What is a major difference between the BTX and ATX standards?

The major difference between the BTX (Balanced Technology Extended) and ATX (Advanced Technology eXtended) standards lies in improved thermal management. BTX was developed with a focus on optimizing airflow and reducing heat buildup around critical components like the processor and chipset. In the BTX design, the layout is structured to allow for more efficient cooling solutions, such as front-to-back airflow and optimized placement of components. This is particularly important as processors and graphics cards generate significant amounts of heat, and effective thermal management can help to improve system performance and longevity.

While options like increased power supply efficiency and the number of USB ports can vary between different motherboard designs irrespective of the standard, they are not defining characteristics that separate BTX from ATX. Additionally, though BTX motherboards can vary in size compared to ATX, the core difference revolves around how each standard addresses cooling and airflow, making improved thermal management a key aspect of BTX's design philosophy.