BTX worries...

[alizee]

I'm really looking at upgrading my ATX case. I don't need to, I just want to, that Antec P180 looks mighty nice.

Now, I'd really like to keep this investment for the next few builds, but I'm a little worried about availability of ATX motherboards 2008-9 and beyond. Does anybody have any idea about how long it might be until there's no more ATX boards? I wasn't building computers during the migration from AT to ATX, how long did that take? I do realize that at that point I'd probably want a new case anyway, but still...

All in all, I'm just wondering if my $125 dollars are going to be well spent. Again, it's not a necessary upgrade, just a cosmetic one, I can definitely live with my current case.

Sorry if this has been asked recently, I didn't see it in the first few pages.

 

[AzNPinkTuv]

although i understand your plan... ive learned never plan for the future in tech.. your just gonna be wasting your time and money then

 

[cpacini]

ATX will be around for quite a while, I wouldnt worry about it.

 

[0roo0roo]

yup don't worry about it

 

[dguy6789]

BTX was supposed to take off and be mainstream by 2003. It is now 2006 and pretty much nobody uses it. As things look right now, BTX is probably going to go down quietly.

 

[CyborgNinja117]

if ur unsure, get a BTX and ATX competible case! like the cooler master stacker 830

 

[Zepper]

There are several cases in the Aerocool line (and others) that can be converted as well as the CMs mentioned above. IMO, BTX will likely never be a significant factor in the hobbyist channel - will be seen mostly in the OEM channel (big-box pushers like Dell, etc.).

.bh.

 

[alizee]

Thanks for the opinions, I think I just needed one more excuse to make a purchase.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Originally posted by: dguy6789
BTX was supposed to take off and be mainstream by 2003. It is now 2006 and pretty much nobody uses it. As things look right now, BTX is probably going to go down quietly.

BTX wasn't even announced until 2004

 

[Capt Caveman]

If you haven't read this article, it's pretty informative - BTX: Now With 24% Adoption Rate

 

[Skott]

When BTX was first announced they estimated it would take about 10 years for it to become the standard. That was what? 2-3 years ago? Also AMD and Intel started to make chips use less power and generate less heat so that kinda cooled the need for BTX. So I'd say ATX still has alot of life left in it. Look at cases that have BTX capability now if you feel worried about it. As someone mentioned the CM-830 is one such case thats considered really good although its kinda pricey.

 

[furballi]

Dell and Gateway adopt BTX because it's cheaper to mass produce a BTX rig. BTX's primary objective is to cool the CPU (P4s run HOT). This setup works well for many non-gaming rigs with low-powered GPUs.

The problem with BTX is the heated CPU air is also used to cool the hot GPU found on high-powered graphic cards. Back to Thermo 101. If the incoming air stream is hotter by 15C, then the GPU will also run hotter by 15C.

The ATX tower design permits a "taller" intake vent to cool the HDD, RAM, GPU, and CPU. A side duct directing room temp air into the CPU cooler is just as effective as the BTX design.

 

[Shadowknight]

Let me put it this way; Antec is one of the biggest case makers out there. If you go to their website, they offer 1, maybe a whopping 2 BTX cases. In the meantime, the offer around 15 different ATX-based cases, and still retire old ATX cases designs and replace them with new ATX-designs.

ATX isn't going anywhere in the near future.

 

[TrevorRC]

Shadow....
I don't believe Dell, HP, Gateway or any of the other major manufacturers use Antec cases. Considering they represent the vast majority of cases manufacturered and sold... I wouldn't call Antec "major".

Now in the hobbyist arena... maybe. But Antec seems to have been in something of a slump recently, IMO. Haven't seen many people using anything other than the 150, 180 and Sonata II.

--Trevor

 

[Shadowknight]

Originally posted by: TrevorRC
Shadow....
I don't believe Dell, HP, Gateway or any of the other major manufacturers use Antec cases. Considering they represent the vast majority of cases manufacturered and sold... I wouldn't call Antec "major".

Well, the above pretty much make computers that aren't going to be upgraded, just thrown out after the owner decides they need more power. The OP wasn't asking if BTX is being used by pre-built systems like from Dell, just if he's going to have to replace the case if BTX replaces ATX in the near future for computers he buids himself.

Antec IS a major case maker... Dell, HP, etc. use propriatery parts, but if you walk into CompUSA, BestBuy, mom and pop computer stores, you'll find their PSUs, cases, noise killer kits, stuff like that. In the enthusiast market, they're pretty major. If they're not going BTX crazy, then I don't think the OP needs to worry about going BTX in the near future after buying a new ATX case now.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: dguy6789
BTX was supposed to take off and be mainstream by 2003. It is now 2006 and pretty much nobody uses it. As things look right now, BTX is probably going to go down quietly.

BTX is a dead platform!
I would not count on any sort of underlying support in the future!! DOA!

 

[Ichigo]

Intel is pushing it, and we know how that usually turns out.

 

[Skott]

Intel was pushing it but last year Intel started backing off it because they started planning on doing what AMD has been doing. Making procs run on lower voltage and cooler. Thats one of the reasons BTX has been off to a slow start. Although alot of people werent exactly taking a shine to it anyways. I think the question is now is, will Intel push BTX hard once again or let it founder?

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

People were talking about waiting for BTX two years ago... I wouldn't count on not having it hindering you in any way.

 

[DidlySquat]

morons don't you know BTX is dead ? newegg offers 0 BTX mobos (out of ~600 mobos they sell), 3 microBTX boards (2 of which have no user ratings, one has a single review). newegg offers no full BTX cases, 11 MicroBTX cases out of 831 cases they sell. Many case manufacturers (like cooler master) are dropping BTX support altogether. Good riddence

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: DidlySquat
morons don't you know BTX is dead ? newegg offers 0 BTX mobos (out of ~600 mobos they sell), 3 microBTX boards (2 of which have no user ratings, one has a single review). newegg offers no full BTX cases, 11 MicroBTX cases out of 831 cases they sell. Many case manufacturers (like cooler master) are dropping BTX support altogether. Good riddence

no need to call people morons that just gets tempers flared.

I don't know much about BTX but if it has been around this long and not widely adopted as the standard well I doubt it'll catch on.

 

[aka1nas]

The major reason it will probably die is that it places the RAM further away from the CPU which makes more difficult from an engineering standpoint to design a BTX motherboard for CPUs with an integrated memory controller as the trace length is increased. This is why there are so few BTX boards for AMD CPUs (I know MSI managed to make one), and at some point, Intel will likely migrate to an integrated mem controller as well.

 

[Remedy]

Originally posted by: aka1nas
The major reason it will probably die is that it places the RAM further away from the CPU which makes more difficult from an engineering standpoint to design a BTX motherboard for CPUs with an integrated memory controller as the trace length is increased. This is why there are so few BTX boards for AMD CPUs (I know MSI managed to make one), and at some point, Intel will likely migrate to an integrated mem controller as well.

Not sure where you get your information from. But, that has to be the most inaccurate post about BTX I've seen.

 

[hans007]

btx systems are actually 25% of shipped systems now. HP's corporate line is going to btx, all of gateways systems including AMD systems are btx, dell is almost fully btx as well.


btx is going to stay.

foxconn has a btx amd board. its in all the gateway machines.

 

[us3rnotfound]

btx doesn't make sense with current procs. for the Pentium D yeah it makes more sense, but still is moving in the wrong direction design wise IMO.