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

Everyone is always talking/debating the amount of holes on the side panels, it would be interesting if you ordered a set with both sides pretty much wide open (like this) and performed tests by taping up holes to see what resulted in the best temperatures (like esplin2966 did here).

We can speculate and guess at which would perform the best all we want, but nothing can substitute actual benchmarks. With the tape tests you could test as many configurations as you want instead of being limited to the number of side panels Lian Li will build for you.
 
The optimum configuration would change with different card HSF designs. A traditional blower would only need inlet holes over the fan inlet (which would change position depending on card elngth and height, and fan diameter). An NVTTM blower would need inlet holes over the fan inlet, and an outlet area for the front-of-card exhaust (with ducting preferable to prevent exhaust air recycling), but is thankfully a standard design externally. Open coolers would need one to three openings for fan inlets (location depending on card layout and fan diameter) as well as outlets all around the card (depending on shroud design), ideally with ducting to prevent exhaust air recycling.
With so many different cooler designs, you can either design to optimise for a single cooler, or leave as many holes as is possible open (limited by panel integrity and with some consideration for aesthetics) and allow the user to block/duct as required for their choice of card.
 
With so many different cooler designs, you can either design to optimise for a single cooler, or leave as many holes as is possible open

I don't think that's necessarily true. For example it may be possible that a small, roughly video-card-shaped opening performs better in general, since the hot air will be forced to exhaust further away from the intake. But like I said we can't know for sure until tests are performed, so there's not much point speculating on this.
 
Since we got top exhaust holes, I assume it would be on par or even better then ref. blower design to get open cooler with radiator oriented vertically, like this
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I'm still thinking a reference blower design is the best way to go for this case. Relying on heat to rise in a case doesn't work so well.
 
Dan, I know I'm being overly hopeful here.
However, I have to ask. Do you think you'll be able to do an X99 test once you get the prototype?
With the ASRock X99E-ITX/ac and the Dynatron cooler?
 
[...]But like I said we can't know for sure until tests are performed, so there's not much point speculating on this.

+1, /signed, THIS! All those speculations about what intakes would work best is so exhausting, could we just stop doing that and let dan test that with a bit of tape once he gets the prototype?
 
I don't think that's necessarily true. For example it may be possible that a small, roughly video-card-shaped opening performs better in general, since the hot air will be forced to exhaust further away from the intake. But like I said we can't know for sure until tests are performed, so there's not much point speculating on this.
I agree, the negative dismissive comments some people present on this subject contribute very little.
I believe, however, the conversation IS worthwhile, and provides valuable thoughts on what tests should be performed.
 
Its done :)

I put everything together and it works :).

Here are two early shots of the case with parts. It is very late so I will make better pictures tomorrow and some professional pictures next week.


1saxrz.jpg

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Beautiful. Just beautiful. You must a proud man, that thing is quite the accomplishment!
 
Awesome!! I'm definitely in for one.....or most likely two, one in black and one in silver. My money is ready!
 
Wow. Looks even better than expected.

Definitely need to look into a short cable kit. How much space is there behind the graphics card and the power supply?
 
Dan, you should consider flipping the CPU heatsink fan to exhaust out when you test temps.
 
Is there a chance of squeezing two 9mm 2.5" drive under the SFX-L 500W with double sided tape and not the supplied bracket?
2 drives there plus 1 in front and that's 6TB total. More than enough for all my storage for a few years.
 
Those images have made my day.
Please do test out if it is possible to have 2 drives under SFX-L.
This will be one very successful crowdfunding campain ;)
 
Looks very nice, congrats! :)

Personally i would like to see some closeups with the bending radius and general fitting of the pci express riser cable behind the mobo. And what happened to the other riser, more cheaper? Is that still an option?
 
I wonder if we can get a manufacturer like Silverstone or Cooler Master to make a low profile 120mm cooler that would fit in the A4.
I mean there's space over the PCI-E slot, which most "Mini-ITX" coolers have to avoid because it would hit the GPU. On the other hand, in the A4 there's a PCI-E riser there so they should be able to fit more fins in that area, and the area on the opposite side.
 
Dan, it looks beautiful.

I wonder if we can get a manufacturer like Silverstone or Cooler Master to make a low profile 120mm cooler that would fit in the A4.
I mean there's space over the PCI-E slot, which most "Mini-ITX" coolers have to avoid because it would hit the GPU. On the other hand, in the A4 there's a PCI-E riser there so they should be able to fit more fins in that area, and the area on the opposite side.

Interesting idea, this. Could gain some traction w/ Silverstone as ITX cases of theirs using risers are a thing (RVZ01, and similar FT- and ML-series based on the same chassis), and Silverstone has a track record of building accessories to fit their cases.
 
After lurking this thread for a year I made an account just to tell you that your case is amazing and that myself and the thousands of other lurkers are very excited to buy it.
 
Make sure you go through /r/buildapc etc with the campaign... there are some massive communities that I am sure would be keen and you could pick up some extra traction with. IDK if this could be as big as the NCase but I hope so. It's definitely just as, if not a more impressive piece of design & engineering (ily necere).
 
Make sure you go through /r/buildapc etc with the campaign... there are some massive communities that I am sure would be keen and you could pick up some extra traction with. IDK if this could be as big as the NCase but I hope so. It's definitely just as, if not a more impressive piece of design & engineering (ily necere).

Also /r/gamingpc, just note they have a 48hour cross-post rule.
 
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