Motherboard Lowest height Mini-ITX motherboard?

[Ceros_X]

All the motherboards list Width x Depth, but what's the shortest height Z170 Skylake mobo I can get without going Thin-ITX (unless anyone knows of a Skylake compatible Thin Mini-ITX board :V ?)

I assume most of the height comes from CPU cooler (looking at the Noctua NH-L9I right now) and the IO interface, anyone know of a chart or resource for this? Or have heights they could share?

 

[janas19]

Hmm, I don't know of any ITX height charts available. Usually just have to look at the pictures and eyeball the I/O. Thin ITX is just thin I/O, SODIMM memory, and a 12V power receptacle. You can desolder I/O from regular ITX motherboards and it's not difficult. I don't have any hard numbers, but I believe it is the cooler that's going to be the highest. Ultra low-profile DIMM RAM doesn't actually rise above the locking mechanisms on the motherboard itself.

 

[Ceros_X]

These mod city guys use a heat gun to desolder the IO ports - I'm just looking to go 50ish mm or less I think, don't need to go super thin currently.

 

[iFreilicht]

(unless anyone knows of a Skylake compatible Thin Mini-ITX board :V ?)

There actually is one, but it's hard to get.

I'm just looking to go 50ish mm or less I think, don't need to go super thin currently.

In that case, pretty much any board will work. The mITX spec allows components of up to 57mm height on the top of the board in the middle section, but all the back I/O is only allowed to be 39mm tall, so if you take a look at a board and the Audio block is the tallest component, you're golden.

 

[Ceros_X]

There actually is one, but it's hard to get.

In that case, pretty much any board will work. The mITX spec allows components of up to 57mm height on the top of the board in the middle section, but all the back I/O is only allowed to be 39mm tall, so if you take a look at a board and the Audio block is the tallest component, you're golden.

I had come across the board in my research (I think you discussed it in one of your many prolific builds :V) but I didn't think it was actually available in the wild. If it is, do you have a source? I would put forth some effort but from all of my googling I wasn't able to locate one to even try and import. I didn't know if anyone had some inside scoop on an actual widespread, Stateside (US lol) release.

As for the IO part, I know the IO should be the tallest part excluding any weird daughter boards, but didn't know if any one board was renowned for being super short. As you saw in my Sketch up thread, the mobo I used has issues with the audio ports being super close to the GPU PCI-E bracket, if I could find one that was shorter it wouldnt hurt. I don't really care enough about audio out (I only use headphones on the front panel usually, and I can reroute those anywhere), but I'm not looking to desolate the IO port if there is a mobo with lower ports.

Thanks for your insightful replies as always!

 

[iFreilicht]

It seems like the H170TN is available via Taobao: http://www.helputao.com/Product/42498945405

Other than that I see why you're doing it this way, but it seems easier to just remove the GPU I/O plate in that case and secure the GPU to the case by other means.

 

[Ceros_X]

Hrm, showing $409 USD after shipping and import fees, which is just too much for my budget. I don't have a problem cutting down/removing the GPU PCI-E plate, but I definitely didn't factor in the mobo mounts/standoffs like you pointed out in my Sketchup check thread so that will reduce room even more...

I appreciate the link, lots to think about!