Power phases
The number of processor power phases provided on the motherboard.
Very simplistically, phases can be described as electronic blocks of a special design, through which power is supplied to the processor. The task of such blocks is to optimize this power, in particular, to minimize power surges when the load on the processor changes. In general, the more phases, the lower the load on each of them, the more stable the power supply and the more durable the electronics of the board. And the more powerful the CPU and the more cores it has, the more phases it needs; this number increases even more if the processor is planned to be overclocked. For example, for a conventional quad-core chip, only four phases are often enough, and for an overclocked one, at least eight may be needed. It is because of this that powerful processors can have problems when used on inexpensive low-phase motherboards.
Detailed recommendations on choosing the number of phases for specific CPU series and models can be found in special sources (including the documentation for CPU itself). Here we note that with numerous phases on the motherboard (more than 8), some of them can be virtual. To do this, real electronic blocks are supplemented with doublers or even triplers, which, formally, increases the number of phases: for example, 12 claimed phases can represent 6 physical blocks with doublers. However, virtual phases are much inferior to real ones in terms of capabilities — in fact, t...hey are just additions that slightly improve the characteristics of real phases. So, let's say, in our example, it is more correct to speak not about twelve, but only about six (though improved) phases. These nuances must be specified when choosing a motherboard.
Size (HxW)
Motherboard dimensions in height and width. It is assumed that the traditional placement of motherboards is vertical, so in this case one of the dimensions is called not the length, but the height.
Motherboard sizes are largely determined by their form factors (see above), however, the size of a particular motherboard may differ slightly from the standard adopted for this form factor. In addition, it is usually easier to clarify the dimensions according to the characteristics of a particular motherboard than to look for or remember general information on the form factor. Therefore, size data can be given even for models that fully comply with the standard.
The third dimension — thickness — is considered less important for a number of reasons, so it is often omitted.
USB 3.2 gen1
The number of native USB 3.2 gen1 connectors provided on the back of the motherboard. In this case, traditional, full-size USB A ports are meant.
USB 3.2 gen1(formerly known as USB 3.1 gen1 and USB 3.0) is a direct successor and development of the USB 2.0 interface. The main differences are a 10-fold increase in the maximum data transfer rate — 4.8 Gbps — as well as higher power supply, which is important when connecting several devices to one port through a splitter (hub). At the same time, peripherals of other versions can be connected to this connector.
The more connectors provided in the design, the more peripheral devices can be connected to the motherboard without the use of additional equipment (USB splitters). There are boards on the market that have
more than 4 USB 3.2 gen1 ports on the back panel. At the same time, we note that in addition to the connectors on the rear panel, connectors on the board itself (more precisely, ports on the case connected to such connectors) can also provide a USB connection. See below for more on this.
USB 3.2 gen2
The number of native USB 3.2 gen2 connectors provided on the back of the motherboard. In this case, we mean traditional, full-size USB A ports.
USB 3.2 gen2(formerly known as USB 3.1 gen2 and simply USB 3.1) is the evolution of USB 3.2 after version 3.2 gen1 (see above). This standard provides connection speeds up to 10 Gbps, and to power external devices in such connectors, USB Power Delivery technology (see below) can be provided, which allows you to output up to 100 W per device (however, Power Delivery support is not mandatory, its presence should be specified separately). Traditionally for the USB standard, this interface is backwards compatible with previous versions — in other words, you can easily connect a device supporting USB 2.0 or 3.2 gen1 to this port (unless the speed will be limited by the capabilities of a slower version).
The more connectors provided in the design, the more peripheral devices can be connected to the motherboard without the use of additional equipment (USB splitters). In some models of motherboards, the number of ports of this type is
5 or even more. At the same time, we note that in addition to the connectors on the rear panel, connectors on the board itself (more precisely, ports on the case connected to such connectors) can also provide a USB connection. See below for more on this.
PS/2
The number of PS/2 ports provided in the design of the motherboard.
PS/2 is a dedicated port designed to connect exclusively to keyboards and/or mice. The traditional motherboard configuration for a PC provides 2 such ports — for the keyboard (usually highlighted in lilac) and for the mouse (green). However, there are boards with one connector, to which you can connect any of these types of peripherals, to choose from. Anyway, the presence of PS/2 can save the user from having to occupy USB ports for the keyboard / mouse; this is especially useful if you have to deal with a lot of other USB peripherals. On the other hand, for a number of reasons, this connector is considered obsolete and is used less and less; and PS/2 peripherals are produced mainly in the form of USB devices, additionally equipped with PS/2 adapters.
