CCD MI-6: Performance in a 6.7L MIcrotower

Hey all,
A quick update -- I revised the first page and the webpage to show the timing moved out to early Nov for production kickoff.
 
While I'm waiting for the samples to be built, it might be a good time to verify I have everyone's correct contact information (for the 63 61 pre-orders so far).
I believe I have replied to everyone who has signed up on the pre-order form. You should have received a confirmation email from me within a few days after you placed your pre-order.

I only got 1 bounce back for an invalid email addy (a David B from Sweden), so if you are David B from Sweden or not sure you received my confirmation, please go ahead and send me a PM.
I'll check into it and make sure everything is peachy.

Thanks


Edited...
 
Last edited:
Firewolfy said:
While I'm waiting for the samples to be built, it might be a good time to verify I have everyone's correct contact information (for the 61 pre-orders so far).
I believe I have replied to everyone who has signed up on the pre-order form. You should have received a confirmation email from me within a few days after you placed your pre-order.

I only got 1 bounce back for an invalid email addy (a David B from Sweden), so if you are David B from Sweden or not sure you received my confirmation, please go ahead and send me a PM.
I'll check into it and make sure everything is peachy.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Nice job on the 61 pre orders.
 
I just noticed that the newest renders show half-sized slots on every other row at the edges of the vent areas. They make the edges of the vent areas look less jagged. Nice job!

Can't wait to see photos of the prototypes. Hope they got done today as previously planned.
 
Update on timing and payment handling:

Payment collection will be kicked off about a week after I receive the pre-production samples, when I've had a chance to review them, do a build and get pics up on the webpage and forums. I'm still waiting on the fabricator to get the pre-production parts done, so we are a minimum of probably 1 1/2 weeks away from being ready to take payments.

When payment collection is ready to start, I'll first email everyone who made a pre-order that they can make their payment, so they will have a head start to finish up their order. Then I'll publicize it and take any additional orders. I don't think there will be any availability issues, since the production qty will be flexible, but I owe it to everyone who pre-ordered to help make it a stress-free process.

I'll be taking payments and shipping info thru the casebycasedesign.com webpage. Credit card and paypal will be both be available, and the webpage will automatically calculate shipping for your location. The payment window will be open for a set number of days. I don't know exactly how long, but I'm leaning toward a 7 day window, then kick off the production batch.

Sorry about the sample run taking so long. The parts should have been in my hands a couple weeks ago. This sample run is taking so long, I wonder if the big guy is trying to teach me patience, lol.

Take care,
Fire
 
Ok, I got the samples from the fabricator (!)
I am busy doing dimension checks, fit checks, etc, but here are a few pics I snapped of parts and checks and such.
u6dOliT.png


TUxHbjc.png


JWlCA9K.png

(3M riser used for fit check, since I didn't have a LiHeat yet with the correct connector direction)

rDTkZJc.png


These pics are using the photography light stand I'm still setting up and such, so they aren't polished pics yet.
 
Dimensions are looking very good so far. Checking all dims with either measurements or fit check to mating part, or both. Found a couple m3 threaded holes that had a thread problem, and need to adjust a dim slightly to make sure the top plate always fits correctly.

The only other issue is the brushed anodized finish
The brushing is a bit coarse to the touch, so I'll have a finer brushing done.

Powdercoating on chassis looks great.
Workmanship on slotted holes is great.
Front I/O and gpu fit great.
Surrogate riser fits great.
Next up is MB fit check that I will do tonight.
 
Looks great.

I have one complaint, nothing to do with the product...

You keep changing the name of the thread and it confuses me everytime i click on the alert. XD. Keep maybe the first couple words the same at least?! :D
 
ReaperX22 said:
Looks great.

I have one complaint, nothing to do with the product...

You keep changing the name of the thread and it confuses me everytime i click on the alert. XD. Keep maybe the first couple words the same at least?! :D
Click to expand...

LOL!! Sorry bro. Trying to keep it interesting, but freaking people out instead. Almost the same thing?
Ok, I promise not to change the title for awhile. Scouts honor.
 
Some info I posted over on sff that peeps might find useful:

I don't have time this morning to do much of anupdate, but I'll do more this evening.

For now I give you: lighted LED.
sAr4kg9.png

It's actually less white and more blue. The camera just doesn't see that too well.

I built up a computer in this sample case and started doing thermal testing.
 
I'm waiting to hear back on some minor case tweaks for fit, and the smoother brushed anodized surface. As soon as I hear back I can kick off receiving payments and convert everyone's preorders to real orders. I'll write up the details of this process as soon as I hear back from my vendor.

Thermal testing is underway and I'm creating some good case pics. I have started to update the webpage with real pics instead of renders on the main page gallery.

I should have some thermal charts posted here tomorrow. And a teaser -- Im testing the Noctua 92x65mm cooler and the Big Shuriken 120x58.
 
I completed a first round of thermal testing. The testing was generally a worst-case loading with Prime95 and Furmark. Here are the results and specific build and test settings:


FKwgqSIh.png

Take a look and also let me know of settings you would like to see tested and I'll see if I can run a test series for you.

Fire

EDIT - I added a title to the graphic and °C.
EDIT2 - I added info on how the test data was crunched.
 
Last edited:
I got some more testing done today. I focused on 2 areas: Prime 95 test settings and different build configurations.
  1. If you are like me, you get a get tired of the various Prime 95 test settings used (large FFT, small FFT, Blended, 8K), so I did some testing to see if they really affect CPU temperature. I only used version 26.6, and didn't bother with later versions as I have heard they are more extreme, and v26.5 is generally overkill anyway compared to typical applications.
  2. I also did some testing with the case fan direction and different places to mount HDDs.
nIzcTQmh.png
 
I am curious if anything is gained by facing the PSU fan upward so it can help exhaust heat from the case.
 
Brian_R170 said:
I am curious if anything is gained by facing the PSU fan upward so it can help exhaust heat from the case.
Click to expand...

I have both a Corsair SF600 and 450 and the fans don't actually run often enough to be put into any kind of cooling equation.
 
rfarmer said:
I have both a Corsair SF600 and 450 and the fans don't actually run often enough to be put into any kind of cooling equation.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I have never seen my SF450 fan run. I just ran a thermal test with a wattmeter and I'm only pulling a max of 270W with a i7-6700K and Gigabyte GTX1070.
 
Revised the first thermal graphic (post #976 above) to list how I calculated max temperatures for that test and what I am doing for all follow-on tests. I think it is a good methodology, but let me know if you have a better idea.

-- I added this info because I recently saw temperature reporting on other threads that used a much different method (average-over-run sort of thing), so I wanted to make my methods clear.
 
I looked into what some of the other case designers have done for thermal testing. I came up with some more tests to try to commonize test settings, -or at least allow easier comparisons.

I did some CPU-only testing with Prime 95 (no GPU test load). I also tested the effect of a case fan on CPU cooling. I also looked at how much restriction the cover has to ventilation. Lastly, since my ambients are high (25.5), I normalized the data to a 21.5C baseline ambient.

I used the highest-performance cooler I have on-hand, the Big Shuriken2.

HjjZLUHh.png


Hope this is helpful.

Fire
 
--Oh and I finally have a meeting with the fab house on Tuesday to discuss the final tweaks and prep for kickoff. (!) We are very close now!
 
The time has finally arrived!

Manufacturing reviews have been completed. The final pre-production cases have seen assembled, inspected and fit-checked. Tolerances have been checked and we are a go to kick off production. You can check out photos of the final sample cases in the webpage gallery.

The only two adjustments for production were adding 2 access cutouts to the chassis to simplify working in the case, and a finer brush finish on the cover and top. You can see what those will look like at the end of the gallery.

I am finishing up preparations, and within the next day will be sending out an email to those who have pre-ordered that payment can be made for your order on the webpage, and instructions for paying and shipping info. Then I will open the webpage for anyone to order. The plan is to have the store open for 7 days to give everyone time to order.

After the payments have been received for the first edition production batch (quantity between 30 minimum to 100 maximum), I will notify everyone and kick off the production order. From kick-off to start of shipping will be 8 weeks.

One note on pricing: If the final order batch is higher than 49 cases, then I will notify everyone of the price reduction (-$10 for 50-99 cases, -$25 for 100+ cases). This will be credited back to your visa or paypal.

Thanks!
-Fire!!

www.casebycasedesign.com

edit -- added web addy
 
Last edited:
Just ordered. Had to use Edge because neither the Checkout nor the PayPal button worked in Chrome. I have ad blocker and popup blocker installed, so that might be the reason.
 
Brian_R170 said:
Just ordered. Had to use Edge because neither the Checkout nor the PayPal button worked in Chrome. I have ad blocker and popup blocker installed, so that might be the reason.
Click to expand...
Sorry about that. Maybe it was the pop up blocker, since a paypal window is supposed to pop up.
 
Yeah, I'm pretty sure now it was the Pop-up blocker add-on for Chrome. No worries. Now the wait.
 
Ordering and payment are being accepted for the MI-6 Case First Edition production batch. The timeline for payment, production and shipping is below:

1. Ordering and Payment: Open until thru Thurs Nov 30 11:30 pm MST.

2. Production: Kick off Friday Dec 1st. Production runs for 8 weeks.

3. Shipping starts: Friday Jan 26th.

Below are details on the process, which can also be found on the website.


PAYMENT PROCESS: Payments will be taken on the MI-6 website WWW.CASEBYCASEDESIGN.COM.

Select the SHOP tab to go and select your products. The prices shown are unchanged from the pre-order prices, and reflect prices for a 30 case batch. Note that if the total batch ends up being more than 49 cases, then I will notify you of the price reduction (-$10 for 50-99 case batch, -$25 for 100+ cases). This will be credited back to your credit card or paypal.

When you go to check out (either the checkout button for credit card or the PayPal button), you will enter your contact and shipping information. The page will automatically calculate your shipping cost. The only method used is US Postal Service (USPS) and will ship worldwide. Note if you want to order 2 cases, please place 2 separate orders to make sure the shipping will be calculated correctly.

When you are ready to pay, I have enabled payments via credit card or paypal. Note that when you pay you will be automatically transferred to the Stripe or PayPal webpage, as I am leaving all the financial handling with them. This way you (and I) don’t have to worry about the security of your personal information.

It should all be straightforward, but if you have issues please contact me and let me help get that fixed for you.

PRODUCTION: Production will be kicked off at the end of the ordering window. The exceptions are:

1. If we reach the 100 case limit before the end of the ordering window, then kick off could be sooner.

2. The other exception is if the minimum 30 case batch size is not yet met at the end of 7 days, then the payment window could be extended until the minimum 30 case batch quantity is reached or a total of 30 days. If the minimum batch is not reached, your payment will be refunded.

Production will last an estimated 8 weeks.

SHIPPING: Shipping will occur at a rate of approximately 10 cases per day. I will notify you when you case has shipped and supply the tracking number. Shipping will include basic insurance, but not signature verification or other services. You can contact me when we get close to shipping if you would like additional shipment services such as that.​



Thanks,
Fire
 
Last edited:
Looking at the graphs the Shuriken 2 gets better temperatures than the noctua cooler. So would you recommend it over the NH-L9x65? Is there enough room to swap out the fan on the Shuriken to a more quieter or powerfull one?

Love the pics and the stats, and can't wait to get my own Case! Nice Work!!!
 
Boil said:
I believe you should be able to swap the Noctua NF-A12x15 PWM fan for the stock model...?
Click to expand...

or you could try and fit maybe the Yate Loon D12SL-12C inside (Didn't search for long, maybe there are more fans in that specific size). Because the heatsink of the Shuriken cooler being 5mm lower than on the NH-L9x65 (without fan), you could use that extra space to fit an 120x120x20 mm fan in between. But for 25 mm thick fans, the space is not enough.

But 20mm fans could be better than 15/14mm fans, am I right?
 
GermanDrifter97 said:
Looking at the graphs the Shuriken 2 gets better temperatures than the noctua cooler. So would you recommend it over the NH-L9x65? Is there enough room to swap out the fan on the Shuriken to a more quieter or powerfull one?

Love the pics and the stats, and can't wait to get my own Case! Nice Work!!!
Click to expand...

Can't use a 25mm fan because it would be too tall for the case but any 120X15mm would work. I plan on using this one with the Big Shuriken, https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA85V6DP5026 140mm but it has 120mm mounting holes.

Just ordered my case btw, thanks Fire for all the hard work.
 
As far as heatsinks, I was running the NH-L9x65 for a long time. Lots of room to work around the MB. It was good enough for the last gen games I play, but it would get a little noisy being close to the sidewall and only a 92mm fan.

I'm running the Shuriken now. It is quiet and cooler but tougher to work around, as it is a pig for MB space (as all 120mm or bigger would be).
 
rfarmer said:
Can't use a 25mm fan because it would be too tall for the case but any 120X15mm would work. I plan on using this one with the Big Shuriken, https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA85V6DP5026 140mm but it has 120mm mounting holes.
Click to expand...

As I said in my other post, there are also some 120x20 fans. I looked at the NH-L9x65-Clearance-Graphic on page 1. Between the fan and the case there is a 3mm gap. The Shuriken being 58mm tall, without fan 46mm, compared to the Noctuas 65mm, you could fit an 20mm thick fan onto the heatsink. The question is if the gained cooling performance at a lower speed and therefore lower volume - if there even is such an advantage - would interfere with the lower clearance towards the side panel...
 
GermanDrifter97 said:
As I said in my other post, there are also some 120x20 fans. I looked at the NH-L9x65-Clearance-Graphic on page 1. Between the fan and the case there is a 3mm gap. The Shuriken being 58mm tall, without fan 46mm, compared to the Noctuas 65mm, you could fit an 20mm thick fan onto the heatsink. The question is if the gained cooling performance at a lower speed and therefore lower volume - if there even is such an advantage - would interfere with the lower clearance towards the side panel...
Click to expand...

Thanks for mentioning that, I actually have a set of these that I had used on another build https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835856012 Deepcool Gamer Storm 120X20mm PWM, have to give one a try before I buy the Prolimatech.
 
I met with my metal fabricator late last week regarding the surface finish (brushing) on the cover. He is going to add some additional steps to his processing to get the brush texture much smoother. It will still be visibly brushed, but no roughness to the touch. So that will be good.

I revamped some parts of the webpage (HDD mounting, News, Gallery and a few other sections) to class it up a bit. Let me know what you think. Thx.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: eggDK
like this
First Edition Batch Update --
Orders are up to 27 as of mid day today Tues Nov 28. So we are getting close to reaching or exceeding the 30 case kick off min threshold (!!)

2 1/2 days left to order so if you are on the fence, you still have some time. I am pretty much updating the webpage daily with more photos and such, so if you need more convincing or just info you might check it out. But feel free to ask me any questions here or there.

Thanks!
Fire
 
Firewolfy said:
First Edition Batch Update --
Orders are up to 27 as of mid day today Tues Nov 28. So we are getting close to reaching or exceeding the 30 case kick off min threshold (!!)

2 1/2 days left to order so if you are on the fence, you still have some time. I am pretty much updating the webpage daily with more photos and such, so if you need more convincing or just info you might check it out. But feel free to ask me any questions here or there.

Thanks!
Fire
Click to expand...

That is good to hear, I was wondering if you were getting close to 30 orders. Come on guys order up.
 
Matt Reissmann has made a nice slim fan comparison sheet HERE. Lot of good data for anyone looking at 92mm fans for the bottom of the case or for CPU heatsinks. Might want to give him kudos if you find it useful.

I'll put a link to it on the front page too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top