Mini-ITX Motherboard and Case – How Small Can a HTPC Get?
Intel has announced the release of the DG45FC, which is the most powerful mini-ITX motherboard available.
Don’t be fooled by this mini-ITX motherboards size, because inside it is really a beast. It has just about everything integrated onto it, including graphics with HDMI and DVI support, 7.1 channel inbuilt sound and Ethernet.
Thanks to Intel’s new range of onboard graphics, you don’t even have to give up on functionality. Unlike the old days where you had to give up on size vs performance, this tiny motherboard will give you all the graphics performance you require for a HTPC. It features inbuilt X4500HD graphics, which for you tech heads can play MPEG2, AVC and VC1. This means it can play any type of Blu-Ray content you throw at it.
So how small is this tiny motherboard? Well it’s about 60% of the size of a normal motherboard, and about 70% of the size of a micro-ATX motherboard. AT only 6.7 inches, this mini-ITX motherboard is tiny.
Checkout in the picture how small it is in comparison to how the stock Intel cooler on it. The cooler makes the motherboard look tiny.
So what’s the main appeal of having a tiny motherboard? Put it in a mini-ITX case (eg the Silverstone LC19) and you have a very small HTPC, which fits anywhere without looking obtrusive, and is very portable
This motherboard can fit a dual-core processor, so it also means you can build a HTPC really cheap. All you need to buy is the motherboard, a case, and a cheap e2180 CPU, and you have yourself a HTPC. Add a TV tuner card, and you’re good to record TV, making it a full spec’d, cheap and tiny media solution.
This is going to revolutionize the way HTPCs are built. As the parts keep getting smaller and cheaper, now you are able to buy only a few small parts, and have yourself a full HTPC. Not only can it do everything, but it is small and stylish.
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