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A motherboard is the main printed circuit board in a computer that connects and enables communication between all the crucial hardware components. It acts as the central hub, providing a foundation for the CPU, memory (RAM), storage drives, and expansion cards, and distributes power to them. The motherboard contains the CPU socket, RAM slots, expansion slots (like PCIe), and connectors for peripherals such as USB ports, which are all essential for the computer's function.

Key functions and components

Main circuit board: It is the central printed circuit board that everything else is attached to or plugged into.

Component connectivity: It provides the physical and electrical connections for the CPU, RAM, and other essential hardware.

Power distribution: It receives power from the power supply and distributes it to the components that require it.

Data transfer: It contains data buses that allow components, like the CPU and RAM, to communicate with each other.

Expansion slots: It includes slots like PCI-Express for adding extra functionality, such as high-performance graphics cards.

Peripheral connectors: It features ports for external devices like USB ports for keyboards and mice.

System configuration: It has a small battery to maintain essential system data like the time and date, even when the computer is powered off.