I'm in the process of building a new PC with the following components: Ryzen 9 7900X, Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE, Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB, Patriot P400 NVMe 1TB, Gigabyte Windforce RTX 5070, and Corsair RM750X. I'm trying to decide whether a micro-ATX or an ATX motherboard would make a difference in terms of performance, airflow, and looks. Micro-ATX boards are typically cheaper, and I'm considering a GIGABYTE B650M GAMING PLUS WIFI AM5 motherboard that includes a free 32GB Corsair Vengeance RAM versus an Asus PRIME B650-PLUS WIFI ATX AM5 motherboard. How important is this choice?
5 Answers
Honestly, the size difference is pretty minor when it comes to performance. If you're just using standard components, a micro-ATX will work fine. Just keep in mind that micro-ATX boards in ATX cases can leave a weird gap, which might be an eyesore if aesthetics matter to you.
If you don't need the extra slots or features, aesthetics might be your deciding factor. I swapped from a bulky case to a compact one, and it really improved the look of my setup!
If you're using a high-end CPU like the Ryzen 9, better VRM on an ATX board can make a difference, especially for overclocking. But if you're not pushing the limits, micro-ATX will get the job done without any issues.
Ultimately, it depends on what you're planning to use the motherboard for. If you're fine with one GPU and don't need a ton of extra slots, a good micro-ATX board can serve you well without much of a performance impact.
ATX boards usually have better features like more PCIe slots and M.2 ports. So if you're planning to expand your build in the future with things like extra GPUs or storage drives, an ATX board might be the better option. But for a standard setup, micro-ATX does just fine!
Yeah, just make sure you're aware that mATX boards might not have as many fan and RGB headers, but you can always add hubs if you need more.