Laptop motherboards (also known as system boards or main boards) are the power and communication hub for the laptop/notebook platforms. The motherboard is the card that all processing components inside the computer mount to in some fashion (pins, slots, solder, etc.) to be energized or enabled to communicate with other components.
The largest difference from one laptop motherboard to the next is in a set of standards known as the Form Factor. The Form Factor is a set of standards based on size, geometry, component arrangement and electrical requirements so that motherboards can be built to fit the variety of cases used in the wide range of laptop models. Despite the standardization of form factors, laptop motherboards are rarely interchangeable, so when replacing a laptop motherboard, be sure to choose one of the same make and model.
Laptop motherboards are built with some integrated components as a standard manufacturing practice. Components that come pre-wired in the boards include a chipset, CMOS clock and battery, BIOS, integrated graphics card, sound card, and upgraded hard drive controllers.
Chipsets control and coordinate the transfer of information between the different components, most notably the processor and the memory functions. The CMOS is a module that stores fundamental information (time, system date, and a few basic settings) for use by the computer's circuits. The Real Time Clock synchronizes the time of the flow of information and the working of components. BIOS is the basic program the system uses to manipulate inputs and outputs of the components. Also found on the motherboard is at least one processor socket. This is where the processor, or brain, of the computer plugs in.
Another feature found on all motherboards is the RAM module connectors. RAM temporarily stores information while the computer is on which allows a faster processing of information than hard drives.
Laptop computers are available in sizes that range from the mini-workbook to the portable workstations and require may different components to operate. By sticking to the standards dictated by the Form Factor, motherboard manufacturers can offer standard and reliable solutions to serve the computing community.