Best itx/matx case?

S

Sgt_Strider

Gawd
Joined
Oct 29, 2003
Messages
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I'm leaning on getting a mATX case just in case I might get a mATX board in the future, but iTX would be nice just because it's small. I'm planning to put in an Intel Core i5 750 and Gigabyte H55N-USB3. Right now this will be a user system, but over time I would like to use it as a server so the case should have the ability to accomodate multiple hard drives. The case that I have in mind right now is the Fractal Arc Mini even though it's a mATX case. One bad thing is that it's not a very small case despite being a mATX case. Like I said, I would like to have the flexibility so if I go with that case, then in the future I can always get an iTX case just for the i5 750 and the Gigabyte H55N-USB3. I don't mind going the itx case route if there is a good case out there. I thought of the Lian-Li Q08, but it didn't get very good reviews.

Suggestions?
 
I recently picked up the Arc Mini and I love it. Fit my 2x120 radiator without mods and was great for cable management and ease of assembly. However it is pretty big and about the same length and width of most MidATX cases.
 
I've recently been shopping around for mini-itx cases (darn my stupidity, for not picking one up on Black Friday, when there were some good deals!!), and would suggest you lean more toward the larger itx cases, or a micro-atx case.

The core i5 cpu is going to need a pretty decent power supply unit to keep it happy. Smaller itx cases oftentimes come with pretty small PSU's, both in size and capability. Pico-PSU's aren't going to give you much oomph (if you know what I mean), since they're limited in their output. Even a micro-atx PSU (which some itx cases take) is sitting in the 250w-300w range (stock), though you can put in an aftermarket unit that might take you up to 450w (not sure if they go any higher).

Lian-Li makes an itx tower that takes a full size PSU, you might check that one out. Put a decent sized 80+ PSU in there, and you should be set.

However, the problem you're still going to have, with any itx case, is going to be the lack of hard drive bays. Even with the Li-Li PC-Q11 case, you might get lucky and get 3 hard drives in there, but you're also going to increase your heat load inside the case, and make it tougher to keep cool.

Thus, why you might do better to look at micro-ATX cases. :cool:
 
Been searching for an ITX case myself. Since you are fine with the Fractal which approaches the size of some ATX cases you might just want to forget ITX. Most "real" ITX cases can hardly fit anything besides a slim OD and a mobile HD. The PSU of such cases also look extremely suspect while pico PSU might not meet your power draw needs. And we are not even on the main design flaw of such cases and that is they leave very little clearance for a proper cooler.
 
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