ASRock designs a mini ITX Gaming case: The M8

[dmoney1980]

and I have to say that it looks OKAY. I'm not a fan of the red side panel accents, but the size / design look pretty cool.

mITX is quickly becoming a very popular form factor!

source: http://www.asrock.com/microsite/M8/Chassis_Design.html

A : Power Supply Unit (450W)
B : Standard Mini-ITX Motherboard (Z87-M8)
C : Standard PCIe x16 VGA card Holder
D : Hard Disk Drive Tray
E : ODD + 2.5” SSD/HDD Tray

 

[lehtv]

So it includes a 450W PSU. I hope it's good quality.

Other than that it looks pretty nice. It won't fit many CPU coolers though, probably won't even fit 120mm downflow coolers.

 

[PCunicorn]

So it includes a 450W PSU. I hope it's good quality.

Other than that it looks pretty nice. It won't fit many CPU coolers though, probably won't even fit 120mm downflow coolers.

I would assume it is. I saw this at one of those conferences last year, it's prerry cool. I loled at the name though. My PC is my m8(mate)

 

[QueBert]

Pretty damn nice, not cheap but it comes with a lot of stuff. Kind of wish they just sold the case by itself, the Asus ROG iTX board's probably better than the one that comes in this. But it definitely looks well built and I haven't seen anything that looks like it.

I just bought an EVGA Hadron or I might have considered this one.

 

[aigomorla]

that isnt mini...

Look at the case size in comp to the optical drive slot...
Look how much room u have using a full size 3.5 HDD.
Look at how large the PSU is in relationship to the case with the size of the ITX board.

Thats a big case.... Id say near size of the bitfinex prodigy and that aint a small ITX.
In real aspect size... its about as big as a Dell Optiplex system.

which i dont call MINI.

 

[lehtv]

Some size comparisons from a review at kitguru:

(vs Xbox 360)

(vs Corsair 350D and NZXT Phantom)

I'd say it's pretty mini for a gaming computer. About half the volume of a Bitfenix Prodigy, methinks

 

[aigomorla]

u are aware thats a corsair ATX case next to it right?
That corsair ATX case is the same size as per say the antec Sonata... fractal r4

Which means for example a Lian li A55 would be near the same size but be thicker and slightly longer, but not taller.
And the A55 is again a full ATX case.

The eVGA Hadron is much smaller then that.. im willing to bet u could put 1.5x hadron's inside this one case even.

The silverstone FT03-Mini would give this case a scary competition.
(i have worked with several FT03-Mini's, the only flaw i can see is finger prints!!!!!)
The FT03 is probably even smaller.. And is Watercooling AIO friendly out of the box... so your not limited on the cpu overclocking end...
I dont see this case being AIO friendly... or performance heat sink friendly on top. It looks like a HTPC sink required ordeal.
Both this and the FT03 can take dual pci long video cards... im willing to bet tho cooling is better on the FT03 due to its unique air pattern layout.

Infact anyone considering this case... i suggest u take a look at the FT03-Mini before you decide...

 

[lehtv]

It's a Corsair microATX case, not an ATX case.

Measured from external dimensions (taken from manufacturer product pages):

Lian Li PC-A55 = 56.7 liters
Fractal R4 = 56.3 liters
Corsair 350D = 41.6 liters
Bitfenix Prodigy = 36.3 liters (external), 26.4 liters (internal)
Asrock M8 = 18.3 liters
FT03 Mini = 17.6 liters
EVGA Hadron Air = 15.9 liters

So not quite 1.5x Hadron's size, more like 1.15x.

Since Bitfenix Prodigy is, in external dimensions, twice the size of the M8, despite both being mini-ITX cases... I think it's fair to call the M8 a mini case.

 

[aigomorla]

It's a Corsair microATX case, not an ATX case. A Fractal R4 is quite a bit larger at 56,3 liters, versus 350D's 41,6 liters (measured from external dimensions). The Asrock M8 looks like 15 liters or something. EVGA Hadron Air, measured from external dimensions, is 15.9 liters. So I think you're a bit off in your estimates. (All the dimensions were taken from manufacturer product pages so not linked here.)

you can not tell me that case and the hadron are simular in size.

First off... the hadron had to use a customized PSU to get that size, while that one seems to accept a atx mini PSU seeing how thick that is.

Second off, u do not have the luxury of space in a hadron to layout things like that. Im sure QueBert will rant soon after this comment about his quest in finding a acceptable heat sink for it.

Third those corners are not included in internal area, however in overall case size they most definitely count in my book.


Again.. u notice how u have layout room... u see the itx board below the laid out 3.5inch HDD and u still got room due to the rear hiding a PCI video card....

vs the Hadron which is only a tiny bit taller then the ITX board itself.

Also i look at complete dimensions and not internal space...
When its sitting on the floor, its going to eat space.

 

[lehtv]

you can not tell me that case and the hadron are simular in size.

Yes I can. See my edited post.

Also i look at complete dimensions and not internal space...

Yep, I did. The external volumes are up there in my last post.

 

[Lonyo]

450w SFX PSU in the M8.

And it's under 5" high vs 6.6" for the EVGA, which makes a lot of difference.
You can make things smaller, but you start to run into issues with things like height and depth for heatsinks and GPUs if you do.
There's only so small you can make it while being big enough for a decent heatsink and a large graphics card.

 

[QueBert]

you can not tell me that case and the hadron are simular in size.

First off... the hadron had to use a customized PSU to get that size, while that one seems to accept a atx mini PSU seeing how thick that is.

Second off, u do not have the luxury of space in a hadron to layout things like that. Im sure QueBert will rant soon after this comment about his quest in finding a acceptable heat sink for it.

Third those corners are not included in internal area, however in overall case size they most definitely count in my book.


Again.. u notice how u have layout room... u see the itx board below the laid out 3.5inch HDD and u still got room due to the rear hiding a PCI video card....

vs the Hadron which is only a tiny bit taller then the ITX board itself.

Also i look at complete dimensions and not internal space...
When its sitting on the floor, its going to eat space.

Hay Hay Hay! I found a heatsink, it's not great but it fit. So, there's no need to rant about that. I shall however, rant about how the PSU's fan goes from close to silent at idle to sounding like a vacuum cleaner when I'm playing a game that taxes my video card. If this m8 can use a regular ATX PSU I'm all for it. Uber tiny iTX cases like the Hadron that use a custom PSU with a 40mm fan are not enthusiast friendly lol.


I've only seen pics of this m8, but it looks nothing close to the size of a Hadron. I see the pics with the side off, it has all sort of room to play with. My Hadron? It has like uhhh no room to do anything. I have an Xbox Slim or whatever the newest one is right next to my Hadron and the case is maybe 1/2 an inch taller.

 

[Meghan54]

You're right, lehtv, that AsRock case is very small. Compared to that Corsair 350D, the case my wife has her computer built in, it's very, very much smaller. :whiste:

Compare dimensions.....using the dimensions on AsRock's page for the M8 and what I measured on Deb's 350D, the M8 is a whopping 2.6" shorter in height (from top to bottom), 2" shorter in depth (from front to back), and the biggest difference---3.4" narrower (from side to side).

That M8's top should hit at the middle of the top optical drive cover plate.

Really, it's a darned large mITX case. Hell, I've had mATX cases that were darned near as short and deep, but the width is the thing this case has all over mATX cases. That photo above comparing their relative sizes is not doing any favors, its perspective is very off to fully realize how big the case really is.

Heck, I've got a Lian-Li PC-A04 mATX case that's only 1/2" taller and ~1.4" deeper. Of course, the width is still a bit more on the PC-A04, being 2.3" wider or so. So, the M8 ain't no small case for its form factor. It appears to me it's making up for its rather tall and deep size in being rather narrow.

 

[aigomorla]

So, the M8 ain't no small case for its form factor. It appears to me it's making up for its rather tall and deep size in being rather narrow.

+1

also add the fact there is no performance heat sink option i dont see how this is a gaming case which are supposed to be overclocking friendly.