What's the purpose of small form factor (SFF) builds?

[Hi P]

I've been watching build videos about them for a couple months, but I was thinking... why would I need it?

 

Because there could be the argument of portability, which IMO isn't valid for two reasons:

1. You still gotta move the monitor, desk, chair, peripherals, etc.
2. SFF is expensive, I highly doubt someone would want to carry them as a laptop.

What's left after that?

 

Perhaps the simple hobby / challenge of building something ever so small could be fun, is that it?

[OhioYJ]

Other than the novelty, I think many times it's actually a space constraint. I have a couple HTPCs in the house and they need to fit on the media centers / cabinets. This only allows them to be a certain size and still look appropriate in those areas.

[NaClKnight]

1 hour ago, Hi P said:

I've been watching build videos about them for a couple months, but I was thinking... why would I need it?

 

Because there could be the argument of portability, which IMO isn't valid for two reasons:

1. You still gotta move the monitor, desk, chair, peripherals, etc.
2. SFF is expensive, I highly doubt someone would want to carry them as a laptop.

What's left after that?

 

Perhaps the simply hobby / challenge of building something ever so small could be fun, is that it?

I travel a fair bit, either to friends across the state or across the country for work. My Mini ITX build is small enough and sturdy enough to travel in a suitcase during a flight, or in the back of my truck with my other baggage. 65% wireless keyboard, wireless mouse, xbox controller, and I'm good to go

It helps that I know that wherever I'm going, whether it's a home or a hotel room, will have a TV or monitor I can use, and I won't need a desk or chair either. I'll happily sit on a friend's couch or the hotel room's bed. I don't need a whole room to play games, just my lil build and some small peripherals .

 

I pack it with me like you might pack an Xbox, since they're similar sizes. 

[fonzz1e]

SFF can get very expensive very fast, cable management will be critical

itx mobo price is insane for the amount of connectivity it has (when u compare it with matx)

not to mention sfx psu pricing too

 

IMO it only make sense if yer using low power components

my last itx build was i3 + 1050ti

 

[RONOTHAN##]

43 minutes ago, Hi P said:

SFF is expensive, I highly doubt someone would want to carry them as a laptop.

You'd be surprised, I know a couple people who have (including one back in High School who brought a full machine in his backpack along with a portable monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and played IIRC Rocket League in the lunchroom on the last day of school).

 

46 minutes ago, Hi P said:

You still gotta move the monitor, desk, chair, peripherals, etc.

If you're gonna be bringing a system to a LAN party, or will be moving frequently but not frequently enough that you need to pack it up in 2 minutes, every inch helps. I do remember someone on here did ask for help specing out SFF systems because they move every other month for business. You don't need a gaming laptop for that scenario, you pack your bags up and move to a different location only once every 2 months, but at the same time you want to be a bit more space efficient, hence a SFF rig makes sense. The hotel room will always have the chair and desk, and almost always will have a TV that you can use as a monitor, so all you got to pack in addition to it is a keyboard and mouse, both of which are relatively small, and realistically you'd want to have even if you did bring a laptop.  

 

Still though, for the most part the reason people do these is for the novelty/fun of it, or just because they don't have all that much desk space. 

[Mick Naughty]

I'd rather move a sff build than any of my pc's. Way too impractical. Wouldnt want one as a main build given how much you have to sacrifice. But would make a great work or media pc for me.