Close Encounters of the Small Kind
by Jarred Walton on December 8, 2004 12:05 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
Some Assembly Required
Other than pre-built systems, every home-built computer requires some assembly. It's not terribly difficult, but the first time that you build a computer, you'll likely run into some difficulties and you may require help. Our basic assembly process is as follows:- Install the CPU, heatsink, and RAM on the motherboard.
- Put the motherboard standoff screws in the appropriate locations on the motherboard tray. (This is not always necessary, depending on the case.)
- If the case doesn't include a power supply, install one now. Certain cases allow you to do this later, but on many, the CPU HSF can get in the way, so it's better to take care of it first.
- Install the motherboard into the case - carefully, of course.
- Connect all the small wires from the front panel of the case to the motherboard. For many, this can be the most difficult part as the wires and connections are small, and they are not always labeled clearly. If you can understand technical manuals, you should be able to figure it out, but it can still present problems for even the best of us.
- Install the hard drive(s), floppy drive, and optical drive(s) and connect their interface cables.
- Connect all the power cables to the drives and motherboard and clean up the cables with zip ties, twisty ties, Velcro wraps, etc. You don't have to clean up the cables, but it's always nice to do so.
- Install any expansion cards - usually, at the very least, a graphics card. If necessary, connect a power cable to the graphics card.
- Add in any extra case fans that you'll be using as appropriate. (It might be easier to do this early in the build process, depending on the case.)
- Connect all the external devices - keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.
- Power up the system and verify that all of the fans are spinning, and then proceed to install and configure the OS and applications.
- Remove the CPU HSF from the case if it was pre-installed - this is done in about 2/3 of the cases. You may also have to remove the power supply in some designs.
- Install the CPU and RAM, then reinstall the CPU HSF.
- Install the DVD, hard drive, etc. into the case. Many of the designs have a metal unit that holds the optical drive, floppy/flash drive, and hard drive. You remove this, install the devices, and then put it back into the case. Other designs are more like a miniaturized ATX case.
- Connect all the power and interface cables to the devices and clean up the cables as necessary.
- Install the graphics card - with a power cable if necessary.
- Connect all the external devices - keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.
- Power up the system and verify that all of the fans are spinning, and then proceed to install and configure the OS and applications.
Click to enlarge.
The ASUS at first seems to present no problem, as it is basically a miniature ATX. As the setup progresses, however, several issues become apparent. First, the PSU needs to be removed before the RAM and CPU can be installed. Once that's done, the installation of the other drives can begin. The optical drive, in particular, takes far more effort than normal as the front panel needs to be removed before the DVD can be slid into place; and after mounting the drive, you put the front panel back on. The floppy comes pre-installed, however, and as the case is supposed to come with an optical drive, this step should be unnecessary. The hard drive cage has some issues of its own. First, it needs to be unscrewed and then slid out, and once the hard drive is mounted in it, you have to slide it back into place. This can be rather difficult, due to the numerous wires in the area - it took a couple minutes for me to get it installed properly. The cables for the DVD and HDD are not pre-installed, which means that you have to do it as well, and getting the cables to look clean for the DVD takes some effort. The AGP card wasn't particularly difficult in itself, but again, the pre-installed PCI card that powers many of the extras can get in the way. So, it may need to be removed and then replaced after the AGP card is installed. Once everything is done, the ASUS works fine, but the process could certainly be more efficient.
 Click to enlarge. |
 Click to enlarge. |
The Shuttle design is much smaller, and after the difficulties with the ASUS, I expected more in the way of difficulties [with the Shuttle]. However, it ends up being a lot easier. The HSF and case use thumb screws, for starters. Once the case is open, you remove the HSF and the metal cage that holds the optical drive, floppy drive, and hard drive. This opens things up quite a bit, and the actual installation of the CPU is done easily. With the drive cage removed, it is easy enough to install the optical drive, hard drive, and floppy. (You could also use a 3.5" Flash drive in place of the floppy if you so desire - Shuttle sells these as an optional accessory.) Once this is done, you drop the cage back in place and replace the screws. Shuttle also has several of the interface cables pre-routed and plastic clamps are placed strategically throughout the case to help keep everything tidy. One difficulty with the G5 design is getting the eject button of the DVD/CD drive to line up properly with the button on the flip-down cover of the case. If the drive is misplaced by more than about 1/16 of an inch - either too far forward so that the button is always depressed or too far back so the button doesn't reach in far enough - you need to reposition the drive and try again. This same problem could also arise with other cases, and there doesn't seem to be a perfect solution, so it's something to be aware of, but not to be considered a serious problem. Like the ASUS case, however, once everything is put together, you won't notice these issues.
When you get right down to it, assembling a SFF system is about as difficult as assembling an ATX system, with the exception of installing the motherboard and connectors. That exception can actually be a pretty major deal to those new to the world of system building. If you're a first-time system builder, SFFs can be a very good stepping stone. We should also mention that many companies will pre-build systems - SFF or ATX - to your specifications for a nominal fee.
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nostriluu - Thursday, December 9, 2004 - link
OK, I realize this is going to get erased as a troll, but its not meant to be one.The first paragraph on this article seems to be trying to clear people's conscience on the issue of e-waste.
Its undeniable that there are huge cycles that are our of our control, but there is also an impact from e-waste that creates minor disasters and disease for people around the world.
Anandtech could try to be a responsible site by acknowledging this factor and encouraging efforts, such as "cradle to grave" enviromental consideration for hazardous(!) material, recyling for needy organizations, encourage vendors to "green" their products (which is already happening) and so on.
Ignoring this issue, or trying to dismiss it, puts Anandtech into a category of conscienceless consumerism that makes the world a worse place to live.
Tech enthusiasm and responsible living can go hand in hand, otherwise you can only consider yourself greedy, and tech enthusiasm becomes a form of putting ones head in the sand.
And yes, individuals are responsible for messes that are created.
PrinceGaz - Thursday, December 9, 2004 - link
#18- "We all run Memtest, of course, so how can we escape the floppy?"They provide bootable ISO CD images you can download and burn, so you don't need a floppy.
Saist - Thursday, December 9, 2004 - link
Just wanted to state that I picked up Solteks EQ3801 and have been quite pleased by the case...What concerns me about SFF units is the power supply... or rather, lackthere of.
archcommus87 - Wednesday, December 8, 2004 - link
Not here.My computer's loud, because I run all four of my fans at top speed to keep temps okay with my 467 MHz overclock. But after awhile you just get used to it and it really doesn't bother me anymore.
JarredWalton - Wednesday, December 8, 2004 - link
20 - Are you listening to them on a Windows machine? I've tried them on three computers (a 1.13 GHz P3, a 2.8C P4, and my own Athlon 64 3200+) and didn't have any issues. They should be relatively quiet, and the quality isn't great but should be sufficient. Anyone else having issues with the WAV files?Avalon - Wednesday, December 8, 2004 - link
All the sound wavs sound extremely distorted, like bombs going off in WW2 :Dsnowman - Wednesday, December 8, 2004 - link
I just posted the following Review on New Egg's site this week. Looks like we're on the same page.Snowman,12/4/2004 7:22:20 AM
I'm a 55 year old Extreme Gamer. I've been building gaming rigs since before it was cool. I build a new box every year and, with my experience, I try to beat Max PC's Dream Machine. My wife gets my old rig. She was OK with it, but she always said they were too big, noisy, lit-up, and intimidating. So I built her one of these for Christmas.
I was concerned that it might be very difficult because I wear a XXL glove size and still can palm a basketball. All I can say is "WOW". The quality is first rate, instructions are easy to understand and the design is superior. I really took my time and had it up and runing with XP Pro w/SP2 installed in under 3 hours. Everything is well thought out and, if you take your time, goes together in a logical manner. The onboard sound is even good for all but gamers. Nothing got scratched during assembly, because I took my time and used my head. This was by far the most trouble free build ever.
What impressed me the most was the quiet. You can hardly hear it. The heatsink and fan that comes with it is high quality (TT) and quiet too. Sure, I put an Antec slot fan in for more air flow but it is still very quiet. Boot time is quick. This is a dream and she just loves it. That was the goal.
EQ3801M-300
AMD Athlon 64 3400+
1 Gig Kingston Hyper-X 3200
eVGA 6800 GT
Lite-On 52x32x52x16 Combo drive
Samsung FDD
200 gb Seagate HD SATA
Antec slot fan
A quick note. I tried installing 2 WD Raptors in Raid 0. It worked fine, but the noise from the drives was distracting and louder than anything in the case. 1 SATA 200 GB Seagate did the trick and preserved the quiet.
I highly recommend this product. It won't take a 6800 Ultra and it does get hot during gaming sessions of more than 1 hour with Doom3, Far Cry, Impossible Creatures, etc. If your goal is to build a super fast, super quiet, high quality computer about the size of a 4 slice toaster this is definately for you.
archcommus87 - Wednesday, December 8, 2004 - link
I have looked at Shuttles and other SFFs in the past, however I noticed that, although they have two PCI slots, do they not only have TWO expansion slots in the back? So wouldn't that only allow for a video card and one PCI card? That automatically counts me out, as I must have my Audigy 2 and TV tuner. But that's just now, with my computer in my basement, where there's no space for a TV. In college, where I won't even have cable in my dorm, I won't need a TV tuner, and may even have onboard audio. In such a case I guess an SFF could fit me okay, as I only use one HDD, one optical, and one floppy.As far as companies not letting go of older tech, yes, that bothers me sometimes, as well. I really didn't think parallel ports have been necessary for awhile now for most users. For floppies, well, when I put together my current system this past summer, I DID at first try to not have one, but I ended up giving in and putting one in, because I needed it for BIOS flashes and for running Memtest. We all run Memtest, of course, so how can we escape the floppy?
Still, I don't like the idea of hardly being able to fit a 6800 Ultra, and having a hotter computer, and it being harder to assemble the thing because of space. I always like a roomy interior. So, perhaps I will always prefer the roomier, more robust case for my main computer, even though I don't use a ton of extra features. However, for a kitchen, living room, or HTPC, an SFF sounds like a great idea.
JarredWalton - Wednesday, December 8, 2004 - link
I have noted the availability of a parallel port connection on the last page. This was not meant as a formal review of either product - just a first impression of use with the equipment that was included with the box. The roundup will include all the details about front and rear connections as well as expansion options, so have no fear.I haven't actually used a SFF before, as I mentioned, and I actually agree with the sentiments of Wernst (if that wasn't clear from reading the article). The whole point of the "history lesson" at the beginning was to show how large cases really *aren't* necessary these days.
Regarding the heat issue, the fans in the SFF cases can actually spin up to very high RPMs if the case gets too hot, so I don't think it will be any more of a problem than with ATX cases. Unfortunately, since it's winter now, I don't have a good way to simulate 95+ F temperatures in my house. (Well, maybe not too unfortunate...)
Finally, regarding the "patience" required to use an older P3 1.13 GHz: trust me, things have changed enough now that a 1.13 GHz really does struggle to keep up with certain common tasks these days. Many HTML sites use dozens of tables on each page, and rendering tables really taxes the CPU. There's a forum I frequent where page loads for longer threads (15+ posts) on the 1.13 GHz take 10 seconds or more to complete. You can live with it, but when you're just going back to a thread that has one new post, a 10 second delay is irritating. In comparison, an a P4 2.8 and an Athlon 64 3200+, threads all load and render in about 2 seconds. Playing DivX or Xvid movies on a P3 can also have problems - the audio will often get out of synch due to the processor being pegged at 100%. Anyway, as I said, you *can* live with a 1 GHz machine, but there are going to be some things that require patience.
wernst - Wednesday, December 8, 2004 - link
I've always built beige boxes, but my latest machine is an SFF from Soltek. It is small, quiet, easy to transport to LAN parties or gaming conventions (I can bring it on the airplane as a carry-on item too, complete with its own backback that came with the system), as fast as anything I see at a gaming convention, and it looks nice to boot.The "lack of expandability" statement always bothers me. Now that we have USB2 and Firewire, the vast majority of expansion can (and does) take place outside of the computer case. I mean, I have a high-end AGP video card, a SB Audigy PCI card, and room for three drives (1 HDD and 2 Optical, or 2HDD and 1 Optical), and a floppy drive in this little SFF case. What more do I need these days inside the box? I don't need a SCSI card any more, or a RAID controller, a silly tape-backup system wired into the floppy cables, or multiple parallel ports, since USB and FireWire handle all these things wonderfully. Networking is built-in too.
The other argument against SFF that I always wonder about is the "I can just get a new mainboard and reuse the case for upgrades." OK, that's true, and I have done it many times in the past, but not lately. Lately, I'd rather spend a few extra dollars on a new case for the new maiboard so that I can have TWO comptuers that actually work at the same time. Instant LAN party! A test machine for troubleshooting! A spare box a friend can use while I'm on mine!
The main reason you don't see more people clamoring for SFF boxes is because the average PC Consumer doesn't know about them. When clients see my SFF system, they tell me they want me to build them one the next time they need something new. When Dell starts selling such systems, I guarantee that people will start wanting them too.