First Interchangeable Mini-STX Cases With ECS Motherboard

[IInuyasha74]

ECS has one important innovation that other mini-STX OEMs do not: the option of interchangeable cases.

First Interchangeable Mini-STX Cases With ECS Motherboard : Read more

 

[bit_user]

I'm sorry to hear that STX dropped the ball on I/O points, but thanks to ECS for picking it up!

Now, I just need someone to build a decent ARM-based STX board.

 

[Kellen_Sul]

AMD APU STX? like A12+DDR4+SSS+ Liquid Cooling and i'm sold.

 

[joz]

But, it's ECS...

Isn't ECS a joke?

 

[alextheblue]

But, it's ECS...

Isn't ECS a joke?

I actually have had pretty good luck with ECS in the past, at least for stock-clock machines. Not sure how they are now, but I'd try them again if building for someone else (I mainly buy Asus or Asrock now for myself). If I was building an mSTX machine I'd be inclined to get one just because they're interchangeable. But that's not the most important part about this development anyway. The thing is that now OTHER motherboard makers may very well release mSTX boards with the same standard IO shield setup, and more case manufacturers could join in too. Ultimately if this catches on it will benefit everyone even if you don't use ECS.

 

[Kimonajane]

Look like Mac Mini clones.

 

[jasonc519]

There is only one arrangement for the rear IOs, this is what STX spec defines and so all STX boards/chassis are compatible. Once ECS changed the rear IO, it is another proprietary design which cannot be called STX any more.

 

[Quixit]

But, it's ECS...

Isn't ECS a joke?

I like ECS, their boards and cheap and stable. I'd buy a high-end board from them if they made one.

 

[killerb255]

But, it's ECS...

Isn't ECS a joke?

I got burnt on ECS motherboards in the early '00s. It seems like they've changed significantly for the better since then.

 

[Amdlova]

my last ecs board is a p45t and 890gx DEAD after 6 months with no guarantee look at power compsumation of the motherboard. and you see what will die first!

 

[alextheblue]

There is only one arrangement for the rear IOs, this is what STX spec defines and so all STX boards/chassis are compatible. Once ECS changed the rear IO, it is another proprietary design which cannot be called STX any more.

Link? The article says "Thus far, all of the mini-STX motherboards we have seen can be used in just a single case each" which kind of implies there is either no standard or they don't feel a need to adhere strictly to a single layout. It does seem rather limiting and I'd rather see conventional IO panels take over as a de facto standard if the actual "standard" is that restrictive.

 

[Kellen_Sul]

AMD APU STX? like A12+DDR4+SSS+ Liquid Cooling and i'm sold.

 

[gondor]

But, it's ECS...

Isn't ECS a joke?

You are thinking of Biostar. But then again ECS isn't that far off ...

 

[IInuyasha74]

There is only one arrangement for the rear IOs, this is what STX spec defines and so all STX boards/chassis are compatible. Once ECS changed the rear IO, it is another proprietary design which cannot be called STX any more.

This is incorrect, and I can show you photographic evidence of boards from Asrock, Asus, Gigabyte and ECS to show several different rear I/O configurations. Mini-STX is a form factor, which means it defines the measurements of the board. Intel does have other recommendations about how the design should be, but this is completely open to interpretation by the OEM.