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Small Form Factor Gaming PC

Schmick

Schmick

Member
I don't really know much about small form factor gaming PCs and wondered if anyone has any recommendations for a self build.

I've always had mid towers but have thinking that I would much prefer a small build.

Are small form factor PCs generally louder or are there solutions to keeping the electronics cool and the noise low.
 
If we are talking micro atx..They are not really louder but they do run a lot hotter.

I usually go micro atx these days but that's still pretty big.
 
The smallest I have built in is the node 202, I didn't have a particular beast of a gpu in it so it wasn't loud but yeah, it got toasty.

I think the holy grail is if you can it to be a passively cooled case but that always seemed like a step too far.

I also enjoyed my node 804 build alot and that has a lot more space for a decent gpu.
 
I was all about small form factor gaming for over 10 years. My latest build was the first build in maybe 20 years that I had to go large again. All because of how fucking hot video cards get. I could not have predicted how insanely hot they get and that doesn't work with small form factor. I went through 3 cases before finding a case big enough to cool that damn thing. I had been using Shuttle barebones for years. And older video cards were small enough and cool enough to work with them. My last Shuttle barebone did require extra work for cooling and it did turn me away from Shuttle for my latest build. It was not easy trying to find a case that was as small as the Shuttle cases. Since the Shuttles are barebone, they come with their own board and power supply. I think the power supply is the limiting factor for their size. Using a standard power supply makes any other case larger than the Shuttles. So the smallest aftermarket case that can handle a standard power supply and mini board is still larger than the largest Shuttle barebone.
 
I have p600s case and while I really like it, I would like to get something smaller.
The case is very airy, well built and easy to clean up front thanks due to the mesh with fabric mesh in front.
But its uuuge

GOd0EyU.jpg

I don't want to change motherboard though. Most micro boards, don't have two nvme slots.
So I need smaller but still atx case
 
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I have is an Alienware X51.
It came with an i7 2600 and a gtx 660.
I learned quickly that this is too small and I will never buy a computer with an external power supply again.
It would fit a GTX 1080 but could not power it.
I eventually gave up on it and bought a silver stone HTPC case with a proper power supply and a mico atx.
It's about the size of a Audio Reciever. Small and gaming are hard to do and be happy with. You will find hard compromise decisions.
 
Haven't had a small form factor build since I got a 2080 ti (It's an MSI Gaming X Trio so way too hefty) but before that I ran a few AMD cards (Fury Nano, Vega 64, RX5700 XT) in a small case. They were generally blower style coolers and the case conveniently had an intake vent right next to the GPU's intake fan. It's pretty much the only use case where I've considered a blower style GPU preferable given pretty much all the heat from it is dumped out of the back, generally weren't louder either as the AMD cards were great for voltage tweaking to keep temps down.
 
I would love it if Microsoft would sell Xbox Series X in a Windows PC version. Perfect size small PC build.
 
MadchesterManc said:
Haven't had a small form factor build since I got a 2080 ti (It's an MSI Gaming X Trio so way too hefty) but before that I ran a few AMD cards (Fury Nano, Vega 64, RX5700 XT) in a small case. They were generally blower style coolers and the case conveniently had an intake vent right next to the GPU's intake fan. It's pretty much the only use case where I've considered a blower style GPU preferable given pretty much all the heat from it is dumped out of the back, generally weren't louder either as the AMD cards were great for voltage tweaking to keep temps down.
Click to expand...

Came to post this. If you're going for a SFF build then a blower cooler is an absolute must.

I was looking at building a SFF PC pretty much all of last year but needed up getting a strong gaming laptop (HP Omen 15) with a 5800h and a 3070 instead. The machine actually slightly outperforms my desktop 3900x/2070 super combo in some scenarios.

The pricing for desktop parts is so out of whack at the moment that it's meant the higher end laptops is where all the value is.
 
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I always meant to do a ITX build, but I never bought the case so I just have an ITX setup inside a big ol' Thermaltake Core V21. I like the Cougar QBX, and even the Thermaltake Core V1 ITX case looks good despite the fact it's just a smaller version of what I already have.
 
I've been a SFF since the 2600x came out. I've always been a mid range person so space and heat were never a massive factor.

Obviously you still want a case that has good air flow since you'll be limiting yourself on that front but if you arent a high end person I think it's worth it if you want the space back.

It's cool having my whole PC in a little box I can just place on top of my desk.
 
Don't do it. I made a Mini ATX build last year. With the NZXT case. I had a rtx 3070 evga xc3 ultra. GPU was defective and I was given a 3070 ftw3 which did not fit. Instead of building in a new case I decided to sell the gpu and find one that fit. I got about 5 GPU's the last year none worked out. A year later I finally got another evga xc3 ultra 3070. Problem is the PC runs hot and loud only while playing demanding games.

I decided to destroy the build and bought a bigger case and forget the mini atx build. It was a cool looking PC. Dumbest thing someone could ever do in this GPU market.
 
for a SSF build you really have to go ITX, but the limiting factors are the PSU and GPU.

I have a SSF build with a low profile GTX 1650 and a Flex ATX PSU. Thats basically as small as you can get. You also need to consider your CPU cooler.

Airflow and temps really becomes an issue depending on your case
 
DGrayson said:
for a SSF build you really have to go ITX, but the limiting factors are the PSU and GPU.

I have a SSF build with a low profile GTX 1650 and a Flex ATX PSU. Thats basically as small as you can get. You also need to consider your CPU cooler.

Airflow and temps really becomes an issue depending on your case
Click to expand...
That is what I used to like about the Shuttles. They had a custom PSU and CPU cooling for their cases. That allowed for a small case. If it were even possible to get a decent single slot GPU these days, I would have probably went with another Shuttle. I do not think they even advertise for gaming anymore.
 
PerfectDark said:
Don't do it. I made a Mini ATX build last year. With the NZXT case. I had a rtx 3070 evga xc3 ultra. GPU was defective and I was given a 3070 ftw3 which did not fit. Instead of building in a new case I decided to sell the gpu and find one that fit. I got about 5 GPU's the last year none worked out. A year later I finally got another evga xc3 ultra 3070. Problem is the PC runs hot and loud only while playing demanding games.

I decided to destroy the build and bought a bigger case and forget the mini atx build. It was a cool looking PC. Dumbest thing someone could ever do in this GPU market.
Click to expand...
I had a similar problem. GPUs are bigger and hotter than ever and I was not anticipating the amount of heat. The heat was so high it was overheating the GPU and CPU causing crashes. By default, AMD GPUs are set to run quiet and hot and I have had to run custom settings to keep them cool. I swear they do this on purpose to burn out the cards sooner. There is no way those setting work unless you have a really cold case with great airflow. I don't think you would want to assume that for most cases.
 
JayK47 said:
That is what I used to like about the Shuttles. They had a custom PSU and CPU cooling for their cases. That allowed for a small case. If it were even possible to get a decent single slot GPU these days, I would have probably went with another Shuttle. I do not think they even advertise for gaming anymore.
Click to expand...

I researched for days last year before building, overpaid for a used GTX 1650 because it was the best low profile card I could get.

Awesome and fun build but there is still no "best" setup for a true SSF gaming PC at the moment. There is always something lacking.

If anyone cares I can take pics of my setup and post them.
 
DGrayson said:
I researched for days last year before building, overpaid for a used GTX 1650 because it was the best low profile card I could get.

Awesome and fun build but there is still no "best" setup for a true SSF gaming PC at the moment. There is always something lacking.

If anyone cares I can take pics of my setup and post them.
Click to expand...
Do It Episode 3 GIF by Star Wars
 
Computer before this one was a ITX build, never going back to anything below mATX/ATX again unless it's going in a TV cabinet, just way to annoying having to deal with heat/noise/space. Especially with PCIe 5.0 GPUs likely topping out at +450W.
 
Went from a Node 202 with a Ryzen 1600 and a GTX 1060 6GB to an NR200 with Ryzen 5600X and a 3080 TI.

The node 202 was not known for good thermals, ever, but it was getting annoying for me too, fans blasting all the time. NR200 is almost not really SFF, but it's so much better. With Noctua fans in/out from bottom to top for a chimney effect, the 3080 Ti temperatures hover at around 62C. Fan noises are super low. So yea, unless work or travel requirements really makes you want a sub 10L case, I would not recommend going that small in volume. Ncase M1 and NR200 seems like the best compromises.
 
Thankfully sff has grown its presence so it's not just limited to $300 niche case makers like NCase. I went with an NR200 which isn't the smallest ITX case out there but it is very compatible and a little easier to work in. Though building still took longer than I've been used to in typical towers.

I'm running an evga 3060 Ti and a 5600x with a scythe ninja air cooler. Fans all around too. Very pleased with my perf and temps and it fits nicely on my desk. Came in white too which I liked.

Only wish it had a usb c header on the front which they may add in I think as an aftermarket thing? I have a rog strix b550i with a usb c header port iirc and it makes it more convenient for phone charging than the one in the back
 
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I wouldn't do it, out of the simple thermodynamic, that you are going to have worse cooling (for small builds most often the coolers does not fit, so you have to buy some aftermarket ones, which brings up the cost significatnly and it's only for that one part). if you want to go small and you don't care that much about how tidy it looks, go for something like an open bench design and put acrylic around it for protection, you know custom made for few bucks. I have build few of those systems and I can't really recommend it for person who does not normally build PCs. It's way hard to make it work and you have to scout forums in order for you to be sure it fits your components, coolers and so on...
 
I have my 5.0-litre Skyreach 4 mini and very happy with it. BTW I never had a PC in non-ITX case ever. Doing this since 2006.

My specs: 8700K@4.7GHZ, 2070 Super (up to 3070), 32GB RAM. You need to set limit on GPU and undervolt CPU for best results. Also PSU can be expensive (mine is 250$ for 400W), not counting 200$ for the case.


Also look at this.
docs.google.com

SFF PC Cases

Master List Dimensions (mm) Case,Case Name,Product Link,Cost (USD),Type,L,W,H,Volume (L),Footprint (in²),Storage (SSD = 2.5", HDD = 3.5"),PSU type (max. length),GPU length (mm),Expansion Slots,Cooler height (mm),Fan support (F = front, T = top, B = bottom, R = rear, S = side),Radiator support,...
docs.google.com docs.google.com

In short - very cool, portable, and can be VERY expensive. To me totally worth it. There are TONS of very good and tiny ITX cases.
 
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ResilientBanana said:

Phanteks Innovative Computer Hardware Design

www.phanteks.com www.phanteks.com

Shift%202%20Grey%2001.jpg
Click to expand...

These have always been plagued with bad thermals unless you pick the air version iirc.

Probably the best thermal/look/availability/price case you can find right now is the Meshlicous.

www.ssupd.co

Meshlicious

Meshlicious is a combination of MESH and Delicious. There’s so much mesh that your mouth will water. Breathable, mesh panels lets you savor the airflow and minty temps. · Fine mesh panels and well ventilated · 14.67 liters in size · Support for regular size hardware · High quality powder coated...
www.ssupd.co

And this is a must watch channel for any SFF PC questions or hardware.
 
HerjansEagleFeeder said:
I have an NCASE M1. It's pretty great. Can house an RTX 3090.
Click to expand...

M1 is pretty much the best go-to SFF case, as oppose to some of the smaller cases out there it has literally everything - all the I/O ports on the front, great ventilation, and more importantly enough room to hold an AIO cooling and a beefy high-end GPU, you just can't go wrong with picking that one up.

PS. Just went on their website, it says M1 is discontinued, and they're supposedly working on a successor, wonder how long will it take them and how they'll improve pretty much a perfection.
 
Generally, if you are talking smaller size, it's a direct trade off between noise and power. For gaming, you're going to want power, so you're going to have heat to deal with, and smaller fans make more noise than large fans for the same cooling performance.

I have a mini itx case in my living room, and it's a juggling act between heat and noise. In my game room, I have a Cooler Master ATX HAF case and there is barely any noise on my much more powerful pc.

I don't recommend the really small ones unless you just want the challenge of building it, or have to have a tiny case. It's annoying to fit all the components, and more expensive, and keeping it clean of dust is a hassle.
 
I contemplated going small form factor but the extra cost and heat put me off in the end. Though I went from a giant Corsair air 540 to a matx jonsbo c3 plus so its pretty compact by comparison.

It makes you appreciate the series x and ps5. For there size and noise profile there very powerful machines.
 
Some OEM machines are surprisingly capable. Lenovo has one (Thinkcentre P350 Tiny) with a Nvida T600 - Basically a GTX 1650 - in a 1 litre package.

Project TinyMiniMicro tests these machines, its really interesting.

My current rig isn't really mean't for gaming, but it is also a 1 litre machine, meaning it fits everywhere (About the size of a Wii Mini i suppose).

HP usually uses Ryzen APU's - so a Vega 8 with 512 cores max.

This is about as small as you can go safe for the Thinkcentre Nano which is just really tiny.

Minisforum has bigger ones, including one with Ryzen 4700S - The PS5 SoC. Not a great GPU though.
 
H1 isn't perfect but if you are going for size......on clearance everywhere now since the fire issues. Gpu will run a bit hot tho.
 
Schmick said:
I don't really know much about small form factor gaming PCs and wondered if anyone has any recommendations for a self build.

I've always had mid towers but have thinking that I would much prefer a small build.

Are small form factor PCs generally louder or are there solutions to keeping the electronics cool and the noise low.
Click to expand...
I would highly discourage getting mini/micro PCs unless you put in those really low-power GPUs (1050/1650), I've had nothing but issues with them.
 
Buggy Loop said:
Went from a Node 202 with a Ryzen 1600 and a GTX 1060 6GB to an NR200 with Ryzen 5600X and a 3080 TI.

The node 202 was not known for good thermals, ever, but it was getting annoying for me too, fans blasting all the time. NR200 is almost not really SFF, but it's so much better. With Noctua fans in/out from bottom to top for a chimney effect, the 3080 Ti temperatures hover at around 62C. Fan noises are super low. So yea, unless work or travel requirements really makes you want a sub 10L case, I would not recommend going that small in volume. Ncase M1 and NR200 seems like the best compromises.
Click to expand...
+1 for this case. I use it for my workstation desktop. It's just big enough that thermals are still good. It especially helps if the card is blower style so that it intakes from the bottom and exhausts out the back.
 
Magic Carpet said:
I have is an Alienware X51.
It came with an i7 2600 and a gtx 660.
I learned quickly that this is too small and I will never buy a computer with an external power supply again.
It would fit a GTX 1080 but could not power it.
I eventually gave up on it and bought a silver stone HTPC case with a proper power supply and a mico atx.
It's about the size of a Audio Reciever. Small and gaming are hard to do and be happy with. You will find hard compromise decisions.
Click to expand...
I have the 2070 inside the x51.
 
isoRhythm said:
I would highly discourage getting mini/micro PCs unless you put in those really low-power GPUs (1050/1650), I've had nothing but issues with them.
Click to expand...

I think one of the key things the OP needs to be aware of is the fact that this is a build that should only really be undertaken by an experienced PC builder.

If I attempted a SFF build as my first ever build then it would likely put me off PC building for life.
 
GHG said:
I think one of the key things the OP needs to be aware of is the fact that this is a build that should only really be undertaken by an experienced PC builder.

If I attempted a SFF build as my first ever build then it would likely put me off PC building for life.
Click to expand...
No problem there. I've built plenty of PCs in the past
 
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IbizaPocholo said:
I have the 2070 inside the x51.
Click to expand...
Did you power it with the external 330 W brick? My 1080 would make the x51 power off whenever a game ramped up. I did manage to run a separate powersuppy into the case just to power the gtx 1080 So the brick powered the mainboard and the separate power supply for the GTX. It was a total frankenstein but it worked. I still use the old X51 for simple things but not in my Home Theater. It's too loud.
 
Magic Carpet said:
Did you power it with the external 330 W brick? My 1080 would make the x51 power off whenever a game ramped up. I did manage to run a separate powersuppy into the case just to power the gtx 1080 So the brick powered the mainboard and the separate power supply for the GTX. It was a total frankenstein but it worked. I still use the old X51 for simple things but not in my Home Theater. It's too loud.
Click to expand...
I use the power supply of 330w that came with the pc. My version is the R2, and I know the r1 have a lot more problems with GPUs. And it's not loud.
 
GHG said:
I think one of the key things the OP needs to be aware of is the fact that this is a build that should only really be undertaken by an experienced PC builder.

If I attempted a SFF build as my first ever build then it would likely put me off PC building for life.
Click to expand...
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This was my first PC build case.. it was a nightmare cable managing and getting the GPU in there.
Had to velcro extra HDDs to the side as well.
 
DGrayson said:
for a SSF build you really have to go ITX, but the limiting factors are the PSU and GPU.

I have a SSF build with a low profile GTX 1650 and a Flex ATX PSU. Thats basically as small as you can get. You also need to consider your CPU cooler.

Airflow and temps really becomes an issue depending on your case
Click to expand...
Did you put a Noctua fan on that Flex ATX PSU? I have a 500w platinum one that was almost unbearable with its noise until I swapped out its standard 40mm fan
 
Boglin said:
Did you put a Noctua fan on that Flex ATX PSU? I have a 500w platinum one that was almost unbearable with its noise until I swapped out its standard 40mm fan
Click to expand...

Yes well I bought a modded one with the Noctuna fan already swapped.
 
I bought a blower style 2070 for my ITX and will never do it again. Insanely noisy. Switched it for an open air 2070 and it's much better. Set a custom fan curve and I can barely hear it now. I'm sure it gets hot but they are built to withstand a lot.

ifhedies.jpg
 
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I've had a Ncase M1 for 5 years or so.
It's a very simple and classy full aluminium case, extremely practical, and easy to clean, all in the size of a shoe box (a bit more volume than a Series S).
My current config is a Ryzen 3700x and a 2070S Hybrid (Evga), both CPU and GPU are watercooled, each get a 1x120mm radiator with silent pwm fans.
Going from air to water significantly reduced the noise on load, since the GPU doesn't go past 65°c anymore.
 
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