S4 Mini - An ULTRA-SFF Chassis shipping this December!

Thanks a bunch Josh for making this a reality, and for accommodating my repacking request :)

It's currently on the way from the intermediary shipper to Singapore. My HDPlex is already in, and the Zalman is on the way.

Can't wait to build this out! Will try to share my buildlog once i have the case in hand.

*Edit*

Hey Josh, in your recommended specifications you have mentioned the 6700T CPU for it's low TDP of 35W. However these CPUs are almost impossible to find in the consumer market as they mainly come in OEM bundles or sold in tray. Do you think the normal non-K CPUs would work with the HDPlex? They draw 65Ws, and putting everything together I should think the HDPlex can handle a non-T CPU.

What i'm gunning for:
CPU - 6600/6700 - 65W
GPU - GTX 970 - ~150W
RAM - 16GB - ~6
SSD - Samsung Evo - 2.4

Total full load TDP = 223.4W

The HDPlex has a rating of 240W continuous and 400W peak, giving us around 17W or so leftover for running the mobo and fans/coolers, which isn't enough i believe, but considering it's rare to be pulling full load 100% of the time aside from running benchmarks, the HDPlex should be able to run everything smoothly.

Thoughts?

For comparison, a Z170 mobo / i7-6700K / 2x4GB memory / SSD (No GPU) pulls 43W at idle and max 118 under load.
http://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/asus-z170-rog-maximus-viii-hero-review,10.html

Cheers
Shaun
 
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peepeedog said:
Thanks a bunch Josh for making this a reality, and for accommodating my repacking request :)

It's currently on the way from the intermediary shipper to Singapore. My HDPlex is already in, and the Zalman is on the way.

Can't wait to build this out! Will try to share my buildlog once i have the case in hand.

*Edit*

Hey Josh, in your recommended specifications you have mentioned the 6700T CPU for it's low TDP of 35W. However these CPUs are almost impossible to find in the consumer market as they mainly come in OEM bundles or sold in tray. Do you think the normal non-K CPUs would work with the HDPlex? They draw 65Ws, and putting everything together I should think the HDPlex can handle a non-T CPU.

What i'm gunning for:
CPU - 6600/6700 - 65W
GPU - GTX 970 - ~150W
RAM - 16GB - ~6
SSD - Samsung Evo - 2.4

Total full load TDP = 223.4W

The HDPlex has a rating of 240W continuous and 400W peak, giving us around 17W or so leftover for running the mobo and fans/coolers, which isn't enough i believe, but considering it's rare to be pulling full load 100% of the time aside from running benchmarks, the HDPlex should be able to run everything smoothly.

Thoughts?

For comparison, a Z170 mobo / i7-6700K / 2x4GB memory / SSD (No GPU) pulls 43W at idle and max 118 under load.
http://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/asus-z170-rog-maximus-viii-hero-review,10.html

Cheers
Shaun
Click to expand...

I run basically the same setup as you with an HDPLEX. no problems for over 5 months
 
NFC said:
Is there perhaps any spec sheet I could look at? Maybe some technical drawings?

You have about an inch to mount them, maybe countersink the reverse side of the panel?

This is really interesting...can't wait to see what you come up with!

IPIqqeP.jpg
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I was looking at these: http://www.performance-pcs.com/lian-li-premium-case-feet-sd-01b-4-pkg-black.html#Features

Thank for the photo. I was hoping to be able to mount all four without them hanging over the sides. It looks like it will be close.
 
peepeedog said:
Do you think the normal non-K CPUs would work with the HDPlex?
Click to expand...

On my website I just have an example build. The T-variants are hard to find (THANKS, OBAMA :p) I buy mine on ebay btw.

I wouldn't even call the example on my website my "preferred build." 65w CPUs + a R7 360 is still my favorite combo (as of this date). Next year is when this chassis will be awesome thanks to the incredible advancements by AMD and Nvidia.

updawg said:
I was looking at these: http://www.performance-pcs.com/lian-li-premium-case-feet-sd-01b-4-pkg-black.html#Features

Thank for the photo. I was hoping to be able to mount all four without them hanging over the sides. It looks like it will be close.
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The aluminum exterior panels are quite sturdy, so you might be able to stagger them between the vent holes. I don't think there would be a problem with that TBH!
 
NFC said:
The aluminum exterior panels are quite sturdy, so you might be able to stagger them between the vent holes. I don't think there would be a problem with that TBH!
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Do you have any recommendations for a tapping drill bit? I am not much of a hardware guy outside computers of course :D
 
updawg said:
Do you have any recommendations for a tapping drill bit? I am not much of a hardware guy outside computers of course :D
Click to expand...

I dunno if you have a Home Depot but for store bought stuff irwin actually has a good tap set for a decent price with a good chuck.

I bought this set (and its metric counterpart) before I inherited by awesome 1950's ACE set.

When tapping aluminum use the appropriate drill size and some lubricant. WD-40 works in a pinch if youve got nothing else, but even water can work.
 
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So I know it's been a while since I last responded, but I was thinking about this idea. I know the 160 Watt PicoPSU has 2 HDD pinouts located on the pcb. They seem to have some type of molex connector that can connect, I don't know which one it is, still looking. I was thinking, what if I could take that HDD dedicated pinout and convert it to a 8 pin pci express pinout. The pinout is 12v, Ground, Ground, 5 V. I can ignore the 5v pin. I made a crude drawing. This is what I was thinking:



I would use thick conductors like 18 or even 16 awg, whichever would be the maximum that could fit in that molex connector that connects to the picopsu. I don't know if current or voltage or both would be negatively impacted by connecting those conductors like that on the pci express connector. Hmm....just an idea.
 
TheDrifter363 said:
snip
Click to expand...

Looks like 1st PC Corp has you covered: http://goo.gl/t9W2GZ

You'd have to check the keying on the connector as that looks like an EPS power cable for the motherboard, but it does suggest that with a little work what you're thinking should be very possible. My only concern would be the amount of power draw through that one connector, but ultimately that's what I'm planning to do with my build anyway so I'm definitely intrigued.
 
Hey guys, while not a tutorial, this video I made does show me making a custom PCIE connector for the Pico's 4 Pin, and also shows all the hot points in the wiring system for you to look out for and replace if you run heavy voltage though.

Don't worry about amperage drop from beefing up the wires as long as your power brick has plenty of juice to deliver, it should compensate.

I apologize if you have already watched it.

Modding the Pico PSU for 250w
 
Alright Josh, I watched your video again. So you mentioned changing the main Pico wires. The big thick wires are 16 awg which should be fine. What is up with that weird bunny loop though? Why is it there? Now I know that the 4 pin connects to a 4 pin to mini din adapter which is why that 4 pin is necessary in the first place. Would it be a problem if two pins on that adapter were left unconnected and then you just had 2 16 awg wires going to the picopsu? Here's I'll show some more pictures.



There's also a max current on the wire. Check this out:

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/wire-gauges-d_419.html

I don't know the difference between single core and multiple cores but it looks like the max current is between 10 and 20 per conductor. The pico only has only one 12V line. Hmm..how do I deal with this? What do all of you think? I saw Josh's video where he was at 275 Watts but his main input from the power supply was running really hot, I think around 70 C. I also believe these wires are rated for 80 C, so it's ok.
 
Hmmm, I'd have to put a multimeter on it, but it is very possible that the power brick splits the load between the two wires...so in that case you would need thicker bunny ears.
 
Ah that makes sense. Thanks Josh, it also explains why the bunny ears are there in the first place. The bunny ears appear to be 22 awg, so 18 should suffice. It would be nice if I could fit two 16 awg wires in one contact terminal on the molex. It would make everything all neat and symmetrical.

Josh, I also noticed you had a bunch of adapters all over the place. What do you think of just using the 4 pin, on the pico pcb, straight to a 8 pin pcie. Wouldn't that cut down on resistance and/or voltage loss?
 
TheDrifter363 said:
Ah that makes sense. Thanks Josh, it also explains why the bunny ears are there in the first place. The bunny ears appear to be 22 awg, so 18 should suffice. It would be nice if I could fit two 16 awg wires in one contact terminal on the molex. It would make everything all neat and symmetrical.

Josh, I also noticed you had a bunch of adapters all over the place. What do you think of just using the 4 pin, on the pico pcb, straight to a 8 pin pcie. Wouldn't that cut down on resistance and/or voltage loss?
Click to expand...


Yes and yes. For my builds I use solder and direct wires as much as possible. Connectors are for test machines IMO :)
 
Hey Josh,

I was taking a look at the power supply you got, the one that you mentioned in your video. How does it work with the PicoPSU? I looked up on the sff website and some member said that when it comes to these 12 V DC to DC converters, the power supply is the one that does the heavy lifting. Basically even though the Pico is rated at 160 watts, as long as you give it thick gauge wire, it should only be limited by the power rating of its power supply. What do you think? I think that sounds great.

Initially I was thinking of getting a plug in ac adapter like the mean well I linked earlier, but those cap out at 250 watts at 12 Volts. Not only that but they have that 6 pin molex output which I would have to convert to a 4 pin mini din, I believe its called a kycon something. So now I thought, huh what if I could get one of those power supplies that you had. Any downsides to those type of power supplies that you have? I'm trying to find the difference between the one you have and the regular ac adapters. Besides the fact that you would have to create your own ac plugs and dc outputs, I can't see much of a difference. I went on Mean Well's website and it seems as if some of them don't have PFC, but at least others do. Here's a list of all of Mean Well's power supplies. They can go up to 750 Watts with PFC. Damn!

http://distributor.meanwellusa.com/webnet_usa/search/seriessearch.html
 
TheDrifter363 said:
...some member said that when it comes to these 12 V DC to DC converters, the power supply is the one that does the heavy lifting. Basically even though the Pico is rated at 160 watts, as long as you give it thick gauge wire, it should only be limited by the power rating of its power supply. What do you think? I think that sounds great.
Click to expand...

I generally agree with that sentiment. The "limits" I have found for the pico is beefing up the wires for a 250w cap. It would be very hard to get thick enough wire to support power draw in excess of 185 watts on the accessory output line. I really think at that point the best tool for the job would be the HDPLEX...but then again my soldering skills and equipment aren't #EXPERTMODE :)

TheDrifter363 said:
Initially I was thinking of getting a plug in ac adapter like the mean well I linked earlier, but those cap out at 250 watts at 12 Volts.
Click to expand...

I need to stress again that cram modding ultimate power (250w+) into the S4 Mini is totally awesome, it isn't ideal. As long as people can accept that the components will run hot and be noisy and focus on portability (like for VR Demo rigs) then it could be a functional win I guess.


TheDrifter363 said:
Not only that but they have that 6 pin molex output which I would have to convert to a 4 pin mini din, I believe its called a kycon something.
Click to expand...

Based on what you have written so far, I can tell that this would not be a challenge for you. Your insight and problem solving skills are top-notch! I can't wait to see what you come up with. :)


TheDrifter363 said:
So now I thought, huh what if I could get one of those power supplies that you had. Any downsides to those type of power supplies that you have? I'm trying to find the difference between the one you have and the regular ac adapters. Besides the fact that you would have to create your own ac plugs and dc outputs, I can't see much of a difference.
Click to expand...

In my opinion the downsides are:

1. They are really big
2. The harness is a pain to get looking nice, but it can be done
3. The manual variable output is only a benefit to power users and you really want an automatic variable output for day to day use (browsing the internet vs stress test benchmarks)

I used it to make a point and to experiment with. The HDPLEX + a 250w power brick, or even the 350w voodoo firebird brick would require less work and trouble than using a manual voltage output PSU.

Keep in mind, I am only offering my opinions. Your vision could be 100% different than mine and that is great! Please don't hesitate to ask as many questions as you want. I'll try my best to chat it out with you!
 
Just got my S4 Mini from DHL :D

It's a really nice compact case and i can't wait to fully build it out.

Here's a little preview of what i'm building:
http://imgur.com/a/WM4Np

Will likely do a quick build log once everything is in.

Thanks Josh!
 
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peepeedog said:
-snip-
Click to expand...

I'll be interested to see what you do with the power switch. The motherboard I'm planning to use in my build has it's 24-pin in about the same place as the one on your board, but shifted toward the top, closer to where your 8-pin is. I've got short Bulgins on order so there shouldn't be any problem with fitment.


-EDIT-
Couldn't wait. Pulled trigger. Now... the waiting game.
 
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If you don't use 12mm scythe fan what is the max height for the cooler?

Is it 40mm? Or is it only 40mm if you use the 12mm fan?
 
Hey,

So I need some help figuring out the part number of these molex connectors on the PicoPSU PCB. Anyone know what they are?








After I figure this out, I can determine the maximum gauge of wires I'll be able to connect to it. These connectors will be the limiting point of the 8 pin PCIE adapter. If the gauge is too small, then current will be limited. Well it may get toasty. :)
 
updawg said:
If you don't use 12mm scythe fan what is the max height for the cooler?

Is it 40mm? Or is it only 40mm if you use the 12mm fan?
Click to expand...


The official max height for a CPU cooler is 40mm. If you added the Scythe fan you would need a cooler 28mm in max height.

I will try to clarify my content...thanks for the question!
 
TheDrifter363 said:
Hey,

So I need some help figuring out the part number of these molex connectors on the PicoPSU PCB. Anyone know what they are?

After I figure this out, I can determine the maximum gauge of wires I'll be able to connect to it. These connectors will be the limiting point of the 8 pin PCIE adapter. If the gauge is too small, then current will be limited. Well it may get toasty. :)
Click to expand...

I wouldn't mind knowing myself. Maybe [email protected] can help you out?
 
NFC said:
The official max height for a CPU cooler is 40mm. If you added the Scythe fan you would need a cooler 28mm in max height.

I will try to clarify my content...thanks for the question!
Click to expand...

Would using the Noctua L9i with the fan removed and using a scythe slim fan be more beneficial than just leaving the Noctua fan in place?

Initially I was thinking of using a cryorig c7 but that comes in at 47mm's tall.
 
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updawg said:
Would using the Noctua L9i with the fan removed and using a scythe slim fan be more beneficial than just leaving the Noctua fan in place?

Initially I was thinking of using a cryorig c7 but that comes in at 47mm's tall.
Click to expand...

I think there are alot of variables. Maybe with low voltage CPUs it would be a net benefit, but with hotter CPUs (65+) I think you need as much air moving over the heatsink as possible.
 
Some more custom powdercoats we did last week. I have some photos...but they are almost impossible to photograph...I couldn't capture the IRL look and color shifting effects.

This is a two stage chameleon orange (high gloss metallic that shifts from orange to safety yellow)

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2Gmyz8t.jpg

GCNDsS9.jpg

T1kCq9R.jpg

0sZorLN.jpg

WTueWGO.jpg


This one is probably my new favorite. Ultra-durable teflon wrinkle that appears as a dark grey or light black in most light, but shifts to a navy blue with a metallic highlight. Hence the name "Navy Velure Wrinkle:"

WEEkYQZ.jpg

rYEukWk.jpg

DF1uIaD.jpg

G1ep8Tv.jpg

blMbfPn.jpg
 
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Again with those huge images, please resize :)

Those look nice. I'd vote on going black on all internal parts and the bezel while custom colouring only the external panels (first and last photos have internal pieces in the custom colour/not black). Hard drive bracket stands out through the vent holes because of its colouring.

Black switch fits really nice with the design while the clear metallic one stands out too much as raw industrial piece.

Those are really nice colour compositions. I like the navy blue touch on this case.
 
Way to make me regret going for the stock black! Beautiful work on these, I can't wait for my Model A to come in though! You've got some kind of artist's touch going on there. Who knows, if you still have a few when tax season rolls around I might have to invest in a second case...
 
redivulpis said:
Way to make me regret going for the stock black! Beautiful work on these, I can't wait for my Model A to come in though! You've got some kind of artist's touch going on there. Who knows, if you still have a few when tax season rolls around I might have to invest in a second case...
Click to expand...

Hehe, I got them finished in the deluxe colors out of SPITE!

superblockio said:
Agreed. The only other small case I can think of that's comparable in beauty is the Osmi, and it's like twice as big.
Click to expand...

I had to look up the Osmi...and WOW...that is beautiful! Reminds me of one of my favorite PC designs ever...the Apple G4 Cube!
 
NFC said:
Hehe, I got them finished in the deluxe colors out of SPITE!
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HA! I see how it is! If there was ever a doubt about your powdercoating abilities, it's absolutely gone now. Those pieces are fantastic.
I just had a thought too... If this initial run does go as well as it appears to be, are there any plans to offer parts piecemeal later on? The body panels' design seems to lend itself to being easily replaceable. Say a nice set of panels in RAL-7024 with a matte clear coat? *nudge nudge* Just spit-balling there.
 
Yeah if you make more custom powdercoats you better show us. This is some top-quality SFF porn you got here.
 
redivulpis said:
HA! I see how it is! If there was ever a doubt about your powdercoating abilities, it's absolutely gone now. Those pieces are fantastic.
I just had a thought too... If this initial run does go as well as it appears to be, are there any plans to offer parts piecemeal later on? The body panels' design seems to lend itself to being easily replaceable. Say a nice set of panels in RAL-7024 with a matte clear coat? *nudge nudge* Just spit-balling there.
Click to expand...

I spent two months working with the manufacturer to get them to get the powdercoat right. I wish I just had them anodized and offer the powdercoats as a premium option and get them done myself to ensure the quality.

As for offering the parts piecemeal..that is a long term goal. I break even on all these chassis, so I need some method to make some money so I can actually make more cool stuff!

Selling chromed panels, steam bent exotic wood for the front bezel, billet accessories, and overpriced screws are all some ideas. :)


superblockio said:
Yeah if you make more custom powdercoats you better show us. This is some top-quality SFF porn you got here.
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Thanks man. I will. I'm pretty much having the best Christmas ever with all this support of my idea. I just hope all my customers like their chassis.
 
Guys I made a build guide. This might answer some questions for people looking at moving to the S4 Mini.

If you purchased an S4 Mini I HIGHLY recommend watching BEFORE you install! It should make things go much smoother. Being a small case, there are some tricky things that are made simple with the right technique.

Thanks!

S4 MINI ASSEMBLY GUIDE
 
NFC said:
Guys I made a build guide. This might answer some questions for people looking at moving to the S4 Mini.
Click to expand...

I just want to say thank you for the amazing job on the video! What an awesome little case.
 
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