No, ITX motherboards are not always costly. Prices can vary based on specifications and brand.
No, ITX motherboards are not always costly. Prices can vary based on specifications and brand.
I’m preparing a mid-range gaming PC with Intel 12400/AMD 5600X and RTX3060. ITX boards like B660 and B550 offer limited choices and tend to cost more than their MATX counterparts. You’re right to question whether the reduced slot count really lowers the price—most of the time it doesn’t, especially since you only need a PCIe 16, one M.2, SATA, and two DIMMs. Building in ATX cases seems unnecessary because much of the space won’t be used. AsRock boards are generally reliable and often offer good value for money.
They cost more due to the increased number of layers in the circuit board, which allows for better trace routing between parts. For instance, a mATX board with four layers might cost around $10, while a six-layer version could range from $15 to $20, and an eight-layer ITX board may require $40. Smaller components are often necessary when using lower-layer boards, forcing the use of more costly component placement machines. This also means they may rely on pricier chip shooters for positioning. Bottom layers frequently contain many parts, adding extra steps like soldering passes, inspections, and checks. The connectors themselves aren’t particularly expensive overall; they purchase them in bulk (10,000 pieces) to secure discounts.