Ultra ATX

Computer form factors
Name PCB size (mm)
WTX 356 × 425
AT 350 × 305
Baby-AT 330 × 216
BTX 325 × 266
ATX 305 × 244
EATX (Extended) 305 × 330
LPX 330 × 229
microBTX 264 × 267
NLX 254 × 228
Ultra ATX 244 × 367
microATX 244 × 244
DTX 244 × 203
FlexATX 229 × 191
Mini-DTX 203 × 170
EBX 203 × 146
microATX (min.) 171 × 171
Mini-ITX 170 × 170
EPIC (Express) 165 × 115
ESM 149 × 71
Nano-ITX 120 × 120
COM Express 125 × 95
ESMexpress 125 × 95
ETX/XTX 114 × 95
Pico-ITX 100 × 72
PC/104 (-Plus) 96 × 90
ESMini 95 × 55
Qseven 70 × 70
mobile-ITX 60 × 60
CoreExpress 58 × 65

Ultra ATX is an oversized motherboard form factor proposed by Foxconn during CES in January 2008. In principle, it is simply an oversized version of ATX that supports 10 expansion slots, as opposed to the seven slots of ATX, and it requires a full-tower computer case to support the added height of the motherboard.[1] Using the same 9.625" (244mm) reference width of ATX, the Ultra ATX form factor expands its length to 14.4" (367mm).

Purpose

Video cards often trend towards double-slot designs, due to the need for a large heatsink to effectively cool the graphics chipset. As a consequence, the expansion slot below the slot used by the graphics card is effectively blocked and cannot be used. This leaves an ATX quad-graphics system with effectively no expansion slots, as all of the additional slots are blocked by the video cards. The main purpose of Ultra ATX is to overcome this limitation and allow high-end systems to incorporate quad-graphics with additional room for expansion.

Further development

EVGA later introduced its 13.5-inch "X58 Classified 4-Way SLI"[2], which requires an Ultra-ATX sized case to support four "double-slot" graphics cards. Available Ultra-ATX cases include the Thermaltake Xaser VI, LIAN LI PC-P80 and HEC Compucase 98 98R9BB.

References