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

When you checkout, just pick pull down that says you have a case, they don't check or so I hear ;)
 
Someone capable should make a custom case for ST45SF that fits in the original A4 and we can all go with the smaller A4 :)
 
BTW.
What's next step Dondan?
What's your plan (don't need dates just wonder what steps you'll take from now on).
 
dondan said:

What are the next steps?

- buying myself a GTX970/980
- testing the max power of the Dell 240 Slim external brick (Maybe Maxwel 970/980 ready then this will be an cheap option for you)
- testing long risercards that i will get in some weeks
- testing fliped gpu heatlevel between mainboard and backside of the gpu
- creating the A4 default in SolidWorks
- starting the first crowdfounding round for the LianLi prototype
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These are the next steps
 
By the way does more of you think the default A4 could be too expensive with his special power solution?
 
I'm glad to see that the default style will be made. While I do feel that these specialty builds will be pricey, it does come with the territory.
 
dondan said:
By the way does more of you think the default A4 could be too expensive with his special power solution?
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For the audience you're targeting, I don't think price is much of a concern ;)

I still hope we can get the SFX version in the future (not planning to upgrade till ~2016 anyways), so I hope I'll be able to grab one then :D
 
For me the power solution price is fine. It'll cost me minimum ~£90 (hdplex and brick), which is a bit expensive, but this is specialty stuff.
 
On weekend i will show you the final Version of the A4-SFX with motherboard/GPU shield securement for risercard s.o. ;) i think i can reduce the sfx volume to 6,5L. Then are both versions ready for creating in solidworks.
 
dondan said:
On weekend i will show you the final Version of the A4-SFX with motherboard/GPU shield securement for risercard s.o. ;) i think i can reduce the sfx volume to 6,5L. Then are both versions ready for creating in solidworks.
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:eek:
AWESOME! :D
 
Webside and waitinglist will be online if i start the crowdfounding campaign for the prototyp.
 
Maybe you should create a google docs waiting list before the campaign, so you can see how many people will definitely buy.
 
dondan said:
On weekend i will show you the final Version of the A4-SFX with motherboard/GPU shield securement for risercard s.o. ;) i think i can reduce the sfx volume to 6,5L. Then are both versions ready for creating in solidworks.
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Sweet, can't wait for the SFX A4. :D
 
The last days i think much about the sfx version. Do you think the gpu become too hot if the fan is behind the sfx? In triple sli use the fans are also behind the other card with less room for air injection and you have a fan in my case that push fresh air to the gpu fan. I make this thought because a long riser would push the price of the case arround 60$ higher too 170-210$. Because i would only sell it together with high performance risers like 3M or same performancelevel to have no pcie gen 3 issues. If i order 200 and more, each riser cost 60$. Together with sfx you reach 250-300$ same level like the default version with psu.
 
It will surely be a hot spot.
But the question is more about the PSU then the GPU. The GPU can handle high temps but the PSU (specially the SFXs) will go berserk if flooded with heat from the GPU.

If you have the possibility to borrow a "normal" GPU with fans pointing out from the card and test that I would be glad. An asus strix that runs hot is way better then a standard fan running a bit cooler.
 
The temp of the gpu wilk not effect the sfx because the fan of the sfx point not to the psu. Means it will get his air direcly through the sidepanel from the outside. And the area of the fan of the gpu is very cool so it will not heat the backside of the sfx. I can get a gtx 580 twin frozer so i could test it with dualfan.

Edit: I made a short test i cut out a pice of cardboard an set it between dc board and gpu so that the gpu fan is covered and had 5mm room between it and the cardboard (like in the sfx version) The only fresh air source is the down 92mm fan. I run 3d mark an the gpu temp would be only 3°c higher as normal. For the sfx version i can made that the hpu cooler under sfx is only 60% full covered with 5mm space between sfx and it. For this i put the card 15mm more down. If you use a dualcooler card the space between motherboard and second gpu fan would be 10mm so more than enough air room for those cards.
You need only a 12mm long riser and the case would be cost with sfx 210-240$ incl riser. The temps are only 3-5°c higher.
 
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You should take photos of these things it's hard to visualize what you've done.

3-5 degrees sounds ok.
 
I guess a reversed GPU is not that important, if the temps are only 3-5°c higher then having the GPU point towards the SFX seems like a good idea. (since the SFX would be loud anyway and the new Gigabyte windforce cards -my favorite- won't fit, a blower card seems ideal anyway)

It will also let you lay the case on it's side since there's no intake from the GPU side :)
Oh! If it's really only ~240$ with the riser and the SFX, I think it's a really tempting offer :D

One more thing can you please tell me how much more room you get for a CPU cooler with the SFX version? Are any 120mm top-down coolers able to fit?
 
3-5 degrees higher in general could cause the fan in a gpu reference cooler to spin like crazy, trying to reduce the temperature to the target (e.g. 80 degrees for a GTX 980).

So I'm not sure I'd say "only" 3-5 degrees. :)
 
sgtspiff said:
You should take photos of these things it's hard to visualize what you've done.

3-5 degrees sounds ok.
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Here is a picture of what i have done
20140927_134350twe7h.jpg


I covered more than 50% of the fan. Distance between gpufan and cardboard is 5mm. The only way the way the gpu can get fresh air is tge room between gpu and cardboard and area between motherboard and cardboard. The fan in the button push 50% of his air under the cardboard to the gpu. Uncovered the temps are 3°c better.
 
Great looking test there!

I'll just remind everyone that there are more variables here than temperature and airflow. The fan speed varies as well. So in addition to the temperature going up, the fan could be going faster and louder.
 
This looks really great! Would make my already semi-portable mini ITX really portable. I think that the price point is a bit high for the average person but for those on Kickstarter it probably would be a great price.

Can't wait!
 
Quick question dondan,

In the main post, you explain that the A4-Default can hold one 2.5" drive, yet in the SFX comparison you say that the Default can hold two 2.5" drives... which one is it? :p
 
The A4default can hold 2x2.5"
The A4sfx can hold 1x2,5
and the case three post above this is a early prototyp that was made to see if the temperatures would be ok.
 
dondan said:
The A4default can hold 2x2.5"
The A4sfx can hold 1x2,5
and the case three post above this is a early prototyp that was made to see if the temperatures would be ok.
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Sweet, thanks for the response! The Default is looking much more attractive than the SFX one now...
 
Dondan, i see that in your test you've used a 670 blower fan, and i've just noticed that there is a difference in the cooler's shroud design with the latest 780/980 blower design: at the end of the card (the one that goes into the case) there is a space where the radiator fins are exposed and hot air blows straight into the case (i presume). Wouldn't that negatively affect the PSU area?
 
DG25 said:
Dondan, i see that in your test you've used a 670 blower fan, and i've just noticed that there is a difference in the cooler's shroud design with the latest 780/980 blower design: at the end of the card (the one that goes into the case) there is a space where the radiator fins are exposed and hot air blows straight into the case (i presume). Wouldn't that negatively affect the PSU area?
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I assume the airflow from the two fans would just direct it out of the case
 
Right and in the sfx version it will move automaticly to the top and go outside
 
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rawrr said:
I assume the airflow from the two fans would just direct it out of the case
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In the SFX version, that would be a bit difficult, since it has only one fan, which i would assume it's used for exhaust.
 
Is front I/O audio planned for the final version of the case? And is SFX version going to be crowfunded at the same time as default A4 or is it going to come later?

BTW really nice case, I am buying computer myself right now and I may get some cheap case just to overcome waiting for this one :)
 
DG25 said:
Dondan, i see that in your test you've used a 670 blower fan, and i've just noticed that there is a difference in the cooler's shroud design with the latest 780/980 blower design: at the end of the card (the one that goes into the case) there is a space where the radiator fins are exposed and hot air blows straight into the case (i presume). Wouldn't that negatively affect the PSU area?
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Those are purely cosmetic, very little if any air goes through that. Most of it exhausts out the ports in the back
 
tetrismaster said:
Those are purely cosmetic, very little if any air goes through that. Most of it exhausts out the ports in the back
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They aren't purely cosmetic, but I suspect they only cool VRM's, so the air that does go through shouldn't be all that hot. I hope. Has anybody actually checked it? I haven't seen a single review mention it...
 
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