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Promotes more modular design

Recently,Intelresearchers published ablog postthat points to a more modular and sustainable future for laptops and mini PCs.

The blog, envisions concepts for laptops that feature standardized motherboards and IO ports for a variety of laptop types including fan-less, single-fan and dual-fan versions.

Part of the argument from the researchers — Roberta Zouain, Intel’s Sustainability Product Strategy and Marketing Manager; Reshma PP, Director of System Design; and Gurpreet Sandhu, Vice President of the Platform Engineering Group — is to reduce e-waste, which they saygenerates over 60 million tonson a yearly basis, with less than 25% of that actually collected for recycling.

The drive for sustainable PC design appears to partner with the right to repair movement. This movement argues that people should be able to repair or upgrade their devices without being penalized for not buying the latest gear or restricted from accessing components and tools to do so.

There are some modular laptop designs already in the wild.Framework has been making customizable gaming PCsfor awhile.Asus announced at CES the ROG Strix Scar 16 and 18which features tooless upgrades for the SSD, no screwdriver required.

What Intel is arguing for is more open source and standardized from the factory floor to repair shops and the home user. This would mean that anyone could find components and tools to repair or upgrade their laptop.

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How does Intel’s proposal work?

One big change proposed by Intel is a standardized motherboard that is designed into three segments with the motherboard and system-on-a-chip separated from the IO ports.

“The creation of universal I/O boards (left and right I/O boards) that can be utilized across various platforms or market segments leads to cost savings by streamlining the duration of the design cycle and minimizing the engineering investment required,” the authors write.

(Image credit: Intel)

The paper goes on, “This innovative structure allows for targeted upgrades, repairs, and replacements, significantly extending the device’s lifespan and reducing electronic waste.”

The company also proposes a similar redesign for mini-PC, again separating various components into modules. These changes include removable CPU and GPU chips, hot-swappable storage and even repairable Thunderbolt modules.

“These modules significantly reduce repair costs and simplify the repair process in the event of port or connector damage at the end-user level,” they write.

One thing that would need to be fought against here is how components are installed. In a right to repair favored world, any component from the display to a random USB port could be replaced with new components that plug or screw in.

Unfortunately, in some devices (looking at you Apple), components are glued in and nearly impossible to remove without some serious know-how or technical support.

In a race to have the thinnest laptops in the world (outside of the gaming market), I wonder if modular PCs would make sleek laptops a thing of the past. Personally, I would take a chunkier device over a thin laptop if I could easily swap out my RAM or put in the latest CPU to get the most of out my PC without buying a new hunk of plastic.

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    When could we see this future?

Unfortunately, probably not for a while. Unless Intel is heavily working on this in the background, the blog is a proposal and Intel doesn’t make laptops or mini PCs.

Instead, it would need to be adapted in agreements with Intel partners likeDellorAsus.

Assuming Intel is working on this, we would guess the earliest you would actually see modular PCs would be a year, but that may be wishful thinking.

Not all motherboards are made equally

(Image credit: MSI)

A motherboard is one of the most important components to purchase when building a new PC as it’s the foundation for all of your machine’s parts to interact, but it’s far from a one-size-fits-all solution in 2025. There are four motherboard sizes available, each with different strengths and weaknesses, with smaller and larger fiberglass rectangles used for different purposes.

As such, there’s no easy answer for what thebest motherboardcan be, so it’s vitally important to know the four commercially available sizes, rough pricings, and the sockets available for some of the best processors on the market. After all, compatibility is vital in 2025, particularly if you’re eyeing up some of thebest DDR5 RAM,best graphics cards, and otherPCIe 5.0 componentsfor the build.

From Mini-ITX models up to their EATX counterparts, Batterymap goes into detail about motherboard sizes in 2025, which companies are supporting them, the current-generation sockets, and everything else you need to know so that you can build your new machine with confidence.

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(Image credit: Asus/Gigabyte/MSI)

Motherboard sizes explained

There are four motherboard sizes available in 2025 from major manufacturers such as Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI, among others. These areMini-ITX,MicroATX,ATX, andE-ATX. As the naming conventions imply, the two smallest models are the mini-ITX and MicroATX options, which measure 6.7 x 6.7 inches and 9.6 x 9.6 inches, respectively.

The most common motherboard size is ATX, which measures 12 x 9.6 inches. For those that need a little extra headroom for additional components, E-ATX (Extended ATX) offers the largest amount of space with 12 x 13 inches of fiberglass available. As can be evidenced from the motherboard size chart above, there’s quite a dramatic difference in scale between Mini-ITX and MicroATX, with more of a subtle difference when comparing ATX and EATX, generally with the latter having more room on the right-hand side.

In terms of use cases, both Mini-ITX and MicroATX motherboards are favored for small form factor (SFF) work and gaming computers, such as those you may use in a low-profile office setting or a console-sized rig for living room use. As the smaller scales suggest, you can expect fewer PCIe lanes for connecting components (and a more cramped building experience) depending on the PC case you’re using. This also means limited room for some of thebest CPU coolers(and more limited airflow in general), so this is something paramount to consider before you invest.

As a frame of reference, Mini-ITX is around two-thirds the size of an ATX motherboard. Historically, the former was designed for lower power consumption and efficiency when compared to the more common sizes. However, in 2025, some manufacturers have started catering to gamers and power users in this smaller size, though you (typically) will pay a premium in comparison.

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(Image credit: Asus)

Mini-ITX vs MicroATX: Strengths and Weaknesses

Starting out with Mini-ITX motherboards, these models tend to be the more expensive way of building a small form factor (SFF machine) when compared to microATX which is (generally) considered to be a more wallet-friendly option. This is consistent in the prices that you’ll expect to pay between Mini-ITX and microATX, as reflected in today’s popular models from major manufacturers.

Socket AM5 options sell for more of a premium in the Mini-ITX form factor, as can be evidenced by the ASRock A620I Lightning Wi-Fi ($139.99), Gigabyte B850I Aorus Pro ($279.99), MSI MPG B650I Edge WiFi ($299.99) with a rough range of the budget and more premium offerings. In contrast, MicroATX equivalents are (generally) more affordable well under the $200 mark, including the ASRock B650M Pro RS ($139.99), MSI Pro B650M-A Wi-Fi ($159.99), and Gigabyte B850M Gaming X Wi-Fi 6E ($179.99).

Price and size aside, another major difference between Mini-ITX and MicroATX is the number of ports and connections available on the motherboard. Due to its cramped 6.7 x 6.7 inches available, Mini-ITX mobos usually only have a single PCIe x16 slot for the graphics card and up to two M.2 SSD ports. Depending on the manufacturer, there may only be two RAM slots instead of four, and the rear I/O could be more cut down by comparison, resulting in fewer USB ports and other connections.

MicroATX, in contrast, usually features four RAM slots, two PCIe x16 slots, up to four M.2 ports, and vastly more expansive options for its rear I/O, because you’ve got 43% more space on the motherboard. In theory, MicroATX seems to be a superior option (being cheaper and offering more); however, it’s also larger in a way that makes certain small form factor (SFF) builds harder to achieve, being less slick and compact as a result. You should make your choice depending on your use case; do you need more than dual-channel RAM, two M.2 ports, a graphics card slot, and a basic rear I/O? If so, maybe the silicon needs to be larger.

(Image credit: ASRock / MSI)
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ATX vs E-ATX: Strengths and weaknesses

When compared to the two smaller motherboard sizes, ATX and E-ATX variants do not seem as drastically different on the surface. However, the extra space afforded by the 35% more space can be staggering, depending on the hardware you’re planning on using. While ATX motherboards traditionally feature up to four PCIe x16 ports and four RAM slots, E-ATX versions can boost things up to as high as eight PCIe x16 ports with the potential for as much as eight RAM slots (though this is unlikely in 2025 compared to historical examples).

The major drawback of E-ATX motherboards is their higher price tag when compared to ATX offerings, as well as more limited availability. While still supported for today’s current AM5 and LGA 1851 sockets, you’re going to pay a heavy premium for the extra components space on the motherboard itself. Some popular E-ATX options can elipse their ATX counterparts, as can be seen with the pricing of the ASRock X670E Taichi ($449.99) and the MSI MEG X670E ACE ($499.99). In contrast, similar ATX models are much cheaper, like the ASRock X670E Steel Legend ($259.99) and the MSI MAG X670E Tomahawk Wi-Fi ($239.99).

With that said, is the extra real estate worth potentially paying double (or more) when compared to an ATX motherboard? It will ultimately depend on the use case. The power user will get the most out of the larger board space, which can be particularly important if you’re thinking of forging a high-end creation or gaming PC featuring a custom loop in a far larger E-ATX compatible PC case, complete with bleeding-edge components. It all comes back to airflow and the space required; E-ATX will afford you as much room as possible, provided you can stomach the sticker price.

It’s commonly been debated that gamers will not see the benefit of the extra data lanes afforded by an E-ATX motherboard. Instead, those planning a server rig, a deep-learning machine, or something more granular might find the extra slots and connections of vital importance. Do you need more expansion slots? Then E-ATX may be the solution here, otherwise, ATX will satisfy the vast majority of PC users for just about any task imaginable while also being far more affordable and available.

(Image credit: Gigabyte)

Which motherboard should you buy?

We’ve outlined the four different motherboard sizes available in 2025, their use cases, price differences, and varying features as they stand right now. Choosing a motherboard is not as cut and dry as you would expect, and that’s why you need to visualize your rig before putting any money down. Consider the chipset of the board for starters. Will you use AMD’s AM4 or AM5 platform? Similarly, will you pay the premium investing in Intel’s latest LGA 1851 socket instead of sticking with the older (and arguably better) LGA 1700 platform that hosted Alder Lake and Raptor Lake?

All four motherboard sizes support the latest and greatest of today’s processor technology, just in different ways. Mini-ITX is pricey as you’re paying extra for the sleek form factor, whereas MicroATX provides a similarly small (but far cheaper) experience that usually does not boast the same features by comparison. ATX is the most widely used and commonly stocked motherboard, but power users may need the added versatility of an E-ATX board if they’re building a server or a dedicated workstation, even if gamers may not feel the added benefit.

Compatibility is the most important factor above all. As such, we recommend dedicated tools such as PCPartPicker when virtually pricing and sizing up a machine; you’ll get to see which motherboards support your chosen CPU, GPU, RAM, M.2 SSD, and other components efficiently, as well as get suggestions for compatible cases. Building a PC the size of aPS5orXbox Series Xmay be an exciting idea, but you may need a Mini-ITX motherboard and SFF components, which can boost the price while making things cramped to build in. The motherboard is the foundation of your whole machine, after all.

Microsoft got the science wrong, according to one physics and astronomy professor.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft’s recently announced Majorana 1 quantum chip, which it claims uses a Topological Core architecture capable of packing a million qubits into a single quantum processor. However, some scientists are skeptical of the results delivered by Redmond. University of Pittsburgh Professor of Physics and Astronomy Sergey Frolov toldThe Register, “This is a piece of alleged technology that is based on basic physics that has not been established. So, this is a pretty big problem.”

Many scientists have their reservations about Microsoft’s breakthrough, with Frolov even going as far as saying that the Majorana 1 chip is “essentially a fraudulent project.” He said that these concerns have been going on for years, especially as the company has previouslyretracted a 2018 paperit published about Majorana particles in 2018. Other scientists also expressed concerns because Microsoft’s submission was missing some crucial details.

Aside from that, Professor Frolov said that he talked with fellow physicists and researchers whom Microsoft has shared its data with, and he said to The Register, “People were not impressed and there was a lot of criticism.” The company is set to present its paper and more recent developments at the American Physical Society (APS) Global Physics Summit on March 15 to 20, but he’s still skeptical that this will clear the air on Microsoft’s claims.

Frolov said that Microsoft’s planned presentation next week won’t answer all the questions and concerns raised by experts based on what his contacts told him. He also added that the company’s Majorana results are questionable — and without that, then the topological qubit that it claims will not work.

But whatever the case, the company’s presentation in the coming days will certainly reveal more information. And, in the end, if this quantum processor does not work, it will not have any commercial value, putting Microsoft at a disadvantage as it’s essentially throwing away money and resources it could have used to pursue a different path to achieve quantum computing.

In its defense, Microsoft’s researcher Chetan Nayak pointed out that they submitted the paper to Nature in March 2024, and that it was published eleven months later in February 2025. He said that the company has made significant progress since then, which will be presented at the American

Microsoft said that its Majorana 1 quantum chip can “observe and control Majorana particles to produce more reliable and scalable qubits, which are building blocks for quantum computers.” This particle was first theorized in 1937, but there’s still no definitive proof that it even exists. That’s why some scientists find it unbelievable that the tech giant has detected and put them to use in its quantum processor with its eight topological qubits.

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Quantum computingis set to deliver processing power that is light-years away from what classical computing can achieve. However, this technology is also incredibly complex, and over 40 years of research still hasn’t resulted in a commercially viable quantum chip. Aside from Microsoft, several companies likeIBM, Quantum Brilliance, QCI, and more are working on the problem, with each one taking a different approach.

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Given humanity’s ever-increasing appetite for processing data, quantum computing is expected to have a market value of around $20 to $30 billion by 2030. This is likely to increase, especially as AI demands more and more processing power, with many companies investing billions into larger and more powerful data centers. So, the first company to come up with a commercially viable solution to the quantum computing problem will likely reap billions, if not trillions, of dollars in returns.

Asus may have to offload some of the costs to its clients.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Although Asus has been proactively preparing for potential geopolitical tariff changes, it warned that it may have to increase its prices later this year as it sets up new production facilities outside China.

“We will try to limit these costs to within a reasonable level. However, as we make further adjustments to production lines, it may become possible that we need to offset some of these costs to our clients,” an Asus co-CEO said at the company’searnings conference callwith investors and financial analysts.

The Asus executive continued, “And right now, we are seeing that some brands are already starting to make adjustments to their retail prices to cover their costs. But for Asus, we will do our best to limit the impact of these changes for our customers, we will try to maintain our offer as the most competitive in terms of both service quality and pricing.”

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Production Shift Away From China To Avoid U.S. Tariffs

To avoid tariffs expected to be imposed by the new U.S. government, makers of PCs and computer components are shifting production away from China. Large PC makers, such asDellandHP, have been turning their production to other countries for years now and have resilient supply chains that can at least lower the impact of tariffs. Other PC makers are turning their capacities now. However, shifting takes time, so some tariffs must be paid. Furthermore, setting up new production capacity costs money, impacting companies’ profit margins or prices for the end-user.

Asus primarily plans to minimize customer impact by proactively managing tariff effects. Specifically, Asus intends to absorb impacts internally by adjusting production and inventory management strategies (e.g., shifting manufacturing locations globally).

Maintaining pricing competitiveness is a priority, indicating that potential price increases would be carefully considered and kept minimal. However, Asus acknowledged that if tariff costs become significantly high or persist, they may partially pass some costs to customers, but only to the extent necessary.

“We are seeing that some brands are already starting to make adjustments to their retail prices to cover their costs,” the co-CEO said. “But for Asus, we will do our best to limit the impact of these changes for our customers, we will try to maintain our offer as the most competitive in terms of both service quality and pricing.”

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In short, Asus will prioritize maintaining competitive pricing, potentially accepting some margin pressure in the short term. Still, it does not rule out limited price adjustments if tariff impacts become significant.

The game-changing battery feature will arrive next month as part of the ChromeOS 134 update.

Google Pixelsmartphones running on Android 15 have a special 80% battery limit feature which is said to increase battery durability. Now, the same functionality will arrive for Chromebooks as part of the ChromeOS 134 update.

It is expected that this game-changing battery feature will roll out only by next month, but there’s one tolerable catch that Chromebook users should know about.

New ChromeOS Battery Preservation Feature

As spotted on ther/chromeos subreddit, the new ChromeOS 134 release includes a battery charge limit policy to help prolong the life of Chromebook batteries.

Devices will charge to 100% by default, but users and administrators can choose to cap charging at 80%. This action follows best practices for lithium-ion battery health, minimizing long-term degradation.

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What’s the Catch Behind ChromeOS Battery Update?

Google confirmed this new policy in its Chrome Enterprise and Education release notes, indicating that administrators will be able to control charge limits on multiple devices.

Although this feature will mainly benefit managed Chromebook fleets in businesses and schools, individual users will also need to manually set a max charging cap, according toDigital Trends.

Why Limiting the Battery Charge is Needed

Numerous contemporary devices, such as smartphones and laptops, have charge-limiting capabilities to extend battery lifespan. Maintaining a battery at 20% to 80% charge reduces the chemical degradation that results from charging all the way up to capacity continually. Charging to 80% limits, Chromebook owners can anticipate improved long-term battery performance and stability.

If you’re an Android user, you already know about this feature. Google has made a similar option available on Pixel phones with Android 15 before. Chromebooks will now get the same innovation.

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How Will This Impact Chromebook Users?

For enterprise and education users, administrators of largefleets of Chromebookswill be able to impose the 80% charge threshold to maximize battery lifespan across devices. This can save a lot of maintenance expenses by minimizing the number of battery replacements needed.

Although the update will be applied automatically for managed Chromebooks, average users will probably need to manually turn on the feature as we said a while ago. This is assumed to be similar to Android 15’s battery settings, wherein users can simply switch the charge limit using system preferences.

Those who depend on their Chromebooks for gaming or heavy use might still want to charge their devices to the full 100% for optimal usage time. The silver lining? Google isn’t making the change mandatory—users who require a full 100% charge can keep charging their Chromebooks normally.

What Else is Coming with ChromeOS 134?

Although the battery optimization feature is perhaps the most useful addition, the ChromeOS 134 update is expected to bring several improvements to enhance user experience.

For instance, the improved Bounce Keys accessibility settings will allow users with motor disabilities to type more accurately.

What’s more, ChromeOS 133 rolled out super-resolution audio for Bluetooth microphones, and the follow-up update should further improve this feature.

Other than that, the Screencast feature has more languages to support, thus becoming an even more inclusive tool for teachers and global users.

While ChromeOS 134 is generating much hype already, Google is said to be developing even more significant upgrades with ChromeOS 135. As perAndroid Authority, the upcoming big update may feature AI-driven wallpapers and video-calling backgrounds, especially for Chromebook Plus devices.

Stealthily improvements for your Photos app

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

TheiOS 18.4public beta has just launched, and with it come several subtle but useful changes to how you use your Photos app.

The first update, originally spotted by9to5Mac,is the addition of two new filter options in the Photos app. You can now sort images by those that were sent to you instead of taken yourself, and by images not currently in any album.

The way to do this is to press the button in the bottom-left corner of the screen that resembles the two arrows facing different directions and then select the filter tab.

This is a great change for users who are constantly sent images by friends and family. Now it will be much easier to find the one meme your uncle sent you a few weeks ago without having to sort through a thousand other photos he also sent.

Apple is also adding new options for viewing your albums. Currently in iOS 18.3,you can sort albumsby name or sort by custom option, but iOS 18.4 adds a third choice which will allow you to organize them by date modified. The update also changes the names of Grid and List viewing modes to List View and Key Photo.

These new sorting options should benefit people who like to file their photos properly, as well as make it easier to keep track of which albums you’ve been sending images to.

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iOS 18.4 improves privacy

It’s not just changes to how we see our albums, as iOS 18.4 is also making it easier to hide your activity from prying eyes.

Currently it is possible to save images to ahidden folder, making them much harder to find for anyone looking at your phone. However, Apple is now making it possible to hide the Recently Viewed and Recently Shared album options in the Photos app as well.

You can turn this option on and off by heading to the Photos section in the settings menu and scrolling down to find the ‘Show Recently Viewed & Shared’ toggle.

This could remove a lot of stress for people, as anyone looking over your shoulder or handling your phone won’t be able to see what you’ve recently been looking at. That’s a lot of options for potential embarrassment now eliminated.

Finally, iOS 18.4 will offer a new option to quickly remove all deleted photos and videos permanently. If you open the Recently Deleted album, you will spot a new trash can button that will throw out all deleted items.

However, if you accidentally deleted a photo or video, then you can now use the recover all option to quickly recover everything back to your library.

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iOS 18.4 does more than just improve your Photos app

iOS 18.4 does more than just improve the Photos app. The update now makes it easier to accessApple Intelligence,and the ability to exploreVision Procontent. And if you happen to have aniPhone 15 Pro, then you’re in luck as iOS 18.4 adds one of the most popular features from theiPhone 16series,Visual Intelligence.

It is worth noting that the iOS 18.4 beta is, as the name suggests, a beta, so there is still the possibility of buggy code that could have a permanent impact on your phone or files in a worst-case scenario. However, Apple reportedly plans to release the stable version in April so there isn’t long to wait if you don’t want to take that risk.