BitFenix Prodigy Mini-ITX Case

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If you are looking for a mini-ITX case that looks like a shrunken Mac Pro, the BitFenix Prodigy is right up your alley.

Prodigy is a Mini-ITX chassis with a stylish appearance, incorporating what BitFenix call BitFenix FyberFlex™. Inside, this case can accommodate an assortment of cooling fans, HDD storage, space for big CPU coolers and even enough room for most high-end graphics cards. Available in Midnight Black or Arctic White I would be lying if I said today’s review comes without eagerness. Let’s begin our analysis of Prodigy.
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I really like the design of this case. mITX, but full featured. It's a bit big, but still a great looking piece of kit.
 
Wonder how well this would work for a smallish NAS box with 4-5 drives in a RAID5 setup?

2 intake fans front and back and 2 top exhaust ought to keep things cool.

Very tempting.......
 
If i ever want a mini itx computer, this is the case for me. Looks great and offers a very impressive list of features.
 
ITX chassis larger than some m-atx mid-towers? no thanks. Look at Silverstone's Sugo series for how you should do ITX chassis, not this travesty.
 
confusis said:
ITX chassis larger than some m-atx mid-towers? no thanks. Look at Silverstone's Sugo series for how you should do ITX chassis, not this travesty.
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Depends on what you compromise. Can those m-atx cases fit what the prodigy can?
Are you comparing with handles or without handles dimensions? Putting handles on any case makes the case even bigger too.

Can we say the same with "ATX case bigger than some XL ATX case?" Sure.
 
The whole point of SFF is being efficient with space. And I was meaning the M-ITX Sugos :)

People need to get out of the mindset of buying chassis for upgrade 'options' they may never use. Most ITX boards have no more than 3-4 SATA ports, why produce a chassis with a possible 5 3.5" bays or 9 2.5" bays? Even the incredibly popular ASUS P8Z77-I DELUXE only has 4 internal sata ports. I'm considering both with and without handles - most of the time users will not remove the handles I would say though.
 
They rather dropped the ball on this case when it comes to airflow and filter designs. A filter for the PSU on the bottom but nowhere else? The PSU isn't the only place where air can come in. They really need to stop designing cases with exposed drive bays. Especially mITX cases when people can just plug in an external for the moment they need it.
 
Options they never use? Ok. some people want a SFF for gaming. maybe 2 hard drives is enough (Remove top hard drive cage then).
What about the one who wants it as a home server, someone who will actually buy raid cards?
You can easily fill up the case with hard drives and have them usable. That's where flexibility comes in.
P8z77I is popular, because its great for overclocking. If you're going to overclock, you're going to have to dissipate the heat. Either a tall heatsink, or a radiator (any case smaller than this won't fit them.)

oh, and air is filtered on the roof and the front, and the PSU. ball not dropped. 230mm fan is not enough airflow?
 
confusis said:
But isn't the prodigy more focussed on gamers, and LAN gamers at that?
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Prodigy is a case without compromise. It has maximum flexibility to be anything. Don't like it being a NAS server? Change it up to a high end gaming PC. Want some overclocking and would like to show off? Throw thick rads. It can become anything you want. The handles are there for people who want to bring it to LAN's, or for people who want a nice stylish PC. They serve as a shock absorber, a nice furniture piece, or an object for you to vent out and smash on the handles without breaking it when someone KS's you in COD.
 
Remove the handles and it looks like this:

d4f9a054_Prodigy.jpeg


So stop claiming the Prodigy is small without the handles. It's obviously designed to have the handles. Yes adding handles to other REAL SFF chassis will increase the size, but they're not designed to come with handles!
 
That is where we lose when it comes to desk space as we completely acknowledge that.
26Liters if you want numbers on how big it is. 36 with handles. It's on our website.

You can find even smaller cases. CM 120 is about 10Liters, but targets a different audience. I believe that is the target market you are looking at, rather than our Prodigy.

There's 2 groups of people with the ITX. One who wants to bring their ATX case down to the size, keeping their big guns, and the other who wants to carry a size 5 shoe box.
I have 4 Prodigy's beside me. I'm claiming it is small because I can physically compare with ATX cases.
 
BitFenix_xbournex said:
oh, and air is filtered on the roof and the front, and the PSU. ball not dropped.
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Metal mesh panels with smaller holes are not filters. Unless there's a layer of material for air filtration behind the metal mesh, then there does not appear to be any filtration for intake in this case. If there is, then the reviewer did a pretty lazy job.
 
I think I just found my next mITX case for a gaming PC.
 
My Prodigy arrives on Monday says NewEgg. Building a new ESXi 5 server to be the edge router, NAS, DNS host and more for my house.

Doing this same setup with a Shuttle XG-41 right now but theres not enough horsepower for more than 4 VM's so... enter the Prodigy.
 
Wow, all the hate in this thread. If you dont like it dont buy it.
I for one am seriously considering buying this for my new build.
I like the fact it has the extra room to work in and greater air flow.
 
techrat said:
What is a MiniATX motherboard doing inside of a MiniITX case?
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Precisely. It can go inside, but it does not fit.
I have a MSI Big Bang XPower II, it's an XL ATX motherboard. 34.5cm.
BitFenix Outlaw is 43cm tall. The board can go inside, but it does not fit.

The logic of putting mATX into this case is the same with putting XL ATX into an ATX case.
Why this argument is brought up when the Prodigy is released, and not towards any other chassis with the same argument, boggles me.
If you haven't noticed, the bigger the motherboard you place inside a case that is as small as possible, you lose out and compromise a lot on your choice of components.
*When was the last time the entire industry was so worked up about a ITX case, or even the ITX platform itself?

P.S Where you got the photo from, it's from tonymacx86. A modder believe it is asinine to even bother to mod the case. See for yourself.
https://tonymacx86.com/viewtopic.php?p=415149#p415149
 
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Wow, just hopped over from OCN's thread on the Prodigy, completely different reactions haha.

If this was out when I built my PC, I believe I would've gone with this instead of the TJ-08
 
BitFenix_xbournex said:
*snip* When was the last time the entire industry was so worked up about a ITX case, or even the ITX platform itself?
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Ahemm...now if you can take the suggestions I have made in the OCAU forum, where I have my project log, you can make it even better - it's not bad at all as a starting-base, but you have the opportunity to elevate it to the next level.

Now tell me, when can we order a full aluminium version? I would be willing to pay $250-$300 for such a case :)
 
MrBean_Oz said:
Ahemm...now if you can take the suggestions I have made in the OCAU forum, where I have my project log, you can make it even better - it's not bad at all as a starting-base, but you have the opportunity to elevate it to the next level.

Now tell me, when can we order a full aluminium version? I would be willing to pay $250-$300 for such a case :)
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I definitely had seen the minor upgrades that could have been implemented, however we were far too late into production and well ready to launch the product prior to me getting to Taiwan.
As with all our product launches, suggestions made after a product is launch is put back onto the drawing board for future cases, or revisions if completely necessary.
 
No worries, thought it might be something to that effect.

But, I see you skillfully avoided the question about the aluminium version :rofl:

On a serious note though, any chance for an alu version in future? Would be the ultimate LAN/Mod box.

What about a limited run of 50 only, with a price-premium? I will take one, or 2 :)
 
MrBean_Oz said:
No worries, thought it might be something to that effect.

But, I see you skillfully avoided the question about the aluminium version :rofl:

On a serious note though, any chance for an alu version in future? Would be the ultimate LAN/Mod box.

What about a limited run of 50 only, with a price-premium? I will take one, or 2 :)
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We could do aluminum face plates. No plans of full aluminum chassis at the moment.
 
Thanx Mate.

Appreciate your feedback, but really after a full alu version of this case :)
 
I saw it in the specs, but it wasn't until I was checking out the Vortez review that it clicked with me that the front will optionally accept 140/180/200/230mm fan sizes!

I could see building up one of these when I decide to replace my whole system - especially if Nvidia releases a GK110 with 3GB+ so that I'd be happy with a single GPU. I suppose a GTX690 would be OK as well... I'd just like more than 2GB per GPU to future-proof for 3D and Skyrim, etc.

That's my only issue with single GPU capable form factors - I've gotten too used to the power of SLI GTX 580s to go backward...
 
After looking into this case a bit... This is what I'd suggest:

1) Build the same shell to accommodate a mATX board without a size increase. (Very likely possible)

2) Eliminate the 5 1/2 drive bay or... provide a replacement front mesh cover without the bay cutout. (See #3)

3) Make front panel clipped/removable like top panel can be if it isn't already. (Ease of cleaning filters)

...and I'd probably buy one. This is coming from someone who currently has a Silverstone FT03.
 
techrat said:
After looking into this case a bit... This is what I'd suggest:

1) Build the same shell to accommodate a mATX board without a size increase. (Very likely possible)

2) Eliminate the 5 1/2 drive bay or... provide a replacement front mesh cover without the bay cutout. (See #3)

3) Make front panel clipped/removable like top panel can be if it isn't already. (Ease of cleaning filters)

...and I'd probably buy one. This is coming from someone who currently has a Silverstone FT03.
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I think the only one of those suggestions I'd agree with is the second one. This is the case I'd buy if I decided to go underwater. I'd stick a rad in the front, and lose the 5.25 bay.

The clipped panels would be...ok, but a serious negative for me. I'd prefer a slide out filter. Clips, especially plastic ones, break over time.
 
Those looking for them in Canada, Memory Express has both colors in stock with a really low shipping rate for orders over $100.

Newegg.com will get a stock pile of white sometime tomorrow, and black will be just another week.
 
I'm bumping this thread because I'm interested to upgrade my NAS case. I currently have 6 x 3.5" drives and 1 SSD. I plan to add 2 extra drives and another SSD. I'm wondering if a multi-mount 3.5" bracket will fit fine with 2 drives into 5.25" bay? Thanks for your advice.
 
I really want one of these but it's going to be another week or two before I can order one. /:
 
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