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

[spda242]

What do you guys think of 7700 instead of 7700K? I looks like 7700K runs really hot according to the document in the last page or so?

Several of guys seem to have attached an Noctua fan to a C7, what kind of solution are you using? Zip-Tie or something better?

 

[Kreyyr]

The User "met" from the german Computerbase.de-Forum used hooks and a pullstring: https://www.computerbase.de/forum/showthread.php?t=1279570&p=19728821#post19728821
I like this way and already asked him where to find those tiny hooks^^

 

[SSuk]

So I measured it and its 105mm x 80mm x 15mm. there is a retaining plate halfway across on the frame so that is the max measurements. I don't really think a fan above the mb will fit.

So basicly fan eith 80x80x10mm dimensions would fit?
Then this one is a go: https://www.amazon.com/EVERCOOL-EC8010M12CA-80mm-10mm-Bearing/dp/B009CBUM74

 

[kardus]

Any idea where you get a spool of mesh similar to what's used in the dust filters?

 

[ahmedelamin_]

What do you guys think of 7700 instead of 7700K? I looks like 7700K runs really hot according to the document in the last page or so?

I'd also be really interested in an answer to this. From a 3D modelling/rendering point of view. No over clocking required, is it better to get the non-K version ?

 

[lukedriftwood]

What do you guys think of 7700 instead of 7700K? I looks like 7700K runs really hot according to the document in the last page or so?

Several of guys seem to have attached an Noctua fan to a C7, what kind of solution are you using? Zip-Tie or something better?

you can use rubber fan screws like this:

and use the perforations on the side panel as mounting hole, so you fan attaches to the side panel.

 

[alishakyol]

The cable tie method is not very elegant.

You can use rubber fan screw and use the perforations on the side panel to mount the fan.

i used the rubber screws and squeezed the nibs inbetween the cpu heatsink grills. nice and clean fit

 

[Philfreeze]

I have a few questions I hope someone can answer.

If not overclocking, is it worth going for the 7700 (65w) instead of a 7700K (91w)? The 7700K is still a higher base clock but considering the Cyrorig C7 is often the loudest part of the system, keeping the CPU cooler would help reduce the fan noise. Even with a GTX 1080, it would seem the 7700 would match it well and the benefits of the 7700K are outweighed by having lower CPU temperature under load.

On the GPU front, which model is the quietest GTX 1080. I was initially looking at the ZOTAC GTX 1080 AMP Extreme however it seems like this card won't fit. I want a GPU which doesn't spin fans at idle, and is relatively quiet under load. It seems like the ASUS Strix may be a good choice, but what other options are out there?

Nearly every review I have read which compares the Corsair SF450 to the SF600, rates the SF450 quieter. Is this the preferred PSU choice since even a 7700K & GTX 1080 won't exceed 450w?

I finally came around to analyze the sound data I got from testing both PSUs in an anechoic chamber.
I actually wanted to test it in a DIY anechoic chamber which is mostly used to find coil whine in LED-lights for surgery but I went to a friend of mine which works for Bernafon (a Swiss company which makes hearing aids) and they have a professional setup with good audio measurement equipment and even a self made multi-mic frequency analysis tool.
I ran some test with both PSUs under all kind of loads and ambient temperatures and my final result in short is the following: (I could write a lot more, if anybody is interested I can make some graphs from all the data and publish it; I got 1.6GB of xml and text files)

The SF450 is overall the louder PSU (but not by a lot). It ramps up its fan more quickly at the lower end of the load (fan starts at about 70W for my unit) than the SF600. This means the SF600 is quieter than the SF450 up to 340W but after that the SF450 is quieter. Bellow 340W the SF600 is only about 1dBA (or less) quieter, at 400W the SF450 is quieter by about 1dBA and at 450W the SF450 is quieter by almost 2dBA.
So basically the difference is tiny. I don't really know why most reviews say the SF600 is louder (maybe they don't compare them at the same load levels?; or maybe the real life performance looks slightly different than with constant loads).
Keep in mind, there results where not in a case but rather just with the PSU at a 30° angle to the mic which is 1m away. So this might also be a factor. Also, the difference between the two PSUs where tiny and as I already wrote, I personally thought the SF450 was the quieter PSU.

Some words to the kind of noise it produces (mostly paraphrased from an actual audio engineer which helped me with the measurements):
Both PSU produce a pretty soft sound without a noticeable higher pitched component (though there are some higher frequencies present but they are very quiet). The SF600 tends to be a bit softer than the SF450 at loads smaller than 250W. Above that both have a similar sound profile (I assume that is just because of the variability of the units themselves though).

Finally, I redid some thermal measurements in a non openair environment (I toke some cardboard and approximated the case with it) and the temperature did rise a bit more than in my last test (where the difference was bellow 10K for both units.
The temperature delta in this new test for the SF450 was 16K and 14K for the SF600. Still a pretty small temperature delta for both units.


Conclusion:
From my testing it looks now like the SF600 has slightly the edge over the SF450 but the difference is really small in all metrics. It is however perfectly possible that I have an above average SF600 and a bellow average SF450.

Personally, I will keep the SF600 and sell the SF450. For everyone who doesn't yet bought his PSU I would recommend the SF450 because most reviewers say it is the quieter unit and in my case it is a bit louder but I can't notice the difference (in fact I thought it was the other way around but that also might be due to a certain bias I had from reading the reviews). It also costs a bit less and is perfectly adequate for an i7 XXXX-K GTX 1080 build.

 

[okwchin]

So basicly fan eith 80x80x10mm dimensions would fit?
Then this one is a go: https://www.amazon.com/EVERCOOL-EC8010M12CA-80mm-10mm-Bearing/dp/B009CBUM74

The photo looks much more like a 25mm fan, but the description is for a 10mm thick.

I have ordered one from ebay for $5 delivered, specifically picking one with 2600 rpm max as that was the slowest I could find. I will just need to wait for my case to arrive Australia comes after the US, so I don't expect it too soon.

Excited to be back in computer building mode again

 

[okwchin]

The [SF450] ramps up its fan more quickly at the lower end of the load (fan starts at about 70W for my unit) than the SF600.

My SF450 fan doesnt come on at all, I've maxed out my 1070 with furmark and running prime at the same time, pulling 250+ watts at the wall, and the fan doesnt come on at all, with an ambient of around 25-30 deg C. Ive played BF1 for hours and run load tests for at least 15-30 mins). PSU is quite warm to touch and smells of hot electrical compments. I am sure this is outside of the normal behaviour?

Maybe I should contact corsair. Has anyone else noticed this? or is it just mine that doesnt come on. What a contrast to the Silverstone SFX450 who's fan was the loudest component in the system.

 

[Blackreplica]

Thank you for the detailed review Philfreeze

 

[Jonas Mellkvist]

My eye-balling work fo far... Haven't got my case just yet... (usa)

View attachment 16171 View attachment 16172 View attachment 16174 View attachment 16175 View attachment 16176

Im new to Cable mods on PSU are it hard to do shorter cables with sleeve look ??

I have checked that i need a special tong for the pins and i think its female in to psu and components is that correct ??

Is it only cable and sleeve with pins and contact and then its done ??

 

[Ca11idus]

https://i.imgur.com/uGml5JX.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/WEDdgnd.jpg

I think this is the same guy but he gave us the measurements on reddit. The space on top of the case is roughly 12.5mm. so a 10mm fan could technically fit. Scythe 100x100x12 maybe? Now I just need to sell my new a9x14 and get a scythe.

 

[SSuk]

Has anyone tried to do delid amd apply on i7 7700(k) cpu and compare results before/after in Dan A4-SFX?
I see everywhere in tests drop over 20 degrees. Is it worth it?

 

[jtcera]

Has anyone tried to do delid amd apply on i7 7700(k) cpu and compare results before/after in Dan A4-SFX?
I see everywhere in tests drop over 20 degrees. Is it worth it?

My 7700k is delidded and I've confirmed massive temp improvement with my current setup 25 to 30C! I followed Rockit instructions exactly. Ezpz. I am still waiting for my DAN case in the US. Unfortunately I won't have the "before" results. I do have the coolers and fans in question on hand though.

-C7
-L9i with 25mm NF-A9 PWM. Stock 14mm fan ready to test on C7 as well.
-2x 92mm Black Rubber Fan Silencer to use as shrouds from case wall to fan if there's any gap. This, I imagine, will allow only fresh air to be pulled but could have negative noise consequences. I am considering drilling extra small holes until the sound is gone for the best airflow. However, I do not want to make the case look bad. So I'll be very hesitant to do this.

 

[SSuk]

My 7700k is delidded and I've confirmed massive temp improvement with my current setup 25 to 30C! I followed Rockit instructions exactly. Ezpz. I am still waiting for my DAN case in the US. Unfortunately I won't have the "before" results. I do have the coolers and fans in question on hand though.

-C7
-L9i with 25mm NF-A9 PWM. Stock 14mm fan ready to test on C7 as well.
-2x 92mm Black Rubber Fan Silencer to use as shrouds from case wall to fan if there's any gap. This, I imagine, will allow only fresh air to be pulled but could have negative noise consequences. I am considering drilling extra small holes until the sound is gone for the best airflow. However, I do not want to make the case look bad. So I'll be very hesitant to do this.

Thanks for reply. I personaly go for i7 7700 (not K, but regular one) so i will see how the temps with cryorig c7 are and then i will decide if delid is a go or no-go.
Luckily i have a good pc-hardware shop next to my place, so they can do it for me quicly and safely.

 

[illram]

On the topic of mixing and matching fans and heatsinks, I have a stupid question: when you cable tie a fan like the A9x14 to the C7, are you literally just zip-tying it with any old cheap plastic zip tie through the grill mesh and the fan screw holes? The plastic doesn't melt or anything? Is it just a matter of making sure it is really tight so the fan doesn't move at all? I would think even being slightly loose would add noise.

 

[Ca11idus]

On the topic of mixing and matching fans and heatsinks, I have a stupid question: when you cable tie a fan like the A9x14 to the C7, are you literally just zip-tying it with any old cheap plastic zip tie through the grill mesh and the fan screw holes? The plastic doesn't melt or anything? Is it just a matter of making sure it is really tight so the fan doesn't move at all? I would think even being slightly loose would add noise.

The zip ties won't melt. As long as there is decent airflow, which the a9x14 provides, you should be fine.

 

[SSuk]

On the topic of mixing and matching fans and heatsinks, I have a stupid question: when you cable tie a fan like the A9x14 to the C7, are you literally just zip-tying it with any old cheap plastic zip tie through the grill mesh and the fan screw holes? The plastic doesn't melt or anything? Is it just a matter of making sure it is really tight so the fan doesn't move at all? I would think even being slightly loose would add noise.

I would do it as you said with zip-tying. I really dont thing it will melt.
I still think that c7 fan will perform a little bit better according to paper specs (2500rpm vs noctua 2200rpm). But we will se after some time.

 

[illram]

Power specs are better for the C7 but all the reviews, comments etc. I've read seem to indicate the A9x14 is just quieter at the same RPM. I've got an A9x14 in a little Antec ISK-110 right now, and sitting right next to me I can hear it, but tucked behind my monitor on a VESA mount it is inaudible even at high RPM. "Full blast" on this thing is not loud at all.

I wondering if C7 + A9 is thus the "best of both worlds" type scenario.

 

[lscollo1234]

Alright guys, I said I was going to post this a few days ago but I'm finally getting around to doing it. Here is my finished build!

Spoiler: Build pictures

The current hardware in it is:
CPU - i7 3770k
GPU - EVGA 1070 SC
PSU - Corsair SF450
RAM - 16GB HyperX DDR3
MOBO - Asrock H67M-ITX
SSD - 120GB Samsung 840
HDD - 2TB 2.5inch Seagate Barracuda internal hard drive
Currently using an Intel stock cooler but I have a Cryorg C7 on the way

Also included are 2 rgb strips because why not

I managed to pick up the mobo for $20 and while its not optimal I'm going to use it until the summer. Come summer I plan on getting an Asus ROG Strix Z270I Gaming with either a 7600k or a 7700k along with a 960 Evo.

 

[spda242]

you can use rubber fan screws like this:

and use the perforations on the side panel as mounting hole, so you fan attaches to the side panel.

Thanks, I be sure to try that

 

[DrFino]

I would recommend looking at camera bag packs instead of messenger bags. They can be more expensive but offer alot of padded protection. Also messenger style bags are more likely so swing or hit into objects if you are in a rush...

Most of those are actually camera messenger bags with compartmental padded inserts to hold cameras/lenses/etc. Ideally I'd get a bag with a padded insert that fit the case exactly, but it looks like I'd need to take the insert out to fit it into many of these.

 

[pellen]

...
I don't really know why most reviews say the SF600 is louder (maybe they don't compare them at the same load levels?; or maybe the real life performance looks slightly different than with constant loads).
...

According to a Swedish Corsair rep, a bunch of units sent to reviewers was not "working as they should", and new units was sent out, but many reviewers never redid the tests (apparently). So probably something with the SF600 fan curve was faulty.

 

[krcm0209]

Has anyone considered using a couple NF-A4x10 FLX fans from Noctua for the top of the case? They come with low-noise adapters that reduce the RPM but I'm wondering if they would provide enough airflow to be any better than having no top fans. http://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-a4x10-flx

 

[DrFino]

If one finds an appropriate camer-type bag let me know. There was an amazonbasics branded one on amazon at a very affordable price, but it's slightly too small.

Just ordered this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VSZWF5Y/

Seems like the padded insert is large enough to hold the case entirely.

 

[Cherry Dude]

Has anyone considered using a couple NF-A4x10 FLX fans from Noctua for the top of the case? They come with low-noise adapters that reduce the RPM but I'm wondering if they would provide enough airflow to be any better than having no top fans. http://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-a4x10-flx

I was thinking the exact same thing, and then remember i have a NF-A15 leftover. Did a quick test where I placed it just on top, and it did reduce the temperature by 4 - 5 degrees. So not impressive and I doubt the small A4x10 will move the same amount. But then again every little small thing adds up... more or less...

I did however get better results when I positioned it at approximatly 45 degrees to blow air to the CPU and upwards, but that's out of the question inside the case.

 

[swooby]

Right? I mean, this is exactly the kind of thing I would have expected from them if they were still the company they were 10 years ago.

Or Razer would buy the design and sell it instead of their Core External GPU.

 

[swooby]

Well in their defense I don't many would have predicted they could sell a case this size just shy of $300 USD.

Even I think it's absurd, yet here I am.

Razer could!

 

[thalonkoju]

Since a 25mm fan on the L9i causes turbulence related noise up against the side panel, is the fan that comes with the the L9i sufficent to cool a non-OC 7600k? or is there something else quieter than the C7 that would be a better option? Was pretty excited to get the L9i but now I'm not too sure. . . Just hoping for the quietest fan I can get and still have adequate cooling.

 

[amvoith]

My case is scheduled for delivery on Monday but I just found out I'll be away for work for a week. Darn. Guess I'll be building next weekend.

 

[dominathan]

My 7700k is delidded and I've confirmed massive temp improvement with my current setup 25 to 30C! I followed Rockit instructions exactly. Ezpz. I am still waiting for my DAN case in the US. Unfortunately I won't have the "before" results. I do have the coolers and fans in question on hand though.

-C7
-L9i with 25mm NF-A9 PWM. Stock 14mm fan ready to test on C7 as well.
-2x 92mm Black Rubber Fan Silencer to use as shrouds from case wall to fan if there's any gap. This, I imagine, will allow only fresh air to be pulled but could have negative noise consequences. I am considering drilling extra small holes until the sound is gone for the best airflow. However, I do not want to make the case look bad. So I'll be very hesitant to do this.

Has anyone tried the fan gasket with the 25mm with success of removing the turbulence? I just ordered one, but I'm in the US

 

[Jirbin]

Has anyone considered using a couple NF-A4x10 FLX fans from Noctua for the top of the case? They come with low-noise adapters that reduce the RPM but I'm wondering if they would provide enough airflow to be any better than having no top fans. http://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-a4x10-flx

this is a nice find. i think we could fit two of these on top.

can someone confirm it?

 

[Ca11idus]

this is a nice find. i think we could fit two of these on top.

can someone confirm it?

Those fans are tiny. They will fit but it's not going to do much. I have one and I'm going to use it on the i/o plate to help the heatsink a bit. But that's because the t318 has the fins facing the i/o plate.

 

[Jirbin]

Those fans are tiny. They will fit but it's not going to do much. I have one and I'm going to use it on the i/o plate to help the heatsink a bit. But that's because the t318 has the fins facing the i/o plate.

probably wont help that much, but as long as i know that there are some fans helping the case for better airflow its worth it. specially if i consider getting a non-blower type GPU.

 

[DrFino]

My case is scheduled for delivery on Monday but I just found out I'll be away for work for a week. Darn. Guess I'll be building next weekend.

Where are you located? Also, do we have a reference for how long it is between getting the shipping notification and the case arriving? I couldn't find any info on shipping times.

 

[SSuk]

Where are you located? Also, do we have a reference for how long it is between getting the shipping notification and the case arriving? I couldn't find any info on shipping times.

I wonder too. Few weeks ago, i ordered from germany also with dhl. (I live in Czech Republic). I ordered on Thursday afternoon and parcel arrived on wednesday next week.
I recieved my notificatin fom Dan this Friday, so i expect the case to arrive on this friday (10.2.) or week after on Monday (13.2.).

 

[Chief-hat]

this is a nice find. i think we could fit two of these on top.

can someone confirm it?

I've ordered two - will be delivered in two weeks (I live in Singapore)

 

[Jirbin]

I've ordered two - will be delivered in two weeks (I live in Singapore)

i stay in singapore too where did you order from? amazon?

 

[tviceman]

As a fellow contributor and thread participant, I also want to voice my frustration in that the time frames have gone from originally being late December to now late February (best case) or sometime in March for USA backers (most likely). I am okay with people ordering from a website to get a hold of this case a week or two in advance of backers who funded this project, as I said here https://hardforum.com/threads/dan-a...in-the-world.1799326/page-196#post-1042787289 , but now it's looking more and more like 6+ weeks and while there is nothing that can be done about it now, it's a poor situation to have been created.