In Win BK623 micro Atx Case Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)One of the smallest micro ATX cases that can fit full profile PCI cards. Has 3 bays (one 5.25" and two 3.5"). Used it to build an HTPC with an ASUS M4A785TD-M EVO motherboard, AMD atlon ii x3 435, WD caviar green 2TB hard drive and 2x2GB A-DATA DDR3 1600Mhz. Takes some time to build because of the limited space available. All connectors are well labeled. Resulting system looks nice, is quiet, and low power. Havent tried putting a full sized video card yet, but Im certain it will fit comfortably considering the size.

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Product Description:
S.F.F Tiny Tower Chassis - ATX Desktop Case/IP-P300BN7 80+/U4+HD/Filter

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Slimline Micro Pc Case 350PS Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Prior to this I've only built one PC from scratch. This time I wanted something smaller than the mini-tower I previously used. I also wanted something quiet.

This unit is shiny, and it's hard to discern in the photos the colors. This (or at least mine) has a dull silver front surrounded by a chromed-plastic bezel and a glossy piano-black case.

There is no doubt that the interior is cramped when installing items, but that's to be expected in a case this size.

There is a very small misalignment between the DVD/CD player and the front, which I've seen mentioned in other reviews. This is very minor, and while I was initially annoyed when building the PC, in use I just don't notice it.

I do wish the case had a firewire port in the front for transferring movies from our camcorder to the PC. There's a port in the back though, and the inconvenience is minor.

The case and power supply fans are really pretty quiet. Of course, this is all relative to what one individual believes quiet is. Each will have their own opinion. All I can say is that with the unit sitting on the floor next to me (I use the stands and have it vertical), I really can't hear it over the ambient noise in the house. I have the included case fan set to low (it has a little switch for low, med and hi), which seems to provide more than adequate cooling. In the future I may purchase a different fan with a speed sensor and connect it to the motherboard to take advantage of some automatic fan settings.

I thought I had a defective DVD player for a bit since the unit sounded like a jet preparing for takeoff when the player would spin-up. It turns out that moving the mounting feet (only used when mounting the case vertically) around greatly affect the vibration of the case. Just by spreading the feet out a bit the whole thing has quieted down nicely. To make it any better I'll have to open the case back up and put some felt pads or something between some of the sheet metal items. As-is though, I'm fine with it.

Overall, I like this case and would definitely purchase it again.

For reference, here's what I've used, and after a month seems to work excellently:

-Motherboard: Asus M3A78-EM.
-Ram: Kingston KHX6400D2/2GR (x2 for 4GB- can buy 2 more to upgrade someday, which will then max out the motherboard at 8GB).
-CPU: AMD ADV60000DOBOX Athlon 64 X2 6000 3.1GHz Socket AM2 Dual-Core processor.
-DVD: ASUS DRW-20B1LT 20X DVD

Antec 380 Watt M-ATX Desktop Case NSK1380 (Black/Silver) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This was my first build for a HTPC to put in my media cabinet. I decided on this case mostly because it was the only decent sounding (review-wise) case that would fit into my media cabinet. The build itself was such a pain (literally) starting with trying to put the clip-in motherboard standoffs in. The very first one sliced under my fingernail drawing blood. Once I got the mobo in the very first thing I noticed was that the cables come out underneath the PSU and connecting the ATX power made all the very short cables rest right on top of the NB heatsink. The only way to route the cables was to buy a 10" power extension and molex to 2x ATA adapter. This mess blocks the PCI-e slot and one HDD space. The OD screw holes don't all line up with the drive cage holes on two drives I tried. Once built it's now working like a charm but it's not at all attractive (too much plastic) and looks out of place in my A/V cabinet. To do it over again I'd choose different. It works for now.

Now I'd skip the whole HTPC self-build and get a Dell Zino HD but they didn't have those when I did this.Or, I'd look at mini-ITX and a ION board/build.

Pros:
- Silent
- Well made panels
- Fits in small spaces
- Stays cool with very creative cable routing
- Works

Cons:
- Clip-in motherboard standoffs difficult to put in and very sharp
- Cabling comes out bottom of power supply and with the GA-MA78GM-US2H mobo rests right on the NB heatsink
- Cables much too short - had to buy extension/adapters
- Power LED way too bright
- Difficult to install OD and HDD
- Poor fit and finish - not all screw holes align with OD screw holes for any drive I tried (3 of 8 max)
- Difficult to get top back on
- Not very attractive looking - too much plastic on the outside and it looks that way
- Doesn't look like it fits in with other A/V equipment
- Included internal fan takes up PCI slot and stays on even when the system is shut down.
- OD drive shield is flimsy and button doesn't reach OD button - I just ended up removing it
- No HDD LED (is it working or is it hung?)
- Not sure how I'll ever get a graphics card in here because of the aforementioned cabling issues but with the 780G chipset on my mobo I haven't found the need
- Expensive for so much plastic facade (the price hasn't dropped at all!)

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Antec NSK1380 380W M-ATX Desktop Case (Black/Silver)

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Intel DG45ID Media Series G45 micro-ATX Intel Graphics HDMI+DVI 1333MHz LGA775 Desktop Motherboard Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been building computers since NT4, and I'm amazed how technology has come, so far. I'm specifically impressed with the Intel DG45ID MOBO. Built specifically for Media Center use. This MOBO works really well with my Vista x64 Ultimate. I watch Blu-ray, HD DVD's, and online movies. I set this up with a quad core processor, 8GB RAM (Corsair), on an Antec case. The built-in HDMI (video card) passes audio and video. I've tested other MOBO (not an Intel), & their built-in HDMI (video card), does not pass audio. This video card can only achieve 1080p, at 60hz. So if you have a 120 Hz TV, it will bump down to 60 Hz.
Good luck with watching Netflix movie, using this video card. There's some DRM, management rights issue.
There are no legacy peripherals/hookups on this MOBO; all SATA, USB, Firewire connections. I don't know how the integrated RAID controller performs, since I'm currently not using it. The only suggestion is to have integrated wifi included on this board. I'll purchase this MOBO again, if someone wants me to build them a Media Center.

*** April 2009 Update ***
I purchased and hooked-up the Sony STRDG820 Receiver. The Sony works really well with my HTPC. I'm still using the integrated HDMI in the MOBO.
Last week I updated the BIOS. I found out that I'm way behind and I could not update using Express BIOS update. I had to update using Recovery or Iflash. I don't have a USB floppy, so I updated using my USB stick. The app that I used is the HP USB Disk Storage. You can download that app for free. You should be able to create a DOS startup disk, with the downloaded BIOS, .BIO extension file from Intel.
BTW: I'm using the Corsair XMS2 PC2-6400 800 MHz 240-PIN DDR2 Dual-Channel Memory Kit - TWIN2X4096-6400C5. I have 8GB RAM, and BIOS setup for auto; my current memory speed is 800MHz.
Also, I'm not experiencing that weird DRM Netflix issue anymore.

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Product Description:
With the growing popularity of user-generated media, peer-to-peer sharing and the uploading and viewing of streaming video, photos and more, it's no secret that the creation and sharing of digital entertainment is on the rise. From tech-savvy hobbyists to professional designers, today's users need hardware that can run the advanced multimedia tools needed to create and enjoy audio, video and more.
Amazon.com Product Description
With the growing popularity of user-generated media, peer-to-peer sharing and the uploading and viewing of streaming video, photos and more, it's no secret that the creation and sharing of digital entertainment is on the rise. From tech-savvy hobbyists to professional designers, today's users need hardware that can run the advanced multimedia tools needed to create and enjoy audio, video and more. Intel® Media Series Desktop Boards Product Highlight
Incredibly versatile, Intel® Media Series Desktop Boards are designed to support high-bandwidth interfaces and are ideal for running demanding entertainment, education, and gaming applications. Big, unwieldy media files can quickly overcome mainstream desktop PCs. Intel Media Series Desktop Boards allow users to experience HD videos in surround sound, design school projects or presentations, or upload vacation videos right out of the box, and with superior speed and efficiency.

Graphics
Intel® Desktop Media Series Boards offer users an excellent visual experience thanks to the Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD with Intel® Clear Video Technology. This built-in support for full 1080p high-definition visuals eliminates the need for an additional graphics card while offering support for today's most popular video outputs including HDMI and DVI. This feature enables incredible visual media capabilities including video and image editing, streaming video viewing, and HD home theater entertainment. Ever flexible, Intel® Desktop Media Series Boards also offer a PCI Express x16 graphics connector to support the latest high-end graphics cards for a great 3D gaming experience.

Onboard Audio
Utilizing the Intel® High Definition audio chipset, the Intel® Media series delivers rich, realistic 360

Antec NSK2480 Desktop case 380W PS Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I looked at quite a few cases before choosing this one.I chose it because of the price, the looks and because it was designed to keep things quiet. Also I desired an energy efficient power supply.The included 380w Antec Earth Watts 80plus power supply has no problem powering mynvidia 9800GT pciExpress card, dual-core processor and four sticks of ram. The result of my build is a PC that can sip power for home theater tasks but can also shift gears for a little gaming.

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Product Description:
The first desktop in Antecs award winning Solution Series of enclosures has arrived. The NSK2480 Desktop case features a unique triple-chamber structure, designed to isolate the heat and noise produced by the power supply and hard drives, ensuring a quiete computing environment. Along with its exceptional ventilation and attractively understated styling, the NSK2480 also includes an 80 PLUS Certified EarthWatts 380 Watt ATX12Vv2.2 power supply with universal input and Active PFC, so you can place its beauty anywhere you want.

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Cooler Master Elite 341 m-ATX Mini Tower Case Black - (RC-341C-KKN1-GP) Review

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(More customer reviews)This box is a good, inexpensive Micro ATX box. It comes with enough directions and parts that someone who doesn't build computers for a living can put it together. It also comes with a quiet fan. There are no rough edges inside and everything fits. Yes, it is a little tight in there and 2nd hard drive placement may require some longer wires, but that was not an issue for me. Most of the smaller boxes that I looked at did not have room for a second hard drive, a second optical drive and full sized cards. This one did, which is why I bought it. Nothing fancy here, just a good basic box.

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Product Description:
The Elite series, characterized for it superior thermal solution is now presenting yet another mini tower case - Elite 341. Following eminent traditions from the Elite series, the Elite 341 is equipped with a 120mm rear fan, offering the best ventilation while maintaining silent cooling solution. The mechanical design of the side panel and retaining keyholes for Kensington security lock are special features of the Elite 341 for better protection of your PC.

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SilverStone Sugo SG02B-F ABS/SECC Steel MicroATX Desktop Computer Case - Retail (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Great Case.The only reason I gave it a four was because of the annoying HD light.

Pros:
- Two 5 inch slots in the front were huge for me.Difficult to find two on top of each other on a HTPC case.
- Plenty of room to work and fits everything I needed and then some.

Cons:
- HD access light is blue and very obtrusive for a HTPC.Disconnected light and all is good.

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Product Description:
The SG02F, as the successor to the SG02 is an evolutionary step forward in both performance and the capabilities over the original Sugo chassis, the SG01. With the case now capable of handling even more powerful graphics cards than ever before, the SilverStone engineers were still able to keep the smaller dimension in tact. Although SG02F's front panel design is unchanged from its predecessor, its styling and function continues to stand out from ordinary SFF designs. The same can also be said of its tried and true chassis layout, which is still capable of accepting larger ATX power supply or optical drives than other SFF cases available. Built based on a brand new steel structure, the SG02F is sure to please potential builders looking for primarily silent applications.

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SilverStone Sugo SG01B-F Aluminum/Steel MicroATX Desktop SFF Chassis Computer Case - Retail (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)After buying a Shuttle computer, decided on transforming my old medium size Dell tower into a small computer and got this Silverstone case.Very well constructed, the contrast of black and aluminum looks really nice and sufficient interior space for everything I needed.Assembly instructions were very clear.Due to the case relative small form factor (which limits several integral components), I decided to write this article in order to advice potential buyers and facilitate that you can make a wise investment on the different components.Just to clear out, this computer was assembled to become part of my home theater system and with a limited budget.Was never intended to be a super fast computer with the maximum of RAM and largest HDDs.Pictures are being included.

Size Does Matter:
The only Mother Boards that fit this case are the Micro ATXs.Fortunately, major companies have multiple models (read below).The fans used are 80 mm in diameter, shortly of four inches.Thus, none of the commercial liquid cooling systems will fit even with modification of the case.The Silverstone FX121 Cross Flow Fan is a must for improved cooling of the MoBo.Full size graphic/video cards do fit on the corresponding slot but only one.No crossfire here.There is plenty of space for a full size Power Supply, two external facing CD/DVDs, two internal HDDs and other three PCI slots still available.

Choose the Proper MoBo:
I tried three MoBos; a 785 series ASUS, a H55 EVGA and finally decided on the Gigabyte MA785GM-USH.The ASUS was an excellent choice but did not have the connectors for FireWire, the external HD Audio and the ASUS support site continues to be as bad as has always been.The EVGA was also an excellent alternative with the same limitations of the first one but their support website is excellent.I finally selected the Gygabyte because had the Firewire connector, the HD audio connector and VGA, DVI plus HDMI.But the location of the e-sata connectors interfered with the full size video card.Even using 90degree cables, you are limited to two devices because the angle faces inward.Seems that is a design flaw on this specific board model.Nevertheless, I carefully bent all (four sata cables) and was able to get the video card installed.The Gigabyte product was the only board that had two integrated fan controllers besides the one for the CPU.The other two boards had just one.

Cooling the CPU:
I tried three CPUs, a $200 Phenom with six cores, a Pentium i-5 (also $200) and finally decided to go with the one that is considered the best value as of November 2010, a Phenom 9850 for which I paid $89.00.For purposes of comparison, this Phenom Windows Experience Index benchmarks is 7.3 compared with my i-950 which has benchmarks of 7.5 on the WEI. I did encountered that the heatsink/fan combination that came with the AMD CPUs was very noisy and the fan loudness did bother me as the computer is three feet away from me.Thus, the standard AMD sink/fan was replaced with a larger Ultra Carbon X-2 which is very silent and keeps the CPU under 50 degrees in all but the most demanding tasks.This cooler is very silent and fan speed is controlled by the MoBo.

Case Ventilation:
The Silverstone case comes with two fans; one (right lower lateral side) flows air over the HDDs.The second one exhausts air from the left rear upper panel in a diagonal position.There is also space for a third fan directly above the video card slot (this supplementary fan can be installed as an air intake or exhaust) and also there is a space to install a Cross Flow Fan directly over the MoBo an inch or so behind the CPU.The system fans themselves are not noisy at all.Nevertheless, I did some modifications to increase air circulation and decrease fan noise.Got two very quiet (14 decibels) Silenx fans which now exhaust air from the top and rear of the case.These two fans in combination with the rear cross flow move up to 78 CFM trough the case.Still using the fan to cool the HDDs and installed a fifth one diagonally on the left inside of the case directly venting the boards Southbridge. Connections are as follows:CPU fan connected to the CPU pins of the board.Cross Flow fan connected to the first case fan of the first board and the two internal fans connected in parallel to the second fan connector of the MoBo.The exhaust fans are connected by Molex adapters to the UPS.

Other Components:
Four 2 GBs DDR-2 sticks, two HDDs and RW-DVDs from the Dell computer were used.A new power supply was bought (get yours modular so you can use only the cables you need) and installed the Windows 7 with the 64 bit version. I tried two different video cards and was able to get them working.Decided on keeping my old 10 inch long GTX 470 with DVI and mini HDMI outputs.Installation of components was foolproof as all power & data connectors are propietary and the system booted on the first try.Windows 7 was able to find all integrals, peripherals and install the corresponding drivers.

Conclusion:
With parts of my old dying Dell computer and a limited budget was able to have a new computer suitable for audio and video.The most concerning issue for me was potential overheating of the system once it was installed on a shelf.By choosing the proper components was able to get a fairly quick system and was even able to overclock the CPU from 2.5 to 3.0 Ghz by increasing the voltage and just five degree increase on the core temperature. This Silverstone Case is not only sleek and pretty but very well constructed with clear assembly instructions and plenty of interior space for all the components (and pleasant adventure in assembly) as described above.Good luck with your system!

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Product Description:
The SG01-F takes another step forward in both performance and capabilities over the original Sugo's aluminum chassis, the SG01. With the case now capable of handling even more powerful graphics cards than ever before, the case still has the smaller dimension of its predecessor intact. The now classic Sugo styling and proportions continue to stand out from lesser SFF designs while its tried and true chassis layout still impresses with standard form factor accepting capacity. Built based on a brand new steel structure, the SG01-F is will again become the standard for builders looking to build quality SFF computers.

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