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New build - component advice

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    #32
    Solitaire
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    1) Historically there used to be big performance differences between ATX and mATX with the latter having very little OC capability. Over the last few years this trend has changed completely and there is little difference in performance between form factors with LGA1156 (even the soon-to-be-released mITX teenies look extremely robust!). This doesn't change the fact that mATX is physically smaller; very good for sticking in small places but limited in expandability as a result with fewer PCI/PCIe/SATA ports and USB/fan headers for sticking things. With a full ATX case you get all the limitations with none of the advantages.

    2) Feck. The fact you said "NTL" suggests bad things. You might have a wireless or standard phone-line ADSL but odds are its cable which means check with your ISP first. Odds are you'll be stuck buying either a pricey cable modem or even a super-pricey proprietary unit from NTL themselves :mad: Only option is to do the research on this one...

    3) No problem with an ATX mobo. With mATX it varies; IIRC the MSI H55M-E33 should be fine (PCI slot at the bottom) but that's your only PCI slot gobbled up, so no more PCI cards for you! :P A few mATX mobos might come with two PCI slots but most nowadays will come with 2 PCIex1 or even PCIex16 slots and the single PCI slot may get blocked by a graphics card (the cooler usually takes the next slot down as well) or on some mobos with dual PCIex16 slots there may be no PCI slots :o

    4) Depends. With a PCI card its all nice and tucked away, and in my own experience I've had much better luck with PCI cards over USB dongles but there's good reviews for the USB version so if you're adamant about an mATX mobo its probably a slightly better choice.


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