AMD announces DTX standard for small form factors
updated 05:30 pm EST, Wed January 10, 2007
AMD's new DTX standard
AMD has devised a new form factor called DTX, a rival to the current ATX standard invented by Intel. The requirements of DTX are described as being fairly open, specifying mainly where the motherboard will mount, and which areas are off-limits. DTX motherboards should in theory be quieter, however, and use less electricity than current designs. Size will also be reduced, with measurements falling somewhere between Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX, at approximately 7.9 inches by 9.6. An even smaller standard is Mini-DTX, which should be 6.7x7.9 inches, but will be limited to processors with 35W TDP (Thermal Design Power). AMD believes that these reductions should further enable cost savings, with four DTX boards (or six Mini-DTX boards) coming out of a single PCB panel, where the same material would produce two ATXs. AMD is set to distribute the DTX documents later this quarter, but companies such as Asus and MSI have already declared intentions to build DTX products.
