M600 Case - A Mini Steambox?

Screes

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 28, 2013
Messages
367
UPDATE 1: Build Logs
=================================================================================
Run Amok Build Log using MC600 Case:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1526575/build-log-little-mac-4-2l-gaming-htpc

Lakai's Build Log using MC600 Case:
http://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/2ial0o/build_complete_low_powermedium_performance_gaming/
http://imgur.com/a/JN0fX
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I found this tonight: http://www.logicsupply.com/components/cases/expandable/mc600/

Dimensions (WxHxD) 334 x 64 x 198 mm / 13.1 x 2.5 x 7.8"

It's 4.2L large. You lose the internal PSU capability from the prototype steam enclosure Valve made, but if you can power it with an external brick then its got the form factor.

mc600-expandable-mini-itx-case.jpg

mc600-expandable-mini-itx-case-pic2.jpg


You could use a Pico PSU with an AC adapter like this which would give you enough power for a 65w intel CPU and a 75w GPU: http://www.mini-box.com/12v-16A-AC-DC-Power-Adapter

Then if you want a faster GPU, just buy a second AC adapter, and hook the 12v line straight to the PCI-E plugs on the graphics cards. Might have to make a custom adapter to go from the 4pin plug to the PCI-E plugs.

So far this is the closest I've found to a console sized pc case that can fit a dual width full height graphics card.
 
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I agree, totally doable. It's a bit limited in that you can only fit gpus about 180cm in length, but luckily that form factor has gotten really interesting in the last 6 months.

While using two bricks is viable solution it's not quite practical. Hopefully those 330w bricks will get cheaper.
 
I have actually been kicking around the idea of putting a system in this case with an undervolted 4670K, GTX 750ti, and 200w Pico PSU.

Another possibility is to use HD-Plex's 250 watt power supply with self adhesive stand-offs on the front panel.
 
This is a nice find.

I have a i5 4570S and a 750 ti running on a 160W pico and it works great. Metro Last light on Ubuntu looked fantastic and only drew 115w from the socket at max.

Its currently screwed to a wooden board in my aborted attempt at a wooden case, but this looks pretty interesting.The only thing that concerns me is the lack of a vent for the GPU intake.
 
Yah for sure, this case doesn't seem to breath too well. I mean you could add some little stick on case feet and put a hole in the bottom where the GPU fan would fall.
 
The only thing that concerns me is the lack of a vent for the GPU intake.

GPU intake and CPU intake are my only concerns. But a 4.75" whole saw quickly remedies both problems. 1 hole over the CPU region on top of the case, and 1 hole on the bottom of the case for the GPU intake. I'm planning on putting a 120mm fan as intake over the CPU region of the motherboard, and I'm hopeing if i take the stock fan/shroud off the GPU that i can fit a 120mm fan under the graphics card. We'll see, worst case scenario i have to just use the stock GPU cooler/fan.
 
Very nice! I rather like the GTX 750 Ti, even though it isn't the best performance. It is pretty darn good for no extra power needed.
 
I'm curious how will it work out with cooling this thing. I had both HD7750 and GT750 single slots in something like this
tacens_ixion_2.jpg

And I had to perforate the side to not fry the card while gaming. Not sure how that side openings are better.

For the CPU go for something with lower power than 65W
I would say either pentium G3258 (53W) or something like i3-4130T (35W) to not overwork the PSU and keep things cool.
 
Yup, that's why I put a 120mm slim pwm fan under the GPU when I made n4 (scratch build in this form factor).
 
Yah for sure, this case doesn't seem to breath too well. I mean you could add some little stick on case feet and put a hole in the bottom where the GPU fan would fall.
You mean breathe :p But yeah at first I thought, "80mm fans are a bit ghetto, and will be loud if you want to move air through it."

Then I realised...they're not 80mm fans, they're 60mm fans! Even worse! LOL.

Also, personally, I don't see the point of having a "full-height, dual-width" videocard if you're only able to use something like a Pico PSU. 75W and lower cards don't even really need to be dual-width, though granted most are full height.

It says it's customisable though so I guess if you could get enough interest (doesn't say minimum quantity for customising but I'd imagine it'd have to be a significant order) might be able to have it made with better cooling provisions?
 
Also, personally, I don't see the point of having a "full-height, dual-width" videocard if you're only able to use something like a Pico PSU.
+1 to that.

75W and lower cards don't even really need to be dual-width, though granted most are full height.
Didn't you mean dual-width and not full height?

Most of the cards around 75 watts are now lets say low/mid range like 750TI and most of them are dual-width and short below 200mm.

So generally yeah, thats all you can do with this power supply and you don't need more space for the card there.
 
Didn't you mean dual-width and not full height?
Actually...that too. The cards are dual width these days, even when they don't need to be. 75W and lower cards can easily be made with single-slot coolers but these days that seems like it's not done. As you note a 750Ti is almost always dual-slot cooler, there's like one that exists that is single-slot and it's not sold in North America.

Remember when cards like 5750/6750 were available with single slot coolers? And those were over 75W, requiring a PCIe power connection. Seems they don't make many cards like that nowadays though.

By full-height I was actually thinking more along the lines of simply not being low-profile. I didn't think there were many mid-level (around 75-100W) cards that were low profile compatible?
 
One of the engineers of the MC600 built a gaming rig using this case. He used a 750ti but you get the idea.

http://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/2ial0o/build_complete_low_powermedium_performance_gaming/

M600 gaming build pics:
http://imgur.com/a/JN0fX

If only we could get said engineer to make the case slightly deeper to fit a SFX psu in front of the motherboard.

Or put a nicer looking power button on the front with usb 3.0 ports.

I may actually end up getting this case and asking for a blank front plate that i can put my own power button and usb 3.0 ports in. I can make everything else on this case work with a little modification.
 
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IMO SFX psu compatibility would turn it into a completely different case for a different usage scenario. Might as well wait for those steam machine style cases, if that it what you are looking for.
 
I'm thinking of putting a DC power board into this case. I was planning on mounting it here (http://i.imgur.com/JporH3U.jpg). If I use a motherboard like an Asus H97I-Plus, it should probably work since it doesn't have a heatsink on the opposite side of the PCIe slot like its Z97 brother. I was going to use the HDPlex 250W. The only problem is cooling and mounting. It'll have to be passively cooled. I don't actually know if you could mount 2x60mm fans on that side anyway. For mounting, I'll have to find a standoff kit and hope that it's possible to fit the HDPlex board.

I was also thinking of mounting it on the front side, but I was thinking about placing a 2.5" drive there. I could always move that drive somewhere else.

Can someone give me some advice as to where I should mount the DC board?

Also, has anyone worked with the Alienware X51's PSU? (Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Alienware-X51...415493779&sr=8-1&keywords=alienware+x51+board)
 
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IMO SFX psu compatibility would turn it into a completely different case for a different usage scenario. Might as well wait for those steam machine style cases, if that it what you are looking for.

Oh i'm sure gaming was not the original intended usage scenario for this case. But its a great base to build off of for one. Extending the depth slightly would take next to no effort on the designers part. The only other things that would really need to get changed to make this an amazing gaming case is a 120mm fan vent over the CPU region, and additional vents around and under the GPU region. Vents are pretty easy to add to a design as well. Swap out the USB 2.0 ports for 3.0 ports and viola, perfect gaming case.

That said, i don't necessarily have a problem with power bricks. I've used them before, and you can run a dedicated second brick for GPU's with power connectors. Pico PSU + 120w Brick for the motherboard, and a second 12v 120w brick straight into the power connectors on the graphics card. Also if you have active cooling on the DC boards like the Pico PSU, they can handle much higher power levels. The rated power levels on them are for passive cooling.
 
MertArm,

Same boat as you. Going to build an MC600 rig.

As an FYI, I reached out to _Hans_Solo_ on Reddit (Engineer), and he graciously offered to provide me with a some Logic Supply B-stock for experimentation. Logic Supply crew is so pro. :D

Also on order is the GPU and HDPLEX. I'll post pictures on this thread when they land.
 
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Machupo has worked with the X51 psu in Neutronium 4, although I would use the hdplex.

Screes, do you think it would be possible to split one 330w brick so it feeds a picopsu for the main system and then step down the voltage so it feeds the gpu as well? I think that would be a cleaner solution.
 
MertArm, what are you planning on using for your CPU and GPU? There's a 200w PicoPSU that you might be able to use to avoid the placement problem entirely.
 
Machupo has worked with the X51 psu in Neutronium 4, although I would use the hdplex.

Screes, do you think it would be possible to split one 330w brick so it feeds a picopsu for the main system and then step down the voltage so it feeds the gpu as well? I think that would be a cleaner solution.

If you know how to make a voltage step down circuit board, or know where to find a 19.5v to 12v step down board to use, sure it should work.

I've used a 220w 12v brick and used a y adapter to split power between the motherboard and gpu power plug, and i've also used two 120w bricks before, one for the motherboard and one for the gpu. I've never used circuit boards to step voltages up or down though from non 12v bricks before.

The thing about bricks, while it might seem unsightly to have them, once its in place and the system is up and working, you never see them and never think about them. Their biggest hurdle is the fact that you have to piece meal the power systems together, and quality high power 12v power bricks are hard to find, and might require soldering skills to make them work.

Delta makes a 220w 12v passive power brick, but they are incredibly hard to find, and usually require modification to get to work with an ITX system. Thats the highest rated passive 12v power adapter I've ever seen. The 330w brick is 19.5 volts and you have to basically use the dc board designed to go with it, so pico psu's are out with it.

On another note, i'm definitely getting a steam box style case for Christmas, so if Necere and SaperPL don't have a product by the end of December, i'll just buy this case instead. I know how to get a GTX970 to work inside this case without overheating.
 
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Oh yeah, picopsus are 12V aren't they. Meh.

If you go with this case and the 970, I think you should go with the 330W brick and the HDplex 250W, which are compatible, and together they can get up to 400W with some cooling of the board. I think this will actually be better/less hassle than two bricks.

This case is pretty cool though. With a 970 it will be a lot smaller than both the aforementioned cases. Good luck!
 
MertArm, what are you planning on using for your CPU and GPU? There's a 200w PicoPSU that you might be able to use to avoid the placement problem entirely.

I was planning on getting a Xeon E3 1231 and a GTX 970. I don't plan on undervolting. The 970 alone takes up 170-185 watts @ load. I'll just stick with the Hdplex DC board for now.

I won't be building this for a few weeks or months due to financial issues, so my build might change a bit over time.
 
I didn't need to make a step down for the 19v going through the "atx12v" connector as the mobo step down circuit could take up to 36vdc itself. The graphics power port on the x51 puts out at a genuine 12v, so no issues there.


I got >300w out of that PSU/brick no issues. If I had a hdplex at the time, I would have tested it out as well, but alas. ;)
 
Def check the precise voltages on your various 12v sources (and know that they can sag differently under load) since they'll be going into the same card. I don't know where all of the traces on a GPU go, but if the power is pooled (the slot's 75w contribution and the plug's 150w), any significant imbalance could either make the card do a lot of extra work or even release the magic smoke! You'll probably be fine though :)
 
So excited! :D

Will you be drilling holes into the case (for GPU/CPU ventilation)? Also, what parts do you plan on using?

As far as parts? My build is almost identical to what you have planned. GTX 970, H97 mobo, E3 Xeon. As far as the cooling. I might run it for a while without modding the case to monitor temps, but my gut says the GPU side will need to be drilled. For the CPU side, I think a Big Shuriken might fit! :) But all this could change... About the only thing I'm dead set on is THIS case with the mITX GTX 970 and the name, "Little Mac." Should make for an FPS/Liter champ.

As promised here are some photos. Full Imgur gallery HERE, and some below.

B5c8brUm.jpg


TlNtnPKm.jpg


3YAfYaQm.jpg


ouUroo0m.jpg


dZevDUGm.jpg


The motherboard arrives tomorrow. Asus H97I-PLUS. We'll see if it fits.
 
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Nice pics. That HDPlex board definitely looks tight in there. Hopefully, that GPU will still fit into this build. How did you mount the DC board?

Also, have you considered using an M.2 drive? If you're only using one drive in your build, you should ditch the HDD hangar and go for an M.2 SSD so that you have more headroom for your CPU cooler. I've been thinking of doing this. The only drawback is that you have to pay extra for M.2 drives (instead of 2.5" SSD drives) and you won't be able to mount any mechanical drives.

And I'm also assuming that you have a PCIe extender coming soon?
 
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Nice pics. That HDPlex board definitely looks tight in there. Hopefully, that GPU will still fit into this build. How did you mount the DC board?

Also, have you considered using an M.2 drive? If you're only using one drive in your build, you should ditch the HDD hangar and go for an M.2 SSD so that you have more headroom for your CPU cooler. I've been thinking of doing this. The only drawback is that you have to pay extra for M.2 drives (instead of 2.5" SSD drives) and you won't be able to mount any mechanical drives.

DC board isn't permanently mounted yet, waiting to see if the motherboard fits. If the mobo doesn't fit, the HDD hangar may become an alternate HDPLEX mounting point! :eek: I'd like to see if a 2.5" SSD could fit pressed beside the HDPLEX on the back wall or below the 60mm fan on the GPU wall. Might have to debox them. If neither of those work, then paying more for an M.2 makes sense.

Wish they'd make an M.2 drive that had speed advantage over an SSD and didn't cost a fortune.
 
In order for the motherboard to mount, you'll need to remove the lower 4-pin molex OR snip the retainer clip off of it. It will fit, though! Yay!
Imgur gallery updated. some pictures below.


yP4at0nm.jpg


Max CPU cooler height is going to be 45mm. This rules out the Big Shuriken. Suggestions? :confused::confused:
WPcMp4Hm.jpg



A 2.5" drive is too wide for the walls. However a deboxed SSD with 1.8" board will fit provided a thin right angled SATA connector. SSDs could also hang over the GPU.
UVMtpoym.jpg



The stand-in card 170mm long. If the Gigabyte GTX 970 mITX card is a hair over 170mm it won't fit. Also, The PCIe riser ribbon I had on hand isn't quite flexible enough to flex up/down over/under the dividing wall.
BUp9g2sm.jpg
 
Holy shrimp, that spacing between the DC board and the GPU is scary. Makes me a little bit worried about the GTX 970 being 171mm+. Do you really have to take off the GPU IO plate for the GPU to fit it in?

Also, if you're taking suggestions for a CPU cooler, I'd recommend the Noctua L9i. I'll be personally using it in my own MC600 build. And if you're looking for a riser to use in this case, _Hans_Solo_ recommended this one: http://www.logicsupply.com/components/accessories/riser-cards/pelx16j1-c10/
 
Remove the cross brace, you might get another couple mm out of it before it hits the case panel.


Noctua NH-L9i is 23mm tall (heatsink only)
http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=productview&products_id=50&lng=en

If you can fit 48mm you can put a 25mm thick fan on it over the top of the motherboard area. I'd just go with a 120mm fan over the top of the region. (will require cutting a fan hole for it)
You'd probably need low profile ram as well to do this since the space is so tight.

Remember, your going to need space next to the GPU for power connector. So be careful about filling that space with SSD/fans. Also note that the gigabyte 970 itx is taller (in this case wider) than a normal graphics card. So you're going to need extra space next to it for it to fit.


This build log really makes me want to buy this case now. I think i may mod the rear panel to allow flipping the GPU so it faces up like the motherboard, then invert the entire case so both fan holes point down.
 
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This build log really makes me want to buy this case now. I think i may mod the rear panel to allow flipping the GPU so it faces up like the motherboard, then invert the entire case so both fan holes point down.

Do you have a flexible enough riser?
 
Do you really have to take off the GPU IO plate for the GPU to fit it in?

Yes, I'm afraid that's required. But the face goes back on. :cool: Noctua L9i on order.

Screes said:
I think i may mod the rear panel to allow flipping the GPU so it faces up like the motherboard, then invert the entire case so both fan holes point down.

Screes, that's a solid idea! Imgur Gallery updated.

A little bend in IO plate provides a half-decent mount for a flipped GPU.

GOw29vQm.jpg


However, flipping the GPU also requires flipping the PSU. Without flipping the PSU, the 6-pin molex -- needed to power Gigabyte 970 --you see on the left would be colliding with the 24-Pin exiting the HDPLEX, now on right.

QMjQ5lbm.jpg


Here is the card installed in the lower slot, inverted.

Jo0dMAcm.jpg



Things to consider...

Flipping the GPU requires ditching the 60mm sidewall fans. No room, and they'd be blocked by the PCIe riser ribbon. Routing all the cables beneath the GPU is clean (good top down airflow) but the proximity of all these electrons has me concerned. Those wires are mashed flat and right on top of one another. Is interference a real concern? All-in-all, I'm now leaning flipped GPU. Only one -replaceable- panel to cut.
 
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I would mount the hdplex next to the motherboard. You have to remove the front i/o.
On the actual position the powerboard will die a heat death. Believe me i use this board in my prototyp and it will need cooling. Otherwise you will reduce the lifetime of it.

As risercard i would use somethink like this
sku_58300_1.jpg

in combination with this
PA8006B%20PCIe%2016X%20extension%20card.jpg
 
Runamok, have you checked the listings for the GTX 970 Mini? I just checked a bunch of websites. Most of them are on backorder/sold out (Amazon, too), some are still taking preorders. The only one I found that is currently selling them is Newegg (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...b_m1me3nCGYVTtdOUGi9105CIr0FqdXNRwaArG48P8HAQ). Better hurry before it runs out.

I'm assuming you have your Ram, Xeon CPU, and OS with you, or it's still in shipping. There's a chance that this build (without any big modifications) can be finished before the end of next week (if we're lucky and all the parts come in on time). I'd really love to see what this thing looks like when it's finished.

And just a quick question... I've asked you this before, but you didn't really give me a clear answer. How did you mount the DC board to the case? Did you have to drill some holes through the front side of your case?
 
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