Has the BTX Form Factor Never Taken Off?

[mr_fishbulb]

It seems a great way of cooling your machine, but I can only find a couple of BTX fans, couple of cases, and have only seen one micro-btx mobo.

For those of you who don't know it, the processor is places on the mobo towards the front of the case and the cpu fan draws air in from the front, over the cpu and blows it towards the graphics card which is in a position to get full effect from the airflow.

Instead of it fitting to the left side of the case (like ATX), it goes on the right. The graphics card is upside down so the gpu is pointing up.

You can have a look at the form here:

http://www.formfactors.org/FFDetail.asp?FFID=12&CatID=1

Here's a pic of a btx mobo:

http://images.pcworld.com/news/graph...302p028-1b.jpg

[FragTek]

BTX took off in a huge way actually... Just not in the home computer building scene. It's huge success has come from PC manufacturers such as Dell which uses the crap out of the BTX design in every computer they make (for the most part).

BTX is a tough system to try and work out when building custom computers as the internal layout is so much different from ATX which gives you many many more case design options. Typically BTX cases are small and don't offer the overclocker any benefits over running an ATX setup when combined with a nice HSF/WC/Phase/etc and well placed case fans.

The Dell that I'm typing on right now is a BTX based computer and it's definately pretty darn nice. I don't mind it too much.

[FarFarAway]

Try the Coolermaster Stacker. They are ATX and BTX

[mr_fishbulb]

Originally Posted by name='FragTek'

Typically BTX cases are small and don't offer the overclocker any benefits over running an ATX setup when combined with a nice HSF/WC/Phase/etc and well placed case fans.

Wouldn't it mean you could potentially decrease the number of case fans needed to make it quieter?

[FarFarAway]

Yes the BTX standard is pretty decent and Intels proprietry boards will all be BTX from next year so perhaps this will push this forward more

[blackrain]

Some of the Thermaltake cases are BTX compatible too the armor and tai-chi are for sure

[NoL]

And Lian Li's, some of them like the v2000 I beleive. They are nice cases and the idea is good if your main goal is also to secure room towards the bottom of the case.

[mr_fishbulb]

Originally Posted by name='NoL'

And Lian Li's, some of them like the v2000 I beleive. They are nice cases and the idea is good if your main goal is also to secure room towards the bottom of the case.

There's a review of a BTX compatable Lian-Li PC-767 case here:

http://reviews.pimprig.com/cases/lia...7_btx_case.php

If you look at this picture here, there looks like there might be enough room left in the case

http://reviews.pimprig.com/cases/ima...l=767-mobo.jpg

[Jim]

Originally Posted by mr_fishbulb

There's a review of a BTX compatable Lian-Li PC-767 case here:

http://reviews.pimprig.com/cases/lia...7_btx_case.php

If you look at this picture here, there looks like there might be enough room left in the case

http://reviews.pimprig.com/cases/ima...l=767-mobo.jpg

Looks like plenty of room left there for some watercooling action

[NoL]

Water, pelt, those cases are just plain good lookin. Not that great for phase though.