August 27, 2009 at 20:40Overview of mini-ITX Form Factor Enclosures for HTPC (Part 1)
This review will be the first in a series of articles on cases for my favorite platform nVidia ION. It will consider some cases that can be bought on our free market for ordinary Russian rubles. It is a pity of course, but a huge number of beautiful models just did not reach us. Someone will say that there is Ebay, but this is still not the easiest option to buy a case.
This cute epp-like case (top) is not sold at retail and is called the Nexus Psile . If there is someone among the habrausers who can organize the retail sale of this miracle, I would say thank you. And not just me.
I cannot afford to compare everything at once, so I have to be selective in choosing models. There will be relatively few models - 6 pieces. If you take more, the size of the review will increase and navigate on the page will immediately become more difficult.
The main criterion that people are guided by (in this case, me) when choosing a building for a home media center is its appearance. With a high degree of probability, the case will stand in a prominent place and organically fit into the interior of the room. Beauty criteria again I will determine, and they may not coincide with yours (although I want to believe that they will coincide). I tried not to offend the manufacturers and choose the most decent of the available. Of course, it did not work out, as SilverStone turned out to be extremely prolific.
So, the list of packages for HTPC:
Very nice case for HTPC from the company CFI Group. In principle, quite normal Taiwanese manufacturers of PC cases. The segment of mini-ITX cases they are represented by only two models, one of which we are currently considering.
The case is presented in four color options - black, white, red and gray. The front panel has a standard set of two USB 2.0 ports and audio connectors. A large blue power button and a drive slot.
The steel case assembly and without filling weighs 2.6 kg. Hiding inside: 1 compartment 3.5 ”, 1 compartment 5.25” and PSU 150W. As additional cooling, a 80x80mm fan is used, which according to the X-memory reviewquite a lot of noise. The case also has a place for an expansion card (TV tuner, Wi-Fi, sound or video card). The overall dimensions of the case (WxHxD) - 200x166x303mm The case may not be suitable for those who want minimalism ... and those who do not like the bright blue LEDs on the front panel. The full-size BD-DVD-CD drive fits quite comfortably in the case, although I would, in the place of the manufacturer, choose a slim solution. The average retail price for the device is 1700 rubles . In my opinion - very worthy for such a pretty body.
This case is slightly smaller in size, but with the same large power button. On the Aopen company’s Russian-language website (http://aopen.ru), mini-itx format systems are proudly called “A Little Form Factor System”. The company has a diverse collection of cases for such systems, in which there are options for all areas of application. On the front panel, under the decorative caps, hides a standard set of connectors for USB 2.0 and sound, and an optional card reader can also be installed. The walls are made of steel 1 mm thick, and the estimated weight of the product is 2.5 kg. Approximate - because the case fell into the list of goods, the weight of which the manufacturer forgot to indicate on its website. If anyone is interested, he indicated the internal volume - 6.78l.
Case dimensions are (WxHxD) - 200x106x320mm. In the case you can find: a standard 150W PSU, a standard 3.5 ”bay and a slim 5.25” bay for an optical drive. On the rear panel there is a compartment for a low-profile expansion card, so you can forget about the top-end video cards.
Estimated retail price - 3300 rub . It is not very clear, however, whether the card reader is included in the price.
So the turn of the most interesting of the considered buildings came up. There are generally only LEDs around, half of which show the activity of hard drives. The manufacturer is positioning the case as an excellent foundation for a home server. For this reason, the case was even awarded with two 3.5 ”bays with the possibility of" cold "replacement. The technology is simple - the wheels are screwed onto the slide, and the slide clicks into the case. There was also a place in the case for the 2.5 ”system disk, only it will have to be screwed in the old way. But under the expansion card there was no place in the case, why - a mystery. This means expanding the capabilities of our media center with additional functions is possible only through USB ports, which is not at all ergonomic.
The case is made of steel with a thickness of 0.7mm, but due to the complex internal structure it weighs under 4kg. The interiors are cooled by two fans - 60x60mm and 70x70mm. Standard power supply - 150W. Dimensions (WxHxD) - 140x260x260mm.
If the lack of a slot for an expansion card doesn’t scare anyone - the case can be found for 4000r .
We move on to the second half of the review, which was occupied by immigrants from SilverStone. This company has a huge number of models of mini-ITX cases, but all of them are much similar both externally and internally. The case is available in two colors - silver and black, in the best traditions of the genre. To improve ventilation, nets are placed on the upper and side walls.
The case under consideration is the embodiment of the ideas of minimalism. Almost perfectly flat steel brick with slightly rounded corners. The manufacturer positions this case as “serious”, equipping it with an SFX 300W power supply and two slots for expansion cards. Apparently, it is expected that the buyer will install a system with a powerful processor or a weighty video card in it. IMHO, 300W is unlikely to be enough for a weighty video card, and it will not be possible to replace it (thanks standov for the comment)
The case is equipped with a place for a thin optical drive and a 3.5 ”hard drive. The system is cooled by a 120mm fan, weighs 3.72kg and has dimensions (WxHxD) - 220x177x286mm.
A serious case and is more serious than competitors - 4800r .
The second SilverStone case looks almost the same as the first, only smaller in size and made of aluminum. Udel LC12B - a compact media center, without any frills. This is understandable by the low-power external 120W power supply and the lack of space for expansion cards. The input for the power cord is a compact jack, which allows not to spoil the aesthetics with a thick power cable. Unlike competitors, it also has a FireWire connector on the front panel, in case there is a mini-ITX board with its support. Inside, by tradition, you can put a thin optical drive and a 3.5 ”hard drive.
Dimensions (WxHxD) - 184x97x288mm. The material immediately affected the weight, the body is lighter than all considered in the review - 1.3kg. Probably, the hope of the heat-conducting properties of aluminum made it possible not to use fans in the case.
All in all, a pretty good case for passive-cooled HTPCs. The truth is 6400r .
The only representative of flat cases in the review. For those who like to put multimedia devices in a television stand. The model, in principle, is a complete analogue of the LC12B with the exception of shape, material and the presence of an expansion slot. The walls of the body are made of steel 1 mm thick. The expansion slot is located horizontally, the kit includes a riser board. By the way, the power supplies in this and the previous model are manufactured by FSP Group. I didn’t come across information on the PSU for the remaining cases, if someone has it and if it doesn’t complicate it, share it in the comments. The general dimensions of the case (WxHxD) are 345x55x255mm. The case weighs 3.4 kg. Inside, a slim optical drive and a 3.5 ”form factor hard drive are standard. You can buy it for 6500r
. For some reason, like this ...
Comparison table:
That’s probably all. It is a pity of course that it was not possible to consider cases with LCD screens and other beautiful things. I will not summarize the review, everyone may like something different.
In the relatively near future I will find the strength in myself for the second part. In it, I would like to consider the case of a small form factor without compartments for optical drives with priority for passive cooling.
upd: Thanks for the karma, transferred to Iron.
This cute epp-like case (top) is not sold at retail and is called the Nexus Psile . If there is someone among the habrausers who can organize the retail sale of this miracle, I would say thank you. And not just me.
I cannot afford to compare everything at once, so I have to be selective in choosing models. There will be relatively few models - 6 pieces. If you take more, the size of the review will increase and navigate on the page will immediately become more difficult.
The main criterion that people are guided by (in this case, me) when choosing a building for a home media center is its appearance. With a high degree of probability, the case will stand in a prominent place and organically fit into the interior of the room. Beauty criteria again I will determine, and they may not coincide with yours (although I want to believe that they will coincide). I tried not to offend the manufacturers and choose the most decent of the available. Of course, it did not work out, as SilverStone turned out to be extremely prolific.
So, the list of packages for HTPC:
- CFI Group CFI-A8989
- Aopen s150
- Chenbro ES30068
- SilverStone SG06B
- SilverStone LC12B
- SilverStone PT06B
CFI Group CFI-A8989
Very nice case for HTPC from the company CFI Group. In principle, quite normal Taiwanese manufacturers of PC cases. The segment of mini-ITX cases they are represented by only two models, one of which we are currently considering.
The case is presented in four color options - black, white, red and gray. The front panel has a standard set of two USB 2.0 ports and audio connectors. A large blue power button and a drive slot.
The steel case assembly and without filling weighs 2.6 kg. Hiding inside: 1 compartment 3.5 ”, 1 compartment 5.25” and PSU 150W. As additional cooling, a 80x80mm fan is used, which according to the X-memory reviewquite a lot of noise. The case also has a place for an expansion card (TV tuner, Wi-Fi, sound or video card). The overall dimensions of the case (WxHxD) - 200x166x303mm The case may not be suitable for those who want minimalism ... and those who do not like the bright blue LEDs on the front panel. The full-size BD-DVD-CD drive fits quite comfortably in the case, although I would, in the place of the manufacturer, choose a slim solution. The average retail price for the device is 1700 rubles . In my opinion - very worthy for such a pretty body.
Aopen s150
This case is slightly smaller in size, but with the same large power button. On the Aopen company’s Russian-language website (http://aopen.ru), mini-itx format systems are proudly called “A Little Form Factor System”. The company has a diverse collection of cases for such systems, in which there are options for all areas of application. On the front panel, under the decorative caps, hides a standard set of connectors for USB 2.0 and sound, and an optional card reader can also be installed. The walls are made of steel 1 mm thick, and the estimated weight of the product is 2.5 kg. Approximate - because the case fell into the list of goods, the weight of which the manufacturer forgot to indicate on its website. If anyone is interested, he indicated the internal volume - 6.78l.
Case dimensions are (WxHxD) - 200x106x320mm. In the case you can find: a standard 150W PSU, a standard 3.5 ”bay and a slim 5.25” bay for an optical drive. On the rear panel there is a compartment for a low-profile expansion card, so you can forget about the top-end video cards.
Estimated retail price - 3300 rub . It is not very clear, however, whether the card reader is included in the price.
Chenbro ES30068
So the turn of the most interesting of the considered buildings came up. There are generally only LEDs around, half of which show the activity of hard drives. The manufacturer is positioning the case as an excellent foundation for a home server. For this reason, the case was even awarded with two 3.5 ”bays with the possibility of" cold "replacement. The technology is simple - the wheels are screwed onto the slide, and the slide clicks into the case. There was also a place in the case for the 2.5 ”system disk, only it will have to be screwed in the old way. But under the expansion card there was no place in the case, why - a mystery. This means expanding the capabilities of our media center with additional functions is possible only through USB ports, which is not at all ergonomic.
The case is made of steel with a thickness of 0.7mm, but due to the complex internal structure it weighs under 4kg. The interiors are cooled by two fans - 60x60mm and 70x70mm. Standard power supply - 150W. Dimensions (WxHxD) - 140x260x260mm.
If the lack of a slot for an expansion card doesn’t scare anyone - the case can be found for 4000r .
SilverStone SG06B
We move on to the second half of the review, which was occupied by immigrants from SilverStone. This company has a huge number of models of mini-ITX cases, but all of them are much similar both externally and internally. The case is available in two colors - silver and black, in the best traditions of the genre. To improve ventilation, nets are placed on the upper and side walls.
The case under consideration is the embodiment of the ideas of minimalism. Almost perfectly flat steel brick with slightly rounded corners. The manufacturer positions this case as “serious”, equipping it with an SFX 300W power supply and two slots for expansion cards. Apparently, it is expected that the buyer will install a system with a powerful processor or a weighty video card in it. IMHO, 300W is unlikely to be enough for a weighty video card, and it will not be possible to replace it (thanks standov for the comment)
The case is equipped with a place for a thin optical drive and a 3.5 ”hard drive. The system is cooled by a 120mm fan, weighs 3.72kg and has dimensions (WxHxD) - 220x177x286mm.
A serious case and is more serious than competitors - 4800r .
SilverStone LC12B
The second SilverStone case looks almost the same as the first, only smaller in size and made of aluminum. Udel LC12B - a compact media center, without any frills. This is understandable by the low-power external 120W power supply and the lack of space for expansion cards. The input for the power cord is a compact jack, which allows not to spoil the aesthetics with a thick power cable. Unlike competitors, it also has a FireWire connector on the front panel, in case there is a mini-ITX board with its support. Inside, by tradition, you can put a thin optical drive and a 3.5 ”hard drive.
Dimensions (WxHxD) - 184x97x288mm. The material immediately affected the weight, the body is lighter than all considered in the review - 1.3kg. Probably, the hope of the heat-conducting properties of aluminum made it possible not to use fans in the case.
All in all, a pretty good case for passive-cooled HTPCs. The truth is 6400r .
SilverStone PT06B
The only representative of flat cases in the review. For those who like to put multimedia devices in a television stand. The model, in principle, is a complete analogue of the LC12B with the exception of shape, material and the presence of an expansion slot. The walls of the body are made of steel 1 mm thick. The expansion slot is located horizontally, the kit includes a riser board. By the way, the power supplies in this and the previous model are manufactured by FSP Group. I didn’t come across information on the PSU for the remaining cases, if someone has it and if it doesn’t complicate it, share it in the comments. The general dimensions of the case (WxHxD) are 345x55x255mm. The case weighs 3.4 kg. Inside, a slim optical drive and a 3.5 ”form factor hard drive are standard. You can buy it for 6500r
. For some reason, like this ...
Comparison table:
| Features / Models |  CFI Group CFI-A8989 |  Aopen s150 |  Chenbro ES30068 |  SilverStone SG06B |  SilverStone LC12B |  SilverStone PT06B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 1700r | 3300 rub | 4000r | 4800 rub | 6400 rub | 6500 rub |
| Material | Steel | Steel, 1mm | Steel, 0.7mm | Steel | Aluminum | Steel, 1mm |
| Compartments | 1x 3.5 ", 1x 5.25” | 1x 3.5 ", 1x slim-5.25” | 1x 2.5 ", 2x 3.5", 1x slim-5.25 ” | 1x 3.5 ", 1x slim-5.25” | 1x 3.5 ", 1x slim-5.25” | 1x 3.5 ", 1x slim-5.25” |
| BP | 150W Int | 150W Int | 150W Int | 300W Int | 120W Ext | 120W Ext |
| Expansion slots | 1x | 1x low profile | - | 2x | - | 1x |
| Dimensions | 200x166x303 | 200x106x320 | 140x260x260 | 220x177x286 | 184x97x288 | 345x55x255 |
| Weight | 2.6kg | 2.5kg | 4kg | 3.72kg | 1.3kg | 3.4kg |
That’s probably all. It is a pity of course that it was not possible to consider cases with LCD screens and other beautiful things. I will not summarize the review, everyone may like something different.
In the relatively near future I will find the strength in myself for the second part. In it, I would like to consider the case of a small form factor without compartments for optical drives with priority for passive cooling.
upd: Thanks for the karma, transferred to Iron.