Reconfigure Core 2 Tower as Mini ITX Gaming PC

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mchr3k

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Oct 25, 2010
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Approximate Purchase Date: Within the next month.

Budget Range: £150-£300. I am a little flexible but want to keep this as cheap as possible - see below.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Watching Movies. My main gaming targets are TF2 and World of Warcraft.

Parts Not Required: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS - see below.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: I have previously used ebuyer.com, dabs.com. I am open to recommendation about others.

Country of Origin: UK

Parts Preferences: by brand or type: Don't care about brands - I care about price.

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: No

Monitor Resolution: 1280x1024

Additional Comments:
I currently own a tower gaming PC. This has the following configuration:
- Core 2 E6750
- 2GB DDR2 (PC2-6400 I think)
- nVidia 8800GT

I want to make my PC easier to move around for LANs etc. I am therefore looking for a Mini ITX Mobo + Case which I could move my existing hardware into. In particular, I would like to keep my CPU, RAM and Graphics Card. I am assuming that this will require a new PSU. However, if it is possible to re-use my existing one, I have an Antec True480.

I am not too interested in the look of the case but I would prefer to have a cube shaped case.
 
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kureme

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Your options are pretty limited with mini-itx. It would be something along the lines of...

Zotac S775 Intel GF 9300 DDR2 mITX
http://www.dabs.com/products/zotac-s775-intel-gf-9300-ddr2-mitx-6N70.html?refs=52240000

That was the only mini-itx board with a pci-e x16 slot from both sites you listed. I'm from the US so don't know any other places you'd look.

Although for comparison's sake, these are some this is another option you have with the same board as above for comparison.

ZOTAC G43ITX-A-E LGA 775 Intel G43 HDMI Mini ITX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500042

ZOTAC GF9300-G-E LGA 775 NVIDIA GeForce 9300 HDMI Mini ITX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500035

For a case:
Black Mini ITX Case with 250W PSU - 20+4pin with SATA
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/205560
Piano Black Mini ITX Cube Case - With 300W PSU
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/174463

Ideally you would want a Lian-Li mini-ITX case because those cases use a standard ATX PSU letting you reuse the one you have. Some examples:
LIAN LI PC-Q07 Black Aluminum Mini-ITX Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112227&cm_re=lian_li_mini_itx-_-11-112-227-_-Product
LIAN LI PC-Q08B Black Aluminum Mini-ITX Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112265&cm_re=lian_li_mini_itx-_-11-112-265-_-Product

Going micro ATX will give you more options but this is what I recommend.

GigaGigabyte GA-G31M-ES2L iG31 Socket 775 onboard VGA 7.1 channel audio mATX Motherboard
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/152225

Casecom MA-1199 Shiny Black MATX Tower Case - No PSU
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/160915
 
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deadlockedworld

deadlockedworld

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I wouldn't try to run the 8800GT off a mini-psu if possible. I think your best bet is with a very small normal ATX case like the Lian-Lis listed above.

Also--remember to measure the 8800 for any of these--it will be by far the hardest part to fit.
 
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mchr3k

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Oct 25, 2010
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Thanks for the advice. I would really like to have a Mini ITX for the size but I agree that there isn't much choice and it looks like Micro ATX is a lot cheaper.

Your suggested Micro ATX case and mobo both look really good.
 
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