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Okay, I have decided that my next computer is going to be a mini-ITX. Ever since PC makers decided to embed a LAN card and sound card onto a motherboard, and put in a graphics card slot into a wee 'lil motherboard, I don't really need anything bigger.
Anyway, I set out looking to BUY a mini-ITX case, but kinda came up short. They are really REALLY small... Most of them don't even use ATX spec components. Slim optical drives, slim heatsinks, flex-ATX PSU....
So I decided to build my own mini-ITX case. Gonna be an Aluminum frame, and aluminum/fibreglass cover and front. Fibreglass because its much easier to work with (IMO), and doesn't cost a bomb (like carbon fibre).
My list of spec:
1. Fit a mini-ITX board.
2. Fit a full, tower size CPU cooler. For overclocking, and quiet operation. (which is why I started the Venomous X thread)
3. Fit full ATX sized PSU. I've set the length of this PSU to 14cm, which is the length of my current 650W Antec PSU.
4. Fit my current graphics card (GTX 260). From my proposed layout and calculations, I should be able to fit something a few cms longer.
5. Fit 2x 3.5" HDDs.
6. Fit 1x 5.25" Optical drive.
7. Fit a 120mm exhaust fan or bigger.
I did some calculations, designed a layout by researching what works and what doesn't, and came up with this sized box (excluding the front bezel): 230x200x340mm.
That seems to be the smallest I can make it to fit everything in. It is bigger than any mini-ITX box out there that I could find, but I'm basically getting an ATX box with a mini-ITX mobo. And it will still be much smaller than mATX boxes out there.
For comparison, Lian Li has a PC-Q07 case 193mm x 280mm x 208mm which doesn't have space for a massive heatsink, no space for dual slot graphics card, only 1x 3.5" HDD, and the overclockers nightmare, no exhaust fans! In fact, no case fans at all!
And another comparison case would be the Lian Li PC-V351 which is a mATX case, measuring a whopping 279x262x373mm. And even then, I have doubts about that massive heatsink.
I've started the planning stage by building cardboard replicas of every internal component in the PC, and seeing if it will fit, with enough margin for assembly space, as well as holding structure itself. And I'll also be building a box to those dimensions, and seeing if everything will fit as planned. Thank god most stuff in the computer are box-shaped.... Anyways, since I have other things to do around the house as well as given the number of items, I'm gonna take a few days to put this together.
Now, I would like some feedback about this little project of mine. Assuming I've figured out how to put it together, does anyone foresee any issues with the size? I can see 1 huge glaring issue here, I'm hoping someone will be able to point that out And at the same time, point out some other issues I haven't seen....Or maybe, have I missed out some important component?
Okay, I have decided that my next computer is going to be a mini-ITX. Ever since PC makers decided to embed a LAN card and sound card onto a motherboard, and put in a graphics card slot into a wee 'lil motherboard, I don't really need anything bigger.
Anyway, I set out looking to BUY a mini-ITX case, but kinda came up short. They are really REALLY small... Most of them don't even use ATX spec components. Slim optical drives, slim heatsinks, flex-ATX PSU....
So I decided to build my own mini-ITX case. Gonna be an Aluminum frame, and aluminum/fibreglass cover and front. Fibreglass because its much easier to work with (IMO), and doesn't cost a bomb (like carbon fibre).
My list of spec:
1. Fit a mini-ITX board.
2. Fit a full, tower size CPU cooler. For overclocking, and quiet operation. (which is why I started the Venomous X thread)
3. Fit full ATX sized PSU. I've set the length of this PSU to 14cm, which is the length of my current 650W Antec PSU.
4. Fit my current graphics card (GTX 260). From my proposed layout and calculations, I should be able to fit something a few cms longer.
5. Fit 2x 3.5" HDDs.
6. Fit 1x 5.25" Optical drive.
7. Fit a 120mm exhaust fan or bigger.
I did some calculations, designed a layout by researching what works and what doesn't, and came up with this sized box (excluding the front bezel): 230x200x340mm.
That seems to be the smallest I can make it to fit everything in. It is bigger than any mini-ITX box out there that I could find, but I'm basically getting an ATX box with a mini-ITX mobo. And it will still be much smaller than mATX boxes out there.
For comparison, Lian Li has a PC-Q07 case 193mm x 280mm x 208mm which doesn't have space for a massive heatsink, no space for dual slot graphics card, only 1x 3.5" HDD, and the overclockers nightmare, no exhaust fans! In fact, no case fans at all!
And another comparison case would be the Lian Li PC-V351 which is a mATX case, measuring a whopping 279x262x373mm. And even then, I have doubts about that massive heatsink.
I've started the planning stage by building cardboard replicas of every internal component in the PC, and seeing if it will fit, with enough margin for assembly space, as well as holding structure itself. And I'll also be building a box to those dimensions, and seeing if everything will fit as planned. Thank god most stuff in the computer are box-shaped.... Anyways, since I have other things to do around the house as well as given the number of items, I'm gonna take a few days to put this together.
Now, I would like some feedback about this little project of mine. Assuming I've figured out how to put it together, does anyone foresee any issues with the size? I can see 1 huge glaring issue here, I'm hoping someone will be able to point that out And at the same time, point out some other issues I haven't seen....Or maybe, have I missed out some important component?