Is this an awful plan?

[nibbler]

Following on from my thoughts on what to take to uni, I was thinking about building a very small ITX pc which would be way more powerful than a laptop. I was thinking a 2500k at stock (i can transfer it to a larger pc later and overclock if I need to, the price difference isn't huge) with stock heatsink, a zotac motherboard like this, keep my current DDR3 and stick a 6850 or 6870 in (they're cheap on ebuyer at the moment). Then I'd put in my 120gb SSD and my 500GB f3 drive and take my 24" monitor... still with me?
I'd put it all in a silverstone SG07B which has its own 600W power supply, and has a large 180mm fan on top to keep stuff cool.
Would this fail instantly or would all these components stay cool enough at stock settings?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

It should be OK although I am not a fan of pushing ITX motherboards to their limits due to the VRM design(components are often clustered close together). However,a cooler like the stock one will help blow some air over the VRMs unlike the vertical ones.

Anyway,I would still have a look at what Bulldozer has to offer although mini ITX motherboards may take longer to appear IMHO.

The other alternative is to get a case like the NZXT Vulcan which should be easier to move around:

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Vulcan/

However,it is not the best looking case though.

[nibbler]

It should be OK although I am not a fan of pushing ITX motherboards to their limits due to the VRM design(components are often clustered close together). However,a cooler like the stock one will help blow some air over the VRMs unlike the vertical ones.

Anyway,I would still have a look at what Bulldozer has to offer although mini ITX motherboards may take longer to appear IMHO.

Yeah, Hopefully it wouldn't be pushed to its limits, I'd keep everything at stock. I would be interested in bulldozer but the fact of the matter is I don't feel like waiting for the next thing to come along... what's the point, everything becomes obsolete sooner or later

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Well, Bulldozer is the first fully new architecture from AMD since the Athlon 64 which means over 7 years.

OTH,your current setup is still quite decent and you could use a lighter case like the NZXT Vulcan I mentioned earlier.

[nibbler]

Well, Bulldozer is the first fully new architecture from AMD since the Athlon 64 which means over 7 years.

OTH,your current setup is still quite decent and you could use a lighter case like the NZXT Vulcan I mentioned earlier.

I'm sure it would be good, it's just that unless ITX is available from the off it doesn't suit me. Weight isn't so much of an issue, it's more size so I'd take the smaller case i think. I'm looking into what the best motherboard is now, not as easy as I'd thought.
Best motehrboard I've found so far: http://www.scan.co.uk/products/gigab...a-raid-itx-vga

I could also get a low power i5 at 65w rather than 95w? Wonder what the performance hit would be like.

[Terbinator]

Is uATX completely out of the question? There are some really compact uATX cases and not only would they still be more roomy than an ITX set up, they would more than likely cost you less as well.

[nibbler]

Is uATX completely out of the question? There are some really compact uATX cases and not only would they still be more roomy than an ITX set up, they would more than likely cost you less as well.

Mm... I don't quite see the point, because it's considerably bigger, which cases were you thinking of?

[Ulti]

Do you still game a lot though? I've downgraded all the way to a i3 530 and a 5570 in a Antec ISK310 box with a 150W PSU. I never have to worry about heat either (I've not overclocked it though).

[kalniel]

You're taking a 24" monitor. A normal sized desktop case won't be hard to fit in comparison.

[krazy_olie]

FWIW if buying a pc specifically for uni wait until August at least. You will want a decent system that'll last you the 3 to 4 years CPU and RAM wise but bear in mind a lap top would be really handy! The whole time there I wish I had one, even a nasty thing just for basic stuff.

At uni you will more likely prefer to play pro evo 2006 on a ps2 with a bunch of flat mates than play pc games so do not over spec it, you could be better off putting your money in a little netbook for example. Having a small case is a good idea and you are unlikely to be limited by going to a lower power processor as realistically it will not limit you.

Looks like a dual slot card might have trouble fitting in that motherboard.

What are you studying by the way? if something like computer science then things change a bit...

[nibbler]

Do you still game a lot though? I've downgraded all the way to a i3 530 and a 5570 in a Antec ISK310 box with a 150W PSU. I never have to worry about heat either (I've not overclocked it though).

I'd like to game yeah, it's more about having something fast enough but small enough

You're taking a 24" monitor. A normal sized desktop case won't be hard to fit in comparison.

mmm... I'm just not sure where I'd put a desktop outside term time, because it's not quite fair for me to ask someone to look after it and I wouldn't want it lying in the college doing nothing so I'd like to either have something small enough to take with me or at least small enough to not be too imposing if I ask someone to look after it

FWIW if buying a pc specifically for uni wait until August at least. You will want a decent system that'll last you the 3 to 4 years CPU and RAM wise but bear in mind a lap top would be really handy! The whole time there I wish I had one, even a nasty thing just for basic stuff.

At uni you will more likely prefer to play pro evo 2006 on a ps2 with a bunch of flat mates than play pc games so do not over spec it, you could be better off putting your money in a little netbook for example. Having a small case is a good idea and you are unlikely to be limited by going to a lower power processor as realistically it will not limit you.

Looks like a dual slot card might have trouble fitting in that motherboard.

What are you studying by the way? if something like computer science then things change a bit...

Natural Sciences. I was thinking of getting a little notebook to go with it, an hp dm1 perhaps so that I can take that to the library or something.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

One of the reasons I got a Shuttle since it was easy to move around as it came with a special bag.

It might also worth considering a Lan Gear Da Box 100:

http://www.lan-gear.com/products.php

It does have a few QC issues ATM but it seems a nice case and also you get a bag for it.

[no_numb]

I take it that you dont drive or are going very far away for uni because if you're going by car a standard desktop isnt hard to move.

Its not that big a deal to take a desktop to uni. Everyone says get a laptop but for 95% of the time I just used a laptop it stayed on my desk, then I bought a desktop again.
Netbooks wernt available cheaply at the time but they are a good idea I feel, and I have one now.

Certainly around my uni there are loads of computer rooms so its never really worth the effort of taking my laptop in. Occasionaly take my netbook in but tbh a usb pendrive is all you really need.

I'd say you'd be fine with just a small atx or a matx case, and whatever you want to put in it.

[nibbler]

I take it that you dont drive or are going very far away for uni because if you're going by car a standard desktop isnt hard to move.

Its not that big a deal to take a desktop to uni. Everyone says get a laptop but for 95% of the time I just used a laptop it stayed on my desk, then I bought a desktop again.
Netbooks wernt available cheaply at the time but they are a good idea I feel, and I have one now.

Certainly around my uni there are loads of computer rooms so its never really worth the effort of taking my laptop in. Occasionaly take my netbook in but tbh a usb pendrive is all you really need.

I'd say you'd be fine with just a small atx or a matx case, and whatever you want to put in it.

I'm not driving, and I'm going 350 miles to uni
I'd like something I can take home ideally... but yeah, not sure yet.

[no_numb]

I'm not driving, and I'm going 350 miles to uni
I'd like something I can take home ideally... but yeah, not sure yet.

Hmm ok a small build does make more sense if you've got to take it on the train/plane (whats the rules with flying and pcs?). I do agree that its better to have something a bit more powerful than a laptop though.

However if you went for a pc and a netbook you could maybe survive christmas/easter holls without your main pc and only take it back in the summer long holls. Moving it twice a year wouldnt be too bad!

[nibbler]

Hmm ok a small build does make more sense if you've got to take it on the train/plane (whats the rules with flying and pcs?). I do agree that its better to have something a bit more powerful than a laptop though.

However if you went for a pc and a netbook you could maybe survive christmas/easter holls without your main pc and only take it back in the summer long holls. Moving it twice a year wouldnt be too bad!

Fair point, I was looking at this as a supplementary laptop