Building a Mini ITX Gaming PC that is portable!

[k1mo]

Hi guys, im pretty new here but i thought i would give it a try seeing i couldn't find an answer to my questions.
Basically i have to move back and forth overseas which involves plane flights and need a Case that i can "carry on" to a plane as hand luggage. I know there are alot of cases that support that but they all seem pretty fugly to me (Lian li, silverstone and a few others). I like the looks and the layout of the Corsair Obsidian 250D but cant find anywhere if it is too big to carry onto a plane, in conclusion to my question is, What is the max size of case i can take with me as carry on luggage and what options of cases do i have? I also need something that fits a gtx 780 in it. Thanks for reading and i hope to see some replys.
take care

 

[TechyInAZ]

you should look at the coolermaster 130 elite, it's longer I believe than the 250D but it's height is shorter

 

[ingtar33]

many itx cases are actually too big to carry on an airplane. the issue is many planes have DIFFERENT max carry on sizes... but generally speaking the "average" carry on max is 22"L x 14"H x 9"W.. that 9" wide measurement is the one that kills most cases.

furthermore all carry on luggage is limited by 50 pounds max weight. that's not a huge issue, but PSUs and heavy heatsinks can add weight quickly, especially if it's a metal case.

the cooler master elite 130 would fit... it's also probably the BIGGEST itx case you probably could get on a plane. it should fit a 780ti... and a full sized psu. you probably could get a h80i in too for your cpu. so overall that's a solid suggestion.

 

[TechyInAZ]

How about the asrock m8 barebone?

Why don't you get a gaming laptop.

 

[k1mo]

Thanks for the superfast replies,a laptop is out the equation as it doesn't meet my needs when it comes to power, and now i have some average measurements i can go by for carry on luggage. Im swaying towards the Coolermaster 130 that you mentioned but my past experience with CM cases was not good. The build quality in them seems abit flimsy and even the outer looks of the case look abit tacky compared to the Corsair cases. What about the evga hadron? I have searched abit more and found some alright looking silverstone mini itx cases too which are actually black inside instead of silver but then again it brings me back to the 250d due to easy compatibility with the h100i cooler. What would you guys personally get in my situation, i dont have a budget on the price of case.

 

[DeadGraphics]

Thanks for the superfast replies,a laptop is out the equation as it doesn't meet my needs when it comes to power, and now i have some average measurements i can go by for carry on luggage. Im swaying towards the Coolermaster 130 that you mentioned but my past experience with CM cases was not good. The build quality in them seems abit flimsy and even the outer looks of the case look abit tacky compared to the Corsair cases. What about the evga hadron? I have searched abit more and found some alright looking silverstone mini itx cases too which are actually black inside instead of silver but then again it brings me back to the 250d due to easy compatibility with the h100i cooler. What would you guys personally get in my situation, i dont have a budget on the price of case.

The 250d or the Fractal Design Node 804 would be my choice because they are both nice cases

 

[Ytyoussef]

In your situation I would get an M8, as it seems to be one of the easier cases to carry around. It is expensive though.

 

[ingtar33]

-The Corsair Obsidian 250D - is too big to fit on a plane. it's 11" wide... that won't go...

-Fractal Design Node 804 - is too big to fit on a plane. it's 12" wide AND 15" tall... so that's a no go too.

-Asrock M8 barebone - is too big to fit on a plane. it's 15" tall.

you see what i was saying about plane carry on specs being a tough one to match. many ITX cases are too big.

-Lian Li PC-TU200B - would be my preferred case... that one will "barely" fit but it will work. Personally if i was planning to do what you're planning to do this would be the case i'd do it with...

 

[k1mo]

Thanks again for all the answers guys, i have come to conclusion that bringing on my preferred M-itx case as carry-on will not be possible as ingtar stated all the height/width requirements. I think i will just try take the valuable parts like graphics card mobo/hdd as carry on and take the risk of checking-in the case/psu and the rest of the components, if i pack it really well with bubble wrap it should be fine inside a decent sized suitcase? also what is the limit of suitcases you can check in? My initial question is answered tho, thank you all

 

[blue_smoke]

Thanks again for all the answers guys, i have come to conclusion that bringing on my preferred M-itx case as carry-on will not be possible as ingtar stated all the height/width requirements. I think i will just try take the valuable parts like graphics card mobo/hdd as carry on and take the risk of checking-in the case/psu and the rest of the components, if i pack it really well with bubble wrap it should be fine inside a decent sized suitcase? also what is the limit of suitcases you can check in? My initial question is answered tho, thank you all

ok if you are still looking for answers. heres a very itx system that should fit in a normal suitcase.

Cooler Master Elite 110 - 50 bucks
Intel i5-4670k - 240 bucks
MSI Z87I AC LGA 1150 Intel Z87 - 120 bucks
8gb Team DDR3 1600 - 72 bucks
MSI ITX Series GTX 760 - 260 bucks
Corsair CX600 - 65 bucks
Corsair H80i - 80 bucks
Arctic Accelero Mono - 50 bucks?
1tb caviar blue - 60 bucks
120gb 840 evo - 80 bucks
Around 1250 including tax and shipping.

still packs a punch with gaming and should be quiet enough.

 

[gameneck]

This is a monster!!! best investment of my travel career! no problem as a carry on, and since most hotels have digital flat screens, I can play as soon as I check in!

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=5217#ov