Small Form Factor cases

frank

frank

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After being pestered to decorate the backroom where computer is, the wife is now nagging to see if I can tidy up around the computer desk and if I can get a smaller pc case like the one she uses at work without spending megabucks on a new pc system from the likes of PC World. She uses a NHS computer which I assume is probably one of these little server thingy's.

So now I'm looking to downsize my rather old PC case to something smaller and neater and cheaply, maybe a Small Form Factor type case.

I currently have a Intel core 2 cpu 6420 @2.13GHZ 64bit Win 7 os ...well Vista 64bit (retail version) with Win 7 upgrade with 4 gb ram.

I'm quite happy with my current specs but the current tower is beginning to annoy me as it sits on the floor under the desk resulting in a mass of cables lying behind it and a cold draught coming from the noisy fan across my feet and leg.

I am considering a Small Form Factor case which would sit neatly on the desk or shelf above the monitor without taking up too much room. I realise I would probably need a new mainboard to fit SFF case, could I use my Intel 6420 in the SFF mainboard ?

It's been a few years since I last put a PC together so I'm a little bit rusty. I'd like to make use of the 2 3 1/2 in' internal HD's I have, 1Tb drive and 250gb drive possibly transferring to the new mainboard to save a few bucks. Would I be able to use my current memory sticks in a SFF mainboard ?

The heaviest use the computer sees these days is Adobe Elements 9 and some raw files, it is definitely not a games machine.

Any recommendations on SFF cases and mainboards to match would be much appreciated bearing in mind I'm trying to do it el-cheapo

Thanks
 
Quite a few case manufacturers support the itx form factor, you will need to buy a board in the specific format though. Here's an itx box I built as an example - http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18096877

Depends how small you want to go though, a m-atx can also be pretty compact, another example my latest build - http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18291811 and I'm just about to upgrade the graphics to a dual slot model

There's plenty of boards around that'll support your 775 socket intel chip, the zotac I used in the first build does for example.
 
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Without getting an Apple Mac Mini, Mini-ITX is as small as you can get in a reasonable budget. I have built the below for my new Windows Home Server and it screams along - only uses 10watts at idle to!

LN31985 - Samsung SN-T083C/BEBE SLOT Loader DVD±R - £33.47
LN32204 - 8GB (2x4GB) Corsair DDR3 SO-DIMM PC3-10600 (1333) - £35.21
LN38570 - Wesena Mini ITX2 Aluminum Black Case HTPC w/o PSU - £79.99
LN39020 - 40GB Intel 310 Series mSATA - £73.16
LN39335 - Titan TTC-NC25H/S Heatsink - £16.38
LN40336 - 1TB Samsung HN-M101MBB Spinpoint M8, 2.5", 9.5 mm - £107.98
LN40527 - Intel BLKDH61AG, Intel H61 Mini ITX - £90.73
LN39503 - Intel Pentium G620, S 1155, Dual Core 2.60GHz - £42.62
Total - £497.65

All prices from Scan (including delivery and HD's have gone up in price since purchase), I used a Dell laptop power supply for the motherboard and thin CPU fan I already had to complete.
 
Thanks guys, Jimbo I've never heard of that company but there is quite a choice of boxes to choose from. Will need to spend a bit time and see what box will suit some of the stuff in my current box. Methinks it will only be a internal HD I can transfer and get a caddy for the 2nd HD, also memory looks different so I suppose some of that too but its quite cheap just now.
 
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