Form Factor

Every PC ever built goes somewhere. Maybe its on the floor or on top of a big
desk, but it might be in a rack, on a shelf, share a [small] desk with other
accoutrements of a typical office worker, or be placed somewhere that puts
practical limits on size.

Here are the most common form factors. As you can see, each of them has a
different number of expansion slots, into which cards such as display adapters,
wireless NICs, and tuner cards can be inserted. The EATX form factor is deeper
than ATX, but adds no additional slots. If you know you need a graphics card,
professional-quality sound card, and plan to re-use a wireless NIC, then Mini-ITX
and DTX are not for you. If it needs to fit in an alcove of a desk, then ATX (or
EATX) may not be viable options.

Tabular information

Form factor

XT

AT (Advanced
Technology)

Baby-AT

ATX

Originated

IBM 1983

IBM 1984

IBM 1985

Intel 1996

Max. size

Notes
(typical usage,
Market adoption,
etc.)

8.5 11 in
216 279 mm

Obsolete, see Industry

Standard Architecture.
The IBM Personal
Computer XT was the
successor to the
original IBM PC, its
first home computer.
As the specifications
were open,
many clone motherboa
rds were produced and
it became a de
facto standard.

12 1113 in
305 279
330 mm

Obsolete, see Industry

Standard Architecture.
Created by IBM for
the IBM Personal
Computer/AT, an Intel
80286machine. Also
known as Full AT, it
was popular during the
era of the Intel
80386 microprocessor.
Superseded by ATX.

8.5 1013 in
216 254
330 mm

IBM's 1985 successor

to the AT motherboard.
Functionally equivalent
to the AT, it became
popular due to its
significantly smaller
size.

12 9.6 in
305 244 mm

Created by Intel in
1995. As of 2007, it is
the most popular form
factor for commodity
motherboards. Typical
size is 9.6 12 in
although some

Form factor

Originated

Max. size

Notes
(typical usage,
Market adoption,
etc.)
companies extend that
to 10 12 in.

SSI CEB

SSI EEB

SSI MEB

SSI

SSI

SSI

12 10.5 in
305 267 mm

Created by the Server

System
Infrastructure (SSI)
forum. Derived from
the EEB and ATX
specifications. This
means that SSI CEB
motherboards have the
same mounting holes
and the same IO
connector area as ATX
motherboards.

12 13 in
305 330 mm

Created by the Server

System
Infrastructure (SSI)
forum. Derived from
the EEB and ATX
specifications. This
means that SSI CEB
motherboards have the
same mounting holes
and the same IO
connector area as ATX
motherboards, but SSI
EEB motherboards do
not.

16.2 13 in
411 330 mm

Created by the Server

System
Infrastructure (SSI)
forum. Derived from
the EEB and ATX
specifications. This
means that SSI CEB
motherboards have the
same mounting holes
and the same IO
connector area as ATX
motherboards.

Max. size

Notes
(typical usage,
Market adoption,
etc.)

9.6 9.6 in
244 244 mm

A smaller variant of the

ATX form factor (about
25% shorter).
Compatible with most
ATX cases, but has
fewer slots than ATX,
for a smaller power
supply unit. Very
popular for desktop
and small form
factor computers as of
2007.

AOpen 2005

5.9 5.9 in
150 150 mm

Mini-ATX is
considerably smaller
than Micro-ATX. MiniATX motherboards
were designed with
MoDT (Mobile on
Desktop Technology)
which adapt mobile
CPUs for lower power
requirement, less heat
generation and better
application capability.

Intel 1999

A subset of microATX
developed by Intel in
1999. Allows more
9.0 7.5 in
flexible motherboard
228.6 190.5 m
design, component
m max.
positioning and shape.
Can be smaller than
regular microATX.

Mini-ITX

VIA 2001

6.7 6.7 in
170 170 mm
max.

A small, highly
integrated form factor,
designed for small
devices such as thin
clients and set-top
boxes.

Nano-ITX

VIA 2003

4.7 4.7 in
120 120 mm

Targeted at smart
digital entertainment

Form factor

microATX

Mini-ATX

FlexATX

Originated

1996

Form factor

Originated

Max. size

Notes
(typical usage,
Market adoption,
etc.)
devices such as
PVRs, set-top
boxes, media
centers and Car PCs,
and thin devices.

Pico-ITX

VIA 2007

3.9 2.8 in
100 72 mm
max.

Mobile-ITX

VIA 2007

2.953 1.772 in
75 45 mm

Neo-ITX

VIA 2012

170 85 35 m Used in the VIA

m
Android PC

BTX (Balanced
Technology
Extended)

Intel 2004

12.8 10.5 in
325 267 mm
max.

MicroBTX (or uBT

X)

Intel 2004

10.4 10.5 in
264 267 mm
max.

PicoBTX

Intel 2004

8.0 10.5 in
203 267 mm
max.

DTX

AMD 2007

200 244 mm
max.

A standard proposed
by Intel as a successor
to ATX in the early
2000s, according to
Intel the layout has
better cooling. BTX
Boards are flipped in
comparison to ATX
Boards, so a BTX or
MicroBTX Board needs
a BTX case, while an
ATX style board fits in
an ATX case. The
RAM slots and the PCI
slots are parallel to
each other.
Processor is placed
closest to the fan. May
contain a CNR board.

Form factor

Originated

Max. size

Mini-DTX

AMD 2007

200 170 mm
max.

smartModule

ETX

COM
ExpressBasic

COM
ExpressCompact

Digital-Logic

Kontron

PICMG

PICMG

Notes
(typical usage,
Market adoption,
etc.)

66 85 mm

Used in embedded
systems and single
board computers.
Requires a baseboard.

95 114 mm

Used in embedded
systems and single
board computers.
Requires a baseboard.

95 125 mm

Used in embedded
systems and single
board computers.
Requires a carrier
board. Formerly
referred to as
ETXexpress
by Kontron.

95 95 mm

Used in embedded
systems and single
board computers.
Requires a carrier
board. Formerly
referred to as
microETXexpress
by Kontron.

EOMA68

Luke Kenneth
Casson
Leighton

85.6 54 mm

A general-purpose
"eco-conscious" massvolume standard
based around re-use of
legacy PCMCIA. Has
two variants: Type I
(3.3mm high) and Type
II (5.0mm high). Does
not require a carrier
board if the user-facing
end provides power.

COM ExpressMini

PICMG

55 84 mm

Used in embedded
systems and single

Form factor

Originated

Max. size

Notes
(typical usage,
Market adoption,
etc.)
board computers.
Requires a carrier
board. Formerly
referred to as
nanoETXexpress
by Kontron. Also
known as COM
Express Ultra and
adheres to pin-outs
Type 1 or Type 10[1]

CoreExpress

Extended
ATX(EATX)

Enhanced
Extended
ATX(EEATX)

LPX

58 65 mm

Used in embedded
systems and single
board computers.
Requires a carrier
board.

12 13 in
305 330 mm

Used
in rackmount server
systems. Typically
used for server-class
type motherboards
with dual processors
and too much circuitry
for a standard ATX
motherboard. The
mounting hole pattern
for the upper portion of
the board matches
ATX.

Supermicro

13.68 13 in
347 330 mm

Used
in rackmount server
systems. Typically
used for server-class
type motherboards
with dual processors
and too much circuitry
for a standard E.ATX
motherboard.

Unknown

9 1113 in
229 279
330 mm

Based on a design
by Western Digital, it
allowed smaller cases

SFF-SIG

Unknown

Form factor

Originated

Max. size

Notes
(typical usage,
Market adoption,
etc.)
than the AT standard,
by putting the
expansion card slots
on a Riser card. Used
in slimline retail PCs.
LPX was never
standardized and
generally only used by
large OEMs.

Mini-LPX

Unknown

3.8 3.6 in

Used in embedded
systems. AT Bus (ISA)
architecture adapted to
vibrationtolerant header
connectors.

3.8 3.6 in

Used in embedded
systems. PCI Bus
architecture adapted to
vibration-tolerant
header connectors.

3.8 3.6 in

Used in embedded
systems.
PCI Express
architecture adapted to
vibration-tolerant
header connectors.

PC/104
Consortium20
08

3.8 3.6 in

Used in embedded
systems.
PCI/104-Express
without the legacy PCI
bus.

Intel 1999

89 10
13.6 in
203229 254
345 mm

A low-profile design
released in 1997. It
also incorporated
a riser for expansion

PC/104

PC/104
Consortium19
92

PC/104-Plus

PC/104
Consortium19
97

PCI/104-Express

PCIe/104

NLX

89 1011 in
Used in slimline retail
203229 254
PCs.
279 mm

PC/104
Consortium20
08

Form factor

Originated

Max. size

Notes
(typical usage,
Market adoption,
etc.)
cards,[2] and never
became popular.

UTX

WTX

SWTX

HPTX

XTX

TQComponents
2001

88 108 mm

Intel 1998

A large design for

14 16.75 in
servers and high-end
355.6 425.4 m workstations featuring
m
multiple CPUs and har
d drives.

Unknown

EVGA 2008

2005

Used in embedded
systems and IPCs.
Requires a baseboard.

16.48 13 in
418 330 mm

A proprietary design
for servers and highend workstations
featuring
multiple CPUs.

13.6 15 in
345.44 381 m
m

A large design
by EVGA currently
featured on two
motherboards; the
eVGA SR2 and SRX.
Intended for use with
multiple CPUs. Cases
require 9 expansion
slots to contain this
form-factor.

95 114 mm

Used in embedded
systems. Requires a
baseboard.

Graphical comparison of physical sizes

Motherboard picture
Motherboard Style Form Factor

Description

ATX Motherboard

ATX was developed as an

evolution of the Baby AT form
factor and was defined to address
four areas of improvement:
enhanced ease of use, better
support for current and future I/O,
better support for current and
future processor technology, and
reduced total system cost.
Probably the most common form
factor for a motherboard is the
ATX form factor. The board is
approximately 12 x 9.6 (30cm x
24cm).

MICRO ATX MOTHERBOARD

This form factor was developed as

a natural evolution of the ATX form
factor to address new market
trends and PC technologies. Micro
ATX supports:
Current processor technologies
The transition to newer processor
technologies
AGP high performance graphics
solutions
Smaller motherboard size
Smaller power supply form factor

MINI ATX MOTHERBOARD

MINI ATX motherboard is a slightly

smaller variation that measures
11.2 x 8.2 (28cm x 21cm).
Difference between ATX and MINI
ATX is the number of buses and
possibly memory slots on the
motherboard. Mounting holes for
both are located in the same

place, making them

interchangeable in most cases.

The size of Flex ATX is 9 x 7.5

(22, 9 cm x 19, 1 cm). It is derived
from Micro ATX and is used in
small computer cases.

FLEX ATX MOTHERBOARD

NANO ITX
Measures of Nano ITX are 4.7 x
4.7 (12 cm x 12 cm). It is used
with smaller devices like set-top
boxes, car PCs, media centers,
and other embedded devices.

NLX FORM FACTOR

The NLX is an older style form

factor that is not used very often
anymore. We might see it in some
older motherboards but its not
likely to encounter it with newer
motherboards.
NLX is an older form factor used
for slim line desktop-style
computers. NLX is an
improvement over an even earlier
LPX form factor