• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

MicroATX questions

Rhezuss

Rhezuss

Diamond Member
Hi everyone,

My current computer still is on AGP, with ok hardware to do the job, which is mostly gaming and AutoCAD 2002.

My next upgrade (in several months) will surely be PCI-E and obviously for gaming and CAD. I was looking at MicroATX cases, for their sizes and partical general uses. It happens few times (3-4 times a year) that we do some LAN in a friends appartment. I'm looking at mATX for the fact that it is less painful to transport.

My question: Is microATX format poor, good or great for gaming and what about heat in those less spacious cases?

P.S.: I'm looking at the ASPIRE X-QPack case.
 
mATX works fine. I have one all you need is keep a ye on the cooling and make sure it's good. Ger a NV or ATI silencer with Direct Heat Exhaust Syatem to blow the hot air out of your case and yuo should be fine. expansion will be limited though if you need like 3 pci cards and 6 slots of ram.
 
As long as you dont plan on upgrading there is not that much space..
But if you do i'd recomend a shuttle they have outstanding cooling systems... (ICE)
 
They are fine, as long as you have good airflow. I have the Inwin V500T, and there's a hole in the side panel right over the cpu fan, so the air going to the cpu is 80% from out side the case. The psu has a 12cm fan which pushed the hot air directly out. And there's another hole in the panel where the agp/pci slots are. So if you angle your fans correctly, you should do as well as a regular atx case.
 
I second getting the ATI or NV Silencer. I've got a Antec Aria that I built when they first came out. Works well with the mods I've done(ATI Silencer, removing flow restricting mesh, and replacing the 120mm fan in the PSU with a Pabst) but some of the newer mATX cases are better. One thing I'd recommend is stay away from Shuttle and the other built in MB cases and get a slightly larger one like the Antec Aria or Silverstone SST-SG01 or Aspire Q-pack. If you have a Fry's or other great computer store near you Definitely go handle the cases your self.
 
I have an MSI K8NGM2-FID in an Aspire X-QPack. Running an A64 x2 +4800 and eVGA 7800GT. No issues. Runs fine, lasts a long time. I did replace the stock PSU with an Enermax Noisetaker.

Check out this thread for more info on the MSI mATX board.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top