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

Also: What is the reason these new models don't fit in the A4-SFX? Obviously because of their dimensions, but is this because they don't follow *TX (ATX? ITX?) rules, or is this because the A4-SFX doesn't follow the guidelines?
AFAIK (and correct me if I'm wrong, please), there are no specific standards for graphics card dimensions, only for power draw. That's why you see a lot of standard ATX cases advertised as "Fits 300mm cards", it's like an extra feature. In this case, some manufacturers decided to go 3 PCI slots wide on their cooler designs, and the A4 only has room for two slots. Not a conflict of rules and regulations, but of design philosophy.
 
Is there a case which fits ITX-mainboard and a big tower cooler and a 3 slot GPU and is as small as possible otherwise?
 
No the bend on the side will collide with the heatsink.

Get the MSI Armor or Zotac AMP they will fit.
I would recommend everyone steer clear of MSI Armor - really bad reviews on Newegg, overheating issues which have been acknowledged by MSI.
 
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Tight fit
 
Is there a case which fits ITX-mainboard and a big tower cooler and a 3 slot GPU and is as small as possible otherwise?
NCase M1 fits the bill - max cooler height of about 130pm, triple-slot GPU capacity and 12.6l total volume.
 
Here is a full GTX 1080Ti compatibility list:

  • Nvidia 1080 Ti FE
  • ASUS ROG Strix GTX 1080 Ti
  • ASUS Turbo GeForce GTX 1080 Ti
  • EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti SC2 Gaming
  • EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti SC Black Edition Gaming
  • EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti FTW3 Gaming
  • Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Aorus Xtreme Edition 11G
  • Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Aorus 11G
  • Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Gaming OC 11G
  • Inno3D GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Twin X2
  • Inno3D GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Gaming OC
  • Inno3D GeForce GTX 1080 Ti iChill X3 Ultra
  • Inno3D GeForce GTX 1080 Ti iChill X4 Ultra
  • KFA² GeForce GTX 1080 Ti EXOC
  • KFA² GeForce GTX 1080 Ti
  • MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Gaming X 11G
  • MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Armor 11G OC
  • MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Aero 11G OC
  • MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Armor 11G
  • MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Aero 11G
  • Palit GeForce GTX 1080 Ti JetStream
  • Palit GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Super JetStream
  • Palit GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GameRock
  • Palit GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GameRock Premium
  • Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti AMP Extreme
  • Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti AMP
  • Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Blower
Do you have the FTW3 as orange because all we have to go off of right now is EVGA's listed dimensions and they look really close?
 
Still sadly waiting for an AM4 mini-itx board to pop up as well as a good am4 low-profile cpu cooler. Gigabyte announced a few weeks back they would come out with one mini-itx but it'll be the B-series. I might go with the Ryzen 1600x since it should run at lower voltages and I always seem to just get average overclocking silicon lottery wise.
 
Still sadly waiting for an AM4 mini-itx board to pop up as well as a good am4 low-profile cpu cooler. Gigabyte announced a few weeks back they would come out with one mini-itx but it'll be the B-series. I might go with the Ryzen 1600x since it should run at lower voltages and I always seem to just get average overclocking silicon lottery wise.
X370 on a mini-itx wouldn't have much sense. B series is really enough for most of people.
 
So just got a 5.0ghz pre-binned 7700k from overclockers.co.uk. They achieved it with an AIO cookers at 1.35V. Will be interesting to how the Noctua NH-L9i handles it. Stay tuned :D
 
So just got a 5.0ghz pre-binned 7700k from overclockers.co.uk. They achieved it with an AIO cookers at 1.35V. Will be interesting to how the Noctua NH-L9i handles it. Stay tuned :D
You actually paid more for it? My 7700K does 5.0 at 1.28V.. Stays pretty cool in A4 SFX.
 
You actually paid more for it? My 7700K does 5.0 at 1.28V.. Stays pretty cool in A4 SFX.
I paid for the 4.9ghz. It made sense as the delid tool isn't in stock and costs £25 anyway. Plus I would have a warranty if anything happened as opposed to throwing away £350 if I messed up the delidding process. I was upgraded to the 5.0ghz for free as they didn't have any more 4.9 in stock
 
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I paid for the 4.9ghz. It made sense as the delid tool isn't in stock and costs £25 anyway. Plus I would have a warranty if anything happened as opposed to throwing away £350 if I messed up the delisting process. I was upgraded to the 5.0ghz for free as they didn't have any more 4.9 in stock
What?? 4.9 in stock? They have frequencys for sale? LOL. They set your multiplier in your bios for you? I don't get it
 
What?? 4.9 in stock? They have frequencys for sale? LOL. They set your multiplier in your bios for you? I don't get it
They tested the cpu at a certain speed at a set frequency, to prove it perfoms good after delid. It's quality management.
What this gives you is a chip garaunteed to run at a certain overclock, and you avoid the hassle of delidding yourself.
 
They tested the cpu at a certain speed at a set frequency, to prove it perfoms good after delid. It's quality management.
What this gives you is a chip garaunteed to run at a certain overclock, and you avoid the hassle of delidding yourself.

Ahhh, you failed to mention at first that it was pre-delidded.

That's actually a pretty cool service, and the ability to have a warranty on a delidded part definitely seems worth a premium to me.
 
For clarification see the screenshots below. The first one is the new chip capable of running at 5.0 stable.
The second image is the old chip that was suppose to be able to run at 4.9 stable but there was an issue with the second core (17degree difference in temperature between it and core 1.)

I was given a free upgrade. Both chips were set to 4.5 for the initial tests. Using NH-l9i cooler with NT-H1 paste. The fan curves and voltage have all been left at stock for these initial tests.

I believe that the warranty on the pre-delidded chips is 1 year.

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Cool cool. Enjoy. I had my 6700k at 5ghz stable but can't run it more than 2min in prime 95 without thermal throttling. In a bigger case with water cooling or a big beffy tower cooler it could work but in the Dan a4sfx Max is 4.7ghz without any throttling but around 95c. Otherwise 4.4ghz at Max 75c is what I settled for.
 
Cool cool. Enjoy. I had my 6700k at 5ghz stable but can't run it more than 2min in prime 95 without thermal throttling. In a bigger case with water cooling or a big beffy tower cooler it could work but in the Dan a4sfx Max is 4.7ghz without any throttling but around 95c. Otherwise 4.4ghz at Max 75c is what I settled for.
How much power does your cpu need? Seems pretty high if you have it delidded.
I'm making another A4 SFX build today with a 4770K that I will delid, will see how it compares to my 7700K temp wise.
 
High Daniel, I've some ideas reagrdings the thermal design of your case.
I have the impression that you are a PC case enthusiast. You might know the Silverstone FT02. I had this case before I went SFF. The 90° mobo tray worked really efficient for air cooling. The main advantage is that the GPU is not horizontal but vertical to the laminar air stream. Your case has the same properties. So by adding a little space on top and below one might get excellent cooling (like really high level cooling, the FT02 was crazy while not being too loud. Helping the stack effect does that (Kamineffekt).
 
X370 on a mini-itx wouldn't have much sense. B series is really enough for most of people.
I might get the AMD Ryzen 1700, but I am hoping that I can OC it to 3.7GHz. Since cpu cooling is limited in the Dan A4 case, Ryzen 1600X may be the safest bet as these are cpus that should be running at lower voltages than a regular Ryzen 1600.
 
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I paid for the 4.9ghz. It made sense as the delid tool isn't in stock and costs £25 anyway. Plus I would have a warranty if anything happened as opposed to throwing away £350 if I messed up the delisting process. I was upgraded to the 5.0ghz for free as they didn't have any more 4.9 in stock
Ah, well then it makes sense.. Didn't know it was a delid.
 
Not sure if you are talking about me? If you are, I'm not using NH-L9i. Actually got my vcore at 1.26 right now.. Delidded of course.
You actually paid more for it? My 7700K does 5.0 at 1.28V.. Stays pretty cool in A4 SFX.

Run prime 95 with these settings : https://imgur.com/UhzFIPz s

And show us a screen cap with realtemps with CPU clock showing 5ghz please. Id like to emulate your settings to run at 5ghz also. Also if you could take a pic of you cooler setup and give us the name of the components that would be great for everyone wanting
 
I might get the AMD Ryzen 1700, but I am hoping that I can OC it to 3.7GHz. Since cpu cooling is limited in the Dan A4 case, Ryzen 1600X may be the safest bet as these are cpus that should be running at lower voltages than a regular Ryzen 1600.
There are no guaranteed Ryzen ITX motherboards before June.
I was waiting for them but I don't care anymore.
 
This is my afternoon..

Finally received all the desired parts, plus a water cooler and will be attempting to complete the build today.

DonDan ordered this cooler to see if he can find a mounting point for Case Ver2. I have placed the FE 1080 ti inside and have found that it does indeed sit below the card while also having the Noctua fan attached.

Lets also see how this 4266 ram performs. Got it for $203, so figured why not!

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I hope that you can take some pics for us during the instaation.

looking forward to it.
 
As beautiful as the AIO looks sitting there, am pretty sure it wont work the way it is. The tubing is way to inflexible and will foul on the PSU. Plus it might be too thick with the noctua fan, considering space needed for the psu cables
 
Anyone with the Strix board know if I can use the back SSD as my boot drive. I want to add another later but don't want to tear it apart later trying to get to the back slot.

Thanks in advance!
 
Anyone with the Strix board know if I can use the back SSD as my boot drive. I want to add another later but don't want to tear it apart later trying to get to the back slot.

Thanks in advance!

I'm using a 950pro in the back as my boot drive, with an MX300 in the front as my secondary.
 
Anyone with the Strix board know if I can use the back SSD as my boot drive. I want to add another later but don't want to tear it apart later trying to get to the back slot.

Thanks in advance!

Yes. Just know the rear slot is PCIe only. I have a 600p as my boot drive currently from the rear slot.

(I stupidly bought two M.2 SATA drives at first.... fortunately had a place to put the second one!)
 
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Yes. Just know the rear slot is PCIe only. I have a 600p as my boot drive currently from the rear slot.

(I stupidly bought two M.2 SATA drives at first.... fortunately had a place to put the second one!)

Oooh, hey, can you answer a question for me?

I jist bought a Strix, myself. I'm only planning on using one pcie SSD and one 2.5" storage drive.

I'd rather not put the M.2 ssd on the back of motherboard due to concerns about heat... But from what I've read, I should have concerns about heat with the 'double decker heatsink anyways.

What are your thoughts between using an nvme drive on the back, on the front with the heatsink, or on the front without the heatsink (but probably without the greatest airflow either way.)
 
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