Thinking about moving to mini-ITX

[LuluTheMonk]

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
Photo editing via Lightroom 3, Streaming to TV, Gaming (mostly free to play games at the moment like path of exile, hawken, etc.)

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
Don't really have one at the moment.

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
US, no microcenter nearby but do have a Fry's.

5. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.
none

6. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
Current Components:
2600k w/CM 212+
MSI P67a-GD65
4x4GB G.Skill Ripjaws
Seasonic X650
256GB 840 Pro SSD
64GB Vertex 2 SSD
1 TB Samsung F3
AMD 6870
Antec P182

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
Currently at 4.7 Ghz

8. What resolution, not monitor size, will you be using?
2560x1440

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
Note that it is usually not cost or time effective to choose your build more than a month before you actually plan to be using it.
Not sure. Maybe sell current components and upgrade to Haswell? otherwise might as well upgrade now.

Was looking at this case which would fit better than the p182:
http://www.caselabs-store.com/the-mercury-case-line/

Components I am thinking about:
ASUS P8Z77-I DELUXE $175 AR

To get the same amount of RAM, would need 2x8GB ~$110
Might as well upgrade the Video card to a 7950 ~$270 (sell bioshock and crysis3)
Maybe a Swiftech H220 for fun $150

Try and resell existing RAM + Video card + Mobo + case.

Or, wait and upgrade to haswell.
Buy new CPU + Mobo + RAM + Video card
Sell CPU + Mobo + RAM + video card + case

Or do nothing and just deal with my existing setup

\o/ what say you AT.

 

[dmoney1980]

I say wait until haswell, see what that brings. Your existing setup can handle what you do just fine, and you got a great OC on your CPU. I could see upgrading your GPU if you decide to play more visualy demanding games, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

That caselabs case you linked looks nice, but it looks pretty bulky for mITX...I guess it depends on what you plan on stuffing in there.

 

[LuluTheMonk]

Probably wouldn't go with the monsta, but maybe the UT60.

 

[Skott]

Thats pretty much a matx size case there. A build like that seems a bit over much for itx. I'd go with something like the Lian-Li PC-Q08 instead. Somewhat smaller and it is itx. Mod a handle on it and its easily more portable too. Comes down to personal preference and what you plan to do with it. Just my opinion.

 

[Zap]

Thats pretty much a matx size case there.

Exactly what I thought. You can go with a Z77 mATX motherboard and mATX case, and then you can use all your existing parts down to your RAM. Case would probably be the same size as those huge mITX, unless if you go with a big mATX like the Antec Mini P180, which isn't so mini.

 

[dmoney1980]

OP- have you looked at the bitfenix prodigy mitx case?

 

[mfenn]

Agree with dmoney, Zap, and Skott. If you're looking at a case that big, you might as well get a MicroATX case and save money on the mobo and RAM.

 

[LuluTheMonk]

I have looked at the bitfenix prodigy, but prefer the options that the S3 provides. Guess I might as well wait and see what the S5 will be like. If I stick with air, one of the problems with many of the itx cases and even matx cases they don't allow for a 212+/DH14 size cooler.

 

[javitxi]

OP, have you seen the review at Anandtech about Swiftech H220 & others? About throwing in the mix the Monsta I assume you are open to the route of a custom closed loop (sorry, no experience or background on it). If that is the case, maybe the Bitfenix Prodigy -although it doesn't suits you as you have said- will fit your space issues (for example) as said by dmoney1980 (also I agree that you are ok with your current rig).

Also, about the OC, is it really neccesary to have it so high? I think that maybe at 2560x1440 you will be more restrained by your GPU and its memory to hold the big long detailed textures (I assume you will play at medium to high quality settings, with an average of ~40 fps maybe) than your CPU. So, if you can justify the OC it will be ok; otherwise, just stick with your current aftermarket H212 cooler (although they say that the fan will tend to fail with time because it is a sleeve-bearing type) and just buy a new GPU of your choice (7950 or GTX670 -both reference for the custom water loop. If you are planning a custom water loop on a uATX or ITX build, the GTX670 will fit very well in almost any case. Maybe you could try the H220 and add to the loop the GPU -which maybe it will be worthwile looking at another watercool kit).

Also, I have to agree with mfenn and the others.

So, the subject just comes of what you want to do and how much money you want to spend:

- if you want to do some OC to the CPU and have decent temeperatures, if you are going to use an aftermarket (aircooled) heatsink, take into account what are their trade-offs: maybe cheaper than a pre-built waterloop, bigger, maybe tendency to bend the motherboard because of its weight (> 0,7-8Kg) and not so high OCs with low noise or decent temperatures. So, if you want 'high OCs' (4.2 to 4.5 Ghz), low noise, less space and less weight on the motherboard, go to the pre-built H220/similar or custom water loops.

- if you want to go to the uATX/ITX route with a water cooled loop, maybe I could suggest Silverstone Fortress FT03. It is capable of holding a uATX mobo and a custom watercooled CPU + GPU. Maybe this thread will inspire you So, having a little bit of everything will add you some more money, but you can reuse your 2600k, ram, hdds an psu

Hope to have been of help!

 

[LuluTheMonk]

The OC is mostly for lightroom and processing images, which I see a real world benefit. For games, I just solved my min FPS issue by getting a new 7950 from the egg at $270 AR =/. Compatible with Alphacool 7970/50 according to reviews if I go the custom route.

Would rather have a bit more space than is offered by the prodigy or FT03, and I don't really plan on running SLI anytime so a mATX seems overkill.

 

[Sleepingforest]

The Bitfenix Prodigy is actually a little bigger than small mATX cases like the Silverstone mATX TJ08e by external dimensions. The Prodigy 404mm by 250mm by 359mm while the TJ08e is 385mm by 210mm by 374mm.

I'm not trying to make the Prodigy seem bad or anything (it's very good for watercooling from what I hear); it's not that small. The Lian Li PC-Q08, for example, is 227mm x 272mm x 345mm (WxHxD). It's about 21 liters in volume; comparatively, the Bitfenix Prodigy has an internal volume of 26.35 liters. You can fit the Lian Li case inside the Prodigy with room to spare!

 

[LuluTheMonk]

Hmmm, so it looks like
S3:
WxHxD : 268mm x 380mm x 382mm

Prodigy:
WxHxD : 250mm x 404mm x 359mm

Albeit the S3 costs 2x =/ However the mounting options for both HD's, coolers, room for PSU and pretty much everything else seems to be far superior on the S3.

The Lian-Li just seems like either an large air HSF won't fit to support my CPU o/c, or it will be quite a bit of work to get a watercooled setup to fit in there. At this point, laziness will probably win out and I will opt for the S3/S5. How about a nice mATX case that would support my needs?

 

[Sleepingforest]

Have you looked at the Silverstone Temjin 08-e that I mentioned earlier? It's my case, and it's actually a bit smaller than the Prodigy despite being mATX. It's got room for a 180 mm fan/radiator in the front (which is actually more surface area than 2 120mm fans) and a 120mm slot in the back.

 

[javitxi]

Have you looked at the Silverstone Temjin 08-e that I mentioned earlier? It's my case, and it's actually a bit smaller than the Prodigy despite being mATX. It's got room for a 180 mm fan/radiator in the front (which is actually more surface area than 2 120mm fans) and a 120mm slot in the back.

+1. Take a look at the mods with water if they'll convice you