GTX1080 in an small case- does it make sense?

Hi,

I am currently purchasing the components for a brand new gaming PC, and would like that PC to be mATX- based. (Need something smaller than a tower)

Here is my question below:
I need to know specifically if a GTX1080 fits in a smaller case with a mATX motherboard, and if so, what is the recommended case & associated cooling? Does it even make sense? Or shall I consider a smaller ATX case like Carbide 400C?

i am just starting to learn on the SFF and am looking at something with good airflow. Here are my answers to the questions below.


1. What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming, Photoshop (or other intensive programs), Web browsing, strictly HTPC/Playback, etc.

1440p Gaming (current top games) and web browsing.

2. Will you be overclocking? (If so, are you looking to watercool?)

Mild overclock. Nothing extreme. My priority is getting very good performance, with very good airflow and low noise.

3. What's your budget?

It's flexible but I am looking at something 'enthusiast' without going to the extremes.

4. Where do you live?

Montreal (Canada) I have access to everything.


5. What exact parts do you need for that budget?
Already purchased just now: Intel 6700K. Samsung 850 Ssd. EVGA GS 650 power supply.
Looking to purchase: mobo, case, 16gb ram, gtx 1080, and one 3.5 inch drive

6. If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing?
Am starting from scratch. Parts already purchased can be easily returned if really necessary.

7. What specific features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Thunderbolt? Crossfire or SLI support? How many USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s? etc.
Simple motherboard allowing for slight overclock. Need to be rock stable. No patience for problems!


8. What resolution output do you need?
1440p


9. Does this system need to fit into a particular space and do you need an optical drive?
No internal optical drive needed


10. How comfortable are you with custom case design/modification and electrical wiring?
Can have help from someone but my preference is a build not involving extensive mods

11. How important is the noise/silence of this sytem?
Very important. As reference my friend has a Fractal Define S with 140mm fans and Noctua cooler and it is very low noise in my opinion.


12. How mobile does this system need to be?
I do not want a big tower under my desk. I would like to carry it from time to time. I am looking at mATX size case.


13. Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
Will purchase windows 10 home usb


14. When do you plan on building/buying the PC?Immediately, in a couple weeks, 3-5 years?
Want to complete my build at end of this summer. i understand some cases have long wait times and am ok extending it a bit.

Thanks very much!




Last edited: Jun 2, 2013
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Are you planning on going SLI in the future or using any other PCIe cards at all? If not, you could consinder going all the way down to ITX.

Otherwise the Rajintek Styx is worth a look.

As mentioned above, go with ITX if you don't plan to use SLI. The fractal Nano S would really fit for you, it's quite big for ITX but still smaller than mATX, you can fit full-size tower coolers and have noise dampening (essentially an ITX Define R5). I recommend the Asus Z170i Pro Gaming mainboard, which has a nice feature set and mine is very stable, had no issues yet with 6700K. About your 1080 fitment concern, those cards will fit in any decent case >10L, but even in the 7L A4-SFX... Just be sure to check the dimensions of the card is lowerthan the clearance given on the case manufacturer's website.

Aircoookie said:

As mentioned above, go with ITX if you don't plan to use SLI. The fractal Nano S would really fit for you, it's quite big for ITX but still smaller than mATX, you can fit full-size tower coolers and have noise dampening (essentially an ITX Define R5). I recommend the Asus Z170i Pro Gaming mainboard, which has a nice feature set and mine is very stable, had no issues yet with 6700K. About your 1080 fitment concern, those cards will fit in any decent case >10L, but even in the 7L A4-SFX... Just be sure to check the dimensions of the card is lowerthan the clearance given on the case manufacturer's website.

Click to expand...

Thanks to you both.
I do not believe I will go SLI.
As for the gpu card fitting or not, that is one aspect to review for certain. After this obstacle has been surpassed, the primary concern is heat management. I am looking for advice in terms of heat and airflow. One friend's opinion I value very much was 'GTX 1080 in a small case - you need watercooling! "

So is this the case? I would prefer sticking to air cooling but appreciate all ideas. Maybe a partial cooling solution? Please note I haven't touched a PC build in 10 years and am just starting back on my reading. Really appreciate the help

Frank

Water cooling is of course optional and quite unneccessary nowadays IMO. What you are looking for is quiet and cool operation. Get a high end tower cooler, it will cool just as well as watercooling and will be more reliable and silent because there is no pump. Key in small cases is either a large number of case fans or many ventilation holes so that air can circulate. Another thing to look out for is the GPU type. Most aftermarket cards (the ones with big fans) blow the heat inside the case, which is fine if you have the good ventilation mentioned above (for example in the Define Nano S, A4 or the Ncase M1). They will be cooler and more quiet than the blower style reference "Founders edition" cards. If you choose a case with very limited airflow (take the Raijintek Styx for example) the blower style will be better in return since it exhausts the air out the back and will not heat up the case that much. In an hour or so I will post you a pcpartpicker link with a suggested configuration. Edit: Here: GeForce GTX 1080 8GB GAMING X 8G, Define Nano S Mini ITX Desktop - System Build - PCPartPicker