A tiny, cheap MicroATX case?

[Aereldor]

Greetings.

 

At some point in the next year, I'm going to be moving to another country to study at a conservatory, and since I can barely pay for my education, a laptop for college is something I cannot afford. Thus, I was looking for ways to make my current rig more portable- and the first order of business is replacing the bulky mid-tower full-ATX case it sits in.

I need it to fit the following components.

• A MicroATX motherboard.
• A 10.7" GPU
• A 3.5" Hard Drive
• A Standard ATX power supply.

I would also prefer not to spend a whole lot more than $50 on it, but if a small premium can get me a much more compact case, so be it.

Your suggestions and recommendations are most welcome.
 

Regards,
Aereldor.

[Rohan Reddy]

2 minutes ago, Aereldor said:

Greetings.

 

At some point in the next year, I'm going to be moving to another country to study at a conservatory, and since I can barely pay for my education, a laptop for college is something I cannot afford. Thus, I was looking for ways to make my current rig more portable- and the first order of business is replacing the bulky mid-tower full-ATX case it sits in.

I need it to fit the following components.

• A MicroATX motherboard.
• A 10" GPU
• A 3.5" Hard Drive
• A Standard ATX power supply.

I would also prefer not to spend a whole lot more than $50 on it, but if a small premium can get me a much more compact case, so be it.

Your suggestions and recommendations are most welcome.
 

Regards,
Aereldor.

Hi, do u prefer any particular brand. Or are you fine with anything that is good quality and portable.

[ivan134]

N200?

[Aereldor]

Just now, Rohan Reddy said:

Hi, do u prefer any particular brand. Or are you fine with anything that is good quality and portable.

Anything, to be honest. I'm even looking at Raidmax cases.

[Aereldor]

1 minute ago, ivan134 said:

N200?

I'd prefer to avoid it. I have the N300 and it's quite horrible.

[Rohan Reddy]

1 minute ago, Aereldor said:

Anything, to be honest. I'm even looking at Raidmax cases.

Ok. I'll suggest u an antec case with a link in a minute.

[ivan134]

1 minute ago, Aereldor said:

I'd prefer to avoid it. I have the N300 and it's quite horrible.

It's been a while since I checked the prices of the Fractal Design Core 1300 and 1500, but check them about. You have to do a lot to make them dust proof though.

[Aytex]

2 minutes ago, Aereldor said:

I'd prefer to avoid it. I have the N300 and it's quite horrible.

Evolv?

idk if it supports 10inch gpu's though

[Aereldor]

Just now, ivan134 said:

It's been a while since I checked the prices of the Fractal Design Core 1300 and 1500, but check them about. You have to do a lot to make them dust proof though.

I've used pantyhose for filters on my N300, which has so many holes in it that I might as well have used my motherboard's box instead.

The Core 1300 and 1500 aren't exactly tiny, though. It's unfortunate that the slim Micro-ATX cases don't accommodate full-height GPUs.

[Rohan Reddy]

Antec NEW SOLUTION SERIES VSK 4000 U-3. Its a really good and dust free case with good space inside.

[STRMfrmXMN]

2 minutes ago, Aereldor said:

I've used pantyhose for filters on my N300, which has so many holes in it that I might as well have used my motherboard's box instead.

The Core 1300 and 1500 aren't exactly tiny, though. It's unfortunate that the slim Micro-ATX cases don't accommodate full-height GPUs.

Maybe an HTPC case of mATX size?

[Aereldor]

1 minute ago, Rohan Reddy said:

Antec NEW SOLUTION SERIES VSK 4000 U-3

This is an ATX mid-tower case. It isn't a Micro ATX case, neither is it portable.

[Aereldor]

1 minute ago, STRMfrmXMN said:

Maybe an HTPC case of mATX size?

That's a great idea, if one exists that can fit a full-height GPU. The ones I've found all have half-height expansion slots.

[Rohan Reddy]

1 minute ago, STRMfrmXMN said:

Maybe an HTPC case of mATX size?

It has to fit a 10 inch gpu. I think it would be too cramped or else not fitting.

[ivan134]

3 minutes ago, Aereldor said:

I've used pantyhose for filters on my N300, which has so many holes in it that I might as well have used my motherboard's box instead.

The Core 1300 and 1500 aren't exactly tiny, though. It's unfortunate that the slim Micro-ATX cases don't accommodate full-height GPUs.

Thermaltake Core V21?

[Aereldor]

Just now, Rohan Reddy said:

It has to fit a 10 inch gpu. I think it would be too cramped or else not fitting.

I never said I cared about cramping stuff in. Besides, the problem is finding one with full-height expansions lots.

[Aereldor]

6 minutes ago, Aytex said:

Evolv?

idk if it supports 10inch gpu's though

That doesn't look too bad. Then again, it isn't particularly small. Do you think it might be worth it to invest in a Mini-ITX motherboard? I'd prefer to spend it on a CPU upgrade, but if the bargain is right, hallelujah.

[Aytex]

Just now, Aereldor said:

That doesn't look too bad. Then again, it isn't particularly small. Do you think it might be worth it to invest in a Mini-ITX motherboard? I'd prefer to spend it on a CPU upgrade, but if the bargain is right, hallelujah.

did you look at the mitx version Mitx verion or ATX Evolv?

[ivan134]

1 minute ago, Aereldor said:

That doesn't look too bad. Then again, it isn't particularly small. Do you think it might be worth it to invest in a Mini-ITX motherboard? I'd prefer to spend it on a CPU upgrade, but if the bargain is right, hallelujah.

I honestly do. My next build is going to be ITX in the Define Nano S. If you do go that route, get that case.

[Aereldor]

Just now, Aytex said:

did you look at the mitx version Mitx verion or ATX Evolv?

I looked up the mATX version. 'Tis this one, no?

http://www.phanteks.com/enthoo-evolv.html

[Aereldor]

1 minute ago, ivan134 said:

I honestly do. My next build is going to be ITX in the Define Nano S. If you do go that route, get that case.

I love the way the case looks, but it is rather roomy for a mini-ITX case. I'll have to cram this into a suitcase.

[Aereldor]

@STRMfrmXMN, @Aytex, @ivan134-

Is there anything like the Fractal Design Node 202 with a PCI-e riser/extension and enough room to accommodate a Micro-ATX motherboard?

[ivan134]

1 minute ago, Aereldor said:

@STRMfrmXMN, @Aytex, @ivan134-

Is there anything like the Fractal Design Node 202 with a PCI-e riser/extension and enough room to accommodate a Micro-ATX motherboard?

Not that I know of.

3 minutes ago, Aereldor said:

I love the way the case looks, but it is rather roomy for a mini-ITX case. I'll have to cram this into a suitcase.

Still smaller than most of the mATX cases you were considering so....

 

[Aereldor]

Just now, ivan134 said:

Still smaller than most of the mATX cases you were considering so....

Indeed, but if I'm to invest in a mini-ITX motherboard, I'd rather go as small as I possibly can. Like I said, this build is going to have to go into a suitcase with a dozen layers of padding.

[Curufinwe_wins]

Node 804 isn't super cheap but it's form factor is way easier to carry than its size might suggest. 

 

Again perhaps not the best option though.