Interesting mini-itx case
#1
Hi there!

I'm looking into the possibiliy of transplanting my Asrock ION 330HT to another case and was looking around for nice mini-itx cases.

Looking around I've found a very neat case. It's the Aopen S110. Both the ODD and the HDD sit under the motherboard, in a separate tray, so that you can put a nice and silent fan on top of those big coolers that some mobos have.

The case is nice: done in aluminium, looks good (to me, perhaps too serious?), seems to be easy to asemble and it's small, only 83.8x193.8x197mm, which makes it less than 2 cm higher than my asrock. Price is OK: about 70€ here in spain, with a vesa mount included.

However, I've seen it's not a very common case, which makes me wonder why? Anyway, what do you people think? Like it, or don't like it?

Image
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#2
here are some other choices- mini itx case with power supply
>Alienware X51- do it all HTPC
>Simplify XBMC configurations
>HOW-TO Bitstreaming using XBMC
I refused to watch movie without bitstreaming HD audio!
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#3
PatrickVogeli Wrote:The case is nice: done in aluminium, looks good (to me, perhaps too serious?)

Well, I like it too Smile
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#4
bluray Wrote:here are some other choices- mini itx case with power supply
yeah, thanks, but as you can see, most are plastic, with ODD on top, bigger... there are very few that rival with the Aopen.

The fact isn't that it's hard to find a mini-itx case. If you ask me, it's hard to find one as nice as the aopen and with space for an optical drive.
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#5
PatrickVogeli Wrote:yeah, thanks, but as you can see, most are plastic, with ODD on top, bigger... there are very few that rival with the Aopen.

The fact isn't that it's hard to find a mini-itx case. If you ask me, it's hard to find one as nice as the aopen and with space for an optical drive.
look is very subjective because everyone is different!
>Alienware X51- do it all HTPC
>Simplify XBMC configurations
>HOW-TO Bitstreaming using XBMC
I refused to watch movie without bitstreaming HD audio!
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#6
yeah, of course, but I'm not only talking about the looks. Aopen had a great idea, as many other: create a small mini-itx case. However, most will put the ODD and the HDD slots on top of the mobo, thus limiting putting a good fan over, and really limiting air flow.

Aopen has come with a great solution: put the ODD and HDD below the motherboard, which means you can put a nice fan on top of those huge heatsink seen in some mobos.

In cases without ODD it's not a problem, but for example in my asrock,the cooling solution is really bad because the ODD and HDD sit right above the motherboard.. that limits air flow and fan placement and size.

It's just that.. some may like it, some may not, some may just go with a bigger case altogether, but I think Aopen has a really smart concept there.
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#7
PatrickVogeli Wrote:Aopen has come with a great solution: put the ODD and HDD below the motherboard, which means you can put a nice fan on top of those huge heatsink seen in some mobos..

+1
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#8
PatrickVogeli Wrote:Aopen has come with a great solution: put the ODD and HDD below the motherboard, which means you can put a nice fan on top of those huge heatsink seen in some mobos.

In cases without ODD it's not a problem, but for example in my asrock,the cooling solution is really bad because the ODD and HDD sit right above the motherboard.. that limits air flow and fan placement and size.
if you want to mount fan under the top cover, the case in your link should fit your bill then.

as far as hdd, i can stick it to anywhere inside the case with double sided tape. ssd in my case generate no heat, no moving part and it is very tiny.

as far as the air flow, one 120mm silent fan on the side along with cpu fan provide plenty of air flow in my very cheap mini-itx apex mi-008 case. i leave htpc on 24/7, and i never have any problem with heat.
>Alienware X51- do it all HTPC
>Simplify XBMC configurations
>HOW-TO Bitstreaming using XBMC
I refused to watch movie without bitstreaming HD audio!
Reply
#9
Not really digging the look, but that's just my opinion. I just did a new build with the Wesena ITX2. Nice little case.
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#10
Headcase_Fargon Wrote:Not really digging the look, but that's just my opinion. I just did a new build with the Wesena ITX2. Nice little case.
that seems to be a nice case too, and i'm sure that everyone has their favorite case!
>Alienware X51- do it all HTPC
>Simplify XBMC configurations
>HOW-TO Bitstreaming using XBMC
I refused to watch movie without bitstreaming HD audio!
Reply
#11
To my mind the appeal of all of these small cases is tempered by them tending to require an external power supply. The latest Mac Mini shows it is technically feasible to have a tiny case into which you just plug an AC power lead. I guess this isn't possible with standard ATX form-factor power, etc.
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#12
Headcase_Fargon Wrote:Not really digging the look, but that's just my opinion. I just did a new build with the Wesena ITX2. Nice little case.
Can I ask what motherboard and hardware you decided on

Paul
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