regular ATX,micro ATX,mini ATX, which got best price/performance ratio?
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Motherboards
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crag
September 17, 2014 1:12:58 PM
So.Got an issue if you can call it so.Decided to get case,motherboard,CPU,some cooling,anyway ive been using micro ATX currently but the case got a bit tight and my..low end motherboard has some issues handling all stuff err.. you know.my case lacks width (currently 18cm width) so err been blown away by the huge selection of cases online so yea.. havin issues to pick out.
standard ATX PCs seem quite large and heavy,though they got the toughness and width I so desire atm
ain't know how mini and micro ATX cases and motherboards differ but both cases and motherboards look quite a chunk cheaper( looking to save so yea important for me) also lighter to carry,takes up less space but eh, most of them just arent wide enough and got useless.. probably things to hold drives in the front which only take up a lot of space and still stays empty,while the part of case not taken up by those driver bays are so crowded its hard to pick wires in and out etc or to remove/insert parts, also its extremely uncomfortable for wires which gotta turn like 90 degrees sometimes and anyway most of the wires are touching each other and the parts etc.
Anyway what I'm looking for: Inexpensive (10-60$) case with 20-30cm width,as minimal as possible drive bays, 1 would be perfect but iant think anyone makes those,but then id wish that at least HALF of the front of the case interior (where bays are located) would be empty, doesn't matter in top or in bottom,also I want the case to have no LED fans.
As for motherboard, depending on the case if its ATX,micro ATX or mini ATX motherboard should be picked, also I would like to know can a mini ATX or micro ATX motherboard handle powerful CPU( FX line ) and moderately powerful GPU( GTX line ) just as good as ATX motherboard?
standard ATX PCs seem quite large and heavy,though they got the toughness and width I so desire atm
ain't know how mini and micro ATX cases and motherboards differ but both cases and motherboards look quite a chunk cheaper( looking to save so yea important for me) also lighter to carry,takes up less space but eh, most of them just arent wide enough and got useless.. probably things to hold drives in the front which only take up a lot of space and still stays empty,while the part of case not taken up by those driver bays are so crowded its hard to pick wires in and out etc or to remove/insert parts, also its extremely uncomfortable for wires which gotta turn like 90 degrees sometimes and anyway most of the wires are touching each other and the parts etc.
Anyway what I'm looking for: Inexpensive (10-60$) case with 20-30cm width,as minimal as possible drive bays, 1 would be perfect but iant think anyone makes those,but then id wish that at least HALF of the front of the case interior (where bays are located) would be empty, doesn't matter in top or in bottom,also I want the case to have no LED fans.
As for motherboard, depending on the case if its ATX,micro ATX or mini ATX motherboard should be picked, also I would like to know can a mini ATX or micro ATX motherboard handle powerful CPU( FX line ) and moderately powerful GPU( GTX line ) just as good as ATX motherboard?
More about : regular atx micro atx mini atx price performance ratio
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Reply to crag
use PCPartpicker.com to list cases by their dimensions - it might help you to find one that suits your needs.
I made one build with a mini-ITX board in a Bitfenix Prodigy. THat worked well, it had space for cards, etc and was remarkably roomy.
I've got my eye on the Silverstome Temjin for a build, just waiting for the right customer.
I made one build with a mini-ITX board in a Bitfenix Prodigy. THat worked well, it had space for cards, etc and was remarkably roomy.
I've got my eye on the Silverstome Temjin for a build, just waiting for the right customer.
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Reply to Karsten75
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crag
September 17, 2014 1:25:35 PM
uhm yea aint wanna be rude but you didnt answered a single question of mine, are mini and micro ATX boards just as good for high end/gaming PCs as ATX? are cases which can carry mini or micro ATX cases made wide enough? do manufacturers make cases with as few driver bays as possible? (my current case in front of the interior got whole metal bar,when I open it its such a pain in ass to plug off some wires what I accidently screwed my motherboard so aint wanna cases like that anymore,want one which allows for easy acess to hands etc ye know, all I want is a square metal box with room to mount a motherboard and quite wide kind of box, aint need any extra features or anything, just a BASIC BOX
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Best solution
XtremeAero426
September 17, 2014 1:25:44 PM
crag said:
So.Got an issue if you can call it so.Decided to get case,motherboard,CPU,some cooling,anyway ive been using micro ATX currently but the case got a bit tight and my..low end motherboard has some issues handling all stuff err.. you know.my case lacks width (currently 18cm width) so err been blown away by the huge selection of cases online so yea.. havin issues to pick out.standard ATX PCs seem quite large and heavy,though they got the toughness and width I so desire atm
ain't know how mini and micro ATX cases and motherboards differ but both cases and motherboards look quite a chunk cheaper( looking to save so yea important for me) also lighter to carry,takes up less space but eh, most of them just arent wide enough and got useless.. probably things to hold drives in the front which only take up a lot of space and still stays empty,while the part of case not taken up by those driver bays are so crowded its hard to pick wires in and out etc or to remove/insert arts, also its extremely uncomfortable for wires which gotta turn like 90 degrees sometimes and anyway most of the wires are touching eachother and the parts etc.
Anyway what im looking for: Inexpensive (10-60$) case with 20-30cm width,as minimal as possible driver bays, 1 would be perfect ubt iant think anyone makes those,but then id wish that alteast HALF of the front of the case interior (where bays are located) would be empty,doesnt matter in top or in bottom,also I want the case to have no LED fans.
As for motherboard, depending on the case if its ATX,micro ATX or mini ATX motherboard should be picked, also I would like to know can a mini ATX or micro ATX motherboard handle powerful CPU( FX line ) and moderately powerful GPU( GTX line ) just as good as ATX motherboard?
Micro ATX is for when you want to get a smaller form factor but not sacrifice performance while ATX is the best price/performance ratio and Mini ATX is for when you want an extremely small form factor.
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Reply to XtremeAero426
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crag
September 17, 2014 1:27:08 PM
Since it's mini-ITX, yes, it's smaller and has less features capabilities than micro-ATX. in terms of capability, ATX has the most, then micro-ATX, then mini-ITX,
Many midsize cases will house a combination of the various form factors.
Again, if you want a case based on size, I suggest you use PCPartPicker.com to select cases by dimension.
Many midsize cases will house a combination of the various form factors.
Again, if you want a case based on size, I suggest you use PCPartPicker.com to select cases by dimension.
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Reply to Karsten75
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ATX > MicroATX > MiniITX. There is no "mini ATX."
You might want to look at some Lian Li models. Some of their miniITX cases have no front drive bays.
As long as you won't ever want more than one graphics card, a perfectly competent gamer can be built in a miniITX case. Heat can be a problem in those small cases though, so make sure ventilation (often limited) is good. You might like something like http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
You might want to look at some Lian Li models. Some of their miniITX cases have no front drive bays.
As long as you won't ever want more than one graphics card, a perfectly competent gamer can be built in a miniITX case. Heat can be a problem in those small cases though, so make sure ventilation (often limited) is good. You might like something like http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
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Reply to Onus
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crag
September 17, 2014 1:40:18 PM
Onus said:
ATX > MicroATX > MiniITX. There is no "mini ATX."You might want to look at some Lian Li models. Some of their miniITX cases have no front drive bays.
As long as you won't ever want more than one graphics card, a perfectly competent gamer can be built in a miniITX case. Heat can be a problem in those small cases though, so make sure ventilation (often limited) is good. You might like something like http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
there is mini ATX http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_ATX
Also for as much feedback i received so far and what google tossed me out about micro ATX it seems like the best choice,but then again,ATX offers more space for wires,fans and etc.
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crag
September 17, 2014 1:42:50 PM
We didn't say the form factor did not exist. That was mainly done by A-Open (as per wikipedia) and I doubt you will find one of those (or a case) in the regular retail market. There are many, many form factors, but for the purposes of gaming/general use PC build, there are only ATX, micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX with maybe a smattering of other form factors in HTPC and NAS boxes.
Workstations and servers also have some different form factors.
Edit to fix a very confusing typo.
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Reply to Karsten75
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^I think you meant only ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX. There are indeed a few rare and/or proprietary and/or obsolete form factors, like BTX and AT, which don't seem relevant either.
Crag, my "Phoenix" build is a micro-ATX, in a quiet Fractal Design Arc Mini. I use a Xigmatek Gaia to cool it, which is 120mm. There are cheaper options available.
There are NO 900-series chipset boards though that are smaller than ATX. If you want to build an AMD AM3+ rig though, you'll be limited to ATX unless you are willing to accept an older chipset and weaker VRMs that will not be good for overclocking. Modern USB3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s interfaces, if present, will be provided by slower third-party controllers.
This problem goes away if you build an Intel system, for which many competent micro-ATX and mini-ITX boards are available.
Crag, my "Phoenix" build is a micro-ATX, in a quiet Fractal Design Arc Mini. I use a Xigmatek Gaia to cool it, which is 120mm. There are cheaper options available.
There are NO 900-series chipset boards though that are smaller than ATX. If you want to build an AMD AM3+ rig though, you'll be limited to ATX unless you are willing to accept an older chipset and weaker VRMs that will not be good for overclocking. Modern USB3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s interfaces, if present, will be provided by slower third-party controllers.
This problem goes away if you build an Intel system, for which many competent micro-ATX and mini-ITX boards are available.
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Reply to Onus
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Onus said:
^I think you meant only ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX. There are indeed a few rare and/or proprietary and/or obsolete form factors, like BTX and AT, which don't seem relevant either.Crag, my "Phoenix" build is a micro-ATX, in a quiet Fractal Design Arc Mini. I use a Xigmatek Gaia to cool it, which is 120mm. There are cheaper options available.
There are NO 900-series chipset boards though that are smaller than ATX. If you want to build an AMD AM3+ rig though, you'll be limited to ATX unless you are willing to accept an older chipset and weaker VRMs that will not be good for overclocking. Modern USB3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s interfaces, if present, will be provided by slower third-party controllers.
This problem goes away if you build an Intel system, for which many competent micro-ATX and mini-ITX boards are available.
Talk about an unfortunate typo. I fixed my previous post. Thanks.
And a superb summary, BTW. Nice answer.
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Reply to Karsten75
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crag
September 17, 2014 2:01:57 PM
Onus said:
^I think you meant only ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX. There are indeed a few rare and/or proprietary and/or obsolete form factors, like BTX and AT, which don't seem relevant either.Crag, my "Phoenix" build is a micro-ATX, in a quiet Fractal Design Arc Mini. I use a Xigmatek Gaia to cool it, which is 120mm. There are cheaper options available.
There are NO 900-series chipset boards though that are smaller than ATX. If you want to build an AMD AM3+ rig though, you'll be limited to ATX unless you are willing to accept an older chipset and weaker VRMs that will not be good for overclocking. Modern USB3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s interfaces, if present, will be provided by slower third-party controllers.
This problem goes away if you build an Intel system, for which many competent micro-ATX and mini-ITX boards are available.
oh snap so if im going AMD im limited to large'n bulky ATX? i found some AM3+ and FM2+ micro ATX boards, yea I can see significant disadvantages in comparison to ATX, twice slower SATA interface, some got P4 instead of EPS12V,not supporting fast memory etc..
But do I have a choice? intel chips are pricy, as 85% of worlds population I just cant afford em,moreover AMD went under some more price cuts lately which make their already affordable chips even more tempting cmon..
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Reply to crag
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Well, an i3 with a stock cooler will likely be cheaper than a FX-6300 with an aftermarket cooler. You can also use a B85, H81, or H87 motherboard, which is likely cheaper than a decent overclocking AM3+ board.
If your needs are not for the absolutely fastest system you can build, you can consider the FM2+ platform as well. There are plenty of decent micro-ATX motherboards for this socket.
If your needs are not for the absolutely fastest system you can build, you can consider the FM2+ platform as well. There are plenty of decent micro-ATX motherboards for this socket.
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Reply to Onus
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crag
September 18, 2014 10:27:23 AM
FM2+ seems tempting ,though it would have hard time handling tasks I toss at it, btw here intel chips are approximately 40-50% more expensive than in US for example while AMD chips only like 10-20% more expensive ,so the price margin looks even more obvious,also i would never consider i3,long story.. it is extremely unpopular in most of the world due awful price/performance ratio,carrying only measly 2 cores,just like cheapest CPUs,inabillity to handle multitasking and issues with over half of 2010-2014 made games. FX offers bang for the buck, as for intel models,well I agree i5s are great but out of reach for me man, if i could afford i'd get it, but even if buying more expensive MB,case,aftermarket cooler FX still turns out to be quite a bit cheaper.from pentiums,we all know G3258 ,it's performance when OC'ed is comparable to top i3s while it costs 2 and a half times less so yeah.
Heard complains from friends about some people trying to push i3 cores for people looking for new processor,yet I decided to post here because these forums offer fast response from experienced people,but i think you should stop offering people i3s, ofcourse i know after this comment i will be bomarded by angry i3 retailers and moderators.moderators and their backbones always say i3 is excellent for anything.
Heard complains from friends about some people trying to push i3 cores for people looking for new processor,yet I decided to post here because these forums offer fast response from experienced people,but i think you should stop offering people i3s, ofcourse i know after this comment i will be bomarded by angry i3 retailers and moderators.moderators and their backbones always say i3 is excellent for anything.
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Reply to crag
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Well, good luck with your endeavors. I think you have now closed the door on a lot of potential help and advice. There's no point in trying to change so many preconceived and incorrect notions all at the same time. I'm for sure not going to try and I'm unsubscribing from this thread so I won't be bothered by it anymore.
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Reply to Karsten75
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All I will say about the i3 is to check benchmarks, whether in CPU charts around the web, or in specific game reviews. Most of the time, the i3 does quite a bit better than you seem to believe. That said, in heavily threaded titles or when multitasking, I'd probably choose the FX-6300 myself. What complicates your choice is your preference for a smaller size. There are no micro-ATX AM3+ boards I could recommend with a clear conscience, due to the older/slower controllers and VRM issues.
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Reply to Onus
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crag
September 18, 2014 10:47:39 AM
Onus said:
All I will say about the i3 is to check benchmarks, whether in CPU charts around the web, or in specific game reviews. Most of the time, the i3 does quite a bit better than you seem to believe. That said, in heavily threaded titles or when multitasking, I'd probably choose the FX-6300 myself. What complicates your choice is your preference for a smaller size. There are no micro-ATX AM3+ boards I could recommend with a clear conscience, due to the older/slower controllers and VRM issues.oh sorry man,didnt knew you had that in mind *facepalm* so you suggessted i3 just because there weren't viable AM3+ micro ATX options..yeah im really sorry was close to personally attacking you.. i get really furious when people offer me crap,but yeah I guess it made sense for you to suggest i3, because they dont require cooler,got lower TDP and most importantly, manufacturers make decent micro ATX boards for intel.. Excuse me man, yeah i3's aren't hopeless but as I said out of currently existing families they got the worst price/performance ratio,besides I am using one currently,can't say much nice words about it,sure ofcourse your argument would follow that 4th gen significantly improved em over 3rd and so on.. really wont hook on that, I believe they're just not suited for gaming and multitasking,they're more for browsing, working with basic programs,light gaming,tossing out cash,getting scammed.
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