thitzapeach

Distinguished
Mar 28, 2005
1
0
18,510
I want to build a new machine and am cosidering a Shuttle xpc SN25P. I live in FL and don't want to lug around another ATX when I have to evacuate. Don't need mobile computing so a notebook is over priced for me. Could I hear a few thoughts. My system that I am considering has a gig mem 160 hd dvd-rw. Should I consider a better cooling system, I don't need the fastest AMD chip (around $250 is what I had planned to spend for the CPU) I just don't want to upgrade for a while.
 

Crashman

Polypheme
Former Staff
You'll probably find the SFX cubes to be far too confining in the not-too-distant future. Nearly everyone I've spoken to who's had one for more than a year felt that way. You could get an easy-to-carry Micro ATX tower with a handle on top, they have some that are narrow enough that the CD-ROM has to be laid sideways. That's a lot narrower than a cube, so it won't bang against your leg when you carry it. And it wouldn't be heavier either. Certainly it would be taller, but not as tall as a full tower, as easy to carry as an overnight suitcase.

Look at the situation, a narrow Micro ATX tower will be:
1.) About the same weight as a cube
2.) Thinner than a cube, thus easier to carry by its handle.
3.) Offering more expandability than a cube with 2 more slots available
4.) Providing easy to find and upgrade parts, including the motherboard and power supply.

The major weight factors are the drives, and both the SFF and a Micro ATX thin tower use the same drives.

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