M-ITX build advice

Ranger · 22 Nov 2015 at 14:35

Hi there,

Am looking at building my daughter an M-ITX machine. Main uses are homework, video, music and some light gaming.
I already have a modular ATX PSU, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD and a 1TB 3.5" drive. I was looking at an FM2 board, Gigabyte GA-F2A88XN-WIFI and an AMD A8-7850k, should be plenty powerful enough?

What cases and CPU cooling would you recommend to go with the above please?

Cheers

edGfaCTor · 23 Nov 2015 at 01:34

Depends on the size of case you are looking at a lot of the smaller ones will only take 2.5 drives also do you have a set budget?

Ranger · 23 Nov 2015 at 08:21

Smaller the better as long as the cooling is ok and can take a 2.5 and a 3.5 drive together. Budget for case and cooler around £100.

BristolMethod · 23 Nov 2015 at 17:14

I wouldn't expect many M-ITX case to support ATX power supplies.

I'd really like to build in the Silverstone Raven RVZ01. Cooling, you couldn't go wrong with something low profile from Noctua.

davida76 · 23 Nov 2015 at 21:19

BristolMethod said:
I wouldn't expect many M-ITX case to support ATX power supplies.

I'd really like to build in the Silverstone Raven RVZ01. Cooling, you couldn't go wrong with something low profile from Noctua.

As you know the RVZ01 doesn't officially support atx psu's but it's possible to cram one in there:

http://blog.patrickd.de/my-steam-box-and-workstation-build/

Back to the op these all support atx psu's:

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/cougar-qbx-mini-itx-cube-chassis-black-ca-013-cu.html
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/raijintek-metis-black-mini-itx-case-ca-010-rt.html
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/xigmatek-octans-mini-itx-case-black-ca-102-xg.html
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/lian-li-pc-q07b-mini-itx-case-black-ca-180-ll.html
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/phan...-itx-chassis-with-window-black-ca-024-pt.html
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/fractal-design-core-500-mini-itx-cube-case-black-ca-066-fd.html
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/cooler-master-elite-130-mini-itx-case-black-ca-338-cm.html

Others to look at;
Cooler Master Elite 110
Sharkoon QB ONE
Sharkoon SHARK ZONE C10
Thermaltake Core V1

I'd also ditch the fm2+ plan (unless you must have wi fi), that board and cpu come to approx £180 and you need fast ram to make the most of the igpu, 2133mhz+. You'd better off performance wise with an intel i3 6100 and Asus Intel H110I-PLUS D3 motherboard, thats approx £150 together, use the stock Intel cooler (cpu is only 47w) and then divert the £30 saved on mobo+cpu combo plus the £60 or so you have left from your case/cooler budget into a discrete gpu like a 750 ti/ r7 360 for approx £90.

BristolMethod · 24 Nov 2015 at 13:16

davida76 said:
As you know the RVZ01 doesn't officially support atx psu's but it's possible to cram one in there:

http://blog.patrickd.de/my-steam-box-and-workstation-build/

Back to the op these all support atx psu's:

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/cougar-qbx-mini-itx-cube-chassis-black-ca-013-cu.html
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/raijintek-metis-black-mini-itx-case-ca-010-rt.html
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/xigmatek-octans-mini-itx-case-black-ca-102-xg.html
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/lian-li-pc-q07b-mini-itx-case-black-ca-180-ll.html
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/phan...-itx-chassis-with-window-black-ca-024-pt.html
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/fractal-design-core-500-mini-itx-cube-case-black-ca-066-fd.html
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/cooler-master-elite-130-mini-itx-case-black-ca-338-cm.html

Others to look at;
Cooler Master Elite 110
Sharkoon QB ONE
Sharkoon SHARK ZONE C10
Thermaltake Core V1

I'd also ditch the fm2+ plan (unless you must have wi fi), that board and cpu come to approx £180 and you need fast ram to make the most of the igpu, 2133mhz+. You'd better off performance wise with an intel i3 6100 and Asus Intel H110I-PLUS D3 motherboard, thats approx £150 together, use the stock Intel cooler (cpu is only 47w) and then divert the £30 saved on mobo+cpu combo plus the £60 or so you have left from your case/cooler budget into a discreet gpu like a 750 ti/ r7 360 for approx £90.

You got any budget friendly recommendations for an M-ITX mobo to go with i5 4460? Girlfriend is making noises about replacing her laptop and xbox 360.

Ranger · 24 Nov 2015 at 22:16

Thanks davida76.

Quartz · 24 Nov 2015 at 23:07

Plenty of ITX cases will take ATX PSUs. The Coolermaster Elite 110, for instance, which I have, or the Cougar QBX.

And I'll echo davida76 and suggest you go Intel and spring for a GTX 750 or Ti.

Edward78 · 25 Nov 2015 at 15:07

The SG05 is about shoe box size, I love it, if I get a mITX I may get that, network chips & sound chips are really good now... So if you want 5.1 for your sys. onboard has options I would think... Or there is always a DAC...

Ranger · 29 Nov 2015 at 09:40

I went for the fractal design 304, I have an old 560ti which I can use in there as well.
Also picked up an i5 3570 with a Gigabyte H77N from the MM.

Any advice on a CPU cooler that won't interfere with the PCI-E slot?