BestConfigs Poll - MicroATX Gaming

[jpishgar]

It's time to vote on your favorite build for this category!

Please see below for a list of the choices available.

"Little Monster" Fractal Arc Mini

Processor: Intel i5 3570K @ $220
Motherboard: Asrock Z77 Extreme4-M @ $140
RAM: GSkill 8gb RAM 1600 (2x4GB) @ $25
Graphics Card: Sapphire Radeon 7970 3Gb @ $380
Solid State Drive: Samsung 830 128gb SSD @ $105
Hard Drive: Western Digital 7200 1TB Drive @ $70
Case: Fractal Design Arc Mini @ $100
Power Supply: Seasonic 750W Modular PSU Gold @ $100
Cooling: Cooler Master Hyper 212+ @ $25
Optical Drive: LG Blu-Ray ROM, CD/DVD Burner @ $35

Total: $1200

Brandon402's "Big Mini" Micro ATX Gaming Build

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($169.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($26.29 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77M Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($97.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($81.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($93.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Samsung 830 Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($100.70 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($369.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Arc Mini MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($98.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Rosewill Capstone 550W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B3ST/BLK/G/AS DVD/CD Writer ($29.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $1149.46
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

Mjmj's MicroATX Rig

Processor: Intel i5 3570k 220$
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4-M 140$
RAM: Patriot Viper 3 8GB (2 x 4GB) 1600mhz 37$
Graphics Card: SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7850 2GB 200$
Graphics Card: SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7850 2GB 200$
Hard Drive: Seagate 1tb 7200rpm 50$
SSD: Samsung 840 Series 120gb 100$
Case: SilverStone SST-PS07B 79$
Power Supply: CORSAIR Professional Series HX650 115$
Cooling: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo 35$
DVD Burner: LG 24X DVD Burner 17$

Total=1193$

The "Chameleon" Build

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-L12 37.8 CFM CPU Cooler ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77MX-D3H Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($127.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($37.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($88.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: OCZ Vertex 4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($285.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Silverstone SST-GD05B-USB3.0 (Black) HTPC Case ($122.56 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: PC Power & Cooling Silencer MK III 600W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($95.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1192.00
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

Size Isn't Everything

Processor: Intel Core i5-3570k, $220
CPU Cooler: Hyper 212 EVO, which does fit in this case, $30
Cooling: Cougar Vortex HDB 140mm Fan, $18
Motherboard: AsRock Z77E-ITX, $150
RAM: The best overclocking ram made (Samsung's), $35
Graphics Card: MSI Radeon 7970 HD - Best blower cooled out there, which is best for this case; $419
Hard Drive: Western Digital 500GB Blue, $58
SSD: Samsung 830 128GB, $103
Case: BitFenix Prodigy Black, $80
Power Supply: OCZ Fatal1ty 550w modular PSU, $70
DVD Burner: Samsung DVD/RW Burner, $15

Total: $1198

 

[ojas]

Again, prices aren't current.

 

[Onus]

Little Monster: Oversized PSU, poor choice of cooler
Brandon402: Microcenter pricing, poor choice of cooler
Mjmj: poor choice of cooler
Chameleon: short-warranty HDD, Loud PSU, pricey case (different for the sake of ???)
Size: CM cooler, loud graphics card, but may take care of heat issues

I went with Mjmj's build. The graphics cards will be very strong as a pair, and individually are powerful enough that microstutter shouldn't rear its ugly head. You'll probably need to add a fan to the case. I'd use a different cooler, but it looks pretty good.
Heat could really be a problem in the mini-ITX, including radiant heat from the graphics card. I had that exact mobo pop a VRM while running at stock, and CPU temps were good. Maybe I was unlucky, but I attributed it to heat from a HD7870.

 

[DarkSable]

Heat could really be a problem in the mini-ITX, including radiant heat from the graphics card. I had that exact mobo pop a VRM while running at stock, and CPU temps were good. Maybe I was unlucky, but I attributed it to heat from a HD7870.

I've got a build similar to it, with an AsRock motherboard instead of that one, but my botherboard temps are fine - that being said, the airflow in that case is nicely designed - it's separated into various compartments, if you will, so that the graphics card takes in fresh air from the side vent, and puts it out the back, while the CPU cooler and hard drive cage both can have separate airflow paths. (I've got mine with both sides as intake and the top as output, with an updraft CPU cooler. Works like a charm.)

 

[EzioAs]

I thought only Micro-ATX could fit in here, didn't think there would be any Mini-ITX build

 

[Junoh315]

At these prices, I'm just going to make a full ATX PC and keep upgrading it.

 

[jpishgar]

This topic has been desticky in top of the forum by Jpishgar

 

[DarkSable]

At these prices, I'm just going to make a full ATX PC and keep upgrading it.

Wait... why can't you make a micro ATX computer and keep upgrading IT, too?

 

[Junoh315]

Wait... why can't you make a micro ATX computer and keep upgrading IT, too?

Micro ATX PCs don't have as much room and expansion slots. I like my choice of parts because it was easy to work with and all of the cords fit snug in the back panel of the PC. That's something that's hard to get with Micro ATX builds.

 

[phx08]

Wait... why can't you make a micro ATX computer and keep upgrading IT, too?

Because of size constraints. You have things very tightly packed together and it would be tough to upgrade to other components. Not saying that you can't but if you want to add more you most likely will run into problems.