Compact and even more compact: choosing a mini-ITX board

MSI AM1I

MSI AM1I is one of the cheapest mini-ITX boards and is designed to work with low-cost components. Therefore, it allows you to assemble an office or home PC at minimal cost (about $250-300). This is its key advantage over other models. And for this, she received the Smart Buy 2014 award from the authoritative IT publication Tom's Hardware Guide.

The board is unusual in that it is designed to work with AMD processors from the Kabini family with Socket AM1. There are only a dozen such solutions on the market, for example, ASUS AM1I-A and ASRock AM1B-M. A good choice for MSI AM1I would be an Athlon 5150 or 5130, Sempron 3850 or 2650 processor (with a cooler included) and a 4 GB DDR3-1600 memory stick (maximum supported frequency). Moreover, you can get by with one module, because this system has one channel for memory (all other boards operate in the traditional two-channel mode).

To achieve maximum energy efficiency and performance, you should use an SSD drive (the entire system will consume about 30-40 watts). And if 60-240 GB is not enough for you, take a regular HDD (there are two SATA 6 Gbps connectors on the board). A Wi-Fi module can be installed in the mini-PCI Express slot. By the way, the I / O panel has a place for its output. But connecting an SSD drive to mini-PCI Express, alas, is not provided. You will also need a mini-ITX case and a power supply to build a PC.

You can add a discrete graphics card, but it doesn't make much sense. The performance of Kabini chips with integrated graphics is enough for the office, the Internet, music and cinema, but new 3D games are too tough for them even with a powerful graphics card. If games are your area of interest, pay attention to Gigabyte GA-H81N and Asus Maximus VII Impact boards in our TOP-5.

Also note that the board has a low-cost equipment. So, in addition to an audio output and a pair of PS/2 connectors, it has only four USB ports (two of which are version 3.0) and three HDMI, DVI and D-Sub (VGA) outputs. However, its quality is at the level of more expensive models. The manufacturer manufactures it according to the Military Class 4 concept, that is, based on high-quality and durable components.

Gigabyte GA-H81N

Gigabyte's board can be called the most versatile in our rating. It doesn't have features like the ASRock Q1900B-ITX's built-in processor or the Asus Maximus' overclocking capability. But on its basis, you can build a computer of almost any class — an office workhorse, HTPC or a performant machine. At the same time, you will not overpay for unused features.

What will be your computer depends on the selection of components and in particular on the processor. You can choose from Intel LGA 1150 models ranging from Celeron to fourth generation Core i7 (Haswell). If the power of Intel HD Graphics is not enough for you (and this will happen the first time you start a new 3D game), you will have the opportunity to install a discrete card. The choice of model depends on the processor — the more performant it is, the better card you can choose for it. At the back of the board there are connectors for connecting Wi-Fi antennas. This wireless module can be installed in a mini-PCI Express slot. And the mSATA slot is useful for connecting miniature SSD drives.

Gigabyte GA-H81N, just like the mainboard from MSI, will not let the owner down in terms of reliability. It uses high-quality components using Ultra Durable 4 Plus technology. In addition, the manufacturer paid attention to such trifles as protecting the motherboard from voltage surges, and the LAN and USB ports are protected from electrostatic interference. The board has two BIOS chips. If the main BIOS stops working correctly after overclocking experiments or a power surge during its update, the board will continue to work from the backup BIOS.

The GA-H81N features include the ability to charge your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch from the USB port even when the PC is turned off. As well as a USB connector USB DAC-UP for connecting external DACs. According to the manufacturer, it provides high-quality power, which favorably affects the sound quality.

ASRock Q1900B-ITX

If the release of the third part of The Witcher went unnoticed for you, and the names Doom and Civilization do not cause nostalgia, then you probably planned to build not a gaming, but an office computer. If working with graphics, audio or video is also not included in your creative plans, then you can save on purchasing a new computer. In this case, you can build a PC based on a motherboard with an integrated processor. In our rating, this type of board is represented by ASRock Q1900B-ITX.

The main feature of this model is the integrated Intel Celeron J1900 processor. You can’t change it, but you don’t have to mess around with cooling either. The manufacturer equipped the chip with a large heatsink, which cools the Celeron without the slightest noise (just in case, the board has two connectors for connecting fans). In this case, the processor will not overheat. After all, this 4-core model with a frequency of 2 GHz has a TDP (that is, it generates heat) of only 10 watts.

At the same time, it has a built-in Intel video adapter. But you won't be able to install a discrete card, because the board does not have a suitable slot (instead of it — PCI Express 2.0 x1 for sound cards and other expansion cards). In terms of performance, the system based on Q1900B-ITX is on par with AMD processors from the Kabini family used with the first board in the review and is suitable for surfing and working with office applications.

The features of the model include the presence of serial (COM) and parallel (LPT) ports. They will not be useful for home users, but they can be indispensable for connecting commercial or industrial equipment. Memory is suitable for it type SO-DIMM, as in laptops (with a frequency of 1333 MHz and up to 8 GB). And due to the nature of the processor, there is no 4K video output via HDMI (Full HD only). So the purpose of this model is a low-cost PC for work and the Internet. Also note that ASRock has a more affordable analogue in the form of Q1900B-ITX with a dual-core Celeron J1800 (its nominal frequency is 2.41 GHz). If the Q1900B-ITX doesn't fit into your low-cost, look into it.

Asus H81T

The Asus H81T belongs to the exotic type of Thin mini-ITX boards. Its difference from other boards in the rating is only 2.5 cm high. Therefore, it is suitable for building very compact computers (even smaller than regular Mini-ITX cases). For example, in cases such as Chieftec Compact IX-01B-OP and Spire SPM210B. This model is also different in that it allows you to install an mSATA type SSD and supplement it with a Wi-Fi adapter (in the form of a mini-PCI Express board). And the memory should be used not ordinary, but for laptops (SO-DIMM). The memory slots are located horizontally, so they do not protrude above the board and do not interfere with the use of large coolers to cool the processor. In general, everything is provided for assembling the most compact PC.

The main disadvantage of this board is a consequence of its main advantage. This model is not compatible with conventional ATX power supplies. Therefore, you can power the computer either using an external power supply or choose an internal power supply that is compatible with the ATX19V1 connector. The first option is simpler — the owners of the board write that power supplies from Dell, HP and other laptops with a voltage of 19 W and a 7.4x5 mm connector are suitable (the corresponding socket is located on the rear bar with ports). You can also use a block with a 5.5x2.1 mm plug and an adapter for a 7.4x5 mm plug. In this case, by the way, one of the sources of noise in the computer will be eliminated — the power supply fan.

Otherwise, this is a common board for building a compact office or home PC based on the Intel LGA1150 platform. You can use both low-cost Celeron or Pentium processors, as well as powerful Core i3, i5 and i7 chips from the Haswell family. The manufacturer did not save on the quality of components and the board should work stably and for a long time.

Among the features of the Asus H81T is an HDMI video output with the ability to output images in Ultra HD resolution and an eSATA connector for a faster connection of drives than via USB. The board also has a convenient UEFI BIOS (in which you can control the mouse) and useful programs. So, AI Suite 3 will allow you to monitor system operation parameters, Fan Xpert adjusts the speed of coolers depending on the system load and temperature, and Probe II Sense in the form of an animated Windows 8 tile will show the current temperature of the processor and the speed of its cooling system.

Asus Maximus VII Impact

When we mention a gaming PC, we imagine a big and noisy "system unit". However, this stereotype can be dispelled with the help of the Asus Maximus VII Impact board, designed for building compact gaming machines. Take the Cooler Master Elite 120 case and the Asus GeForce GTX970-DCMOC-4GD5 graphics card to this board and you can assemble such a system.

This kid with other top Asus Maximus gaming boards has in common not only the name, but also the aggressive design and the best equipment. The model is based on the Intel Z97 chipset, which supports 4th and 5th generation Intel processors. Z97 allows you to overclock Core i5 and i7 processors with an unlocked multiplier. It is important that high-quality components of the board can work stably all day long, and its well-thought-out design allows you to use large coolers. You will be able to get the most out of the "iron" and achieve excellent performance!

As befits a gaming board, Maximus has an improved sound system and a special network adapter. The first one provides spectacular sound in games (both thanks to software solutions and hardware ones — like a headphone amplifier). And the second one minimizes possible problems (for example, lags) during online battles. It will be better to play shooters and MOBAs with them. In addition, the board is equipped with a BIOS with many settings and proprietary software for monitoring the system status, it has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules, it has 4 rather than 2 USB 3.0 ports, etc. The only weak point of the board is that you cannot make a duet of video cards AMD CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI, but in a mini-ITX case you still can’t place them and cool them properly.

As you can see, on the basis of Maximus VII Impact, you will get not just a powerful gaming PC, but also a very well-equipped one. So this board is one of the best among all mini-ITX models. However, this was also reflected in its cost — the model is expensive, at the level of full-format premium-class motherboards. However, Asus does not have low-cost devices in the ROG (Republic of Gamers) series.