Legacy Support Boards | Systems requiring ISA slots (e.g., industrial retrofits) | 1 ISA slot (Industry: 0 ISA), 5 PCI slots, SDRAM (Industry: DDR4/DDR5) | ▲+ ISA compatibility for legacy hardware (e.g., old peripherals) Cost-effective for niche setups | ▲- Outdated SDRAM (max 333 MHz vs. DDR4 3200 MHz) USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) limits modern peripherals |
Entry-Level ATX Boards | Budget desktops, basic office use | 5 PCI slots (Industry: 2-4 PCIe), PS/2 ports (Industry: USB-C/Thunderbolt), USB 2.0 | ▲+ Affordable price point Multiple PCI slots for expansion cards (e.g., sound/video) | ▲- No PCIe slots (Industry standard) Limited USB 2.0 bandwidth (480 Mbps) |
High-Performance Gaming Boards | Gaming, overclocking, 4K streaming | PCIe 4.0/5.0 slots (Industry: PCIe 5.0), DDR5 memory (Industry: DDR5 6400 MHz) | ▲+ Fast PCIe slots for GPUs/SSDs High-speed DDR5 memory for multitasking | ▲- Higher cost (Industry average: $200+) Overheating risk without proper cooling |
Workstation-Class Boards | CAD, video editing, server setups | Dual CPU support (Industry: common), ECC memory (Industry: mandatory for servers) | ▲+ ECC memory for data integrity Scalability for multi-CPU configurations | ▲- Bulky form factor (often E-ATX) Higher power consumption (▲- for eco-conscious users) |
Compact Form Factor Boards | HTPC, small builds, portable systems | mATX/ITX form factor (Industry: 170mm x 170mm), mini-PCIe slots | ▲+ Space-saving design (▲+ for small enclosures) Quiet operation (no expansion card clutter) | ▲- Limited expansion slots (e.g., 1-2 PCIe) Lower power delivery (▲- for high-end GPUs) |
Modern Office Boards | Corporate environments, cloud computing | USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), LAN ports (Industry: 2.5 Gbps/10 Gbps), no legacy ports | ▲+ Faster USB 3.2 connectivity for peripherals Reliable LAN for networked systems | ▲- No PS/2/ISA ports (incompatible with legacy devices) Basic overclocking support (▲- for gamers) |