Mini ITX board choices are blooming

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taisingera

taisingera

Golden Member
Dec 27, 2005
1,141
35
91
I can see miniITX cases being cheap because there is less material. PSUs should be cheaper since they are usually lower wattage. But I think mobos will always be fairly high because they need to jam a lot of components onto 6.7 sq in.
 
cbn

cbn

Lifer
Mar 27, 2009
12,968
221
106
taisingera said:
I can see miniITX cases being cheap because there is less material. PSUs should be cheaper since they are usually lower wattage. But I think mobos will always be fairly high because they need to jam a lot of components onto 6.7 sq in.
Click to expand...

But how many components do these mini-itx boards really need? Maybe I am missing something because I am such a lightweight user of computer hardware?

For example with magnetic drives at 2TB (and only getting larger as time goes on) how many SATA ports does a mini-itx board really need?

Maybe three right? Optical drive, SSD and large Magnetic drive......or maybe optical drive and two magnetic drives?

What other components am I missing? Please inform me because this area of computing really does catch my interest.

As far as budget gaming goes I do admit some of this probably depends on how development of monitors (or even projectors) progress. The resolution available as far the viewing area goes will definitely requirements at the hardware level.

Anyway..... I still have high hopes for PC games because I believe the content is potentially better in this venue. Or at least the content seems targeted at a more mature buyer. Things like also being able to mod games makes a good entry point for creative minds. Unfortunately these things are not possible with consoles.
 
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taisingera

taisingera

Golden Member
Dec 27, 2005
1,141
35
91
Take a look at the H57 mini itx coming out next year.
http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3648&p=3

With the northbridge now on the cpu, it saves some space, but they still have to put capacitors that take up space. I'm surprised no one ever came out with a smaller power connector to the mobo. I would consider mini itx, but I have 8GB RAM so I would like to see 4 RAM slots on mini itx, but I don't think it will happen.
 
I

IlllI

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2002
4,927
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81
the q07 was under 100. they were clearing them out for about 50 recently, but it lacks the vents of the q08 and is a little narrower
 
A

Ayah

Platinum Member
Jan 1, 2006
2,512
1
81
I really wish there was a board out that had dual Intel gigabit LAN with decent CPU-power.
Or at least I can't find any.

Also, DFI has a P55 mini-itx board that I noticed wasn't in the first post.
 
Zap

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
7
81
Ayah said:
I really wish there was a board out that had dual Intel gigabit LAN with decent CPU-power.
Or at least I can't find any.

Also, DFI has a P55 mini-itx board that I noticed wasn't in the first post.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the thread was created over a year ago, back when mini ITX wasn't as common beyond embedded solutions.

As for boards with Intel gigabit LAN... how much money you got? :sneaky:

Gigabyte GA-6KIEH-RH Core 2 Duo Mobile Mini-ITX Mainboard $215
1 Intel 82566DC 10/100/1000
1 Intel 82573L GbE 10/100/1000

MSI Industrial GME965 Core 2 Duo Mobile Mini-ITX Mainboard $239
1 Intel 82566DC 10/100/1000
1 Intel 82573L 10/100/1000

MSI Industrial IM-GM45 Core 2 Duo Mobile Mini-ITX Mainboard $269
1 Intel 82567LM 10/100/1000
1 Intel 82574L 10/100/1000

Quanmax Industrial KEMX-4032 Core 2 Duo Mini-ITX Mainboard $269
2 Intel 82574 10/100/1000
1 Intel 82567 10/100/1000

Quanmax Industrial KEMX-4030 Core 2 Duo Mini-ITX Mainboard $299
2 Intel 82574 10/100/1000
1 Intel 82567 10/100/1000

Yeah, those last two boards have THREE Intel gigabit LAN. All these boards take socket P mobile chips (Core 2 Duo. The cheapest two take only older chips up to 800MHz FSB while the rest of them presumably can take up to a 3.06GHz chip, basically around as fast as an E8400.
 
S

Steeeeve

Member
May 1, 2006
88
0
0
IlllI said:
SilverStone SG07 http://sffclub.com/site2/index.php?...article&id=50:ces2010sg07&catid=1:latest-news

looks like a sg05 with different bezel but maybe could have the new 450w psu http://sffclub.com/site2/index.php?...article&id=49:new-st45sf-&catid=1:latest-news
Click to expand...

These links are broken now. Just got to www.SFFClub.com The "site2" was because I was converting the old site to the new site. I'm also working on getting some forums up.

I should have more information on the SG07 shortly...probably around CES 2010 if not a little before. The 450w PSU should be out in January.

Don't forgot the new DFI motherboard for mini-itx. From what I can tell it is pretty nice although I don't have mine yet :) There also isn't much competition.
 
Zap

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
7
81
Steeeeve said:
Don't forgot the new DFI motherboard for mini-itx. From what I can tell it is pretty nice although I don't have mine yet :)
Click to expand...

You're slow! I've had mine since right before Christmas...



though I have yet to take it out of the anti static bag. :hmm:
 
2

21stHermit

Senior member
Dec 16, 2003
927
1
81
Zap said:
As for boards with Intel gigabit LAN... how much money you got? :sneaky:
Click to expand...
That pretty much nails the mini-ITX scenario. Everything mini-ITX (MB, PS, Case) is more expensive than microATX. Then if you want to OC or undervolt the CPU, often the circuitry/BIOS does not exist. Bit discouraging. :(

I was hoping to do my Clarkdale build on mini-ITX, now looking like microATX.
 
Zap

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
7
81
21stHermit said:
That pretty much nails the mini-ITX scenario... if you want to OC or undervolt the CPU, often the circuitry/BIOS does not exist. Bit discouraging. :(

I was hoping to do my Clarkdale build on mini-ITX, now looking like microATX.
Click to expand...

Hey, micro ATX used to be that way. I was bemoaning the lack of decent micro ATX motherboards here back in 2002. How long did it take to get decent enthusiast-level micro ATX boards (that weren't from Biostar)?

Mini ITX is just beginning to get popular. Two years ago you could pretty much only get VIA or mobile Intel boards, and places like Newegg had nothing so you had to find specialty shops. I think it started around when Intel released their first Atom ITX board that Newegg started really carrying stuff, and now look at how many different cases they have (okay, only 6 chassis styles offered as 60 different brands/colors :p ). How many different motherboards, including ones using regular desktop CPUs?

I'll be checking out my DFI ITX board hopefully this weekend, and will find out if it can undervolt. I do know that it can overvolt/overclock. :D
 
2

21stHermit

Senior member
Dec 16, 2003
927
1
81
Zap said:
I'll be checking out my DFI ITX board hopefully this weekend, and will find out if it can undervolt. I do know that it can overvolt/overclock. :D
Click to expand...
Excellent, I'll be watching this thread.

Would you hookup your Kill-A-Watt and post some idle and load power numbers?

Thanks
 
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Zap

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
7
81
21stHermit said:
Would you hookup your Kill-A-Watt and post some idle and load power numbers?
Click to expand...

Just got around to poking into the BIOS so don't have Windows installed, but I would assume that it would draw as much power as any other P55 setup at similar clocks.

So, the bad news is that it does not allow undervolting of the CPU.

It does allow undervolting of the RAM, though. I guess you can take advantage of those new low voltage DDR3 kits.

ScavengerLX said:
I'm going to say late 2008 when DFI released he LanParty Jr P45-T2RS.
Click to expand...

Well, I guess it depends on your definition of an enthusiast board, but that DFI LanParty Jr certainly fits the bill.

If it means no onboard video, then around 2002-2004 I know of an AOpen micro ATX 845D chipset board for Pentium 4 and a Chaintech Nforce 2 Ultra chipset board for Athlon XP. Yes, I owned both boards (in-laws still have the AOpen and use it to this day).

If it means allowing voltage boosts to memory/CPU, then Biostar had it around 2004 with an Nforce 2 IGP micro ATX board that "officially" supported 400MHz FSB.

If it means allowing 1MHz increments in FSB adjustments... don't even remember when I started seeing that, but Asus had them in socket 478 micro ATX boards. So did MSI, but my particular board was unstable with even a single MHz adjustment. :hmm:

If it means all three... yeah, that DFI LanParty Jr P45 may have been it. And since then, we've had four X58 chipset boards and now seemingly endless P55 chipset boards that are micro ATX without onboard video and with voltage adjustments.

And now, we have the DFI mini ITX P55 chipset board. :awe: It has so many adjustments that I don't even know what to do beyond the basics, LOL.

I do have one thing to add at this time for that DFI mini ITX board. It can't seem to run my memory at 1600MHz (G.Skill RipJaws 1600 9-9-9-24 1.5v). Haven't tried more voltage, but it does work at 1333. I've gotten a different set working at advertised speeds on another (ATX) P55 chipset board. Enabling XMP just causes it to not POST, and manually setting it results in locking on POST. Oh yeah, and I haven't found the setting to disable the POST full-screen logo.
 
ScavengerLX

ScavengerLX

Member
Dec 12, 2009
41
0
0
Zap said:
I do have one thing to add at this time for that DFI mini ITX board. It can't seem to run my memory at 1600MHz...
Click to expand...

I'm running 2x2gb of A-Data RAM at 1600MHz on that board. All I had to do was set the voltage and it worked like a champ. This RAM even booted to windows at 1900MHz :eek:

A-Data RAM

Also, what case did you put your DFI P555 board in, Zap?
 
Zap

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
7
81
ScavengerLX said:
I'm running 2x2gb of A-Data RAM at 1600MHz on that board. All I had to do was set the voltage and it worked like a champ.
...
Also, what case did you put your DFI P555 board in, Zap?
Click to expand...

Hmmm, maybe I'll try my other kit.

I currently own FOUR mini ITX boards and ZERO mini ITX cases. :$

I'm hoping to build my own out of aluminum.
 
ItsAlive

ItsAlive

Golden Member
Oct 7, 2005
1,147
9
81
Zap said:
Hmmm, maybe I'll try my other kit.

I currently own FOUR mini ITX boards and ZERO mini ITX cases. :$

I'm hoping to build my own out of aluminum.
Click to expand...

I have the zotac 9300 board and thought about grabbing one of these watch cases to build a case out of for it. Seems pretty nice looking and has a lock and key. I think the size is just perfect for the board to fit and mount the HDD and Optical drive in the top portion. I'd want to fashion a handle on it somehow for portablity.

http://www.buywatchwinders.com/heiden-black-watch-box-watches-p-153.html
 
Zap

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
7
81
21stHermit said:
Why not use your ATX and mATX cases, I'm told they'll fit.
Click to expand...

Considering...

This past weekend I tried my hand at making my first mini ITX case. Here are my results. :(

So, back on topic... Zotac is coming out with more small mobos. Bet nobody saw that one coming!

H55-ITX WiFi
mini ITX
H55 chipset for socket 1156
PCIe x16 slot
onboard wireless N
SIX SATA PORTS! This sets a new record for mini ITX boards, methinks!
eSATA, gigabit ethernet, etc.

NM10-DTX WiFi
DTX - okay, one slot bigger than mini ITX, but should fit the Silverstone case, right?
Atom D510 dual core (Pineview?)
wireless N, gigabit ethernet, optical/coax SPDIF
PCIe x16, PCIe x1 (can hold a graphics card and a TV tuner?)
 
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