{"id":17320,"date":"2022-05-11T16:44:59","date_gmt":"2022-05-11T14:44:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/g100.us\/?p=17320"},"modified":"2022-09-03T12:43:15","modified_gmt":"2022-09-03T10:43:15","slug":"reasons-for-building-itx-pc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Great Reasons for building a small ITX PC (And what Case to use)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_39 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-66843d28a95d2\" class=\"cssicon\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-66843d28a95d2\" class=\"cssiconcheckbox\">1<\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-66843d28a95d2\" checked><nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 \"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#ITX_PC_-_Biggest_Benefits\" title=\"ITX PC \u2014 Biggest Benefits\">ITX PC \u2014 Biggest Benefits<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#Smaller_PC_More_Free_Space\" title=\"Smaller PC = More Free Space\">Smaller PC = More Free Space<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#ITX_vs_SFFPC\" title=\"ITX vs. SFFPC\">ITX vs. SFFPC<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#ITX_Builds_Are_A_Challenge\" title=\"ITX Builds Are A Challenge\">ITX Builds Are A Challenge<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#The_X-Factor\" title=\"The \u201cX-Factor\u201d\">The \u201cX-Factor\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#ITX_Builds_Are_Portable\" title=\"ITX Builds Are Portable\">ITX Builds Are Portable<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#ITX_PCs_-_Biggest_Drawbacks\" title=\"ITX PCs \u2014 Biggest Drawbacks\">ITX PCs \u2014 Biggest Drawbacks<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#Hardware_Compatibility\" title=\"Hardware Compatibility\">Hardware Compatibility<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#Its_Too_Expensive\" title=\"It\u2019s Too Expensive\">It\u2019s Too Expensive<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#Optimization\" title=\"Optimization\">Optimization<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#Top_ITX_Cases_in_2022\" title=\"Top ITX Cases in 2022\">Top ITX Cases in 2022<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#Dan_A4-SFX\" title=\"Dan A4-SFX\">Dan A4-SFX<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#NZXT_H1\" title=\"NZXT H1\">NZXT H1<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#Cooler_Master_NR200P\" title=\"Cooler Master NR200P\">Cooler Master NR200P<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#SSUPD_Meshilicious\" title=\"SSUPD Meshilicious\">SSUPD Meshilicious<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#Dan_A4-H20\" title=\"Dan A4-H20\">Dan A4-H20<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#FAQ\" title=\"FAQ\">FAQ<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#Are_ITX_Builds_Worth_It\" title=\"Are ITX Builds Worth It?\">Are ITX Builds Worth It?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#Are_ITX_PCs_More_Expensive\" title=\"Are ITX PCs More Expensive?\">Are ITX PCs More Expensive?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#If_I_Build_an_ITX_PC_Will_I_Lose_Out_on_Performance\" title=\"If I Build an ITX PC, Will I Lose Out on Performance?\">If I Build an ITX PC, Will I Lose Out on Performance?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#Is_ITX_Better_Than_ATX_and_mATX\" title=\"Is ITX Better Than ATX and mATX?\">Is ITX Better Than ATX and mATX?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#Whats_the_Smallest_ITX_Case_on_the_Market\" title=\"What\u2019s the Smallest ITX Case on the Market?\">What\u2019s the Smallest ITX Case on the Market?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/reasons-for-building-itx-pc\/#Over_to_You\" title=\"Over to You\">Over to You<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>ITX builds are all the rage these days and, well, there\u2019s a very good reason why: there\u2019s something incredibly alluring in building a small PC, one that doesn\u2019t in any way compromise on performance.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17348\" style=\"width: 2048px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17348\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-17348 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Small-ITX-PCs.jpg\" alt=\"Small ITX PCs\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Small-ITX-PCs.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Small-ITX-PCs-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Small-ITX-PCs-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Small-ITX-PCs-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Small-ITX-PCs-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17348\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-17348 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Small ITX PCs\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Small-ITX-PCs.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Small-ITX-PCs-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Small-ITX-PCs-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Small-ITX-PCs-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Small-ITX-PCs-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Small-ITX-PCs.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-17348\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/xtia.design\/products\/xtia-xproto-l\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">XTIA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coolermaster.com\/catalog\/max\/mini-itx\/nr200p-max\/#overview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CoolerMaster<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/phanteks.com\/Evolv-Shift2.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Phanteks<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>It is a tremendous challenge and is, therefore, a lot more interesting than it might seem at first glance.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not the kind of PC novice builders tend to go for when they\u2019re first starting out as it presents a series of layered obstacles one has to tackle \u2014 <strong>and it\u2019s a fair bit more expensive, too.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>An ITX motherboard, for instance, is much harder to manufacture and is always sold at a premium. The same goes for SFX power supplies, compact aftermarket coolers, and fancy enclosures that are sometimes so expensive you\u2019ll wonder who would ever be so crazy to buy them.<\/p>\n<p><strong>But that, too, gives it a special kind of appeal.<\/strong> It\u2019s an enthusiast thing, frankly, and a niche that isn\u2019t for those who tend to get seized by vertigo whenever they see obscenely high MSRPs.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, the process of building a PC (no matter its size and complexity) is versatile enough that it can \u201caccommodate\u201d <em>vastly<\/em> different philosophies and methods.<\/p>\n<p>Some might want the biggest possible PC money can buy. Others, however, prefer the \u201cmiddle ground,\u201d a computer that is small enough to not get in the way but still offers ample flexibility when it comes to the kind of hardware they can cram inside.<\/p>\n<p>Then there\u2019s the ITX bunch: <strong>folks who spare no expense in their attempt to shrink down their builds to just a \u201chandful\u201d of liters.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s something for everyone, as they say, and even though small form factor PCs might not be your cup of tea they\u2019re still an endlessly interesting option \u2014 <strong>one that is more than worthy of your undivided time and attention.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Now, you might be wondering: <strong>why would someone go out of their way to build such a thing?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DCY9H7fAjHc\" width=\"760\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"760\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DCY9H7fAjHc\" class=\" lazyload\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ITX_PC_-_Biggest_Benefits\"><\/span>ITX PC \u2014 Biggest Benefits<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are <em>many<\/em> benefits to building a small form factor PC, even though \u2014 to the uninitiated \u2014 they might not be all that obvious or easy to grasp.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Smaller_PC_More_Free_Space\"><\/span>Smaller PC = More Free Space<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The one reason that is most often cited by ITX aficionados is the amount of <em>space <\/em>they get when opting to build a smaller computer.<\/p>\n<p><strong>SFFPCs take up a lot less room than their more sizable \u201ccounterparts.\u201d<\/strong> That is the biggest and most obvious benefit and, frankly, it\u2019s not a negligible one.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a huge \u201cquality of life\u201d improvement and it\u2019s hard to fully understand just how big of an impact it can make until you <em>see<\/em> the difference in volume between, say, a mid-tower and an ITX case (to say nothing of ATX behemoths).<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17349\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison.jpg\" alt=\"PC Case Size Comparison\" width=\"2048\" height=\"2048\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-1536x1536.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17349 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%202048%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"PC Case Size Comparison\" width=\"2048\" height=\"2048\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%202048%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison-1536x1536.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/PC-Case-Size-Comparison.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve all grown up thinking that computers have to be humongous hunks of metal with the largest of coolers and a million cables sticking out.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The bigger the better, if you will.<\/strong> But the technology itself has advanced to such a degree that you can actually get the <em>exact same performance<\/em> in a build that is many times smaller.<\/p>\n<p>And that, in short, is what\u2019s most alluring about ITX computers and small form factor PCs. They don\u2019t compromise on power and are yet a lot more sleek and slender, they\u2019re easier to handle and position \u2014 <strong>they don\u2019t get in the way.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Now, before we delve any deeper, it\u2019s important to make a key distinction:<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ITX_vs_SFFPC\"><\/span>ITX vs. SFFPC<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Some people tend to use these terms interchangeably, but there <em>is<\/em> a pretty big difference between them.<\/p>\n<p><strong>An ITX computer has an ITX-sized motherboard deep within its enclosure, but that doesn\u2019t, however, mean that it\u2019s small in size.<\/strong> You have many ITX cases that are well over twenty liters in volume.<\/p>\n<p>An SFFPC, on the other hand, retains the same motherboard format but <em>is<\/em> compact and relatively portable.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s no official definition per se, but most folks agree that anything under twenty liters <em>can<\/em> be considered an SSFPC.<\/p>\n<p>There are many such cases on the market and they range from a meager 3.9L (in the case of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tFmb5h1lN-w\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Velka 3<\/a>) all the way up to 18 liters.<\/p>\n<p>The smallest ones require Flex ATX power supplies whereas their more sizable \u201cbrethren\u201d allow for more flexibility in that regard \u2014 they can accommodate larger PSUs, namely those that fall under the SFX and SFX-L categories.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also worth noting that there\u2019s a world of difference between, say, an eight-liter case and one that is thirteen liters in volume.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Two cases can, by all means, have the exact same hardware compatibility but still vary in size.<\/strong> In other words: the SFFPC space is jam-packed with quirky options, some of which aren\u2019t all that well optimized in terms of space and airflow.<\/p>\n<p><strong>You should, therefore, do your due diligence and research whatever is available in your region before pulling the proverbial trigger.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/l4liijiAZ9c\" width=\"760\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"760\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/l4liijiAZ9c\" class=\" lazyload\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ITX_Builds_Are_A_Challenge\"><\/span>ITX Builds Are A Challenge<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Regular-sized builds are somewhat \u201cpass\u00e9\u201d these days.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re still a stellar option from a price-to-performance standpoint but they\u2019ve been around for what feels like an eternity and are, as a result, relatively \u201cboring.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>ITX ones, on the other hand, are not only smaller in size but also present a series of unique challenges one has to overcome.<\/p>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s not as simple a process as it might seem, and successfully navigating it always results in a truly unique kind of exhilaration.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>And the smaller you go (in terms of size and volume) the bigger this challenge becomes (and, by proxy, the emotional pay-off once everything is said and done).<\/p>\n<p>So if you love to tinker with your hardware and fine-tune things in an attempt to make everything run optimally, building an ITX PC should definitely be at the top of your list of priorities!<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_X-Factor\"><\/span>The \u201cX-Factor\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>ITX builds are currently \u201cin vogue.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s something inherently alluring in having a computer that is as large as a small pile of books \u2014 <strong>whilst housing a beastly processor, ample RAM, and a graphics card powerful enough to churn through any video game or workload you might throw its way.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>These builds are also somewhat expensive and, as a result, have a sort of <em>premium<\/em> vibe to them. <strong>And, well, who <em>wouldn\u2019t<\/em> want to have something unique sitting on their desk?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You feel like you\u2019re a part of an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/sffpc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">exclusive club<\/a>, one that only you and a handful of other people know about.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a niche thing, obviously, but it has amassed a sizable following over the years for a very good reason.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ITX_Builds_Are_Portable\"><\/span>ITX Builds Are Portable<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A regular-sized PC is often hard to move and even harder to transport from one place to another. It\u2019s not impossible, obviously, but it <em>is<\/em> a hassle that requires ample planning.<\/p>\n<p><strong>ITX builds, on the other hand, can often fit in your backpack.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Now, whether that\u2019s a benefit worthy of mentioning depends solely on your needs and wants, but it <em>is<\/em> a unique feature, one that some folks care about a great deal.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QxqX86xRqno\" width=\"760\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"760\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QxqX86xRqno\" class=\" lazyload\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ITX_PCs_-_Biggest_Drawbacks\"><\/span>ITX PCs \u2014 Biggest Drawbacks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Smaller PCs <em>do<\/em> have certain drawbacks but they\u2019re not necessarily dealbreakers \u2014 it all depends on your personal preference.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Still, these \u201cquirks\u201d and (potential) inconveniences definitely need to be highlighted.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hardware_Compatibility\"><\/span>Hardware Compatibility<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>With ITX builds, you can\u2019t just go out and buy <em>any<\/em> kind of hardware \u2014 <strong>there are numerous size-related limitations and constraints you simply have to keep in mind from start to finish.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Most ITX cases require low-profile coolers and, more often than not, the smallest of GPUs.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17350\" style=\"width: 2048px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17350\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17350\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/ITX-PC-Size-limitations.jpg\" alt=\"ITX PC Size limitations\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/ITX-PC-Size-limitations.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/ITX-PC-Size-limitations-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/ITX-PC-Size-limitations-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/ITX-PC-Size-limitations-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/ITX-PC-Size-limitations-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17350\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17350 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"ITX PC Size limitations\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/ITX-PC-Size-limitations.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/ITX-PC-Size-limitations-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/ITX-PC-Size-limitations-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/ITX-PC-Size-limitations-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/ITX-PC-Size-limitations-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/ITX-PC-Size-limitations.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-17350\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/thor-zone.com\/mini-itx\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Thor Zone<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Now, to be fair, there <em>are<\/em> certain cases on the market that aren\u2019t as limiting (like the wildly popular <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coolermaster.com\/catalog\/cases\/mini-itx\/masterbox-nr200p\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cooler Master NR200P<\/a>) but at almost 20L in volume, they\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.intel.com\/content\/www\/us\/en\/gaming\/resources\/small-form-factor-gaming-pc.html#:~:text=A%20small%20form%20factor%20gaming%20(SFF)%20PC%20or%20mini%20gaming,increase%20in%20popularity%20and%20accessibility.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">borderline SFFPC<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The smaller you go the more you\u2019re going to have to invest and\/or cherry-pick your hardware<\/strong>; the choice, ultimately, is yours.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Its_Too_Expensive\"><\/span>It\u2019s Too Expensive<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>ITX components are expensive. There\u2019s really no other way to say it.<\/p>\n<p>Whether they\u2019re worth the asking price will depend on what exactly you\u2019re after and, perhaps above all, the <em>depth of your wallet<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>SFX power supplies are often way more expensive than regular ATX ones and don\u2019t even get us started on ITX cases \u2014 <strong>they can retail for upwards of $200, depending on the model and its manufacturer.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>These kinds of builds are not for the budget-minded.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Optimization\"><\/span>Optimization<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A smaller enclosure brings with it a series of challenges. <strong>You need to think about hardware compatibility <em>and<\/em> certain thermal constraints.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Will your components of choice be able to \u201cbreathe\u201d within such a petite set-up?<\/p>\n<p>Will your hardware thermally throttle? What about airflow?<\/p>\n<p>Do you need any additional fans so as to ensure better cooling and, if so, how many?<\/p>\n<p>Building an ITX PC requires a fair bit of tinkering both pre- <em>and<\/em> post-purchase. You don\u2019t necessarily <em>have<\/em> to roll up your sleeves and optimize your set-up, but in that case, you <em>could<\/em> run the risk of losing out on performance.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For some, it is a hassle of unfathomable proportions. For others, however, it is a challenge worthy of their time and attention \u2014 <em>a hobby, even.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you spend the vast majority of your time in front of a computer, then why <em>wouldn\u2019t<\/em> you tinker with it and, in doing so, make sure it performs at its best?<\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OWKATJXOLZ4\" width=\"760\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"760\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OWKATJXOLZ4\" class=\" lazyload\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Top_ITX_Cases_in_2022\"><\/span>Top ITX Cases in 2022<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Conjuring up a listicle of this kind is always a tremendous challenge as the ITX market is <em>ever-evolving<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Certain trends come and go, new \u201cfads\u201d take their place, and there\u2019s always something novel and highly idiosyncratic to talk about.<\/p>\n<p>Be that as it may, certain ITX cases <em>have<\/em> stood the test of time and are, therefore, more than worthy of your time and attention.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dan_A4-SFX\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=QYao2gHr7Uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dan A4-SFX<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The enclosure that \u201cstarted it all.\u201d The A4-SFX is as legendary a case as they come and at just 7.2l in volume, you\u2019ll be able to bring it with you wherever you go.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17351\" style=\"width: 2528px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17351\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17351\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-SFX.jpg\" alt=\"Dan A4-SFX\" width=\"2528\" height=\"1686\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-SFX.jpg 2528w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-SFX-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-SFX-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-SFX-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-SFX-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-SFX-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2528px) 100vw, 2528px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17351\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17351 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202528%201686%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Dan A4-SFX\" width=\"2528\" height=\"1686\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202528%201686%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2528w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2528px) 100vw, 2528px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-SFX.jpg 2528w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-SFX-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-SFX-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-SFX-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-SFX-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-SFX-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-SFX.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-17351\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dan-cases.com\/dana4.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dan Cases<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>And, on the off chance, you\u2019re not the traveling type, it\u2019s small enough (not to mention beautiful) to fit in any kind of set-up.<\/p>\n<p>It might not have the best airflow overall \u2014 a well-known flaw of its \u201csandwich\u201d layout \u2014 but it\u2019s still a case worth considering.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"NZXT_H1\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XTnblaMv_Cg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NZXT H1<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A polarizing case, no doubt, but also an astonishingly attractive one as well. It\u2019s just the right size at 13.6 liters and comes with a beefy power supply <em>and<\/em> a 140 AIO.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17352\" style=\"width: 1894px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17352\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17352\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/NZXT-H1.jpg\" alt=\"NZXT H1\" width=\"1894\" height=\"1103\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/NZXT-H1.jpg 1894w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/NZXT-H1-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/NZXT-H1-1024x596.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/NZXT-H1-768x447.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/NZXT-H1-1536x895.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1894px) 100vw, 1894px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17352\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17352 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201894%201103%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"NZXT H1\" width=\"1894\" height=\"1103\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201894%201103%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1894w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1894px) 100vw, 1894px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/NZXT-H1.jpg 1894w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/NZXT-H1-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/NZXT-H1-1024x596.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/NZXT-H1-768x447.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/NZXT-H1-1536x895.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/NZXT-H1.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-17352\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/nzxt.com\/product\/h1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NZXT<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>And, better yet, it\u2019ll support graphics cards up to 305mm in length which means you\u2019ll have a broader range of GPUs to choose from.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also one of the few cases on the market that are sold as a \u201ckit\u201d \u2014 all you need is a CPU, motherboard, RAM, GPU, and storage and you\u2019ll be good to go.<\/p>\n<p>The building process is also amongst the most enjoyable as all the necessary cables are pre-routed. <strong>Building in the H1 is like assembling Legos.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s also a slightly larger variant (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=JqfObhoAyJg\" target=\"_blank\">H1 V2<\/a>) that offers even better GPU compatibility so definitely make sure to give that one a look if you happen to be sporting a triple-slot behemoth.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cooler_Master_NR200P\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=aMP3-881X5o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cooler Master NR200P<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This case is the \u201cjack of all trades.\u201d If you want a small(ish) ITX PC \u2014 one that isn\u2019t going to break the bank \u2014 the NR200P should be at the top of your list of priorities.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17353\" style=\"width: 1175px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17353\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17353\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Cooler-Master-NR200P.jpg\" alt=\"Cooler Master NR200P\" width=\"1175\" height=\"976\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Cooler-Master-NR200P.jpg 1175w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Cooler-Master-NR200P-300x249.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Cooler-Master-NR200P-1024x851.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Cooler-Master-NR200P-768x638.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1175px) 100vw, 1175px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17353\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17353 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201175%20976%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Cooler Master NR200P\" width=\"1175\" height=\"976\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201175%20976%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1175w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1175px) 100vw, 1175px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Cooler-Master-NR200P.jpg 1175w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Cooler-Master-NR200P-300x249.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Cooler-Master-NR200P-1024x851.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Cooler-Master-NR200P-768x638.jpg 768w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Cooler-Master-NR200P.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-17353\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coolermaster.com\/catalog\/cases\/mini-itx\/masterbox-nr200p\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CoolerMaster<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>The case itself is incredibly cheap for what it is and it also offers mind-blowing hardware compatibility.<strong> It is, in a way, the perfect middle ground.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Heck, you can even 3D print a PSU bracket and use a regular ATX power supply \u2014 the interior of the case is that \u201cmalleable!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At 18 liters, however, it\u2019s definitely large enough to <em>stretch<\/em> the definition of SFFPC. That being said, it\u2019s not humongous by any means and is one of the most popular ITX cases on the market for a very good reason.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SSUPD_Meshilicious\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=RKpNt1o6l_Y&amp;ab_channel=OptimumTech\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SSUPD Meshilicious<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yet another truly spectacular entry, one that is designed by a daughter company of Lian Li (which means it brings exceptional build quality and immense attention to detail).<\/p>\n<p>It is a 14.6-liter enclosure that takes the very best bits from NZXT\u2019s H1 and trims some of its \u201cfat.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17354\" style=\"width: 1894px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17354\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17354\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/SSUPD-Meshilicious.jpg\" alt=\"SSUPD Meshilicious\" width=\"1894\" height=\"1103\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/SSUPD-Meshilicious.jpg 1894w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/SSUPD-Meshilicious-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/SSUPD-Meshilicious-1024x596.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/SSUPD-Meshilicious-768x447.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/SSUPD-Meshilicious-1536x895.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1894px) 100vw, 1894px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17354\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17354 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201894%201103%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"SSUPD Meshilicious\" width=\"1894\" height=\"1103\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201894%201103%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1894w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1894px) 100vw, 1894px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/SSUPD-Meshilicious.jpg 1894w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/SSUPD-Meshilicious-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/SSUPD-Meshilicious-1024x596.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/SSUPD-Meshilicious-768x447.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/SSUPD-Meshilicious-1536x895.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/SSUPD-Meshilicious.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-17354\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ssupd.co\/products\/meshlicious\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SSUPD<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>It\u2019s a \u201cbarebones\u201d kind of case, however, which is probably what most builders need and want. It has full mesh side panels which result in some truly amazing airflow.<\/p>\n<p>SSUPD has also taken a very original approach \u2014 relative to other vertical ITX cases \u2014 and has positioned the motherboard in a more natural orientation by folding the included PCIe riser cable.<\/p>\n<p>It also supports up to 280 AIO coolers <em>and <\/em>full-sized ATX power supplies which is quite a rarity in the sub-15 liter segment of the market.<\/p>\n<p>And, perhaps best of all, it is a \u201cmainstream\u201d case which means it\u2019s readily available in many different markets across the globe which, sadly, isn\u2019t always the case with these niche ITX enclosures.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dan_A4-H20\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=69UJCLJ9E4Q\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dan A4-H20<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A collaboration between the creator of the original Dan case and Lian Li. It\u2019s 11 liters in volume, has 240 AIO support, <em>and <\/em>can handle up to a triple-slot GPU. What more could you ask for?<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17355\" style=\"width: 2048px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17355\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17355\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-H20.jpg\" alt=\"Dan A4-H20\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-H20.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-H20-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-H20-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-H20-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-H20-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17355\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17355 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Dan A4-H20\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-H20.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-H20-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-H20-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-H20-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-H20-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Dan-A4-H20.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-17355\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/lian-li.com\/product\/a4h2o\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lian Li<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>This exceptional case makes no compromises <em>whatsoever<\/em> and for that, it's more than worthy of being on our list.<\/p>\n<p>As one reviewer so eloquently put it, it\u2019s about as small as you can get volume-wise without making any sacrifices when it comes to performance and thermals, and it\u2019s also surprisingly \u201caffordable,\u201d too (compared to other niches ITX offerings).<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Let\u2019s go over a few potential questions you might have when it comes to small form factor PCs and ITX builds in general.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_ITX_Builds_Worth_It\"><\/span>Are ITX Builds Worth It?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Well, that\u2019s quite a hard question to answer as it varies from one person to the next.<\/p>\n<p>Are ITX builds a smart investment from a price-to-performance standpoint? <strong>Not in the slightest.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>They are, however, a unique option that offers an incredible amount of convenience. So if that\u2019s something you need (or want), then building an ITX PC is definitely a worthwhile endeavor.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_ITX_PCs_More_Expensive\"><\/span>Are ITX PCs More Expensive?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>They\u2019re <em>always <\/em>more expensive, unfortunately.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re still using the exact same processors, RAM, graphics cards, and storage, but you <em>will <\/em>have to splurge a bit more on an ITX motherboard and a minuscule little power supply. And, well, SFFPC enclosures also sell at a premium.<\/p>\n<p>You <em>can<\/em>, however, find them for cheap on the second-hand market if that\u2019s something you\u2019d be willing to entertain.<\/p>\n<p>It can get quite expensive, as you can imagine, but to <em>some, <\/em>it\u2019s actually worth it.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"If_I_Build_an_ITX_PC_Will_I_Lose_Out_on_Performance\"><\/span>If I Build an ITX PC, Will I Lose Out on Performance?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you pick the right components and make sure your case has good enough airflow you\u2019re not going to lose out on performance compared to a regular-sized mATX\/ATX build.<\/p>\n<p>That being said, each enclosure brings with it a series of challenges and <em>some <\/em>of them are downright impossible to tackle.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why it\u2019s always best to go for a case that\u2019s no smaller than, say, eleven or twelve liters as that\u2019s arguably the smallest you can go without making any kind of compromise in terms of hardware compatibility and airflow.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_ITX_Better_Than_ATX_and_mATX\"><\/span>Is ITX Better Than ATX and mATX?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Not at all \u2014 <strong>it\u2019s just smaller and more premium.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re actually getting <em>fewer <\/em>ports and expansion options which is definitely a drawback inherent to the form factor \u2014 and there\u2019s no circumventing it, so just keep that in mind.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Whats_the_Smallest_ITX_Case_on_the_Market\"><\/span>What\u2019s the Smallest ITX Case on the Market?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The smallest SFF PC enclosures \u2014 ones that can actually accommodate a <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/igpu-vs-dgpu\/\">dedicated graphics card<\/a> \u2014 hover around the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=GqJFyaAT81E&amp;ab_channel=TekEverything\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">three-liter mark<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>They\u2019re astonishingly compact but they <em>do <\/em>bring numerous limitations:<\/strong> you\u2019ll need either a Flex ATX power supply or a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=FnHlqWUHLAI&amp;ab_channel=TekEverything\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">picoPSU<\/a> (depending on how small you want to go), a highly compact CPU cooler, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=sT_C0lyHDbs&amp;ab_channel=ETAPRIME\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">single-slot GPU<\/a>, and maybe even some low-profile RAM memory.<\/p>\n<p>That, one could argue, is <em>too small<\/em>. There are simply too many compromises, although they, too, might be acceptable to those who want to build the absolute smallest ITX PC money can buy.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Over_to_You\"><\/span>Over to You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><em><strong>Are you a member of the (surprisingly fervent) ITX community or are you, perhaps, only now looking to downsize your PC? Let us know in the <a href=\"#comments\">comment<\/a> section down below, and in case you need any help, head over to <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/forum\/\">our forum<\/a> and ask away!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ITX builds are all the rage these days and, well, there\u2019s a very good reason why: there\u2019s something incredibly alluring in building a small PC, one that doesn\u2019t in any way compromise on performance. It is a tremendous challenge and is, therefore, a lot more interesting than it might seem at first glance. It\u2019s not...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2343,"featured_media":17323,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[112],"tags":[294,122],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17320"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2343"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17320"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17320\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17376,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17320\/revisions\/17376"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17323"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17320"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17320"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17320"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}