Hind-sight opinions on this mini ITX build

aatu

aatu

aatu

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Ordered this system combination, what do you guys think? Did I make any oversights?

Case - Raidmax Atomic (ITX) --- 50€
MoBo - ASRock FM2A88X-ITX+ --- 90€
CPU - AMD A10-7800 APU Boxed --- 125€
RAM - G.Skill Ares DDR3-2133 2x4GB (CL9) --- 70€
SSD - Samsung 850 Evo 250GB --- 115€
PSU - Fractal Design Newton R3 600W --- 100€

Total: 550€/£410 (+40€ shipping)

Additionally from the old computer:
CPU cooler - Noctua NF-U12F (hopefully fits)
Case fan #1 - Noctua NF-P14 FLX
External HDD - Lacie 1 TB Porsche Design Slim P'9223
"Monitor" - 42" HDTV (1080p)
Mouse + Keyboard

Also have, but probably won't need them:
Case fan #2 - NF-S12-1200
NB/SB Chipset fan - Noctua NC-U6
GPU - Palit Geforce GTS250

My current rig is from 2006 (GPU from 2009, low-mid-end at the time), and I've missed quite a few series during this time. I'm hoping this new rig will be enough for a year or two, to play the backlog/classics of 2006-2012, at least. After that, I'll upgrade the GPU. Main requirement for the build would be quietness, and inside the limitations of that requirement, gaming.

Initially going to try running the A10-7800 in the 45W mode, if at all possible. I know the PSU is unnecessarily high, but that was the best semi-passive PSU I could find (without breaking the bank). It also leaves room for a beefier CPU/GPU upgrade, if need be.

... So, any major downfalls I made? Am I in for a world of hurt?
 
Only minor issue I could spot.

I've read that APUs need fast RAM to perform at their best, so I'd have probably gone with the fastest RAM within your budget.
 
That was my initial thought, too. But apparently the 2133MHz is pretty much the cap for the current APUs:
http://www.corsair.com/en/blog/2014/february/understanding-kaveri

I think I read another memory benchmark for the A10 series, which stated (IIRC) that with 2400MHz there could be about 3% increase in performance, assuming the motherboard supports it. The MoBo in my build would require overclocking to reach 2400MHz. Other ITX boards usually require it as well, and I think one of them required overclocking just for 2133MHz.

Then there were few 2133MHz kits with CL8, but they were double in price. They also used higher heatspreaders, which in turn makes CPU coolers harder to fit.

But indeed, I'm more concerned whether the MoBo actually even supports that specific 2133MHz kit, and even more concerned whether they interfere with CPU coolers.
 
Aww, man!

It seems the Raidmax Atomic is a copycat of the Raijintek Metis. They have roughly the same cost, but the Metis would have been available in multitude of colors (blue or silver would have been nice) and without the side window. With Atomic, there was only one choice: black with non-optional hazy side windows.

The main stated differences (Atomic -- Metis):
Height: 244mm -- 254mm
CPU cooler max: 165mm -- 160mm
GPU length max: 265mm -- 170mm
Front USB: 3.0 + 2.0 -- 2x 3.0
Weight: 2.2kg -- 2.8kg

The biggest specification difference is the GPU's max length: Atomic states 265mm max, while Metis states 170mm. I searched for 200mm+, so the Metis was therefore left out. But apparently, even the Metis has 265mm as the theoretical maximum, as long as the PSU is short enough (<150mm ?). And just to be clear, this same limitation applies for the Atomic, as well.

Oh well, they're already on their way, and from a foreign country, so not gonna return/swap it for my own mistake (especially when it doesn't even impact the core functionality).
 
Bummer.

I Don't like side windows either, they're ok on big builds where you can hide all the cables but on small stuff I don't see the point of being able to see all the stuff crammed up against the case side.
 
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