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/graphics/119042-2302p028-1b.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]

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]

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/lian-li_pc-767_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/image.php?url=767-mobo.jpg

 

[JN]

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

http://reviews.pimprig.com/cases/lian-li_pc-767_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/image.php?url=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.

 

[Lead Head]

BTX seems ok, but I dont like the idea of scorching hot air blowing from the CPU heatsink straight onto an already hot GPU *cough* x1900Xtx *cough*

 

[NoL]

How would that happen?

 

[Lead Head]

How would that happen?

The CPU fan takes in air from the front, blow it through the sink toward the back, where the GPUs intake would be

 

[NoL]

Take a look at the pic of the btx case, I don't think your fealing the BTX correctly. Its a normal mobo, just flipped around.

 

[Lead Head]

Take a look at the pic of the btx case, I don't think your fealing the BTX correctly. Its a normal mobo, just flipped around.

no

EDIT: Plus the traces are a tad bit to far from the mem to the CPU for A64s to work properly

 

[NoL]

Hmmm thats not the normal BTX i've been seeing. That seems more like a strange factor Dell setup.

 

[Dav0s]

BTX is a completely different board layout, not just an upside down mobo

i dont think even intel could be that stupid

 

[JN]

There are many ATX cases that utilise some of the features of BTX...like the upside-down motherboard - but these cases are not BTX.

 

[NickS]

There are many ATX cases that utilise some of the features of BTX...like the upside-down motherboard - but these cases are not[/U'] BTX.

Yeah, but IMO BTX is dumb. They shld keep ATX, FTW!!!!

Nick

 

[NoL]

Gotcha my mistake, I do not like that Dell's layout one bit. Makes phase many times harder and tube routing a pain.

I'll stick to ATX.