What is the difference between a laptop motherboard and PC motherboards?

Answer 1

Desktop motherboards all conform to one of several standard form factors, such as ATX, microATX, NLX, or mini-ITX. The motherboards in laptops, however, all have different sizes and are custom fitted for the laptop chassis. Laptop motherboards do not typically provide the number of expansion slots found in desktop motherboards.

Answer 2

With few exceptions, desktop motherboards are standardized in size and shape. They will conform to a known form factor used by several companies, such as ATX, microATX, NLX, BTX, etc... Any motherboard of the corresponding size can be easily swapped out for a newer one.

In laptops, the motherboards are specially designed for each case, and conform to no true standard. It is often impossible to swap motherboards from the same company. This is done because of the competitive nature of laptop design, where each manufacturer does all it can to push the envelope in performance, heat dissipation, portability, and power usage.

Answer 3

Laptop motherboards are designed to be as small as possible. They tend to have components on both sides. PC motherboards don't need to conserve as much space, so they're cheaper and easier to make.

Answer 4

The main difference - is space. On a laptop - many of the components are 'integrated'. In a desktop, the modem, sound card and graphics card are usually 'plugged into slots on the motherboard. With the restricted space on a laptop - those devices are usually miniaturised, and incorporated directly into the motherboard's circuitry.

Answer 5

One of them goes in a laptop and the other goes in a desktop.

Laptop motherboards tend to be more compact and are more likely to have "weird" proprietary connectors; desktop motherboards tend to be more standard across manufacturers and frequently have standard connectors directly attached.

Answer 6

Desktop motherboards typically have a standard form factor and are interchangeable while laptop motherboards are proprietary.