The Mini-ITX hits just keep on coming. With the diminutive platform becoming increasingly popular with the DIY crowd, we are seeing more manufacturers offering a greater variety of motherboards and more sites running reviews of those offerings. In this case, the ASRock Z77E-ITX is on the review table. As the name implies, the Z77E-ITX is a Mini-ITX board based on […]
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We are currently about halfway through the release cycle of the most recent Intel processor family. Ivy Bridge has now been with us for several months and we are still several months from the release of Haswell, Ivy Bridge’s successor. For processor afficionados, these might be the doldrums, but for anyone looking to go Mini-ITX for a new HTPC or […]
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This summer proved exciting for fans of the Mini-ITX form factor with a number of intriguing new cases including the BitFenix Prodigy and the Fractal Design Node 304 grabbing some time in the spotlight. I was also a bit taken with the new Cooler Master Elite 120 as it reminded me of a smaller version of my once-beloved Antec Aria. […]
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Boasting clean lines, the right look, and solid construction for Mini-ITX based systems the Wesena ITX5 all-aluminum enclosure offers capabilities very similar to the ITX7; by removing optical drive support in a slightly lower cost ($80) package. Building a name for quality takes time and attention to feedback, so it was fantastic to examine the generational differences between the two […]
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Cooler Master has announced the Elite 120 Advanced Mini-ITX case, joining BitFenix and Fractal Design in pushing new designs geared not just at SFF and HTPC enthusiasts, but also performance enthusiasts. The Elite 120 Advanced is the latest Mini-ITX case to tout a design intended to house a full-size gaming-grade graphics card without giving up the diminutive footprint that makes mini-ITX so […]
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The list of intriguing new Mini-ITX cases just keeps on growing, this time with the announcement of the Fractal Design Node family of cases at Computex. Representing Mini-ITX will be the Node 304. The Node 304 is a relatively petite cube-style small form factor case capable of housing six hard drives, making it an exciting option for HTPC or home server builds. […]
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Mini-ITX always seems to be right on the cusp of bursting into the mainstream. Low-power and cool running processors abound and many of the major manufacturers are offering compelling mini-ITX motherboards, but for those of us that like to roll our own systems, the biggest challenge in selecting components for a mini-ITX build is often in selecting the right case. […]
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When Intel introduced the Thin Mini-ITX form factor with the DH61AG board, we were impressed with the performance and potential of the platform; however, the innovative form factor lacked any accompanying chassis to take advantage of the extra thin profile. Fortunately, that situation is changing with the introduction of LIAN LI’s PC-Q05 which supports the new Thin Mini-ITX form factor. […]
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Every so often, a case manufacturer decides to try to break the mold and release something new and different. Such efforts tend to result in, at best, niche products, but occasionally the result is so eye-catching, that I can’t help but root for it. SilverStone’s FT03 was one such case. The first time I saw a picture of the FT03 in all […]
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nMEDIAPC has made a name for itself in the home theater PC (HTPC) community for consistently delivering well-built, good-looking, and reasonably-priced chassis comfortable in the A/V stack. Offering a brushed aluminum front panel and a street price of $80, at first glance the HTPC 7000B seems to carry on this tradition. Coupled with two 120mm fans, we should expect excellent […]
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