It's about time for me to upgrade my desktop and finally move into the world of true multi-core computing (the Pentium 4 with Hyperthreading I have now just isn't cutting it anymore).
The motherboard I have won't support newer CPUs (although it uses the LGA 775 "Socket T," the BIOS doesn't support true multi-core CPUs), so I need a new motherboard along with a new CPU.
Problem is, I've got a Dell XPS 400 which uses the BTX form-factor. So the more common ATX form-factor motherboards won't fit at all.
I've been having a heck of a time finding ANY BTX form-factor motherboards that support "modern" CPUs (e.g., Core 2 Duo, or AMD's dual-core CPUs). And when I do find something that looks like it might work, it turns out to be either:
- Incredibly expensive
- Made for super-small, ultra-quiet PCs rather than just a normal desktop
Or, more commonly, both.
So my question then is: is the BTX form-factor basically a dead-end? Should I give up on trying to find a motherboard that will fit into my case, and just go with a barebones kit or something? I'm trying to recycle as many parts as I can for my upgrade (keep the cost down), and I'd rather not have to buy a whole new case/power supply/etc.
