Hardware BitFenix Prodigy: Add-ons, mods and why it’s my favourite mini-ITX case

The Prodigy isn't a mITX-case, but a µATX.

For being a mITX-case it's simply too big, especially when compared with a SST Sugo 05/06/07/08 which offers reaonable cooling aswell. And there's rather good mITX-cases from LianLi with the Q08 and it's successors.

 

Simply this. It's just too big and I'm suprised, given its in the mini category, few others pick up on this.

 

OK, jrs77 and jcrider... what alternatives would you seriously recommend and why? Also, can your choices do everything that the Prodigy can do, such as house the same hardware and keep them running at the same cool temps?
It's all very well saying that the Prodigy is too big but if the smaller cases can't offer the same features and performance, it's not much of an argument is it?

 

By that "size" logic, many mATX cases would be ATX (Corsair 350D) or some ATX cases would be mATX (Lian Li PC-A05N) and many ATX cases would be EATX...

No, the definition for the case category is what boards it fits, and not it's size. Prodigy accepts only mITX boards, so it is a mITX case.

 

Simply this:

Two can play that game... lol

 

Silverstone Sugo SG-07/08 has room for a full ATX-PSU and a big GPU and if you don't OC it's perfectly fine.

The Prodigy is a µATX-case as it has the same size for both the Prodigy and the Prodigy M -> http://www.bitfenix.com/global/en/products/chassis/prodigy-m

 

jrs77, if you are going to get picky then you have to do it properly and not just look at the facts that suit your own argument.

The Prodigy and the Prodigy-M are indeed the same size cases. However, they are NOT the same on the inside.
The Prodigy (Mini-ITX) ONLY takes Mini-ITX motherboards and offers a certain number of drive bay options.
The Prodigy-M (mATX) offers both Mini-ITX AND mATX motherboards but ONLY because it sacrifices a few of the drive bay options. So while it may be the same externally, it is NOT the same internally and therefore the Prodigy can not and should not be considered a mATX case.

EDIT:
As far as I can see anywhere in the UK the SG07/SG08 cases are only available with PSUs provided for around £160 which is a massive £90 more expensive that the Prodigy's £70 price tag. Not only can the Prodigy be had with a separate, full modular PSU for less, many users would merely opt to swap in their existing PSU, an option that isn't available with the Silverstone cases. Yes, they may be smaller but you also lose a lot of the internal options as well as the fact that they do not provide the same level of air cooling or even water cooling options and this is a sacrifice that many did not want to make. It's all very well to suggest alternatives but not if they don't offer the same features and options as the case you choose to criticise.

 

MESSAGE TO BITFENIX:

Please can you release a case as follows?

Option 1) A Prodigy/Prodigy-M WITHOUT the top handles and some nice, chromed feet.

Option 2) A Phenom Mini-ITX/mATX WITH a single 5.25" external drive bay. (DO NOT include a 3.5" external drive bay as Aerocool did).

Thank you and I await to give you my money... Or Fractal wins by default.

 

Lot of words to spew just to say µITX doesn't fit your usage scenario.

 

I give you option 3 by this week. I hope you will like it

 

I look forward to it xbournex.

 

Hi,

Anyone know if it is possible to fit/shoehorn a Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R mobo in the Prodigy M? The mobo is 305 x 244mm.

I am still running a i7-920 and don't feel I would be likely to realise any benefit from a upgrade yet, but just bought a AMD R9 290 GPU and would like to rehome and watercool it ideally in a not too huge case. I currently have a Antec 300v2 chassis which is way too big and only half full

Best,

Evil

 

That motherboard is an normal sized ATX board and will not fit.

 

I do not own one, would like to though.

It may not be the prettiest of them all, but it seems like a real work-horse, that will probably grow on you as time goes by, and/or when you try some of all the modding stuff.

 

I've always thought the size argument against the original Prodigy was rather pointless. If you want a tiny SFF ITX case then buy one, but good luck installing multiple fans/drives/rads or any other watercooling gear worth paying attention to.

The Prodigy is not perfect by any stretch, and the Fyber Flex feet and handles are pretty much a Marmite affair. But it was the first time that such a small case was straightforwardly capably of housing some of the more exotic cooling solutions, as well as being damn good at air cooling as well.

And for that alone, kudos to Bitfenix for doing something different.

 

I'm also slightly confused by the size issues.
Going smaller would limit the potential for water cooling etc.

If you want a smaller case, then that's fine, I would personally think it odd someone would buy a Prodigy just to stick some stock components in there, unless that absolutely love the looks since that would be a lot of wasted space.

I've personally not seen one in detail IRL so I can't really comment, but I've seen some very nice looking builds done in them.

 

The only real issue I am facing with this case is the front panel and its supplied cables, they need to be longer, as when you take the case off the system panel cable can come loose if you aren't careful.

 

I can get on board with that, it would have been a better design imo to have had contacts on the chassis and the side panel - but that would severely limit the use of the buttons with the side panel off. Perhaps secondary buttons on the inside of the chassis to mitigate? I don't know, I'm thinking aloud.

 

Overclocking and watercooling are totally overrated, especially when talking about mITX-builds. These systems are ment as client/workstations or HTPCs, they're not ment to replace a high-end gamer-system.

The reason to build a mITX-system is because size is an issue. A µATX-system usually is cheaper.

A good mITX-case for example is the Chieftec BT-02B or the Silverstone Sugo SG05. That's the whole reason behind this formfactor, to be used with SFX-PSUs and hardware below 300W all inclusive. 2x 2.5" SSD/HDD is also totally enough to begin with in a mITX-system.

For anything else SFF there's allready way better and cheaper options by using µATX-boards and slightly bigger cases, like the Bitfenix Prodigy M, the Silverstone SG03 or the Silverstone TJ08e, etc.

So yeah, The Prodigy M is a reasonable case, but the mITX Prodigy simply isn't.

 

Yeah, this is a case for those who want to water cool a mini-Itx setup. If you just want mini-Itx in the smallest possible footprint and aren't doing anything too over the top in the way of cooling, there are smaller, less adaptable cases out there.