioned above. Then you will have figured out exactly which motherboard meets your needs and fits you within a reasonable budget. You have already gone over their advantages and disadvantages, which makes it clear to you which motherboard is the best.

Here if we give you a little interview of each motherboard to clarify again, then first comes the ATX available to you in larger sizes. It is mainly used for high-end gaming. Second is the micro-ATX motherboard, specifically known as the budget motherboard, which can be almost like ATX, but it comes with quite limited features. Lastly, the so-called mini ITX motherboard is primarily for people who want to make a portable feature PC.

Therefore, after all things are known, why are you late? Choose the motherboard of your choice now and use it for gaming and your work as a professional and developer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mini ITX Good for Gaming?

One of the most frequently asked questions is whether the Mini ITX motherboard is perfect for gaming; the answer now depends on your particular setup. Therefore, the short answer is that it is not as good for gaming as the Micro ATX and standard ATX motherboards.

Is Mini-ITX Expensive?

All the components you see inside these motherboards are small in size and are known as special items. So, they are more expensive because they are not different from Micro ATX and ATX.

What Do ATX and ITX Stand for?

The ATX stands for Advanced Technology Extended and ITX Information Technology Extended.

What is the Difference Between ATX, Micro ATX, and Mini-ITX?

One of the best and easiest way to differentiate between ATX, Micro ATX, and Mini-ITX is its size as the ATX comes with the size of 12″ x 9.6″, Micro ATX comes with 9.6″ x 9.6″, and finally, the mini ITX motherboard comes with 6.7″ x 6.7″. After seeing these sizes, you can easily find the difference between each motherboard.

Zakriya Amir

Zakriya is right from Pakistan. He was raised with a quest for gaming craze with an organization of specialized folks. This is the place he understood that computer games can grow your creative mind to unlimited universes. Gaming is no longer for him only a method for amusement, yet enthusiasm. From the youthful age of 8, gaming was simply the main method for communicating. At whatever point he got the opportunity to play computer games, he took it with two hands and played for quite a long time. Much to his dismay that gaming would turn into his closest companion.