I'm thinking about retiring my old i3-2100 based PC and purchasing an APU when it is released hopefully later this year.
I would like to build a PC with the following stuffed inside:
APU + Asrock AB350 itx (or similar) board
8GB of RAM
m.2 NVMe SSD - either a Samsung 960 Evo or Adata XPG-sx8000
2x2.5" HDD setup in RAID 1
PicoPSU 160XT coupled with a AC-DC adapter (just discovered these yesterday and it blows the mind)
All installed in a M350 box. I have the following questions:
1. I understand that the M350 can accommodate 2x2.5" drives if you purchase a second bracket. But looking at images it beats me how it can be done. Is the compromise to ventilation significant?
2. Choosing a case was quite an adventure. I decided ITX would be nice to begin with, found the Coolermaster Elite 130 and gradually "evolved" (with ever increasing apprehension and exhilaration) to the Phantec Evolv Enthoo, NCase M1, Dan A4, Antec ISK310-150, Inwin Chopin, Antec ISK110 Vesa U3 and finally, after discovering picoPSUs, the M350.
The liberating aspect of small cases is intoxicating, but my concern is this: I'm a little uncomfortable by the fact that the PCI express slot is unusable in this case (and many of these other small cases). Even if I do not have need for it a part of me wishes it was available just in case - I mean, isn't that the point of building your own, to have expand-ability?.
If I decide to use the slot for the purposes of, say, a PCI-ex based SSD would that be possible in the M350 via riser cable? (again, the concept of a PCI-ex riser is also totally new to me and I have no idea what's possible and what's not).
Would it be a better idea to purchase the Antec ISK310-150 instead due to the half-height expansion slot being available? Could I remove the existing PSU and replace it with a picoPSU to obtain more depth - i.e. half height but two slots?
I would like to build a PC with the following stuffed inside:
APU + Asrock AB350 itx (or similar) board
8GB of RAM
m.2 NVMe SSD - either a Samsung 960 Evo or Adata XPG-sx8000
2x2.5" HDD setup in RAID 1
PicoPSU 160XT coupled with a AC-DC adapter (just discovered these yesterday and it blows the mind)
All installed in a M350 box. I have the following questions:
1. I understand that the M350 can accommodate 2x2.5" drives if you purchase a second bracket. But looking at images it beats me how it can be done. Is the compromise to ventilation significant?
2. Choosing a case was quite an adventure. I decided ITX would be nice to begin with, found the Coolermaster Elite 130 and gradually "evolved" (with ever increasing apprehension and exhilaration) to the Phantec Evolv Enthoo, NCase M1, Dan A4, Antec ISK310-150, Inwin Chopin, Antec ISK110 Vesa U3 and finally, after discovering picoPSUs, the M350.
The liberating aspect of small cases is intoxicating, but my concern is this: I'm a little uncomfortable by the fact that the PCI express slot is unusable in this case (and many of these other small cases). Even if I do not have need for it a part of me wishes it was available just in case - I mean, isn't that the point of building your own, to have expand-ability?.
If I decide to use the slot for the purposes of, say, a PCI-ex based SSD would that be possible in the M350 via riser cable? (again, the concept of a PCI-ex riser is also totally new to me and I have no idea what's possible and what's not).
Would it be a better idea to purchase the Antec ISK310-150 instead due to the half-height expansion slot being available? Could I remove the existing PSU and replace it with a picoPSU to obtain more depth - i.e. half height but two slots?