Thread: Motherboards Voltage Regulators

In old days, devices used to run on same voltage of IV. The arrival of processors and other devices running at different voltages led to the necessity of one or more voltage regulators on most modern motherboards. These regulators reduce the 5V signal 10 those voltages typically needed by processors: 3.3V or lower. Processor manufacturers fit in a dual voltage !Cheme into their latest designs. The processor is fed lWovoltages: the external or "I/O" voltage is typically J.3V, while the internal or "core" voltage is lower: !sually 2.8 to 3.2 volts. The voltage regulator is responsible for generating the correct voltage for the processor. The voltage regulator can normally be identified by the large heatsinks that are placed on it; voltage conversion generates a great deal of heat. On many motherboards, the cooling level of the entire system case is important to ensure that the voltage regulators are cooled satisfactorily. Overheating regulators can cause lockups and other problems.