Small small small.....want to build the smallest PC possible...

[Fun Guy]

Looking for a mini-ITX-type board or smaller, and a SFF case that uses a 2.5" notebook HDD, and slim notebook optical drive. Who knows where I can find a case that fits the bill?

 

[Ticky]

Mini-itx.com

 

[SwiftWind]

If you really want a small computer look up plug computer...

 

[Meaker10]

Or get a notebook lol.

 

[pontifex]

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2216264

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Looking for a mini-ITX-type board or smaller, and a SFF case that uses a 2.5" notebook HDD, and slim notebook optical drive. Who knows where I can find a case that fits the bill?

Newegg and look for it. Google itxgamer and there's a forum that specialize in this

 

[Fun Guy]

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2216264

Yeah, I saw that - pretty trippy. But I was asking for a case with certain specs...

 

[Zap]

Looking for a mini-ITX-type board or smaller, and a SFF case that uses a 2.5" notebook HDD, and slim notebook optical drive. Who knows where I can find a case that fits the bill?

If you need the optical drive, it won't be super small.

Antec ISK 300 or 310 are reasonably small and built like tanks. They are available with 65W-150W PSUs, and can take higher end parts while still being quiet. Supports two 2.5" drives plus one slim optical drive. The two models just have different face plates. I have an ISK 300-150 sitting around looking for a purpose.

Habey EMC-800 look kind of Mac Mini-ish. I've heard ventilation wasn't that great.

In Win BQ656 is inexpensive and pretty small at 7.60" x 3.00" x 8.90" for supporting a slim optical drive + one 2.5" drive. There isn't much clearance for CPU heatsink and the PSU uses some tiny fan so it probably won't be too quiet. It comes with a VESA mount that doubles as a stand, so you can run it as a desktop, tower or piggybacked on the monitor. I have one of these sitting around looking for a purpose.

 

[Fun Guy]

If you need the optical drive, it won't be super small.

Alright, then kill that idea. I can always hook up an optical with USB when I need to install something. The reason I said I needed one is because of my memory of needing an optical before there was USB and having to take apart the machine to plug into the IDE port.

So, how about a case with the above specs, but no need for optical??

 

[zCypher]

Check the one that was suggested to me in my thread...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...&SID=u00000687

Dimensions
7.48" x 5.32" x 0.98"

Weight
0.99 lbs.

Small as hell.

 

[illram]

If moneys is no object, SPCR reviewed this case, which looks pretty cool and has what you're looking for (it does have a slim loading optical drive and space for a 2.5" HDD):

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1201-page1.html

 

[unokitty]

For cases, I'm partial to the M350. See:
http://www.logicsupply.com/products/m350

However, since the M350 doesn't have room for an optical drive, you would have to go with an external unit.

For my last build I went with a Casetronic product that had room for a slot drive DVD.
http://www.casetronic.com/product_d.php?id=0000000060

And while it is a fine case, I'll be going back to the M350 for my next build.

I'm also looking at an Intel "thin" mini itx board for my next build. You might want to consider it:
http://www.intel.com/Products/Desktop/Motherboards/db-dh61ag/DH61AG-overview.htm

Best of luck with your build.
Uno

 

[GoStumpy]

If moneys is no object, SPCR reviewed this case, which looks pretty cool and has what you're looking for (it does have a slim loading optical drive and space for a 2.5" HDD):

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1201-page1.html

^ THIS!

Actually not a "Money no object" case at all! Quite reasonable if you're going for a quiet small PC, it's in a class of it's own... And it comes with a CPU cooler, so knock $35 off the price for shiggles

I thought it came with a PSU, though?

 

[Meaker10]

X120E Thinkpad?

 

[Chapbass]

I know this is a full PC not a case, but we've had great luck with these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...042&Tpk=de2700

Not the fastest, but at 6x6x2, pretty darn small and looks nice too. Also, completely silent!

 

[PingSpike]

I bought my first laptop awhile back knowing I'd never really make much use of it. And I didn't. I spend all my time on my main rig.

Sometimes I wonder if a decent gaming rig could be built into a mitx case though. A sort of portable full power rig. The trouble is itx cases are often half height and the best video cards require two slots whereas ITX has one. I haven't really seen any great compromise cases and matx ones seem to large. I saw a cool mitx case that contained a right angle riser to deal with the video card placement. I'd imagine it'd all run way to hot anyway.

I saw a cool case the other

 

[Meaker10]

Is the answer

 

[illram]

I bought my first laptop awhile back knowing I'd never really make much use of it. And I didn't. I spend all my time on my main rig.

Sometimes I wonder if a decent gaming rig could be built into a mitx case though. A sort of portable full power rig. The trouble is itx cases are often half height and the best video cards require two slots whereas ITX has one. I haven't really seen any great compromise cases and matx ones seem to large. I saw a cool mitx case that contained a right angle riser to deal with the video card placement. I'd imagine it'd all run way to hot anyway.

I saw a cool case the other

You can fit a pretty good single card based gaming rig in one of the Sugo series, or a Lian Li Q11 or Q8.

 

[Zap]

Sometimes I wonder if a decent gaming rig could be built into a mitx case though.

Silverstone Sugo SG05-450 can do it. You can run a GeForce GTX 560Ti in it (Radeon 6950 won't fit) along with a Core i7-2700K with 16GB RAM, a 512GB SSD and 3TB HDD. What more do you need? About the only limitation is overclocking, but that's a fault of the available motherboards.

Here's a pic I found sitting next to a Silverstone Temjin TJ07 or something.

from this thread

Here are some pics of the SG05 next to a Lian Li PC-Q08. As you can see, the SG05 is much smaller. However, the PC-Q08 can hold more drives, ATX PSU and a larger graphics card.

from this thread

 

[lemmo]

I think the Thin Mini-ITX boards are the way forward, and there are more around than you might think. Intel are taking the lead, but some of the OEM boards for All-In-One systems may make it to the retail stream or via eBay.

I listed a few of the options at this Silent PC Review thread on the Intel DH61AG board, which has good reviews. Would be interested in more info on the other options...

 

[dawza]

Short of the plug computers and comparable devices, you're looking at Pico-ITX for the smallest, readily available form factor that still resembles a typical PC.

The Via Artigo 1100 (and soon to be released 1150) are:

5.7" x 3.9" x 2.0"

You'll pay way too much for the degree of performance. The first (1000A; http://www.silentpcreview.com/via-artigo) was based on the C7 (1GHz, single core) and reviews complained about noise levels and performance.

The next (current) revision (A1100) swapped the C7 out for a Nano 1.2GHz single core. Reviews complained about heat, since it seems Via ramped the fan down at the cost of making the system toasty. It remains to be seen if the dual-core A1150 improves performance and reduces heat output enough to be tolerable. The current sheet does not inspire confidence with respect to power/heat output (similar power draw specs vs. A1100), so we'll have to see about performance.

http://www.e-itx.com/artigo-a1150.html

The first-gen C7 version was actually threaded for mounting into a 5.25 bay. Later revisions seem to be a bit smaller overall (but possibly 0.2" taller at 2.0" vs. 1.8"), but I don't see threading for 5.25 bay mounting. I'm sure a little creativity would still allow you to have a PC-within-a-PC.

There are fanless Pico-ITX Atom systems as well, but they are even pricier.

 

[biostud]

you can buy some from the asrock mini pc series, with mobile chips.

http://www.asrock.com/nettop/index.asp

 

[midwestfisherman]

MAC Mini

 

[corkyg]

I see all of the above as too big. The smallest personal computer today is a Smart Phone! Take your pick, . . . and good luck trying to build your own.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

I see all of the above as too big. The smallest personal computer today is a Smart Phone! Take your pick, . . . and good luck trying to build your own.

Haha its the truth OP