Computex 2004: Cases and Cooling - A Look at What's to Come
by Purav Sanghani on June 26, 2004 12:05 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
Introduction
Flying out to Taipei, the AnandTech team was expecting the BTX form factor to be the center of attention at Computex. Judging from the lack of BTX boards, we found this to be far from true. The only manufacturer who displayed a decent sized line of BTX boards was, not surprisingly, Intel. In turn, only a few manufacturers came to the show with their BTX style cases.Besides cases, many booths showed off other pieces of hardware from traditional power supplies to fan-less cooling equipment. Some of these manufacturers included Thermaltake, showing off its new fan-less power supplies, which made use of copper piping and fins to cool the unit, as well as other cooling hardware. Zalman also brought its line of cooling equipment along with its noise-less monster of a case, the TNN500AF.
Click to enlarge.
Other manufacturers, like Enlight and Aopen, brought their renditions of the new BTX format cases, while Lian Li and SilverStone presented us with their BTX look-a-likes.
There were many innovative products at 2004's Computex show in Taipei. We enjoyed our week-long stay there, taking in the sights and sounds. We know that you're all anxious to see what we saw, so without further ado...
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quanta - Tuesday, June 29, 2004 - link
Did the Thermaltake designers get their brains fried? The fanless CPU heatsink not only dissipates heat badly, it is also downright dangerous. Just look at how Heatlane Zen NCU-1000 CPU Cooler constantly locks up a P4 system[1]. Does Thermaltake really expect anyone, even hardware enthusists, to constantly monitoring the CPU load (and praying) to make sure the application they are running does not fully stress the CPU? If a heatsink requires people to do that, it should not even be made at all. Furthermore, this will open door to viruses that can remotely blow up other people's computers, just by overloading their CPUs![1] http://www.silentpcreview.com/Sections+index-req-p...
sprockkets - Sunday, June 27, 2004 - link
Aren't those power supplies by TTGI made anyhow by FSP?gherald - Sunday, June 27, 2004 - link
Well I can't say I'm too impressed... this article has only made me more satisfied with my PC-V2000.jliechty - Saturday, June 26, 2004 - link
It seems to me that a lot of the cases, ATX or BTX, that were pictured here, had temperature readouts or some similar thing on the front.For me personally, the case-eyecandy stuff doesn't matter at all, as although I have a somewhat-nice-looking Lian Li PC-60 (or is that 61? It's the regular silvery colored one), I don't spend hours gawking at it. Rather, I actually spend most of the time looking at my monitor, getting _work_ (or forum browsing, I guess that doesn't count for work) done.
mkruer - Saturday, June 26, 2004 - link
Is it my imagination or did just about every BTX case have a temperature read out in front? Hum makes me wonder if it they are going to come out with voice warnings soon.“Warning, warning, your system cooling is insufficient! Your system will melt down in 10 seconds, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (BOOM!!!) Have a nice day!”
Gholam - Saturday, June 26, 2004 - link
What, no mention of Zalman NEPS-400 fanless power supply? Far as I reckon, it's the PSU used in TNN-500 in an external casing + ATX/BTX PSU backplane to get the cable into the case. I'm getting one as soon as it becomes available in Israel :)CrystalBay - Saturday, June 26, 2004 - link
Chenbro had some real good functional mods, even though it might not look the best.JGF - Saturday, June 26, 2004 - link
Well I'll be damned, a nice looking Thermaltake computer case. Who woulda thunk it?Dasterdly - Saturday, June 26, 2004 - link
Not just intel, graphics card manufacturers want and need the new power standards.The desktop btx case looks pretty good, might have to check that one more.
Was Aopen the only one to show desktop btx cases?
epiv - Saturday, June 26, 2004 - link
Intel just want us to spend more money with BTX standard. They can introduce a model with all the benefit of BTX and still compatible with ATX. Intel chooses to introduce a new stardard that is not compatible with ATX and does not even allow us keep the ATX PSU.