mini-ITX suggestions

ficod · Post by **ficod** » Tue Apr 13, 2010 4:43 am

Hi,

I'm planning a mini-itx system based on:
1) Zotac GF8200 mobo
2) AMD BE-2300
2) 2GB DDR2 800
3) 3,5" HDD : maybe a 1TB WD Green
4) 5,25" ODD
5) PICOPSU 120

Is there anything out there recommended for us silent people like the Lian-Li PC-Q08 or PC-Q07 but without the unneeded space for a standard PSU?

Better if it has small depth/cubic FF...

Thanks!

ces · Post by **ces** » Tue Apr 13, 2010 4:55 am

APEX MI-100 W 8.70; H; 5.10; D 11.80; (ONLY ITX)
APEX MI-008 W 8.70; H; 5.10; D 11.80; (ONLY ITX)

ficod · Post by **ficod** » Tue Apr 13, 2010 5:03 am

ces wrote:APEX MI-100 W 8.70; H; 5.10; D 11.80; (ONLY ITX)
APEX MI-008 W 8.70; H; 5.10; D 11.80; (ONLY ITX)

Thanks

These 2 seem indeed good.. although I'd prefer something less deep and taller... something like the HQ M07 http://www.hwupgrade.it/forum/showpost. ... tcount=242 but with a bit more of quality....

ces · Post by **ces** » Tue Apr 13, 2010 5:12 am

Take a look at the lan-gear.net ITX case (not their matx case) . It may be another month before it is available.

But I don't think what you are looking for truly exists. The taller ones are tall in order to make room for the PSU.

charonme · Post by **charonme** » Tue Apr 13, 2010 5:38 am

check this
alternatively, have you thought about 19'' rack cases?
what cpu heatsink are you going to use?

ryboto · Post by **ryboto** » Tue Apr 13, 2010 8:56 am

ces wrote:Take a look at the lan-gear.net ITX case (not their matx case) . It may be another month before it is available.

But I don't think what you are looking for truly exists. The taller ones are tall in order to make room for the PSU.

This is the case I'm waiting for. Just going to have to use my mATX case until it's available.

ces · Post by **ces** » Tue Apr 13, 2010 9:15 am

ficod wrote: Thanks These 2 seem indeed good.. although I'd prefer something less deep and taller... something like the HQ

Here is another one that is more shallow but even shorter:
LIAN LI PC-Q09 W 7.85; H 3.86; D 7.85; (ONLY ITX)

In eyeballing the HQ, it just doesn't look like the stated measurements can be right. According to those, it is almost a cube. It appears to be much deeper with a footprint similar to the Apex cases. That is a footprint about the size of a standard 8.5 x 11 inch piece of paper.

The apex cases are good. You can stand them flat or on their side. If you need a lot of cooling you can use a big shurekin. If you need more you can put in a larger top down cooler, cut a blow hole in the top and cap it off with a matching FilterRight filter.

ficod · Post by **ficod** » Wed Apr 14, 2010 2:01 am

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions!

The best looking case I've found so far is definitely the Sugo SG05. Must have a good airflow too, thanks to the big fan on the front (and I could put one on the back too since I'm using a pico-psu instead of the built-in PSU... that would be GOLDEN for keeping the system cool, isn't it?)

I'm considering also:

- Morex Venus 668 (which in 20x33x22,5 cm has 2 external bays for 5,25" and one for 3,5"!)

- Chenbro ES34069, which is a server case and mounts only slim ODD but it's definitely interesting to me...

@ces: Regarding the langear itx, are you talking about this one?
http://www.lan-gear.com/miniITX_spec_mom.php

This isn't on the market yet?

@charonme: I'm using a BE-2300 later I'll go for an AthlonII X2 240 or X4 630. For the heatsing i was thinking about keeping the stock one and maybe replace the fan on it with a big one mounted on the top of the case... What do you think?

Further: my ideal case would be something like a taller Sugo SG-05 but with:
- 5,25" standard ODD
- 1 or 2 3,5" external bays

ryboto · Post by **ryboto** » Wed Apr 14, 2010 5:03 am

ficod wrote: @ces: Regarding the langear itx, are you talking about this one?
http://www.lan-gear.com/miniITX_spec_mom.php

This isn't on the market yet?

@charonme: I'm using a BE-2300 later I'll go for an AthlonII X2 240 or X4 630. For the heatsing i was thinking about keeping the stock one and maybe replace the fan on it with a big one mounted on the top of the case... What do you think?

Further: my ideal case would be something like a taller Sugo SG-05 but with:
- 5,25" standard ODD
- 1 or 2 3,5" external bays

Yea, that's the lan-gear, and no, it's not out yet unfortunately. I guess we have different tastes, I wouldn't see the point of an mITX case if it was bigger than my current NSK1300 mATX. The allure for me is the compact size.

ces · Post by **ces** » Wed Apr 14, 2010 5:52 am

ficod wrote:
The best looking case I've found so far is definitely the Sugo SG05. Must have a good airflow too, thanks to the big fan on the front (and I could put one on the back too since I'm using a pico-psu instead of the built-in PSU... that would be GOLDEN for keeping the system cool, isn't it?)

Further: my ideal case would be something like a taller Sugo SG-05 but with:
- 5,25" standard ODD
- 1 or 2 3,5" external bays

If the Sugo SG05 form factor is acceptable to you, it is a nice case. If you are planning to put a big thermal load into it, the Lan Gear will by far be the best. The Lan Gear ITX case is designed around that sole goal. It is unlikely you will find anything that approaches its ability to handle high thermal loads.

ficod · Post by **ficod** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 12:05 am

@ryboto: small is GOOD.. but i'd like to have a flexible solution. For example, I like your antec but, for my needs, it's far too limited to have just one 5,25" slot...

I'm yet searching and maybe I won't find the "ideal" but I would like to have room enough to put:
1) a 3,5" dock for a 2,5" drive
2) cardreader
3) standard ODD

ryboto · Post by **ryboto** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 4:18 am

ficod wrote:@ryboto: small is GOOD.. but i'd like to have a flexible solution. For example, I like your antec but, for my needs, it's far too limited to have just one 5,25" slot...

I'm yet searching and maybe I won't find the "ideal" but I would like to have room enough to put:
1) a 3,5" dock for a 2,5" drive
2) cardreader
3) standard ODD

Eh, I kinda think the NSK1300 is too big, which is why I'm trying to go smaller. I'd rather not even have an ODD. At the moment I use a USB powered optical drive, only time I ever even needed to use it was to install windows.

puddnhead · Post by **puddnhead** » Wed May 12, 2010 8:50 am

Don't know if you've already moved past your planning stage, but if not the Rosewill RC-CIX-01 may be of interest:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811147133

I'm eyeing it myself -- it has a PSU, but it is in the front, and removing it seems to give some actual usable space, plus, in addition to meeting your "not much depth" requirement in spades (10.28" x 7.87" x 6.54"), the case is an inch and a half taller than the mi-008/mi-100, which allows you to consider things like the Scythe Mini Ninja, as well as the full height optical drives ...