We’re back with another informative article in our ‘Motherboards Explained’ series, designed to help level up your knowledge about your motherboard.
In this blog post, we’re taking a deep dive into the TPM header.
What is the TPM Header?
The TPM header stands for Trusted Platform Module and serves as a connector for the specialised TPM microchip. The TPM chip is responsible for enhancing hardware-based security by storing various encryptions such as passwords.
The TPM can also authenticate your PC, protecting any unwanted breaches or security issues, ensuring that your OS and firmware haven’t been tampered with.
Not every motherboard features a dedicated TPM header, meaning if you wish to utilise the TPM chip, you’ll first need to ensure your motherboard supports it. Some popular motherboards that feature an onboard TPM chip include the ASUS ROG Strix B650E-F or ASUS ROG Strix X870-A.
How Does the TPM Header Work?
The TPM header provides the necessary electrical connections required for the TPM chip to communicate with the rest of your hardware. This allows the TPM chip to generate and store your encryptions along with verifying that your OS and firmware haven’t been corrupted.
How to Check if Your Motherboard Supports TPM
You can check if your motherboard has an onboard TPM chip and header by:
- Press Win+R to open the Run window.
- Type tpm.msc and select OK.
- If the TPM management window displays TPM manufacturer information, then your motherboard has a TPM chip
Where Do You Buy a TPM Header?
Thankfully, if your PC doesn’t have a TPM header, you can buy one! You can find TPM modules from a range of popular manufacturers including MSI, Gigabyte, and ASUS on third-party retailer sites like Amazon.
In the Market for an Upgrade?
Is your motherboard not delivering the performance you need? Or perhaps it doesn’t feature a compatible TPM header? Whatever the case, it might be time for an upgrade and at Overclockers UK, you can find an extensive range of both Intel and AMD motherboards.
We’ve highlighted two of our faves below, but you can also explore the full collection with the click of a button.
ASUS Prime B860-Plus WiFi DDR5 ATX Motherboard
- ATX form factor
- LGA 1851 socket
- B860 chipset
- DDR5 compatible
- Onboard WiFi 6E
Gigabyte X870 Gaming X WiFi DDR5 ATX Motherboard
- ATX form factor
- AM5 socket
- X870 chipset
- DDR5 compatible
- Onboard WiFi 7
Learn More in ‘Motherboards Explained’
- 3 min read
Ruth Rowley
Author
Ruth has been with Overclockers UK for over a year and has gone on to write about everything ranging from in-depth hardware guides to monthly game releases.
Outside of writing blog posts, she can be found wrapped in a blanket with her black cat, engrossed in a book or playing life-simulation games such as The Sims, Stardew Valley, and Animal Crossing.
Read More >>