DAN A4-SFX: The smallest gaming case in the world

I'm curious to see how tight a fit the cabling will be if the Silverstone SFX-L 500w psu was used. Also, would it still be possible to place a normal 2.5 inch ssd below the SFX-L psu as shown in the renders with the Silverstone SFX 450w? Last but not least, how will non-ref GPUs like MSI twinfrozr or Asus directcuII/strix series fare temps wise? It would be nice to see non-ref gpu temps as well for the A4 SFX.
 
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Hi here comes the next big change. I flipped the orientation in the inside of the case and add powerbutton and audio to the front i/o.
The advantages of the new orientation is, that motherboard and gpu switched there position. This means the graphiccard will be now mounted like original and not upside down. This will improve the sitting of the gpu in the risercard socket. Furthermore it will improve the airflow of dualfan graphiccards, because the biggest part of the hot air will exhaust on the top of the card and can now move directly to the top of the case.

The total front i/o is now redesignt the mean you have the powerbutton in the front together with one USB 3.0 and one Audio line out.

Here are the new pictures:

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With these new changes, I think I'm pretty much sold in getting this over SaperPL's case. The only question I have is how much space is there between an SFX and SFX-L psu to a normal sata SSD? Also, looking at the new renders, is it possible to actually route the psu cables under the the 3M riser rectangular hole below the motherboard? Sorry if this is a stupid, obvious question to ask.

Anyways, the new design is looking good. Keep up the good work and I look forward to buying this case.
 
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looking good..but where is mic plug-in? :/

with headset its really pain in the ass to put the cables behind the comp. yes i am lazy. not a "no-sale" point for me, but still. i use headset only occasionally and because of that i like it when i can just plug them easily without reaching behind.
 
what i mean to say, that id rather have either no plugins or both line out and mic.
 
Barbarian_PT said:
Isn't any problem in not having a physical separation between the gpu and the PSU?
Click to expand...

There will be a plastic securemant that you can mount on the sfx like this:



CknSalad said:
The only question I have is how much space is there between an SFX and SFX-L psu to a normal sata SSD?
Click to expand...

SFX 62mm
SFX-L 32mm

But this values aren't final, because actual i use the meassures of an normal right angled ac connector and not the low ones of LianLi.
 
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dondan said:
(...)

SFX 62mm
SFX-L 32mm

But this values aren't final, because actual i use the meassures of an normal right angled ac connector and not the low ones of LianLi.
Click to expand...

There should be a little accessorie to people (like me) that is going to use a SFX PSU put 2 disks, with a little bit of space between them, like 5 mm, one SSD and one HDD 2,5''.

If you don't include this, I'll find a way myself, doesn't seem dificult! It's just a matter of specifications, in the specs table you could put 2 x 2,5'' HDD/SSD support (with non SFX-L PSU).

It's a good thing develop a product with the future buyers feedback, but you will never please everyone. Power button+2 usb 3.0+line in+line out... It's a possibility. For instance, I don't use line in plug, like people that watch movies or hear music while they work...
 
The swap was a good idea, I always wondered how stable will it be for the VGA, now its okay :) Can you tell us what is the maximum VGA height in this configuration? (the absolute maximum, to hit the top of the case) About the front I agree with the others, mic + headphone out, or no out at all. The position and the design of the power button is great, don't change that!

I throwing my money at the screen but nothing happens, i just want to buy it ASAP :D

edit: most people wanna fit cards like this into this case, heights after the links:
http://www.asus.com/us/Graphics_Cards/STRIXGTX980DC2OC4GD5/specifications/ 13.44cm
http://www.asus.com/us/Graphics_Cards/STRIXGTX970DC2OC4GD5/specifications/ 14.00cm
us.msi.com/product/vga/GTX-980-GAMING-4G.html#hero-specification 14.00cm
us.msi.com/product/vga/GTX_970_GAMING_4G.html#hero-specification 14.10cm
 
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I dont know how the manufractures are making their meassures. For example a reference gtx 980 has an height of 125mm buttom of the bracket until top of the card. But the height of the pcb is 110mm. Over a reference Gtx 980 are 42mm left space. I think you need 25mm space for the connectors. So the card could be have a height of 142mm if the manufracture meassure it from the bracket buttom and the pcb shouldnt be higher as 127mm. But for example for the msi cards the card itself could be higher because the pcb is lower as the cooler.
 
dondan said:
I dont know how the manufractures are making their meassures. For example a reference gtx 980 has an height of 125mm buttom of the bracket until top of the card. But the height of the pcb is 110mm. Over a reference Gtx 980 are 42mm left space. I think you need 25mm space for the connectors. So the card could be have a height of 142mm if the manufracture meassure it from the bracket buttom. But for example for the msi cards the card itself could be higher because the pcb is lower as the cooler.
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Based on the asus site, they say that the reference GTX 980 is 9.84cm http://www.asus.com/us/Graphics_Cards/GTX9804GD5/specifications/ so i guess they only measure the pcb + cooler - pci connector part of the pcb. But if you subtract the 9.84 mm from the GTX STRIX 970's 14.0cm, that gives you 4.16cm, a tight fit indeed :D The power connector mounted way lower than that, its just the cooler what extends this far out (like at the msi as You already said).
 
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From the renders I see the 3M flex extender cable goes between the mobo and the mobo tray. Is the internal layout designed to make sure that, no matter how any of us potential owners install the flex cable in the case, the cable will be stretched tightly and doesn't sway/wobble/move so that the shielded cable doesn't touch the backside of the mobo?
 
dondan said:
I think about it :)
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Thanks,

Personally i am always "function over aesthetics" (=both plugins), just one feels kinda lukewarm compromise :)

...ofcourse thats just me, no idea whats the general and ofcourse your personal opinion on the matter. :)
 
veryrarium said:
From the renders I see the 3M flex extender cable goes between the mobo and the mobo tray. Is the internal layout designed to make sure that, no matter how any of us potential owners install the flex cable in the case, the cable will be stretched tightly and doesn't sway/wobble/move so that the shielded cable doesn't touch the backside of the mobo?
Click to expand...
It wouldn't be a problem if the cable touch the backside of the motherboard, because it has a polyester outer layer and this isn't conductive. :) This is the reason why i go with 3m.

Edit: With the LianLi low profile ac connector i can reduce the distance of the sfx from 30mm to 20mm. So we have 10mm more space for the gpu ;)
 
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dondan said:
It wouldn't be a problem if the cable touch the backside of the motherboard, because it has a polyester outer layer and this isn't conductive. :) This is the reason why i go with 3m.

Edit: With the LianLi low profile ac connector i can reduce the distance of the sfx from 30mm to 20mm. So we have 10mm more space for the gpu ;)
Click to expand...

That would be so great!
 
And 10mm more under the SFX-L so you can maybe use a second 2,5" hdd.

Edit: Sorry the 10mm more for the Gpu was wrong. A higher mounted SFX will not result in more space for gpu only for more space for the hdds. Brainfuck ^^
 
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Thanks dondan, as soon as I saw the word "polyester" in your answer I realized you probably had already mentioned this earlier in this thread, sorry I was oblivious.
 
Wow, those are some pretty heavy changes! :eek: :cool:

I like them; especially the power button on the front (as you might guess from my previous whining)! :D

I also think the front looks a lot better now (the previous centered double-usb made it look a bit like a cartoon rabbit).

Personally I'd prefer an additional usb port instead of the audio-out, but the way it is now also works.

Well done!

Edit: I guess an additional usb port instead of the audio-out would limit the maximum graphics card length? In that case, keep it as is. Graphics card length restrictions are a lot more important than usb ports!
 
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What is the price estimate for this new design? Also is lian li going to be manufacturing these cases? I'm guessing there will be international shipping fees to take into account just like the Ncase M1.
 
I like this new version. As for no front mic jack I don't seen an issue. The case is small, getting around the back is easy. I could do without the line out too. At a LAN I would just have your headset in the back.
 
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I do see merit for the front headphone jack, because some motherboards like the ASRock Z87E-ITX, Z97E-ITX/ac, Asus Maximus VII Impact and a few others have headphone amplification on the front audio only. Eliminating that port would mean that it would be completely unusable and is for some people the reason that they don't need an (expensive) external sound card which can drive some of the more demanding headphones.
 
Phuncz said:
I do see merit for the front headphone jack, because some motherboards like the ASRock Z87E-ITX, Z97E-ITX/ac, Asus Maximus VII Impact and a few others have headphone amplification on the front audio only. Eliminating that port would mean that it would be completely unusable and is for some people the reason that they don't need an (expensive) external sound card which can drive some of the more demanding headphones.
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This is actually huge point, i totally forgot about this - despite myself having both of those Asrock mobos you mentioned.
 
rawrr is right we have to see what lianli can offer me. But i prefer black or metal too:

Here is a first picture out of Solidworks (no rendering) with the mic jack:

solidworks2ns05.jpg
 
The Ncase M1 has chrome (nickel plated ?) mini-jack sockets with a black ring. But those were sockets without the "click" (in the v1) when you insert the mini-jack plug, like most devices have. It confused some people but Necere said it was no problem to get the "clicky" ones.
 
Phuncz said:
The Ncase M1 has chrome (nickel plated ?) mini-jack sockets with a black ring. But those were sockets without the "click" (in the v1) when you insert the mini-jack plug, like most devices have. It confused some people but Necere said it was no problem to get the "clicky" ones.
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Actually what I was told was it would require the jacks to be on a custom PCB, and that would be expensive. We'd have gone ahead and done it if it was trivial.
 
But you have to focus on the two other projects, because my focus is on the A4-SFX and after that maybe the B3.
 
Necere said:
Actually what I was told was it would require the jacks to be on a custom PCB, and that would be expensive. We'd have gone ahead and done it if it was trivial.
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Ah that's odd that a custom PCB is required. Until the M1 I didn't even know these type of mini-jack plugs existed, as it seems all devices use one with a "click-lock" or how it is called. But are we talking about the mechanical locking or about the insert detection ?
 
I still love this case and would like to get one.
Though it might be just to put it in the cupboard and wait for money enough to build a new system.
 
Yes it comes by default with the 3M Riser and it is SFX and SFX-L ready. Prototyp Crowdfounding = end 2014 or early 2015 and final product crowdfounding in the time between march-mai 2015.
 
The Intel Skylake desktop high-end CPU's (like the current i5-4690K and i7-4790K) are planned for ~ June 2015, so still 6 months away. It's mainly going to be notebook and low or mid-end desktop CPU's.
 
I can't wait to buy this case! Only problem is I have a Silverstone TJ08-E and Ncase M1 pc. I might just wait till as long as Intel Cannonlake when m.2 ssds and ddr4 become standardized. I don't think there will be any case much smaller than this with sfx and sfx-l support in the near feature unless they make a gaming-capable thin-mitx form factor and make smaller non-reference flagship gpus. Even then, it might be at most 1L or so less in volume and building in that would probably be a PITA. Until external power adapter/daughterboard solution becomes cheaper, I'll be sticking to this case for a long time.
 
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