Mini ITX build for girlfriend - office / light gaming £400

[DanceswithUnix]

Also beware the Coolermaster case, whilst being a bargain at the price, is quite noisy in stock form. However, a number of people here have modded it successfully so have a look at their project logs - I think Pob did one recently

Happy with mine so far, but then I don't have a graphics card in that box. I imagine that would make a huge difference to airflow. I didn't bother connecting the funny little fan at the side either.

[DanceswithUnix]

Or you could be a real bad ass and modularise it yourself You can buy the connectors pretty much anywhere...

I did nearly just cut off the extra leads I didn't want. No attempt at modular, was just going to hack bits off

[Biscuit]

I did nearly just cut off the extra leads I didn't want. No attempt at modular, was just going to hack bits off

Bye bye warranty!

[Ciber]

Is the Zalman Z11 plus case worth getting?

Too big!

[scaryjim]

If preserving desk space is the key factor here, then it'd be worth considering a low-profile matx case that can be used in a tower orientation* (I'm currently doing this with my aopen H360b, and it works like a charm). The H360b isn't available any more by the look of it, but any of these cases should work as a desktop mini-tower...

http://www.ebuyer.com/123290-aopen-h...-91-96320-a1k0
http://www.ebuyer.com/410545-foxconn...153c026bc8-02r
http://www.ebuyer.com/141001-antec-m...-minuet-350-uk

Going matx will both reduce the cost and increase the options for your motherboard - basically any matx FM2 board would do - which means you could almost certainly stick with the A10-5700. As to how good or otherwise the 5500 would be, it gives up clock speed at both stock and turbo, and the graphics paret of the chip is significantly reduced. Read through the hexus A10 5700 review: http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cpu/47257-amd-a10-5700/ and compare the 5700 to the 5800k: the 5500 will give up a similar amount of performance compared to the 5600k. You'll see most difference in the IGP performance: the 5700 simply has more graphics power to play with. If you can afford to keep the 5700 in the build, I would

EDIT: of course, you could always go with an mitx case that uses the same trick: http://www.ebuyer.com/156186-compuca...el-usb2-0-8k01
EDIT2: This case (http://www.ebuyer.com/341450-foxconn...0338045pc8-07r) would also be an option but you'd need to source your own TFX PSU for it...

[Ciber]

If preserving desk space is the key factor here, then it'd be worth considering a low-profile matx case that can be used in a tower orientation* (I'm currently doing this with my aopen H360b, and it works like a charm). The H360b isn't available any more by the look of it, but any of these cases should work as a desktop mini-tower...

http://www.ebuyer.com/123290-aopen-h...-91-96320-a1k0
http://www.ebuyer.com/410545-foxconn...153c026bc8-02r
http://www.ebuyer.com/141001-antec-m...-minuet-350-uk

Going matx will both reduce the cost and increase the options for your motherboard - basically any matx FM2 board would do - which means you could almost certainly stick with the A10-5700. As to how good or otherwise the 5500 would be, it gives up clock speed at both stock and turbo, and the graphics paret of the chip is significantly reduced. Read through the hexus A10 5700 review: http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cpu/47257-amd-a10-5700/ and compare the 5700 to the 5800k: the 5500 will give up a similar amount of performance compared to the 5600k. You'll see most difference in the IGP performance: the 5700 simply has more graphics power to play with. If you can afford to keep the 5700 in the build, I would

EDIT: of course, you could always go with an mitx case that uses the same trick: http://www.ebuyer.com/156186-compuca...el-usb2-0-8k01
EDIT2: This case (http://www.ebuyer.com/341450-foxconn...0338045pc8-07r) would also be an option but you'd need to source your own TFX PSU for it...

Thanks for the advice on the CPU. The 5700 seems a very good choice.

The thing about those cases is they won't take a full size card.

[DanceswithUnix]

Bye bye warranty!

Old enough PSU that I wouldn't have cared about that. And don't worry, I would have turned it off first

I kind of wanted a spare PSU though, so figured rather than cut that one down I really aught to buy what I actually want and keep the old one as spare. The PSU was the last bit I needed for a spare, though admittedly dog slow, PC!

Ahem, back to topic... Do make sure the ITX board really does have all the connectors you need. The Gigabyte FM1 board in my ITX build lacks VGA out, which is the only input my daughter has on her monitor. It also lacks the USB3 motherboard socket, so the front USB3 connector is unused.

[scaryjim]

The thing about those cases is they won't take a full size card.

What kind of card would you want to put in? The whole point about going for an AMD APU is that it has discrete class graphics baked in. Pretty much everything else is onboard, and if you want wifi low profile cards are available, or grab a USB dongle. If you're looking at full height graphics cards, then you're immediately stuck with cube cases or mid-tower cases which have a significant desk-space footprint - which I thought was what you were trying to avoid!

Incidentally, I've got a discrete card in my case: a low profile 7750. It beats out a 5750 comfortably in 3DMark, which means it's somewhere around 4870-level performance. Unless your other half is a serious gamer - at which point surely they'd be happy with a big box under the desk - that should be more than enough graphical oomph, assuming the IGP doesn't cut it...

[Ciber]

What kind of card would you want to put in? The whole point about going for an AMD APU is that it has discrete class graphics baked in. Pretty much everything else is onboard, and if you want wifi low profile cards are available, or grab a USB dongle.

You do make a good point there but there are a couple of reasons why we might want to put a full card in down the road.

1. It might become a shared gaming PC and I would want a 'proper' GPU. Back in 2000 I might have thought spending more than £100 on a graphics card as a silly idea and maybe it is but since then I have had a couple that cost more than £300.

2. My girlfriend might want the best 3D graphics in the future. I'm hoping to get her more in to the games I like so we can do them together. Maybe not Battlefield 3 but something.

3. There may be another reason to need a full size slot such as an SSD or something we don't know yet.

If you're looking at full height graphics cards, then you're immediately stuck with cube cases or mid-tower cases which have a significant desk-space footprint - which I thought was what you were trying to avoid!

The coolermaster and shuttle we chose will fit well in to an awkward corner. Of the cases you suggest the Antec minuet is nice but expensive and lacks a front USB3 port.
http://www.ebuyer.com/141001-antec-m...-minuet-350-uk

[kmac]

HAve a look at the Fractal Design Node 304 - about £63, excellent case and will take full size graphics cards. About same footprint as the Shuttle/Coolermaster. Many reviews online

[kmac]

Pobs reveiw and mod of the Coolermaster here: http://forums.hexus.net/chassis-mods...ni-review.html

Main issue is with the side fan (which as Dances with Unix has pointed out you may not need to use).

[Ciber]

HAve a look at the Fractal Design Node 304 - about £63, excellent case and will take full size graphics cards. About same footprint as the Shuttle/Coolermaster. Many reviews online

Thanks. That is a good case but £70. http://www.ebuyer.com/393752-fractal...edium=products

Looking around there are other suitable cases but they all cost more than the Coolermaster and not necessarily better.
Silverstone Sugo SG09B £84

Silverstone Sugo SG06 £83, nice looking silver case.

The review by Pob is helpful and make a good case for that case but I will not fit the side fan.

[kmac]

I'm using the Fractal case for my ITX based NAS. I would say it was worth it for the excellent build quality, space for 6 HDDs (or 4 if long graphics card), very flexible in terms of build options, can fit full tower cooler. But for the me the clincher was how silent it was - 4 fans and not a peep ( two front 92 cm, one rear 140Cm and one on tower cooler 120cm)

See my build here http://forums.hexus.net/chassis-mods...ode-304-a.html

Got mine at Lambda tek £63 +6.50 next day delivery

https://www.google.co.uk/shopping/pr...prds=scoring:p

[Ciber]

The Fractal case is nice but I have seen the downside. She insists on having a DVD drive and not an external one either. I did suggest that as it opens up the choices a little but no.

I have been looking at the Silverstone SG06 and it is very nice but maybe too small and the PSU that comes with it might not be that high quality. I think they use FSP but I'm not sure how to find out. Also having a SFX PSU might be a limitation in terms of replacement.
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/silve...fx-psu-80-plus

[kmac]

In that case, if you really want to push the boat out have a look at the Lian Li PC-Q18

Not cheap though. You are paying for all aluminium construction and also for some reason cases with those hot swap drives seem to be eye wateringly expensive

https://www.google.co.uk/shopping/pr...ed=0CCsQ8wIwAA

[kmac]

Seasonic make some good SFX PSUs - they are available and not mega expensive either. I think I picked up my Seasonic SS300-SFD for around £38. Only 300W but more than enough for my NAS. If you are going to get a separate graphics card then just bear in mind the power requirements.

http://www.silentpcreview.com/Silverstone_SG05_SG06 This review confirms that the PSU in the SG06 is made by FSP. It is a good OEM manufacturer and the PSU is rated 80 Plus so I would have no qualms getting it based on PSU