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Anyone build an mITX gaming build before?

mATX, or mITX? It isnt a standard size really and you would be hard pressed to find a case and motherboard that will fit a gaming build.


Alright here is my quick sub $1k mITX gaming build.


DVD/CD
Case
HDD
GPU
PSU
RAM
Motherboard
CPU
OS
SSD

Total: $950.90

Wouldn't get the i5-2500k because of added heat, and limited space for cooling solutions in an mITX case. Also wouldnt get a better GPU for lack of cooling as well and the addition of a more expensive PSU. Limited to 2 RAM slots but that is good enough for 8GB. could go cheaper by waiting for HDD prices to fall and could probably get a bit cheaper case and such. Also didn't look for combo's but it is a decent deal all things considered.
 
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mITX gaming build is actually easier than before...

if money isn't a big problem, only problem you need to think about is what type of cooling you want (which would affect whether you can overclock or put beefy components inside)

2500k
ASRock Z68M-ITX/HT LGA 1155
Standard ATX PSU(modular would help)
LIAN LI PC-Q11B or PC-Q08
a <9"(?) max GPU, preferable with the power plug on top?
Scythe Shuriken CPU HSF
2.5" SSD

add in a H70 corsair watercooler if you want some OC or lower temps
spend some money on a picopsu if you dont OC and want a smaller PSU



but a mATX is a lot easier/cheaper and you can fit a lot more inside (more HDDs/ better cooling/longer GPU)

Just completed a build with a Silverstone SG02 mATX... It's pretty small, and allows for a long GPU (up to 9.6")
 
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paperwastage said:
mITX gaming build is actually easier than before...

if money isn't a big problem, only problem you need to think about is what type of cooling you want (which would affect whether you can overclock or put beefy components inside)

2500k
ASRock Z68M-ITX/HT LGA 1155
Standard ATX PSU(modular would help)
LIAN LI PC-Q11B or PC-Q08
a 9" max GPU
Scythe Shuriken CPU HSF
2.5" SSD

add in a H70 corsair watercooler if you want some OC or lower temps
spend some money on a picopsu if you dont OC and want a smaller PSU



but a mATX is a lot easier/cheaper and you can fit a lot more inside (more HDDs/ better cooling/longer GPU)

Just completed a build with a Silverstone SG02 mATX... It's pretty small, and allows for a long GPU
Click to expand...
yeah, ive been researching it
 
Silverstone Sugo SG05 or SG06 is a good case for this IMO. Very small (11.13 liters, a tad smaller than that PC-Q07), but officially supports video cards up to 9", and I think if they have the power connectors on the side as opposed to the end you can even fit slightly longer cards in the case. Don't have much room for a nice CPU cooler, though, you'd have to use something low profile. Also the case uses SFX form factor PSUs instead of standard ATX, although it should work just as well and the cases come with either a 300W or 450W power supply, which should be more than enough for the modest gaming system you'd be able to cram into the case.
 
This is my former LAN party rig.

100_2271.jpg


Plenty of people have build mini ITX gaming rigs. There are some limitations. As long as you understand and accept the limitations, you are fine.
 
Zap said:
This is my former LAN party rig.

100_2271.jpg


Plenty of people have build mini ITX gaming rigs. There are some limitations. As long as you understand and accept the limitations, you are fine.
Click to expand...

Wow, that is pretty sweet, what kind of case is it?
 
These days you can build a powerful and compact gaming rig. As others said you need to be aware of the limitations and work around them, e.g., purchase a low profile cooler if you have a small case (or no after market cooler), research PSU sizes, research GPU sizes, make sure your RAM fits under the CPU cooler if it's big, etc. etc. Finding a good Z68 mITX board is problematic right now, I don't know if any company out there has properly done it (ASRock and Zotac's offerings got mixed reviews) so building a powerhouse OC'd SLI monster is probably not in the cards, but you can still put together a powerful single card rig running at stock that will be portable and/or a space saver. It's a little more homework and depending on the case the build itself can take longer, but in the end it is worth it. I put a i5-2400 and a 6850 in a Lian Li Q11 back in August, and it is nice and quiet and sleek looking and the wife loves it. Runs Skyrim like a champ!

Micro ATX is easier; more room on the mobo for after market coolers, usually some additional PCI x4 or PCI slots (but rarely two PCI x16 slots) and the cases are bigger so there are more options there. I recently put together a budget build for my parents in a Fractal Design Mini (mATX case) using a cheap H61 micro ATX, a wifi card, 8GB of RAM, a 5570, 120GB Intel 320 SSD and an i3-2100 cooled by a H212+ for around $650.00. Super quiet, boots up super fast and it looks cool (to me anyway).
 
illram said:
These days you can build a powerful and compact gaming rig. As others said you need to be aware of the limitations and work around them, e.g., purchase a low profile cooler if you have a small case (or no after market cooler), research PSU sizes, research GPU sizes, make sure your RAM fits under the CPU cooler if it's big, etc. etc. Finding a good Z68 mITX board is problematic right now, I don't know if any company out there has properly done it (ASRock and Zotac's offerings got mixed reviews) so building a powerhouse OC'd SLI monster is probably not in the cards, but you can still put together a powerful single card rig running at stock that will be portable and/or a space saver. It's a little more homework and depending on the case the build itself can take longer, but in the end it is worth it. I put a i5-2400 and a 6850 in a Lian Li Q11 back in August, and it is nice and quiet and sleek looking and the wife loves it. Runs Skyrim like a champ!

Micro ATX is easier; more room on the mobo for after market coolers, usually some additional PCI x4 or PCI slots (but rarely two PCI x16 slots) and the cases are bigger so there are more options there. I recently put together a budget build for my parents in a Fractal Design Mini (mATX case) using a cheap H61 micro ATX, a wifi card, 8GB of RAM, a 5570, 120GB Intel 320 SSD and an i3-2100 cooled by a H212+ for around $650.00. Super quiet, boots up super fast and it looks cool (to me anyway).
Click to expand...
im going mitx because of the cube like thing.

its cool 🙂

currently looking at (no hdd or os because hdd prices are through the freaking roof)

SILVERSTONE Sugo Series SG05BB-450 ALL Black Plastic / SECC Mini-ITX Desktop Computer Case with SFX 450W 80+ Bronze Certified ...
SAPPHIRE Ultimate 100326UL Radeon HD 6670 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card
PNY Optima 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model MD8192KD3-1333
ASRock H67M-ITX LGA 1155 Intel H67 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Mini ITX Intel Motherboard
Intel Core i5-2400 Sandy Bridge 3.1GHz (3.4GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 ...

🙂

not final yet atleast
 
T_Yamamoto said:
SAPPHIRE Ultimate 100326UL Radeon HD 6670 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card
Click to expand...
That's a pretty poor card for a gaming PC. Sure, it's small, and it doesn't need extra power connectors. But it's also fanless and extra-tall.

If the GPU length is along the longest dimension of the case, as I would expect, then the card from Gigantopithecus' review should fit.

P.S. There are mATX cubes. They're big, but they exist.
 
T_Yamamoto said:
Ill probably build an mitx build later on
Click to expand...

When is "later on?" Generally speaking, if you want advice on what parts to buy, ask for that advice about a week before you expect to actually place your order.

mnewsham said:
Looks like the LianLI T60, which is an ATX/mATX DIY test bench.
Click to expand...

Wrong. It is a Lian Li PC-T7R. The R is for red of course. It is indeed marketed by Lian Li as a test bench rig, but it will not fit ATX, mATX or Flex ATX motherboards. It will only fit ITX and DTX motherboards.

T_Yamamoto said:
SILVERSTONE Sugo Series SG05BB-450 ALL Black Plastic / SECC Mini-ITX Desktop Computer Case with SFX 450W 80+ Bronze Certified ...
SAPPHIRE Ultimate 100326UL Radeon HD 6670 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card
PNY Optima 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model MD8192KD3-1333
ASRock H67M-ITX LGA 1155 Intel H67 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Mini ITX Intel Motherboard
Intel Core i5-2400 Sandy Bridge 3.1GHz (3.4GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 ...
Click to expand...

If gaming, get a better graphics card. If not gaming, use integrated graphics. The 450W PSU in that case is pretty decent, and can handle almost the highest single GPU cards. Your biggest limitation is what the case can handle. I've heard of people using GTX 560ti and GTX 570 in these. AMD cards are too long for their higher end to fit this case.
 
Zap said:
Wrong. It is a Lian Li PC-T7R. The R is for red of course. It is indeed marketed by Lian Li as a test bench rig, but it will not fit ATX, mATX or Flex ATX motherboards. It will only fit ITX and DTX motherboards.
Click to expand...

I didn't say it WAS the PC-T60 I said it LOOKS like the PC-T60, since that build is mITX it COULDN'T have been the PC-T60 as it is only ATX and mATX, I wasn't sure what it was.
 
Having said that, my build would be:

Lian-Li PC-TU200B Case $170
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5006/lian-li-pctu200-on-the-road-with-lian-li

Corsair CX600V2 PSU $50 after MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139028

ASRock Z68M-ITX Mobo $120
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157268

Intel i5-2500K CPU $220
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115072

Scythe Shuriken SCSK-1100 CPU Cooler $35
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835185097

G.Skill Sniper 8GB DDR3-1600 Ram $42
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231416

SanDisk 120GB SSD $125
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820171545

XFX Radeon HD6950 2GB GPU $240 after MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150530

Samsung CD/DVD Burner $20
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827151236

Samsung Spinpoint F3 500GB $80
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822152305


Total: $1102
 
My ITX LAN party build would be:

Silverstone SG05-450 $120
ASRock Z68M-ITX mobo $120
Core i5-2500K $220
stock cooler
cheap 8GB DDR3 kit $35
slim optical drive with adapter (since Silverstone isn't cool like Antec and doesn't have the proper power connector with their PSU) $40
Hitachi 7K1000.D HDD $120
GTX 560 Ti $200
=$855
+biggest SSD I can afford!
 
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