The motherboard is the central part of a computer called the ‘Main Board.’ It is the base of any computer, or in simple words; it is itself a computer. Best Mini ITX Motherboards, The motherboard is an electronic circuit board with many different parts like processor installation sockets and expansion slots of various types, including DIMM slots, PCI, PCIe, and unlike other types of slots.
Additional ports are also part of these motherboards for the connectivity of Storage drives and other peripheral devices like printers and scanners. Computer casings are also designed according to their motherboard.
Top 8 Best Mini ITX Motherboard
Let’s start reviewing best Mini ITX motherboards.
1. ASUS ROG STRIX Z390-I (MITX)
First, one obvious thing about Asus Rog Strix Z390-I is that it is a gaming computer motherboard whose form factor is Mini-ITX. In the name of this motherboard, the character ‘I’ represents the form factor of ITX, while Z390 is the name of its chipset model fixed on this motherboard.
The details about the technical specifications of this motherboard are started from its supported processors. This motherboard supports Intel Core processors belonging to the 8th and 9th generations.
The power supply type of this mainboard is ATX, and it has a 24-pin power connector. Along with this power connector, 2 SATA connectors and USB 3.1 1st generation header are also present to connect these devices with this motherboard.
Two slots of DIMM-type memory that support high-speed DDR4 RAM chips are given for the installation of system RAM. A commonly used PCIe expansion slot of the 3rd generation is also available on this high-class motherboard.
The storage type for this motherboard is the latest and fast in read-write speed. M.2 slots are present under a cover not only for designing the motherboard but also for cooling the SSD drive installed in this slot. Two M.2 slots are given on this motherboard for extended storage capacity.
ASUS has used the ASP1401CTB PMW (Pulse Width Modulation) power controller. Six phases are available for the power supply to the CPU, while two are available for SoC (System on Chip).
An average of 45amp power Is supplied to these components, which is more than enough for working the latest CPUs.
2. Gigabyte X570 I Aorus Pro WiFi
Gigabyte is a famous name for manufacturing the computer’s main components. The motherboards of Gigabyte are also very attractive for users due to their upgraded features. X570I Aorus pro is a top-rated mid-range motherboard in the Mini-ITX form factor.
All these features required for the motherboard’s popularity are present in this board, including price, upgraded features, and high performance. AM4 processor socket is given on this motherboard which accepts AMD CPUs that belong to the 2nd and 3rd generation of AMD Ryzen CPUs.
This mainboard also supports the AMD Ryzen processor with the Radeon Vega graphics controller. For the installation of system RAM, dual channels are provided, which support both ECC (Error Correcting Code) and non-ECC RAMs.
Two M.2 PCIe 4.0 compatible slots are provided for attaching high-speed SSD disk for storage of data. These SSDs are covered with a pre-installed cover for protection and cooling. Along with these, USB 3.1 Type C is also available.
At the same time, wired and wireless network connectivity components are part of this motherboard for all types of network communication. 4 SATA connectors are also present, which also support RAID levels 0, 1, and 10.
The power supplied to the CPU through this motherboard is a direct 8-phase Infineon controlled by the digital Voltage Regulator Module (VRM).
In modern computers, CPUs and GPUs use VRM to maintain their power supply and to avoid exceeding their recommended voltage. An extended heatsink and 5W/MK thermal pad are also used on this motherboard.
3. ASRock B450 Mini ITX
ASRock B450 is another best motherboards in the Mini-ITX form factor. Features of this mainboard are also extended, which makes this a perfect mid-range gaming motherboard for the computer.
The processor socket of this motherboard is also AM4, and the chipset installed on this motherboard is AMD Promontory B450. This board supports a 64-bit processor and also a 64-bit operating system.
Two slots are provided for the installation of the main memory; two places are supplied, called Dual Channel memory.
Both ECC and non-ECC un-buffered RAM chips are supported on these dual memory channels, while the maximum RAM capacity which can be installed on this motherboard is 32GB.
Two PCI-E slots are available on this motherboard, and four ports of SATA3 are also given for installing hard disks and optical drives.
These SATA ports support RAID levels 0,1, and 10. Along with RAID, NCQm AHCI and Hot Plug are also supported by these SATA interfaces, which means you can attach or detach any disk without shutting down the computer.
The power supply to the CPU is 8 phases and supports water cooling at different wattage levels.
4. MSI B450IMini-ITX
MSI is a famous name for top-class manufacturing computers specially designed for graphical and motion video work. Devices of MSI are complete in features but are low in price, due to which these are easily affordable for users.
B450 is also the best motherboard for a perfect gaming computer. In mini-ITX form format, no other motherboard is best than B450 in a low price range.
The type of socket for the installation of the processor is AM4 which supports AMD Ryzen series CPUs that belong to the 1st and 2nd generations of these processors. These Ryzen processors, which come with Radeon Vega GPU, can also use on this socket.
Dual channels are given for the installation of high-speed RAM up to 32GB. SATA ports are four in number, and a single M.2 slot is also present along with these for the attachment of a higher-speed SSD. This M.2 slot is without any cooling system.
Multiple USB ports are available on this motherboard, allowing various peripheral devices to connect with this computer simultaneously.
A total of 5 USB ports are present on this motherboard, of which four are USB 3.1, and two are USB 2.0. Wired and wireless network connectivity options are also available on this motherboard.
5. ASUS ROG STRIX X470-I
ASUS ROG Strix X470-I is a mini-ITX form format motherboard in which the installed chipset is the latest than its previous. In previous motherboards of the Rog series, Asus used an X370 chipset, but in this model, an X470 chipset and an AM4 socket are used.
X470 can support AMD Ryzen processors maximum of 2000 series of these CPUs, but this mainboard is the final choice if overclocking is required and compulsory.
Along with high-speed memory slots, two M.2 high-speed storage slots are also present to attach high-speed SSDs and extend the data storage capacity.
A Dual-channel MIMO WLAN adapter is also part of this mainboard, while a Gigabit speed LAN connection is a bonus. Beautiful LED lighting is available to make this motherboard more attractive. These LED lights are controlled with Aura Sync.
6. Gigabyte B360N
Gigabyte B360N is also the best motherboard with some variations compared to its competitors, but it is beautiful in terms of price. If we compare the features of this motherboard, we find them close to Asus Z370, but the price is significantly less than that.
The socket of this motherboard is changed, and it is an 1151 socket supported for Intel Core processors of the 8th generation. Two channels for RAM are given, and for the storage options, four ports and one M.2 slot of 3rd generation are available to attach traditional and latest storage units.
Wifi and Bluetooth 5.0 are provided for wireless connectivity, and four USB 3.1 and two USB 2.0 ports are available on this motherboard for the connectivity of peripheral devices. Additionally, two HDMI ports are also present for a high-class display.
7. ASRock B365M-ITX
ASRock B365 motherboard is designed by following the Phantom gaming series. This shows that it is also a perfect motherboard for a gaming computer.
The socket used for the processor on this motherboard is 1151, which is fully supported for Intel Core processors of the 8th and 9th generations. The chipset of this motherboard is B365.
The type of supported RAM on this motherboard is DDR4 which can be used at a maximum of 2666 clock speed. Storage options on this motherboard are very extended and higher in speed. Two ports of M.2 storage are given, with a connection speed of 30Gbps.
On the other hand, six ports of SATA are also available on this mainboard, each of which has a 6-gigabit speed.
The sound chip on this computer board is ALC-1220 which is from Realtek. Two ports of USB 3.1 2nd generation are present, and one is Type-C standard. RGB LEDs brighten this motherboard and are controlled by polychrome RGB software.
8. ASUS ROG STRIX B450-I
Although this mini-ITX motherboard of ASUS is some older in version but is the perfect best motherboard; at the time of its start, it was a high-end motherboard and still today, it is no less than this. Asus Rog Strix B450-I is very rich in features.
The CPU socket of this motherboard is all time famous AM4. Two M.2 slots are part of this motherboard for extended and high-speed SSD storage.
An extra feature of this mainboard is auto-tuning, while Fan Xpert 4 is available for controlling the speed of heat exhaust fans as per requirement and condition. Overclocking and excellent cooling are also enlisted in the features of this motherboard.
This motherboard provides all types of network connectivity, including Gigabit speed Ethernet and good quality WIFI. ASUS makes all the required USB ports and high-class audio devices available on this highly demanded-motherboard.
Function Of Motherboard
The Motherboard of the computer is a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) which is the center for the connectivity of all components. After getting attached to the Motherboard of the computer, all devices can transfer data.
Any device, input, output, or another device cannot be used without connecting to the Motherboard. , the Motherboard is a central connectivity point for all devices and the backbone for their internal communication.
Form Factors Of Motherboard
Form factors are different types of motherboard designs that are used in different computers. ATX is the most common form factor for desktop computers, advancing IBM’s AT form factor. This advancement is done by Intel, which is labeled ATX from AT.
Mainly there are three form factors of computer motherboards developed according to different requirements like gaming and others. These three form factors are:
- ATX
- BTX
- ITX
After these main types, their subtypes include Mini and Microarchitecture, but ITX is only the form factor with its Nano version specially designed for mobiles.
ITX Motherboard
The word ‘ITX’ is the abbreviation of “Information Technology eXtended.” ITX is a small-sized form factor of motherboards.
Due to their compact size, these motherboards are also considered the best option to use in low-cost setups like cars, network devices, and other tiny computers. ITX has 4 different variants according to different sizes. These 4 are:
- Mini-ITX
- Nano-ITX
- Pico-ITX
- Mobile-ITX
Mini-ITX motherboard form factor is just like traditional motherboards with memory slots, PCI Express slots, multiple USB ports, and a network port. The power consumption of these motherboards is deficient as up to even 5 watts.
In Nano-ITX legacy, ports are removed and replaced with mini-PCI and SODIMM, while the Pico-ITX motherboard is 75% smaller than Mini-ITX. Pico-ITX Motherboard supports all these CPUs that use VIA NanoBGA2 technology.
Mobile-ITX motherboards are the minor form factor that has no ports related to computers. These boards are specially designed for medical equipment, transportation, and military-used devices.
FINAL WORDS
After reviewing all these mini-ITX motherboards, you must clearly understand a motherboard’s features. Based on this, you can match your exact requirement with the available product according to your budget.
You can easily decide the best gaming motherboard in the mini-ITX form factor. It is my effort to narrow your search for the best gaming mini-ITX motherboard; hopefully, one of these must be according to your requirement. Stay connected, and keep commenting.
