Form Factor Confusion

[Sunny Jim]

I am wanting to upgrade my motherboard/CPU bundle. My present case is for an ATX board - but there appear to be other sets of mounting holes available. Therefore will micro or mini ATX from boards fit and will I need a new plate to fit over the output sockets? Thanks in advance.

 

[muckshifter]

New motherboards come with their own back-plate, well I've never had one that didn't.


Yes, ATX case are/should be designed to take the smaller 'form factor' MBs ... a full size MB should fit no problem in a good ATA case. Just make sure you line up the holes of the MB to the correct 'stand-offs' on the case ... remove or add the stand-offs as necessary. Do not over-tighten the screws, no need.

 

[Abarbarian]

Most cases I have seen have had a set of letters showing alongside the various holes for the standoff screws , telling you which hole is for which form factor .

 

[Sunny Jim]

Thanks muckshifter and Abarbarian for your replies. I am busy hunting on e-Bay and will insist on a backplate.

 

[Abarbarian]

There are lots of better places to get a mobo and cpu from than e-bay .

 

[Sunny Jim]

Thanks Abarbarian, and your suggestions are....

 

[Abarbarian]

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/bundles.html

http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/Category/category_slc.asp?Nav=|c:2945||c:2956|

 

[Sunny Jim]

Thank you again, Abarbarian, for your suggestions. Off to see!