One of the worst things about the PC compared to other platforms is its aesthetics, as all PCs look the same apart from a few external cosmetic changes. However, some design factors, shapes or types are not seen in computers unless we are talking about specific system designs. Well, all of this has a simple explanation. Why is the shape of motherboards always the same?
In the PC world, beauty hasn’t always been what stood out, despite the fact that with the advent of 3D printing we see some very impressive fan-made designs, the reality is that the products we can buy can often be considered generic. This is because he has always favored technique over aesthetics.
The shape of motherboards has not changed for years, why?
Because when assembling a PC we will use components of different brands, the distribution of elements, as well as their dimensions and connectivity they must follow a set of common standards or norms. Apart from the fact that motherboards need to fit perfectly into the various PC cases and towers and uneven distribution would cause serious problems when assembling them. As a result, creative flexibility is much lower, but you end up sacrificing aesthetics to reduce cost and speed to market.
It must be taken into account that most PC component manufacturers are from Taiwan, which means that the entire manufacturing and logistics network is located in this country. Well, these manufacturers are part of the standard setting force along with Intel and AMD and th is is due to the fact that many of them have parts suppliers in common in the same field. And they do everything in an agreed and organized way. For the end user it is not bad because it allows us to have several versions of a product and we can choose the one we prefer.
beauty has a price
It is in laptops that manufacturers have more freedom when it comes to making unique designs, since it will be the assembler himself who will assemble the components on a board where he can choose how to distribute them on the map and even optimize its consumption and scalability. However, in desktop computers, not following the standard for the shape of motherboards has quite high costs.
A change in the design of a motherboard, no matter how small This results in a modification of the computer case and therefore the possibility of manufacturing it. Lots of eye-catching aesthetic ideas from certain manufacturers end up in a huge price hike. In a classic PC, the fact that several manufacturers share the same parts greatly reduces the costs, if we add a strong demand for them, because the impact on the price is what it is.
And it is that having a unique design for the shape of a motherboard means having factories and operators to assemble the parts, it is extra money that will go to the end user. They look great in marketing photos and you may have fallen in love with this beautiful computer, without a generic motherboard, but with a high price tag.
