Respect your mother…board. You know the brand of your computer, and perhaps the model, but how much do you know about the motherboard and why should you care? We’ll show you why motherboards matter and how to quickly find and understand the details of yours, whether it’s inside a Windows, Mac, or Linux device. Then get free maintenance software from Avira, available for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS to help clear your machine of clutter and help it run more smoothly.
What is a motherboard?
The motherboard goes by many names, including the main circuit board, mainboard, base board, system board, or (if you’re using an Apple computer) the logic board. There are many components that are integral to every computer setup, but in terms of significance, the motherboard really is the mother of them all: It keeps the entire ‘family’ of parts communicating with each other and working together. It’s helpful to think of the CPU (central processing unit) as the brain of a computer, and the motherboard is the spinal column that connects all the components, including the RAM (memory), solid-state drive (SSD), graphics card, hard drive, and even the USB ports and peripherals like a mouse or keyboard.
You can leap ahead to our step-by-step guides here:
Reveal your motherboard details in Windows
How to check your motherboard on a Mac
How to find out what motherboard you have in Linux
What types of motherboards are there?
There’s no one-size-fits-all. Motherboards come in many forms and must be compatible with other computer components to function. In laptops, they’re custom-made for that specific laptop model and can’t just be switched out. Laptop motherboards are also designed for portability and have less space for internal components, making them more difficult to upgrade. Desktop motherboards are larger and more forgiving, as they need to work with a range of different PCs and components. Their overall design is reasonably standard though, so you should be able to tell where to attach the GPU or RAM, for example.
It’s important to remember that not every component will work with every motherboard! Pay attention to the brand and even generation of CPU—and never put an Intel Core chip into a motherboard designed for AMD processors, for example. By contrast, graphics cards and hard disks often work across a variety of motherboards. It’s always worth finding out and understanding your own PC’s specs. If you’re looking to boost performance by overclocking your PC or upgrading your RAM, for example, it’s important to know what its capabilities and limitations are.
What’s in a motherboard?
A computer has its processors, memory, and other essential components connected directly to the motherboard. Other bits and pieces, such as external storage, controllers for video display and sound, and accessories are often attached to the motherboard via plug-in cards or cables.
Today’s motherboards typically contain the following:
- CPU sockets (slots) in which microprocessors are installed.
- Memory slots where the system’s main memory sits.
- The chipset which forms an interface between the CPU and main memory.
- Non-volatile memory chips containing the system’s firmware and BIOS.
- The clock generator which produces the system clock signal that synchronises the various components.
- Slots for expansion cards.
- Power connectors, which receive electrical power from the computer power supply and distribute it to the CPU, chipset, main memory, and expansion cards.
- Connectors for hard disk drives, optical disc drives, or solid-state drives.
- Connectors to support input devices, such as USB drives for mouse devices and keyboards.
Computers generate heat and today’s high-performing machines can generate a lot of it! That’s why modern motherboards nearly always include heat sinks and mounting points for fans to dissipate that excess heat. It’s useful to learn how to prevent overheating and also to keep an eye on your CPU’s temperature.
Why it’s important to know your motherboard
Checking your device’s motherboard can help you understand its capabilities and limitations. Do you want to upgrade a device or customise your gaming PC? Perhaps you have an older system that’s crashing? Whatever you’re trying to find a solution for, your motherboard will determine the amount and type of RAM you can have, for example. So don’t go shopping before you know what upgrades and changes you can make.
Mum…is that you? Reveal your motherboard details in Windows
Windows offers several default tools that offer a quick window to your PC or laptop’s motherboard.
Top tip: Use Windows System Information
This convenient built-in tool offers a fast, simple route to viewing key information about your motherboard.
- Type System Information into the Windows start search bar and hit Enter.
- In the window that opens, you’ll see System Summary in the left panel. On the right, you’ll find details about your motherboard under the following three headings:
- BaseBoard Manufacturer
- BaseBoard Product
- BaseBoard Version
Use Command Prompt
You’ll find Command Prompt if your computer is running Windows 11,10, 8 or 7.
It’s a useful way to find out the manufacturer, product, serial number, and version of your PC’s motherboard.
- In the Windows start search field, type cmd, and then select Command Prompt as it appears.
- Type in this command and then press Enter:
wmic baseboard get product,manufacturer,version,serialnumber
Use PowerShell
This built-in program reveals your motherboard’s manufacturer, product, serial number, and version.
- In the Windows start menu search bar, type powershell, and then click on Run as administrator on the right.
- Enter the following command and then press Enter:
Get-WmiObject Win32_BaseBoard | Format-Table –Auto Manufacturer,Product,SerialNumber,Version
How to check your motherboard on a Mac
Apple computers call their motherboard a logic board but it’s more difficult to find out details about the logic board as this information isn’t available via the macOS. The key to your Mac’s logic board details is via your computer’s serial number, and there are many simple ways to find this. Pick your favourite below.
Use the About This Mac tool
If your Mac was launched before April 2021, you can open the Apple menu using the Apple icon in the corner of your screen. Choose About This Mac and you’ll find the serial number in the information shown.
Image from Apple Support.
See System Information
- Press and hold the Option key on your keyboard while choosing Apple menu > System Information from the menu bar.
- Select Hardware in the left-hand sidebar.
- You’ll see the model name and serial number on the right.
Image from Apple Support.
Log in to your Apple account
- Sign in to account.apple.com.
- Click Devices in the sidebar.
- If your Mac is listed on the right, click its name to reveal its model name and serial number.
When you’ve found your Mac’s serial number, you’ll be one step away from finding your motherboard details. Navigate to the database of an Apple product specialist like https://macfinder.co.uk/ and enter your Mac’s serial number into the search box. Then hit Enter. You should now find the logic board (plus the RAM) that’s built into your device.
How to find out what motherboard you have in Linux
The Terminal app is your friend here.
- Open Terminal and type sudo dmidecode -t 2. Then press Enter.
- Enter your password and hit Enter to reveal your motherboard information.
For further methods to access the details of your motherboard in Linux, plus detailed images, see Linux configuration support.
Now you’ve hopefully located your device’s or PC’s motherboard and extracted the information you need. On a final ‘note’: It can be helpful to think of all the components of a computer as part of an orchestra—with the motherboard as the conductor ensuring that everyone plays together and in tune. You have a role to play in that digital harmony too by regularly maintaining your machine.
Help maximise system performance with a clean-up tool
By now you should know much more about your computer’s hardware but don’t stop there: Help keep your software and the overall system healthy and running more smoothly with a free maintenance tool, like Avira System Speedup for PCs and Avira Optimizer for MacOS. These handy helpers can identify and help you remove digital junk like broken registries and file duplicates while optimising background processes for faster starts and fewer performance errors. Don’t forget your mobile devices! Show them some TLC too with smart Avira solutions that blend protection, privacy, and performance: Choose from Free Avira Antivirus Security for Android and Free Mobile Security for iOS.