Q&A on your SFF PC

[Solo]

Case: NCASE M1
GPU: GTX 1060 Founders Edition

How long have you been building PCs?: 4 years
Why SFF?: Giant PCs are whack.

Things you like about the case: Its symmetry.
Things you don't like about the case: I don't think Lian Li is as premium as everyone makes them out to be.

How is upgrading parts post-installation?: Easy because my cable management is godlike. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
In general, what are your issues with PC building?: I always want more things.

 

[stree]

Case: Lian-Li PC-Q21B
GPU: XFX R7,240-2GB
How long have you been building PCs?: As MultiDoc.......When Amiga folded ( Mine was 1200 tower case)..I began building Intel/AMD
Why SFF?:efficiency, desk space, all I need and more in tiny package,, great to exercise the brain in its various challenges,
Things you like about the case: It is black
Things you don't like about the case: Everything else, worst case I ever bought.
How is upgrading parts post-installation?: Grim.not a user friendly case .Lian-Li let the cleaners design this one.
In general, what are your issues with PC building?:[/QUOTE]
Issues? often poor availability of components, leading to less than ideal build, and/or inflated prices,.and the day you build that new up to date PC, it starts to get out of date........

anyway....

This system is history soon, at least the case and GPU are.............Getting Ravenridge APU and into a Realan EW80 case ( custom) and no GPU needed.

Reserve system is mini-sys M80 case, with G3258 APU so no GPU either.

Both these last 2cases are great to work on, easy to mod and being 4mm ally are natural heatsinks...PLUS..........they are what I would be happy to call SFF................unlike some boxes that just use the name, and then boast that can take full size GPU and ATX PSU..............

 

[Phuncz]

Case: Kimera Cerberus X
GPU: Zotac GTX 1080 Mini
How long have you been building PCs?: about 20 years
Why SFF?: after increasing in case size every build, all the way to 120L (ATC-310 in my signature), I began to ask myself why I needed that much space. My next build was a <12L Shuttle. I liked working with the limited space I had much more as it was a real challenge.
Things you like about the case: The flexibility, the finish & build quality, the lack of hugeness
Things you don't like about the case: the lack of front audio, ATX support being almost moot now that mATX ThreadRipper is a thing and SLI/Crossfire isn't.
How is upgrading parts post-installation?: easy, just pop off the panels. This is one of the easiest SFF cases to build in yet is not the largest by far.
In general, what are your issues with PC building?: my obsessive compulsion with cable management.

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

My rig is in rebuild state, but I will describe how it was...
Case: Lian-Li PC-V353 Silver
GPU: EVGA GTX770 SC with blower (sold)
How long have you been building PCs?: Like @MultiDoc and @stree, when I had to pack my Amiga 2000. That was in 1996.
Why SFF?: Because I do not have much space and I like when things are efficient.
Things you like about the case: Tool-less, motherboard tray, HDD rails, lots of vents all with dust filters, front fans tray, light weight. The dual zone make a great air channel when using front fans.
Things you don't like about the case: Cable management, not compatible with GPU that do not respect the PCIe height (i.e. most GPU nowadays), Could be smaller especially if you have no HDD and no ODD.
How is upgrading parts post-installation?: You must remove the MB tray to add or remove any component, so you have to unplug every single cable. Thanksfully, it is easy with the tool-less MB tray and the screwless side panels. The MB tray has no CPU cutout to access CPU backplate ... kinda a miss there.
In general, what are your issues with PC building?: Mainstream chassis are too big and SFF niche ones are too expensive. mITX with a single 2.5" HDD/SSD is what I'd need but I do not want to throw 200+ euros at it. Many chassis are either aimed at full GPU or no GPU, it lacks cases for GPU like the low profile GTX1050ti. Also .... overpackaging (do you read me Noctua ?), not enough use or recycled cardboard, waterbased ink, etc. This is not directly related to hardware, but this aspect is also important to note and I'd happily go for a brand that does something toward packaging being eco-friendly.

 

[Soul_Est]

Case: Custom built out of K'NEX
GPU: Nvidia 9500GT 1GB
How long have you been building PCs?: Almost 15 years
Why SFF?: Travel and less physical space used
Things you like about the case: Compact, light, and open
Things you don't like about the case: Open (dust), has some weak points, build specific
How is upgrading parts post-installation?: Fairly easy
In general, what are your issues with PC building?: Component pricing, a lack of inexpensive, small, and powerful videocards, and AC-DC power supplies.