In your opinions as an ITX user, what are the positives and negatives?
As an outsider to ITX, what do you think is good or bad about it as a platform?
I can think of a few myself, but I’m also used to dual processor beasts or mobo’s that I had to hack to get all the potential power out of the hardware at hand. To be completely honest, I’m skewed towards ridiculously custom solutions and I don’t really have an angle at normal hardware anymore aside from laptops.
All input is appreciated. Thanks.
Pros
Cons
The way I see it is if the end user only expects to use a single GPU or expansion card and doesn’t plan on hardcore overclocking then ITX is just about perfect. If running multiple cards or need a beefcake VRM setup for overclocking then go larger. I’d say that the vast majority of computer users would be perfectly fine with ITX, assuming they even need something more than a tablet or whatever.
It’s simple…
Positives are the size. It’s small. It’s easy to build a tiny HTPC or something and put it under your TV, or build a small system to hide behind your monitor or monitors…
Negative is the size… And that about covers it. It’s small so there is no huge array of connection options. You only have your one PCIe slot so no extra addon cards. No space for great VRMs, no space for great cooling in most ITX cases. No space for multiple m.2 drives…
So that’s it. The appeal it’s downfall…
Yeah I’m not really after OC. My rule stands, buy the CPU clock you want. I’m between a 9590 and selling that off later or dropping a good 900 bucks on a proper ryzen machine thats maybe ITX.
And the only reason for the 9590 is stock 5GHz at this point. I don’t need to hear about how awful bulldozer was for the average user lounge thanks I GET IT.
Interesting. Been looking at finding a HAF stacker or two. Seems like they were tall enough for most coolers.
As long as it has like 6 sata slots I could care less. Plop a ryzen chip and my RX580 in there and tada. Use “TBolt” for everything else really, if I needed it.
If.
Well, most itx cases with proper space aren’t really using the small part of the small system build…
It’s like the Node 304 or the H200 from NZXT or even the manta… They are large enough to be considered matx…
Mmm. Well ATM I’m really concerned with footprint as well as height, so something that can properly cool and still be really small is AOK in my book, haha.
Essentially what @psycho_666 and @w.meri said
Personally, I value expandability (pcie, usb) very highly, so my rule of thumb is: Does it absolutely, really have to be small ? (HTPC, DIY laptop) if yes use ITX, if no use the biggest board around 
I used to agree with that a lot. However I’ve been seeing the benefits of smaller cases a lot more lately. With the room that I currently have available, ITX makes the most sense to me. Especially that most boards nowadays have built in 802.11 AC and all. Less for me to worry about.
With that, TBOLT is getting better and better every week it seems. New BIOS patches on top of ucode improving architecture… Theres not really any loss of expandability there, IMO at least.
Well, honestly, my mom doesn’t really need full ATX system and stuff… I can build her a small Elite 110 system with a nice fan and let her be happy.
But yes… mATX is criminally underrated platform…
Then it’s clear: Get a mini-ITX board.
The most important thing now is to find a really small case to take advantage of the space saving potential. Unfortunately that is not my field of expertise.
Well, you don’t like cubes, so Core V1 is out…
Suppressor F1?
Elite 130?
Except for the part where there aren’t any AMD motherboards except X399 with thunderbolt (which only sorta works) and like one Intel mITX board with it
As I said, theres a lot to consider for this so IDK if I’ll like the case or not.
It’ll be an 8 core machine with an RX580 and potentially 3HDD’s and an SSD in it. Will a case like the V1 have the airflow for that?
Theres some magic hat shit that can be done to have it.
As stated earlier, it was in quotes for a reason ;3
Its not that its incapable, its just extreme beta and not on the surface level.
Right… I’m sure.
I don’t in anyway even see the appeal of thunderbolt anyway but good luck. Let me know when you get it working (ie never)
Ehh. All mITX have bad airflow for the most part and you need to use a blower card. It should be okay but it will be hot. Also that case doesn’t support 3 3.5in drives
If you want the smallest case you’ll be looking at something like Dan A4-SFX or NCASE M1. If you want storage and whatnot then the Fractal Node 304.
I can do an external enclosure as well and wire it.
Come to think of it, the 304 is a bit old right? Probably a lot of reviews for it that I have seen. I’ll have to look.