John Chad, Bachelor Degree in Computer Science & Computer Engineering.
Russel Collins
This is a question that many people ask when they are building their custom computers. The answer to this question varies based on the motherboard and whether it has been manufactured for an ATX, Micro-ATX, or Mini-ITX standard. If you are in need of standoffs screws for your motherboard, then you will want to make sure that you have the right ones available before starting construction as it can be difficult to find these types of screws at your local hardware store.
What are motherboard standoff screws?
Motherboard standoffs are small plastic or metal spacers that go between the motherboard and a case. The standoff screws attach to both surfaces, securing them in place. There is typically one screw on each corner of the board for stability purposes. The standoffs may be included with your new PC when you first purchase it; however, they may not come standard depending on where you buy your computer parts from.
You can also use other types of hardware such as thumbtacks if nothing else is available. In recent years there has been an increased demand for cases that already have pre-installed standoffs built into their design due to difficulty getting standoffs installed correctly without specialized tools (such as long-nosed pliers).
Do motherboards come with standoffs screws?
Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t but more often than not, motherboards will not come with standoff screws.
Generally, the standoffs come with the case because the case is the one that knows the hole size they’ve decided to go with when manufacturing the case thus they usually send the standoffs along with the case so you can use them for your motherboard & fans.
If you buy a new motherboard but you’re keeping the old case then you can use the same screws without a problem, if the screws didn’t come with either the motherboard or the case then you have some very bad luck. You might find them in local hardware shops or contact the manufacturing brand / shop that sold the case and say you didn’t receive the standoffs.
Do all motherboards need standoffs / Why Might a Motherboard be installed on top of spacers?
Yes, they do! The screws are necessary to hold the motherboard in place.
Without them nothing will be holding the MOBO thus you won’t be able to use it nor any other component so you must make sure you have them at hand.
Can you install a motherboard without standoffs?
No, the standoffs are required by the manufacturer to provide a stable installation of the board in the case.
The standoffs should not be removed, because they go through holes in both sides of the case and thread into tapped threads on top of the motherboard as they provide stability to the system.
If you removed them, your PC would be extremely unstable or could even fall off and damage its components.