What type of motherboard form factor uses a riser card for its expansion slots?

Answer 1

NLX

NLX is a new low profile motherboard form factor designed to improve upon today's low profile form factors and to adapt to new market trends and PC technologies. NLX does the following:

• Supports current and future processor technologies
• Supports new Accelerated Graphics Port (A.G.P.) high performance graphics solutions
• Supports tall memory technology
• Provides more system level design and integration flexibility; for example, the new design flexibility allows system designers to implement a motherboard that can be removed quickly, in most cases without removing screws, thus lowering the PC's total cost of ownership.

The picture above shows an example of an NLX board and riser.

• The add-in card riser is located at the right edge of the motherboard (as viewed from the front).
• The processor is located at the front, left section of the motherboard, improving thermal and clearance issues.
• Taller components such as the processor and tall memory are preferred to be located on the left side of the motherboard, allowing the I/O slots to hold full length add-in cards in many system configurations.
• At the back of the motherboard (as viewed from the front), the I/O connectors are stacked single and double high to support more connectors.

Several major PC vendors world-wide worked jointly to define the NLX form factor and to incorporate flexibility to accommodate the best designs for current and future PCs. NLX is a public specification intended for widespread use in many types of systems.