The new BTX Form Factor

blade · Post by **blade** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 3:28 pm

http://www.formfactors.org/developer/sp ... ec_1_0.pdf

Lot's of rearranging.

Gee, soon we'll need new mobo's, new cases, power supplies.

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 5:16 pm

I don't know why they want the CPU in the front of the case. The whole point has always been to get the biggest heat source near they exhaust vent.

I also see issues with server-style cases that have extra bays that will extend out to where the CPU will be.

Stupid design I say.

Jim Z · Post by **Jim Z** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 8:12 pm

I don't know why they want the CPU in the front of the case. The whole point has always been to get the biggest heat source near they exhaust vent.

direct cold-air intake from the front.

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 9:21 pm

If that open spare to the left of the CPU is an air intake that pretty much kills any space for extra drives. I guess we're taking a step backward to tall cases if you need more than two 5 1/4" bays

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 10:27 pm

am i wrong in saying that the first pic (Expandable Tower) looks like the mobo is on the other side of the case? where if you look at a normal case from teh front the mobo is on the right side and that one is on the left side of the case?

TheDude · Post by **TheDude** » Sat Sep 20, 2003 1:03 pm

According to Intel at the IDF the BTX is far superior in heat management than the ATX we all know and love. So much so that the reference design uses passive cooling on the CPU.

I wonder how the BTX and the new P4 EE will match up. With all that extra L3 cache on die, I assume the chip would have hot spots...if we could isolate those, we could cool the chips more effectivly (in therory)

Of course this assumes that 98% of you using Athlons even care about Intel chips anymore

I personally wont convert until AMD slaps a 3GHz opteron on my desk...which hopefully should be soon.

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Sun Sep 21, 2003 8:57 am

PUGSLEY: YUP, the mobo IS flipped.

A lot more detail here: http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=1876

Actually I like the idea of the intake duct - that's what makes Dells so quiet.

Jim Z · Post by **Jim Z** » Sun Sep 21, 2003 5:10 pm

one good thing I see coming out of this is that now your graphics card can install with the GPU facing upward instead of facing down. might remove some cooling constraints.

So much so that the reference design uses passive cooling on the CPU.

calling it "passive" is a stretch. There's still directed forced air being blown across the heatsink.