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

Its so awesome! *throwing money at screen*

How does that SX-500LG PSU perform in the A4? Pretty much seems it's the best one for the case, because the normal SFX ones could be quite noisy... However, I read that it might have some awkward fan noises which are not consistent :/ what about your sample, Dondan? Is it silent enough? :)
 
@Aircookie: Yes it is very silent. Maybe the fan is more silent in vertical position as in horizontal. Because I don't have clicking problems like other users.

@iFreilicht: You will the it in the Tempreview in the next days.
 
Mine has that annoying fan noise. That combined with the fact that you'll only be able to fit one drive in the A4 with the SFX-L model has me considering going for the 450W SFX PSU. I really didn't think mine was that bad back when I had it, and that was the bronze one. I don't know though, so many people complain about the noise in both that model and the 600W model. I don't know what to do now to be honest.

Edit: Good news about the lack of clicking in yours. I know you have V1.1 (which has no change in fan model or profile, just all Japanese caps). I will turn my case sideways and see what it sounds like. It seems that with your configuration the heat produced by the PSU is able to more easily escape the case, thus perhaps the fan isn't actually running. The vertical orientation would allow convection to carry the heat out of the case without the assistance of the fan. In my case, the SG13, the PSU acts to help exhaust air from the case and therefore heat is trapped unless the fan is running.

Update: I still hear it. Maybe I will keep it sideways for a few days.
 
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dondan said:
img_2541fyuzl.jpg
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Hey Dan! Nice work with the case :)
By the way, you should mount the LP53 in a way that the end of the heatpipes point upwards (so you should turn 180° on the cooler), that way they heatpipes work better, its not that much, but potentially can make the CPU 3-5°C cooler!
 
I could only mount it in this position. The problem is the Asrock z77e-itx a cap prevent mounting it like you said. I thought the same as you so I test if the temp will move down if i rotate the case so that the GPU is faced to the table and the heatsink could work better, but nothing changed. So maybe a correct mounting is only important for higher route heatpipes.
 
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Great, another super awesome case manufactured by Lian-Li. Thanks Dan, now I have to build a new computer, again! :D

This is getting expensive... and I'm running out of desk space! :(
 
xDezor said:
Great, another super awesome case manufactured by Lian-Li. Thanks Dan, now I have to build a new computer, again! :D

This is getting expensive... and I'm running out of desk space! :(
Click to expand...

I guess it's a good thing the case is so darn tiny then huh? ;)
 
Hello good sirs.

Clocking in as I just heard about this. Must say, quite stunning! The design is also very interesting and seems thought out. Have to read a bit more as I just read the original post. Can't wait for this to go up for preorders as I'm sure this will gain popularity everywhere.

Keep up the good work fellas.
 
Vittra said:
Lets not have that argument start again. It looks incredibly clean with the 1x USB and adds meaningful functionality.
Click to expand...

Haven't followed the thread in detail. Wasn't meant to start an argument, was just an opinion. Still looks great.
 
some of the ppl on reddit seem to think that this case does not have support for dedi VGA. this should be remedied asap with one picture of VGA side of the case.
 
Don’t know how I missed this case for so long. Very intrigued by this and may end up buying. Looks like an even smaller version of the NCASE M1 but now I’m seeing why. Just from looking at it, it looks like the case doesn't support a single intake fan, exhaust fan, or any liquid cooling what so ever. Only a low-profile CPU cooling fan. Is this true or did I miss something? Not dogging it at all and this is the reason why it’s smaller than the NCASE. It-is-what-it-is. I’m just curious how GPU & CPU temps would look on this especially with a healthy overclock and even on default usage. I’m sure it’s somewhere in this thread but it’s already 100+ pages long :D
 
Dondan is currently testing the protoypes for their thermal performance. Results will be in the next couple of days.

With all fans having direct access to fresh air, I don't see why this case should perform any worse than an open air installation.

The only issue i could imagine would be the 2.5" drives in the bottom. Since I won't be using anything but SSDs outside of a NAS I don't care about that though.
 
You are correct in that there will be no dedicated intake/exhaust. This will rely solely on the cooling found on the gpu, cpu heatsink, and psu. It was designed to be tiny and with tiny dimensions sacrifices needed to happen. This will be an excellent little system for the average gamer. Not for the enthusiast overclocker.
 
Dondan, is the psu placement available in only one direction? I was thinking of flipping it to help my dual fan 780 classified to exhaust that hot air to the top of the case. That way I can set the heatsink fan to pull hot air away from the heatsink.
 
@Ca11idus:

I think you made an error in your thought. If you flip the psu it will take only the heat from the backside of the gpu. Furthermore there is a plasticshield between backside of the gpu and psu, to secure the backside of the gpu having contact with metalparts of the psu and motherboard-tray. So flipping the psu will only result in an very loud system, because the psu will not get fresh air.

@DG25: I can do it tomorrow.
 
Looking great. :)

So it will still use the plastic clips to attach the side panels? Wish there was another way.
 
I'm wondering if it would be possible to fit a 120mm AIO cooler with a 15mm fan on the backside of the PSU, when used with an ITX sized GPU...

I mean, I think it would fit, but it would need a bracket to hold it. I think a bracket can be made to be installed on the front of the frame.

I'm thinking it would make it possible to accommodate an X99 ITX board with a 140W CPU.
 
theGryphon said:
I'm wondering if it would be possible to fit a 120mm AIO cooler with a 15mm fan on the backside of the PSU, when used with an ITX sized GPU...

I mean, I think it would fit, but it would need a bracket to hold it. I think a bracket can be made to be installed on the front of the frame.

I'm thinking it would make it possible to accommodate an X99 ITX board with a 140W CPU.
Click to expand...
By my calculations, there's an absolute maximum of 47.5mm available between the PSU and side panel:

Case width = 114mm
Side panels, 1.5mm x 2 = 3mm
SFX PSU = 63.5mm

114 - 3 - 63.5 = 47.5mm


The thinnest AIO rads are 27mm, with a 15mm fan that's 42mm. Add some thickness for the bracket (1.5mm) and the screw heads (a couple mm) and you're right up against the PSU. The only way I can see it working is by flipping the PSU and having the rad airflow going through it, like in Miahallen's Max11Lv3.
 
Necere said:
By my calculations, there's an absolute maximum of 47.5mm available between the PSU and side panel:

Case width = 114mm
Side panels, 1.5mm x 2 = 3mm
SFX PSU = 63.5mm

114 - 3 - 63.5 = 47.5mm


The thinnest AIO rads are 27mm, with a 15mm fan that's 42mm. Add some thickness for the bracket (1.5mm) and the screw heads (a couple mm) and you're right up against the PSU. The only way I can see it working is by flipping the PSU and having the rad airflow going through it, like in Miahallen's Max11Lv3.
Click to expand...


WiSK did that with Lori Lemaris Returns, too, but he specifically said that build was the inspiration for that :)
 
I think even with a flipped PSU it's a longshot, due to the PSU cables and tubing fighting for the (very limited) space available.
 
Necere said:
I think even with a flipped PSU it's a longshot, due to the PSU cables and tubing fighting for the (very limited) space available.
Click to expand...

It can be done once one sets their mind to do it :)
I mean, considering all the tardis builds we see every now and then, it wouldn't be the hardest thing.

An AIO cooler with flexible tubing would be a must. SFX-L may not work, but may be possible, maybe. Flipping the PSU would help CPU and case temps; it would be like push-pull :D
 
I had the PSU-fan serve as the CPU-fan in a Silverstone SG04.

In the summertime, when the ambient air was ~28c and I gamed a bit, the PSU got too hot to touch. That was about 5-6 years ago and the PSU was an old Seasonic 80plus-Bronze unit, but still, I'd be a bit wary of heating up the PSU with CPU exhaust.
 
I'm considering buying this case. Though I have questions about the case that would help me decide buying this case:

1. Which type of GPU cooling method is recommended for this case? blower-style or
open-air?

2. Does the riser have any impact on the GPU performance?
 
I guess a blower cooler would always be a conservative choice. They tend to be recommended in small spaces anyway, but again, we will have to wait for tests.

Risers don't really affect performance unless you get a particularly bad one, I think a guy on OCN compared a bunch of no-name risers to an expensive 3M one and reported no difference, and little difference to no riser at all.
 
j34lqr said:
I'm considering buying this case. Though I have questions about the case that would help me decide buying this case:

1. Which type of GPU cooling method is recommended for this case? blower-style or
open-air?
Click to expand...

the case has no fans. there is no fan blowing cool air on anything. the only fan moving air out of the case is the PSU, which does NOT move much air. a blower GPU would cause more negative air pressure in the case, drawing cool air in and helping everything including the CPU. but if a blower GPU was NOT used, there would be less negative pressure bringing cool air into the case, AND all the heat of the GPU would now be staying INSIDE the case. so to not use a blower GPU in this case would be highly inadvisable
 
There isn't any defined airflow inside the case. The case is all opened! The air enter directly from outside to the components and the hot air will go up and out of the case naturally!
 
bAMtan2 said:
the case has no fans. there is no fan blowing cool air on anything. the only fan moving air out of the case is the PSU, which does NOT move much air. a blower GPU would cause more negative air pressure in the case, drawing cool air in and helping everything including the CPU. but if a blower GPU was NOT used, there would be less negative pressure bringing cool air into the case, AND all the heat of the GPU would now be staying INSIDE the case. so to not use a blower GPU in this case would be highly inadvisable
Click to expand...
Pretty much this until we see test results
 
bAMtan2 said:
the case has no fans. there is no fan blowing cool air on anything. the only fan moving air out of the case is the PSU
Click to expand...
Each major heat producing component, GPU, CPU, PSU has nearly direct access to ambient temperature air. The PSU exhaust is not venting any hot air from within the case; its exhaust proximity to the top of the case means it takes in fresh air and expels directly out the top. I would consider this "zero" pressure.

The CPU HSF should be positioned to intake air directly from outside the case through the side panel. I imagine that mounting the fins parallel to the width of the case (vertically) would perform slightly better than mounting the fins parallel to the length of the case (horizontally). Since the CPU HSF is acting as an intake, this would be positive pressure on the CPU half of the case. Reversing the fan to induce negative pressure (exhaust) would likely result in poor performance.

The GPU HSF should be similarly mounted: direct intake from outside the case through the side panel. A "reference" centrifugal fan with a perfectly sealed shroud would function similar to the PSU providing "zero" pressure. An "open" axial fan would function similarly to the CPU HSF. I don't know of any GPU HSF that blows away from the card, so this would be positive pressure.

Storage drives will suffer the most, but they aren't typically considered high heat components. I'll put my bet on CPU HSFs and open GPU HSFs both with vertically aligned fins providing the best overall system cooling. Even better if you mask the unnecessary perforations for intake.
 
DrakonSan: Thank you for making this clear.

The first testresults show me, that the cooling princible of the A4-SFX works as expected. The temperatur difference between an open build without a case and with the closed case are on the GPU 2°C higher and on the CPU 3°C higher. This means the DAN A4-SFX is using one of the most effivient coolsystem. I will release more Details and Values in the next days.
 
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