in 2004 the BTX boarda are coming out. This means new cases, power supplies, new watercooling blocks, graphics cards ect. http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=1876&p=1 take a look. The BTX stuff is designed to fit into small cases. This is good for some, bad for others.
Just finished reading the article this morning and looking at the design means all new cases if the BTX form factor takes off. It looked as if access to the motherboard is on the right side of the case instead of the left side. Fortunately you still can use your existing ATX power supply on the full size BTX cases. I tried to head to intels website for some specs on mounting holes and clearences with no luck. If someone can find a tech. document on the BTX form factor that shows mounting hole dimensions and clearences please post a link. I'm sure a majority of modders would appreciate this.
Well I hate it already! I don't see how changing the layout is going to make it all that much easier to cool. And why change it so its backwards. That just makes everything more difficult. Abit did that before but people didnt like it. PCI express can easily be put on new motherboards and SATA is on most new ones already. ATX is fine at the moment and it only needs a few improvements here or there. Just my 2p
I can only applaud it. the layout is much more logical from many angles. It sure would allow for much more flexibility in case designs (and I have some: a vertical wing-shape profile aluminium tower; a welded aluminium hollow frame superstructure from which components and case panels are suspended much like the construction of a Japanese motorbike, to name but a few). The small size and more sensible layout of the board make these things much more feasible.
I like to see expansion and innovation as much as the next guy. But this is great Maybe the good ol' desktop case will come back to me! Or if they could get it small enough to be mounted vertically to the side of a desk that'd be awesome. The big point is cost, mann
Translation: Forced upgrading. If you buy a box that has no PS/2 on it, you need a USB keyboard/mouse. My wireless keyboard is (I don't use the mouse that came with it), but I prefer to use it and my mouse PS/2. You may have to buy a new USB printer, USB scanner, etc.
Well, it looks nice 'n' all, but it doesn't seem anything to get overly excited about. Some good ideas though, well implemented, and looking forward to picoBTX boards. But, why have they made the PSUs look so crap? And those sure are some cheap ones. No sleeving, no switches, nowt.
they easily could have made those mobo changes without creating the need for an entirely new case! They should have designed it so at the MOST all you'd need is a new back plate. The only reason I see for them changing everything is to improve airflow... but they should be putting money and effort into either decreasing the heat output of modern chips, or creating better ways of cooling, such as peltier ready mobos (insulation intergrated). If something isn't done about the increasing heat output, quickly the "new efficent" air cooling btx format wont help at all! Putting tons of money into aorking around a problem and hassling millions of computer users isn't the answer... Fix the problem! (obviously decreasing heat output isn't as easy as it sounds )
Yeah, but 50 million mobo back plates aren't worth quite what 50 million new cases, PSUs, and accessories are though, are they.
the idea is to move from one to the other. USB keyboards and mice are getting a lot more popular, Ive just recently moved completley away from PS2, and parallel port printers. so it is a well defined step forward. It looks like the only thing you will need to get is a new graphics card if you decide to upgrade to BTX, by then you may have a SATA drive and wont need IDE. Its a step in the right direction as far as Im concerned, as long as they dont switch standards overnight, Im happy/
eh.. im torn.. on the one hand.. new stuff is always cool... but now, we have to get new case for a new motherboard.. is that worth it? I dunno.. I just don't like the idea of changing something that drastically so we have to buy new stuff (especially since I usually just upgrade one part at a time.) But hey... it looks like it could be cool.
i can see the sense in moving the CPU to the front, but why bother, air cooling is fast becoming insufficient for the high heat cpu's (as someone mentioned earlier) beside that, yes, this is an excercise in profit making. they're not looking out for the end user with this, they're out to make more money from the people who dont want to buy a whole new system, just gradually upgrade. now theyll have to buy the lot. On the one hand a good idea, on the other hand a disgraceful act of profit inflation. </0.02p>
It is good though in the way that it'll kick start everyone over to the new formats. Now yes, that means more profits, and yes, it means inconveniencies for some people who still have legacy kit, but in the long term, it can only be a good thing. I sure look forward to all USB devices, with SATA drives, and PCIE cards. Like poo off a teflon stick.
bang on the nail - was thinking along the lines of an external spaceframe similar to a motorbike - holding vapochill and watercoolign together ... cnc alu and cf structure .. hmmm chromed piped tubing for the wc bits ... braided ss hoses ... the list goes on
You are all complaining (And I kind of agree)...but I bet the modders will be some of the first to buy.
It's another standards shift like XT to AT and AT to ATX. It'll annoy everyone initally, then we will realise the modding potental of it, and mabe even how to mod ATX to BTX.
Exactly, it's a change that will just happen naturally. Did anyone mind going from AT to ATX? Not particularly though it was a minor inconvinience. I'm sure we'll all much happier for it now though.
