mATX or mini ITX? aka: Z97 Pro4 vs Z97E-ITX/ac

[Clear17Mud]

Ok so I want to know if I should go ITX, because I was planning on going mATX, but now that I found a good deal on a g3258 I was looking at motherboards, and wanted to make the Itx build that I always make in pc parts picker. They would be in a coolermaster elite 110, or a corsair graphite 230t  grey or orange. now the elite 110 is always on sale, and the 230t is never on sale (at least the grey one), and so the total for the itx combo and the mATX combo(the red one on sale because the grey is 2x as much) are around the same price, but the sales make the ITX one cheaper.

 

I will only ever use 1 graphics card, because I am poor. I really just want to know if the performance of a i5-4690k(place holder for broadwell chip I plan to buy) would be the same? I would get a AIO in the ITX one and probably air for the mATX(I know that that's a ATX case, but my current case it will be put in is mATX, but only till i have enough money to but the new case) 

 

ITX

• ac wifi, so i wont have to upgrade mine once I get a new router(wired is impossible[aka mom wont let me buy a 100 feet of cat6 and run it through the house])
• smaller
• has a sata express plug(IDK if that standard will become a good one)(might make a decision on what SSD I'll get)
• wait realized there is m.2 on the back, so that is a very tempting option will def get a m.2 ssd when I get one.
• 6+2 power delivery
• 2 4-pin fan headers (only 2 needed)

Matx

• could get crosfire eventually
• bigger gpus (limited to a itx size card in itx case)
• only 4+2 power delivery, but it looks different
• 2 4-pin fan headers 2 3-pin fan headers 1 3-pin power header(probably for a AIO pump)

I also have 2x 8gb of ram, and I doubt I will upgrade to 32gb on this system...

And my whole system will cost $313, but that's saying I payed for things that are gifts

I will make a build log once I get everything!

 

This computer will be for gaming and for maybe live streaming

[ELSknutson]

mATX is a better option and if you go with something like the Asus Maxims Gene z97 board it comes with the ac/wifi  also it will allow you room for expansion and it is easier to work with. 

Pluse most itx cases are just as big as some the the mAtx cases any how. and i have had experience with both forms recently in these builds http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/367449-dual-rog-build/and the mATX build took 20 min to build and the itx took 2 hrs but both are very nice.

[Clear17Mud]

mATX is a better option and if you go with something like the Asus Maxims Gene z97 board it comes with the ac/wifi  also it will allow you room for expansion and it is easier to work with. 

Pluse most itx cases are just as big as some the the mAtx cases any how. and i have had experience with both forms recently in these builds http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/367449-dual-rog-build/and the mATX build took 20 min to build and the itx took 2 hrs but both are very nice.

the wifi isn't really what I want just a feature that is nice not to have to pay for, and Im fine with a build taking days.... I find it relaxing to work on computers.... especially sexy new ones....

.... I just want to know if the boards were in an open air environment if one would overclock better...

[ELSknutson]

the wifi isn't really what I want just a feature that is nice not to have to pay for, and Im fine with a build taking days.... I find it relaxing to work on computers.... especially sexy new ones....

.... I just want to know if the boards were in an open air environment if one would overclock better...

The mATX will be the better option more room to breath on the board but it will be vary little difference.

[ELSknutson]

why asrock?

[Clear17Mud]

why asrock?

IDK its a mixture of cheaper and has what I want, and the color scheme.

 

 

AND EVERYTHING HAS TO MATCH NO MATTER IF ITS HIDDEN OR NOT!!!!!!!!!!

[ELSknutson]

why asrock?

oh i see there is not allot of blue motherboard any more 

[Clear17Mud]

oh i see there is not allot of blue motherboard any more 

Ik, but I do like gigabytes all black and grey motherboards. Its just I hate dislike red and gold is tacky. I do love the orange gigabyte boards

[ELSknutson]

Ik, but I do like gigabytes all black and grey motherboards. Its just I hate dislike red and gold is tacky. I do love the orange gigabyte boards

gigabytes OC edition boards are good relatively cheap also  

[Clear17Mud]

I was expecting more people to post must be a mixture of a stupid question only I can decide, and its a Friday... Like ebay that must be how I got the deal that got me my g3258 for $48.

[Clear17Mud]

and to prove what I drool over here is a note pad doc save to my desk top....

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/QKWkmG= orange

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2MbnrH= Pentium ITX

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/63Z4hM= AMD Atholon X4 860K ITX

[Clear17Mud]

I guess I'll just do my own research, and not be lazy and post a question that I only researched half way... I have all month, because that's how long they are for sale for....

[Clear17Mud]

Basically what I learned is that

1. silicone lottery depends more then these two motherboards...

2. cant use M.2, sata Express and wifi chip at the same time. only 1 at a time, because of Z97 limitation? it said intel chipset limitation, co that's what i assumed...

3.I wish that Itx boards cost less, but good thing the case does at least

 

I also realized I probably won't get a reply to this comment...

[d1screet]

I had to make this decision a while back, and it ultimately came down to what case I would be buying. I ended up buying the mATX motherboard with an mATX case as it was just overall cheaper without having to scale back on parts that I wanted.

[Clear17Mud]

I had to make this decision a while back, and it ultimately came down to what case I would be buying. I ended up buying the mATX motherboard with an mATX case as it was just overall cheaper without having to scale back on parts that I wanted.

if i get the mini-itx I wont be scaling down I will only need 1 gpu, and I have read the on board sound is pretty good on this board. I think that it will be a better option to mini-itx because then i can actually see the computer instead  of sticking it at my feet...

 

I guess I could go mATX and just choose a different case... Ill go browse cases!

[Clear17Mud]

looked at cases and still only like the 2 i already selected, and some other the other cases I use to like are not for sale anymore... also the cases i like more then these are too expensive...

[d1screet]

I personally like the aesthetic of most mITX cases, so if I were to do it all over but with a bit more money, I would totally have gone with the mITX.

 

I wouldn't count too hard on crossfire unless you know that you'll be getting a compatible card for cheap/free, and even then, it'd be uncertain as to whether your PSU has enough connectors to accomodate two graphics cards in the first place, or whether you'd need to go through the trouble of buying two 6-pin splitters.

 

I would say that having the AC wireless is definitely useful, especially seeing as how your mom isn't allowing you to run a long ethernet cable to your PC.

 

You're definitely not always limited to smaller form factor graphics cards if you go the mITX route, see the Corsair 250D.

[Clear17Mud]

I personally like the aesthetic of most mITX cases, so if I were to do it all over but with a bit more money, I would totally have gone with the mITX.

 

I wouldn't count too hard on crossfire unless you know that you'll be getting a compatible card for cheap/free, and even then, it'd be uncertain as to whether your PSU has enough connectors to accomodate two graphics cards in the first place, or whether you'd need to go through the trouble of buying two 6-pin splitters.

 

I would say that having the AC wireless is definitely useful, especially seeing as how your mom isn't allowing you to run a long ethernet cable to your PC.

 

You're definitely not always limited to smaller form factor graphics cards if you go the mITX route, see the Corsair 250D.

I am very indecisive, and was about to just settle for the mATX board, but the itx board has better on board audio, and the wifi so thats like $20 addition (probably more)

Overall to get the case and the board I want they are the same price, but the Z97e-itx/ac and the elite 110 are cheaper most of the time...

[Clear17Mud]

what if I get the Z97 OC Formula, because Its got the same audio as the itx, and it has a m.2 port, but no wifi. It also has 8 phase power delivery.

Ill just keep using a old case I have lying around..

 

So still have the other 2 as options

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168131575 Z97M Pro4

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157520 Z97M OC Formula

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157504     Z97E-ITX/ac

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157504R   Z97E-ITX/ac (open box)

[d1screet]

I personally don't go too crazy over onboard audio differences on motherboards, as long as it works, it should be ok; Unless one has some really good E/M shielding, it's still in the same noisy environment, and I would always go with an external audio interface every single time.

 

Your first two links are broken so I can't actually quite see what they are.

 

Overall, I think you're overthinking it a bit too much, but seeing as how it's your money, I wouldn't blame you.

 

I think you said in one of the previous posts that you already about the G3258, which is your placeholder for a Broadwell i5, which is cool, but I'd have to ask, how are you planning on affording a new, unlocked, Broadwell, when it is released?

 

Overall from what I hear of the Pentium is that it does fine with air cooling, and that getting an AIO water cooler wouldn't really benefit you THAT much for the Pentium, albeit it would definitely look cleaner. mATX ultimately does have more room, but the actual differences in performance are likely to be very subtle.

[Clear17Mud]

I personally don't go too crazy over onboard audio differences on motherboards, as long as it works, it should be ok; Unless one has some really good E/M shielding, it's still in the same noisy environment, and I would always go with an external audio interface every single time.

 

Your first two links are broken so I can't actually quite see what they are.

 

Overall, I think you're overthinking it a bit too much, but seeing as how it's your money, I wouldn't blame you.

 

I think you said in one of the previous posts that you already about the G3258, which is your placeholder for a Broadwell i5, which is cool, but I'd have to ask, how are you planning on affording a new, unlocked, Broadwell, when it is released?

 

Overall from what I hear of the Pentium is that it does fine with air cooling, and that getting an AIO water cooler wouldn't really benefit you THAT much for the Pentium, albeit it would definitely look cleaner. mATX ultimately does have more room, but the actual differences in performance are likely to be very subtle.

Ill just get the Pro4 its the cheapest and haswell over clocks well on everything, and I guess any of these motherboards audio or any other feature is 10x better then what I have now. I will be getting a job soon, so that will be helpful in saving up money...

[d1screet]

Good to hear, best of luck with your build.