With all these problems for adopters, it’s not surprising to find that systems integrators (SIs) are doing their homework before committing. Most make the valid point that there’s no need to switch yet; high-end Pentium 4 systems aren’t overly prone to collapse under their own heat if cooled by a couple of quiet 120mm fans. A spokesperson from Evesham said, ‘There’s no mad rush to adopt’, while a Mesh product manager said he’d received no notes about BTX in the company suggestions box at all. But it seems that the integrators like BTX and think it’s interesting, and are looking at how to make it work, as getting the technical details right is tricky. It’s a sensible approach, and should ensure that BTX systems are ready to go when the need arises.
Dell is the exception that proves the rule. It’s the only system integrator to exclusively use Intel processors; it’s no surprise that Dell already has a BTX system for sale – the Dimension 5000. Though Dell seems reluctant to make its entire range BTX, we wouldn’t be surprised to see more soon.
So, as with any new technology there are teething troubles for early adopters. With all the incompatibilities between ATX and BTX, making the switch yourself will be costly. The choice of cases will be limited to begin with, but with these boards now available we’d expect someone to start making interesting BTX cases soon. Still, hats off to Gigabyte for producing these boards so that manufacturers can properly test BTX systems with retail components.
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