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the catch with form factor

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  • 30-09-2009 1:14am
    #1
    generalmiaow
    Registered Users Posts: 865 ✭✭✭


    Hey guys
    I've been out of the loop as far as proper computers go for a few years, I've been in mac and linux land since core 2 duo became the standard. Now that I have a desk I'm building a machine of my own again for my win/ux needs, but something caught my eye. In the last 2 years I've been hearing a lot about smaller form factors (I think it's down to femto at this stage)... and when I was working in an "IT" job I noticed a lot of thin clients around, and I have a few very small servers of my own, and netbooks are piling up all over the place. This is no news, but I assumed it was a trend.

    Now I'm interested in building and overclocking again. So assuming we're staying with >Atom x86, are form factors other than ATX (I suppose μATX is the only other option) worth the time of the home builder who's putting together a machine for the typical gaming/work combination?

    I've already bought myself a midi tower anyway, but it would be nice to know why I can't share my desk between my PC and my ashtray collection

    Basically, what's the catch? Can microATX pizzaboxes hold a decent graphics card, or a PSU supplying the jiggawatts needed to power one? I'm sure this has been covered before, but search engines hate three letter acronyms (silly given this is the internet)


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    #2
    Solitaire
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    The main issue with mATX is that it's not really a lot smaller than ATX due to that inconvenient "PSU" thingy ;) The ATX ones are big, the CPX ones are huge, and most cases with teeny mATX or TFX PSUs are low-profile so no space for a full-height graphics card. Some cases have tried some creative reorganisations of the internals with mixed success; Google "Sugo SG03" for a case that somehow fits a normal PSU, mATX mobo and full-height cards in a teeny-tiny space, just don't OC that 95W CPU too far in there! :P

    With mITX things are even more limited. While there are a few good ones out there (MINIX for AMD, Zotac have an S775 one) there are none for newer Intel CPUs, and there aren't too many cases out there with a performance-level mITX system and full-height card (singular, with mITX!) in mind. Most are home-made jobbies like mine will be once AMD get off their asses and ship new-stepping X3-7*0BEs! although there are a few out there; check out the Sugo SG05 (yes, Silverstone have been busy in this niche ;))

    So, summary: small-size is fashionable and practical, shame that the industry hasn't kept up with said fashion :rolleyes:


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