Mini-itx cases, why is it so hard to find one that fits your needs?

Ok, so I've bought myself a new computer, this is going to be my "master" computer (which includes some gaming), and since I'm a little nuts I've decided that it should be as small as possible.
This means mini-itx!

However, it's not much fun having a high performance pc, and use on-board graphics, since these chips are usually only good for 2D and very light 3D.
So I also need room for a PCI-e graphics card and hence a somewhat powerful power-supply.

Lets just look at the PSU for a moment.
I'm using a Intel core i5-2500K and a Intel DH67CF motherbaord, spec'ed with 8 gb of kingston ram, with this I'm using a Consair P128 SSD.
This means a power draw between 35 and 130 watts.

None of the cases I've seen comes with a PSU thats near powerful enough (typically they're around 60W), but bying a picoPSU-150-XT would do the trick.

Now, what happens when I add a graphics card?
Ouch!
Here, no small PSU can be of any help :-(

This is especially true, when the card I'm going to use (for the moment) is a nVidia 8800GTS, which usesalot of power in idle, and much more when under load.
I really don't want to add ~100 watts to this system, since:

1. It'll add another fan with all the noise thats brings.
2. More heat, and I really don't want this in a small case.
3. My energy bill will be much higher.

Well, for me, only one solution comes to mind. Plug in the graphics card when I want to do serious gaming, and leave it disconnected for my everyday computer-use.

I don't game that much. I do some programming, and gimp'ing, but the built-in Intel HD3000 graphics can handle this just fine.

Offtopic: Taking of power, did you know that most power-supplies are most effective at around 80% load?

So a picoPSU-150-XT for everyday use, and something else for gaming, or maybe just use a silverstone ST45SF PSU for it all.

If these where my only requirements for a case I would be fine, because there are lots of (mostly square) boxes that uses SFX PSU's and has room for a dual PCI-e card.

The problem is, that I really want a slim desktop case that sits under my monitor.
Now, by slim I mean less then 70mm!

I started my search at mini-itx.com/store, but found no cases that were up to the task.
So what candidates have I found?

Gigabyte
Gigabyte makes a series thats called MIB, I like the MIB T5142. Here are some images:

Now, I didn't notice this at first, but look at the last picture (of the back). Look how the motherboard is placed. Where is the PCI-e connector placed?
Thats right, all the way to the right, right next to the case edge (and no riser card/extension calbe I've found can reach).
Ok, there's no slot for the graphics card either, but I own a dremel, so thats no problem. I've cut these kinds of holes before.

I like the design, and the idea that the monitor is a part of it.
There is also ample room inside for a bigger power supply, harddrive and cdrom.
These cases are (WxDxH): 445 x 250 x 65  mm

Unfortunately, the MIB T5142 is not sold in eurupe, only the T5140:

But I don't like the front.
If I wanted this, I would move the motherboard to the left so a normal angled riser card would do the trick.

Then I found the Jetway JC-110-B:

I don't think it is as pretty, but it has the motherboard in the right place, and it's much smaller.
In fact, it's only (WxDxH): 300 x 273 x 65  mm
Jetway also makes two other models with the same sizes, but different fronts.
The jetway cases comes with a set of brackets to mount the case under your table or on the wall, which I think is a plus, because the case is too small for my monitor stand to fit on top of it.
On the down side, there's no audio port the the front/sides.

Silverstone cases:
There's the LC09:

It's 346 mm (W) x 55 mm (H) x 310 mm (D).
It has audio/usb in the side, and the motherboard in the right place, but I don't like the how the top plate looks. Why does it have to stick out over the rest of the case like that?
Also, given it's only 55mm high, I might not be able to fit the SFX PSU in there...
Oh, and lastly, the expansion port is only 1, which might not work with the dual design of the 8800GTS I have.

Then, there's the LC05:

Which is 346 mm (W) x 55 mm (H) x 300 mm (D).

But there's no expansion port(s), and the motherboard is placed wrong, like the MIB T5140/2.

Lastly there's the LC19:

It is 390 mm (W) x 68 mm (H) x 348 mm (D), and also available in black.

It's so large it can take a microATX motherboard.
There's audio, usb and card reader in the front (under the cover).
My only problem with this is, that it's deep. Almost 35 cm!

G-Atlantic
The GA620iBK-P4:

(with wall mount)

There are 3 different fronts for the case, the above in model A, which I quite like.
It's 300 (W) x 65 (H) x 273 (D) and comes with a 120W PSU (so I might not need the picoPSU)

There's also the GA630iBK-P4, which as far as I can are the same, but with a curved front:

or if you don't need the expansion ports, but want a smaller case, go with the GA688iBK-P4:

at only 220 (W)  x 65 (H) x 305 (D) mm


Casetronic
There's the c137:

 and the c158:

For info, see the chart below.
I think the finish is nice, but very industrial.
The c158 is just 54mm high, which might be a problem.

Here all info in a nice chart:

manufacture

model

h

w

d

psu (w)

cdrom

exp

fa

fu

cr

type

tag

gigabyte

mib t5142

65

445

250

65

normal

0

y

y

n

Mini-itx

-eu

gigabyte

mib t5140

65

445

250

65

normal

0

y

y

n

Mini-itx

jetway

JC-110-B

65

300

273

100

slim

2

n

y

n

Mini-itx

silverstone

lc19

68

390

348

120

slim

1

y

y

y

Micro-atx

silverstone

lc05

55

346

300

60

normal

0

y

y

n

Mini-itx

silverstone

lc09

55

346

310

60

slim

1

y

y

n

Mini-itx

Morex

2799 p4

64

295

288

150

slim

2

y

y

n

Mini-itx

ugly

Coolermaster

Elite 100

70

262

318

150

slim

0

y

y

n

Micro-atx

Casetronic

c137

69

323

254

120

slim

2

n

n

n

Mini-itx

Casetronic

c158

54

305

279

120

slim

2

y

y

cf

Mini-itx

G-alantic

GA620iBK-P4

65

300

273

120

slim

2

n

y

n

Mini-itx

h = height (mm)
w = width (mm)
d = depth (mm)
exp = full height expansion ports/brackets
fa = front audio jacket
fu = front usb port(s)
cr = card reader

The table became a little less readable because blogspot cropped the last text, so I had to shorten the whole table.


There are many others, but some simply look too flimsy, or are to high.
Search ebay for "mini-itx cases" and be inspired :-)

Other manufactures that makes products that almost fit my needs:
Evercase
Morex
Thermaltake
InWin
Chenbro


So, as it turns out, it isn't hard at all, your just need to know where to look.

I going with a G-Alantic GA6?0iBK-P4 or one of the casetronic's, as they look nice, has the size I'm going for, has a decent power supply I can use for everyday use, has the expansion port(s) I need.

Good hunting.