Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
In my 15 years of build PCs , I ’ve only ever tackled one small form factor ( SFF ) build . If you ’d asked me two months ago , I would have say you that I ’d never desire to try it again .
But now that ’s changing .
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
sooner this calendar month , Nvidia unveiled a new exercise set of standardsfor producer to postdate . With some late young press release evince that manufactures are taking it gravely , it ’s tempting me to give it another shot .
Only for the brave
For the record , my SFF build went just finely — no major disasters or anything . But the amount of research was immense when compared to a regular build , and the whole physical process was stressful . Sure , I ’ve cope with my fair share of not - roomy - enough cases . I ’ve wrestled ( against my better judgement ) with CPU rooter that would n’t fit and I have once settled for a case that would n’t come together . But none of this comes close to tackle an actual small form factor personal computer .
For the longest time , establish a small form component personal computer was reserved for the intrepid . It ’s not like building inside a mid - tower PC , where you’re able to often assumethat most components will fit in just all right .
Every measurement has to be twice - check , and even if you do all your research , something might still not fit quite right . Some of it can come down to not having all the data before you shop . For object lesson , graphics wag Godhead will tell you the exact measurements of the visiting card itself , but may disregard to mention how much clearance you need for the cables . ( That can terminate in disaster if you ’re divvy up with a behemoth like theRTX 4090with a tenuous predilection formelting connectors . )
Then there ’s the enquiry of how it will all lean once your material body is complete . Gaming PCs thrive if you give them plenty of cooling , and that gets tricky when you ’re using a petite case . Mini - ITX casing , with anywhere between 10 liters and 20L of volume , do n’t have the space for robust liquid cooling systems or huge processor fans , and with minimal room between element , they ’re literally short on breathing room . This means optimize your human body once it ’s complete and perhaps get to go under for something less capable just to make it stable .
This brings me to my last point — SFF PCs typically were n’t comparable to full - sized estimator . While it ’s possible to fit an RTX 4090 in a 10L case ( check out how we did it here ) , most enthusiast computer graphic calling card are just too big to comfortably fit inside a physical body that small . That allow for builders with a frustrative choice between using less telling components that also take up less space , or combat the betting odds and compact things in and hoping for the practiced .
For many , these issues were just not deserving the hassle . As a answer , belittled form constituent PCs may have remain niche for years . But things are finally changing for the better .
Nvidia is changing the game
As we all know , Nvidia is responsible for some of thebest graphics card — but being “ best ” does n’t imply that they do n’t take up much infinite . While GPUs like theRTX 4060often involve just two slots , enthusiast wit like theRTX 4080 Superand the RTX 4090 bump that up to three or even four slots . There ’s also the length of these GPUs . These days , nearly every Nvidia GPU comes with a dual- or triple - buff solution . This is majuscule for cooling , but not so great for PC builders with amini - ITX chassis .
Whether a card might fit in a microcomputer case or not all come down to precise measure with a sprint of Leslie Townes Hope thrown in , which is well enough to dissuade personal computer detergent builder from even trying . This is why Nvidia ’s new small form factor standard spell great newsworthiness for those of us who want a small PC .
The new guidelines , announced at Computex , are something that Nvidia will be incorporating with the assistance of its total - in board ( AIB ) partners and case manufacturers . The theme is to have a vulgar standard that makes it easier to say whether a particular lawsuit will suit an “ SFF - ready enthusiast GeForce card . ”
“ fancier ” is a broad term that we ’ve insure manufacturers use far and wide , but for this standard , Nvidia requires that the card is at least an RTX 4070 or eminent . The measure are rather restrictive , too . To qualify , the GPU must measure out no more than 155 mm in height ( and that includes power cable crease radius ) , 304 millimetre in length , and 50 mm in astuteness , which amounts to 2.5 slots .
If these cards were just of the RTX 4070 variety , that would be less of a big deal , as the 4070s typically conform to similar dimensions . However , Nvidia and its pardner already have 36 RTX 40 - serial publication GPUs available that fit the criteria , and there are even some RTX 4080 Super board in there . It ’s not just that squash an RTX 4080 Super to fit out is pretty telling . It ’s that this start the room access to a whole new world of gambling for people who want a little more portability out of their PC .
antecedently , if you did n’t want a full - foul up desktop PC for any reason , your only choice for a high - last , but portable computer was to get a laptop . Many play laptops are fantastic , but they ’re still no couple for a background with similar specs . Those who favourite desktops often had to settle for a less buirdly mini personal computer . This lose - lose situation could now transmute into something else altogether if these novel guidelines truly take off and permit for mellow - end gaming in a modest form factor personal computer .
Of course , just evidence its partners to make the GPUs up to a sure size would n’t be enough to make much of a difference — the chassis must be spacious enough to meet a bountiful GPU , too . To that end , the guidelines require that each SFF - ready case must be able-bodied to outfit any of the GPUs on Nvidia ’s SFF list , as well as meet Nvidia ’s exact measurement banner . Nvidia ’s collaborator already have a bunch of cases at the quick , many of whichmade an visual aspect during Computex .
We ’ve got slimmer RTX 4080s , but what about a significantly shorter GPU that ’s not an introduction - spirit level visiting card ? This is another piece of this small form broker mystifier that ’s making me excited for what else might be coming . This tiny , lilliputian RTX 4070 , fancy above , is n’t just a dual - slot bill . It only frisk a single sports fan , which is unheard of in a midrange card such as this .
Even much less brawny cards than the RTX 4070 usually cavort two sports fan , but that makes them a lot harder to outfit inside a cramp case . However , Zephyr ’s ITX Sakura Blizzard RTX 4070 proves that it ’s possible to squeeze a lot of performance in a tiny package . Measuring just 172 mm by 123 mm by 42 mm , the identity card is almost bound to fit inside any mini - ITX case of your choosing .
Seeing this kind of cooling on an RTX 4070 scares me a little , but Zephyr assure that the temperatures are n’t just kept at Laurus nobilis — they ’re say to be even secure than in a dual - slot figure identity card . Of course , we ca n’t bang this for a fact without try it ourselves .
Considering that an RTX 4070 can outperform an RTX 4090 when DLSS 3 is enabled , a card like this rightfully shows why Nvidia might desire to promote for these SFF guidelines to take off .
Time to replace your console?
It ’s safe to say that the small shape factor PC market might be on the cusp of embark an epoch of teemingness . After class of being the forgotten middle child between gambling laptops and big desktop , people are eventually starting to pay up attention to SFF gaming in a more serious way . While it ’s still early day , these guidelines , and the resulting smaller GPUs , could be a neat start for a more interesting PC market .
With that say , do console makers have anything to interest about ? Yes and no . While it ’s genuine that we might in conclusion start seeing more competitive minuscule form factor PC , console are still hard to equate . They ’re bum , often smaller , and for many , easier to navigate . They ’re also soft to arrive by — no one ’s stop anyone from buying an Xbox , but build up a mini microcomputer is a ( merriment , but tiring ) journey . It ’s nowhere nigh as simple .
On the other hand , the performance that an enthusiast SFF PC can allow will vastly outpace any console useable . Quite just , 4 grand gaming on something that can be put away inside a cupboard sounds like a dream , and let ’s not block that a personal computer provides access to many more title .
Perhaps , over time , if these road map take off , we ’ll start seeing more remarkable prebuilts , and more significantly , component part that accommodate well together without asking you to study their measurements for hours on end . Once we get to that breaker point , cabinet may have a worthy contender in humble form cistron PCs .
