Does an mATX motherboard work with ATX power?

PCPETE

Golden Member
Jun 8, 2003
1,063
0
0
I am looking into buying a cheap barebones kit for a friend, but its an mATX motherboard and it comes with an ATX case! So will those two components function together? I thought mATX and ATX were two whole differant forms.
 

PCPETE

Golden Member
Jun 8, 2003
1,063
0
0
yeah? nice... I didn't know that! thanks! Anyone else agree? I will check it out with my cheaper Matx boards laying around!
 

Zepper

Elite Member
May 1, 2001
18,998
0
0
mATX is smaller mobo, ATX is larger. Power conncectors are the same. Standard ATX PSU sometimes won't fit in the small cases built specifically for mATX mobos. But almost all std. ATX cases will have proper mount points for mATX mobos.
That's the way I have mine - ATX case, mATX mobo. My mobo came with a proper backplate that snapped right in.
.bh.
Where's the :sun: ?
 

PCPETE

Golden Member
Jun 8, 2003
1,063
0
0
lol. thanks, I didn't realize even the power forms are the same! :) Thanks for the help guys, I'm looking to get a board w/ integrated video for a simple non-gaming pc. It still has AGP just in case though!

:) < there's the smile
 

Zepper

Elite Member
May 1, 2001
18,998
0
0
PCPETE,
. Take a look at the MSI KM2M Combo L. It's the one I use and it is very good except for those that use Linux.
. The video drivers are very rough for Linux. I ended up buying (actually stole it on eBay) a Radeon 7k which works great w/ Linux.
. There is a mATX mobo out there with the ATI chipset (integrated ATI video) that would probably work. And there are probably good Linux drivers for the nforce mATX w/ integrated video.
. So if Linux is important to you, just avoid Via or SiS integrated video as the video drivers are either rough or nonexistant.
. Also give preference points to mATX mobo with P4 (12V) power connector as it will allow you to run on any PSU 200W or higher. That's one of the reasons I chose the MSI.
.bh.