Read more.ITX case brings Define Series features to small-form-factor PCs.
Read more.ITX case brings Define Series features to small-form-factor PCs.
I agree with Biscuit. An innovative ITX case for watercooling would be based upon a 180x180 mm radiator (only just larger than the motherboard) and should be a lot smaller than the Define Nano.
But equally a lot more innovation could be one on the mini-itx boards. We have seen ASRock put MSata on back of board - so why not 1/2 SATA connectors on back of board (right angled) to avoid having the trail the Sata cables over either memory of GPU?
Uninspired. I guess it makes some sense for a high end but quiet system. It's bigger than a lot of MATX cases on the market though, and the storage options are too limited.
I'd be very interested in a mini ITX case, if the maker put some kind of USB hub interface into the case to connect to the motherboard. I know I could get a hub, but it's messy having an external one and the rare case-fitting ones look bad.
It's the one thing putting me off and keeping me with Micro ATX: need to connect Wifi, audio interface, MIDI keyboard and drum pads, graphics tablet, external hard drives, external BLu Ray etc and the tiny supply with mITX boards won't cut it.
People complaining about its size or lack of storage space are forgetting that it's intended for high performance mITX desktops, not tiny and cute mITX, nor a NAS enclosure, there's dozens of options for those roles already, one or two fractal already has on the market, while there's not a lot of options for high performance mITX desktops. And space for 4 drives is plenty in a mITX desktop, or any desktop not trying to do everything, really.
There are plenty of uATX cases roughly the same size with the same functionality and capacity that would have no problems accommodating an ITX system.
You can only realistically have a single GPU and CPU on an ITX board, so how much watercooling capacity can you possibly need? Anything more than a 280mm radiator would be a complete waste.
But not performance, that's the point.
A single GPU and CPU can still lead to a build that draws up to 570W before you even start overclocking, that's a lot of heat to get rid of, arguably more than a partially blocked off single 280mm radiator can provide (they could have done better with that right-side intake panelling imo). And what if you want to do high-end air cooling? A NH-D15 or NH-D15S isn't going to fit in a run of the mill cute and tiny ITX case.
Would those Noctua monsters even fit on an ITX board with RAM clearances?
Have you actually looked at the uATX cases available? There is plenty of 'performance' models that are around this size.
I know this because I recently downsized my machine to a Lian Li PC-V359. Inside it I have a Be Quiet Black Rock 3 and an Sapphire R9 290X Vapor X, which is about as power hungry as it gets. If I was so inclined, I could also install 2 x 120mm rads. Yes it's a different form factor, but this is just an example and I looked at many options available in uATX that had similar capabilities.
If you can honestly see the point in this case then fine, good for you, I don't.
Yeah, Noctua makes sure their coolers don't clutter up space after the socket 'keep out zone', so they cut out notches on the fins after that point to make sure it can fit in with reasonably high RAM in the way. NCIX did a build with the NH-D15 and a Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ITX case, twas pretty sweet.
Yup, I have a Define Mini (the mATX predecessor of this) now, actually two of them. I'd love it if they'd update it in the same Define S style, but I'd also be happy with going down to mITX, since I don't really use more than 1 expansion card anyway.
Indeed, different horses for different courses, and all that.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)