Need help with Motherboard ICs and components

[saikiasunny]

Hello TPU users

My first post here but a long time lurker.

For first post I have decided on gaining some knowledge.

I have read many motherboard reviews on TPU and many other websites. In those reviews, the reviewers post a detailed overview of the motherboard ICs and chips like the power phase, PWM, media controllers, I/O chips.

I want to know how can I find out which chips performs which functions on my own board. Lets say I have a budget h170 board, then how can i find the chips and their functions. Are there are any online resources or guides that i can refer to.

I would love to gain some insight on this topic and expecting some decent replies.

Thanks!

 

[Caring1]

Visual inspection is the easiest way to find the chips on a board, then look up the part numbers online. This may be time consuming but I don't believe there are any guides or lists for each motherboard.

 

[saikiasunny]

Visual inspection is the easiest way to find the chips on a board, then look up the part numbers online. This may be time consuming but I don't believe there are any guides or lists for each motherboard.

Thanks for the reply caring1. But will that easy just to look up for the number and search online. What if i want to know how the PWM chip controls the signal? Or how the phases affect the chip and that stuff?

 

[cadaveca]

Thanks for the reply caring1. But will that easy just to look up for the number and search online. What if i want to know how the PWM chip controls the signal? Or how the phases affect the chip and that stuff?

Most of that information is available at the part manufacturer's website. It means you need to do some research and read lots of boring stuff, but oh well. I've always seen it as part of the job as motherboard reviewer.

I will have there are times I have problems finding info, and I have to in turn ask the board maker for information, or ask another reviewer.

Sometimes, like with Gigabyte boards, there are diagram in the manual telling you what's what. This is always a big help. For example , in a review I am currently working on, there is a USB IC, and if you enter the numbers into google, it doesn't give you much information. However, look inside the manual, and the brand name is there, which allows more information to be found.

There are also times when I am wrong, and a certain member here is usually pretty good at letting me know my mistakes, for which I am ever grateful.

 

[saikiasunny]

Most of that information is available at the part manufacturer's website. It means you need to do some research and read lots of boring stuff, but oh well. I've always seen it as part of the job as motherboard reviewer.......There are also times when I am wrong, and a certain member here is usually pretty good at letting me know my mistakes, for which I am ever grateful.

Thanks for the reply cadaveca. This is a quote from one of your motherboard reviews-

"The board's VRM bits are International Rectifier parts, the main controller for the CPU VRM hanging out just to the right of the CPU VRM section above the socket. The DIMM VRM seems to have a different controller on its dual-channel VRM set-up, which isn't something you'd commonly see on a motherboard. Usually, all VRM bits are from the same brand. Be that as it may, we know Nick Shih made that design decision for a good reason, and that 4500 MHZ memory speed maximum once again probably played a role in that."

You talk about VRMs here. You talk about CPU VRM and then RAM VRM, dual channels and a lot more. I want to know how can i understand more about there VRMs and controllers. You said about getting specs from motherboard manufacturers but what if I want to know more about the working and implementation of these chips.

You are experienced in this sector, then would you guide me about some resources for the basic working of motherboard designs.

Cheers

 

[cadaveca]

VRM = voltage regulation module.

Module is all of the parts; input driver (gets the power), MOSFET (switches power to required voltage), choke and capacitor (both used together to remove higher-frequency ripple etc.).

To know more, go to vocational school, take classes on electrical design. You could take an A+ class, but this is very basic stuff on USING a motherboard, not on designing a motherboard, or understanding the parts that go into that design.

I'm sorry if that's not the answer you wanted, but you know, there is much to understand before you understand the fine details of motherboard design. Perhaps that is why my reviews are a bit different than what some other reviewers do. I measure board power using current passed through the 8-pin connector, while some use full system power. Why do it differently ? It's like a mechanic and a driver in F1. They both are specialists in going fast, but one puts the car together, and the other makes it go around the corners. Usually a driver knows little about motor design, and the designer can never get the car around the track as fast. I picture myself as the go-between; I understand the language of both sides and translate either way. Understanding the language doesn't mean I'm good at either side. So go to a real teacher, take a class or 6 and you'll have all the knowledge you are looking for.

Like, knowing what those parts that make up a VRM are fine and dandy, but what's PWM? What's EMF? I am not the one to teach such stuff effectively.

But please, feel free to keep asking questions and I'll answer them as directly as I can. I just don't have faith in myself to convey things effectively in a way that is easily understood.

 

[saikiasunny]

VRM = voltage regu........................ase, feel free to keep asking questions and I'll answer them as directly as I can. I just don't have faith in myself to convey things effectively in a way that is easily understood.

That is one good and informative reply.

May be you can answer this- how does number of phases define the quality of power delivery to the CPU. High OC centered motherboards advertise big phase numbers. What makes a good phase delivery system for motherboards?

Sorry if I am looking like a troll but seriously want to gain some knowledge

 

[cadaveca]

That is one good and informative reply.

May be you can answer this- how does number of phases define the quality of power delivery to the CPU. High OC centered motherboards advertise big phase numbers. What makes a good phase delivery system for motherboards?

Sorry if I am looking like a troll but seriously want to gain some knowledge

That depends on the VRM design. Some are made with extremely high-quality parts that can handle high loads, others are made with lesser parts. Some use all phases all the time to contribute to a single power supply, others have phases where they dynamically scale how many are in use.

But basically, the more phases you have, the higher the potential power delivered (each phase has a limit on the maximum power it can provide) and on lesser loads, if all are in use, they are stressed less, and can provide cleaner power. Say for example that ASRock board; with 14 phases, it can deliver a TONNE of power, yet under most usages, each phase will be pushed very little, leading to very consistent power delivery and a stable voltage supply. As a phase gets pushed harder, the more "ripple" it introduces which can affect how stable your clock is.

Look into what PWM (pulse width modulation) is as well as GTL (gunning transceiver logic) are.

 

[saikiasunny]

That depends on the VRM design. Some are made with extremely high-quality parts that can handle high loads, others are made with lesser parts. Some use all phases all the time to contribute to a single power supply, others have phases where they dynamically scale how many are in use.

But basically, the more phases you have, the higher the potential power delivered (each phase has a limit on the maximum power it can provide) and on lesser loads, if all are in use, they are stressed less, and can provide cleaner power. Say for example that ASRock board; with 14 phases, it can deliver a TONNE of power, yet under most usages, each phase will be pushed very little, leading to very consistent power delivery and a stable voltage supply. As a phase gets pushed harder, the more "ripple" it introduces which can affect how stable your clock is.

Look into what PWM (pulse width modulation) is as well as GTL (gunning transceiver logic) are.

Thanks a ton cadaveca. That is more than i can ever find with some googling. Will look into the topics. Thanks