Mini-itx Motherboard?

[Jester2893]

Small MB (NANOitx/PICOitx)

Hello everyone, I am looking at doing away with my laptop and building my own computer. All I really do is do some multitasking, and some slight video/photo editing, and web browse. (Pretty basic stuff)

I don't need a really high end computer as I am on a budget. I have a plan on how small I want my computer to be and if its not possible, then I doubt I will do this build.

My case I have set out is about 220x140x45mm in size. I need a motherboard as small as possible, does anyone have any suggestions as I have not found any that will fit in that case?


My plans are to put everything in a really small case and use a Laptop disc drive and hard drive. I also hope to get internal wireless and a card reader, but a card reader and hard drive can always be external.


Any suggestions for the smallest, but pretty powerful MB possible and also pretty cheap? (NO CELERONS PLEASE)

 

[stalin90]

reminds me of:
What to do with the empty Whisky/glass bottles; Whisky PC by MetkuMods - Because you love your hardware!

also id u plan to do some video editing an mini itx is definitely not the right way to go..

Intel DG45FC Mini-ITX Motherboard

or:

Jetway Hybrid J7F2WE1G Mini-ITX Motherboard with VIA C7 1GHz Processor and stick a phenem on it

 

[Jester2893]

When I say video editing, I mean trimming and cropping videos in Windows Movie Maker. (If I am going to do anything more than that, then I would buy a mac)

My current laptop has an
AMD Turion 64x2 TL-60 2.00GHZ
NVIDIA Graphics
3gb Ram

I am just looking for something to be as good or better than those specs.

Basically I have decided, if I can't match or surpass those specs and still fit into the case I have then its not worth it.

 

[zmatt]

mini-itx.com - news

your welcome.

You can get core 2 dou capable mini-itx boards but IMO that kind of defeats the purpose. If you want to do it right then build it around either the Via Nano or the Intel Atom. I will tell you now that you shouldn't expect powerful 3dgraphics. You will be working with the IGP on the motherboard, however Nano motherboards may come wit pci express. Even then I doubt you could fit a full card. Mini-itx is actually fairly expensive considering the size and performance so you may want to look into making a full size desktop instead.

Newegg.com - JetWay JNF77-N1G6-LF VIA Nano L2200 (1.6GHz) VIA VX800 Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU Combo - Motherboard / CPU / VGA Combo

Newegg has one system that uses the Via Nano. If it seems like I'm pushing this particular chip, its because the Nano is actually a bit faster than the Atom and I think its worth looking into.

Newegg.com - Intel Atom, Motherboard / CPU / VGA Combo, Motherboards

Newegg has 7 Atom based systems. These are the only 2 platforms I would seriously consider. The others are either too slow, or not designed for small, low power applications and will limit the versatility of your system.

 

[Jester2893]

mini-itx.com - news

your welcome.

You can get core 2 dou capable mini-itx boards but IMO that kind of defeats the purpose. If you want to do it right then build it around either the Via Nano or the Intel Atom. I will tell you now that you shouldn't expect powerful 3dgraphics. You will be working with the IGP on the motherboard, however Nano motherboards may come wit pci express. Even then I doubt you could fit a full card. Mini-itx is actually fairly expensive considering the size and performance so you may want to look into making a full size desktop instead.

Newegg.com - JetWay JNF77-N1G6-LF VIA Nano L2200 (1.6GHz) VIA VX800 Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU Combo - Motherboard / CPU / VGA Combo

Newegg has one system that uses the Via Nano. If it seems like I'm pushing this particular chip, its because the Nano is actually a bit faster than the Atom and I think its worth looking into.

Newegg.com - Intel Atom, Motherboard / CPU / VGA Combo, Motherboards

Newegg has 7 Atom based systems. These are the only 2 platforms I would seriously consider. The others are either too slow, or not designed for small, low power applications and will limit the versatility of your system.

Thanks for the help, but it seems as if I am going to be going with the case I have in mind I will have to go with a PICOitx or a NANOitx.

Is it even worth it? I would like to get a decent pc out of this?

Here are the two motherboards, I am looking at:

mini-itx.com - store - pico-itx motherboards and cases

mini-itx.com - store - nano-itx motherboards


EDIT: I was thinking of purchasing this, what do you guys think? Do you guys think it will compare to my current machine. (Specs above)

New Via Epia-N10000E LVDS Nano-ITX motherboard - eBay (item 140296677122 end time Feb-01-09 13:57:43 PST)

 

[zmatt]

Nano and Pico itx are very niche things. They aren't fast and they are very expensive price/performance speaking. I would say no, its not worth it. The performance you get will be disappointing and you will regret it. Those Via C7 chips (and their derivatives) are pretty slow for modern applications. I would only use them in a Linux environment, and I don't mean Ubuntu.

If you want to go small then go Mini-itx. Pico and Nano were made so people could put computers in all kinds of weird places like Wine Bottles and shoe boxes. Mini-itx was made to be a low power/low heat solution for small cheap pcs.

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

Be more efficient to go with micro ATX as it isnt MUCH bigger, but far cheaper and can offer more performance..

 

[Jester2893]

I guess, my dream is dead. haha.

I was only going to do this so I could fit it into a unique case, I might still do this as a cheap "server" mod to store my music and stuff on. Im talking cheap as in under 50$ to buy everything I need.

(Ill see what happens, I guess)

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[zmatt]

There is now way you can build a mini-itx system for $50 unless all hardware is bought used. And even then its hard. i suspect that stuff holds its value well simply because of its size.

 

[Jester2893]

Sorry, for not typing that correctly, I meant if I used and older motherboard. I saw a couple older 900mhz motherboard on eBay, and I thought it would work with the casing, because it was thin, but longer (too long). (It looked like a graphic card)


EDIT: I am just wondering where this dude got his MB from? What to do with the empty Whisky/glass bottles; Whisky PC by MetkuMods - Because you love your hardware!

It seems like it would fit perfect in the case I have and would suffice for a server and eventually a carputer.