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

My old m1 build from 2014 died. Trying to figure out if to salvage and rebuild....OR start from scratch.

Was wondering what an example build might be for air cooling a i9 9900k and gtx 2080

What motherboards are people using?
Graphic cards?
Aio coolers?

What is the gold standard?

Any help would be appreciated. Doing this all from phone :(
 
A new ultimate SFF motherboard contender...?

View attachment 163574

That heatsink looks massive, I'm not sure it'll fit a NCASE M1, at least with the top panel on...
Might not fit in at all as the panel push connectors (don't know the actual name) that hold the panels might interfere with the bottom of the board.

Was looking forward to the Impact reveal, now I'm not so sure...
Got a Noctua NH-C14 I wanted to use with that too, but can't be certain that'll fit either.

Edit: That daughterboard might also cause problems with the side mounted fans.
 
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Mini-DTX is actually already supported, so it should fit in theory.

I have V1 of this case and have my eye on this new ROG Impact. Im more concerned about that I/O though...
 
Two additional standoffs for mini-DTX/some compact mATX boards have been included since M1 V3: M1 changelog

Mini-DTX doesn't really need the extra standoffs, however, and will work perfectly fine with just the standard mini-ITX standoffs.
 
Imagine the Crosshair VIII Impact with a 240 AIO & a Navi version of this (a version which would actually fit in the M1, of course); maybe Necere is actually from the future & really designed the NCASE M1 for the ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Impact...!?!
Mini-DTX support was always one of my reasons for including three expansion slots - I talked about them early in this thread and I test fit a mini-DTX board in the first prototype. I had hoped it would catch on at some point as an intermediary step between mATX and mini-ITX that would be largely compatible with cases for the latter, but what I kept hearing from users and manufacturers alike was that it was a "dead format," and that there was no point in making them. Nice to finally see some action on that front.
 
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This is great for us M1 owners, but I'm not sure it's a prudent decision on ASUS' part. Other than the M1 I can't think of an ITX case that supports DTX. Even large ITX cases like the the H200i don't support it. There isn't even an extra slot, they just wanted more room.
 
This is great for us M1 owners, but I'm not sure it's a prudent decision on ASUS' part. Other than the M1 I can't think of an ITX case that supports DTX. Even large ITX cases like the the H200i don't support it. There isn't even an extra slot, they just wanted more room.
Most mini-ITX cases that support a dual-slot GPU in the standard way (i.e., that don't use a riser) should support mini-DTX, even if they don't explicitly call it out. The extra 33mm needed is largely accounted for by the space required by the GPU - only an additional ~5mm is needed:

pU83xBB.png


I'd be surprised if the H200i didn't have the room.


That said, it's true that it's going to limit the market to mostly non-riser based cases.
 
Most mini-ITX cases that support a dual-slot GPU in the standard way (i.e., that don't use a riser) should support mini-DTX, even if they don't explicitly call it out. The extra 33mm needed is largely accounted for by the space required by the GPU - only an additional ~5mm is needed:

View attachment 163901

I'd be surprised if the H200i didn't have the room.


That said, it's true that it's going to limit the market to mostly non-riser based cases.

Oh I didn't realize that. Okay, not such a bad decision then. I was thinking about the old DTX boards that had the x16 in the second slot position, then you'd need 3 slots like the M1, and the H200i wouldn't work (unless you didn't use a graphics card). But this DTX board from ASUS (and I assume all going forward if it becomes a thing), has the x16 in the first slot, and doesn't even have another slot, so it works with all dual-slot cases that don't use risers. It makes sense that the industry should move in this direction then since there's already widespread compatibility except for our beloved ultra SFF riser cases. So I kind of hope both ITX and DTX can coexist. I'd love to see ASRock do a DTX Threadripper board.

Question -- does the 5.2mm of board past the GPU interfere with bottom 120mm fan placement in the M1? What about 140mm in V6?
 
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I just did a cooling rebuild on my M1 system. My cpu cold plate for the NZXT X52 was not making good contact, however the effect on cooling performance was minimal. What wasn't minimal was reversing the flow of the CPU fans (Noctua Sterrox 12x25s). I now have them as an exhaust. This has further reduced my CPU head room. I've had to take the 8086K and drop it to 1.32V from 1.36V now with a -2 AVX offset, and 130 watt TDP limit. It's still got an all core speed of 5GHZ. Temps are in the low 90s under heavy load, and mid 90s with Prime 29.X with AVX Small FFTs

The side effect though is that the noise of the CPU fans is far, far more noticeable....and now blows hot air at me at all times. Thing is sitting sideways on my desk.

I also swapped the thin Noctua 12x15 120s on the bottom of the case for Noiseblockers I had from my previous build. GPU airflow improved, but increased the turbulance noise at the bottom of the case. However, I'll take the turbulence over the vibration noise of Noctua thin fans.

What has REALLY changed though is that the GPU temps are a full 10C lower than before. I'm seeing 75C playing BFV with DXR Ultra on, at 2GHZ+ with a memory OC of +500 on my RTX 2080 Founders edition. The GPU fan speed has been reduced to 60% at load from 80% as well. Massive, massive difference.

Overall, in gaming, the system is now much quieter and faster. In everything else, it's louder and imperceptibly slower.
 
I just did a cooling rebuild on my M1 system.
...NZXT X52...
...reversing the flow of the CPU fans (Noctua Sterrox 12x25s). I now have them as an exhaust.
I also swapped the thin Noctua 12x15 120s on the bottom of the case for Noiseblockers I had from my previous build. GPU airflow improved, but increased the turbulance noise at the bottom of the case. However, I'll take the turbulence over the vibration noise of Noctua thin fans.

So, I am guess the bottom fans are set to intake, or...?
 
A new ultimate SFF motherboard contender...?

View attachment 163574

You are going to need at least the Ncase for this. DTX size and with the height of that daughter board not going to fit in many SFF cases.

Imagine the Crosshair VIII Impact with a 240 AIO & a Navi version of this (a version which would actually fit in the M1, of course); maybe Necere is actually from the future & really designed the NCASE M1 for the ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Impact...!?!

Mini-DTX support was always one of my reasons for including three expansion slots - I talked about them early in this thread and I test fit a mini-DTX board in the first prototype. I had hoped it would catch on at some point as an intermediary step between mATX and mini-ITX that would be largely compatible with cases for the latter, but what I kept hearing from users and manufacturers alike was that it was a "dead format," and that there was no point in making them. Nice to finally see some action on that front.

Necere - So it seems the SO-DIMM.2 module on the M-DTX Impact board is 82mm tall (from the motherboard PCB surface)...

What is the maximum clearance for a radiator/fans stack on the side bracket then...? I am guessing about 50mm...?
 
Necere - So it seems the SO-DIMM.2 module on the M-DTX Impact board is 82mm tall (from the motherboard PCB surface)...

What is the maximum clearance for a radiator/fans stack on the side bracket then...? I am guessing about 50mm...?
It’s 130mm clearance to the bracket for a cpu cooler, less 25mm fans and 30mm rad leaves 75mm. Slim fans would leave you ~85mm
 
Necere - So it seems the SO-DIMM.2 module on the M-DTX Impact board is 82mm tall (from the motherboard PCB surface)...

What is the maximum clearance for a radiator/fans stack on the side bracket then...? I am guessing about 50mm...?

It’s 130mm clearance to the bracket for a cpu cooler, less 25mm fans and 30mm rad leaves 75mm. Slim fans would leave you ~85mm

I was really hoping it was less than 75mm so you would have clearance for radiator + fan.
 
It’s 130mm clearance to the bracket for a cpu cooler, less 25mm fans and 30mm rad leaves 75mm. Slim fans would leave you ~85mm

But that 130mm is measured from the top of the CPU itself, yeah...?

So the clearance from the top of the motherboard PCB surface to the side bracket should be about 135mm or so...?

Maybe a 55mm thick AIO stack would JUST fit, possibly within a millimeter +/- of the SO-DIMM.2 module...?
 
But that 130mm is measured from the top of the CPU itself, yeah...?

So the clearance from the top of the motherboard PCB surface to the side bracket should be about 135mm or so...?
Yeah, the CPU socket is about 8mm tall. Overall clearance from the motherboard PCB to the side bracket is ~139mm.
 
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Well, there's a chance: there's about 20-25mm between the GPU and the radiator (27-34mm with the fan bracket in the upper position), and judging by the pics it's possible the daughterboard will fit right into that gap.
 
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Well, there's a chance: there's about 20-25mm between the GPU and the radiator (27-34mm with the fan bracket in the upper position), and judging by the pics it's possible the daughterboard will fit right into that gap.

I did not even think of that particular gap...!

Good to know, thanks...!
 
I'm honestly torn between this new DTX impact interfering with my other dream components, but it just seems so compelling still.

Probably can't fit the Dark Rock TF for the CPU, a GPU with a backplate, aftermarket heatsink and bottom mounted noctua fans.

I could just not put the daughterboard in, but that means no m.2

Kinda wish asus didn't go crazy with the dual m.2 and just kept the design of the old impact which had the sound card and one m.2 on a much smaller daughterboard that didn't interfere with other components.
 
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I'm honestly torn between this new DTX impact interfering with my other dream components, but it just seems so compelling still.

I totally agree. I have been planning an AMD build and I am seriously considering moving my gaming rig back to my M1 just so I can use this motherboard.
 
I'm honestly torn between this new DTX impact interfering with my other dream components, but it just seems so compelling still.

Probably can't fit the Dark Rock TF for the CPU, a GPU with a backplate, aftermarket heatsink and bottom mounted noctua fans.

I could just not put the daughterboard in, but that means no m.2

Kinda wish asus didn't go crazy with the dual m.2 and just kept the design of the old impact which had the sound card and one m.2 on a much smaller daughterboard that didn't interfere with other components.
I don't think the last impact board even had m.2. It had a daughter board for sound and one for vrm. Maybe you were thinking about the last strix board, and if so, Asus has one of those for the new chipset too.
 
I don't think the last impact board even had m.2. It had a daughter board for sound and one for vrm. Maybe you were thinking about the last strix board, and if so, Asus has one of those for the new chipset too.

The Intel compatible Impact boards all had M.2, well at least my Impact VI with i7-4770k has one.
 
Has anyone thought about using the Alphacool Eisbaer Solo in the NCase M1? It combines a CPU block, pump, and a reservoir into a single large CPU block, so you can do a custom loop without a separate pump/res. Would love to see a build with it.
 
I don't know if this is news, but there are now affordable 32GB DDR4 sticks from Samsung:

Samsung DDR4-2666 32GB/2Gx8 CL19 Desktop Memory

No fancy heatspreaders and it's only 2666 MHz, but this is a single stick of 32GB non-ECC unbuffered desktop memory, only $165. It's now possible to have 64GB RAM in almost any recent ITX board. (of course check if your board supports it)
That's actually really good news. Should be a good sign that we'll see some more enthusiast kits releasing before long.
 
and it's only 2666 MHz

...and it's CAS19...

Nice to see the capacity jump, it's just pretty far off from what an 'enthusiast' would want; generally speaking, systems with the cores to really make use of so much RAM would also benefit from faster RAM.
 
Looking for that 64GB kit (2@32GB DIMMs, 3600MT/s, CAS16) of G.Skill Trident Z Neo DDR4 RAM...?
 
Anyone interested in a spare ncase. Pretty bare bones but I'm trying to gauge interest.

Are you selling one?

I've been interested in one for a few years and never got around to getting one. Kind of bummed to see the optical drive version discontinued as I have a slot blu-ray drive just sitting around....

I couldn't find anything definitive on V6
 
Asrock had 32gb crucial sticks at computex. Heard they're supposed to be out sometime this year. Also 2666 and cl19

https://www.anandtech.com/show/14448/crucial-32-gb-udimms-asrock

In general nice, more RAM is always great, but on a (very good) two DIMM slot ITX board the RAM speed will be very limited. Short example with an ASRock Z370 ITX and very good binned Samsung B-Die memory:

With 2x8 GB I can easily OC my RAM to DDR4-4500 CL18 stable, booting up to DDR4-4700 no problem
With 2x16 GB I have a very good IMC with my CPU, but still a "wall" at DDR-3733 CL16 (with the best board for RAM OC - Maximus XI Gene - using the same RAM @ 2x16 GB DDR4-4133 CL17 was possible)
So with 2x32 GB anything around ~ DDR4-3000-3200 will be tough if this scales like that before with 2x8 GB vs 2x16 GB.
 
Sweet great information, it seems the 32 GB moduels scales almost like 16 GB modules, 64 GB on ITX with decent speed / timings no dream anymore, now I need to get rid of these 2x16 GB kit and get this 2x32 GB kit instead. :angelic:
 
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