Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in
Your question
Closed

DTX Lives! Four Double-Slot Cases For ITX Gaming Machines

Tags:
  • Gaming
  • Cases
  • Support
Last response: in Reviews comments
Share
March 16, 2011 5:00:03 AM

The ITX form factor is great for space-saving portability. But gamers still need that extra expansion slot to support a high-end graphics card. We compare four compact cases that support double-slot cards on a tiny single-slot motherboard.

DTX Lives! Four Double-Slot Cases For ITX Gaming Machines : Read more

More about : dtx lives double slot cases itx gaming machines

a b 4 Gaming
March 16, 2011 5:35:21 AM

the silverstone sg06b is the only one that looks any good (not great though). the rest are just plain ugly.
Score
-4
March 16, 2011 5:39:49 AM

iam2thecrowethe silverstone sg06b is the only one that looks any good (not great though). the rest are just plain ugly.

Opinion = Fact?

Anyway, I actually like Cubitek's case. Sure, it looks like it would be a pain to make changes to when doing upgrades or whatnot, but nothing is perfect. If it had a handle on top or something, Id probably use it for LAN parties and the such.
Score
0
March 16, 2011 6:36:54 AM

hmp_goosePst: Guys! Ya' flip the plexglass vent on the SG07! http://www.maximumpc.com/article/h [...] c?page=0,1
Thanks! But if you're building a new system...better still, use a single-fan GPU cooler and the foam air guide! Imagine this beast with a GTX 580!
Score
0
March 16, 2011 6:44:57 AM

Nice article. Very informative.
Score
1
Anonymous
a b 4 Gaming
March 16, 2011 8:34:49 AM

Oh wow, lets reinvent a box that holds computer parts, accomplishing the exact same thing all other computer cases before it did, only this version will suck a little bit harder.
Score
-4
March 16, 2011 9:09:11 AM

m84092Oh wow, lets reinvent a box that holds computer parts, accomplishing the exact same thing all other computer cases before it did, only this version will suck a little bit harder.
So, you're saying you'd have preferred an AT desktop case roundup?
Score
0
a b 4 Gaming
March 16, 2011 9:16:05 AM

I would like to have seen the PC-Q08 tested with the blower-style cooler. I cannot imagine how that could have been omitted.
Otherwise, it was an interesting read.
Score
0
March 16, 2011 9:36:17 AM

jtt283I would like to have seen the PC-Q08 tested with the blower-style cooler. I cannot imagine how that could have been omitted. Otherwise, it was an interesting read.
The PC-Q08 didn't fail.
Score
1
Anonymous
a b 4 Gaming
March 16, 2011 12:54:02 PM

and the advantage of any of these over a "lunchbox" style mATX case is?
Score
-1
March 16, 2011 12:54:20 PM

These rigs aren't only way better to carry around but also look awesome on the table. Wondering if the noise is bearable with a 6990 installed...
Score
1
March 16, 2011 1:04:48 PM

It doesn't matter how small the case is for desktop portability. Put a handle on any ATX case and there ya go. What matters is all the cables, monitors, and speakers, keyboards, and mice you have to lug around with it. If there's a better solution for cable management then zip ties around, these cases would be more useless than they already are. Better looking, too.
Score
-1
a b 4 Gaming
March 16, 2011 1:12:32 PM

With some tweaks you can get a Geminii S(you have to re-drill the mounting bracket on some, not others) with a low profile fan and 2 3.5 inch drives :) 

Or 1 drive and a normal fan(take a bit of work.)

http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/1414/dsc0348n.jpg
Score
0
March 16, 2011 1:20:37 PM

whats the largest video card that will fit in the SG07? The website says 5970 will fit but i'm more interested to know which 6xxx radeon i'd be able to stuff in there. Have been planning on building a rig with that case since Sandy Bridge came out, only the chipset snafu has me waiting on the sidelines atm.
Score
0
March 16, 2011 1:41:18 PM

pletopiawhats the largest video card that will fit in the SG07? The website says 5970 will fit but i'm more interested to know which 6xxx radeon i'd be able to stuff in there. Have been planning on building a rig with that case since Sandy Bridge came out, only the chipset snafu has me waiting on the sidelines atm.
6970 and GTX 580 both fit, the dimensions are on Page 1!
Score
0
March 16, 2011 1:48:02 PM

nukemasterWith some tweaks you can get a Geminii S(you have to re-drill the mounting bracket on some, not others) with a low profile fan and 2 3.5 inch drives Or 1 drive and a normal fan(take a bit of work.)http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/1414/dsc0348n.jpg
That really depends on two other things that have nothing to do with height:
1.) The motherboard used (as well as most other LGA 1155 boards) only has room for a 100mm cooler. For a 120mm cooler to fit, it has to be 10mm off-center, away from the graphics cards.
2.) Additional offset (more than 10mm) is required for any heat pipes that protrude from the "short" side.

Tom's Hardware should probably do a cooler roundup to figure out which low-profile designs actually fit this type of motherboard without blocking off the graphics card slot.
Score
2
a b 4 Gaming
March 16, 2011 1:56:22 PM

Crashman said:
That really depends on two other things that have nothing to do with height:
1.) The motherboard used (as well as most other LGA 1155 boards) only has room for a 100mm cooler. For a 120mm cooler to fit, it has to be 10mm off-center, away from the graphics cards.
2.) Additional offset (more than 10mm) is required for any heat pipes that protrude from the "short" side.

Tom's Hardware should probably do a cooler roundup to figure out which low-profile designs actually fit this type of motherboard without blocking off the graphics card slot.

Its an H55 board(H55N USB3), so same spacing as yours(or damn close) :) 

AXP 140 fits without mods(unless there are components on the back of the board that get in the way)
Samuel 17 fits

It is said that the Shuriken(not the big shuriken) fits as well.

Or my first cooler for my MCE system. The stock Core2 cooler with bolts/nuts and rubber spacers.
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/3787/dsc0225zv.jpg

I do think you should do a review for heatsinks that fit in SFF cases....
Score
0
March 16, 2011 1:56:41 PM

The point about BTX is ill-informed. There were actually a LOT of BTX form factors sold; massive amounts. They were often sold by makes like Dell. So, it wasn't a failed standard at all, it just never caught on in the hobbyist market.
Score
-1
a b 4 Gaming
March 16, 2011 2:44:35 PM

CrashmanThe PC-Q08 didn't fail.

True, but seeing how much better it was might help people decide how much overclocking they can do.
I have a MSI GTX460 "Cyclone" installed in mine. It exhausts none of its heat, which I think limits how well the CPU can be cooled.
Another point to make is that the PSU can be mounted either way in the PC-Q08, either drawing its own air through the side vent, or helping to cool the CPU by pulling its air from inside the case.
Score
0
March 16, 2011 3:19:37 PM

i do like the lian-li cases. good to see they stack up well. so surprised to see the tiny one win. i jammed a q8200 and a gtx460 into a lian-li PC-Q07B. it took some hacking of the case and just fit the video card. had to add 4x 40mm fans at the bottom and a blower at the top. the thing screams when the fans are at full speed. soon as i can get hold of a milling machine the whole case will become part of the water cooling system.
Score
0
March 16, 2011 3:33:29 PM

TA152HThe point about BTX is ill-informed. There were actually a LOT of BTX form factors sold; massive amounts. They were often sold by makes like Dell. So, it wasn't a failed standard at all, it just never caught on in the hobbyist market.


If BTX sold well because a lot of hot Pentium 4s needed it, it sold well out of necessity, and that doesn't make it any more relevant today, right? ;-)
Score
1
March 16, 2011 4:19:16 PM

Nice article. I would pick the Lian Li. Seems the jack of all trades.
Score
0
March 16, 2011 4:37:52 PM

stingstangIt doesn't matter how small the case is for desktop portability. Put a handle on any ATX case and there ya go. What matters is all the cables, monitors, and speakers, keyboards, and mice you have to lug around with it. If there's a better solution for cable management then zip ties around, these cases would be more useless than they already are. Better looking, too.


I don't think my ATX system could be carried with just a handle. My case alone probably weighs more than any of those four builds!
Score
0
March 16, 2011 6:46:30 PM

You didn't include a great DTX case. Fractal Design's Array R2:

Doesn't have a 5.25 slot but who uses cds since digital download games.
Score
0
a b 4 Gaming
March 16, 2011 6:59:07 PM

As much as i like Fractal. I have the Define R2 and the Array would look nice(and quiet) as well, but it lacks the room for a video card once the hard drive rack is installed.

My guess is thats why it was left out. Makes a hell of a NAS system tho.
Score
0
March 17, 2011 7:10:10 AM

The Cubitank is an interesting case. Might have to try that for my next mini-ITX gaming build.

The Lian Li PC-Q08 is a fantastic case. I used it for a midrange gaming system with an i5-2500k and an HD 6850. I've put a few thoughts about it up here.

http://www.itxgamer.com/cases/lian-li-pc-q08-itx-chassis/
Score
0
March 17, 2011 1:11:28 PM

I dont see why they dont:
1. Have a handle on a rig that will be moved a lot.
2. Have a vesa mount so you can some how bolt a monitor to the side :) 
Score
0
March 17, 2011 7:48:02 PM

I have had the SG-05 (same internal dimensions as the SG-06 without the fancy front panel)for over a year now. Had buy the 450w silverstone power supply seperately. The 450w is minimum to run a card with two 6-pin pcie power connectors. My HD5850 had trouble with 300w. Running a i7 870 with DFI LP itx, 1TB WD Green. There isn't a faster Radeon that fits this case 9.5" space, but now I am looking at EVGA GTX 570 HD (9.5") as an upgrade. However I don't like giving up the 3-screen (via Eyefinity)capability. Maybe someone will release shorter version of a HD 6950/6970 like EVGA did with the GTX 570.
Score
0
a b 4 Gaming
March 18, 2011 12:37:12 AM

jmgbjr said:
I have had the SG-05 (same internal dimensions as the SG-06 without the fancy front panel)for over a year now. Had buy the 450w silverstone power supply seperately. The 450w is minimum to run a card with two 6-pin pcie power connectors. My HD5850 had trouble with 300w. Running a i7 870 with DFI LP itx, 1TB WD Green. There isn't a faster Radeon that fits this case 9.5" space, but now I am looking at EVGA GTX 570 HD (9.5") as an upgrade. However I don't like giving up the 3-screen (via Eyefinity)capability. Maybe someone will release shorter version of a HD 6950/6970 like EVGA did with the GTX 570.

By any chance did you note if the 450 watt psu is any quieter then the 300?
Score
0
a b 4 Gaming
March 19, 2011 12:38:11 AM

Great article. Thanks for putting it together.
Score
0
March 20, 2011 11:42:12 AM

"Yet, all of that extra size somewhat defeats the purpose of ITX"
I do not agree with this statement. Just built myself an AMD Fusion System with Lian-Li’s PC-Q08. There arent many cases that give you that much space for HDD's than this case. Currently, i have 6 HDD's in this case and the Case is still small enough to fit on my Woofer but is still under the couch table. But i have to agree with the power button being to bright. Its like a blue flashlight. The 6 screws for the sidepanels are a major pain in the ... you get the picture.
Score
0
March 21, 2011 12:15:38 AM

where do you buy DTX motherboards? i was thinking this would be a great solution for my dads new computer all he uses a computer is for basic stuff and occasional game playing. he has a lot of animals in his house so having a small desktop would be desirable for him.

i think people who are wondering how many hard drives will fit in this case are missing the point. for 99% of the people who use these types of computers they wont be a "main computer" but more of a second computer or a portable computer for someone who goes to alot of lan parties or travels or collage kids i guess. they would use external drives or a home server for backup most likely. plus they now have 2tb single hard drives so having more then two hard rives on a computer these days is unnecessary anyways.

i hope they can make monitors more portable now. displays are still bulky these days they havent gotten much more portable in the last 10 years
Score
0
a b 4 Gaming
March 21, 2011 3:59:11 AM

the DTX cases can also use mitx boards, so as long as you do not need the extra slot(or use a 2 slot video card) it self, you can go that route.

Only DTX stuff i have seen is ATOM boards.
Score
0
March 21, 2011 12:37:20 PM

Emergancy exitwhere do you buy DTX motherboards?
I don't think anyone makes DTX boards any longer. The cases are just used for ITX boards now, to support the extra thickness of a double-slot graphics card.
Score
0
March 21, 2011 3:41:52 PM

after looking evrything up it seams like the motherboards for the mini ITX form factors with a pci-e slot are about $60 more then your regular small ATX board. the cases are much more expensive too. also looks like the only good option right now is intel because they have the only mini itx boards with a pcie slot and usb3 and sata 3 at the moment. the reason why i say unfortunately is that that limits your cpu to the core i3 wich i believe is an overpriced cpu and i would rather the athalonx4

anyways my point is to make the mini itx computer work RIGHT NOW your looking at about $200 more compared to a standard tower setup if you really need portability then you would pay this premium but i think most people would want this 200 dollars to either go to a more powerfull computer or like my dad save the 200 bucks and get a regular computer.

lets hope in the future this becomes more affordable and there are more affordable cases, motherbaords. and also hopefully amd will get involved so thier budget cpus will be available
Score
0
March 21, 2011 4:24:44 PM

Emergancy exitafter looking evrything up it seams like the motherboards for the mini ITX form factors with a pci-e slot are about $60 more then your regular small ATX board. the cases are much more expensive too. also looks like the only good option right now is intel because they have the only mini itx boards with a pcie slot and usb3 and sata 3 at the moment. the reason why i say unfortunately is that that limits your cpu to the core i3 wich i believe is an overpriced cpu and i would rather the athalonx4 anyways my point is to make the mini itx computer work RIGHT NOW your looking at about $200 more compared to a standard tower setup if you really need portability then you would pay this premium but i think most people would want this 200 dollars to either go to a more powerfull computer or like my dad save the 200 bucks and get a regular computer. lets hope in the future this becomes more affordable and there are more affordable cases, motherbaords. and also hopefully amd will get involved so thier budget cpus will be available
You forgot the Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs that fit the same boards. These cases were even tested with a Core i7 CPU.
Score
0
March 21, 2011 5:08:30 PM

toms you guys should have placed in the picture a standard office mid tower case next to the other 4 cases in this test or a coke can or something for a refernce point
Score
0
March 21, 2011 10:21:49 PM

I really like the Lian-Li PC-Q08 look
Score
0
March 22, 2011 9:08:00 AM


Thanks for showing up such fabulous information. I like this post, keep writing and give informative post...!


Score
0
Anonymous
a b 4 Gaming
March 22, 2011 1:36:54 PM

I would love to see a similar article about mATX. The ITX/DTX form factor is just too small for most hobbyists, IMHO.
Score
0
March 22, 2011 4:26:31 PM

^^ most people dont SLI or crossfire and the majority of the extras that used to use the extra pci expansion slots are now replaced by USB devices. i say why make anything bigger then it HAS to be. i just hope the prices come down because if its going to cost between $100-250 more expensive then i dont hink its worth it.
Score
0
March 22, 2011 6:49:06 PM

How legit is this for travelling?

I just got a job that involves 3-18 month missions abroad and I've been looking at gaming laptops. Those with i7's and GTX 485M's onboard cost an arm and a leg and perform at pretty much the exact same level as my 2 y.o. desktop (which cost me half as much as the laptops are going for).

Since I'll be staying in the same spot for months at a time and shipping my current full-tower isn't an option, a small PC like this appears to be an awesome compromise between a traditional gaming rig and an ultra expensive gaming laptop.

Any thoughts?

Score
0
a b 4 Gaming
March 22, 2011 11:41:47 PM

if you keep the original box, i guess it would be fairly good. These systems are not overly heavy, so that helps. If you go the SG06 or SG05(i only pick these for the very small size and light weight) route, get the one with the 450 watt psu. It does not cost much more(and and can run a better video card) and comes with the inside painted black too.

The main issue many will see is that it takes some work to find a good cooler. If stock with its noise is ok for you, i think it is a good idea.

But remember, the laptop has its own screen and UPS(battery) all in a very small form factor. I guess it is more a question of what that is worth to you.
Score
0
March 23, 2011 6:37:30 PM

what would be the best CPU cooler for the lian li case? do you think a coolermaster v6 will fit? im also wondering if the motherboard would be big enough for a thermaltake dual orb would be awesome if that cooler could be made to fit
Score
0
March 23, 2011 8:49:08 PM

emergancy exit said:
what would be the best CPU cooler for the lian li case? do you think a coolermaster v6 will fit? im also wondering if the motherboard would be big enough for a thermaltake dual orb would be awesome if that cooler could be made to fit
Probably the Cooler Master H60. It's a mini liquid cooler and its radiator fits under the top fan.
Score
0
March 23, 2011 11:13:49 PM

Crashman said:
Probably the Cooler Master H60. It's a mini liquid cooler and its radiator fits under the top fan.



would i be able to keep evrything inside the case? im very concerned about the water cooler busting during transport or leaking later down the road becasue there would be no way to know until it's too late
Score
0
March 23, 2011 11:21:50 PM

Crashman said:
Probably the Cooler Master H60. It's a mini liquid cooler and its radiator fits under the top fan.



do you mean corsair h60?
Score
0
      • 1 / 2
      • 2
      • Newest
!