Best mini-ITX with an integrated PSU and 1x5.25" bay?

OK, I have used several mini-ITX cases with pico-PSUs: M350, Morex T3500, Antec ISK-300. They're all pretty good, but all require an external PSU.

Recently I build a Zotac gf9300 in an Apex MI-008 case. Although I'm very happy with MI-008's size, looking, and the external bays (1x5.25 plus 1x3.5), I found it is extremely annoying that its PSU is sitting right on top of the CPU. Not only it severely limits the size of heatsink you can use, it is also counter productive since the PSU fan is blowing in the direction opposite to the CPU fan.

As I said, I do like everything else about this Apex case. So I wonder if anyone can recommend a similar case that doesn't suffer this stupid PSU position problem. I imagine the same case equipped with a smaller ITX PSU will do much better. Unfortunately I don't believe you can directly replace the MI-008 PSU with ITX PSU, since the screw holes won't match.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Again, I'm only interested in a case of similar size and bays, and less than $100 including the PSU. Cases like Lian Li V350 and SUGO 5 are too big and too expensive for my purpose.

You've set the bar pretty high as most of the ITX cases that you've listed (and that I'm familiar with) feature the same design. You're either limited to using a picoPSU w/external adapter or using a larger case (Sugo SG-05) with a PSU right over the CPU to suck out hot air (and no 5-1/4" bay).

Is an external adapter really that much of a problem? If so, I think your only real choices are the Thermaltake Element Q (best size match for the Apex) or maybe the Morex Venus 668B.

LIAN LI PC-Q07???

That will still limit you but closest I can get to.

If you think about there is no where to put the PSU to begin with.

Inwin BP-655 has what you want...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...Win-_-11108189

I just built one using an AMD 9350e, 750GB HD, 5.25" HD-DVD ROM, and Zotac's 8200-based board. It's not the best looking case I've seen, but it's cheap and the build quality is good.

Originally Posted by PurduEE

Inwin BP-655 has what you want...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...Win-_-11108189

I just built one using an AMD 9350e, 750GB HD, 5.25" HD-DVD ROM, and Zotac's 8200-based board. It's not the best looking case I've seen, but it's cheap and the build quality is good.

Indeed, I was looking to this one too. I browsed through all the ITX cases in the Newegg, and I searched the web quite extensively. This case comes up as the closest thing I'd like. Another one came close is the Cooler Master Elite 100:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-211-_-Product

However, CM has one glaring stupid defect: its PSU completely blocks the expansion slot.

I still believe if Apex uses a standard ITX PSU in MI-008 then I'd have the perfect case. The ITX PSU is about 1" thinner, and would give much better clearance and air flow. I wonder whether the price was the major concern to Apex, since I see the cheapest ITX PUS at newegg is >$50, more than the $40 price of MI-008 case.

Originally Posted by ajira99

You've set the bar pretty high as most of the ITX cases that you've listed (and that I'm familiar with) feature the same design. You're either limited to using a picoPSU w/external adapter or using a larger case (Sugo SG-05) with a PSU right over the CPU to suck out hot air (and no 5-1/4" bay).

Is an external adapter really that much of a problem? If so, I think your only real choices are the Thermaltake Element Q (best size match for the Apex) or maybe the Morex Venus 668B.

As far as I can see, Thermaltake Element Q is pretty much identical to MI-008?

http://www.thermaltake.com/product_g...id=&parent_cp=

The Q seems to be a beautified MI-008. The Morex 668B is nice, but too big for my purpose.

I wonder whether I could mod the MI-008 with a backplate to mount properly a ITX PSU. It's kind of expensive, as the cheapest ITX PSU is more expensive than the whole MI-008 case, but might give me exactly what I want. The ITX PSU might be too long if I want to install a 5.25" drive in 008, but for a slim drive it should be fine.

Now, only if I know have to home-make a backplate cheap and easy...

Originally Posted by Steeeeve

LIAN LI PC-Q07???

That will still limit you but closest I can get to.

If you think about there is no where to put the PSU to begin with.

That's a cubic case, but somehow I'm more into the form factor of MI-008. For some reason the size and shape of MI-008 just look perfect to me for being a everyday office case... I know, we're talking about that the beauty is in the eyes of beholder..