3.5b - Motherboard Connectors: Professor Messer

Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)

• Standard for connecting external devices (i.e., expansion slots) onto a computer.

Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe)

• Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe): Newer and faster standard used to connect external devices to a motherboard (e.g., network cards, graphics cards, storage devices). Uses a serial interface compared to a parallel one for PCI.

Power connectors

• 24-pin motherboard connector: Main source of power for the motherboard (and internal system components like the CPU)

  • 20-pin was the original standard, while 24-pin was added for PCIe power.

  • To connect power off the motherboard, and connect the connector to the socket so the keys (holes in the socket) align.

• 4-pin ATX 12V connector: Additional 12V power for older motherboards.

  • May be labelled ATX12V, P4 or CPU (as shown below).

SATA

• Connector/communication interface used to connect storage devices (e.g., HDDs, SSDs).

eSATA

• External form of SATAused for connecting external hard drives and solid-state drives.

Headers

• Pin headers - a simple electrical interfaces used to attach connectors.

  • May different uses, including power, peripheral connections, lights and buttons.

M.2

• Smaller form factor hard drive (for SSDs) that allows for high-speed data transfer - systems often use modular installation, where you can insert the SSD into the motherboard.