Convince me to keep my dream of having a sleek, powerful Mini-ITX build

[Chupacabra69]

For years ever since the release of m-ITX, I've had a dream of having a sleek, robust, powerful tiny computer build. I game, use it for media center, and business apps. Something you wouldn't be embarrassed to have in your front room near your TV (as my computer is hooked up to my widescreen TV). Something that doesn't take over the room. Something sleek.

Enter my dream of an m-ITX build. Only, years later, pricing out cases and boards, I'm still making compromises if I build one. There are many small cases that are either ugly, don't have the space for a good video card, don't have the proper cooling, or are just as large as a M-ATX build so why even go M-ITX in the first place!

Featurewise pretty much that Gigabyte motherboard is what I'd want on an M-ITX board, but the thing tanked in the review and performed very horribly. I'd be looking for m.2 slots, bluetooth onboard, wifi would be nice (not required), dual nic preferred, onboard hdmi 2.0+ 4k video, 32gb ram minimum (prefer upgradeable to 64). M.2/nvme capabilities. Good warranty and manufacturer.

The other half of the issue is the case. There are many cases marked m-itx out there but as mentioned many are ugly, not having the sleek look I'm looking for. Or they are just as big as an m-atx. I'm really looking for a nice case here which actually IS smaller, but has room for components and has a good look.

I'm planning on getting the i7-8700k cpu to go with it. Cooling solution would depend on case so undecided. Video card, I have a r9-380dd which is going in for RMA, probably get some replacement full size card. Or will buy a GTX 1060 since that seems to be the correct bang for the buck point.

I'm probably asking for too much here which is why I'm thinking m-atx now... but consider this the last gasp of a drowning dream. Can you find me the perfect mobo and case for what I'm describing? Sleek, powerful, robust. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Karadjgne]

With a full sized gpu like the R9 380, case choices are going to be extremely limited.

Getting something like a gigabyte gtx1070 mITX OC would make things seriously easier and bump up performance vrs the 380 or 1060.

My only choice for decent case that's sleek and not a stumpy little cube would be the Phanteks evolve shift mITX. Strongly recommend that you watch the vids, read reviews etc on this case, it's definitely an advanced build. Also strongly recommend the use of a 140mm aio like the Corsair h90 or, bumping to the larger version, the Evolve Shift-X which will mount a 280mm rad, which will definitely keep the 8700k temps in check.

Motherboard? Asus ROG Z370-I Gaming. Not a problem with wifi, dual lan, dual m.2 etc. But it's mITX so no sli, no cf, 32Gb ram.

 

[Chupacabra69]

I think my one reason I discounted the Asus ROG Z370-I gaming was the onboard video for HDMI was really bad.. 24hz refresh. The "good" port is Displayport: Supports DisplayPort with max. resolution 4096 x 2304 @ 60 Hz
However my TV is all-HDMI inputs. I'd need a beefy as all heck DP to HDMI 2.x converter that would support 4k, pass through audio, and support lots of colors. I see many adapters like this on the market but the 8 bit color @ 4k worries me:
https://www.amazon.com/CAC-1080-DisplayPort-Adapter-displays-4096x2160/dp/B077JB28KM
I would really rather I have native HDMI 2.0 4k support on the motherboard so there aren't unknowns.
Granted, the onboard video is only as a backup in the case that my GPU goes down. but having experienced GPU problems twice in a year it now seems to be a fact of life and I'd like to be prepared.

I like the look of the evolv shift m-itx case you mentioned. I'd originally seen and discounted the case as too large, but after a 2nd look I noticed the other dimensions are basically 6 inches by 10 inches. Although tall this makes it *TINY* which is what I am looking for. And it's sleek, also what I am looking for. What cooling solution would you recommend? I'm not familiar with Water cooling AIO/Closed loop systems. Have only ever done air cooling. But due to small space, I think perhaps an AIO would be a better choice.

Thank you

 

[LordVile]

For years ever since the release of m-ITX, I've had a dream of having a sleek, robust, powerful tiny computer build. I game, use it for media center, and business apps. Something you wouldn't be embarrassed to have in your front room near your TV (as my computer is hooked up to my widescreen TV). Something that doesn't take over the room. Something sleek.

Enter my dream of an m-ITX build. Only, years later, pricing out cases and boards, I'm still making compromises if I build one. There are many small cases that are either ugly, don't have the space for a good video card, don't have the proper cooling, or are just as large as a M-ATX build so why even go M-ITX in the first place!

Featurewise pretty much that Gigabyte motherboard is what I'd want on an M-ITX board, but the thing tanked in the review and performed very horribly. I'd be looking for m.2 slots, bluetooth onboard, wifi would be nice (not required), dual nic preferred, onboard hdmi 2.0+ 4k video, 32gb ram minimum (prefer upgradeable to 64). M.2/nvme capabilities. Good warranty and manufacturer.

The other half of the issue is the case. There are many cases marked m-itx out there but as mentioned many are ugly, not having the sleek look I'm looking for. Or they are just as big as an m-atx. I'm really looking for a nice case here which actually IS smaller, but has room for components and has a good look.

I'm planning on getting the i7-8700k cpu to go with it. Cooling solution would depend on case so undecided. Video card, I have a r9-380dd which is going in for RMA, probably get some replacement full size card. Or will buy a GTX 1060 since that seems to be the correct bang for the buck point.

I'm probably asking for too much here which is why I'm thinking m-atx now... but consider this the last gasp of a drowning dream. Can you find me the perfect mobo and case for what I'm describing? Sleek, powerful, robust. Thanks for your thoughts.

You could always look at a Hades Canyon NUC?
Or give a budget and let people throw PCpartpicker builds at you

 

[Karadjgne]

Not sure why onboard video outputs would be any concern when everything will be used through the gpu, not the mobo. Even as a backup, the igpu is not anywhere close to gaming ability of a 380/1060/1070, so at most all you'd be using the pc for would be playback or windows if the gpu went down.

There's 2x of those evolve shift, the standard mITX and the X version which is larger, but still mITX.

The X has more fan locations, a couple more drive bay options and ability to seat a 280mm aio.

For the most part, an aio and aircooler are pretty identical in their performance ranges. Corsair h60 = CM hyper212. It's only price that really differs. The biggest difference is location. Aircoolers dump all their heat directly into the case, towers having direction usually facing a rear exhaust. Aios generally either dump heat into the case or exhaust it directly out. If you read the review on the shift, the aio is set low, so fans can create airflow directly up, pushing gpu heat as well up and out the top. Slimline aircoolers just confuse airflow patterns by blowing heat in all directions, like back down into the case. It's why Phanteks strongly recommends aios, helps considerably with airflow.

Because of case size restrictions, components sizes, wiring and all the other obstructions in tiny cases like most SFF and mITX, airflow is a paramount consideration, one reason I tossed many case choices like the Raijintek Metis/plus, airflow is abominable, heat basically sits and circulates. Having a tube like the Shift, air in one end, out the other makes much better sense.

https://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/8283/phanteks-evolv-shift-sff-chassis-review/index.html

 

[justin.m.beauvais]

I can help to keep this dream alive! Head on over to YouTube and search for Linus Tech Tips SFF for some small form factor porn. Those guys crammed a GTX 1080ti (or was it a Titan? I can't remember) and an i9 into a case the size of a shoebox. You generally have to make some compromises on price but you should be able to get as much power as you need on tap in an ITX system.

If a shoebox seems too big, check out the Hades Canyon NUC, which is an i7 with the onboard Vega that performs near a GTX 1060. A pretty sweet little system actually.

 

[mdd1963]

A Corsair 100R case is $50, and although technically an ATX mid-tower, it is fairly smallish, yet still wide enough to alow a Noctua NH-D15....

Is it as small as some of the ITX affairs? of course not.....

but the 100R does not run hot either.....