Ever since we first laid eyes on Shuttle's original XPC, we've been enamored with the concept of small, quiet boxes that still house very capable PCs. You've gotta like the combination of stylish design, power, and convenience that such systems bring to the desktop--or to the countertop, for that matter. For just about that same length of time, though, we've been wishing for a set of standards for small-form-factor systems that would allow DIYers to mix their preferred motherboards with just the right chassis. That desire grew more acute as the popularity of home theater PCs mushroomed, yet building one that's sufficiently quiet, compact, stylish, and powerful remained a maddeningly tedious exercise in component selection and assembly. Today, small form factor PCs have become a staple offering from big PC makers, but they remain a difficult proposition for would-be DIYers and smaller PC vendors.
AMD aims to remedy this situation with a set of standards, known as DTX, that could bring some harmony to the chaotic, inconsistent world of SFF-ready PC components. The firm first introduced the DTX specification early this year, and we now have our Cheeto-stained hands on a prototype of a DTX-compliant reference design system. Keep reading to see what DTX is all about and how the first reference design is shaping up.