Mini-ITX motherboards can house only two RAM DIMMs and a single PCI Express x16 add-on card. The compact nature of Mini-ITX cases and their associated motherboards usually doesn’t leave much room for other components, lots of drives or fans, big cooling gear, or other parts. (The next biggest size class for motherboards, MicroATX, is 9.6 inches square and defines the next-largest class of PC cases.) Mini-DTX boards are slightly taller than Mini-ITX boards, at 8 by 6.7 inches. But by definition, a “true” Mini-ITX case won’t accommodate any board bigger than a Mini-ITX one, with the exception of a few that also support the slightly larger (and uncommon) Mini-DTX form factor. That said, some Mini-ITX cases are much bigger than others in terms of height or volume. Mini-ITX motherboards measure 6.7 by 6.7 inches, with mounting holes in prescribed locations Mini-ITX cases, then, are built around accommodating these board dimensions. Raijintek Ophion Elite (Credit: Molly Flores) As noted earlier, the Mini-ITX form factor defines both a size class of motherboards, as well as the cases that fit those boards. Mini-ITX cases come in more unusual, one-off shapes and sizes than other kinds of PC cases, but their one unifying aspect is the class of the motherboard they accept. The major drawbacks to a Mini-ITX build lie in two main areas: the amount of interior space, which can limit what you can fit inside the chassis, and the thermals and cooling, which encompass the chassis ventilation, any fans installed (or that you can install), and the CPU and GPU you choose. That’s not to say you won't find limiting factors-physics still applies. Most Mini-ITX systems allow you to install standard desktop motherboards and socketed desktop CPUs, and under the right conditions can be just as powerful as a kitted-out ATX tower. For example, today’s big, legacy-style ATX towers tend to allow plenty of space for stacks of hard drives or big liquid coolers that most PC users will never install. Indeed, much depends on the individual design. The amount of processing power they can host doesn’t scale up and down 1:1 with the cubic volume. It would be unwise to judge the potential of Mini-ITX PCs and cases solely by their size, though. We'll start with our top tested favorites below, and follow that with a buying guide to help you pick the compact case for you. Let’s see what makes Mini-ITX as a concept, and the cases that use this form factor, stand out, and steer you to some of the best examples that we’ve built PCs inside. They also show the most originality-and the least adherence to standardization-of all the kinds of PC case. These cases exude sex appeal and intrigue, teasing the idea of a powerful PC in shoebox or smaller size. Each of the form factors has its own strengths and weaknesses in this guide, we’re going to go compact and focus on the Mini-ITX ones. These three case “form factors” make up the bulk of the market for modern desktop chassis, and you can simply think of them as big (ATX), medium-size (MicroATX), and small (Mini-ITX). Today's PCs come in enough shapes to dazzle a dodecahedron, but in the realm of desktops, three main classes of aftermarket PC case reign supreme: full ATX, MicroATX, and Mini-ITX. Best Hosted Endpoint Protection and Security Software.
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