Bitfenix Phenom itx &matx

S

seanclayton

Gawd
Joined
Oct 25, 2008
Messages
882
Comes in White & black, itx or matx models. Saliva am drooling.
http://www.bitfenix.com/global/en/products/chassis/phenom-micro-atx
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>>> Newegg Preorders <<<
 
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140mm rear exhaust support and a real small matx case with 5 pci slots, SOLD.
 
Both the ITX and MATX models have the same dimension. That's weird, cuz people might as well just get the MATX model instead.
 
It looks like they're still using that stupid "front port" design where the ports are attached to the side panel instead of having them attached to the frame and having cutouts in the side panel for them.
 
I like them, BitFenix has made an effort (arguably) to make mITX more accessible and these cases also seem be a bit more forward-thinking than your average Lian-Li case. These seem fine cases and undoubtly will not cost you to break the bank to convert your ATX-size PC into an mITX one, with support for many 3,5" drives and a ATX-size PSU.

It's no Ncase M1 and doesn't pretend to be either, I'm not going to show any hatred towards Bitfenix for atleast making nicely designed cases with good cooling, expandability and low price as key points.
 
German PC site computerbase already reviewed it: click
They were clearly going for the mATX version, even for ITX builds, as it's much more versatile though same size. Also only costs EUR 10.- (USD 20.-) more. For the mATX version they handed out an award which they are not very generous with at all compared to other websites who seem to recommend everything they can get their hands on.
 
love that its got 5 pcie slots, this would be a great small case to have dual graphic cards in.

I still prefer the SG09/SG10 though. The cable management on the SG09/SG10 seems better, and the graphic card is flooded with air, my overclocked GTX780 runs around 65C with gpu usage around 90-99%.
 
I just sold my prodigy... and I liked the fan placement and options much better thsn this design. I'm also NOT feeling the front mounted PSU. For me I'd pass unless I was going matx.
 
Synomenon said:
It looks like they're still using that stupid "front port" design where the ports are attached to the side panel instead of having them attached to the frame and having cutouts in the side panel for them.
Click to expand...

Dealbreaker for me.
 
After the AMD trademark infringement lawsuit, it will be renamed the "FatLanBoy." Queue Antec lawsuit.

(joking)
 
Phuncz said:
I like them, BitFenix has made an effort (arguably) to make mITX more accessible and these cases also seem be a bit more forward-thinking than your average Lian-Li case. These seem fine cases and undoubtly will not cost you to break the bank to convert your ATX-size PC into an mITX one, with support for many 3,5" drives and a ATX-size PSU.

It's no Ncase M1 and doesn't pretend to be either, I'm not going to show any hatred towards Bitfenix for atleast making nicely designed cases with good cooling, expandability and low price as key points.
Click to expand...

These are good points. Building an ITX system is different at best, and challenging at other times. Simply picking components based on mm differences and carefully planning a small build is probably kinda hard for the general market. I hadn't even considered the fact that most people only own 3.5" drives, and ATX PSUs.

This isn't a case for me, but it seeks to be an accessible case for ITX-curious builders. I dislike the Prodigy a lot less now, and I respect this case.

E: The other thing I notice a lot is that people tend to have these gigantic ATX+ cases with only single, double-slot graphics card in them. It's mostly empty space and case fans.
 
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crABtoad said:
Building an ITX system is different at best, and challenging at other times. Simply picking components based on mm differences and carefully planning a small build is probably kinda hard for the general market. I hadn't even considered the fact that most people only own 3.5" drives, and ATX PSUs.
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Indeed, it's hard enough that you need another motherboard and are very limited to cooling, so I'm glad they make mITX more easily attainable as I doubt it has a large future as a entusiast-only platform.

More acceptance = more demand = more products = more choice !

crABtoad said:
The other thing I notice a lot is that people tend to have these gigantic ATX+ cases with only single, double-slot graphics card in them. It's mostly empty space and case fans.
Click to expand...
Indeed, I used to be one of them, until I realised how much real estate I lost for a box that was holding in a lot of air for nothing. Now I'm going for the Ncase :)
 
Basically, I would like it if people were to recognize that they have empty PCIE slots on their motherboard that they're never going to use. Extreme enthusiasts who have 3+ dual-slot PCIE cards in their system need the space.

Realistically speaking, probably 80% of everyone is only going to run a single card. Not even speaking of myself here, but electronics are getting smaller and smaller, while achieving greater thermal/electrical efficiency. So, why have a huge box around tiny components?

E: NCASE M1 is beautiful, I've been following it on and off since it's inception. I can't really justify the price at this point in my life, and it's a bit larger than I would've liked. Right around the beginning I figured an SG05 evolution would be even smaller with a similar feature set. I would really like to own a piece of the history it represents though.

E2: Back on topic: I have a new-found appreciation for the Prodigy, and I like that this case continues that legacy. ITX needs to be more accessible for "casual" builders.
 
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Why does it look like it has a optical disk drive slot, but nothing in the front face?
 
The specs don't seem to indicate it has a 5.25" external or otherwise. Probably that internal cage is 3.5".
 
It's a 5.25" with an adapter for a 3.5" and 2.5" drive. You can't access it front the front though its just a reused front from prodigy.
 
crABtoad said:
E: The other thing I notice a lot is that people tend to have these gigantic ATX+ cases with only single, double-slot graphics card in them. It's mostly empty space and case fans.
Click to expand...

Well, I think this has more to do with ATX, traditionally, providing better overclock / features. ATX motherboards aren't just taller, but also wider, allowing more components to fit. Before the advent of CLC, motherboards also need enough empty space around the CPU area to allow tower heatsinks to fit.
 
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