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Hardware Z97 Mini-ITX Motherboard Previews

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Dogbert666, 12 May 2014.

  1. Dogbert666

    Dogbert666 *Fewer Lover of bit-tech Administrator

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  2. Dave Lister

    Dave Lister Minimodder

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    I'll wait for the reviews but i've pretty much got my heart set on getting the MSI Z97I Gaming next month.
     
  3. JCBeastie

    JCBeastie What's a Dremel?

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    That Asrock board does look interesting! Kudos to them and Asus for fitting the M.2 slot onto an ITX mobo.

    EVGA really needs to look at what they're doing; ITX without WiFi? Plus a lack of features and a higher price than the competition, no interest in the Stinger boards from me (although they do appeal aesthetically).

    Sad to see MSI sticking to that awful layout with the CPU socket too close to the PCI-E slot.
     
  4. Arboreal

    Arboreal Keeper of the Electric Currants

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    Nice to see an good selection of well specced boards early on.
    I like the way Gigabyte have saved space by mounting the WiFi cards vertically close to the board edge - No long dangling wires.
    One irrationally fussy point, the inner pedant was irritated by the fact that the Asrock board photo wasn't in the same orientation as the others on the page, making it harder to quickly assess layout.
    Also, on p2, the mATX Gigabyte Gaming 5 has crept in on the board photo instead of the ITX one.
    Looking forward to see how these all pan out on review, I really do have a soft spot for ITX.
     
  5. ChaosDefinesOrder

    ChaosDefinesOrder Vapourmodder

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    If the EVGA board doesn't have an M2/SATA-E port, what's that at the bottom left of the board between the heatsinks and PCI-E slot?

    Also correct me if I'm wrong, but the right hand photo of the Gigabyte GA-Z97N-Gaming 5 on page 2 looks like m-ATX and not the same board as to the left?
     
  6. Combatus

    Combatus Bit-tech Modding + hardware reviews Lover of bit-tech Super Moderator

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    It's a mini PCI-E slot.

    Well spotted - it now shows the correct board!
     
  7. Arboreal

    Arboreal Keeper of the Electric Currants

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    Thanks for sorting both those, it makes more sense now :D

    More choice and temptation - must resist, must resist :nono:
     
  8. Arboreal

    Arboreal Keeper of the Electric Currants

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    Maybe following on from JRS' post, we could have a round up of suitable coolers for these boards, as we have 2 CPU placements.
     
  9. Combatus

    Combatus Bit-tech Modding + hardware reviews Lover of bit-tech Super Moderator

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    When we get each board in we'll test it with various heatsinks and report our findings - I know there were lots of comments about this on Z87 as they got more popular so we'll be looking in a bit more detail now.
     
  10. Arboreal

    Arboreal Keeper of the Electric Currants

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    Anthony, that's great thanks. Bring on the samples :clap:
     
  11. David164v8

    David164v8 Minimodder

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    I'm probably being a bit dense, bit how do you put the side panel on if the m.2 ssd is put on the back of the motherboard? Wouldn't it stick out?
     
  12. Dave Lister

    Dave Lister Minimodder

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    If they are anything like laptop ram slots, it would probably sit parallel with the motherboard when seated properly & i'd think they would be only a few mm thick.
     
  13. faugusztin

    faugusztin I *am* the guy with two left hands

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    In a same way as your heatsink backplate doesn't stick out :). And in a same way it is on any Z97 board - paralel to the motherboard as Dave said. so they will stick out only 1-2 milimeters, which is enough place between the motherboard whatever you are mounting it on.
     
  14. DatenThielt

    DatenThielt What's a Dremel?

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    Maybe I am being blind or am missing information (hopefully!) But when was the last AMD Motherboard review that was not ITX? I wish we would get a nice post about multiple mobo's for them too!
     
  15. Parge

    Parge the worst Super Moderator

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    Mini ITX boards are the bomb! They look so much cooler than full ATX boards, with no spare slots and blank bits of PCB.
     
  16. DatenThielt

    DatenThielt What's a Dremel?

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    Mini ITX looks so wrong in my HAF X Case XD I like the possibility of expansion too! but am fond more for AMD than Intel (Just a personal preference ofc)
     
  17. Redbeaver

    Redbeaver The Other Red Meat

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    YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    My kind of review is coming. My next upgrade will be a Z97 mITX, so I'll be waiting with heavy breath.........

    TBH, I'm very inclined to the cheap MSI board at this point. But for future-proofing, may splurge some $$ for that M.2 or SATA ports...
     
  18. r3loaded

    r3loaded Minimodder

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    I'm surprised many mini-ITX boards don't come with M.2 slots. You'd think this connector would be ideal for an SFF system as you eliminate a chunky 2.5 inch drive and its cabling from the equation.

    Speaking of the M.2 form factor, there are quite a few SATA protocol drives like the Evo and the M550, but are there any PCIe protocol drives available on the retail market? I'd rather have those for their superior speed.
     
  19. Veles

    Veles DUR HUR

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    That EVGA board looks nice
     
  20. Redbeaver

    Redbeaver The Other Red Meat

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