Enclosure Planning on doing a build in the MITXPC MX500, I need some help.

[GentlemanShark]

I recently saw this thread on modifying the MX500 to supporting a GPU and I was thinking of recreating it with the current parts I have. I already have an i5 4690k, so I'm planning on buying a Haswell Q87 or H87 Thin Mini-ITX board to use with it. However, for the GPU, I have heard the MSI one is quite loud while the recently released Galax 1050 ti is supposedly quieter. The OP of the post said the MSI GTX 1050 ti barely fit so I'm wondering if I can use the Galax one. The dimensions on the site seem extremely similar, but the shrouds are different and I'm unsure if it will work 100%. Can anyone help me out here? The current list of things I'm planning on getting is as follows

• AC to DC adapter (~150w)
• Thin Mini-ITX board (Preferably Q87 or H87)
• M.2 SSD (can't fit more than 1 2.5" SSD in the case_
• MX500
• Powered x8 to x8/x16 riser for the GPU
• 1050 ti (MSI or Galax)
• Noctua L9i
• DDR3 SODIMMs

And my parts list is around this:


https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vJJFr7

Thanks for any help you guys can provide!

 

[aquelito]

His build is not going to work (or at least for long) : the 4x slot only provides 25W, while the GPU needs around 70W.

You need to provide the whole 70W through a powered riser, which means you need a PSU providing 12V to the GPU.

You can do that with a single 12V AC adapter and a board accepting 12V input, Gigabyte for instance.

This is what I did :

Lots of interesting stuff here :

https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/thin-mini-itx-with-discrete-graphics-card.529/

https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/kees-kogelmier-a-tiny-powerhouse.279/

 

[GentlemanShark]

His build is not going to work (or at least for long) : the 4x slot only provides 25W, while the GPU needs around 70W.

You need to provide the whole 70W through a powered riser, which means you need a PSU providing 12V to the GPU.

You can do that with a single 12V AC adapter and a board accepting 12V input, Gigabyte for instance.

This is what I did :

Lots of interesting stuff here :

https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/thin-mini-itx-with-discrete-graphics-card.529/

https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/kees-kogelmier-a-tiny-powerhouse.279/

I thought the motherboard too an input of 19v, so I was thinking of powering the riser off some motherboard fan headers?

 

[Thehack]

I thought the motherboard too an input of 19v, so I was thinking of powering the riser off some motherboard fan headers?

Those things don't put out a lot of power.

 

[aquelito]

Neither a fan header nor the SATA power connector can output 70W.

You'll need a DC board w/ a 19V brick or a wide input motherboard w/ a 12V brick (cf. mentioned threads)

 

[GentlemanShark]

Neither a fan header nor the SATA power connector can output 70W.

You'll need a DC board w/ a 19V brick or a wide input motherboard w/ a 12V brick (cf. mentioned threads)

Gotcha, I'll try to find some wide input boards. Thanks! Any recommendations for risers?

 

[aquelito]

Vary Tech make some nice powered risers, shielded and Gen.3.
Their website is down quite often ; try shooting an email to their sales rep.

Regarding the power supply, you have two options.
Let's say you are using a wide input board with a 7.4mm x 5.1mm DC barrel connector.

- 19V AC adapter solution : plug a 19V AC adapter into the mobo DC barrel connector and wait for @Kmpkt Dynamo DC-12, which will offer a very clean way to power a GPU with a Thin Mini-ITX board.
This way you'll be able to power a 4690K and a 1050 Ti with a single 200W 19V adapter.

- 12V brickless solution : plug an internal 12V PSU such as the Meanwell EPP-300-12 kit from @Thehack into the onboard 2-Pin power connector, to power both the mobo and the GPU.
No brick, less heat than the 19V solution, but you'll have to check if it fits in your case.
You could also try to find a 12V AC adapter with a 7.4mm barrel connector but I never saw one (besides modding).

In both cases, you can power up to a GTX 1060.

 

[GentlemanShark]

Vary Tech make some nice powered risers, shielded and Gen.3.
Their website is down quite often ; try shooting an email to their sales rep.

Regarding the power supply, you have two options.
Let's say you are using a wide input board with a 7.4mm x 5.1mm DC barrel connector.

- 19V AC adapter solution : plug a 19V AC adapter into the mobo DC barrel connector and wait for @Kmpkt Dynamo DC-12, which will offer a very clean way to power a GPU with a Thin Mini-ITX board.
This way you'll be able to power a 4690K and a 1050 Ti with a single 200W 19V adapter.

- 12V brickless solution : plug an internal 12V PSU such as the Meanwell EPP-300-12 kit from @Thehack into the onboard 2-Pin power connector, to power both the mobo and the GPU.
No brick, less heat than the 19V solution, but you'll have to check if it fits in your case.
You could also try to find a 12V AC adapter with a 7.4mm barrel connector but I never saw one (besides modding).

In both cases, you can power up to a GTX 1060.

How would the meanwell connect to the motherboard? I don't think the Q87 has an internal input. I'll look at the dynamo, not sure how it works. Thanks for all the help, I really appreciate it.

 

[aquelito]

All Thin Mini-ITX boards have a 2-Pin Mini Fit JR power connector next to the DC barrel connector.

Check the Gigabyte Q87 manual to see if its 2-Pin power connector does accept 12V input.

If yes, you could ask @Thehack to make a custom wire harness, provided an open frame PSU fits into your case.
If no, then you have to the 19V road with @Kmpkt solution.

This is what I'm doing in my current build, except I'm using a jumpered HDPLEX 250W.

 

[GentlemanShark]

Also, I've been considering using a Galax 1050 ti LP instead of an MSI LP, would they have the same dimensions? Their specs page seems to say so, but I want to be sure.

 

[GentlemanShark]

His build is not going to work (or at least for long) : the 4x slot only provides 25W, while the GPU needs around 70W.

You need to provide the whole 70W through a powered riser, which means you need a PSU providing 12V to the GPU.

You can do that with a single 12V AC adapter and a board accepting 12V input, Gigabyte for instance.

This is what I did :

Lots of interesting stuff here :

https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/thin-mini-itx-with-discrete-graphics-card.529/

https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/kees-kogelmier-a-tiny-powerhouse.279/

Any chance of you selling those parts? I need exactly that set up of the CPU cooler, RAM, GPU, and adapter.

 

[aquelito]

Yes I may offer this set for sale !
Where are you based ?

BTW, the GPU is a 750 Ti, not a 1050 Ti (as you mentioned it).

 

[GentlemanShark]

Yes I may offer this set for sale !
Where are you based ?

BTW, the GPU is a 750 Ti, not a 1050 Ti (as you mentioned it).

US