If you’re wondering why AMD is trying to establish a new form factor, we remind you of AMD’s Analyst Day at the end of July 2007. At this event, AMD unveiled its strategy of becoming more of a presence in the consumer electronics segment. It seems like a safe guess that the DTX form factor ties in with this strategy. AMD has set very clear goals for the DTX. It is meant to enable small, quiet and energy-efficient systems – preferably using AMD hardware. Thanks to the platform being an open one, third party companies will be to optimize such systems for specific applications.

A new generation of HTPCs, PVRs, gaming consoles or receivers for digital TV are all among the possibilities offered by the DTX form factor. While we found some of the characteristics of the engineering sample we were sent convincing, such as the compact dimensions and downward compatibility, we have some reservations regarding other parts of the concept. The biggest issue at this point in the development is certainly the concept for expelling heat from the case, since it limits the user’s choices when it comes to setting up and placing the system. Still, we don’t want to be too critical of AMD’s DTX engineering sample. In the end, we’ll have to wait for final products to hit the shelves to see whether or not DTX will be successful, especially in the long term.

In the end, DTX computers will not be an ATX replacement for computer enthusiasts and power users, since the limited number of expansion slots severely restricts expandability and upgradability. Also, the reference system can only accommodate a single hard drive. That further disqualifies DTX for this group of users. On the other hand, it may well become popular not only in the home user and consumer electronics segments but for small to mid-size companies looking for compact and energy efficient computers as well. At any rate, DTX shows a lot of promise, so that Tom’s Hardware expects that DTX will gain a foothold in the OEM segment first – if at all. We do remain a little sceptical, though, as there are already several other compact form factors to choose from. In all likelihood, AMD’s choice of system partners and their ability to build on the foundation laid by AMD will once again decide whether DTX will be a success or a failure. And looking back at some of the company’s chipset launches, we know that things have not always gone as smoothly as they could have.