Member Avatar for Cup of Squirrel

I have a Micro ATX form mother board, however I think I need a PSU specially designed for matx. Is this true?

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Dani AI

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Quick follow-up to the points from and — since says the case accepts both ATX and microATX boards, here are practical checks and tips to avoid a nasty surprise when you pick a PSU.

Measure the case’s PSU bay and look at how drives and the fan sit around it. Physical clearance is the common gotcha: some smaller cases only accept short or SFX-style PSUs, and long high-watt ATX units can hit drive cages or block airflow. Measure usable depth, check screw hole alignment, and confirm the PSU fan won’t be obstructed.

Verify the power-side details you’ll actually need. Confirm the board’s main plug (older boards use 20‑pin, newer ones 24‑pin or 20+4), whether a CPU 4‑pin or 8‑pin (EPS) connector is required, and whether your graphics card needs PCIe 6/8‑pin feeds. Also check for enough Molex/SATA leads for your drives. Pick a quality PSU with modest headroom above estimated system draw — that saves headaches if you later add a faster GPU or extra drives. Modular cables help a lot in tight cases.

Quick troubleshooting tips: if the build won’t POST, ensure the CPU power plug is fully seated (it’s easy to miss), verify the front-panel power switch wiring, and try a known-good PSU or a simple PSU tester before assuming the motherboard is bad. Avoid permanent use of cheap adapters (Molex-to-PCIe, 20-to-24 pin) unless as a temporary workaround.

Bottom line: because your case supports ATX, a standard ATX supply is usually the simplest solution, but double-check clearance, connectors, and wattage before buying.

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Member Avatar for caperjack

I have a Micro ATX form mother board, however I think I need a PSU specially designed for matx. Is this true?

you say a micro atx form motherboard ,is it in a micro case ,its the case it in ,not the motherboard that will dictate the size of the PSU you have to use ,
Might be cheaper to buy a midtower case ans psu and swith cases if its in a micro case ,better air flow anyway

Member Avatar for Catweazle

Agreed. The motherboard connector is the same, but unless you install the motherboard in an ATX case (which it will fit into without any problems) then you may not have the necessary space for a standard ATX power unit.

Member Avatar for Cup of Squirrel

Ok, I am using a case that can support both ATX and MicroATX, so in thoery I would imagine it takes ATX power.

At least the power connectors for the mobo's do not differ, I will simple have to experiment.

Member Avatar for Catweazle

MicroATX is simply a motherboard which is smaller than standard ATX, and designed to physically fit in a smaller case. It is still the same standard as ATX and does not use power in any different way. Running a MicroATX motherboard from an ATX power supply unit is perfectly fine!

Member Avatar for Cup of Squirrel

ok thanks for the help =D

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