The ITE IT8720 is a Super I/O (Input/Output) chip commonly found on motherboards to manage various system functions. It serves as a hardware monitoring and control hub, handling tasks such as temperature and voltage monitoring, fan speed control, and interfacing with legacy I/O ports like serial and parallel ports.

The IT8720 provides critical monitoring capabilities, offering support for multiple temperature sensors, voltage inputs, and fan speed controls, thereby allowing users to monitor system health and adjust settings within the BIOS or through dedicated software. This chip plays a vital role in ensuring system stability, managing power and thermal aspects, and providing necessary data for hardware monitoring utilities. However, newer motherboards often incorporate more advanced versions or different Super I/O chips for expanded functionality.