Which MINI-ITX motherboard for i5 2500K

Vegeta

Vegeta

Vegeta

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I've just seen this case and I really want it:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-073-BX

My pc currently is:

i5 2500K
MSI Motherboard P67 chipset ATX
2 X 4 gig G-Skill Ram
GTX 480
Corsair H70 cooler with 2 fans
1 x Corsair 64gb
2 x Mechanical 3.5" HDD's
1 x Blu Ray optical drive
1 x PCI DVB-S Card

Now I'm currently using 4 USB slot's at the back for my mouse/bluetooth keyboard/webcam and XBOX 360 wireless pad. I will need 5 USB slot's at the back as I need to buy a laptop style DVB-S card as a ITX board and that case will only be able to hold my graphics card.

Which motherboard would you suggest? I only overclock the CPU to about 4.2-4.5ghz. I don't understand what the differences are between all these billion chipsets for a 1155 slot cpu? Which is the best one to go for?

Thank you.
 
You want that Asrock or the Asus P8Z77-I Deluxe.

You might want to consider doing miniITX properly though. :p

photo.jpg


Please bear in mind that the case above is less than half the volume of the Bitfenix. ;)
 
And looks about half as good (no offence).

I think the point of the Bitfenix is not to have a tiny case. It's to have a compact space with no compromise when it comes to performance and choices of CPU/GPU.
 
Vegeta said:
And looks about half as good (no offence).

I think the point of the Bitfenix is not to have a tiny case. It's to have a compact space with no compromise when it comes to performance and choices of CPU/GPU.
Click to expand...

There is a compromise in performance being that you have to use a mini itx motherboard.

Would be great if they took m-atx boards.
 
Vegeta said:
And looks about half as good (no offence).

I think the point of the Bitfenix is not to have a tiny case. It's to have a compact space with no compromise when it comes to performance and choices of CPU/GPU.
Click to expand...

Get an SG08 then. Beautiful Aluminium front plate. Long enough to fit any card. Comes with a 600W PSU. That BitFenix is silly. Its bigger than some mATX cases and yet only takes mITX. Ridiculous.

http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=317&area=en
 
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Vegeta said:
And looks about half as good (no offence)
Click to expand...

None taken but you're wrong. :)

I think the point of the Bitfenix is not to have a tiny case. It's to have a compact space with no compromise when it comes to performance and choices of CPU/GPU.
Click to expand...

Then get an SG08 (mITX, no compromise, roughly half the volume of the Bitfenix), or a TJ08E (mATX, no compromise, smaller than the Bitfenix, can take Crossfire/SLI, better overclocking).

This case defies the complete point of Small Form Factor.
 
I think the original question was which motherboard (for OC)? The answer comes through a quick google of Z77 ITX and the answer is either ASUS P8Z77-I or the £30 cheaper Asrock http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-066-AK or the Zotac. None are easy to find in UK but I suspect the Asus will appear in small numbers before long. Mine came from mainland Europe.

As to which to choose there are a couple of threads here in SFF and elsewhere e.g. http://hardforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=102 but all I can say is the Asus is awesome but to be fair the Asrock seems to stand up OK.

Some recent reviews of the P8Z77-I
http://www.ocaholic.ch/xoops/html/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=743&page=18
http://www.lanoc.org/review/motherboards/5807-asus-z77-roundup?start=17
http://www.servethehome.com/asus-p8z77i-deluxe-ivy-bridge-mini-itx-motherboard-review/

As far as a case is concerned I went for a SUGO http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-151-SV Its hard to judge size by photos but it is small which is the point of mini-ITX.
 
Looking at the SG08 there's not a chance in hell it'll fit the components I want it to fit. I've always had full tower cases so to me the Bitfenix is small and I much prefer the looks of it bluntly.
 
There will always be some compromise in all builds, not least ITX, and it's in the balancing of the various factors that we can inject individuality into the build rather than just bolting together a list of common bits.

For the ITX motherboard there is none with a higher spec than the Asus P8Z77-I.

For the processor the choice (even for non overclockers) I would say is between the 3570K and 3770K. Some progs will run quicker (but games probably wont be smoother) with the 3770K but you'll pay £80 for that benefit. Any of the lower TDP parts I would argue can be emulated by dropping the clocks on these 2 SKUs.

I had a specific space volume on an AV shelf to fill and the SUGO 06 size and appearance worked for me. Fair enough though, a larger case means you won't be tied to a low-profile air cooler, the selection of which is tricky for any ITX board. Also you'll have greater capacity for physical drives although I'd argue they ought to be remote in a NAS to benefit your entire network.

Before comitting to ITX, at least size it up against a micro ATX based system using something like the Maximus V Gene.
 
Vegeta said:
Looking at the SG08 there's not a chance in hell it'll fit the components I want it to fit. I've always had full tower cases so to me the Bitfenix is small and I much prefer the looks of it bluntly.
Click to expand...

Also the price is only £60 for the bitfenix, I don't even think they make the SG08 anymore do they? I looked and couldn't find it at any retailers..
 
Bezzaboy1234 said:
Also the price is only £60 for the bitfenix, I don't even think they make the SG08 anymore do they? I looked and couldn't find it at any retailers..
Click to expand...

Well thats not true, they only started selling it it before Christmas and I have just found a few places with it in stock. :confused: Also the Bitfenix doesn't have a massive aluminium faceplate nor does it come with a PSU.

Looking at the SG08 there's not a chance in hell it'll fit the components I want it to fit. I've always had full tower cases so to me the Bitfenix is small and I much prefer the looks of it bluntly.
Click to expand...

What are you trying to fit? The only things the SG08 cant take are, huge tower coolers (not really necesssary when you cant fit an H60 in it), loads of HDDs (TBH I fintd my 2TB 3.5", 500GB 2.5" and my SSD to be more than enough with media stored on my NAS), and 5.25" drives which I will concede that laptop drives are more expensive but hey welcome to SFF.

But if your mind is made up on looks I would still seriously look at an Asus Maximus Gene mATX board which is the same price as the Asus Z77 mITX board and better kitted out too. Whack one of them in a TJ08-E and you'll have a more powerful system in a smaller case and the ability to Crossfire/SLi or add a soundcard or what have you in the future.
 
What part of I don't like the look of the other cases do people not understand! lol. Why would I buy these SG08's and TJ08-E if I don't even like the look of them? I have a full tower case the only reason I'm changing the whole setup is to get that case and it looks nice simple as that. I could care less what M-ITX was intended for and doing it properly.
 
the case is the part you will always look at, If you love it then why shouldn't you buy it? if you don't like the look then really what's the point? the case is supposed to be appealing, and the bitfenix sure is!
 
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