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Difficulty: MediumMotherboards Form Factors and Connectors

A technician is building a compact desktop PC for a client using a standard Mini-ITX motherboard. The client requests that the build include both a dedicated dual-slot PCIe x16 graphics card and a separate PCIe x4 Wi-Fi adapter card. Which of the following physical characteristics of the Mini-ITX form factor will prevent the technician from fulfilling the client's request?

  1. Mini-ITX motherboards are physically limited to a maximum of one PCIe expansion slot.Answer
  2. B
    Mini-ITX motherboards only support M.2 storage interfaces and lack standard PCIe expansion capabilities.
  3. C
    Mini-ITX motherboards rely on a 20-pin power connector that cannot provide sufficient bus power for auxiliary cards.
  4. D
    Mini-ITX motherboards require riser cards that disable POST checks whenever multiple expansion slots are detected.

Answer

Mini-ITX motherboards are designed with a standard maximum of one expansion slot due to their compact 6.7 in x 6.7 in dimensions.
The Mini-ITX motherboard specification defines dimensions of 6.7 x 6.7 inches (170 x 170 mm) and restricts the board layout to a single expansion slot. Because the client requested two separate PCI Express add-in cards (a graphics card and a Wi-Fi card), the technician cannot install both directly onto a Mini-ITX system board.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Evaluate the physical specifications of the Mini-ITX form factor.
The Mini-ITX specification defines board dimensions of 170 mm x 170 mm (6.7 in x 6.7 in).
Understanding form factor dimensions explains physical layout limitations.
2
Determine slot expansion limits for Mini-ITX motherboards.
Due to space constraints on the PCB, Mini-ITX motherboards feature exactly one expansion slot (typically PCIe x16).
Adding a second expansion card requires a form factor with additional slot capacity, such as Micro-ATX (up to 4 slots) or standard ATX (up to 7 slots).

Key Concept

Mini-ITX Form Factor Specifications and Expansion Capabilities
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Motherboards Form Factors and Connectors

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