Mini-ITX is the smallest of the common desktop motherboard sizes: 170 × 170 mm, with one expansion slot and two memory slots. It exists for small-form-factor PCs, and it runs the same processors and graphics cards as a full-size board. You pay for the size in money, in expansion and in planning. The boards we track are on the Mini-ITX motherboard deals page.
Cheapest Mini-ITX boards right now
All 127 Mini-ITX motherboards, with price drops and price history
Amazon Warehouse offers on Mini-ITX boards
What Mini-ITX is
Mini-ITX was introduced by VIA in 2001 for low-power compact computers and was later adopted across the industry for full-performance desktop boards. Its four mounting holes line up with holes in the ATX pattern and its rear panel is in the ATX position, so a Mini-ITX board fits Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX and ATX cases alike.
Makers usually mark the size with an I after the chipset, as in B650I or Z790I, or with ITX in the name.
| Item | Mini-ITX | Micro-ATX | ATX |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 170 × 170 mm | Up to 244 × 244 mm | 305 × 244 mm |
| Expansion slot positions | One | Four | Seven |
| Memory slots | Two | Two or four | Four |
Expansion slots and memory slots
There is one PCIe slot, a full-length one meant for the graphics card. Once that is filled there is nowhere for a capture card, a sound card or a network card, so anything else you need has to be on the board already or connect by USB. That is why most Mini-ITX boards include WiFi and Bluetooth as standard; check the listing, and see motherboard WiFi explained for the versions.
Two memory slots means one module per memory channel. That costs nothing in performance, and a two-slot layout is no obstacle to fast memory. The catch is capacity planning: there are no spare slots to add to later, so buy the amount you want at the outset.
Storage is the other squeeze. Most boards have two M.2 slots, a few have more, and one of them is often on the back of the board, where it gets little airflow and can only be reached by taking the board out of the case. SATA ports and fan headers are fewer than on larger boards. All of this varies by board, so count what you need before choosing.
Case compatibility
A Mini-ITX board fits any standard case, because a smaller board fits a larger case, not the reverse. In practice the case is the reason to buy one, and small-form-factor cases differ from each other far more than towers do. Before you order anything, read the case's figures for:
- Cooler height, which in the smallest cases rules out every tower cooler.
- Graphics card length and thickness. Many compact cases cannot take a three-slot card.
- Power supply type. Many need the smaller SFX size instead of a standard ATX unit.
- Radiator support, if you plan to use a liquid cooler.
Some cases mount the graphics card away from the board on a riser cable. The riser has to match the PCIe generation of the card and slot. An older PCIe 3.0 riser with a newer card can cause a blank screen or crashes until the slot is set to the lower speed in the BIOS.
Cooling and cable routing
Everything is close together. The processor socket sits near both the memory slots and the PCIe slot, so a wide air cooler can foul tall memory modules or press against the back of the graphics card. The power delivery heatsinks are small because there is no room for large ones, and in a compact case there is less air moving across them. If you plan to fit a high-end processor, read motherboard VRM explained and look for reviews that measured temperatures.
Cables are the slow part of the build. The 24-pin and 8-pin power connectors, fan headers and front-panel header are all within a few centimetres of each other, often under where the cooler will sit. Connect the small headers and the CPU power cable before fitting the cooler, and use a modular power supply if you can.
Price tendencies
Mini-ITX boards tend to cost more than the ATX board with the same chipset and similar features. Fitting the same circuits into less area is harder to design, and the boards sell in smaller numbers. Choice is limited too: each maker typically offers one or two Mini-ITX models per platform, mostly on mid-range and high-end chipsets. The rest of a small build adds to the bill, since SFX power supplies and compact cases usually cost more than their full-size equivalents. Because there are few models, a price drop or an open-box offer on the one you want is worth acting on; price drops lists current falls.
Who should buy Mini-ITX
- Builders for whom a small case is the point of the build: a PC for a desk with little room, a living-room PC, or one that travels.
- People who need one graphics card, one or two SSDs and nothing else inside the case.
- Experienced builders, or patient first-timers. It is a harder build than ATX.
If you only want something a bit smaller than a mid-tower, Micro-ATX gets most of the way for less money. If size does not matter, ATX is cheaper and easier. ATX vs Micro-ATX vs Mini-ITX compares the three directly.
What to look for when buying
- M.2 slots: how many, where they are, and whether the front one has a heatsink.
- Rear ports, since you cannot add more with a card. Count the USB ports you need.
- Fan and pump headers, which can be as few as two or three.
- A BIOS update button if the processor is newer than the board; see BIOS updates and CPU compatibility.
- On open-box boards, the WiFi aerial and M.2 screws, which are the parts most often missing.
See what is available now on the Mini-ITX motherboard deals page, or browse all form factors.
Questions people ask
Can a Mini-ITX board run a high-end graphics card?
Yes. The single slot is a full-length PCIe slot with the same connection to the processor as on a larger board. The limit is the case: check its maximum graphics card length and thickness, and the power supply it takes.
Will a Mini-ITX motherboard fit an ATX case?
Yes. Its four mounting holes and rear panel match the ATX layout, so it fits Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX and ATX cases. It will look small in a tower, but it works.
Why do Mini-ITX motherboards cost more?
They need denser, more complex circuit boards to fit the same features into less space, and they sell in smaller numbers than ATX and Micro-ATX boards. Most also include WiFi as standard, which adds to the price.
Are two memory slots a problem?
Not for speed. Two slots gives one module per channel, which suits fast memory well. It does mean you cannot add modules later, so buy the full capacity you want from the start.