Considerations when buying an expensive case: BTX.

Pirata · Post by **Pirata** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 10:08 am

I'd like to buy an expensive case, but I don't like the idea to spend 200$ in a case unless I will be able to reuse in my system's next iteration.

But that is at least 2 years away from now, and by the time I'll be getting a new PC BTX will be ruling.

The point: I wonder whether BTX motherboards (like the one I'll buy in the future) will be backwards compatible with ATX cases (like the one I want to buy now.

Also, I wonder whether ATX PSUs will be compatible with both BTX mobos and cases.

Any hint?

shathal · Post by **shathal** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 10:23 am

The short answer I believe to be "NO", as for the following reasons.

* Intel's thinking of "making sure" that there won't be any chance of cross-connecting "wrong PSU with wrong mobo" would be a different pin-out/connector style.

* The mounting style on a BTX chassis is quite, quite different - see SPCR's review on BTX for an example.

There's no argument *FOR* backwards-compatibility from a manufacturer's point of view that I can think of. I'm also not quite positive that BTX will kick ATX in the veritables quite THAT quickly - it might take a while to take over proplerly (migrating). At least a year - 1.5 yrs I guess.

You don't HAVE to spend 200 bucks on a case. You can get pretty decent ones for half of that (I did), or even less.

loren_brothers · Post by **loren_brothers** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 11:23 am

shathal wrote:* The mounting style on a BTX chassis is quite, quite different - see SPCR's review on BTX for an example.

Just what "review" are you referring to? I just spent 1/2 hr looking for it, with no results. Please provide a link.

Post by **Rusty075** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 11:41 am

http://www.silentpcreview.com/news299.html

Technically not a "review" but a "news item"

fmah · Post by **fmah** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 11:54 am

I don't like how the graphics card is right behind the CPU. Although having the CPU in the same place is useful.

AntecRep · Post by **AntecRep** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 1:21 pm

Also expect ATX and BTW to co-exist for at least 3-5 years (ala AT and ATX, just more so).

Even had and Intel field engineer say he thinks about 4 years for BTX to really take hold.

The first BTX cases will likely be OEM (ie new Dell's) and it'll take longer for the DIY market to accept it.

Not to mention that for right now AMD has no need to go to BTX, so it'll be up to mobo makers to make AMD based BTX motherboards or just keep ATX for AMD and BTX for Presscots on.

I'm inferring that your using an Intel based system, so the above may not be an issue for you.

AntecRep

Bluefront · Post by **Bluefront** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 3:20 pm

None of this BTX thing is set in stone.....I for one, am not particularly impressed with BTX at all. I think there is much room for improvement with the case form factor, but I'll bet the final form will be much different from what we've seen thus far.

Heh....remember what happened with "New Coca-Cola"? Despite millions of advertising dollars and so-called experts telling us what we wanted, the thing never caught on. And where is it now?

Pirata · Post by **Pirata** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 5:26 pm

Have a look at

http://www.anandtech.com/printarticle.html?i=1876

So:

1) ATX PSUs could be used with BTX mobos and cases.

2) with BTXs mobos and cases, it is likely for ATX to fade away fastly. Faster than ATX did.

It is therefore very risky to buy an expensive power supply right now. But there is a way out. Consider this PSU

http://www.hexus.net/content/reviews/re ... 9JRD02OTQ=

http://www.tech-pc.co.uk/tagan3.php

It is a Tagan that's compatible with both ATX and BTX. I guess I'll have to wait for more PSUs like this.

What do you think?

Pirata · Post by **Pirata** » Fri Apr 30, 2004 6:34 am

Anybody out there?

sthayashi · Post by **sthayashi** » Fri Apr 30, 2004 7:34 am

You could just get a 20 -> 24-pin ATX adapter. A good power supply should be able to deal with that unless BTX is drawing an ungodly amount of power.

Also, I wonder how many cases we'll see that can be both ATX antd BTX (like the Coolermaster CM Stacker).

Dammit, I'm too young and n00b to fully remember how the transition from AT -> ATX went.

shathal · Post by **shathal** » Sat May 01, 2004 7:50 am

Nothing to write home about.

Very likely, you'll see the same spiel in a different shade of green (albeit slower) happen with BTX, so what's the point in ruining your surprise?

*feels old now*

lenny · Post by **lenny** » Sat May 01, 2004 9:39 am

sthayashi wrote:Dammit, I'm too young and n00b to fully remember how the transition from AT -> ATX went.

Dammit, now you've ruined my day.

Where did I put my dentures and glass eye?

The main attraction of ATX at the time is the improved power supply (auto shutoff) and rear panel I/O, mainly for PS/2 mouse.

BTX offers less innovation over ATX in that respect.

Will ATX boards support PCI Express?

shathal · Post by **shathal** » Sat May 01, 2004 9:47 am

Gholam · Post by **Gholam** » Sat May 01, 2004 10:27 am

I doubt BTX will be able to strongly compete with ATX in the mid-tower market. For one thing, there's AMD, that isn't planning to make the move to BTX - or to DDR2 for that matter - anytime soon. From what I recall of latest CeBit reports, Asian case and motherboard manufacturers weren't very enthusiastic about it either. SFF systems, on the other hand, are quite another matter - pico-BTX, with standardized motherboards and other components, will likely prove a strong contender to current mini-ITX and proprietary solutions.