Graphics cards for Mini-ITX?

jm240 · 11 Nov 2011 at 02:55

Issues with space / size and power supplies here.

Most PSU have an average of 90Watts. Max around 150W and mini-ITX can handle Core ix architecture yet for gaming it seems unsuitable because you need to rely on the Intel HD on-board CPU graphics, unless someone knows of a specific card which performs well on games and can fit these tiny cases with such tiny space?

I mean the Motherboards are equipped with the PCI-E slots and are capable of handling big cards but can the power supplies handle them (providing you can find a card that fits!)

Any advice would be appreciated.

Seems a waste to have an i7, good ram etc but no GPU.

EDIT** Supose i should mention I am considering the Perspex Mini-ITX case which is available from a specific seller on a certain auction website. This case is mentioned often here and is quite popular. OR the Antec ISK 100 Ultra Small case.

Peace

mysticsniper · 11 Nov 2011 at 03:07

Powercolor have a 6850 single slot card available.

Might be worth a look, if thats what your after?

jm240 · 11 Nov 2011 at 03:12

Hmm I'll take a look at this suggestion for sure, thank you.

However, I hate to be picky but I'd much rather nVidia over ATI. I'm very brand loyal to them from personal bad experiences with ATI.

Hotwired · 11 Nov 2011 at 03:17

The perspex case and the Antec ISK 100 do not have expansion slots for a graphics card.

If you're looking for a card for that kind of form factor the best you can reasonably get is a 6570 low profile single slot card.

If you're insane you could also get the most powerful low profile card available -a a 6750 with a double slot card and hack it into a tiny case as that guy is doing.

jm240 · 11 Nov 2011 at 03:20

So I'd need to get different cases all together or are you saying the super low profile card you mention can fit those cases if I do a load of hacking?

Hotwired · 11 Nov 2011 at 03:49

Forget the 6750, that's just me being weird.

There are cases which can hold a graphics card which is one slot wide and half-height like this:

They don't need a power connector because they use less than 75W so all you need to do is make sure it can fit and that it comes with a low profile bracket.

gropingmantis · 11 Nov 2011 at 07:26

jm240 said:
So I'd need to get different cases all together or are you saying the super low profile card you mention can fit those cases if I do a load of hacking?

How small a case do you want to use and what are you going to be using it for?

Also the most powerful single slot card is the Galaxy GTX 460 Razer.

RimBlock · 12 Nov 2011 at 06:31

The ISK100 has no external slots and only comes with a 90W PSU. I have one sitting at home waiting for parts for a client build. I also have my own ISK310-150 HTPC and a ISK300-150 for another client build.

Just about the smallest you are going to get case wise is the ISK 300/310 units which have a single rear slot. I have some pics of my build here to give you an idea of size available. The cases onlt come with 150W PSUs though which knocks out most video cards.

Another option is to look at the Lian-Li mITX cases like the PC-Q08 which is no doubt bigger but can take a 300mm dual slot graphics card and a standard ATX PSU.

MSi do a R6570-MD1GD3/LP card which may be good for a single slot case. The do not, however, list the recommended power required.

RB

jm240 · 14 Nov 2011 at 22:14

Thanks guys great thread. I want to build a powerful gaming PC but I have an incredibly small amount of space to do so. I HATE laptops and I'd much rather build myself a desktop PC.

So Mini-ITX seems to tbe the way forward.

RimBlock - Great thread and wicked pics. I rated the thread 5* and Subscribed.

Just a few questions:

You state you're using a S1200KP board but your picture shows a DH61DL board?

This case is not taller than a coke can? Are you serious?

The Motherboard you used has on board graphics? You didn't use a Low Profile GPU?

jm240 · 14 Nov 2011 at 22:47

RimBlock said:
The cases onlt come with 150W PSUs though which knocks out most video cards.

RB

You're saying the 300-150 / 310-150 have 150watt PSU's which "knock out" most GPU's as in are too powerful or are compatible with all low profile cards?

I think it's a shame the perspex case can't house a LP GPU. That case is pretty much the same dimension of the 170x170 ITX standard itself so is ultra compact.

The cases mentioned here (ISK 3xx) seem to be getting on the big side and so almost defeating the point of building one.

Though really I should get out the tape measure and imagine it myself...perhaps not as big as I think.

jm240 · 14 Nov 2011 at 23:20

Zotac Z68ITX-B-E: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-011-ZT&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=2071

This motherboard guys has an integrated nVidia GT430.... Is this powerful enough to run battlefield 3? I don't need revved up settings just smooth playability.

And is it a 'Full' GT 430 or some sort of cut down edition? Otherwise this motherboard seems perfect and I assume it fits the Perspex Mini-ITX case available elsewhere just fine right?

God I'm salivating now... It's Sandybridge Core i architecture too.... Potentially a fantastic "mini" gaming system here...?

Orcvader · 15 Nov 2011 at 00:01

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCsTeifsRIU

Seems just about playable, this is the settings he's using:

1280*720
Medium Preset customized with
Textures on Ultra and Motion Blur On

This is what he gets on higher resolutions:

On 1280*1024 same graphical settings : ~15 to 30 fps
On 1280*1024 low preset : 25 to 35 fps

On 1920*1080 low preset : 10 to 25 fps

So seems 1080p is out of the question, but on 720p it seems fine.

jm240 · 15 Nov 2011 at 00:10

Hmm sounds good! thanks for those stats

So far my Mini-ITX system looks like this:

Intel Core i7-2700K 3.50GHz (Sandybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor - OEM **Supplied with BattleField 3 PC Game** £274.99

Zotac Z68ITX-B-E Supreme Intel Z68 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard £174.98

Corsair Force Series 3 120GB SATA 6Gb/s Solid State Drive (CSSD-F120GB3-BK) £129.98

Crucial 4GB (1x4GB) DDR3 PC3-10600C9 1333MHz 204-Pin SODIMM Module (CT51264BC1339)

Antec ISK 100 OR Perspex Mini-ITX

External USB optical drive / peripherals etc...

What you guys think?

PS: I know I need a CPU cooler. might have to buy the retail version instead to save the hassle.

RimBlock · 15 Nov 2011 at 02:21

jm240 said:
Thanks guys great thread. I want to build a powerful gaming PC but I have an incredibly small amount of space to do so. I HATE laptops and I'd much rather build myself a desktop PC.

So Mini-ITX seems to tbe the way forward.

RimBlock - Great thread and wicked pics. I rated the thread 5* and Subscribed.

Very kind, thanks.

jm240 said:
Just a few questions:

You state you're using a S1200KP board but your picture shows a DH61DL board?

Yes, the S1200KP will be used in my second unit which I will be building as soon as the local Intel distributor gives me an ETA on the boards arrival.

jm240 said:
This case is not taller than a coke can? Are you serious?

Oh yes. The ISK100 is about half its height though so the second build should be a fair bit smaller.

jm240 said:
The Motherboard you used has on board graphics? You didn't use a Low Profile GPU?

No need especially as this is for a rack mount server running VMWare ESXi vitrulization software. The clients ESXi appliance requirements were low so this was a perfect small build for them.

jm240 said:
You're saying the 300-150 / 310-150 have 150watt PSU's which "knock out" most GPU's as in are too powerful or are compatible with all low profile cards?

I mean knock out as in remove from possible options. Most graphics cards need a heftier PSU. I have just specc'd a unit for another client who wants to use his Nvidia 450 (IIRC) which requires a 400W+ PSU.

jm240 said:
I think it's a shame the perspex case can't house a LP GPU. That case is pretty much the same dimension of the 170x170 ITX standard itself so is ultra compact.

The cases mentioned here (ISK 3xx) seem to be getting on the big side and so almost defeating the point of building one.

Though really I should get out the tape measure and imagine it myself...perhaps not as big as I think.

Yeah.... the ISK cases are very small for a PC with a standalone graphics card. Not as small as the cases for just the board and basic extras (like the ISK100-90). Putting it next to a MATX case would give a better idea.

jm240 said:
Zotac Z68ITX-B-E: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-011-ZT&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=2071

This motherboard guys has an integrated nVidia GT430.... Is this powerful enough to run battlefield 3? I don't need revved up settings just smooth playability.

And is it a 'Full' GT 430 or some sort of cut down edition? Otherwise this motherboard seems perfect and I assume it fits the Perspex Mini-ITX case available elsewhere just fine right?

God I'm salivating now... It's Sandybridge Core i architecture too.... Potentially a fantastic "mini" gaming system here...?

Check the power requirements of the board. Running a dedicated GPU will seriously up the requirements even if integrated.

Intel do a mobile processor which is rated at 17W. The equiv with graphics built in is around 35W and that is basic graphics.

RB

RimBlock · 15 Nov 2011 at 03:42

jm240 said:
Hmm sounds good! thanks for those stats

So far my Mini-ITX system looks like this:

Intel Core i7-2700K 3.50GHz (Sandybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor - OEM **Supplied with BattleField 3 PC Game** £274.99

Zotac Z68ITX-B-E Supreme Intel Z68 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard £174.98

Corsair Force Series 3 120GB SATA 6Gb/s Solid State Drive (CSSD-F120GB3-BK) £129.98

Crucial 4GB (1x4GB) DDR3 PC3-10600C9 1333MHz 204-Pin SODIMM Module (CT51264BC1339)

Antec ISK 100 OR Perspex Mini-ITX

External USB optical drive / peripherals etc...

What you guys think?

PS: I know I need a CPU cooler. might have to buy the retail version instead to save the hassle.

Hmm, if you are going to use the ISK100-90 then double check power requirements very closely as it has a 90W external brick/picoPSU. The i7 is rated at 95W and one store selling the Zotac board recommends at least a 120W PSU before adding other components.

RB

Tute · 15 Nov 2011 at 10:13

2700K in an ISK-100? Interesting one, is that case even capable of keeping that CPU cool enough?

You're better off going for something at least the size of a Sugo SG05/06 if you want mITX with gaming capability and half decent cooling.

GJM · 15 Nov 2011 at 13:39

^ What he says ^

Silverstone Sugo SG05 is about as small as you can go ITX wise and still have a powerhouse of a computer.

Can fit cards up to 9" (10.5" with mods?) e.g. the world is your oyster.

jm240 · 15 Nov 2011 at 17:52

Core i3 / 15 should be fine in the ISK100 though right?

Tbh I'm leaning towards the perspex mini case with a Pico PSU and External Brick.

The suggested Zotac Z68 has an integrated 430GT which should be fine enough for me.

Is water cooling a possibility in this little case do you reckon? Perspex / ISK100?

gropingmantis · 15 Nov 2011 at 17:54

jm240 said:
Core i3 / 15 should be fine in the ISK100 though right?

Tbh I'm leaning towards the perspex mini case with a Pico PSU and External Brick.

The suggested Zotac Z68 has an integrated 430GT which should be fine enough for me.

Is water cooling a possibility in this little case do you reckon? Perspex / ISK100?

No there is nowhere to put a rad unless you have a separate rad box.

jm240 · 15 Nov 2011 at 18:59

gropingmantis said:
No there is nowhere to put a rad unless you have a separate rad box.

Ok cool thanks for that! I'll have a separate external optical drive so external equipment won't matter too much!