Gaming Mini-ITX

fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
edited August 2010 in Hardware
I may have gone off the deep end, but I have a compelling notion to build a gaming Mini-ITX system. But I need some advice.

Components so far:

Case: Lian Li PC-Q08R
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H55N-USB3
Video: EVGA GTX460 1GB

CPU: Haven't decided if I want to go i5-530 or i5-750, dual core vs. quad core
Memory: Would like 8GB, but may go with the 1.3v 4GB kit
PSU: I need recommendations for a "good" modular PSU. I won't have room inside that little case for all the extra cables. glares at RyderOCZ
Heatsink: Won't have much clearence between the CPU and PSU, so any aftermarket cooler suggestions would be great

I have a DVD, OS and the other parts

so, have at it! :rarr:

Comments

  • fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    q08-29.jpg

    and looking at other pictures of the case, there is a SSD mount below the 5.25"
  • DeeTeeDeeTee New Zealand Member
    edited August 2010
    that is an insanely cool little motherboard. O_o!
  • AlexDeGruvenAlexDeGruven Wut? Meechigan Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    That's a fantastic little board. Lots of power in a very small package.

    My only concern would be the clearance between the top of your DIMMs and the drive cage in that case.
  • JingallsJingalls Eugene, OR
    edited August 2010
    That is a really awesome idea!
  • MAGICMAGIC Doot Doot Furniture City, Michigan Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    I just recently put together a Intel c2d system with a 9600gt in this box.
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112227&cm_re=lian_li_itx-_-11-112-227-_-Product

    I used this PSU
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341022&cm_re=fatal1ty_ocz-_-17-341-022-_-Product

    Its modular so i only used what cables I needed and it worked great, except the main power, 4, and 8 pin power connectors are designed for much larger cases so they are wayyy to long for mITX cases.

    If you are handy and up for it i would get some pins and do custom length main power cables so all that stuff will easily fit in your case.
  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    Both links go to the case, Magic :)
  • MAGICMAGIC Doot Doot Furniture City, Michigan Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    derp..

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341022&cm_re=fatal1ty_ocz-_-17-341-022-_-Product

    that psu

    Oh, and water cool it. That would be awesome.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    !voteocz for the PSU. I would also go quad, but I would undervolt as much as you can.
  • Cliff_ForsterCliff_Forster Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    Keep us updated, I want to know how this performs as a portable lan box.
  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    I think you picked a good board, holy crap: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=253539
  • Cliff_ForsterCliff_Forster Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    RyderOCZ wrote:
    I think you picked a good board, holy crap: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=253539

    Look at the tower heatsink on that thing. :hair:

    I'm impressed, but I have to wonder if we are stretching the limits of mini ITX just a little?
  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    Cliff_Forster wrote:
    Look at the tower heatsink on that thing. :hair:

    I'm impressed, but I have to wonder if we are stretching the limits of mini ITX just a little?
    Agreed, they are, but to me, that just means this board should be SUPER solid and stable at stock speeds. If the traces on the board, along with other things, are capable of an overclock like that on air, then it really shows me how well the board is made.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    The Gigabyte H55 ITX board is the only good ITX board there is. Sure, Zotac might make some that are more convenient--what, with embedded WiFi and all--but their BIOS are reportedly quite unrefined.

    Then there are the load of dirt-cheap Biostar and JetWay boards. Since the price of the motherboard is relative to the price of its individual components, we all know what happens when you pay bottom dollar for a motherboard.

    There are some other candidates on the horizon that might be good, but it'll be hard to beat the Gigabyte board. Gone are the pre-P35 days; Gigabyte just plain makes good boards now.
  • miragemirage
    edited August 2010
    The air intake of the GTX460 will be facing close to the bottom of the case. Since GTX460 is double width there may not be enough breathing space for it. I think it would be good to open a hole for air intake at the bottom of the case. I would definitely go with the quad core.
  • JingallsJingalls Eugene, OR
    edited August 2010
    Mirage, his case already has air intake in the bottom.
  • miragemirage
    edited August 2010
    Really :) Sorry, I couldn't see that.
  • fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    AlexDeGruven wrote:
    That's a fantastic little board. Lots of power in a very small package.

    My only concern would be the clearance between the top of your DIMMs and the drive cage in that case.

    the DIMMs miss the HDD cage

    <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TTeAknYYVr8&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TTeAknYYVr8&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&quot; type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

    (not my build btw, just showing how the inside comes together)
  • fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    MAGIC wrote:
    Oh, and water cool it. That would be awesome.

    would love too, but that isnt exactly portable LAN style now is it... :tongue2:
  • MAGICMAGIC Doot Doot Furniture City, Michigan Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    It is if you make it all internal. I water cooled a shuttle internally. Its doable.
  • fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    MAGIC wrote:
    It is if you make it all internal. I water cooled a shuttle internally. Its doable.

    I wanna see pics of this man

    I'm looking at the Corsair H50 system right now, seems a number of people put them in the case I'm getting
  • the_technocratthe_technocrat IC-MotY1 Indy Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    don't put the optical drive in, get a non-modular but better power supply for less $, and use the bay for cable storage. Looks clean with no bay tray, and there's always something else on the network with a drive to be shared over the network.

    Been doing it like this since my ic-LAN 07 rig, works great
  • shwaipshwaip bluffin' with my muffin Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    I have the H50. The water tubes are a bit hard to maneuver, but if other people can get em in just fine, it's a great cooler. (keeps an oc'ed 965 BE at a degree or two above ambient, no problem).
  • fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    T_T: the optical bay has a flip-open cover so it always has a "clean look" on the outside

    Lian-li-PC-Q08-MiniTower-MiniITX-MiniDTX-Red.jpg

    I currently have a PCP&C 750w now, and there are WAY to many cables to stuff all in one bay

    but I will ponder this suggestion with the "over the network optical"
  • HydrarHydrar Columbia, MD Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    Been considering something similar. Was curious how it would all fit in there (especially vid card and any RAM with large heatsinks like some of the OCZ sticks).

    Would be interested to see a successful build.
  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    You asked about PSU:

    http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/power_management/ocz_500w_700w_modxstream_pro_power_supply

    http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/power_management/ocz_z_series_850w_modular

    Zseries is more juice than you need, I understand, but efficiency is really nice. Here is the report, even at less than 50% load, it is nice: http://www.80plus.org/manu/psu/psu_reports/OCZ_OCZ-Z850%28M%29_ECOS%201495.1_850W_Report.pdf
  • fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    wait, did Eric just say "more juice than you need"

    can I have the real RyderOCZ back please...

    :p
  • RichDRichD Essex, UK
    edited August 2010
    Im a little confused... I like the look of that board but it doesn't appear to have onboard graphics... however it has VGA, DVI and HDMI on the back? How does that work?
  • BasilBasil Nubcaek England Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    RichD wrote:
    It doesn't appear to have onboard graphics... however it has VGA, DVI and HDMI on the back? How does that work?

    AFAIK it uses the IGP present on some of Intel's CPUs or if the processor doesn't have an onboard GPU a dedicated card is required.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    You're right, Basil. The H55/H57 chipsets from Intel are designed to take advantage of the on-die GPU present in the Westmere-based Core i3 and Core i5 processors. If neither chip is present, a dedicated GPU is needed.
  • RichDRichD Essex, UK
    edited August 2010
    Thats cool. I take it they are just like the onboard GPUs? Im looking (long term) at building a home server/HTPC. I hadn't considered gaming and to be honest the only thing I would probably play is WOW when the Mrs is out. Otherwise Ill use my desktop. I will bear this board in mind.
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