Computing in a small space?

[david.dakota]

Despite wanting an uber spanky desktop PC, due to space limitations, i'm going to struggle to fit one in. Currently, the missus' old laptop is sufficing, but with it being almost as old as the Turin Shaud, i think we'll be looking at a new laptop shortly anyway.

 

Is it at all possible to build your own laptop?

 

Or do you have any other sugestions? A desktop PC linked to a TV, Perhaps?

 

I'm open to all suggestions to ensure computing in a small space.

[Shorty]

A desktop PC links easily with any modern HDTV, these days they all come with PC ports that you just connect to your video card with an ordinary monitor cable. I wouldn't reccomend a PC through anything but HD output though.

 

You can 'compile' a laptop at http://pcspecialist.co.uk/ I think, if you wanted to make one of those.

 

Are you sure you don't have room for a desktop PC? At my parents, the computer is in the small room under the stairs, on one of those tiny computer desks. Oh and... I never thought I'd reccomend an Apple product, but if small is key, there's the Mac Mini.

 

Will help people give better ideas if you give an idea of what you're after. Gaming? Music? Movies? Office use?

[david.dakota]

OK, i'm expecting to use the PC for a little gaming, but also thinking of using it to make animation and video editing. So it'd be spec heavy. I've seen tiny PCs before but i literally can't think where i'd keep a desktop, our house is awkwardly designed,

[McPhee]

Try asking here: http://forums.hexus.net/small-form-factor-portables/

 

You can make some very small desktop PCs. As usual the smaller the size the higher the price and the lower the spec.

 

How small is "small"? HiFi Amp size? Wii Size? Somewhere in between?

 

If you're planning to use a TV as a monitor then go for this set (assuming it gets good reviews upon release):

 

http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/5320400/Toshiba-Regza-32-32XV503DB-HD-Ready-Freeview-Widescreen-LCD-TV/Product.html

 

32" 1080p, probably the best compromise between PC Monitor and TV.

[DCK]

OK, i'm expecting to use the PC for a little gaming, but also thinking of using it to make animation and video editing. So it'd be spec heavy. I've seen tiny PCs before but i literally can't think where i'd keep a desktop, our house is awkwardly designed,

What's your budget?

 

You can make awesome tiny PCs that connect to TVs. Do you have an HDTV?

[Raining_again]

small PC + high spec = big heat issues.

 

You really need to think about it carefully. I have an apevia qpack box and I have an awful lot of heat and space problems.

 

The heat is regularily over and above 35-40 when idle.

[tapedeck]

google 'shuttle xpc'...I got one recently and it's connected to my HDTV and works amazingly. Beautiful designs and loads of different types. I got one on Ebay for £200 and its brilliant.

[RoadKill]

on ebuyer there is a small-ish cube case, that takes a micro-atx board and a standard atx psu: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135583

 

I'd recommend them, they have decent cooling, 80mm at the front, 120mm at the back, if you want to build your own small PC with a decent spec, it's possible.

 

It's not cutting edge, but my younger brother has a Athlon 64 3200, Geforce 7800GTX in one of these boxes and it runs fine..

 

Then again, what are your requirements, you mention some gaming, but how serious? Animation isn't that spec heavy as such, mostly just cpu power, unless you're talking about 3D animation of some kind?

 

You can get fairly cheap, small ass systems like http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/inspndt_530s?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&s=dhs - can be customised without the monitor, and with a radeon 2400, larger drive and 2GB RAM for about £400, 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo... Not an amazing graphics card for gaming, naturally, but worlds better than onboard intel.

 

You can also get Dell XPS M1530s with say Geforce 8600 onboard for about £650 or so, so there are deals out there, just depends what you really need. It's easy to get a powerful cpu, but not so easy to get a powerful gpu for cheap, in a small box.

[Raining_again]

on ebuyer there is a small-ish cube case, that takes a micro-atx board and a standard atx psu: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135583

 

I'd recommend them, they have decent cooling, 80mm at the front, 120mm at the back, if you want to build your own small PC with a decent spec, it's possible.

 

It's not cutting edge, but my younger brother has a Athlon 64 3200, Geforce 7800GTX in one of these boxes and it runs fine..

 

Then again, what are your requirements, you mention some gaming, but how serious? Animation isn't that spec heavy as such, mostly just cpu power, unless you're talking about 3D animation of some kind?

 

You can get fairly cheap, small ass systems like http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/inspndt_530s?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&s=dhs - can be customised without the monitor, and with a radeon 2400, larger drive and 2GB RAM for about £400, 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo... Not an amazing graphics card for gaming, naturally, but worlds better than onboard intel.

 

You can also get Dell XPS M1530s with say Geforce 8600 onboard for about £650 or so, so there are deals out there, just depends what you really need. It's easy to get a powerful cpu, but not so easy to get a powerful gpu for cheap, in a small box.

 

Its a tight squeeze getting anything fitted in a small box

 

My zalman cpu cooler was a near miss, just fitted and no more, and the graphics card I had planned to use was a complete fail.

 

You actually get NO headroom in a lot of these cases, especially above the graphics card, a fan just touching above the card will not fit.

 

Actually pics show more than words:

 

The box itself - measuring w275mm x h230mm x d370mm.

 

Split on two levels inside:

 

Power supply. (dusty fail)

Where the cd drive goes. The only space I had to put my psu cables.

 

 

Graphics card:

 

 

VERY tight getting this bad boy in.

 

 

Big fan, also there is one behind the front casing of the box too.

 

Hard disks on their side:

 

 

and to the big finale:

 

 

Literally no room above the cpu.

 

Now my system runs okay(ish) can be grumpy at times!

 

Spec:

micro ATX asus motherboard (can't remember the exact model number)

intel e6750

2gb ddr2 1066mhz ram

6600gt graphics card

Hiper 580w type R psu.

160gb hdd

 

 

EDIT: Heres the exact spec:

 

• Hiper 580W Type-R Modular PSU SLI/CrossFire Certified - Black
  
• ASUS P5K-VM AiLifestyle Socket 775
  
• Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 2.66GHz 1333FSB Socket 775 4MB Cache
  
• Corsair 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 1066MHz/PC2-8500 XMS2 Dominator Memory Non-ECC Unbuffered CL5(5-5-5-15) E.P.P. & DHX Technology Heat Sink
  
• Zalman CNPS7500-ALCU LED CPU cooler
  
• Seagate ST3160815AS 160GB Hard Drive 7200RPM SATAII/300 8MB Cache
  
• Winfast PX6600GT (with a cooler added)