Potential Mini ITX setup (Case related)

[PreOmegaZero]

I'm looking to downsize from microATX to MiniITX.

Here's the 'upgrade path' I'm looking at so far:

• Motherboard: Asus P8P67-M Pro --> ASRock Z77E-ITX
• Processor: Intel Core i7-2600K --> No Change
• Memory: 16GB Corsair Vengeance (4x4GB) --> GSkill 16GB (2x8GB)
• Video: GTX 680 (Stock cooler) --> No Change
• Storage: 512GB Crucial M4, 256GB Crucial M4, 120GB Vertex 2, 1TB Western Digital Black --> No Change
• Optical: LG Blu-Ray Burner --> Going into external 5.25" enclosure
• Power Supply: Corsair TX650 650W --> No Change (Hopefully)
• Heatsink: Corsair H50 (watercooled), Cooler Master Hyper 212+, Stock Intel HSF --> Dependent on Case
• Case: NZXT Vulcan MicroATX case --> UNKNOWN

Must Haves:

• Fit the Nvidia GTX 680
• Fit all the storage drives
• Fit 1 of the 3 Heatsinks in some form

Nice to haves:

• Fit the Corsair PSU (would rather not buy a SFX PSU)
• Fit the Corsair H50, or Cooler Master Hyper 212+ Heasink (would rather NOT use the stock Intel HSF)

The cases I'm looking at so far (In this order):

1. LIAN LI PC-Q25
   1. Pro: Fits nearly all my components, hot-swap 3.5" bays
   2. Con: Probably won't fit the Corsair H50, and won't fit the Hyper 212+ at all, No front USB 3.0 ports
2. LIAN LI PC-Q18
   1. Pro: Can fit all my 'standard size' components (including Blu-ray if I chose to), 2 segments to 3.5" Rack
   2. Con: Probably won't fit the Corsair H50, and won't fit the Hyper 212+ at all.

1. BitFenix Prodigy
   1. Pro: Price and feature set that meets every requirement.
   2. Con: Not sure I can wait nearly a month for it to be in stock.
2. LIAN LI PC-Q08
   1. Pro: Price (compared to the other Lian-Li), can fit all my 'standard size' components (including Blu-ray if I chose to), shorter than the Q18
   2. Con: Shorter space for large video cards (not by much).

If anyone can recommend something else that can fit my requirements, I'm all ears.

 

[BitFenix_xbournex]

Where are you located? Don't need to wait a month.. It's much shorter than that..

 

[PreOmegaZero]

Where are you located? Don't need to wait a month.. It's much shorter than that..

Just noticed NewEgg has the Artic White as a 7/9 release (which is the color I wanted). I was going by the Black which is set to release 7/24. Hmmm...might wait after all. Should it be able to fit the Corsair H50 watercooler attached to the rear or top 120mm spaces?

 

[Tony Ou]

If you are looking to "downsize," you should definitely check the sizes of the cases you are considering more closely:

36.3 liters - BitFenix Prodigy (with handles)
30.9 liters - NZXT Vulcan (with handle)
27.8 liters - NZXT Vulcan (without handle)
26.4 liters - BitFenix Prodigy (without handles)
21.3 liters - Lian-Li PC-Q08
21.1 liters - Lian-Li PC-Q18
20.4 liters - Lian-Li PC-Q25

 

[BitFenix_xbournex]

All comes down to how much you want to pay and how much flexibility you want with the case... With all those SSD's, you cross a couple off that list.
Fitting those GPU's, all of them are ok.
Fitting 1 of the 3 heatsinks - only 1 case fits all of the 3 with the flexibility to fit even bigger ones air or water.

Yes there's smaller ones out there, but when it comes down to functionality, and styling, it's up to end user if they want to compromise with cable management and/or not fit a certain hardware.

With power supply, you're using a completely non-modular. It's 150mm but the smaller case you go with, the more airflow you block from those cables depending on the design of the case because some don't have cable management.

Motherboards - some have CPU placements that are incompatible with how you want to place the heat sink - there is no industry standard to where the CPU is placed. H50 is ok(if the PSU doesn't block the radiator), but how you place the 212+ may or may not block you from using a graphics card, OR limit you to only 1 fan

For the Prodigy - H50 will fit the rear of the case (there's a 140mm fan as an option). Microcenter will have it no later than 2 weeks from today.