20-PIN ATX SOURCE CONNECTORS: The arrangement of the AT-type power connectors was maintained for a long time, until the generalized reduction of the operating voltages in the boards and in the cards mounted on them, coinciding with the introduction of the ATX form factor by Intel, introduced a new type of 20-pin connector. In turn, the female connector on the side of the source also became a single housing, leaving the system of the two Molex connectors that had been used since the beginning of the PC era.
24-PIN ATX CONNECTORS: Some equipment has a 24-pin male connector on the baseplate, while the female connector on the source is a 20-pin ATX. In these cases, in addition to the standard connectors P4 and diskette, the source have a connector spambos, complete the connector of the 4-pin base-plate that is placed after the 20-pin, so that it enters.
ATX CONNECTOR P4: (or also ATX 12V), was introduced by Intel for the Pentium 4, connects to the motherboard and is reserved exclusively for the power supply of the processor, without it it is impossible to start the PC. Currently most motherboards have 8 pins, due to the increase in CPU power. In the latest standards of power supplies, this results in the use of an 8-pin connector (sometimes called EPS 12V), consisting of 2 blocks of 4 pins, to ensure compatibility with the old plates and the classic «ATX P4 «.
MOLEX TYPE CONNECTOR: The most classic, even present in all PCs, sometimes used directly on the motherboard (MSI), serves to connect the hard drive and all types of drives (reader, recorder). Some graphics cards may also need this connector. We can easily find molex / sata adapters if necessary. In the background, we can see a survivor: the necessary connector for an old floppy disk reader.
SATA TYPE CONNECTORS: Appeared with the standard of the same name, is present in all modern PCs, a quality power supply must have at least 4. Basically it is used to power hard drives and recorders under the SATA standard.
PCI EXPRESS TYPE CONNECTORS: The power of graphics cards does not stop increasing, many of them currently need a direct power supply of the main block (sometimes even two). It is the function of this connector. Initially of 6 pins, more and more we can find them of 8. If you think to buy a powerful graphic card, take into account this point: the power supply must have at least two PCI connectors.
Component concepts of a pc 