mikro ATX/ mini itx lan rig

[Azurite]

Hey guys. Tonight ive sold my crosshair IV, 1090T cpu and some old parts i had around. Going to use the cash for a small but powerfull lan rig. What i havent decided is, if i am going to get a mikro atx or mini itx motherboard. The socket will be 1155, but if the bulldozer kicks ass, i might build a system with that.

The m-atx mobos i like atm are: The ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z and the ASUS P8P67-M PRO B3. Both have good o.c potential and can be used with sli or xfire, but only the maximus can use the ISR tech. Find it hard to choose what colore theme i should get. The maximus are red and the pro is blue. The maximus soon comes with pci-e 3.0!so naybe i should wait just a bit longer and get that one.

If i choose the m-atx solution i will get the 2600k.

The mini itx boards i like is the ZOTAC Z68ITX-A-E. Read a review of this one and the o.c potential is not so good. The positive thing is that i can use this in a smaller chassis then a m-atx board.

The ASUS P8H67-I Deluxe B3 mini itx i also like, but it is only a h67 one, so no o.c, Lucid Virtu or intel smart response.

Would get the 2500k for this.

Cpu will be 2500k or the 2600k

Psu: Already bought the Cooler Master Silent Pro M850 850W last night. Got a great deal here. Only 55£ for a brand new one

Chassis: the lian li PC-V354 or the SS Temjin TJ08-E Micro Tower. The Temjin can have a DH14 in it but the lian li one i must use a mutch smaller cpu cooler.

Its really hard to decide what to do here. I know i would have most fun with the 2600k, the maximus mb, the dh14 in the Temjin chassis but is it wort it? This is a lan rig i will use alot on hollidays and as a server/extra pc at home. When i upgrade my main rig i can use my dual gpu's on the m-atx system, so thats nice i think.

If i get a mini itx board i could get it in a small case i could even get it unboard air planes as a handstorage.

And i also think about the color theme, beacuse yes, it will be modded some with sleeved cables and a few chassis modds.

What do you guys think. Do you have other suggestions about what MB or chassis i should check out before ordering. I will wait til i see how the new amd cpu's are doing in benches.

 

[fcb]

The Lian Li mATX cases look really nice. Personally I think I'd go for the Silverstone TJ08-E. I think a lot of people out there underestimate the potentials of the small case. I think it would be cool to build an APU based system in that case as well. Cooling would be no problem.

 

[Azurite]

If there were a mini itx z68 with nicer looks than the zotac one i would get it. If there were a m-atx z68 with blue theme i would get it. Really hard to decide what to go for...

Im checking out the SB energy efficient cpu's with 65W tdp. Omg am i going to power up a mini itx with a 65tdp cpu with a 850W psu?? haha

Well, i got that psu for back up for my main rig also, so np.

Heres a cheap but nice set up with low power consumption. Prize with psu 448£ or 702$. Can use the H70 for cooling. Really like the blue theme on this one.

2400S-lian li Q08-vengeance ram, asus p8h67 mini itx MB

Second set up: 2600k, maximus gene-Z m-atx, DH-14, Temjin 08-E, vengeance low profile ram. With psu 1084$ or 670£ for this set up.

Think i will go for second set up, but need to wait a few days so i can see how the bulldozer does.

 

[sheroo]

I'm still waiting for Gigabyte to produce a M-ITX Z68 board. Have you looked at the Cubitek Mini Tank, Silverstone SG08?

 

[Azurite]

I'm still waiting for Gigabyte to produce a M-ITX Z68 board. Have you looked at the Cubitek Mini Tank, Silverstone SG08?

Dont know anyone here who sells cubitek. Did you mean the SG07? SG07 is realy nice but it has a psu with it, and i already got one

Do you think Gigabyte will make a z68 m-itx real soon?

 

[sheroo]

Dont know anyone here who sells cubitek. Did you mean the SG07? SG07 is realy nice but it has a psu with it, and i already got one

Do you think Gigabyte will make a z68 m-itx real soon?

SG08 is the updated version of the SG07 - it has a nicer front - plain, but yes it does come with a psu - which is a shame. The Gigabyte Z68 is being developed instead of the P67 they had planned, don't know when the release date will be - wouldn't hold your breathe....

 

[fcb]

I haven't seen a mATX board from Gigabyte's P67 series. Would be nice to have a P67 mATX board without all the bells and whistles of a Z68 board. It would be fantastic because then you can choose for smaller form factors and won't have to sacrifice too much performance or if you don't require a Z68 board and all of it's extra options given.

Not sure if this makes any sense?

 

[Azurite]

SG08 is the updated version of the SG07 - it has a nicer front - plain, but yes it does come with a psu - which is a shame. The Gigabyte Z68 is being developed instead of the P67 they had planned, don't know when the release date will be - wouldn't hold your breathe....

Oh, i havent seen that one. Will check it out.

Have decided not to get the lian li Q08. Didnt like the cpu cooling options on that one. Psu gets in the way.

Im 99% sure il get the Temjin chassis, and a m-atx MB.

 

[sheroo]

Have to agree that that Temjin does have just about the best layout I've seen for a quiet matx rig. What gpu are use contemplating, as Silverstone recommends one that mostly vents out of the back.

 

[Azurite]

Have to agree that that Temjin does have just about the best layout I've seen for a quiet matx rig. What gpu are use contemplating, as Silverstone recommends one that mostly vents out of the back.

Got a 4870x2 i will start with, and later i will replace that with two 5870's. All of them have good vents in the back. Tomorrow is the bulldozerlaunch day isnt it?

 

[Azurite]

Ok. I will order the ASUS P8P67-M PRO B3 P67 S-1155 M-ATX along with the 2500k, DH-14, 2x4gb of low profile vengeance and the TJ08-E tonight. Just hope that thos mobo is ok for overclocking. What do you guys think?

 

[fcb]

Ok. I will order the ASUS P8P67-M PRO B3 P67 S-1155 M-ATX along with the 2500k, DH-14, 2x4gb of low profile vengeance and the TJ08-E tonight. Just hope that thos mobo is ok for overclocking. What do you guys think?

Oh that was one of the motherboards I had used in a small build for a friend. It's definitely OC-able. Shouldn't be a problem with the 2500K. Do you think you'll be able to fit a mechanical drive at the very bottom with the D14's clearance between the hard drive cage? Can't wait to see some pictures.

 

[Azurite]

Oh that was one of the motherboards I had used in a small build for a friend. It's definitely OC-able. Shouldn't be a problem with the 2500K. Do you think you'll be able to fit a mechanical drive at the very bottom with the D14's clearance between the hard drive cage? Can't wait to see some pictures.

No. I will remove the hdd cage and use 3,5" to 5.25" brackets. The awesome sleeving will show then

Thinking about sleeving in violet, purple and red, but need to think a bit more about it..

 

[fcb]

No. I will remove the hdd cage and use 3,5" to 5.25" brackets. The awesome sleeving will show then

Thinking about sleeving in violet, purple and red, but need to think a bit more about it..

That's cool. What are the 3.5" to 5.25" brackets that you use? I haven't been able to find many without the front cover.

 

[Azurite]

That's cool. What are the 3.5" to 5.25" brackets that you use? I haven't been able to find many without the front cover.

You can search on: 3.5 to 5.25 Inch Drive Adapter Bracket

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=24167

 

[fcb]

You can search on: 3.5 to 5.25 Inch Drive Adapter Bracket

http://www.performan...oducts_id=24167

Oh these...haha. We've got tons of these at our shop. Nice and inexpensive. Would be nice if Lian Li or Silverstone makes similar adapters with the antivibration rubber mounts for single hard drives as well. I've only ever seen them with the cages.

 

[Azurite]

After reading how bad the new AMD BD has done it, i have ordered the 2500k, Maximus gene-z, DH-14, 8gb vengeance, TJ08-E and one more spinpoint f3.

 

[fcb]

After reading how bad the new AMD BD has done it, i have ordered the 2500k, Maximus gene-z, DH-14, 8gb vengeance, TJ08-E and one more spinpoint f3.

Nice. Can't wait to see pictures.

So Bulldozer isn't great? I haven't been able to read up on it yet. I just hear ppl saying it'll be in the performance range of the 2600K. Nobody has stock available for the TJ08-E at the moment, locally at least. Where did you order from?

 

[yassarikhan786]

Nice. Can't wait to see pictures.

So Bulldozer isn't great? I haven't been able to read up on it yet. I just hear ppl saying it'll be in the performance range of the 2600K. Nobody has stock available for the TJ08-E at the moment, locally at least. Where did you order from?

Bulldozer was very disappointing mate. There was nothing to write home about

.

 

[fcb]

Bulldozer was very disappointing mate. There was nothing to write home about

.

Oh man, I just finished reading Tom's review. This is nuts. Well I just hope AMD will bring a good 7000 series of video cards to the dinner table. That will probably be their one chance for redemption to most ppl who've been anticipating the Bulldozer CPUs for a long time.

At least the APUs are pretty cool.