How it works
A desktop motherboard from above, split into two halves so each part is large enough to tap. It is a generic board, so the names fit whichever make is in front of you.
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Top half: the CPU end
The CPU socket holds the processor, with the memory slots beside it. Power comes in at the 24-pin ATX power connector and the smaller ATX 12V power connector. The CPU fan connector sits near the socket, and the rear I/O ports line the edge that faces the back of the case.
Bottom half: slots, drives and headers
A graphics card goes in the long PCI Express x16 slot; the short slot is an x1. Drives use the M.2 slot or the SATA connectors. The chipset sits under a flat heat sink. Along the bottom edge are the USB headers and the front panel header, with the CMOS battery above.
- Labeling the motherboard is easier from the big parts inward: socket, memory slots and long slot first.
Questions and answers
What are the main parts of a motherboard?
The CPU socket, the memory slots, the chipset, the expansion slots, the power connectors and the connectors for drives. Most boards add an M.2 slot, a CMOS battery, a row of rear ports and headers for the front of the case.
What is the long slot on a motherboard for?
It is a PCI Express x16 slot, and a graphics card goes in it. Many boards have two or more. The short slots are PCI Express x1 slots for smaller cards.
What does the battery on a motherboard do?
The CMOS battery is a coin cell. The board keeps its setup settings in a small memory, and the battery holds that memory while the computer is switched off.
What does the chipset on a motherboard do?
It forms the link between the CPU, the memory and the slots, drives and ports, and it decides much of what the board can do.
Is this a motherboard with labels on the parts?
Yes. Tap any numbered ring to see its name, or press Start to be asked for each part in turn.