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What are the Different Motherboard Components and Their Functions?

Understanding your motherboard components and functions is simple... Join us as we explain the different parts of a motherboard with pictures.

At the first glance, the components of a motherboard can appear complicated... even daunting to some. How are we supposed to figure out this big jumble of connectors, ports, slots, sockets and heat sinks?

Good news: Finding your way around a motherboard isn't hard... You simply need to be able to identify the different motherboard parts and understand their functions.

Join us as we take you on a guided tour of the different motherboard components (complete with photos and plain English descriptions):

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1. Back Panel Connectors & Ports

| Connectors and ports for connecting the computer to external devices such as display ports, audio ports, USB ports, Ethernet ports, PS/2 ports etc. See image below for a close-up view.

For details on the individual back panel ports, click here for our guide to computer cable connections. |

2. PCI Slots | PCI: Peripheral Component Interconnect

Slot for older expansion cards such as sound cards, network cards, connector cards. See image below for a close-up view.

Have been largely replaced by PCI-Express x1 slots (see motherboard parts #3 below). |

3. PCI Express x1 Slots | Slot for modern expansion cards such as sound cards, network cards (Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth), connector cards (USB, FireWire, eSATA) and certain low-end graphics cards. See image below for a close-up view. |

4. PCI Express x16 Slot | Slot for discrete graphic cards and high bandwidth devices such as top-end solid state drives. See image below for a close-up view. |

5. Northbridge | Also known as Memory Controller Hub (MCH).

Chipset that allows the CPU to communicate with the RAM and graphics card.

Beginning from Intel Sandy Bridge...