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

Parish_Rane said:
Well, build complete. Z270i, 7700K (H75 single pull fan), 1080ti, SF450, GSkill Trident Z. Running beautifully. Will upgrade to the Corsair 600W soon to give some more overhead. Coming from a 750ti bumped by CPU load temps up 4-5C.

Temps at load:
CPU: 70C
GPU: 85C

Pics: http://imgur.com/a/gWP48
Click to expand...

A very powerful, yet minimal build in the sense that there are no extra fans, but top flight components running well.
 
DarkForceRising said:
I'm tentatively pulling together a Ryzen build over the next few months, pending motherboards getting released.

Is there any sort of a consensus, with the scarcity of the C14, as to the best options for air-cooling?

I'm looking at the Noctua U9S, the Noctua C14S, and the Be Quiet Dark Rock TF. If memory serves, all three will fit heightwise, assuming a slim fan is used on the C14S.

I'm expecting the Dark Rock to allow use of both fans, but may have issues fitting, depending on socket placement.

The U9S should fit pretty much on whatever board without issue.

The C14S will need a slim fan on top, and will have the same fitment issues as the Dark Rock with socket placement. Is there a way to fit a bottom fan on the C14S without hitting the PSU? Use a 120mm or a 92mm with special clips or something?

Based on reviews, I'm expecting the Dark Rock TF to be a few degrees and a few decibels quieter than the U9S. Any idea how the C14S would compare with a slim fan up top and a small fan below?

Thoughts, comments, answers? Should I be looking at any other fans as well?
Click to expand...


You are looking at the most popular alternatives for the original C-14. I don't think you can go wrong with U9S or the Dark Rock. The mobo you choose may be the only outlying factor.
 
Skott said:
You are looking at the most popular alternatives for the original C-14. I don't think you can go wrong with U9S or the Dark Rock. The mobo you choose may be the only outlying factor.
Click to expand...

Still waiting for more AM4 motherboard announcements than just the single Biostar.

Hopefully then they'll have some of the quirks and BIOS kinks worked out.
 
Good to be back here :D It's been 2.5+ years since my M1 build and now I'm looking to retire my 6 year old 2500K. Been reading updates this past 5 hours since I've been contemplating whether to stick to ITX or move back to mATX due to non-blower getting too hot and blower-type cards being too loud. Quiet build is very important for me. I ended up modding my 290X since it was already out of warranty so nothing much to lose. I don't want to mod and void warranty for new video cards though. Also bummed that AMD's dual-gpu cards (295x2 and Pro Duo) and high end cards (Fury X) use water cooling. I'm against using water cooling since I sometimes travel with the M1 + I dont want to deal with leakage even if it's 0.01% happening :shifty:

With new quieter SFX from Corsair, some of my previous concerns regarding loud SFX PSUs are now moot. Perhaps getting one will also allow me to use triple-fan graphics cards? I'm thinking 2 intake fans from the bottom and 3 outtake fans (1x 92mm back and 2x 120mm side) would provide enough air circulation?
 
You can definitely run a fast and quiet system in the M1 today. Many are running 7700K or 7609K processors with air coolers and one or two side fans for intake. Some have their PS mounted with its fan facing the inside of the case to receive cool filtered air from the side bracket fan. Also, many are running a large 1070 and 1080 graphics card like the Asus Strix or Gigabyte G1 Gaming (triple fan coolers) or without any bottom case fans.
 
rfarmer said:
http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell...6dg/apd/210-agjr/monitors-monitor-accessories

I know there are many in here with high end monitors. Dell has their 27" 1440p 144 Hz G Sync monitor on sale for $479, which is one hell of a deal.
Click to expand...
I would love to be in the US and be able to buy this. Our dell (Denmark//Eu) has it for what equals a 1000 usd.. But other resellers have it at 850 usd.
It's the same story with the 24" version; purchasing at dell is ridiculously expensive.. Even with my student-discount.. :(
 
Picked up a couple 1080 ti's yesterday and threw one in the Ncase.

Imagine a world of a 7700K @5.1 Ghz on air with a 1080 ti in compact form:

VIhE9Du.jpg


NdFt9uT.jpg
 
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Parish_Rane said:
Well, build complete. Z270i, 7700K (H75 single pull fan), 1080ti, SF450, GSkill Trident Z. Running beautifully. Will upgrade to the Corsair 600W soon to give some more overhead. Coming from a 750ti bumped by CPU load temps up 4-5C.

Temps at load:
CPU: 70C
GPU: 85C

Pics: http://imgur.com/a/gWP48
Click to expand...

How's the fan noise on the 1080ti during full load?


xcharlesy said:
With a custom fan curve on the Ti I can stay under 70c. Standard curve is around 80 as always with these founders cards. Performance is incredible. My delid on the 7700K keeps everything safe and happy.
Click to expand...

At first I thought you physically did something to the card to get than "fan curve". 10 seconds of googling gave me the right answer lol
 
Speaking of Founders cards, since EVGA's 1080Ti FTW3 card is supposed to come out soon, (and much less taller than the 1080 FTW! 4.37 inches instead of 5 inch PCB height) Would the temperature benefit of an open air cooler be detrimental if I have a 240mm radiator? Unfortunately I haven't seen any two NCase owners meetup and compare. If not I'd gladly like to initiate some sort of meetup to compare (assuming I can order the rest of my parts soon).
 
I'm planning to upgrade to a 7600K and an Asus Z270i, what Corsair water-cooler fits in this case? Right now I'm running a h100i with my 2500k but now I'm wondering if I need a 240mm double fan Corsair water-cooler, if so would the H115i fit? Or should I go with the H110i? H100i v2? What's the difference between them anyway?

Or should I go single fan water cooling?

Any help appreciated
 
pookguy88 said:
I'm planning to upgrade to a 7600K and an Asus Z270i, what Corsair water-cooler fits in this case? Right now I'm running a h100i with my 2500k but now I'm wondering if I need a 240mm double fan Corsair water-cooler, if so would the H115i fit? Or should I go with the H110i? H100i v2? What's the difference between them anyway?

Or should I go single fan water cooling?

Any help appreciated
Click to expand...

The H115i and H110i both have a 280 mm radiator so I don't think they will fit on the side bracket, not without a lot of modding, if at all. The H100i v2 has stiffer hoses than your original version so staying with what you have may be best.

I believe there have been some builds with the H105 which is a thicker version of the H100. You would be limited to a single set of fans.
 
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Qrash said:
The H115i and H110i both have a 280 mm radiator so I don't think they will fit on the side bracket, not without a lot of modding, if at all. The H100i v2 has stiffer hoses than your original version so staying with what you have may be best.

I believe there have been some builds with the H105 which is a thicker version of the H100. You would be limited to a single set of fans.
Click to expand...

Hmm ok, maybe I'll just stick with my H100i then... if re-use it on a 7600k, I guess I need to get new thermal paste since the H100i stock, from what I remember, had a factory paste on the CPU block?
 
pookguy88 said:
Hmm ok, maybe I'll just stick with my H100i then... if re-use it on a 7600k, I guess I need to get new thermal paste since the H100i stock, from what I remember, had a factory paste on the CPU block?
Click to expand...

Yes.

Clean the CPU block with pure isopropyl alcohol to remove the old thermal interface material (TIM). A low percentage, like 70%, will contain oil so get as pure as possible. An alternative is ArctiClean, a 2 part kit that I've used for years.

Clean the top of the CPU too (the IHS = integrated heated spreader) to remove any oil from your fingers or other contaminants that may be present.

There are a lot of high quality TIM brands and many reviews online. Noctua NT-H1 is one that has no break-in time. Whatever you use, follow the manufacturer's application instructions. This usually involves applying a very small amount as a round blob or thin line (along the long axis of the underlying CPU die = perpendicular to the text on the IHS) before attaching the CPU cooler.

Good luck and let us know how your upgrade goes.
 
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^absolutely all good advice, listen to this guy. Just a couple tips I'll throw in as an addition:

99% pure isopropyl alcohol is dirt cheap on amazon; I paid $8 for 750ml. Anything that's 90% or above should be fine - just don't use nail polish remover. It's the same stuff, but it has additives that leave a residue.

Use a smaller amount of thermal paste than you think; more is not better in this case.

I personally like Arctic Cooling MX-4, because it also has no burn-in time and it doesn't dry out over time. I've removed waterblocks after four years and seen paste as good as new. The Noctua stuff is probably the same way, but I haven't used it.
 
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darksable said:
^absolutely all good advice, listen to this guy. Just a couple tips I'll throw in as an addition:

99% pure isopropyl alcohol is dirt cheap on amazon; I paid $8 for 750ml. Anything that's 90% or above should be fine - just don't use nail polish remover. It's the same stuff, but it has additives that leave a residue.

Use a smaller amount of thermal paste than you think; more is not better in this case.

I personally like Arctic Cooling MX-4, because it also has no burn-in time and it doesn't dry out over time. I've removed waterblocks after four years and seen paste as good as new. The Noctua stuff is probably the same way, but I haven't used it.
Click to expand...

I forgot to mention this: do not use paper towels or tissues to clean with because they will leave lint and fibers behind. Use a lint free cloth. Many people recommend paper coffee filters. I've also used the white triangular makeup removal sponges, but I have no idea if they are a good idea. So far I have not seen any lint or particles left behind. They're also cheap and easy to grip.
 
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I always use 91% isopropyl alcohol and coffee filters, picked up the alcohol at the local grocery store for like $2. For thermal compound I have been using Gelid Extreme for the last couple years, had very good results with it.
 
Has anybody got a Noctua NH-L12 to work with an Asus Z270i Strix? Doing some fit tests while I wait for my 7700K to arrive. Only viable option seems to have the heat pipes pointing towards the back (IO Shield), and then I'm not sure that i'll have clearance over the DIMMS even with low profile DDR4. If the pipes point up, they won't clear the top of the case, and if the pipes point towards the DIMM, then it fouls the Mobo heat sink over the IO on the opposite side. Heat pipes pointing down appears to foul the PCI slot (and goes against Noctua recommendation anyhow).

Another option my be to remove the Asus heat sink over the IO, which would then provide clearance allowing pipes to point at DIMM and plenty of room over DDR4. Is this doable? Has anybody tried it?

Any and all advice appreciated.

Edit - left something out...
 
Whoa, surprised to see that my Z77 Asus Deluxe/WD ITX mobo is selling on ebay used ($~160+) for more than my brand new purchase price ($150). I'm wondering why... is it because Windows 10 is now attached to the mobo? i5 2500K also has solid price at $80. Looks like I won't have to spend much to upgrade to 7700K or the new Ryzen!

Anyone else here looking to upgrade and still deciding between Ryzen and 7700K? Any guesses how many months before an ITX for AM4 gets released?

I'm slightly leaning towards Ryzen since I read it has better minimum frame rates, though gets beat by 7700K overall in gaming. I'm betting that future games are optimized to use more CPU cores. Back when I got the 2500K, there was really no point getting the i7 version for gaming since not many games would use all the threads. That has clearly changed by today.

EDIT: Just watched this. Basically a more in-depth big picture analysis of cpu performance dating back from Intel 2500K vs AMD 8xxx up to 7700K vs Ryzen. I'd say I'm now sold on getting Ryzen for my upgrade.

 
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Hi there,

I don't know if its the right thread to ask a question like this, but I am experiencing some boot problems with my new M1 build.

Last week I put the following system together: 7700k, Asus Z270i, Crucial 16gb 3000mhz DDR4, C14 cooler, SF600 (no GPU yet). After a couple days I rebuild it because the C14 backplate wasn't installed properly and after that it didn't post and a red dram LED was on. I did a reset and changed my bios settings to default. All seemed well. But since then I even got a short-circuit in my pc room and cpu red LED with no post sometimes. I don't know if it's related.

I must be clear that the system is working perfectly when it runs, but I am a bit worried either I messed up with something or I have some faulty hardware. With the rebuild I pulled everything apart, but I can't imagine how reinstalling the cooler made things unstable. I didn't touch the cpu except for cleaning and reapplying paste. The installation of the c14 was straightforward and you can't really tighten anything too tight. Cpu testing doesn't show anything weird and it's running great.

I am not really using the system yet because I am waiting for the GPU to arrive. So everytime I power down I also pull the powercord. My feeling is that the boot problems occur especially when I boot up after a day or so (not sure).

Does anyone have tips on how to proceed if this keeps happening?
 
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To answer my own question: Now that I have some low profile DDR4 in hand (Corsair Vengance LPX 31MM).... There's no way that you can integrate a Noctua NH-L12 onto an Asus Z270i with 2 DDR4 memory modules, unless you plan to go against Noctua's recommendation and point the heatpipe tips down. Even then this configuration will block the PCI slot. However, you can install the cooler with the heatpipes pointing towards the back I/O, provided you only use the B1 outboard DIMM slot - limiting you to 16Gb. It may also prevent dual channel bandwidth, I'm not quite sure about this.

Anyway, the obvious alternative is to use a different cooler; had the NH-L12 and thought I'd try to squeeze it in. YMMV.
 
I've just finished phase 1 of my first Ncase build!

7700k (delidded)
Corsair H75
Asus Z270i (swapped wifi card to Intel 8265)
G.Skill Trident Z 32GB 3200MHz
960 Pro 512GB
Corsair SF600
GPU: GTX 670 (Upgrading to GTX1080ti Sea Hawk when available here)

Temps: Idle 33 degrees, Peak 82 degrees (overclocked to 4.8GHz)

For phase 2 I'm going to redo the cables (cablemod are ~4 weeks for delivery currently) and install a new GPU.

I've got a few questions for experienced Ncase builders, I'm hoping someone can help!
  • Under load I'm getting an extreme amount of noise from my SF600. Is this normal? Currently the intake is facing inwards (couldn't fit the cable with a reverse orientation). What can I do to help keep the noise of the PSU down? Should I rotate the PSU?
  • At startup the fans get really fast/loud, then slow down. On previous builds (not sff) I've always used a physical fan controller in a pci slot. Due to space constraints I've used a motherboard header with a splitter ( http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=526 ). Does anyone use a similar sized controller, with physical speed control? I'd like to avoid the Asus fan controller software.
 
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sack-o-taters said:
To answer my own question: Now that I have some low profile DDR4 in hand (Corsair Vengance LPX 31MM).... There's no way that you can integrate a Noctua NH-L12 onto an Asus Z270i with 2 DDR4 memory modules, unless you plan to go against Noctua's recommendation and point the heatpipe tips down. Even then this configuration will block the PCI slot. However, you can install the cooler with the heatpipes pointing towards the back I/O, provided you only use the B1 outboard DIMM slot - limiting you to 16Gb. It may also prevent dual channel bandwidth, I'm not quite sure about this.

Anyway, the obvious alternative is to use a different cooler; had the NH-L12 and thought I'd try to squeeze it in. YMMV.
Click to expand...

Thanks for following up and reporting your findings. If you have time, please update the Google spreadsheet that is linked in the opening post of the thread.
 
HPM said:
Hi there,

I don't know if its the right thread to ask a question like this, but I am experiencing some boot problems with my new M1 build.

Last week I put the following system together: 7700k, Asus Z270i, Crucial 16gb 3000mhz DDR4, C14 cooler, SF600 (no GPU yet). After a couple days I rebuild it because the C14 backplate wasn't installed properly and after that it didn't post and a red dram LED was on. I did a reset and changed my bios settings to default. All seemed well. But since then I even got a short-circuit in my pc room and cpu red LED with no post sometimes. I don't know if it's related.

I must be clear that the system is working perfectly when it runs, but I am a bit worried either I messed up with something or I have some faulty hardware. With the rebuild I pulled everything apart, but I can't imagine how reinstalling the cooler made things unstable. I didn't touch the cpu except for cleaning and reapplying paste. The installation of the c14 was straightforward and you can't really tighten anything too tight. Cpu testing doesn't show anything weird and it's running great.

I am not really using the system yet because I am waiting for the GPU to arrive. So everytime I power down I also pull the powercord. My feeling is that the boot problems occur especially when I boot up after a day or so (not sure).

Does anyone have tips on how to proceed if this keeps happening?
Click to expand...

I had startup problems with an Asus Z170I Pro Gaming. It was necessary to press and hold in the start button to get the boot process to start. Sometimes that stopped working until I turned off the PS, unplugged the case from power, and pressed the power switch a few times to drain any remaining power in the PS and motherboard. Then the cycle started all over again, but at least it would start, though needing the power switch held in. Of course, this is not normal behaviour and I began trying to determine what component was faulty. I proved it was not the PS or the RAM or any other component by swapping out replacements and the fact that stress tests ran perfectly when the computer did boot. Asus agreed and replaced the motherboard. If this becomes necessary for you, be sure to thoroughly document all details about the problem and your troubleshooting.

I recommend (you're not going to like this) taking everything out and assemble with only the necessary components, at least to start: one RAM module, the boot drive. You don't have a graphics card yet, so that's already out of the equation. Have the motherboard on a non-conducting surface, such as its box. Check all of the power and data cables for any damage or defects. Don't let any cables pass under the motherboard. You can plug the case's power switch cable to the motherboard or use a different switch if you have one, or carefully jumper the PS switch pins on the motherboard with a small flathead (straight blade) screwdriver momentarily. If necessary, replace the drive, or its cables. Also, try with both RAM modules one at a time and in both slots to determine if there is a combination of module and slot that works or another combination that doesn't.

If everything works outside of the case, then reassemble inside the case, but starting with the components and the cables that worked outside of the case. Make sure that combination still works inside the case Try not to put too much stress on the cables, at least to start. You can tidy up the cables later. I don't recommend routing cables under the motherboard, except for short sections or areas where there are no sharp solder points that could press into the cables.

Good luck and let us know if you find out what's causing the problem.
 
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Alright. I've gotten the SX700-LPT installed:
1. The fan does turn on sometimes during gaming, and when it is on, it is somewhat loud, but it activates only briefly. HUGE improvement over the SF450, which spun up loudly and *stayed spun up* even when I stopped gaming.
2. I'll try replacing the slim 140mm fan with two slim 120mm fans in the side bracket to see if that helps. When I have some spare time, I'll also try flipping the vent of the PSU inward (*might* run cooler, once there are two 120mm fans)
3. I might also try replacing the PSU fan with a better one, but I'll probably wait and see if Noctua actually releases the slim 120mm fan that they've been teasing for years this summer.
4. Installation was a bit tight. An extra mm or two of height in the case would do wonders... But I got the video card in there without too much difficulty.
5. No coil whine detected from the PSU, though I did notice some from the motherboard. I've been having lots of minor issues with the board (popping in audio, one of the front panel USB ports provides power but not data, unresponsive keyboard on bootup, flicker in video (though I haven't seen the latter two since upgrading to Windows 10)) so I might have a defective motherboard.
6. I really really like that the SX700 only requires one set of cables from the PSU to provide two 6+2 power connectors to the video card. Definitely helps with wire clutter.

Here's a picture of it:
NCase%20M1.jpg

Asus Z170I Pro Gaming
6700k
Noctua C14s cooler
be quiet! Silentwings 3 (lower CPU fan)
NF-A9 FLX (exaust)
Prolimatech Ultra Sleek Vortex 140mm slim fan (side panel/upper CPU fan)
Gigabyte Xtreme Gaming GTX 1070
Silverstone SX700-LPT
Samsung 960 Evo 1tb (NVMe)
 
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flyingflock said:
I've just finished phase 1 of my first Ncase build!

7700k (delidded)
Corsair H75
Asus Z270i (swapped wifi card to Intel 8265)
G.Skill Trident Z 32GB 3200MHz
960 Pro 512GB
Corsair SF600
GPU: GTX 670 (Upgrading to GTX1080ti Sea Hawk when available here)

Temps: Idle 33 degrees, Peak 82 degrees (overclocked to 4.8GHz)

For phase 2 I'm going to redo the cables (cablemod are ~4 weeks for delivery currently) and install a new GPU.

I've got a few questions for experienced Ncase builders, I'm hoping someone can help!
  • Under load I'm getting an extreme amount of noise from my SF600. Is this normal? Currently the intake is facing inwards (couldn't fit the cable with a reverse orientation). What can I do to help keep the noise of the PSU down? Should I rotate the PSU?
  • At startup the fans get really fast/loud, then slow down. On previous builds (not sff) I've always used a physical fan controller in a pci slot. Due to space constraints I've used a motherboard header with a splitter ( http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=526 ). Does anyone use a similar sized controller, with physical speed control? I'd like to avoid the Asus fan controller software.
Click to expand...

Since the PS is mounted with its fan intake facing inward, I would recommend mounting a fan (120 mm or a 140 mm with 120 mounting holes) on the side bracket across from the PS. This will act as an intake for the entire upper section of the case and blow filtered external air right into the PS. This should help keep it clean and delay the startup of its slim 92 mm fan. If the noise is not from the PS fan, but one of the power components then I would contact Corsair or the store you purchased from and request a replacement.

I have no experience with your Silverstone fan splitter. Is that one able to control each fan independently? A recent post contained a photo of a more sophisicated fan controller, the Aquaero 5, mounted against the inside of the M1 chassis' front side (where 2.5 inch drives can be mounted). Again, I haven't used this either, but it seems very capable based on the review I read. A few sites have it for sale in the US, though prices seem to vary quite a bit.
 
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Qrash said:
I had startup problems with an Asus Z170I Pro Gaming. It was necessary to press and hold in the start button to get the boot process to start. Sometimes that stopped working until I turned off the PS, unplugged the case from power, and pressed the power switch a few times to drain any remaining power in the PS and motherboard. Then the cycle started all over again, but at least it would start, though needing the power switch held in. Of course, this is not normal behaviour and I began trying to determine what component was faulty. I proved it was not the PS or the RAM or any other component by swapping out replacements and the fact that stress tests ran perfectly when the computer did boot. Asus agreed and replaced the motherboard. If this becomes necessary for you, be sure to thoroughly document all details about the problem and your troubleshooting.

I recommend (you're not going to like this) taking everything out and assemble with only the necessary components, at least to start: one RAM module, the boot drive. You don't have a graphics card yet, so that's already out of the equation. Have the motherboard on a non-conducting surface, such as its box. Check all of the power and data cables for any damage or defects. Don't let any cables pass under the motherboard. You can plug the case's power switch cable to the motherboard or use a different switch if you have one, or carefully jumper the PS switch pins on the motherboard with a small flathead (straight blade) screwdriver momentarily. If necessary, replace the drive, or its cables. Also, try with both RAM modules one at a time and in both slots to determine if there is a combination of module and slot that works or another combination that doesn't.

If everything works outside of the case, then reassemble inside the case, but starting with the components and the cables that worked outside of the case. Make sure that combination still works inside the case Try not to put too much stress on the cables, at least to start. You can tidy up the cables later. I don't recommend routing cables under the motherboard, except for short sections or areas where there are no sharp solder points that could press into the cables.

Good luck and let us know if you find out what's causing the problem.
Click to expand...

Thanks! Tomorrow I'll try this. To be sure I am starting off with replacing the C14 backplate and go from there.
 
Qrash said:
Since the PS is mounted with its fan intake facing inward, I would recommend mounting a fan (120 mm or a 140 mm with 120 mounting holes) on the side bracket across from the PS. This will act as an intake for the entire upper section of the case and blow filtered external air right into the PS. This should help keep it clean and delay the startup of its slim 92 mm fan. If the noise is not from the PS fan then I would contact Corsair or the store you purchased from and request a replacement.
Click to expand...

That's helped with temps! but shifted the noise to my fans, although it's not as bad. What RPM are people running their fans at?
 
Qrash said:
How de-LIGHT-ful!

How are your GPU temperatures? Are the fans mounted as intakes or exhausts?
Click to expand...
I have 62-64° max peak aprox in bf1 4k with 1000 rpm intake fans
The CPU increase the temps 2°, 58-60° peaks 4,6ghz
 
galletabah said:
I have 62-64° max peak aprox in bf1 4k with 1000 rpm intake fans
The CPU increase the temps 2°, 58-60° peaks 4,6ghz
Click to expand...

I noticed a 5 degree drop on the GPU when I switched my Accelero fans to exhaust. Might be worth a try since you have the side intake fans.
 
noobzilla said:
How's the fan noise on the 1080ti during full load?




At first I thought you physically did something to the card to get than "fan curve". 10 seconds of googling gave me the right answer lol
Click to expand...

It's not noticeable with headphones. I have open (Fidelio X2) and don't hear it. Noticeable with music off though. It's not annoying. Will be going full water loop soon to solve the noise problem.
 
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