ATX vs Micro-ATX

[bybwn]

Hi all...

I'm planning on upgrading my system to pentium4, and I'm thinking about switching to Micro-ATX as well. Anybody know if switching from ATX would be a disaster? As I figure as long as the PCI slots in the Micro-ATX is sufficient to my needs, an AGP slot, the usual USBs and other connectors... then using a slim Micro-ATX casing would be cool, no? Any info about this is appreciated. Thanx.

Budy

 

[Flyingcool]

Well it's really up to how you use your computer. Anticipate upgrades & Add-ons. ie. Firewire card, SCSI card, IDE Controller card, Godforbid a modem when your broadband goes out. Up to your computer usage and how you use it

 

[mudboy]

Personally, I think MicroATX can suit the needs of the majority of computer users, especially if the motherboard is good and has a couple of built in peripherals. Onboard hardware sound is good and 90% of users would never be able to tell the difference between onboard hardware sound and an Audigy or TBSC. Onboard LAN is another good thing. Pick a MicroATX board that has 3 PCI slots, 1 AGP slot, and those two onboard peripherals, and you'll probably never miss ATX, unless you need >1GB RAM or you have lots of PCI needs.

I'm going from a Shuttle AK31 (nothing onboard) to an Abit NV7M (onboard sound and LAN). The only other cards I'm going to put in there are my Hauppauge TV card and a GF4 4200...which still leaves me with 2 open slots for "just in case". 2 memory slots are a bit limiting, but I'm just going to use 512MB so it shouldn't matter. I certainly don't see "missing" my ATX rig, the only thing I'll be giving up is my old Zip 100 drive (going back to using onboard IDE, and all 4 IDE channels will be taken up).

Pete

 

[bybwn]

Thanx for the info guys... I plan to keep my current SCSI and SBLive so 3 PCI slots is enough with possible future firewire, so I'm very interested to move to Micro-ATX.
I suppose the next question is then the motherboard itself. My current system is a PIII & 512Mb, on an ASUS P3V4X (VIA) and overall is okay. But honestly, I've gotten tired of updating those VIA 4in1 drivers just to try to achieve the best yet stabil combination with my nVidia drivers. I know this has been a 'favorite' among discussion groups and it seems never ending. Before, I had a PII on an Intel and it was also okay, most of all, stabil.
So, to wrap it up, what do you think of a P4 (Northwood, perhaps 2Ghz) and DDR on an Intel mb with at least an onboard LAN? Besides, I don't OC anyway, as long as the stability is there. You'd think their onboard video and sound should play a part in the overall stability as well?