motherboard

motherboard definition - computer

Also called the "system board," it is the main printed circuit board in an electronic device, which contains sockets that accept additional boards. In a desktop computer, the motherboard contains the CPU, chipset, PCI bus slots, AGP slot, memory sockets and controller circuits for the keyboard, mouse, disks and printer. It may also have built-in controllers for modem, sound, display and network, obviating the need to plug in a card. A laptop motherboard typically has all peripheral controllers built in. See CPU, chipset, PCI, AGP and controller.


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Motherboard

This is a Baby AT style motherboard for a PC. The adapter cards (expansion boards) plug into the expansion slots on the motherboard.



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The Mother of All Motherboards

This is the front and back of the prototype of the first IBM PC motherboard in 1981. The chips are wired together on a "breadboard" designed for making new system boards. (Images courtesy of International Business Machines Corporation. Unauthorized use not permitted.)






Computer Desktop Encyclopedia THIS DEFINITION IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY
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