A 24-pin motherboard power connector is a thing of the past – review

Since 1995, the ATX form factor has dominated the market, which sets standards for the dimensions of the motherboard and power supply, electrical characteristics, as well as other parameters. It was developed in Intel as a replacement for AT. And now, it seems, it’s time for an update.

Presentation of a new connector is expected this year. ATX12VOwhich will be initially used only by OEMs. “Self-assembly” for some time will still work on the old connectors.

This is what the ATX12VO looks like

According to the description, the new form factor will require the power supply to issue strictly 12 V. The 3.3 V and 5 V lines will be canceled, and the 24-pin connector itself will be replaced with a 10-pin one. The only thing left is the output of 5 V to USB ports. The same voltage will remain in standby mode.

All other conversions will no longer be performed by the power supply, but by the motherboard. That is, even the power of the drives will go through it. This approach will unify the system and simplify assembly for OEMs.

The end result is also an increase in the overall platform performance while reducing cost. Details of the specification are given in the document.