Case Comparison
When choosing a case consider more than just aesthetics. How big do you want your computer to be? How many PCIe expansion cards do you want it to support? More importantly for fanless computers, how much heat (measured in TDP) can the case or compatible CPU cooler effectively dissipate? The higher the TDP rating, the faster a CPU you can use.
| Case | Motherboard Size | Volume | Max CPU TDP | Graphics Card Support | Max GPU TDP | PCIe Full Height | PCIe Low Profile | CPU/GPU Cooler | 2.5” SSDs Supported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akasa Euler | Thin Mini ITX | 2.6 L | 35 W | No | N/A | 0 | 0 | Case | 1 |
| Akasa Euler MX | Mini ITX | 5.1 L | 65 W | No | N/A | 0 | 0 | Case | 2 |
| Akasa Galileo | Thin Mini ITX | 2.1 L | 35 W | No | N/A | 0 | 0 | Case | 0 |
| Akasa Turing | NUC | 2.7 L | 50 W | No | N/A | 0 | 0 | Case | 1 |
| Cooler Master Elite 110 | Mini ITX | 15.4 L | 65 W | Yes | 75 W | 1 | 0 | Internal | 4 |
| Cooler Master Q300L | Micro ATX | 33.8 L | 95 W | Yes | 75 W | 4 | 0 | Internal | 2 |
| Fractal Design Meshify C | ATX | 40.4 L | 95 W | Yes | 75 W | 7 | 0 | Internal | 4 |
| HDPlex H1 | Mini ITX | 5.5 L | 65 W | No | N/A | 0 | 0 | Case | 4 |
| HDPlex H3 | Mini ITX | 7.9 L | 65 W | No | N/A | 1 | 0 | Case | 4 |
| HDPlex H5 | ATX | 15.4 L | 95 W | Yes | 120 W | 2 | 1 | Case | 4 |
| MonsterLabo First | Mini ITX | 19.2 L | 95 W | Yes | 160 W | 1 (GPU Only) | 0 | Case | 3 |
| SilverStone LD03 | Mini ITX | 25.6 L | 65 W | Yes | 75 W | 1 | 0 | Internal | 2 |
| Streacom DB4 | Mini ITX | 18.1 L | 65 W | Yes | 75 W | 1 | 0 | Case | 4 |
| Streacom FC5 | ATX | 10.0 L | 65 W | No | N/A | 1 | 0 | Case | 4 |
| Streacom FC8 | Mini ITX | 5.9 L | 65 W | No | N/A | 0 | 1 | Case | 4 |
| Streacom FC9 | Micro ATX | 11.0 L | 65 W | No | N/A | 0 | 3 | Case | 4 |
| Streacom FC10 | ATX | 13.8 L | 65 W | No | N/A | 2 | 0 | Case | 4 |
| Turemetal DP2 | Mini ITX | 3.9 L | 65 W | No | N/A | 0 | 0 | Case | 2 |
CPU Comparison
There are three main parameters to consider when choosing a central processing unit (CPU): the number of cores and threads, the base and boost core frequencies, and the thermal design power (TDP). A core is a physically separate processing unit and a thread is a simulated processing unit. The more cores a CPU has, the more instructions it can process at full speed. Two threads share a single core’s processing power and therefore do not operate quite as quickly as two separate cores, although performance between a single core and a single thread can be similar. Single cores will work just as quickly as multiple cores for simpler tasks such as web browsing, word processing, and playing music or movies. Some tasks greatly benefit from multiple cores however, including photo and video editing, video encoding, and more demanding gaming. A CPU’s frequency is the theoretical number of instructions it can process in one second. Generally a higher frequency means a faster processor, although not all clock cycles are equal; that’s why benchmark tests exist. The base frequency is the frequency at which all cores can operate indefinitely. A boost frequency can generally only be operated at by a single core at a time, and only if temperatures are low enough to safely allow it. A CPU’s TDP corresponds to the amount of heat a processor will produce. TDP does not directly affect performance, but if a processor’s TDP is higher than what a fanless cooler can handle, the processor will automatically “throttle,” or reduce its frequency to reduce its temperature and prevent damage.
| Processor | Cores | Threads | Base Frequency | Max Boost Frequency | Cache | TDP | Passmark Benchmark | Integrated Graphics | Passmark Graphics Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMD Ryzen 3 3200G | 4 | 4 | 3.6 GHz | 4.0 GHz | 6 MB | 65 W | 7,999 | Radeon Vega 8 | 1,734 |
| AMD Ryzen 5 3400G | 4 | 8 | 3.7 GHz | 4.2 GHz | 6 MB | 65 W | 10,244 | Radeon RX Vega 11 | 2,279 |
| AMD Ryzen 5 3600 | 6 | 12 | 3.6 GHz | 4.2 GHz | 35 MB | 65 W | 17,830 | None | N/A |
| AMD Ryzen 7 3700X | 8 | 16 | 3.6 GHz | 4.4 GHz | 36 MB | 65 W | 22,749 | None | N/A |
| Intel Celeron G5900 | 2 | 2 | 3.4 GHz | 3.4 GHz | 2 MB | 58 W | 2,737 | Intel UHD 610 | 726 |
| Intel Pentium Gold G6400 | 2 | 4 | 4.0 GHz | 4.0 GHz | 4 MB | 58 W | 4,244 | Intel UHD 610 | 721 |
| Intel Core i3-10100 | 4 | 8 | 3.7 GHz | 4.4 GHz | 8 MB | 65 W | 9,381 | Intel UHD 630 | 1,551 |
| Intel Core i5-10500 | 6 | 12 | 3.1 GHz | 4.5 GHz | 12 MB | 65 W | 13,470 | Intel UHD 630 | 1,551 |
| Intel Core i7-10700 | 8 | 16 | 2.9 GHz | 4.8 GHz | 16 MB | 65 W | 17,629 | Intel UHD 630 | 1,551 |
| Intel Core i9-10900 | 10 | 20 | 2.8 GHz | 5.2 GHz | 20 MB | 65 W | 21,290 | Intel UHD 630 | 1,551 |
Motherboard Comparison
When choosing a motherboard consider its size, processor support, video ports available, and whether or not it includes Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi can be added to motherboards that do not already include Wi-Fi, but at an added cost.
| Motherboard | Size | Processor | Max RAM | PCIe Slots | M.2 Slots | SATA Ports | Video Ports | Ethernet Ports | Wi-Fi | USB Ports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASRock H470M-ITX | Mini ITX | Intel Comet Lake | 64 GB | 1 x16 | 2 Gen 3 x4 | 4 | DisplayPort 1.4 HDMI 1.4 | 1G & 2.5G | Included | 1 3.0 1 3.0 Type C 4 3.1 |
| ASRock Z490 Pro4 | ATX | Intel Comet Lake | 128 GB | 1 x16 1 x4 3 x1 | 2 Gen 3 x4 | 6 | HDMI 1.4 D-Sub | 1G | M.2 E or PCIe Card | 2 2.0 2 3.0 1 3.1 1 3.1 Type C |
| ASRock Z490M Pro4 | Micro ATX | Intel Comet Lake | 128 GB | 1 x16 1 x4 2 x1 4 x1 | 2 Gen 3 x4 | 4 | DisplayPort 1.4 HDMI 1.4 D-Sub | 1G | M.2 E or PCIe Card | 4 3.0 1 3.1 1 3.1 Type C |
| Asus H310T | Thin Mini ITX | Intel Coffee Lake | 32 GB SO-DIMM | None | 1 Gen 3 x4 | 2 | DisplayPort 1.4 HDMI 1.4 | 1G | M.2 E Card | 2 2.0 2 3.0 |
| Asus ProArt Z490-Creator | ATX | Intel Comet Lake | 128 GB | 1 x16 1 x8 1 x4 2 x1 | 2 Gen 3 x4 | 6 | 2 Mini DisplayPort 1.4 (via Thunderbolt) HDMI 1.4 | 2.5G & 10G | PCIe Card | 2 3.0 4 3.1 2 Thunderbolt 3 |
| Asus ROG Strix B550-F | ATX | AMD Zen 2 | 128 GB | 1 Gen 4 x16 1 x4 3 x1 | 1 Gen 3 x4 1 Gen 4 x4 | 6 | DisplayPort 1.2 HDMI 2.1 | 2.5G | PCIe Card | 2 2.0 4 3.0 1 3.1 1 3.1 Type C |
| Asus ROG Strix H470-I | Mini ITX | Intel Comet Lake | 64 GB | 1 x16 | 2 Gen 3 x4 | 4 | DisplayPort 1.4 HDMI 1.4 | 1G & 1G | Included | 1 2.0 Type C 4 3.0 1 3.1 1 3.1 Type C |
| Gigabyte B550I Aorus Pro AX | Mini ITX | AMD Zen 2 | 64 GB | 1 Gen 4 x16 | 1 Gen 3 x4 1 Gen 4 x4 | 4 | DisplayPort 1.4 2 HDMI 2.1 | 2.5G | Included | 4 3.0 1 3.1 1 3.1 Type C |
| MSI B550IM Mortar WiFi | Micro ATX | AMD Zen 2 | 128 GB | 1 Gen 4 x16 1 x4 2 x1 | 1 Gen 3 x4 1 Gen 4 x4 | 6 | DisplayPort 1.4 HDMI 1.4 | 2.5G | Included | 2 2.0 2 3.0 1 3.1 1 3.1 Type C |
How Much RAM Do I Need?
Generally the more RAM you have, the better. Doubling the amount of memory in your system will give you ample “space” to work with and will make a difference in overall speed when multitasking. More memory allows you to run more programs at once, and memory-hungry programs will see increased performance.
| Users | Recommended RAM |
|---|---|
| Casual Users & Frequent Users: Internet Browsing, Email, Simple Office Programs, Simple Graphics Programs, Simple Gaming, Media Playback, Little Multitasking | 4 GB |
| Power Users & Students: Internet Browsing, Email, Office Programs, Photo Editing, Video Editing, Graphics Programs, Gaming, Intensive Multitasking | 8-16 GB |
| Professional Users, Gamers, & Graphic Designers High Performance Gaming, High-Definition Multimedia Editing, Graphics Design, 3D Modeling, Intensive Multitasking | ≥ 32 GB |
GPU Comparison
The available graphics processing units (GPUs) can be split into three categories: integrated GPUs that are included with the CPU and are good for everyday tasks, discrete low-power (< 50 W TDP) graphics cards also good for everyday tasks, and discrete high-power graphics cards good for intense graphics performance for demanding games, video editing, and 3D modeling.
| Graphics Processor | Cores | Base Frequency | Boost Frequency | Memory | TDP | Passmark Graphics Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMD Radeon RX 560 | 1,024 | 1,175 MHz | 1,275 MHz | 4 GB GDDR5 | 80 W | 3,632 |
| Intel UHD 610 | 12 | 350 MHz | 1,050 MHz | RAM Dependent | CPU Dependent | 721 |
| Intel UHD 630 | 24 | 350 MHz | 1,100 MHz | RAM Dependent | CPU Dependent | 1,551 |
| Nvidia GeForce GT 710 | 192 | 954 MHz | 954 MHz | 1 GB DDR3 | 19 W | 620 |
| Nvidia GeForce GT 1030 | 384 | 1,228 MHz | 1,468 MHz | 2 GB GDDR5 | 30 W | 2,617 |
| Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 | 896 | 1,485 MHz | 1,665 MHz | 4 GB GDDR5 | 75 W | 7,894 |
| Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super | 1,408 | 1,530 MHz | 1,785 MHz | 6 GB GDDR6 | 125 W | 12,704 |
| Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 | 1,920 | 1,365 MHz | 1,680 MHz | 6 GB GDDR6 | 160 W | 14,731 |
| Nvidia Quadro P2200 | 1,280 | 1,000 MHz | 1,493 MHz | 5 GB GDDR5X | 75 W | 9,529 |