Slim PSU Suggestion? Or do it on a mATX case anyway?

[Naervern]

I've recently got in a quite good deal a B350M Gaming Pro (MSI) + R3 2200G + 2x4GB Adata XPG Z1 (which I've successfully brought to 3200 MHz 15-15-15-30-48 @ 1.350V DRAM 1.000V VDDCR_SoC in my main rig) and plan to set it up as a cheapo PC to borrow to people in need and also to experiment with this platform.

 

The thing is: I have almost no experience with mATX builds and am not even sure which PSU (usually the part I know better) to use to make the new rig compact for reasons.

 

So I'm in search of recommendations and opinions of Slim PSUs, and their capability to sustain an overclocked not-so-efficient mobo with the R3 2200G (sys power draw should peak at around 200W) and no graphics card. If, however, Slim PC Rigs aren't that recommended anyway, I have no problem in doing it in a mini tower case like the Cougar MG110 or the TT Versa H15, those which I already know to have pretty decent airflow and in this case, finding a good standard form (ATX) PSU for my specs won't be a problem.

 

 

Cheers

[Mello]

Take a look at the Fractal design node 202, (is that how small you want the case?) you can order it with a 450w sfx size psu? (Is that what it's called?) or you can get it without it and add your own. 

[Naervern]

Thanks for the reply.

 

The Node 202 won't do since the motherboard is mATX. I'm more concerned at the moment if a 300W PSU like this one from seasonic (SS-300-TGW) or the 350W version could handle and OCed Ryzen 2200G. In fact, I'm not sure if that PSU even has the 8-pin EPS connector the B350M gaming pro requires 

 

Anyway, my greatest concern here is with the PSU, if someone with any experience with TFX PSUs has already tried OCing with them and if they have decent noise/thermals performance.

 

Only then, if recommendations turn out to be negative regarding such a build, I'll skip it and do in a regular mATX case with a standard ATX PSU - then it's a field I'm used to.

[Stefan Payne]

42 minutes ago, Mello said:

Take a look at the Fractal design node 202, (is that how small you want the case?) you can order it with a 450w sfx size psu? (Is that what it's called?) or you can get it without it and add your own. 

He got a µATX Board. The Fractal Node 202 is an ITX Case. That won't fit!

Just now, Naervern said:

The Node 202 won't do since the motherboard is mATX. I'm more concerned at the moment if a 300W PSU like this one from seasonic (SS-300-TGW) or the 350W version could handle and OCed Ryzen 2200G. In fact, I'm not sure if that PSU even has the 8-pin EPS connector the B350M gaming pro requires 

I have no idea what you really want. You might want to make it clear first...

While there are low profile µATX Cases, they are mostly garbage and pretty big.

So that you're better off with a small µATX Tower or Cube Case.

 

1 hour ago, Naervern said:

The thing is: I have almost no experience with mATX builds and am not even sure which PSU (usually the part I know better) to use to make the new rig compact for reasons.

I do but you should first make clear what you really want.

And if you want it really small, you have to go for ITX and spend ~200€ on Case, Board and Heatsink if you want it really small. And you can foret OC with that. as well.

 

Yes, I'm talking about Antec ISK 110, an AM4 ITX Board and a Noctua NH-L9a-AM4 (and also you could think about replacing the Stock Fan with a 25mm thick one).

 

That would be small for me...

 

1 hour ago, Naervern said:

So I'm in search of recommendations and opinions of Slim PSUs, and their capability to sustain an overclocked not-so-efficient mobo with the R3 2200G (sys power draw should peak at around 200W) and no graphics card. If, however, Slim PC Rigs aren't that recommended anyway, I have no problem in doing it in a mini tower case like the Cougar MG110 or the TT Versa H15, those which I already know to have pretty decent airflow and in this case, finding a good standard form (ATX) PSU for my specs won't be a problem.

Those look like Standard µATX tower cases. you do not need SFF PSU for those.

 

A normal ATX PSU like Bitfenix Formula is the best choice, as you loose much with SFX PSU due to the size restrictions, it will be louder and electrically get worse than this Entry Level ATX PSU.

[Mello]

14 minutes ago, Naervern said:

The Node 202 won't do since the motherboard is mATX

4 minutes ago, Stefan Payne said:

He got a µATX Board. The Fractal Node 202 is an ITX Case. That won't fit!

My bad I thought it's an itx build.

[Naervern]

Thnx for the detailed reply, Stephan Payne.

 

I already have this motherboard sitting around, so the case has to fit it alright. But, I'm not desperately in need of something really small. That would be just a plus - if thermals are nice enough with the Wraith Stealth to keep a 1.325 Vcore OC, 1500MHz iGPU OC stable.

 

Sorry for getting you repliers confused about this, but the mention of those cases is that if a slim PC won't easily get thermals or cheap solutions for this build, then I'll just skip to use cheap cases like the aforementioned Cougar MG110 or TT Versa H15, scratching the small requirement entirely in favor of decent thermal and low cost.

 

The keyword here is cheap

 

I'm not gonna spend a lot on this B350M Gaming Pro build. It's just a "well, there's this one..." kind of PC.


And thanks anyway for your help, Mello. I appreciate it.

[Stefan Payne]

15 minutes ago, Mello said:

My bad I thought it's an itx build.

no problemo, shit happens sometimes

7 minutes ago, Naervern said:

I already have this motherboard sitting around, so the case has to fit it alright. But, I'm not desperately in need of something really small. That would be just a plus - if thermals are nice enough with the Wraith Stealth to keep a 1.325 Vcore OC, 1500MHz iGPU OC stable.

Ah, that's a good thing so you don't need to go for those compromizes and can go with standard stuff. There are some pretty small ones but they are also rather shitty (and cheap), for example the Aerocool QS-200 that I own. Its hardly any larger (way thicker) than the Antec ISK-1480 that I also have lying around somewhere but you can use full lenth graphics cards, full with ones, standard ATX PSU (up to 160mm is usable, above that w/o opt. Drives). But I wouldn't really recommend that case anyway...

 

But it shows that you can get pretty small without too many sacrifices...

 

7 minutes ago, Naervern said:

Sorry for getting you repliers confused about this, but the mention of those cases is that if a slim PC won't easily get thermals or cheap solutions for this build, then I'll just skip to use cheap cases like the aforementioned Cougar MG110 or TT Versa H15, scratching the small requirement entirely in favor of decent thermal and low cost.

No worries, that's what a Forum is for, to think out loud and get a second oppinion on your options and show you stuff you didn't know or haven't thought about (yet).

 

Well, I build my first Small Form Factor PC with the Antec Aria, at the times when Socket A was new - and kinda broke a HDD I had due to the size restrictions...

And also had a couple of Cubish µATX Cases like the Aerocool M40 or a Sharkoon Aluminium thingy as well as a couple of µATX Half height ones (the above mentioned ISK1480 and I also had an Aopen H360) and well, it was rather shit at the time. All that SFF Stuff became OK just in the last couple of years, with modern Plattforms and stuff...

 

So right now you have some good options you didn't have at the time...

 

[Naervern]

Agreed. There are more options than I'd imagine at first and this is one of the reasons why I'm confused about this build.

 

But in short, do 300~350W TFX PSUs have the 8-pin EPS connector and can they handle some 200W power draw or maybe 250W should it ever get a mainstream graphics card with a ≤150W TDP? At the moment and probably ever, this rig won't be getting a discrete graphics card anyway, so no big concern should even the case doesn't support any kind of graphics card. Can thermals in any kind of SFF case for µATX (besides cube cases) be good enough with the wraith stealth to handle this moderate OC (say, keeping Temp. delta below 55ºC/100ºF)?

 

 

 

Just for notation, I'm only used to mid and full towers and one of my smallest rigs ever is the one I currently use home in a Cougar Panzer-S.

[Naervern]

I've just got replied out that the Seasonic TFX PSUs lack the 8-pin EPS connector and I don't think I'll find anything similar that does have it. So, I'll do what I'm used to anyway and build on a Riotoro CR1080, Cougar MG110, TT Versa H15 or CM Q300L with a standard ATX PSU.

 

Thanks for the help.

[Stefan Payne]

5 hours ago, Naervern said:

But in short, do 300~350W TFX PSUs have the 8-pin EPS connector and can they handle some 200W power draw or maybe 250W should it ever get a mainstream graphics card with a ≤150W TDP?

No

Because of the cases they usually are used in, they do not offer a 6pin PCIe connector and most don't even have an 8pin CPU either.

TFX is the Standard for the Low Profile µATX Desktops and even there are some with an SFXish type unit.

And in general, TFX are pretty bad because there is no reason to offer good ones.

 

SFX on the other hand is what can be an alternative in some instances but its more expensive as normal ATX with worse voltage regulation and they are louder as well.

That's the price you have to pay for the size, nothing you can do about that...

 

5 hours ago, Naervern said:

At the moment and probably ever, this rig won't be getting a discrete graphics card anyway, so no big concern should even the case doesn't support any kind of graphics card. Can thermals in any kind of SFF case for µATX (besides cube cases) be good enough with the wraith stealth to handle this moderate OC (say, keeping Temp. delta below 55ºC/100ºF)?

I don't know, haven't tested it. But they are rather hot anyways. 

Due to ITX, it looks like development of decent Small Formffactor µAT Cases has ceased. There is no more development here.

 

So the ones you can see right now, is the 10-15 year old shit that wasn't really updated since then (OK, maybe got a USB3,0 version but that's it).

 

So I can really not recommend those. Especially since they aren't really any smaller than normal Midi towers like the mentioned QS-200...

As for AM4, I have to say, the µATX Boards are mostly shit, ITX are usually better...

5 hours ago, Naervern said:

Just for notation, I'm only used to mid and full towers and one of my smallest rigs ever is the one I currently use home in a Cougar Panzer-S.

Yeah, I like those small things.

But, as I said, you are better of with a shitty midi tower than a decent low profile case.

More airflow (none/only PSU vs 1-2 80-120mm fans), you can use full size graphics card and don't have to use the low profile shit and other stuff as well...

[Naervern]

Yeah, I'm going for a standard mini tower µATX, probably CM Q300L or probably the Cougar MG110, since I do like Cougar cases a lot a can praise their value all day. Design of the Q300L is much better, but the airflow, from that 25% perforation mesh isn't that great and this build is definitely not for show.

And I do know about µATX AM4 boards, but that's that. I got this anyway and it doesn't seem too bad since I got it for the price of 26 Liters of (common) gasoline where I live lol.