MaximumPC 2006 09

reviewsTESTED. REVIEWED. VERDICTIZED

 MA XIMUMPC SEPTEMBER 2006

T

rying to get a lot of hardware into a

small case is like trying to approach

the speed of light—the harder you try,

the more difficult it gets. You can only jam so

much hardware into a box before something

breaks, overheats, or shorts out. So just as

subcompact cars have grown into compact

cars, today’s microATX small formfactor (SFF)

rigs can hold much more hardware than yes-

terday’s. We look at a couple of them here.

—GORDON MAH UNG

PC DESIGN LAB QMICRA

So you want to create a DIY PC using all of

today’s white-phosphorous-hot components

and the requisite hefty power supply—and you

want it to be small? Impossible? Maybe not.

PC Design Lab apparently had that sce-

nario in mind when it designed the Qmicra

SFF. Although this case takes its styling

cues from the Amish big-barn era, when you

remove the two support bars, unscrew the

feet, and pop off the lid, you have amazingly

easy access to the internals—more so than

with other SFFs.

We installed a microATX motherboard, a

PC Power and Cooling 510 PSU, and even

a GeForce 7950 GX2, with no problems.

Amazing. The case is a bit unfinished, with

a few too many sharp edges, but it’s perfect

for modders. You can strip the shell all the

way down if you want. You can also mount

four hard drives, although we think the drive-

retention mechanism is under-engineered.

We can’t imagine hanging four big drives

from a piece of alu-

minum that wobbles

back and forth.

PC Design Lab

has obviously put

some thought into

airflow. The case

has mounts for four

8cm fans—two in

the front and two in

the back—a setup

that should create a

BTX-like air channel

throughout the case. That’s well and good,

but for the Qmicra’s $380 price tag we’d

expect the fans to be included. The rig is also

missing front USB ports. In the end, we think

the case is just a bit rough and flimsy for the

kind of cash PC Design Lab is asking.

ULTRA PRODUCTS MICROFLY

At first glance, Ultra Products’ MicroFly

might look like a clone of Aspire’s X-

QPack (reviewed October 2005) but it

isn’t. The MicroFly is longer by

about an inch, which lets you

use a standard power supply

(although the rig comes with a

PSU rated for 400 watts). The

MicroFly is also windowless,

and we prefer this design.

After all, you should only flaunt

your innards if they’re worth

flaunting. And let’s be frank:

Most of us don’t have the

patience to pull off a wiring job

worthy of close inspection.

Access to the MicroFly’s

internals isn’t quite as easy as

with the Qmicra, but you do

get a mobo tray. A single 8cm

fan mounted in the front sucks air in while

a rear-mounted 12cm fan handles exhaust

duties. The cooling configuration is better

than that of Silverstone’s SG01 (another

“medium” formfactor rig, reviewed

January 2006), but probably not as good

as the Qmicra’s, which pushes more air

over the videocard.

In hardware, the MicroFly can handle a

two-slot graphics card and up to two hard

drives. And the MicroFly’s relatively long

body can house a greater assortment of

optical drives. Unfortunately, the MicroFly

feels just as flimsy as the Qmicra (and

Aspire’s X-QPack, for that matter). The

front handle doesn’t feel secure when the

system is empty, let alone full of hardware.

The real problem the MicroFly and

the Qmicra face, however, is that they’re

both straddling the SFF and standard

tower worlds, awkwardly. Attempts at

elongating and widening the SFF design

have pushed these formfactors beyond

even “medium.” The MicroFly, for exam-

ple, is more than three inches wider than

a standard tower case, and it looks huge.

It begs the question: Why not just use a

standard tower?

Small Formfactor

Fisticuffs

SFF’s break the laws of physics

Capable of mounting a standard PSU, the MicroFly’s

main weakness is its size—it’s really not that small. $100, http://www.ultraproducts.com

ULTRA PRODUCTS MICROFLY

DATSUN ROADSTER 2000

Much improved over Aspire’s

X-QPack, the MicroFly even

takes a standard PSU.

ALFA ROMEO SPYDER^8

A flimsy front handle could send

your system tumbling.

$380, http://www.pcdesignlab.com

PC DESIGN LAB QMICRA

FIAT 850

It’s easy to add almost any

parts to the Qmicra’s roomy

interior.

BUGEYE SPRITE 

It’s expensive, rough, and lacks

basic amenities such as front USB

and FireWire ports.

With too many sharp edges and too high a price, the Qmicra’s

weaknesses overcome its strengths.

14.75"

9.75

"

12.5"

15.2^5 "

9.25

"

11.25"