Laptop motherboards are smaller and more complex than desktop motherboards, with integrated components instead of expansion slots. Finding a suitable laptop motherboard for DIY builds is difficult due to lack of standardization.
A laptop motherboard is the main printed circuit board (PCB) inside the laptop that contains the components that make the computer work. Most desktop computer cases are similar in size and use similar configurations, allowing them to use the same types of motherboards. Laptops, however, come in many sizes and configurations, which means that different models of motherboards are required.
A motherboard, sometimes called a system board, is included with all types of computers. Motherboards almost always contain chip sockets, memory slots, firmware chips, and a power connector. Various electrical connectors are etched into the motherboard to connect various system components. Several key components reside on the motherboard, including the central processor unit (CPU), chipset, main random access memory (RAM) area, and numerous other chips and connectors.
Laptops, also called notebooks and netbooks, are designed to be mobile. A battery or power adapter provides electrical power for a laptop. Typically, a laptop computer isn’t as powerful or as easy to reconfigure with up-to-date components as a desktop computer.
Significantly thinner and smaller than a desktop, a laptop motherboard also needs to be smaller. With a smaller motherboard, the components need to be closer together, which means that the design of the laptop motherboard is extremely important. A poorly designed motherboard could cause heat buildup or interference issues between components. Laptop motherboards may also have an odd shape or different notches, therefore allowing them to fit inside the slim laptop case, along with other necessary components. Desktop motherboards are mostly rectangular in shape with a few notches.
Compared to a desktop motherboard, a laptop motherboard has some significant differences. For example, a laptop motherboard might have no expansion slots, while a desktop board might have five or more. Instead of using expansion slots and expansion cards for things like sound cards or networking, a laptop motherboard would include those components right on the motherboard and are called integrated components.
For those who build their own computers, finding a suitable motherboard for a desktop computer is a fairly straightforward process. Many companies sell a desktop motherboard to DIY computer builders, but finding a laptop motherboard in the DIY market is difficult. This lack of standardization in laptop motherboards can make building a laptop from scratch a very easy process.
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