Last year I built a HTPC using a hec 7k09bba case.
it was nice, but now I want to go smaller. But still full featured, at least to the extent that it can do basic gaming.
Unfortunately no such case exists, so I have to make my own. I intend to get an acrylic case lasercut from Ponoko, but first I need to finalize the design. there's three styles I'm currently looking at.
Case 1: graphics card with TFX PSU
This case is designed to hold a low profile video card, and a proper TFX PSU I've found a 7750 GPU and a 350W PSU that work.
The big white thing represents the general dimensions of the Phanteks fan and heatsink I will be using. All drives will be located underneath the motherboard or gpu, as shown.
Overall dimensions (internal): 2.5" tall, 13.3" wide, 8.2" deep
Components:
Seasonic 350W TFX12V modular PSU
Intel H77 Mini ITX Motherboard
Phanteks PH-TC90LS 45nm tall UFB CPU Cooler
2x4GB Samsung 30nm low-profile DDR3 1600 RAM
2x2TB WD Green 2.5" SATA II drives
Kingston SSDNow V+200 2.5" 240GB SATA III SSD
Intel Core i7-3770
HIS iCooler Radeon HD 7750 1GB 128-bit Video Card
Ideally a slim slot-loading Bluray drive
Case 2: PicoPSU with IGP only (wide version)
With Haswell around the corner, I figure I could possibly do away with discrete graphics and just use integrated graphics, which I estimate (using vague numbers) to be between the Nvidia 640 and AMD 7750 in performance. This won't compete with high end systems, but it should be able to hold it's own for HTPC and light gaming use.
overall dimensions (internal): 2.16" tall, 12.8" wide, 6.97" deep. to be honest I don't think the size difference is worth it, unless the system would never be upgraded to use a GPU or you absolutely need a 3.5" drive. It would, however, be a bit more simpler to build; especially since I'v enever built a custom case before.
the big white block is the size representation of a Phanteks PH-TC90LS
Hard drives will be upside down to make the cables easier to access
the front 40mm fan is simply to ensure the entire case gets airflow, because the cpu fan will pull air from a large vent directly over top it, then push it out through the right side and the back via the left side.
the bulk of the cables can be stuffed under the optical drive, and the only four cables passing in front of the small fan are a power cable (which gets splitted) and three sata cables. I could take out the 3.5" drive and use two 2.5" drives (SSD/HDD), which would leave room for a wireless NIC. But I doubt I'd want to do that.
This mostly depends on haswell. I could possibly do this with Ivy Bridge, but I don't think Intel HD 4000 is good enough.
Minibox 200W picoPSU
Intel i7-3770
Kingston 240GB SSDNow V+200
Phanteks PH-TC90LS fan + heatsink
WD Green 2TB 2.5" (15mm tall)
Intel H77 Mini ITX Mobo
2x Samsung 4GB DDR3 ram
Case 3: PicoPSU with IGP only (narrow version)
I tried moving the drives below the motherboard, and this is what i got:
Dimensions (internal): 2.9" tall, 7.2" wide, 7.7" deep
supports one slim optical drive and two 2.5" drives below the motherboard (one 7mm below the ODD, the rear 2.5" can be taller, even the 14mm versions). Air get's sucked in from the top and pushed out through the sides, allowing for very good ventilation. The front fans are kind of superfluous now to think about it.
providing you use a 200W picoPSU, this system can be relatively powerful:
Intel i7-3770
Kingston 240GB SSDNow V+200
Phanteks PH-TC90LS fan + heatsink
WD Green 2TB 2.5" (15mm tall)
Intel H77 Mini ITX Mobo
2x Samsung 4GB DDR3 ram
Any thoughts about these cases?
Thanks.
it was nice, but now I want to go smaller. But still full featured, at least to the extent that it can do basic gaming.
Unfortunately no such case exists, so I have to make my own. I intend to get an acrylic case lasercut from Ponoko, but first I need to finalize the design. there's three styles I'm currently looking at.
Case 1: graphics card with TFX PSU
This case is designed to hold a low profile video card, and a proper TFX PSU I've found a 7750 GPU and a 350W PSU that work.
The big white thing represents the general dimensions of the Phanteks fan and heatsink I will be using. All drives will be located underneath the motherboard or gpu, as shown.
Overall dimensions (internal): 2.5" tall, 13.3" wide, 8.2" deep
Components:
Seasonic 350W TFX12V modular PSU
Intel H77 Mini ITX Motherboard
Phanteks PH-TC90LS 45nm tall UFB CPU Cooler
2x4GB Samsung 30nm low-profile DDR3 1600 RAM
2x2TB WD Green 2.5" SATA II drives
Kingston SSDNow V+200 2.5" 240GB SATA III SSD
Intel Core i7-3770
HIS iCooler Radeon HD 7750 1GB 128-bit Video Card
Ideally a slim slot-loading Bluray drive
Case 2: PicoPSU with IGP only (wide version)
With Haswell around the corner, I figure I could possibly do away with discrete graphics and just use integrated graphics, which I estimate (using vague numbers) to be between the Nvidia 640 and AMD 7750 in performance. This won't compete with high end systems, but it should be able to hold it's own for HTPC and light gaming use.
overall dimensions (internal): 2.16" tall, 12.8" wide, 6.97" deep. to be honest I don't think the size difference is worth it, unless the system would never be upgraded to use a GPU or you absolutely need a 3.5" drive. It would, however, be a bit more simpler to build; especially since I'v enever built a custom case before.
the big white block is the size representation of a Phanteks PH-TC90LS
Hard drives will be upside down to make the cables easier to access
the front 40mm fan is simply to ensure the entire case gets airflow, because the cpu fan will pull air from a large vent directly over top it, then push it out through the right side and the back via the left side.
the bulk of the cables can be stuffed under the optical drive, and the only four cables passing in front of the small fan are a power cable (which gets splitted) and three sata cables. I could take out the 3.5" drive and use two 2.5" drives (SSD/HDD), which would leave room for a wireless NIC. But I doubt I'd want to do that.
This mostly depends on haswell. I could possibly do this with Ivy Bridge, but I don't think Intel HD 4000 is good enough.
Minibox 200W picoPSU
Intel i7-3770
Kingston 240GB SSDNow V+200
Phanteks PH-TC90LS fan + heatsink
WD Green 2TB 2.5" (15mm tall)
Intel H77 Mini ITX Mobo
2x Samsung 4GB DDR3 ram
Case 3: PicoPSU with IGP only (narrow version)
I tried moving the drives below the motherboard, and this is what i got:
Dimensions (internal): 2.9" tall, 7.2" wide, 7.7" deep
supports one slim optical drive and two 2.5" drives below the motherboard (one 7mm below the ODD, the rear 2.5" can be taller, even the 14mm versions). Air get's sucked in from the top and pushed out through the sides, allowing for very good ventilation. The front fans are kind of superfluous now to think about it.
providing you use a 200W picoPSU, this system can be relatively powerful:
Intel i7-3770
Kingston 240GB SSDNow V+200
Phanteks PH-TC90LS fan + heatsink
WD Green 2TB 2.5" (15mm tall)
Intel H77 Mini ITX Mobo
2x Samsung 4GB DDR3 ram
Any thoughts about these cases?
Thanks.