Small form factor (desktop and motherboard)

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H-P 8200 Elite Small Form Factor desktop computer HP 8200 Elite SFF.jpg
H-P 8200 Elite Small Form Factor desktop computer

Small form factor (abbreviated: SFF [1] ) is a term used for desktop computers and for some of their components, chassis and motherboard, to indicate that they are designed in accordance with one of several standardized computer form factors intended to minimize the volume and footprint of a desktop computer compared to the standard ATX form factor.

Contents

For comparison purposes, the size of an SFF case is usually measured in litres. SFFs are available in a variety of sizes and shapes, including shoeboxes, cubes, and book-sized PCs. Their smaller and often lighter construction has made them popular as home theater PCs and as gaming computers for attending LAN parties. Manufacturers also emphasize the aesthetic and ergonomic design of SFFs since users are more likely to place them on top of a desk or carry them around. Advancements in technology combined with a reduced size enables a powerful computer to be a smaller size. [2]

Small form factors do not include computing devices that have traditionally been small, such as embedded or mobile systems. [3] However, "small form factor" lacks a normative definition and is consequently open to interpretation and misuse. Manufacturers often provide definitions that serve the interests of their products. [4] According to marketing strategy, one manufacturer may decide to mark their product as "small form factor" while other manufacturers are using different marketing name (such as "Minitower", "Microtower" or "Desktop") for personal computers of similar or even smaller footprint.

Motherboard form factor comparison (pen for scale) VIA Mini-ITX Form Factor Comparison.jpg
Motherboard form factor comparison (pen for scale)

History

The acronym SFF originally stood for "Shuttle Form Factor," describing shoebox-sized personal computers with two expansion slots. [5] The meaning of SFF evolved to include other, similar PC designs from brands such as AOpen and First International Computer, with the word "Small" replacing the word "Shuttle".

The term SFF is used in contrast with terms for larger systems such as "mini-towers" and "desktops." [6]

Features

Inside an HP SFF desktop computer HP SFF desktop computer inside.jpg
Inside an HP SFF desktop computer

Small form factor computers are generally designed to support the same features as modern desktop computers, but in a smaller space. Most accept standard x86 microprocessors, standard DIMM memory modules, standard 8.9 cm (3.5") hard disks, and standard 13.3 cm (5.25") optical drives.

However, the small size of SFF cases may limit expansion options; many commercial offerings provide only one 8.9 cm (3.5") drive bay and one or two 13.3 cm (5.25") external bays. Standard CPU heatsinks do not always fit inside an SFF computer, so some manufacturers provide custom cooling systems. Though limited to one or two expansion cards, a few have the space for 3⁄4-length cards such as the GeForce GTX-295. [7] Most SFF computers use highly integrated motherboards containing many on-board peripherals, reducing the need for expansion cards. As of 2020 many SFF PC cases do not include any expansion bays larger than 2.5 inches [8] (large enough to accommodate SATA SSDs), due to the declining popularity of optical disc drives [9] [10] [11] [12] and 3.5 inch hard drives in the consumer space. [13]

Even if labeled "SFF," cube-style cases that support full-sized (PS2 form factor) power supplies actually have a microATX form factor. True SFF systems use SFX, TFX or smaller power supplies [ citation needed ], and some require a laptop-style external "power brick."

Some SFF computers even include compact components designed for mobile computers, such as notebook optical drives, notebook memory modules, notebook processors, and external AC adapters, rather than the internal power supply units found in full-size desktop computers.

Enthusiast community and crowdfunding

Crowdfunding and availability of rapid prototyping tools has enabled the production of several mini-ITX cases focusing on efficiently organizing commercial computer components into small volumes including the Ghost S1, [14] [15] DAN A4-SFX, [16] [17] and Thor Zone MJOLNIR. [18] [19] Communities of enthusiasts [20] [21] [22] and reviewers [23] now develop and promote enhanced SFF assembly, maintenance, and performance criteria. 3D printing and Laser cutting have enabled customization and one-off production by both manufacturers like Lazer3D [24] and individual users [25] with access to the relevant equipment.

SFF types

The many different types of SFFs [26] are categorized loosely by their shape and size. The types below are available as of 2013.

Cubic / Shoebox

Shoebox case (Shuttle SP35 Pro) Shuttle XPC.jpg
Shoebox case (Shuttle SP35 Pro)

Many SFF computers have a cubic shape. Smaller models are typically sold as barebones units, including a case, motherboard, and power supply designed to fit together. The motherboard lies flat against the base of the case. Upgrade options may be limited by the non-standard motherboards, cramped interior space, and power and airflow concerns. The Power Mac G4 Cube, released in 2000, and the Shuttle XPC are good examples of this design. MSI and Asus produce similar designs. The Xi3 Modular Computer is an example of a cube computer with a little more upgrade possibilities.

Shuttle has adapted several of its XPC models (some 5-series and most later) to alternately accept mini-ITX motherboards. The base of the XPC is provided with mounting points which accommodate both "Shuttle form factor" (ShFF) and mini-ITX motherboards. In order to accommodate mini-ITX motherboards, two of the ShFF mounting points are simply relocated (the remaining mini-ITX mounting points are in common with the remaining ShFF mounting points). A "standard" ShFF motherboard is 20.6 cm (8 1/8″) wide by 27.3 cm (10 3/4″) deep, with the I/O shield and the two PCI slots being located in common with mini-ITX motherboards. Most ShFF systems utilize Shuttle's proprietary heat pipe (liquid cooling) system, "Integrated Cooling Engine" (ICE), for the processor, although several also feature heat pipe cooling for the voltage regulator and/or the chip set (Northbridge). When an ShFF system is upgraded to a mini-ITX motherboard, an Intel or compatible processor fan must replace the ICE cooler. The ShFF's ICE computer fan is so designed that it may be repurposed as a case fan when the case is upgraded to mini-ITX use. When so upgraded, the repurposed fan would be connected to the motherboard's case fan connector (3-pin) while the new CPU fan would be connected to the motherboard's CPU fan connector (4-pin).

AOpen Inc. produced a stackable S120 [27] case, allowing the user to stack up to four components vertically or horizontally. These layers can be for add-on cards, optical drives, and hard drives, using either internal power supplies or external AC adapter power sources. After the S120, AOpen made more small form factor cases for systems with Micro ATX and Mini-ITX.

Sandwich

Sandwich case
Dllu small form factor pc 2024 right side open.jpg
Right side, showing the power supply and CPU cooler
Dllu small form factor pc 2024 left side open.jpg
Left side, showing the graphics card

The graphics card is placed behind the motherboard and PSU, connecting to it via a PCI Express x16 extension cable. This design is popular with SFF enthusiasts as it packs high performance hardware into a small space while providing adequate cooling. Water cooling radiators may be added on to the top, bottom or sides to further increase cooling capacity. An electrically insulating sheet, such as thermoplastic polyurethane, may be placed between the motherboard/PSU and graphics card to implement separate airflow zones, isolating heat sources from each other to improve cooling. [28] [29]

Console

Resembles a gaming console such as Xbox One or PlayStation 4, graphics card is placed directly above or below motherboard and psu. Graphics card is connected to motherboard with a pcie x16 extension cable. This form factor is popular for those with a lack of desk or floor space as the footprint is small when placed vertically. It may also fit nicely into a tv cabinet/shelf and act as a cheaper, faster, upgradable alternative to gaming consoles. The graphics card maybe sectioned off internally as to isolate it from the heat produced by the cpu. [30] [31]

Nettop

Acer Aspire Revo 2009 Taipei IT Month Day1 Acer Aspire Revo.jpg
Acer Aspire Revo

Until 2005, SFF cases were usually sold as barebones units (case, power supply, and motherboard) to system integrators and home-based builders. In 2005, Apple Inc. introduced its Mac Mini (volume of 1.4 L, excluding external power brick). Later in the same year, the first AOpen mini PC MP915 (renamed to XC mini in 2007 since "mini PC" could not be registered as a trademark), was announced. The size of the XC mini series PC—16.5(W) × 5.0(H) × 16.5(D) cm—makes it one of the smallest desktop PC systems (1.3L volume). It was criticized for looking like the Apple Mac Mini but Apple has not taken action on this subject. In February 2007, AOpen redesigned the case of the mini PC MP945 series.

Since 2006, major OEM PC brands such as HP and Dell have begun to sell fully assembled SFF systems. These are often described as bookshelf units since they resemble a miniature tower case small enough to fit on a bookshelf. The HP Slimline series and Dell Dimension C521 (volume 1.65 L) are good examples of this trend. The Maxdata Favorite 300XS is another mini computer. The HP Slimline uses a non-standard motherboard that is very similar in size to Mini-ITX. [32]

In addition to its industrial use, the extremely small Mini-ITX motherboard form factor has also been incorporated into SFF computers. These are often extremely compact, incorporating low-power components such as the VIA C3 processors. The Travla C134 is an example of this design. At 17.8 x 25.4 x 5.1 cm (7 × 10 × 2") the Travla C134 is somewhat larger than the Mac mini which is 16.5 x 16.5 x 5.1 cm (6.5 × 6.5 × 2") and barely bigger than a standard 13.3 cm (5.25") optical drive.

Beginning in 2007, several other companies have released other very small computers that besides a small size, focus on a low price, and extremely high power efficiency (typically 10  W or below in use). These include the Zonbu, fit-PC, Linutop, and A9home. With the release of Intel Atom CPU, AOpen also made Nettop systems: the uBox series with model LE200 and LE210. [33] The uBox series equips a dual core Intel Atom 270/330 processor, single channel DDR-II 533/667 memory, Intel 945GC+ICH7 chipset, three SATA connectors and 5.1 channel high definition audio output.

Home theatre boxes

Essentially a bookshelf-style case lying on its side, a miniature HTPC replicates the look of other smaller-than-rack-sized home theatre components such as a DVR or mini audio receiver. The front panel interface is emphasized, with the optical disc drive rotated relative to the case in order to maintain horizontal mounting, and more motherboard port connectors (such as for USB) are routed to the front panel, they normally are as powerful as PC desktops.

Computer-on-module

A computer-on-module (COM) is a complete computer built on a single circuit board. They are often used as embedded systems due to their small physical size and low power consumption. Gumstix is one manufacturer of COMs.

Ultra-Small Form Factor

Each model of Dell's OptiPlex line of computers typically includes an Ultra-Small Form Factor (USFF) chassis option. In the Core 2 era, these machines used 8.9 cm (3.5") desktop hard drives and external power supplies, such as the OptiPlex 745 and 755. More recent units use 6.4 cm (2.5") laptop hard drives and have integrated power supplies, such as the OptiPlex 990 USFF. The compact size comes at the cost of restricted expandability, as USFF models have no PCI or PCIe slots and may have limited CPU and memory options.

Micro

Starting from Series 5, USFF was replaced with Micro variants, an even smaller size option that uses external power supplies and does not have optical drives.

Ultra-compact Form Factor

An Intel NUC Intel NUC Haswell (case rear panel).jpg
An Intel NUC

Understood as comprising nano-ITX (12 × 12 cm) and pico-ITX (10 × 7.2 cm) boards, the format was championed by VIA Technologies. [34] Intel now describes its own Next Unit of Computing (NUC) products (10.2 x 10.2 cm or 4 × 4") as UCFF. [35]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motherboard</span> Main printed circuit board (PCB) used for a computing device

A motherboard is the main printed circuit board (PCB) in general-purpose computers and other expandable systems. It holds and allows communication between many of the crucial electronic components of a system, such as the central processing unit (CPU) and memory, and provides connectors for other peripherals. Unlike a backplane, a motherboard usually contains significant sub-systems, such as the central processor, the chipset's input/output and memory controllers, interface connectors, and other components integrated for general use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desktop computer</span> Computer designed to be used at a fixed location

A desktop computer is a personal computer designed for regular use at a stationary location on or near a desk due to its size and power requirements. The most common configuration has a case that houses the power supply, motherboard, disk storage ; a keyboard and mouse for input; and a monitor, speakers, and, often, a printer for output. The case may be oriented horizontally or vertically and placed either underneath, beside, or on top of a desk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quiet PC</span> Type of personal computer

A quiet, silent or fanless PC is a personal computer that makes very little or no noise. Common uses for quiet PCs include video editing, sound mixing and home theater PCs, but noise reduction techniques can also be used to greatly reduce the noise from servers. There is currently no standard definition for a "quiet PC", and the term is generally not used in a business context, but by individuals and the businesses catering to them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ATX</span> Motherboard and power supply configuration

ATX is a motherboard and power supply configuration specification, patented by David Dent in 1995 at Intel, to improve on previous de facto standards like the AT design. It was the first major change in desktop computer enclosure, motherboard and power supply design in many years, improving standardization and interchangeability of parts. The specification defines the dimensions; the mounting points; the I/O panel; and the power and connector interfaces among a computer case, a motherboard, and a power supply.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mini-ITX</span> 17 × 17 cm motherboard

Mini-ITX is a 170 mm × 170 mm motherboard form factor developed by VIA Technologies in 2001. Mini-ITX motherboards have been traditionally used in small-configured computer systems. Originally, Mini-ITX was a niche standard designed for fanless cooling with a low power consumption architecture, which made them useful for home theater PC systems, where fan noise can detract from the cinema experience.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BTX (form factor)</span> Form factor for motherboards

BTX is a form factor for motherboards, originally intended to be the replacement for the aging ATX motherboard form factor in late 2004 and early 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer case</span> Enclosure that contains most of the computer hardware

A computer case, also known as a computer chassis, is the enclosure that contains most of the hardware of a personal computer. The components housed inside the case are referred as the internal hardware, while hardware outside the case are known as peripherals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer tower</span> Computer case that stands vertically upright

In personal computing, a tower unit, or simply a tower, is a form factor of desktop computer case whose height is much greater than its width, thus having the appearance of an upstanding tower block, as opposed to a traditional "pizza box" computer case whose width is greater than its height and appears lying flat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ThinkCentre</span> Desktop computers by Lenovo

ThinkCentre is a brand for a family of business-oriented desktop computers, the early models of which were designed, developed and marketed by International Business Machines (IBM) since 2003. In 2005, IBM sold its PC business, including the ThinkCentre brand, to Lenovo. ThinkCentre computers typically include mid-range to high-end processors, options for discrete graphics cards, and multi-monitor support.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AOpen</span> Taiwanese multinational electronics corporation

AOPEN is a major electronics manufacturer from Taiwan that makes computers and parts for computers. AOPEN used to be the Open System Business Unit of Acer Computer Inc. which designed, manufactured and sold computer components.

microATX Standard motherboard form factor

In computer design, microATX is a standard motherboard form factor introduced in December 1997. The maximum size of a microATX motherboard is 9.6 × 9.6 in (244 × 244 mm). However, there are examples of motherboards using microATX designation despite having a smaller size of 244 × 205 mm (9.6 × 8.1 in). The standard ATX size is 25% longer, at 12 × 9.6 in (305 × 244 mm).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shuttle Inc.</span>

Shuttle Inc. (TAIEX:2405) is a Taiwan-based manufacturer of motherboards, barebone computers, complete PC systems and monitors. Throughout the last 10 years, Shuttle has been one of the world's top 10 motherboard manufacturers, and gained fame in 2001 with the introduction of the Shuttle SV24, one of the world's first commercially successful small form factor computers. Shuttle XPC small form factor computers tend to be popular among PC enthusiasts and hobbyists, although in 2004 Shuttle started a campaign to become a brand name recognized by mainstream PC consumers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barebone computer</span> Customizable PC with limited components

A barebone computer is a partially assembled platform or an unassembled kit of computer parts allowing more customization and lower costs than a retail computer system. They are available for desktop computer, notebook and server purposes, and in nearly any form factor. Manufacturers are also able to produce systems of a specialized or non-standard form factor, since the system is sold as a pre-built unit, with the motherboard and power supply already installed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pico-ITX</span>

In computer design, Pico-ITX is a PC motherboard form factor announced by VIA Technologies in January 2007 and demonstrated later the same year at CeBIT. The formfactor was transferred over to SFF-SIG in 2008. The Pico-ITX form factor specifications call for the board to be 10 × 7.2 cm (3.9 × 2.8 in), which is half the area of Nano-ITX.

In computing, the motherboard form factor is the specification of a motherboard – the dimensions, power supply type, location of mounting holes, number of ports on the back panel, etc. Specifically, in the IBM PC compatible industry, standard form factors ensure that parts are interchangeable across competing vendors and generations of technology, while in enterprise computing, form factors ensure that server modules fit into existing rackmount systems. Traditionally, the most significant specification is for that of the motherboard, which generally dictates the overall size of the case. Small form factors have been developed and implemented.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mini PC</span> Low power, small and cheap computer meant for light tasks

A mini PC is a small-sized, inexpensive, low-power, legacy-free desktop computer designed for basic tasks such as web browsing, accessing web-based applications, document processing, and audio/video playback.

Nvidia Ion was a product line of Nvidia Corporation intended for motherboards of low-cost portable computers. It used graphics processing units and chipsets intended for small products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mini ATX</span> Motherboard form factor

Mini ATX or Mini-ATX is a generic name that may be used by motherboard manufacturers to describe a small motherboard, and has been used by AOPEN in reference to a motherboard design with dimensions 15 × 15 cm (5.9 × 5.9 in).

Mini-STX is a computer motherboard form factor that was released by Intel in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dell Inspiron desktop computers</span> Desktop computer series by Dell

On June 26, 2007, Dell released the new Inspiron desktop series, under the Dell Inspiron branding, as a replacement to the Dell Dimension desktop computers.

References

  1. ↑ "Tom's Hardware: For The Hardcore PC Enthusiast". Tom's Hardware.
  2. ↑ "Small Form Factor PCs - Fierce PC". www.fiercepc.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  3. ↑ Joe Rybicki (May 2007). "The Incredible Shrinking Game Machine! Part One: The Small Form-Factor PC". Games for Windows: The Official Magazine (6): 92–96. Yes, early small form-factor machines (let's just call 'em SFFs) had some issues. OK, a lot of issues. Designed for the gimpiest casual user, these mini-PCs didn't offer many options in the way of upgrades or power. The cases were often too small to fit a full-size videocard [...] Still, two very specific users saw the SFFs' potential. First, home theater enthusiasts realized that these pint-sized PCs made for ideal media center hubs, and second, LAN partygoers naturally glommed on to them for the portability factor. [...] we could see the SFF market gaining a lot more momentum. Until then, enjoy being the first on your block to squeeze a full-size tower's worth of top-level gear into a shoebox-size package.
  4. ↑ "SilverStone Technology Co., Ltd. What is SFF (SG03)?". silverstonetek.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2007. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  5. ↑ "Choosing the PC Case That's Right For You - www.sysopt.com". 2012-05-10. Archived from the original on 2012-05-10. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
  6. ↑ "Choosing the PC Case That's Right For You - www.sysopt.com". 2012-05-10. Archived from the original on 2012-05-10. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
  7. ↑ "Assembly And BIOS - Shuttle's SX58H7 Ultra-Portable Core i7 Platform". tomshardware.com. 1 May 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  8. ↑ James, Dave (December 1, 2020). "The best mini-ITX case in 2020". PC Gamer.
  9. ↑ "Q&A: Why do new laptops not come with optical drives?". October 23, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Why Do Most New PCs Not Come With DVD or Blu-Ray Drives?". Lifewire.
  11. ↑ "Disc Deathbed: Is the Optical Drive Obsolete? | Laptop Mag". www.laptopmag.com. 23 July 2011.
  12. ↑ "Why you might still want an optical drive | PCWorld". www.pcworld.com.
  13. ↑ "The death of disk? HDDs still have an important role to play". September 2, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Ghost S1 MkII". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  15. ↑ "Louqe" . Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  16. ↑ "DAN Cases A4-SFX v2 - an ultra-compact SFF case". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  17. ↑ "DAN Cases" . Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  18. ↑ "MJOLNIR: The minimalistic – but not boring – PC Case". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  19. ↑ "MJOLNIR" . Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  20. ↑ "SFF.Network" . Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  21. ↑ "Small Form Factor PC". reddit. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  22. ↑ "Small Form Factor Systems | [H]ard|Forum". 2022-01-08. Archived from the original on 2022-01-08. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  23. ↑ "Optimum Tech". YouTube. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  24. ↑ "Lazer3D - High Performance SFF PC Cases" . Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  25. ↑ "THINGS TAGGED WITH 'SFF'" . Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  26. ↑ "List of Small Form Factors," PC/104 and Small Form Factors, 2008
  27. ↑ S120 spec: http://global.aopen.com/products_detail.aspx?auno=2367
  28. ↑ "NCASE". NCASE. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  29. ↑ "DAN Cases". www.dan-cases.com. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  30. ↑ "Console | Sliger". sliger.com. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  31. ↑ "DR ZĄBER SENTRY 2.0 - Console-sized gaming PC case". zaber.com.pl. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  32. ↑ "HP and Compaq Desktop PCs - Motherboard Specifications, PTGV-DM (Onyx2)". hp.com. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  33. ↑ uBox news: http://global.aopen.com/news_detail.aspx?auno=10309&ntype=Product%20News
  34. ↑ "GIGABYTE's Haswell BRIX Lineup Updated with BRIX s Models". AnandTech. Retrieved 2014-01-13.
  35. ↑ "Intel® NUC Board D33217GKE". Intel.com. Retrieved 2014-01-13.
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