The space inefficiency thread

[PNP]

Apparently using half-height PCIe slots and TFX PSUs qualifies a system as "SFF" in the OEM world.

With the 3 PCIe cards jammed in there (and if don't want a Quadro K1200 to cook your NIC, you will only use 3) it's not bad, but honestly it reminds me of those DVD/VCR combo players from the early 2000s.

Also, if you were ever curious as to why IBM's parts business is still going, this is what USD 50 will buy you:

 

[confusis]

Anything sub 19L is SFF I have two cases with similar specs - TFX psu, M-atx, low profile cards.

https://www.in-win.com/en/computer-chassis/bl-series/USA

12ish litres, smaller than a load of M-ITX rigs

https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/what-did-you-do-today.632/page-37#post-25972

 

[PNP]

I suppose, but the base configurations of this particular model ship with nothing in the PCIe slots, no DVD drive, and a single 3.5 inch drive without the possibility to upgrade without adding hassle to your warranty. It might be formally SFF, but it could be even more S.

 

[confusis]

That's more justified then. I suppose it gives people futureproofness (a-la ATX), but in reality, those boxes won't have anything added into them until they are sold ex-lease - so why do the OEMs bother.

 

[jtd871]

My newish rig at work is a Dell Precision mini tower 3420. Still a bit oversized for what's in it - i7-6700(non-K), Quadro K1200 (which is actually Maxwell-based), M.2 SSD, 2x8GB RAM, but it's at least not a full-ATX behemoth.

 

[Phuncz]

That's more justified then. I suppose it gives people futureproofness (a-la ATX), but in reality, those boxes won't have anything added into them until they are sold ex-lease - so why do the OEMs bother.

Cost, cost, cost is usually the answer. Same thing with cars: develop one fully loaded model and dozens of variations. This allows them to smear development, packaging and support costs over an entire lineup if need-be.

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

My own rig, until I replace the case and the heatsink:

• Asus Q87T
• 16GB DDR3L
• 500GB mSATA
• Noctua NH-C14
• Lian-Li PC-V353

 

[confusis]

For shame!

 

[LocoMoto]

My own rig, until I replace the case and the heatsink:

• Asus Q87T
• 16GB DDR3L
• 500GB mSATA
• Noctua NH-C14
• Lian-Li PC-V353

Just imagine how much SSD storage you could fit in there...

 

[PNP]

Cost, cost, cost is usually the answer. Same thing with cars: develop one fully loaded model and dozens of variations. This allows them to smear development, packaging and support costs over an entire lineup if need-be.

True, but wouldn't it be better to reduce the number of SKUs and save some weight? I always wondered why Lenovo didn't make the K620 the minimum and just transplant the chassis from the ThinkCentre Tiny for CPU-only workstations.

It's like ISV certification requires a minimum weight or something.

 

[CC Ricers]

I suppose, but the base configurations of this particular model ship with nothing in the PCIe slots, no DVD drive, and a single 3.5 inch drive without the possibility to upgrade without adding hassle to your warranty. It might be formally SFF, but it could be even more S.

I get what you mean in this situation. I have a empty Dell Optiplex SFF that is about 8-9 liters in capacity, also supports a TFX PSU but only 2 slots for low profile cards.

I chopped it up on the back so it can fit any ITX motherboard, and left it at that, but I would still love to use it for a project sometime. Here's the farthest I got with it:

That was well before more powerful low-profile cards than the 750 Ti were out. Now I might reconsider!

 

[Therandomness]

Need I say anything?

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

At least it has no dust .

 

[DigitalBacon]

Hi all, have read through threads but never posted but just saw this as the top comment on the nvidia fb page and made me think of this thread.

 

[Phuncz]

Well it certainly does emit a blue hue everywhere. He should have gotten an aquarium and an SFF case, best of both worlds.

 

[jeshikat]

Hehe, get a load of this thing, so much empty space!

Spoiler

Oh wait, that's mine!

 

[confusis]

*throws up*

 

[ricochet]

But where will all the poor lil gremlins live if we do away with ALL SPACE in our builds?

 

[jØrd]

*throws up*

Every time someone builds in a prodigy @confusis dies a little inside

 

[cmyk78]

hehe before I became a convert the main case I was considering was the Prodigy, m-atx version obviously.