Difference between EATX and ATX motherboards

If you want to build a computer and maximize its capacity, you need a motherboard that can accommodate all the necessary components. If you're doing your research, you're probably wondering between ATX and EATX motherboards.

But what is the difference between these two motherboards? And which one should you choose? Let's review and compare these two options in the article below!

Size

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ATX, short for Advanced Technology eXtended, was introduced by Intel in 1995 and measures 12 x 9.6 inches. This is the most popular motherboard format in 2022 and offers a good balance between affordability and expandability.

However, if you're an enthusiast or a professional who needs more power than usual, you'll want to go with the larger EATX motherboard. EATX or Extended ATX motherboards are 12 x 13 inches in size. This adds 3.4 inches to each side, making it larger and allowing you to install more components.

Therefore, EATX requires a larger case than an ATX motherboard. However, with a larger case, you also get more airflow. Additionally, you can also get more space for pipes, making it easier to cool the system.

In addition to choosing the right motherboard, you should also choose a suitable case for your computer.

Slot

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The larger size of EATX motherboards means manufacturers can add more slots compared to ATX motherboards. For example, most ATX motherboards only have a maximum of 4 RAM slots and 3 to 4 PCIe slots.

However, if you choose an EATX motherboard, you can get up to 8 RAM slots and up to 7 PCIe slots. Some motherboards even offer two 10 gigabit LAN ports for blazing speeds or better reliability.

However, you should note that these are only the maximum capabilities of the motherboard. Some models, like the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme, can use the EATX motherboard size but only have 4 RAM and 3 PCIe slots.

Price

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EATX motherboards are usually more expensive than ATX motherboards. This is mainly because these boards use more material than smaller boards. Furthermore, because EATX motherboards are designed for professionals and enthusiasts willing to spend more, manufacturers often price these models higher.

For example, the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme EATX retails for over $1000. However, the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Formula ATX costs around $750. ATX motherboards are more affordable, despite having almost similar specifications.

Should you buy an EATX or ATX motherboard?

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Even if you're looking to build a 'monster' PC, you don't need an EATX board. After all, the ingredients are becoming more and more powerful. That means you no longer need two video cards for gaming, as a single RTX 4090 will be enough for most gamers' needs.

Furthermore, most consumer-grade motherboards, whether EATX or ATX, limit RAM to 128GB of RAM. Since the maximum size of most RAM sticks is limited to 32GB, you can only use up to 4 RAM slots before reaching the 128GB limit.

If you want to do more than that, you'll have to get a professional EATX board with more than 4 RAM slots.

For most gamers, 128GB of RAM and a single RTX 4090 is enough to run most games at extremely high frame rates and quality. The only reason you would want an EATX board is for better airflow or need room for custom water cooling. However, even if you don't have an EATX board, there are still ways to optimize airflow on your gaming PC.

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However, if you are a professional who needs a large amount of RAM and multiple video cards for emulation and other applications, then the EATX board will be more suitable. With 8 RAM slots, you can get up to 256GB of RAM. You can also easily install two, three or even more GPUs on a single EATX motherboard - important for heavy rendering applications.

Even if you're building a powerful computer with an unlimited budget, you don't need to use all of your components. Instead, you should be wise in choosing ingredients that will go together. That way, you avoid bottlenecks in your system and ensure you get the most efficient performance for all your components.

So before you decide to buy, ask yourself: Do you really need that expensive motherboard?

Marvin Fry

Update 05 November 2023