Summary
Highlights
The main power connector on a motherboard provides 3.3V, 5V, and 12V DC power to the motherboard and its components. Older motherboards use a 20-pin connector, while newer ones use 24 pins. A 24-pin connector can often be used with a 20-pin motherboard, sometimes with modular cables allowing removal of four pins. These connectors are keyed to ensure correct installation and have a locking mechanism.
Adapter cards, especially graphics cards, often require additional power beyond what the motherboard provides. PCI Express 6-pin connectors deliver 75 watts and 8-pin connectors provide 150 watts of 12V DC power. Some 8-pin connectors are designed to be convertible to 6-pin by detaching two pins.
SATA connectors are used for data connectivity to storage devices and have an L-shape. There are also eSATA (external SATA) connectors, which can be integrated into adapter cards to provide external storage connections.
Pin headers are a simple electrical interface on the motherboard, appearing as a group of upward-facing pins. They are used to connect various devices like speakers, power buttons, USB interfaces for the computer case, and LEDs. Motherboards often have clearly marked pin headers for different functions, such as TPM, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, power buttons, and reset switches.
M.2 connectors are small interfaces on motherboards, used for compact flash drives and other modular components. M.2 drives are easily installed by pushing them into the slot and securing them with a screw.