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What's the difference between AT and ATX?
AT and ATX are different form factors for Computers. A form factor is the physical layout of the motherboard and its associated case. Changing the design of a motherboard usually means changing the design of the case.
There are different variations on the AT design. There is the original AT, and the Baby AT form factor. The Baby AT design is simply a smaller version of the original AT design. It is therefore less expensive to make. A Baby AT motherboard can usually fit inside either a Baby AT case or a full AT case. However, an AT motherboard is too big to fit in a Baby AT case and it therefore must fit into an AT case only.
The ATX is a newer design for motherboards and cases. The ATX design uses a different power supply connector and the ATX case cools internal components much more efficiently than its predecessor. In addition to ATX, there is also Mini ATX and Micro ATX. These are smaller versions of the ATX motherboards and cases which adhere to the ATX design specifications, but skimp on expandability.
For the most part, we recommend that our customers who wish to upgrade their PCs use a motherboard and case which adheres to the ATX standards of design. ATX is not an expensive technology, but it is the more modern and the best suited for expansion.
Did you mean to point out the performance difference between 386 and 486 computers maybe? Most or all 386's are in the AT format simply because of their age. ATX is a relatively new standard.