NCASE M1: a crowdfunded Mini-ITX case (updates in first post)

Interesting post. To give you some more inspiriation, I'd like to share my build again, which I already posted here about half a year ago. On the side, you can use a Noctua A15 PWM, the 140 mm fan with 120 mm mounting holes. It fits next to the U9S, and can spin at a bit lower rpm. In my build, I have a front-to-back airflow, with the 140 mm fan on the side as intake, and an additional Noctua A9 PWM 92 mm fan on the front as intake. As you can see in the pictures, it channels air over and under the GPU, driving the hot air out the back. I guess the reverse, back-to-front, would also work, but I think sucking in the air via the cutout in the front panel is more efficient than blowing hot air against the front panel. I think this might be the most efficient way to cool both a non-exhausting GPU and a CPU, but of course you lose the front panel I/O.

Thats quite a layout. Thanks for sharing. I will be reversing the air flow soon and see how it compares once I received extra rubber mounts. I think its a big question that needs answering here.
 
I just wanted to post that I finally received my RockIt 88 Delid and Relid Kit last week and it has helped me to properly relid my 4790K. Temperatures are down nearly 20 degrees C and I couldn't be happier. I now have a cooler and quieter system.

Below are details about my search for better cooling including the initial delidding with no relidding and then switching to a liquid metal TIM and relidding the IHS.

Despite having a (now rare) Noctua NH-C14, my 4790K had much higher temperatures than I expected (80s C under load), based on the results from other M1 owners. Either something was wrong with my NH-C14 or how I had mounted it or applied the TIM improperly. Alas, nothing I tried resulted in lower temperatures. I even contacted Noctua and all they could suggest was that maybe I had a "broken" CPU. I believe they were suggesting the hard crumbly TIM that Intel applied to my CPU was to blame. They would not explicitly recommend I delid the CPU and replace the TIM, but it seemded clear to me that this is what they were hinting at.

So a few months ago I delided my CPU using a razor blade and a lot of care. I had read about using a liquid metal TIM, but htis was too extreme for me so I used Noctua's NT-H1 instead. I did NOT relid the CPU. I let the IHS rest on the CPU die, held in place by the Socket 1150 latching mechanism and the pressure of the NH-C14. Initially, my temperatures were about 10 degrees C lower, however over time they slowly increased closer to what they had been before. More reading led me to theorize that my CPU was flexing under the mounting pressure of the NH-C14 and that this was increasing the gap between the CPU die and the IHS. This is exactly why relidding is recommended. It increases the stiffness of the CPU package. I decided the final thing to try was to relid the CPU.

I also decided to purchase some Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut to use instead of the NT-H1 and Gelid GC-Extreme for between the IHS and the NH-C14. For the IHS adhesive, I purchased Permatex Adhesive Sealant (Clear Silicone) which is rated for continuous use from -59 C to 204 C. I was originally planning to clamp the IHS to the CPU substrate using some pucks and a C-clamp, but changed my mind and bought the RockIt 88 kit. Hey, I'd come this far already.

The 4790K has a line of tiny surface-mounted components a few millimeters from the CPU die. I did not want any of the liquid metal to short-circuit these so I applied a few thin layers of clear nail polish over the components. The next day, I applied the Conductonaut liquid metal to the CPU die. Despite watching several videos more came out than I had wanted. All the videos state not to use too much so I removed the excess so that only a thin layer remained, as evenly as I could spread it. Some videos say to apply the liquid metal to the underside of the IHS, but other videos say this isn't necessary. I decided to apply a very thin layer, just like I had done to the CPU die. Next, I applied the Permatex in a very thin bead using a small gauge syringe needle, leaving a small gap for airflow just like Intel had. Finally, the IHS was centered and secured using the RockIt 88. I waited 2 days for the adhesive to fully cure which is an extra day.

In the past I have followed Arctic Silver's instructions for applying TIM and I did so again. I thoroughly cleaned the NH-C14 and IHS surfaces and then lightly tinted them with a small amount of the GC-Extreme. Next a thin vertical line of GC-Extreme was applied on the IHS over the CPU die. The 4790K die is in the shape of a long rectangle, so this makes a lot of sense. Arctic Silver's application instructions show the TIM spreading into a oval so I also added a very small dot of GC-Extreme in the corners of the IHS. Finally, the NH-C14 was fastened down with care to tighten the two mounting bolts equally and simultaneously.

In the past I had fans on top and below the fin array (NF-A15 and NF-P12, both PWM), but this time I only used Noctua's NF-P14R (round) which spins a bit faster and has greater static pressure than the NF-A15. Of course, this fan is also a bit louder, but for me it's acceptable. I know it wouldn't be for everyone. Maybe I'll retry the NF-A15 or the new NF-S12A at a later date.

It has been almost a week since I completed these tasks and the results have been great. Temperatures are much lower, close to the mythical 20 degrees C drop I had hoped for. I can even run the NF-P14R on a Silent fan profile. So with the right tools and materials and a lot of care, my delidding has finally been a success.
 
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I just wanted to post that I finally received my RockIt 88 Delid and Relid Kit last week and it has helped me to properly relid my 4790K. Temperatures are down nearly 20 degrees C and I couldn't be happier. I now have a cooler and quieter system.

Below are details about my search for better cooling including an initial delidding with no relidding and then switching to a liquid metal TIM and relidding the IHS.

Despite having a (now rare) Noctua NH-C14, my 4790K had much higher temperatures than I expected (80s C under load), based on the results from other M1 owners. Either something was wrong with my NH-C14 or how I had mounted it or applied the TIM improperly. Alas, nothing I tried resulted in lower temperatures. I even contacted Noctua and all they could suggest was that maybe I had a "broken" CPU. I believe they were suggesting the hard crumbly TIM that Intel applied to my CPU was to blame. They would not explicitly recommend I delid the CPU and replace the TIM, but it seemded clear to me that this is what they were hinting at.

So a few months ago I delided my CPU using a razor blade and a lot of care. I had read about using a liquid metal TIM, but htis was too extreme for me so I used Noctua's NT-H1 instead. I did NOT relid the CPU. I let the IHS rest on the CPU die, held in place by the Socket 1150 latching mechanism and the pressure of the NH-C14. Initially, my temperatures were about 10 degrees C lower, however over time they slowly increased closer to what they had been before. More reading led me to theorize that my CPU was flexing under the mounting pressure of the NH-C14 and that this was increasing the gap between the CPU die and the IHS. This is exactly why relidding is recommended. It increases the stiffness of the CPU package. I decided the final thing to try was to relid the CPU.

I also decided to purchase some Thermal Grizzley Conductonaut to use instead of the NT-H1 and Gelid GC-Extreme for between the IHS and the NH-C14. For the IHS adhesive, I purchased Permatex Adhesive Sealant (Clear Silicone) which is rated for continuous use from -59 C to 204 C. I was originally planning to clamp the IHS to the CPU substrate using some pucks and a C-clamp, but changed my mind and bought the RockIt 88 kit. Hey, I'd come this far already.

The 4790K has a line of tiny surface-mounted components a few millimeters from the CPU die. I did not want any of the liquid metal to short-circuit these so I applied a few thin layers of clear nail polish over the components. The next day, I applied the Conductonaut liquid metal to the CPU die. Despite watching several videos more came out than I had wanted. All the videos state not to use too much so I removed the excess so that only a thin layer remained, as evenly as I could spread it. Some videos say to apply the liquid metal to the underside of the IHS, but other videos say this isn't necessary. I decided to apply a very thin layer, just like I had done to the CPU die. Next, I applied the Permatex in a very thin bead using a small gauge syringe needle, leaving a small gap for airflow just like Intel had. Finally, the IHS was centered and secured using the RockIt 88. I waited 2 days for the adhesive to fully cure which is an extra day.

In the past I have followed Arctic Silver's instructions for applying TIM and I did so again. I thoroughly cleaned the NH-C14 and IHS surfaces and then lightly tinted them with a small amount of the GC-Extreme. Next a thin vertical line of GC-Extreme was applied on the IHS over the CPU die. The 4790K die is in the shape of a long rectangle, so this makes a lot of sense. Arctic Silver's application instructions show the TIM spreading into a oval so I also added a very small dot of GC-Extreme in the corners of the IHS. Finally, the NH-C14 was fastened down with care to tighten the two mounting bolts equally and simultaneously.

In the past I had fans on top and below the fin array (NF-A15 and NF-P12, both PWM), but this time I only used Noctua's NF-P14R (round) which spins a bit faster and has greater static pressure than the NF-A15. Of course, this fan is also a bit louder, but for me it's acceptable. I know it wouldn't be for everyone. Maybe I'll retry the NF-A15 or the new NF-S12A at a later date.

It has been almost a week since I completed these tasks and the results have been great. Temperatures are much lower, close to the mythical 20 degrees C drop I had hoped for. I can even run the NF-P14R on a Silent fan profile. So with the right tools and materials and a lot of care, my delidding has finally been a success.

It's kind of amazing to actually see the difference isn't it. It's the ultimate bang for your buck upgrade...
 
It's kind of amazing to actually see the difference isn't it. It's the ultimate bang for your buck upgrade...

It really is. I have seen claims of 20C reduction in temps for quite a while, but to actually see it yourself through your own testing is pretty amazing. Well worth the effort.
 
I just wanted to post that I finally received my RockIt 88 Delid and Relid Kit last week and it has helped me to properly relid my 4790K. Temperatures are down nearly 20 degrees C and I couldn't be happier. I now have a cooler and quieter system.

Below are details about my search for better cooling including the initial delidding with no relidding and then switching to a liquid metal TIM and relidding the IHS.

Despite having a (now rare) Noctua NH-C14, my 4790K had much higher temperatures than I expected (80s C under load), based on the results from other M1 owners. Either something was wrong with my NH-C14 or how I had mounted it or applied the TIM improperly. Alas, nothing I tried resulted in lower temperatures. I even contacted Noctua and all they could suggest was that maybe I had a "broken" CPU. I believe they were suggesting the hard crumbly TIM that Intel applied to my CPU was to blame. They would not explicitly recommend I delid the CPU and replace the TIM, but it seemded clear to me that this is what they were hinting at.

So a few months ago I delided my CPU using a razor blade and a lot of care. I had read about using a liquid metal TIM, but htis was too extreme for me so I used Noctua's NT-H1 instead. I did NOT relid the CPU. I let the IHS rest on the CPU die, held in place by the Socket 1150 latching mechanism and the pressure of the NH-C14. Initially, my temperatures were about 10 degrees C lower, however over time they slowly increased closer to what they had been before. More reading led me to theorize that my CPU was flexing under the mounting pressure of the NH-C14 and that this was increasing the gap between the CPU die and the IHS. This is exactly why relidding is recommended. It increases the stiffness of the CPU package. I decided the final thing to try was to relid the CPU.

I also decided to purchase some Thermal Grizzley Conductonaut to use instead of the NT-H1 and Gelid GC-Extreme for between the IHS and the NH-C14. For the IHS adhesive, I purchased Permatex Adhesive Sealant (Clear Silicone) which is rated for continuous use from -59 C to 204 C. I was originally planning to clamp the IHS to the CPU substrate using some pucks and a C-clamp, but changed my mind and bought the RockIt 88 kit. Hey, I'd come this far already.

The 4790K has a line of tiny surface-mounted components a few millimeters from the CPU die. I did not want any of the liquid metal to short-circuit these so I applied a few thin layers of clear nail polish over the components. The next day, I applied the Conductonaut liquid metal to the CPU die. Despite watching several videos more came out than I had wanted. All the videos state not to use too much so I removed the excess so that only a thin layer remained, as evenly as I could spread it. Some videos say to apply the liquid metal to the underside of the IHS, but other videos say this isn't necessary. I decided to apply a very thin layer, just like I had done to the CPU die. Next, I applied the Permatex in a very thin bead using a small gauge syringe needle, leaving a small gap for airflow just like Intel had. Finally, the IHS was centered and secured using the RockIt 88. I waited 2 days for the adhesive to fully cure which is an extra day.

In the past I have followed Arctic Silver's instructions for applying TIM and I did so again. I thoroughly cleaned the NH-C14 and IHS surfaces and then lightly tinted them with a small amount of the GC-Extreme. Next a thin vertical line of GC-Extreme was applied on the IHS over the CPU die. The 4790K die is in the shape of a long rectangle, so this makes a lot of sense. Arctic Silver's application instructions show the TIM spreading into a oval so I also added a very small dot of GC-Extreme in the corners of the IHS. Finally, the NH-C14 was fastened down with care to tighten the two mounting bolts equally and simultaneously.

In the past I had fans on top and below the fin array (NF-A15 and NF-P12, both PWM), but this time I only used Noctua's NF-P14R (round) which spins a bit faster and has greater static pressure than the NF-A15. Of course, this fan is also a bit louder, but for me it's acceptable. I know it wouldn't be for everyone. Maybe I'll retry the NF-A15 or the new NF-S12A at a later date.

It has been almost a week since I completed these tasks and the results have been great. Temperatures are much lower, close to the mythical 20 degrees C drop I had hoped for. I can even run the NF-P14R on a Silent fan profile. So with the right tools and materials and a lot of care, my delidding has finally been a success.
I think you're attributing your temp raise after a month to not relidding but the actually cause is thermal paste squeeze out, you can do a search and find many people have the same results as you when using regular thermal paste for the TIM.

It's been about 2.5 months for me now since my original delid without relidding and temps are the same (lower due to colder temps), I used coollaboratory liquid ultra.

Just wanted to clear up any misconceptions. My 4770K @4.5GHz is now cooler than it was stock, pretty amazing even if I waited nearly 4 years to do it.
 
If anyone sell his FrozenQ reservoir for ncase (or another alternative) please, pm me. I want to use my apogee this month!
 
I think you're attributing your temp raise after a month to not relidding but the actually cause is thermal paste squeeze out, you can do a search and find many people have the same results as you when using regular thermal paste for the TIM.

It's been about 2.5 months for me now since my original delid without relidding and temps are the same (lower due to colder temps), I used coollaboratory liquid ultra.

Just wanted to clear up any misconceptions. My 4770K @4.5GHz is now cooler than it was stock, pretty amazing even if I waited nearly 4 years to do it.

Thanks for your input. I agree the loss of thermal paste was causing my temperatures to slowly increase. My research led me to believe that this was caused by bending of the CPU PCB from the pressure of the heatsink. Proponents of relidding claim that it stiffens the entire CPU package which helps to maintain the gap between the CPU die and the IHS. I have no idea if this is true or not. Maybe this applies more to the later generation of Intel Core processors which have a thinner PCB than earlier generations. When I removed the IHS to replace the NT-H1 with Conductonaut, the CPU die appeared to be well covered, so who know why my temperatures worsened over time.

I am glad your temperatures are staying low without relidding. Relidding definitely needs to be done carefully and if it's not needed the whole process is simplified. Do you have any idea why liquid metal TIM doesn't get squeezed out like regular thermal paste?
 
All these horizontal U9S builds has me regretting going vertical on my setup... but man I don't want to go in there and change it.

... maybe on the next upgrade...
 
All these horizontal U9S builds has me regretting going vertical on my setup... but man I don't want to go in there and change it.

... maybe on the next upgrade...
hey, my build is still sucking in air from the side to support a L9i type heatsink :p

Though I chose my layout for low noise, and this is what I stuck with after the most minimal of testing.
 
Got myself a Seagate 5TB 2.5" HDD. It's amazing they were able to pack 5TB into that form factor, although it is 15mm. I swore I wouldn't put a spinning drive in my PC again, but I needed storage, so... it's going outside. ;) This way I can also use it with my phone and laptop. The advantage of the 2.5" form factor is that it can be powered by USB, and it's also much smaller and lighter. The enclosure I got looks really good next to the M1 too, it's like they were meant for each other. Equal amounts of fingerprint-proneness too.


MLPRNJ1.png


QBAqzyV.png


eaxw6gI.png
 
Got myself a Seagate 5TB 2.5" HDD. It's amazing they were able to pack 5TB into that form factor, although it is 15mm. I swore I wouldn't put a spinning drive in my PC again, but I needed storage, so... it's going outside. ;) This way I can also use it with my phone and laptop. The advantage of the 2.5" form factor is that it can be powered by USB, and it's also much smaller and lighter. The enclosure I got looks really good next to the M1 too, it's like they were meant for each other. Equal amounts of fingerprint-proneness too.


MLPRNJ1.png


QBAqzyV.png


eaxw6gI.png

You know you can buy those already in an enclosure, usually for cheaper than the bare drive. That is a good looking enclosure that goes well with your Ncase.
 
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You know you can buy those already in an enclosure, usually for cheaper than the bare drive. That is a good looking enclosure that goes well with your Ncase.

I know, but I like the flexibility of being able to pick the drive I want and replace it down the line. Also the enclosure I got is pretty fancy, it supports USB, eSATA, and has an on/off switch, and looks better than any of the preassembled ones.

Edit: Actually the drive you linked uses the exact same drive I bought and costs $70 less, and is easy to disassemble. Wow, I could have easily saved $70 and still used the third party enclosure I wanted. I usually do lots of research before buying PC parts, but in this case it didn't occur to me the bare drive could be more expensive, let alone 30% more. Why would Seagate do this... Well, lesson learned.
 
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Thanks for your input. I agree the loss of thermal paste was causing my temperatures to slowly increase. My research led me to believe that this was caused by bending of the CPU PCB from the pressure of the heatsink. Proponents of relidding claim that it stiffens the entire CPU package which helps to maintain the gap between the CPU die and the IHS. I have no idea if this is true or not. Maybe this applies more to the later generation of Intel Core processors which have a thinner PCB than earlier generations. When I removed the IHS to replace the NT-H1 with Conductonaut, the CPU die appeared to be well covered, so who know why my temperatures worsened over time.

I am glad your temperatures are staying low without relidding. Relidding definitely needs to be done carefully and if it's not needed the whole process is simplified. Do you have any idea why liquid metal TIM doesn't get squeezed out like regular thermal paste?
No I don't know why exactly, probably just it's thermal properties and viscosity, it might make more of a difference with the newer chips, can't say for sure. I did use a dab of thermal adhesive on the corners to semi relid it, doubt it's doing much though.

Got the new power supply installed, cables are much nicer than the old Silverstone 450 ones. Magnetic fan filter finally in the build now too.


Z7cZygg.jpg


wtVYD2R.jpg


4gitMtn.jpg


The new power supply is very nice, can't really hear anything from the build, even when gaming and listening for it I can only hear what I consider reasonable airflow and that's getting up close to it. I did move the A15 back directly to the heatsink unlike this picture, temps got higher when I had it on the side bracket.
 
I did move the A15 back directly to the heatsink unlike this picture, temps got higher when I had it on the side bracket.
it's probably starved for airflow on that bracket, between the reduced inlet and the filter, even if it's not stalling (which it may be if it's not running full speed).
 
I know, but I like the flexibility of being able to pick the drive I want and replace it down the line. Also the enclosure I got is pretty fancy, it supports USB, eSATA, and has an on/off switch, and looks better than any of the preassembled ones.

Edit: Actually the drive you linked uses the exact same drive I bought and costs $70 less, and is easy to disassemble. Wow, I could have easily saved $70 and still used the third party enclosure I wanted. I usually do lots of research before buying PC parts, but in this case it didn't occur to me the bare drive could be more expensive, let alone 30% more. Why would Seagate do this... Well, lesson learned.

I was shopping for the 4TB version awhile back and noticed that, I have no idea why Seagate would sell the drive + enclosure for less than the bare drive.
 
it's probably starved for airflow on that bracket, between the reduced inlet and the filter, even if it's not stalling (which it may be if it's not running full speed).
Yea, I didn't want to put it there but I had no zip ties :). Wire ties to the rescue! :)
 
So I thought everyone that had the 'passive' graphics card with two bottom case fans were using the case fans to blow air on the graphics card, you're telling me the bottom mounted fans are blowing air out of the case/away from the graphics card? I'm surprised that effectively cools the card.

Also, you can mod that SX450 with a NoiseBlocker fan pretty easily, really makes it a lot quieter.

I did the same thing with my GTX 1080 Strix. Blowing air in from the extra bottom Noctua fans gave same temps as removing the fan mount on the Strix (both times around 80c, which still is quite safe), and having the Noctua fans blow air out. It also reduced the noise by quite a lot. 2x Noctua fans are far, far more silent than 2 x Noxtua fans + 3x noisy GPU fans.

I've generally come to the conclusion that blowing air into the case is pretty stupid, and that getting the hot air in the small case out as much as possible is the best way to go.

I asked what orientation people who had the Noctua C14 cooler, which I now just recieved, used. I was surprised that people told me to make the fans to blow air in, and I honestly don't trust that advice; it seems to me that people in here are telling others to do stuff, without actually knowing what results the alternative methods have given as well. I'll be using the C14 with 2 x 120mm fans pushing the air out, and see what results I'll get. If it's ~5c or more below what I currently get on my U9S, I'll be happy.
 
I was surprised that people told me to get the fans to blow air in, and I honestly don't trust that advice; it seems to me that people in here are telling others to do stuff, without actually knowing what results the alternative methods give. I'll be using the C14 with 2 x 120mm fans pushing the air out, and see what results I'll get.

"Trust, but verify"

:D
 
I asked what orientation people who had the Noctua C14 cooler, which I now just recieved, used. I was surprised that people told me to make the fans to blow air in, and I honestly don't trust that advice; it seems to me that people in here are telling others to do stuff, without actually knowing what results the alternative methods have given as well. I'll be using the C14 with 2 x 120mm fans pushing the air out, and see what results I'll get. If it's ~5c or more below what I currently get on my U9S, I'll be happy.

I don't think it is so much people just following the pack but the nature of top down coolers. Pretty much all top down coolers are configured to blow air toward the motherboard, couple that with the fact that it allows you to use the Ncase filtered side bracket and people felt this was the way to go. If you reverse the air flow you will be drawing air from the top and back of the case, you might lower the motherboard temps a bit but the CPU will probably remain the same. Personally I would rather have filtered air and give up a couple degrees in temps.
 
All these horizontal U9S builds has me regretting going vertical on my setup... but man I don't want to go in there and change it.

... maybe on the next upgrade...
Oh, I feel you on this one. I've got my U9S vertically and temperatures are fine, but I do think I should give it a try horizontally and see if that makes any real difference. Problem is that I can't really face the prospect of a couple of hours messing about removing and remounting the heatsink, tidying up the cabling, putting everything back together again.
 
Oh, I feel you on this one. I've got my U9S vertically and temperatures are fine, but I do think I should give it a try horizontally and see if that makes any real difference. Problem is that I can't really face the prospect of a couple of hours messing about removing and remounting the heatsink, tidying up the cabling, putting everything back together again.

It does get easier... :ROFLMAO:
 
Oh, I feel you on this one. I've got my U9S vertically and temperatures are fine, but I do think I should give it a try horizontally and see if that makes any real difference. Problem is that I can't really face the prospect of a couple of hours messing about removing and remounting the heatsink, tidying up the cabling, putting everything back together again.
It will definitely take some time to reinstall the heat sink. Personally I really enjoyed tinkering when I have the time. I remember each tinkering session will take 1-2 hours for when I was air cooling (U9s / C14 & Accelero) in the M1, constantly changing heatsink orientation, fan directions, etc. When I went custom loop in the M1, it was 3-5 hours just to tinker with fan/loop configurations. It took so much time, yet soooo much fun. I’m back to dual 120 AIOs for simplicity sake, and to carry me through ongoing projects. Once my schedule opens up , I’ll go back to tinkering. :)
 
Yeah, I really enjoy tinkering, but I have zero free time to do it these days :( I'll hopefully be getting a new GPU at some point in the next few months, so that seems like as good a time as any to get the case opened up and start fiddling about with fans :)
 
It will definitely take some time to reinstall the heat sink. Personally I really enjoyed tinkering when I have the time. I remember each tinkering session will take 1-2 hours for when I was air cooling (U9s / C14 & Accelero) in the M1, constantly changing heatsink orientation, fan directions, etc. When I went custom loop in the M1, it was 3-5 hours just to tinker with fan/loop configurations. It took so much time, yet soooo much fun. I’m back to dual 120 AIOs for simplicity sake, and to carry me through ongoing projects. Once my schedule opens up , I’ll go back to tinkering. :)

That is why I ended up switching over to air cooling. I really liked my loop and I really like tinkering, but that tear down every time was just getting old.
 
Thought you guys might appreciate my build so I'm leaving it here:

Here's the build specs:
* Ncase M1 V5
* EVGA Z270 Stinger
* i7-7700k (delidded)
* 16 GB 3000Mhz Blue LED Vengeance RAM
* 512GB m.2 NVME SSD - Samsung SM951
* 1 TB Samsung 850 Evo SSD
* Corsair SF600 PSU
* All Noctua slim fans
* Nvidia GTX 1080 founders with EKWB copper (DVI removed - [PICS](https://imgur.com/a/FlsXm))
* EK-DDC pump with upgraded housing (for better heat dissipation supposedly)
* EK Evo Supremacy Acetal CPU block
* 92mm rad - unknown manufacturer since I bought it used (think it is Hardware Labs)
* 240mm slim rad from Hardware Labs
* 12mm OD Bitspower fittings - black sparkle
* Alphacool bulkhead fitting


Notes on the build:
* was able to keep both the front IO (USB 3.0 and mic and headphone jack)
* put in a drain port in the front using special Bitspower (T) and Alphacool (bulkhead) fittings
* the only cables not either sleeved or shortened were the USB 3.0, Audio IO, and Darkside LED splitter
* All Noctua fans were spray-painted to match color scheme
* GTX 1080 wouldn't fit with the DVI connector so I took it out. Photos can be found [Here](https://imgur.com/a/FlsXm)
* I originally had a 1080 TI, but I swapped it for a 1080 because I didn't like how hot my CPU was getting. Now temps on CPU are reaching mid 70s on load and GPU is at 60 at load.
* only thing not done by me was the custom window panel. Josh from NFC systems helped me with that.
I'm happy to answer any other questions.

4aHKF7T.jpg

VVMREjD.jpg

YeqcJZ3.jpg
 
Thought you guys might appreciate my build so I'm leaving it here:

Here's the build specs:
* Ncase M1 V5
* EVGA Z270 Stinger
* i7-7700k (delidded)
* 16 GB 3000Mhz Blue LED Vengeance RAM
* 512GB m.2 NVME SSD - Samsung SM951
* 1 TB Samsung 850 Evo SSD
* Corsair SF600 PSU
* All Noctua slim fans
* Nvidia GTX 1080 founders with EKWB copper (DVI removed - [PICS](https://imgur.com/a/FlsXm))
* EK-DDC pump with upgraded housing (for better heat dissipation supposedly)
* EK Evo Supremacy Acetal CPU block
* 92mm rad - unknown manufacturer since I bought it used (think it is Hardware Labs)
* 240mm slim rad from Hardware Labs
* 12mm OD Bitspower fittings - black sparkle
* Alphacool bulkhead fitting


Notes on the build:
* was able to keep both the front IO (USB 3.0 and mic and headphone jack)
* put in a drain port in the front using special Bitspower (T) and Alphacool (bulkhead) fittings
* the only cables not either sleeved or shortened were the USB 3.0, Audio IO, and Darkside LED splitter
* All Noctua fans were spray-painted to match color scheme
* GTX 1080 wouldn't fit with the DVI connector so I took it out. Photos can be found [Here](https://imgur.com/a/FlsXm)
* I originally had a 1080 TI, but I swapped it for a 1080 because I didn't like how hot my CPU was getting. Now temps on CPU are reaching mid 70s on load and GPU is at 60 at load.
* only thing not done by me was the custom window panel. Josh from NFC systems helped me with that.
I'm happy to answer any other questions.

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That's a lot of plumbing in a small case! I don't think I've seen anyone else create a fill port in the front of the chassis. It makes perfect sense and is hidden behind the front cover panel.
 
Yeah it's quite a good idea - being able to solidly anchor the tubing run at that far end. I'd probably feel safer filling the loop with the front panel protecting the innards from spills than through the top or bottom.
 
Hi guys, I'm getting custom cables and have a few questions regarding the Corsair SF600 power supply. If anyone has experience with this, input would be greatly appreciated.

My Asus 370I has a 8pin EPS power connector for the CPU. The SF600 comes with a 4+4 cable. Since my Asus mobo uses 8 pin, can I just buy a 8pin EPS cable or do I still have to get another 4+4 EPS cable like the corsair originally came with?

a similar question for the GPU connectors. I am using a EVGA 1080 ti SC2 and it has 8pin and a 6pin power connector. The SF600 came with two 6+2 cables. So I am using one as a 6pin and the other combined as a 8pin. Can I just order a straight 6pin and a 8pin PCIe power cable or will a 6pin PCIe cable not work with the 8pin PCIe socket on the SF600?

Thanks in advance for any input!
 
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Hi guys, I'm getting custom cables and have a few questions regarding the Corsair SF600 power supply. If anyone has experience with this, input would be greatly appreciated.

My Asus 370I has a 8pin EPS power connector for the CPU. The SF600 comes with a 4+4 cable. Since my Asus mobo uses 8 pin, can I just buy a 8pin EPS cable or do I still have to get another 4+4 EPS cable like the corsair originally came with?

a similar question for the GPU connectors. I am using a EVGA 1080 ti SC2 and it has 8pin and a 6pin power connector. The SF600 came with two 6+2 cables. So I am using one as a 6pin and the other combined as a 8pin. Can I just order a straight 6pin and a 8pin PCIe power cable or will a 6pin PCIe cable not work with the 8pin PCIe socket on the SF600?

Thanks in advance for any input!

They do the split 4+4 EPS and 6+2 PCI for higher compatibility but you don't have to use them. You can use the 8 Pin EPS and the 8 and 6 pin PCI with no problem.
 
So I got a great deal on a z370i strix board but it has a broken usb 3.0 header, so I just ordered this as a work around. I will report back with my results as I haven't seen this cable being used online.
 
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So I got a great deal on a z370i strix board but their it has a broken usb 3.0 header, so I just ordered this as a work around. I will report back with my results as I haven't seen this cable being used online,

Nice that someone makes that cable and you won't lose your usb 3.0.
 
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Is there any plan to come out with a new version with usb type c included with the front panel? Quite a few mb manufacturers are including headers in the 270 and 370 versions of their mb’s. This is the only thing that is holding me up from purchasing one.
 
Hi guys,

I was wondering if the M1 owners using the magnetic filter (on the bracket fans) are happy with it.
Is the mesh fine/small enough to stop the dust?
Does it add noise to your fans?
 
Is there any plan to come out with a new version with usb type c included with the front panel? Quite a few mb manufacturers are including headers in the 270 and 370 versions of their mb’s. This is the only thing that is holding me up from purchasing one.
Just did a quick survey of Z270/Z370 ITX boards:

Board name : USB 3.1 Gen 2 front panel header?

ASRock Fatal1ty Z370 Gaming-ITX/ac: No
ASRock Z370M-ITX/ac: No
Asus ROG Strix Z370-I Gaming: Yes
Gigabyte Z370N WIFI: No
MSI Z370I GAMING PRO CARBON AC: No

ASRock Fatal1ty Z270 Gaming-ITX/ac: No
ASRock Z270M-ITX/ac: No
Asus ROG STRIX Z270i GAMING: Yes
EVGA Z270 Stinger: No
Gigabyte GA-Z270N-Gaming 5: No
Gigabyte GA-Z270N-WIFI: No
MSI Z270I GAMING PRO CARBON AC: No


So it looks like it's still just Asus that's including the Gen 2 front panel header.

Last that w360 looked into it, the production for Gen 2 front panel cables was all booked up.
 
Cross posting this from SFF Network: I just purchased a Morpheus 2, x2 Noctua 15mm fans, and some thermal compound. This Friday I'm tearing the stock blower cooler off my Vega and replacing with the Morpheus.

Still on the fence whether the Noctuas should push or pull air.
 
Is there a way to mount a res/pump unit like this without drilling holes through the front panel? If not, perhaps the next version of the M1 could come with those holes?
 
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