form factor

[fawrm fak-ter]

noun

1. Computers.,  the design specifications of computing electronics that enforce uniformity and allow interchangeability of components.

   the form factor for circuit boards.

2. the physical dimensions of an electronic device.

   The form factor of the new phone is thinner and lighter than that of the older models.

Word History and Origins

Origin of form factor¹

First recorded in 1995–2000

Example Sentences

“Glasses are the only form factor where you can let an AI see what you see, hear what you hear, talk to you throughout the day,” said Meta’s Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday night at Meta’s developer conference.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"Unlike VR headsets, glasses are an everyday, non-cumbersome form factor," said Forrester VP, Research Director Mike Proulx.

Read more on BBC

"All of these places have flat floors. Why would you want the added expense of a very complex form factor... when you could just put it on a mobile base?" he asks.

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“Our leaning here is that this form factor has done well,” Bowser said, noting this wasn’t the time for Nintendo to throw consumers a curve like, say, it did with the motion control-centered Wii in 2006.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"For making an actual product, you would need to package it into a usable form factor," he explains.

Read more on Science Daily