VRM
Technology & Computing abbreviation · Computer Hardware
| Stands for | Voltage regulator module |
|---|---|
| Categories | Technology & Computing |
VRM stands for Voltage regulator module, a computer hardware abbreviation.
Power-conversion circuit on a motherboard or graphics card that steps 12-volt power from the power supply down to the roughly 1 to 1.5 volts a processor needs, adjusting it thousands of times per second. Its quality affects stability and overclocking headroom.
Example: Cheap boards with weak VRMs throttle a 16-core CPU under sustained load.
Usage notes
Motherboard reviews describe VRMs by phase count, such as "16+2+1", meaning 16 phases for the CPU cores plus others for graphics and memory controllers. More and better phases spread heat and current, and heatsinks over the VRM keep it within temperature limits. VRMs are built from MOSFETs, chokes and capacitors controlled by a PWM controller chip.
Related abbreviations
More computer hardware abbreviations
- ADF – Automatic document feeder
- AGP – Accelerated Graphics Port
- AHCI – Advanced Host Controller Interface
- AIO – All-in-one computer
- ALU – Arithmetic logic unit
- APU – Accelerated processing unit
- ARM – Advanced RISC Machines
- ATX – Advanced Technology eXtended
- BMC – Baseboard management controller
- CD-R – Compact Disc Recordable
- CD-ROM – Compact Disc Read-Only Memory
- CD-RW – Compact Disc ReWritable