New Rig, wanted something small for a change Options

[ridir]

Hey guys,
Yep im still here >.>

Anyhows its my birthday next month and im looking to sidegrade my current settup as im sick of having a big arse case and want something small but just as powerful.

so im currently running this:
i7 970 (6core at 4Ghz)
Asrock extreme 6 mobo
12Gb corsair vengance 1600Mhz
2X Nvidia GTX 570's
and other various bits and peices >.>

so yeh my pc dosnt really need upgrading hence my sidegrade.

what im looking at building is a small system that is just as powerfull as my current system (or close to it)
this is what i have so far (can use my PSU and HDD's and other stuff from my old build)

Asrock Z77E-ITX Mini ITX Motherboard $169.00
Intel Core i7 3770K $395.00
G.Skill Ripjaws X F3-1600C9D-16GXM 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 $155.00
Zotac GeForce GTX 680 4GB $779.00 (if i can find anywhere that has it)
BitFenix Prodigy Mini-ITX Case Black $99.00
Total: $1597


Im going to be using my existing corsair H60 for cpu cooling but im also going to see if i can fit in one of these for the graphics card:
Swiftech MCR220-DRIVE Radiator with Pump $209.00 but i probably wont be doing that for a while yet.

Also i might swap the i7 for an i5, cause i can still use my old i7 rig for 3D work if needed

any tips would be appreciated, especialy in regards to fitting watercooling in a small case like this

This post has been edited by ridir: Jun 20 2012, 03:27 PM

[nesquick]

honestly that case is pretty big for mini ITX, about the same size as a M-ATX case

you have two more options IMO

1. get a real mini ITX case (search for my 2 mini ITX threads showing what you can fit in an SG06)

2. get a M-ATX case thats the same size like a TJ08-E and save money by using your two GTX570's

edit: you could always get a shuttle X58 to and drop in your current components.

This post has been edited by nesquick: Jun 20 2012, 05:28 PM

[Dasa]

what case are you using now? perhaps you could just change the case to something a bit smaller and keep all your current hardware
http://www.lian-li.com/v2/en/product/produ...ex=0&g=spec
Dimensions (W) 210mm x (H) 400mm x (D) 496mm
http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=product&prod=60
(WxHxD): 200x430x480mm

its really not that different to what you were looking at other than in depth if you have a shallow desk and need the space in front of the case
BitFenix Prodigy
(WxHxD) 250 x 404 x 359mm

This post has been edited by Dasa: Jun 20 2012, 04:12 PM

[ridir]

honestly that case is pretty big for mini ITX, about the same size as a M-ATX case

you have two more options IMO

1. get a real mini ITX case (search for my 2 mini ITX threads showing what you can fit in an SG06)

2. get a M-ATX case thats the same size like a TJ08-E and save money by using your two GTX570's

edit: you could always get a shuttle X58 to and drop in your current components.

Yeh i saw your builds a while back, only problem is i cant see how i could fit watercooling into one of those cases, and i really dont want to have to cut the case up to make stuff fit if i can help it.
One of the reasons why i was looking at the case i chose is cause it looks like it has a decent amount of room and its still pretty small (though nearly anything would look small next to my current CM Storm Trooper).

I was looking at this one though
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_p...oducts_id=19616

but again i cant really see any room for watercooling and it looks like the ventilation wouldnt be up to overclocking on that one

what case are you using now? perhaps you could just change the case to something a bit smaller and keep all your current hardware
http://www.lian-li.com/v2/en/product/produ...ex=0&g=spec
Dimensions (W) 210mm x (H) 400mm x (D) 496mm
http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=product&prod=60
(WxHxD): 200x430x480mm

its really not that different to what you were looking at other than in depth if you have a shallow desk and need the space in front of the case
BitFenix Prodigy
(WxHxD) 250 x 404 x 359mm

Yeh i did think about seeing if i could source one of the old X58 Asus GENE motherboards and running my current system in a micro ATX case, but i wouldnt mind moving away from a dual card settup especialy in a smaller case, things would probably get hot quick, maybe not so bad if i had watercooling for both cards argh!! everything is a compromise!!!



Now im back to not knowing what i want to do again -_-

This post has been edited by ridir: Jun 20 2012, 08:46 PM

[nesquick]

Hmm thats a challenging prospect then

you could maybe fit a slim 240mm rad and slim fans in these cases

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_p...oducts_id=18919
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_p...oducts_id=17054
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_p...oducts_id=20453
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_p...oducts_id=17904

[ridir]

Hmm thats a challenging prospect then

you could maybe fit a slim 240mm rad and slim fans in these cases

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_p...oducts_id=18919
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_p...oducts_id=17054
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_p...oducts_id=20453
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_p...oducts_id=17904

yeh i might be able to squeeze one in, though if you check out the vid review for the bit fenix Prodigy case on PC case gear the guy basicaly shows you how easy it is to fit 240mm radiators into that case, or even a 200mm radiator and a 140mm radiator and fans for em too or a 240mm and a 120mm rad, looks like it was pretty much made for that kinda stuff, and i dont really need the HDD bays or the CD bay either so yeh plenty of room.

I think ill probably stick with the bit fenix after watching that vid, sure its big for an ITX but looks like i can fit everything i want into it.

Though that Fractal design arc mini looks pretty sweet... damnit... indecision!!! i suck at making choices...

This post has been edited by ridir: Jun 20 2012, 09:33 PM

[Dasa]

your only saving ~25mm in case height by going from atx to matx not really worth buying a new mb for imo

[nesquick]

One other thing and this is from personal experience don't expect great overclocks on ITX motherboards, the power circuitry just isn't up to the task.

edit: if you lose the drive bays and just have like an SSD you can fit a H60 and GTX670 into a SG06 with 450w PSU with no modding of the case.

This post has been edited by nesquick: Jun 20 2012, 11:07 PM

[Dasa]

One other thing and this is from personal experience don't expect great overclocks on ITX motherboards, the power circuitry just isn't up to the task.

with 3570k you should be able to get a decent 24/7 oc but the i7 970 sucks a lot more juice and would struggle

the asus z77 itx mb has a much stronger vrm than the asrock and is what i would go with if you want to push the oc a bit in a itx system

This post has been edited by Dasa: Jun 21 2012, 12:02 AM

[nesquick]

yea, the one problem with that add in board it uses is it makes things very tight if say you wanted to put a air cooler on there (depending on which one) in the OP's case though a H60 won't be a problem.

edit: ridir also check that the H60 rear brackets will fit on whatever board you buy as its not uncommon for vrm's to be on the back side of an itx mobo and inhibiting the mounting bracket.

This post has been edited by nesquick: Jun 21 2012, 08:57 AM

[mudg3]

No love for the Silverstone FT03B-MINI Black Mini?

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_p...oducts_id=20085

My next update will probably be in something like that

[nesquick]

Yea I was looking at that but he said he needs his H60 to fit somewhere and also wants to fit a 240mm radiator so 99% of ITX cases are not going to accommodate that.

but good to see your getting on the ITX bandwagon mudg3 :S

[mudg3]

but good to see your getting on the ITX bandwagon mudg3 :S

Yeah considering my 20tb is now located in my file server now all I have in this 650D is a 1tb drive and my SSD so I have no need for that space anymore.

[ridir]

well at the moment im trying to decide between these two
Fractal Design Arc Mini and the BitFenix Prodigy.

Does anyone know if you need to remove all the drive bays on the Arc Mini to fit in a 240mm radiator?
cause if i dont need to remove all the bays on the Arc Mini ill probably go for that instead

[ridir]

Ok i have decided, im sticking with the bitfenix Prodigy for a few reasons.

its got plenty of room for a 240mm radiator and i could probably still fit a H60 in there if i wanted to use the 240mm rad for my graphics card only.
it weighs less then the Arc Mini (the bit fenix prodigy is only 6.8KG. less if i remove all the bays)
im pretty sure the dimentions for it include the handles so its actualy smaller then i thought it was if you dont include the handles.
also the handles appear to be shock absorbing and pretty damn tough, which will be usefull cause i go lanning over my mates place quite alot.

This post has been edited by ridir: Jun 21 2012, 04:25 PM

[nesquick]

cool, let us know how it goes.

[ridir]

sure will!

ill put up pics as it progresses, im not sure if ill get enough money together by my birthday, but if i dont tax return is soon anyways so ill definately have it by then :D

This post has been edited by ridir: Jun 22 2012, 02:18 AM

[Tiptopperoo]

I built this little badboy in an SQ08 just a couple of weeks ago. Great case, all fits in nicely and still takes a good cooler. The issues people have been having with the Asrock ITX board is that any decent air cooler blocks the PCIe slot. This case also easily accommodates both the H60 and the H80.