Flipped ATX Cases Gone Mainstream ...
I've been signing the weight, form-factor and, yes, even cooling praises of a 11" x 9" x 14" "Small Enough Form Factor" MicroATX (with full ATX power supply) Cube enclosure, but not everyone goes for the MicroATX form-factor which limits you to 4 slots and only 5 drives (only 2 x 5.25"). As such, many are still looking for a bit more expansion.
- Cooling the Slots (and CPUs) Better
One thing I really dislike about ATX is the "heat trapping" of the AGP, PCI, PCI-X and even the new PCIe slots. The "top" of the board with components is facing "downward" in the typical ATX tower. The aforementioned MicroATX cubes solve this (like any desktop), most ATX systems still ignore it, or try to introduce workarounds. But the reality is that the typical ATX tower traps heat and still leaves the CPU in an area where it gets a lot of heat.
Intel introduced the BTX form-factor, which finally flipped the slot orientation, which I've been calling for a long time now. But the still puts the CPU in the front-middle, making it incompatible. Not only that, but it limits expansion and doesn't offer a dual-slot option. In other words, it makes sacrifices many positive things about ATX (and MicroATX), and also introduces a radical change in compatibility. So it has caught on with little other than Tier-1 OEMs feed directly from Intel.
- Flipped ATX Enclosures
Thankfully a few vendors took note last year and introduced a few options. Unfortunately, most were very, very expensive. I went after the first one, the Lian Li PC-V series. I opted for the Extended ATX (12" x 13") version, the Lian Li PC-V1200 (black). It's about the same price as the Standard ATX (12" x 9.6") version, the Lian Li PC-V1000, although many complain about the lack of space for many power supplies in the PC-V1000 (so the PC-V1200 might be a better choice). They are the sturdiest alumnium cases you will ever find (very, very thick panels, good, internal structure), and you'll pay for that cost ($200+). They have sinced added the "Plus" model, which adds a large 120mm radial fan over the slots for a total of 3 fans in the case. I added it as a $25 add-on for my original model, but the new "Plus" model is typically only $10 more and well worth it.
The very thick and sturdy, all-alumnium Lian Li PC-V1200 fits a server-sized EATX (12" x 13") mainboard, just about any sized PS (including EPS12V) in the lower bay, the intake 120mm keeps my five (5) 7200rpm drives cool, and the CPU and "above slot" radial 120mm outtake fans keep the CPUs and cards cool.
But the Lian Li PC-V series is definitely overkill for most people. I had also been following the introduction of the steel structure, alumnium front SilverStone TJ-06 with its "CPU wind tunnel", but it showed up at distributors and resellers months after the Lian Li PC-V. And it wasn't much of a savings, while being taller and heavier than the Lian Li PC-V.
Within 6 months, a few other clones started to arrive and were highlighted in Tom's Hardware Guide's 2005 April Midi ATX Towers review. In that review, no less than three (3) new versions of the same OEM design as found in the SilverStone TJ-06 appeared. Today, NewEgg not only features two (2) of those designs, plus the SilverStone TJ-06 itself:
- Cooling the Slots (and CPUs) Better
One thing I really dislike about ATX is the "heat trapping" of the AGP, PCI, PCI-X and even the new PCIe slots. The "top" of the board with components is facing "downward" in the typical ATX tower. The aforementioned MicroATX cubes solve this (like any desktop), most ATX systems still ignore it, or try to introduce workarounds. But the reality is that the typical ATX tower traps heat and still leaves the CPU in an area where it gets a lot of heat.
Intel introduced the BTX form-factor, which finally flipped the slot orientation, which I've been calling for a long time now. But the still puts the CPU in the front-middle, making it incompatible. Not only that, but it limits expansion and doesn't offer a dual-slot option. In other words, it makes sacrifices many positive things about ATX (and MicroATX), and also introduces a radical change in compatibility. So it has caught on with little other than Tier-1 OEMs feed directly from Intel.
- Flipped ATX Enclosures
Thankfully a few vendors took note last year and introduced a few options. Unfortunately, most were very, very expensive. I went after the first one, the Lian Li PC-V series. I opted for the Extended ATX (12" x 13") version, the Lian Li PC-V1200 (black). It's about the same price as the Standard ATX (12" x 9.6") version, the Lian Li PC-V1000, although many complain about the lack of space for many power supplies in the PC-V1000 (so the PC-V1200 might be a better choice). They are the sturdiest alumnium cases you will ever find (very, very thick panels, good, internal structure), and you'll pay for that cost ($200+). They have sinced added the "Plus" model, which adds a large 120mm radial fan over the slots for a total of 3 fans in the case. I added it as a $25 add-on for my original model, but the new "Plus" model is typically only $10 more and well worth it.
The very thick and sturdy, all-alumnium Lian Li PC-V1200 fits a server-sized EATX (12" x 13") mainboard, just about any sized PS (including EPS12V) in the lower bay, the intake 120mm keeps my five (5) 7200rpm drives cool, and the CPU and "above slot" radial 120mm outtake fans keep the CPUs and cards cool.
But the Lian Li PC-V series is definitely overkill for most people. I had also been following the introduction of the steel structure, alumnium front SilverStone TJ-06 with its "CPU wind tunnel", but it showed up at distributors and resellers months after the Lian Li PC-V. And it wasn't much of a savings, while being taller and heavier than the Lian Li PC-V.
Within 6 months, a few other clones started to arrive and were highlighted in Tom's Hardware Guide's 2005 April Midi ATX Towers review. In that review, no less than three (3) new versions of the same OEM design as found in the SilverStone TJ-06 appeared. Today, NewEgg not only features two (2) of those designs, plus the SilverStone TJ-06 itself:
- Enermax CS-718
Tom's 2005 April Review -- NewEgg Product Page - Sharktoon Silverton
Tom's 2005 April Review - SilverStone TJ-06
Tom's 2005 April Review -- NewEgg Product Page (1/3) - Thermalrock Circle RH-F030
Tom's 2005 April Review -- NewEgg Product Page
But another, much cheaper $85 alternative.
The $85 Aerocool Sprial Galaxies features the flipped ATX design with a full 120mm in to 120mm out CPU wind tunnel for, a bargain compared to comparable designs that are $50+ more, while still fitting even a full EATX (12" x 13") mainboard and EPS12V power supply.
Cheap/Local Doesn't Have To Be Too Bad
Of course, if don't want to pay a fortune for most of the above products (let alone to ship them -- although the $85 Aerocool with $15.99 3-day shipping from NewEgg is hard not to consider), or want to find something local, things don't have to be too bad. A good 120mm outtake fan does wonders, and even a side-mounted, CPU intake duct works very well -- without the flip slot orientation. There are many, many variants of the common 10-slot design these days -- whether the stright ten (10) 5.25" bays, or maybe six (6) 5.25" and six (6) 3.5" internal, side-facing HD bays -- for well under $50 with a power supply.
Even Antec has a good presence at Best Buy and CompUSA now. Not only does the more costly alumnium Antec Super LANBoy come with 120mm fans, but even their cheaper, shorter (and often on-sale for under $50 after rebate) Antec SLK2650-BQE comes with a 120mm outake fan and a 80mm side intake duct. Short of needing a case for a dual-Opteron EATX mainboard with 600W EPS12V power supply, even just the local sub-$50 case is all that is needed for most cooling requirements these days -- possibly even an SLI (with a heafty ATX 2.0 PS).
Of course, if you're going to put in only a few 5.25" and 3.5" drives and not going SLI for video, I can't help but suggesting maybe MicroATX is all you need. Especially with the new nVidia C51 (GeForce61x0+nForce4x0) mainboards out now. Now only if someone made an SLI version.
The $85 Aerocool Sprial Galaxies features the flipped ATX design with a full 120mm in to 120mm out CPU wind tunnel for, a bargain compared to comparable designs that are $50+ more, while still fitting even a full EATX (12" x 13") mainboard and EPS12V power supply.
Cheap/Local Doesn't Have To Be Too Bad
Of course, if don't want to pay a fortune for most of the above products (let alone to ship them -- although the $85 Aerocool with $15.99 3-day shipping from NewEgg is hard not to consider), or want to find something local, things don't have to be too bad. A good 120mm outtake fan does wonders, and even a side-mounted, CPU intake duct works very well -- without the flip slot orientation. There are many, many variants of the common 10-slot design these days -- whether the stright ten (10) 5.25" bays, or maybe six (6) 5.25" and six (6) 3.5" internal, side-facing HD bays -- for well under $50 with a power supply.
Even Antec has a good presence at Best Buy and CompUSA now. Not only does the more costly alumnium Antec Super LANBoy come with 120mm fans, but even their cheaper, shorter (and often on-sale for under $50 after rebate) Antec SLK2650-BQE comes with a 120mm outake fan and a 80mm side intake duct. Short of needing a case for a dual-Opteron EATX mainboard with 600W EPS12V power supply, even just the local sub-$50 case is all that is needed for most cooling requirements these days -- possibly even an SLI (with a heafty ATX 2.0 PS).
Of course, if you're going to put in only a few 5.25" and 3.5" drives and not going SLI for video, I can't help but suggesting maybe MicroATX is all you need. Especially with the new nVidia C51 (GeForce61x0+nForce4x0) mainboards out now. Now only if someone made an SLI version.
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