motherboards are getting skinny?

[Rossyboy]

is anyone else noticing that motherboards have huge blank spaces on them nowadays?

for example here is a z87 msi board.

and here is a z77 msi board for comparison

 

 

my theory is because intel is moving so much onto the chip, it makes it very hard for motherboard manufacturers to fill all the space on the boards. they are starting too look all the same, im scared.

 

Rossyboy

[SirReallySam]

Unfortunately I think your theory is right... :S and the enthusiast (like us) are going to become annoyed soon... :ph34r:

[Woodypc]

I have a question. Why is it the top end Z87 MB have bloody horrible little fans on the heat sinks? I though we were past those noise damn things.

[JordanMac]

Yeah you're right but at least its good for smaller form factors.

[JacksGT]

Well, now there is more space for other things on the mainboard, like Linus' favorite topic: High-End Onboard Audio :)

[christoi]

To an extent that's the case, I'd presume VRM circuitry has been simplified a lot since there's no need for dynamic voltage changes anymore. Added features on the PCH may also remove the requirement for less additional chips too, so that probably makes some difference.

 

That said, it's not that much different. It looks like that's the case with the two images you linked because you are comparing an entry-level board (G43) with a mid-range/higher-end one (GD65), so there's naturally going to be a lot more circuitry on the GD65 due to the added features. The Z77A-GD43 however, looks similarly bare. These "skinny" boards have always been common with lower-end, lower-quality units because they have cut down on components to reduce cost.

[bradscoolio]

You can tell by the atx standoff holes that both boards are the exact same thickness :P

[EChondo]

You can tell by the atx standoff holes that both boards are the exact same thickness :P

Well I presume this is a joke...good one!

 

Yes I am annoyed by the blank spaces where I can see the ugly brown PCB.

[Hyydrah]

my theory is because intel is moving so much onto the chip, it makes it very hard for motherboard manufacturers to fill all the space on the boards. they are starting too look all the same, im scared.

 

Rossyboy

Don't be scared. We'll start to be able to build more powerful systems in, say, mITX cases (X79/99 hopefully). This is great news.

[Lukiose]

This is pretty good news for me! It shows that increasingly better hardware are being able to be crammed into smaller spaces, so my M-atx/ m-itx build in a year and half can only get more powerful

[sotiris.bos]

the cleaner look with a black matte pcb is very nice though

[Wats]

I'm sure that brown is just cheap, black solder mask on a copper pcb. Other than that, the gd65 is an ok board.

[Rossyboy]

Well, now there is more space for other things on the mainboard, like Linus' favorite topic: High-End Onboard Audio :)

this made me think. how long till integrated sound goes on the chip?

[brownninja97]

One is high end and one is low end. They leave room for improvement so that when the UNLEASH another series then people will buy them. The best motherboards didnt come out with sandy bridge for 1155.

[brownninja97]

Further more g65 is the highest of their range and g43 is the lowest.