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

illram said:
Thanks for this. So is the idea they can run at lower RPM, so the turbulence issues won't be as apparent?

I don't think I have ever hemmed and hawed so much about a CPU cooler purchase! The Thermolab takes over a month to get to the US and is super expensive, same with the Nexus. Also unsure about RAM clearance.
Click to expand...

Does this mean you actually found a source for the Nexus?
I wanted to buy it via eBay (65$ shipping included) and then someone bought it just a minute or so before me (I already started to fill out payment details!)

I am almost sure someone here just bought the Nexus cooler I wanted to buy xD (eBay link for reference)
I am still determined to test all highend coolers options. This is why I just bought some more, with the money I spent on coolers already I could buy quite a decent processor (i5-7600K or better)
 
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pendragon1 said:
are you calling me or prava a douchcanoe? ive been banned for spelling douchebag so tread carefully....
Click to expand...
I think someone might want to report you for spelling it once again so be careful :D

illram said:
Thanks for this. So is the idea they can run at lower RPM, so the turbulence issues won't be as apparent?
Click to expand...
Yes, that's right and also the fact that with slim fan you might be able to increase the distance from the case cover/inlet:

2cqwdwX.jpg


It looks like C7's fan might take around 16mm while you can get slim fans that are 13mm so the gap will increase from 1mm to 4mm and that's a significant change. I don't have the C7 on me now, Zombi has it, I'll check it when I can.
 
lol yeah I realized that after I hit post but I wasn't directing at anybody so I'm hoping it slides by....
 
absolut_zero said:
Dondan already tested that cooler with Scythe 120x12mm slim fan, see post #2173, which didn't perform quite well.
Click to expand...

True. Dondan, can you say if the Scythe fan was drawing through or blowing through the fins? Blow through could make performance more competitive with other coolers.
 
Philfreeze said:
Does this mean you actually found a source for the Nexus?
I wanted to buy it via eBay (65$ shipping included) and then someone bought it just a minute or so before me (I already started to fill out payment details!)

I am almost sure someone here just bought the Nexus cooler I wanted to buy xD (eBay link for reference)
I am still determined to test all highend coolers options. This is why I just bought some more, with the money I spent on coolers already I could buy quite a decent processor (i5-7600K or better)
Click to expand...

I was looking at the same ebay posting. Now that it's gone, it's almost a relief as I am no longer tempted...
SaperPL said:
Yes, that's right and also the fact that with slim fan you might be able to increase the distance from the case cover/inlet:

It looks like C7's fan might take around 16mm while you can get slim fans that are 13mm so the gap will increase from 1mm to 4mm and that's a significant change. I don't have the C7 on me now, Zombi has it, I'll check it when I can.
Click to expand...

Nice. Looks like Scythe makes a 12mm 120mm fan with a PWM adapter included (Dan used it in an earlier test of the phanteks cooler). I also like the idea of having a bigger fan just in general pushing air around the whole case. Think I might try this...
 
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illram said:
Nice. Looks like Scythe makes a 12mm 120mm fan with a PWM adapter included (Dan used it in an earlier test of the phanteks cooler). I also like the idea of having a bigger fan just in general pushing air around the whole case. Think I might try this...
Click to expand...

Cryorig and Raijintek have 140 x 13 mm fans that have PWM out of the box.

Woxys said:
I literally buyed c7 2 days ago! and i can't return it, i'm so sad now :(
Click to expand...

Why you can't return it? You should be eligible to return it for some time with no reason in most countries ranging from 14 days to a month...
 
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dondan said:
So here are some words from me to the topic cooling and noise level:

Some users found out that the distance between FAN and site panel should be 0.5-1cm to not have air turbulences.
These air turbulences make noise. I think there are three options for different types of users that will be the best practice.


1.) Noctua L9i with default A9x14 FAN (default User)

+ easy implementation
+ silent ( very low air turbulences)
+ good temperatures
- no overclocking


2.) Cooltek LP53 with A9x14 FAN (Advanced User)

+ silent ( very low air turbulences)
+ 7°C better temps as L9i
+ small overclocking space
- expansive
- you have to mount the fan with zip ties


3.) Nexus Low 7000 R2 with Noctua A9x14 FAN or Prolimatech Ultra Sleek Vortex 12 (Modder)

(You have to mount the fan under the heatsink and mod the retention kit)

+ 15-20°C better temps as L9i
+ great overclocking space
+ silent ( very low air turbulences)
- expansive (import from US)
- you have to mod it


So if somebody seriously plan to overclock pick solution three.

Some pictures of the Nexus MOD (I will offer a How-to on www.dan-cases.com in some weeks:

6029044647f239687268bddfd26a7aad.jpg

8d81343ff22b5ec3376ea0ef66737bad.jpg
Click to expand...
Hi, Dan :)

What about installing a AIO CPU-cooler, like the Sliverstone
TD03-SLIM 120 mm rad (http://silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=598&area=en).
And installing the rad behind the psu if you use a shorter GPU like Gigabyte 1070 mini (http://www.gigabyte.com/Graphics-Card/GV-N1070IXOC-8GD#kf)
or Zotac 1080 mini (https://www.zotac.com/us/product/graphics_card/zotac-geforce-gtx-1080-mini).

There should be enough space behing the psu next to the left sidepanel?
It's pretty tempting if it would work
 
pendragon1 said:
are you calling me or prava a douchcanoe? ive been banned for spelling douchebag so tread carefully....
Click to expand...
prava of course, nice mod.. like I said, would probably use different screws (more a long the lines the ones the big manufacturers use on their tempered glass cases)
 
SaperPL said:
Cryorig and Raijintek have 140 x 13 mm fans that have PWM out of the box.



Why you can't return it? You should be eligible to return it for some time with no reason in most countries ranging from 14 days to a month...
Click to expand...

I buyed it second hand (almost 20$ cheaper). I was so happy...
Well i will try smaller standoffs and a slimmer fan until i can foun a Nexus alternative in Europe.
 
dondan said:
Here is fast made drawing how to mod the Nexus Low 7000 R2:

low-7000r2drawing_0xoc4udq.jpg
Click to expand...

That seems nice but... I can't find it in europe. And...
1) Does it always have this terrible clips like Intel default ?
2) What about max RAM height with the Noctua NF-A9x14 ?
 
My version don't has the clips. With A9x14 you can use the normal height.
 
mrtea45 said:
Case arrived yesterday (UK), quickly transferred an existing build over and managed to span some quick photos.

Gear
i7 6700
Cryorig C7
Asus Z170i
16GB Corsair Vengeance 2400 MHz
Silverstone SX500-LG
EVGA GTX 970 FTW
512GB Samsung SM951, M.2 PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD
2X SanDisk Ultra II 480GB

Overall Impressions
Really happy with the case, fantastic quality and the designed tolerances for components is perfect, great gob Dan! Might have to order one in silver in the future!

Build it's self was pretty quick and simple, the included manual was also excellent, probably took around a hour most of which was planning and attempting cable management. Having a SFX-L PSU is somewhat of a pain as it give's you a lot less room to work with, it does fit much better than the M1 though and i'll probably be ordering some custom length cables which will make the cable management a lot simpler.

Temps
The 6700 idles around the mid 30's with the C7, highest I've had it was 77. GTX 970 idles around 58 without the fans. Some quick stress testing with firestrike got it to a high of 79.

Noise
As most people have figured the C7 is way to noisy due to the low clearance from the sidepanel, without the sidepanel its perfectly acceptable and I'm pretty impress with it as a cooler considering its size. I've already ordered a Noctua L9i.
Click to expand...

Nice, I'll have almost the same setup. Other psu and storage, and I already have the Noctua. I consider buying mysefl a nvme m.2 drive, but I'm not sure I'll notice the speed differences between my current EVO 950 ssd and the sm951. And it sitting behind the motherboard and the GPU will probably not help with the temps causing possible thermal throttling. What temps do your m.2 drive get under load?
 
Yoshikan said:
That seems nice but... I can't find it in europe. And...
1) Does it always have this terrible clips like Intel default ?
2) What about max RAM height with the Noctua NF-A9x14 ?
Click to expand...

Checkout the photo, I think the RAM heat sink needs to be removed

fc9c871e14.jpg
 
Does anyone think placing a larger fan, like a 120mm fan, slightly off center on the C7 makes a difference in performance? On the Asus 270 mobo there is a large 38mm heatsink over the IO ports that I don't think the C7 heatsink clears.
 
illram said:
Does anyone think placing a larger fan, like a 120mm fan, slightly off center on the C7 makes a difference in performance? On the Asus 270 mobo there is a large 38mm heatsink over the IO ports that I don't think the C7 heatsink clears.
Click to expand...

38mm? Hmmm...looks like a hindrance for the Nexus cooler with the Asus Z270i Strix motherboard.

I hope someone could confirm if the Nexus cooler will clear the VRM heatsink on the Asus Z270i Strix or it would not.
 
Give or take. I'm using a tape measure in inches. There are two "steps" to the heatsink, with the outer one at 1.5" and the inner one just a tad shorter. It's the thing hanging over the IO ports in this image:

1483459406843.jpg


Looks like Scythe also makes a 100mmx12mm fan, which shouldn't run up against that heatsink.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6S04SE3360

I think I'm just going to buy a bunch of different fans and see what works, this is driving me nuts...
 
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Interms of low profile ram options, are there any globally available DDR4 low profile ram sticks available?

The photo a few posts back shows really low profile ram under the Nexus cooler, but I can't seem to find any (in Australia especially) which are low profile. Even the normal sticks with heat spreader removed will still be too tall.
 
So annoying i bought my C7 months ago and now i find out its noisy as hell. I just picked up the noctua low profile cooler instead. Will attempt to delid my upcoming 7700K to keep temps and noise levels as low as possible
 
Blackreplica said:
So annoying i bought my C7 months ago and now i find out its noisy as hell. I just picked up the noctua low profile cooler instead. Will attempt to delid my upcoming 7700K to keep temps and noise levels as low as possible
Click to expand...

Well, an idea discussed in the thread is to slap a bigger slim fan on it, like these 140mm fans:

https://www.amazon.com/SilverStone-Technology-Super-Cooling-FW141/dp/B00VBNTB8C (13mm tall)

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA4UF1H80572 (13mm)

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA66Z28S3552 (13mm)

https://www.amazon.com/Thermalright-TY-14013/dp/B00G8GUE74 (13mm)

There are also some 12mm tall, 120mm Scythe fans:

https://www.amazon.com/Scythe-Slip-Stream-SY1212SL12H-120mm/dp/B002CYRROY (12mm, 3 pin, there are different versions with different max RPM's, this is 2000 RPM)

Or a 100mm 12mm Scythe fan, this interestingly has 92mm mounting holes also, so you could try it on the L9i, although not sure if it is actually any better than the A9.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006A7W5W...TF8&colid=1WRNCWC7ZJDK1&coliid=I3PCLV6JF42H3H

The above fans at 12mm and 13mm also add ~2-3 more mm of clearance than the stock C7 fan, which is 15mm, and thus may mitigate the turbulence issue further. The c7 heatsink is about 32mm tall. Until someone tests all this out though, this is all just guesswork. But, the C7 heatsink seems to do a better job than the L9i, so a solution with the C7 remains worthwhile for those of us with 7700K chips as opposed to just abandoning it in favor of the Noctua...

There are a whole bunch of 15mm 120 and 140mm fans also. At 15mm on top of the C7 you're back at 47mm and right up against the side panel (48mm clearance), but the theory is less RPM for same airflow mitigates the turbulence.

However you have to consider RAM clearance and any clearance of any other heatsinks or the IO ports, like the VRM heatsink (or whatever that is over the IO ports) on the Asus Z270I, which is 38mm high. I don't believe 140mm will actually fit in the case with the Asus mobo thanks to that damn heatsink, which is in the way. Also you probably want RAM that either has no heatspreaders, or "low profile" heatspreaders like Corsair LPX RAM, which is 31mm, or just take them off. (I have Team Vulcan RAM which is 31.75mm, which barely should fit...)

Of course the easiest solution is to just say screw all of that and get the L9i... I wouldn't blame anyone for that either. ;)
 
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illram said:
Well, an idea discussed in the thread is to slap a bigger slim fan on it, like these 140mm fans:

https://www.amazon.com/SilverStone-Technology-Super-Cooling-FW141/dp/B00VBNTB8C (13mm tall)

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA4UF1H80572 (13mm)

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA66Z28S3552 (13mm)

https://www.amazon.com/Thermalright-TY-14013/dp/B00G8GUE74 (13mm)

There are also some 12mm tall, 120mm Scythe fans:

https://www.amazon.com/Scythe-Slip-Stream-SY1212SL12H-120mm/dp/B002CYRROY (12mm, 3 pin, there are different versions with different max RPM's, this is 2000 RPM)

Or a 100mm 12mm Scythe fan, this interestingly has 92mm mounting holes also, so you could try it on the L9i, although not sure if it is actually any better than the A9.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006A7W5W...TF8&colid=1WRNCWC7ZJDK1&coliid=I3PCLV6JF42H3H

The above fans at 12mm and 13mm also add ~2-3 more mm of clearance than the stock C7 fan, which is 15mm, and thus may mitigate the turbulence issue further. The c7 heatsink is about 32mm tall. Until someone tests all this out though, this is all just guesswork. But, the C7 heatsink seems to do a better job than the L9i, so a solution with the C7 remains worthwhile for those of us with 7700K chips as opposed to just abandoning it in favor of the Noctua...

There are a whole bunch of 15mm 120 and 140mm fans also. At 15mm on top of the C7 you're back at 47mm and right up against the side panel (48mm clearance), but the theory is less RPM for same airflow mitigates the turbulence.

However you have to consider RAM clearance and any clearance of any other heatsinks or the IO ports, like the VRM heatsink (or whatever that is over the IO ports) on the Asus Z270I, which is 38mm high. I don't believe 140mm will actually fit in the case with the Asus mobo thanks to that damn heatsink, which is in the way. Also you probably want RAM that either has no heatspreaders, or "low profile" heatspreaders like Corsair LPX RAM, which is 31mm, or just take them off. (I have Team Vulcan RAM which is 31.75mm, which barely should fit...)

Of course the easiest solution is to just say screw all of that and get the L9i... I wouldn't blame anyone for that either. ;)
Click to expand...

yeah thanks for the post and some of those options are very intriguing but after basically wasting my money on a C7, I just want something which has been guaranteed to work reasonably well. I'll let the delidding take care of the rest
 
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illram said:
Give or take. I'm using a tape measure in inches. There are two "steps" to the heatsink, with the outer one at 1.5" and the inner one just a tad shorter. It's the thing hanging over the IO ports in this image:

1483459406843.jpg


Looks like Scythe also makes a 100mmx12mm fan, which shouldn't run up against that heatsink.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6S04SE3360

I think I'm just going to buy a bunch of different fans and see what works, this is driving me nuts...
Click to expand...

How tall is the second or shorter "step"?
 
okwchin said:
Interms of low profile ram options, are there any globally available DDR4 low profile ram sticks available?

The photo a few posts back shows really low profile ram under the Nexus cooler, but I can't seem to find any (in Australia especially) which are low profile. Even the normal sticks with heat spreader removed will still be too tall.
Click to expand...

http://www.dpie.com/dram/ddr4/innodisk-ddr4-low-profile-dimm
non-ECC ddr4 low profile. it exists! but its server memory and for non-ECC type this is the only one I found.
 
I think I'll be sticking with the stock Intel cooler until a definite winner is shown. At the end of the day, my core 2 macbook pro hit 90 degrees during 3d rendering and I used to leave it rendering over night all the time... It was 65nm I suppose but anything less than 90 should be fine until something clearly better comes along... Maybe ryzen will run cooler with its properly soldered heat spreader... Might get that either.. either way I have till July to decide :)
 
okwchin said:
Interms of low profile ram options, are there any globally available DDR4 low profile ram sticks available?

The photo a few posts back shows really low profile ram under the Nexus cooler, but I can't seem to find any (in Australia especially) which are low profile. Even the normal sticks with heat spreader removed will still be too tall.
Click to expand...
Using a low-profile memory is just when you mod it with the 120mm fan.
When using a 92mm fan with the Nexus, a standard DDR4 memory height should fit (I hope).
 
But if you use only a 92mm-fan, I doubt the performence will be supperior to the NH-L9i
 
Cant seem to find the nexus anywhere
Nor can i find any low profile ddr4 ram

I regret buying the c7 and my ram now
 
Good find on the ram, not sure if its readily available though?

Certainly much simpler to be considering a 92mm cooler for the reasons of ease of installation and ease of accessibility to the rest of the motherboard. The toughest factor is most probably the ability to source the heatsink, the fan and the ram.

That said, the idea of getting quieter and better performance is a challenge that could be worth undertaking.

Apart from the two on ebay that are now sold, I haven't been able to find any such coolers.
 
okwchin said:
Good find on the ram, not sure if its readily available though?

Certainly much simpler to be considering a 92mm cooler for the reasons of ease of installation and ease of accessibility to the rest of the motherboard. The toughest factor is most probably the ability to source the heatsink, the fan and the ram.

That said, the idea of getting quieter and better performance is a challenge that could be worth undertaking.

Apart from the two on ebay that are now sold, I haven't been able to find any such coolers.
Click to expand...

I e- mail the manufacture of Nexus Coolers yesterday in US.

I think its unavible for mounting to Ryzen CPU and avsked them when its back in stock and if it will support Ryzen.
 
Have any confirmed lengths om PSU custom cables ? 24 pin 8 pins CPU, Pcie and front mounted SSD ?

Have avsked modify in China and they do custom length and Colors after order.
 
Hey, first time poster here. I managed to pick up one of these beautiful cases and waiting for my parts to arrive.

Question- out of ANY GTX 1080, what would be the best one for cooling? Is there a specific 1080 that has better cooling (and of course will fit) ?
 
@XstreamHard

How do you know, that the surface area is bigger? The fins on the Noctua cooler are extremely narrow, sothat I think the overall surface area could be identical. I don't think the fins from the Nexus are that narrow.

The weight seems to be identical, too. The Nexus is (with a large 120mm fan) just 50g heavier that the Noctua (with a small 92x14 fan)

Same with the Heatpipes. You just need heatpipes, when you have to transfer heat from one spot to an other. On the Noctua just the edges of the coolers would benefit from a heatpipe. Therefore, two heatpipes are more than enough for this type of cooler. Instead, the radiator of the Nexus cooler is super far away from the heatspreader, so that more heatpipes are necessairy.
 
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