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Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 3:30 pm
by Shmeal
Hey, will this particular case be able to fit a e8400 with stock heatsink and an 8800gt?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811144109

Cheers

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 3:56 pm
by Skrying
Yes, but the X-QPack really isn't much in the way of quality in design, construction, and the PSU.

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:11 pm
by Shmeal
What would you guys recommend for a tower? Does a normal PSU fit in a microATX case?

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 5:14 pm
by JustAnEngineer
In most of them, yes. In fact, many micro-ATX cases seem to ship with regular ATX power supplies.

ATX power supplies are 1.6" (40mm) deeper than micro-ATX power supplies. The height and width and the mounting holes are the same. EPS12V power supplies are even deeper, but have the same height and width.

Check the clearance from the back of the optical drive to the power supply in the micro-ATX case that you are considering. If you can stand to lose 1.6" of clearance, then a regular ATX power supply should fit.

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:39 pm
by eric93se
Shmeal wrote:
What would you guys recommend for a tower? Does a normal PSU fit in a microATX case?


Coolermaster and Antec make inexpensive/quality cases:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi ... rder=PRICE

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:57 pm
by Shmeal
Thanks, how about the video card though? I have an existing 8800gt that I would like to use. Would it fit?

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:31 pm
by eric93se
Which case? The first one you posted?

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 7:16 am
by Shmeal
Yes, or any other case with the same form factor. Mid tower is not an option

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 8:05 am
by lex-ington
I am under the impression that you are looking for a cheap case with a power supply??? Do you have a PSU you would like to use already?

If you don't mind spending a little more, take a look at the Silverstone Sugo cases. Silverstone is versed in the ways of making smaller cases.

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 8:17 am
by Flying Fox
Shmeal wrote:
Yes, or any other case with the same form factor. Mid tower is not an option
I would have to ask, why?

The problem is even the cases take the same form factor they vary wildly in sizes. If your reason is space then not just any µATX case may fit in your situation. Take the P180 mini for example. Its footprint is easily comparable to a smallish midtower.

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 9:19 am
by Traz

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:06 am
by Shmeal
Mid tower is not an option because this computer is going to be moved more than usual. All I need to fit is the videocard, cpu, and ram, I don't plan on upgrading this system later.


that thermaltake case looks good, seems a little on the long side though, don't think I'll need that much space.

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 12:59 pm
by Skrying
The shape of that Thermaltake case is really misleading. It's actually nearly as large as some mid tower cases. It's very long and rather wide. Height is about the only area where it wins and even then it's taller than most other mATX cases. I'd go with one of Silverstone's SUGO series, they're smaller overall and Silverstone's quality tends to be superior to Thermaltake's.

Silverstone SUGO SG02

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:36 pm
by UberGerbil
Speaking of Silverstone's mATX cases, has anyone tried to build something in a SG03? I looked one over at Fry's and it was smaller and much lighter than it looked in the pictures, and its proportions are more pleasing to my eye than many of the other, squatter SG cases. At first it seemed like it might be a really nice case for people needing a fairly portable SFF box for LAN parties, but the arrangement of components (particularly the space available for a video card and the possible collision of the PSU with everything else) looked a little problematic. Not to mention cooling. But as long as you picked your parts carefully and didn't demand absolutely the highest performance, it might be an option.

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:07 pm
by Shmeal
Hmm, is there any way i can go smaller than a SG03 without having to go with shuttle?

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:19 pm
by lex-ington
I highly doubt that. Unfortunately for you, this is one area of the industry where they really try to stick to their standards and the case/board makers don't deviate from those standards too much.

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:51 pm
by Skrying
Shmeal wrote:
Hmm, is there any way i can go smaller than a SG03 without having to go with shuttle?


Yes, mini ITX. Though you really start making sacrifices then.

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:55 am
by Flying Fox
Shmeal wrote:
Hmm, is there any way i can go smaller than a SG03 without having to go with shuttle?

The E8400 is no trouble. The problem is the pretty power 8800GT. If you are thinking a "portable LAN gaming box" then you are stuck with "bigger" cases (or you could bring/request a big fan and everywhere you go you open the case and have the fan blowing into the whole thing).

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 4:36 pm
by Shmeal
Alright, I've decided to go with the SG01 for my case. Any motherboard preferences out there? Not sure what I should ask for in a matx board

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 7:27 pm
by Kurotetsu
I just saw this on Fudzilla:

http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?optio ... 2&Itemid=1

It LOOKS pretty compact (I haven't compared the given dimensions to anything yet), has a removeable motherboard tray, and it accepts ATX and mATX. The price looks good too.

Shmeal wrote:
Alright, I've decided to go with the SG01 for my case. Any motherboard preferences out there? Not sure what I should ask for in a matx board


I know this board is very popular for gamers:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813131237

It has onboard firewire, RAID, plenty of SATA ports, and 2 PCI-E x1 slots instead of the usual 1. Only drawback is that its based on the G35 chipset, which is fairly outdated at this point. Honestly, I don't think it matters for what you want.

EDIT:

I just noticed that board's onboard Ethernet uses the Atheros chipset. I'm fairly certain I've heard of people having problems with it under Linux, no idea if that translates at all under Windows. Its probably not a big deal though.

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 5:40 pm
by Skrying
That NZXT case is mid tower in size, that's hardly compact. NZXT doesn't have a small case, their Rogue mATX is freaking massive as well.

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:35 am
by Flying Fox
This one is bit bigger, but it has the handle so you can more easily carry it around?

From today's Shortbread.

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 8:39 am
by Flying Fox
Skrying wrote:
That NZXT case is mid tower in size, that's hardly compact. NZXT doesn't have a small case, their Rogue mATX is freaking massive as well.

A review of the Rogue case.

Courtesy of today's Shortbread.

Re: Micro ATX fitment

Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:04 am
by monts
UberGerbil wrote:
Speaking of Silverstone's mATX cases, has anyone tried to build something in a SG03? I looked one over at Fry's and it was smaller and much lighter than it looked in the pictures, and its proportions are more pleasing to my eye than many of the other, squatter SG cases. At first it seemed like it might be a really nice case for people needing a fairly portable SFF box for LAN parties, but the arrangement of components (particularly the space available for a video card and the possible collision of the PSU with everything else) looked a little problematic. Not to mention cooling. But as long as you picked your parts carefully and didn't demand absolutely the highest performance, it might be an option.


I've got a SG03 as my current case. It was easy to put together, has a nice small footprint and it fits my C2Q6600 and HD4670 with no hassles what so ever.