miniITX solutions for P4 system...

[TheShiverer]

Howdy, I've been given the challenge of throwing together a
spec. for a P4 3.2GHz machine with a miniITX form factor
and slimline case.

The miniITX motherboard should support 3 or 4 PCI slots
and 1 AGP (x8) slot (ideally, I guess, these would be mounted
at 90 degs. to the motherboard because half-hight cards
aren't easy to come by). Though 3 PCI and 1 AGP will be
satisfactory. The motherboard should also be prone to
overclocking (a primary requirement ) and have a decent chipset.
Onboard audio and video isn't a requirement, so a board without
either or both would be appreciated. A GeForce 6800U and
an Audigy 2 ZS will drive the audio/video. 4 RAM slots are
required along with two IDE controllers and at least one LAN
controller.

As for the case, sleek is the operative word. 1 external 5.25
inch drive bay and a floppy bay is all that's needed. There
must be enough room inside the case to fit the motherboard
with a ThermalRight XP-90 or XP-120 heatsink and 92mm
or 120mm fan, as well as one or two complementary fans
of 80mm to 92mm.

As for the PSU, 460w; it also needs to be pretty much silent.
Maybe 20 dB at normal load.

Price isn't an option.

Does anyone have any suggestions? All feedback would be
greatly appreciated.

 

[David Maynard]

Howdy, I've been given the challenge of throwing together a
spec. for a P4 3.2GHz machine with a miniITX form factor
and slimline case.

I'm afraid you're asking for the impossible by saying you want a particular
form factor, specifically miniITX, and then specifying what that form
factor 'should be'. It's a little like saying you want a 4 wheel, 6 seat,
enclosed cab, V8 'motor scooter', with AM/FM-CD changer, power windows and
tilt wheel. That's a car, not a motor scooter.

http://www.mini-itx.com/

The miniITX motherboard should support 3 or 4 PCI slots
and 1 AGP (x8) slot

MiniITX has 1 PCI slot, no AGP slot, with all the typical basics, video,
audio, LAN, integrated on the board.

(ideally, I guess, these would be mounted
at 90 degs. to the motherboard because half-hight cards
aren't easy to come by). Though 3 PCI and 1 AGP will be
satisfactory.

You can buy riser cards that provide the 90 degree orientation.

The motherboard should also be prone to
overclocking (a primary requirement ) and have a decent chipset.

Well, with two possible new 'exceptions' (as it looks like Intel may be
trying to make a board similar to miniITX and so is transmeta) the chipset
is VIA as MiniITX is kind of 'their deal' and it'll be, 'surprise', a VIA
C3/Eden processor.

The closest thing to what you specify in a processor is the Insight P4 ITX
Motherboard, which supports a 400/533 MHz FSB, except I'm not sure any are
actually available yet. If you really can get it, though, it's definitely
the most powerful, unique, thing in a miniITX form factor.

Onboard audio and video isn't a requirement,

It is for miniITX.

so a board without
either or both would be appreciated.

Won't happen.

A GeForce 6800U and
an Audigy 2 ZS will drive the audio/video.

Not on a miniITX board they won't.

4 RAM slots are
required

Not on miniITX. ONE.

along with two IDE controllers

One channel, two ports.

and at least one LAN
controller.

Here you're in luck.

As for the case, sleek is the operative word. 1 external 5.25
inch drive bay and a floppy bay is all that's needed. There
must be enough room inside the case to fit the motherboard
with a ThermalRight XP-90 or XP-120 heatsink and 92mm
or 120mm fan, as well as one or two complementary fans
of 80mm to 92mm.

No way all that stuff is going to fit in a 'sleek' slimline case.

To give an example, I just bought a mATX, 'slim' height (that will still
accept full height PCI cards), case and the fan compliment is one rear 80mm
and one front 80mm. And I picked it because it had the largest/most fan
mounts of 'slim' mTAX cases. Skinny that down to a 'half height' kind of
slim case and you can dump the multiple 80mm fan notion altogether, along
with any idea of shoving honker ThermalRight XP-90 heatsinks into it.

As for the PSU, 460w; it also needs to be pretty much silent.
Maybe 20 dB at normal load.

My earlier analogy of a V8 motor scooter wasn't so far off

The typical ITX power supply is 60 watts with a turbo-charged,
nitro-exteme, big slip daddy, all out mongo monster dragster coming in at
200 Watts.

Price isn't an option.

Neither is physics. You just can't cram all that into a miniITX form factor
even if you went to the Taiwan board house direct and had them make you a
custom, one of, board.

Does anyone have any suggestions? All feedback would be
greatly appreciated.

Assuming performance trumps having the absolute smallest case size you're
looking at a mATX motherboard, minimum. Although, I am not aware of any
mTAX PSU that comes even close to 460 Watts.