John Oram wrote: > Day: > > Form facor for ATX mobo is normally said to be: > > "full ATX" motherboards have a maximum size of 12" by 9.6" (304mm by > 243mm), > > "Mini ATX" boards have maximum dimensions of 11.2" by 8.2" (284mm by > 208mm), > > "extended ATX" form factor, also sometimes called "EATX". This form > factor is essentially the same as ATX, except that the board can be up > to 12" by 13" (304mm by 330mm). > > FlexATX mainboard size is 9.05" by 7.08" (230mm by 180mm). > > The Mini-ITX is more than 33% smaller than the FlexATX mainboard at > 6.69" by 6.69" (170mm by 170mm). > > The newest VIA mobo form factor is "Nano-itx" at 4.72" by 4.72 (120mm > by 120mm). Which VIA claims is "the world's smallest and most highly > integrated mainboard for the emerging generation of smart digital > entertainment devices." > > http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,115286,00.asp
I spoze that's pretty cute John, but I prolly got a dozen or more standard ATX and even some old AT cases sitting around from dead windoz systems. Maybe the square footage on the standard high rise cubical desktop is so valuable that they seek the 'Nano-itx' or whatever, but I doubt that space on the table where the SURVPC user has a system really sees much advantage in it. I tend to be more interested in performance reliability and low price than the smaller form factors. I look out for the fanless setups because I see so many crashed systems due to dust that was sucked into the PC while it ran in an ordinary home rather than a climate-controlled office someplace. The fans and heatsinks get choked with dust,... and it's history. For me, its usually cheaper to just pay the shipping on an ordinary atx that I can stuff into a case already on hand, than to get one of the new, and no doubt prettier, smaller form factors... and the case for that.
