A technician is building a small-form-factor (SFF) workstation for a client who requires a… — CompTIA A+ (Core 1 & Core 2)

A technician is building a small-form-factor (SFF) workstation for a client who requires a dedicated PCIe x16 graphics card and dual-channel memory. The custom desktop enclosure selected by the client strictly limits internal motherboard dimensions to $6.7\text{ inches} \times 6.7\text{ inches}$ ( $17\text{ cm} \times 17\text{ cm}$ ). Which of the following motherboard form factors must the technician select to meet these physical constraints while supporting a single expansion slot?

Mini-ITXAnswer
B
Micro-ATX
C
Standard ATX
D
Nano-ITX

Answer

Mini-ITX is the correct form factor because it measures exactly 6.7 inches by 6.7 inches (17 cm by 17 cm) and features a single expansion slot.

The Mini-ITX form factor is standardized at

6.7 \times 6.7 \text{ inches}

(

17 \times 17 \text{ cm}

). It is specifically designed for small-form-factor cases, offering two RAM slots (supporting dual-channel configurations) and exactly one PCIe expansion slot, which fits the client's requirement for a dedicated graphics card.

Step-by-Step Solution

Identify the dimensional requirements from the scenario stem.

The target enclosure requires a motherboard measuring

6.7\text{ in} \times 6.7\text{ in}

(

17\text{ cm} \times 17\text{ cm}

Matching physical dimensions ensures the motherboard aligns with case mounting standoffs and I/O shield cutouts.

Evaluate standard desktop motherboard form factor specifications against the required footprint.

Mini-ITX is defined specifically as

6.7\text{ in} \times 6.7\text{ in}

(

17\text{ cm} \times 17\text{ cm}

), featuring 2 memory slots and 1 PCIe expansion slot.

Micro-ATX (

9.6\text{ in} \times 9.6\text{ in}

) and Standard ATX (

12\text{ in} \times 9.6\text{ in}

) are too large, while Nano-ITX (

4.7\text{ in} \times 4.7\text{ in}

) lacks full-sized desktop expansion slots.

Key Concept

Motherboard Form Factor Dimensions and Slot Capabilities

Estimated Time:1m 0s

Question

Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept

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