Motherboads and Cases

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mark
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M

Mark

Hi,

Can someone tell me do all modern cases accept all modern motherboards or do
I need to be careful and match the right case to the right motherboard.

Regards

Mark
 
ATX mobos fit ATX cases fit ATX mobos...just be careful to get an ATXv2 PSU
if you run PCI express
 
Mark said:
Hi,

Can someone tell me do all modern cases accept all modern motherboards
No.

or do
I need to be careful and match the right case to the right motherboard.
Click to expand...

It's not quite that rigid. The common case form factor, in order of
decreasing size, is ATX, microATX, and flex with motherboard specifications
to match. Generally speaking, however, a smaller motherboard will fit in a
larger form factor case which, obviously, does not apply in reverse
(similar to the 10 pounds of dung in a 5 pound bag problem).

AT (and baby AT) is the older case/motherboard form factor and ATX
motherboards will generally not fit in an AT case. However, many ATX cases
are reverse compatible with AT motherboards (depends on the rear I/O plate
options and changing the PSU/power switch). An ATX PSU doesn't work with an
AT motherboard and vice versa. Plus, there are multiple version levels of
ATX PSUs as specifications changed to keep up with new
processor/motherboard power requirements (ATX-12 added the 12 volt
motherboard connector, etc.).

And then there are 'small form factor' cases. NLX is an older form factor
that takes neither 'AT' or 'ATX' motherboards; it must be NLX. ITX is a
current small form factor that takes ITX form factor motherboards.

BTX is a new case form factor, intended to replace ATX, but is not in wide
usage yet.

So, you can't assume that just any old thing fits in any old case but there
is some flexibility in what does fit.

Usually you're dealing with the ATX and mATX form factor so 'just about
anything' (in the ATX context) will fit in a "full size ATX" case. If you
want something smaller then you must have the smaller motherboard, I.E.
microATX (common) or flexATX (like small eMachines, Compaq, and HP
mini-towers), to match the smaller case size.
 
are all server designed cases ATX in their form factor? I was wondering bout
that as I have a weird case and MB combo here with strange rebooting
problems, looks like holes were drilled to accommodate the board.
 
Proprietary computers, such as DELL, HP, Sony etc. etc. use CUSTOM
motherboards that do not fit standard cases. Nor do standard motherboards
fit their cases. That's why I never buy them. But if you use standard
computer motherboards and cases available separately from computer shops,
they are all ATX form factor and work together.
 
JAD said:
are all server designed cases ATX in their form factor?
Click to expand...

No. EATX (Extended ATX) and WTX are server form factors ('super ATX', if
you will) and there are tons of others (with chassis to match) including
vendor specific form factors (plenty of those in workstations and 'PCs'
too). There's a whole other world or rack and modular mount case
specifications (CEB, EEB, MEB, TEB, etc.) and, of course, everyone nowadays
is hearing of "the blades."

Here, for an example, is an Enlight support page for which E(xtended)ATX
motherboards fit in their 8950 5U server chassis.

http://support.enlightcorp.com.tw/8950-5U-mb-list.htm?SN=52

Here's a Supermicro WTX case that "can be outfitted with just about any
ATX/WTX form factor motherboard, as long as it's not a custom design."

http://www.hardwarecentral.com/hardwarecentral/reviews/2585/6/

One of the selling points for these folks is that their blade servers use
"commercial off-the-shelf" <gasp> components (point being a lot are vendor
specific).

http://www.extremenode.com/

The photo gallery on this page will show one with what I think is a
proprietary layout. http://www.siliconmechanics.com/i1585/blade-server.php

I was just touching on the most common 'home PC' form factors.
I was wondering bout
that as I have a weird case and MB combo here with strange rebooting
problems, looks like holes were drilled to accommodate the board.
Click to expand...

Could be. Wise move to drill the holes in the mounting plate rather than
the motherboard, though ;)
 
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