Glossary of terms for Motherboards
- Processor Socket
- Bus Speed (FSB)
- Supported Processor
- Memory Technology
- Max System Memory
- System Chipset
- Form Factor
Processor Socket
There are many different sockets for processors (CPUs) such as: socket 478, socket T (LGA 775), socket B (LGA 1366) for Intel and 939, AM, AM2+, AM3 for AMD. They are connectors present on the motherboard and form an electrical interface, between the motherboard and the CPU. Sockets connect to processors via pins or grids whichever applicable.
Bus Speed (FSB)
The front-side bus (FSB) is the physical bi-directional data bus, carrying all electronic signal information between the processor and other devices within the system. The higher this number is, the faster your system will run.
Supported Processor
This indicates the type of CPU that can be supported by the motherboard. For example, Intel produces processors such as: Pentium 4, Celeron, Xeon, Dual Core, Core2 Duo, Core2 Quad, Core i7 and AMD produces: Athlon, Phenom, Turion, Opteron.
Memory Technology
This refers to the type of RAM technology supported by a motherboard such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory), DDR2, DDR.
Max System Memory
The Max System Memory represents the maximum capacity of the physical memory (RAM) that can be installed in the motherboard's slots.
System Chipset
The Chipset is the central node for all data transfer and is the device that determines the features available on a motherboard. For example, the Intel Chipsets will only support Intel Processors, while the AMD Chipsets allow only the AMD processors to be used.
Form Factor
Form Factor is the physical size and shape of your motherboard, and therefore defines what types of cases and power supplies it can use. The most common one is ATX. The Micro ATX is slightly smaller. You should make sure that your motherboard correctly fits in the case.