NCASE M1: a crowdfunded Mini-ITX case (updates in first post)

I'd rather keep the drive on the rear. It avoids clearance issues with components on the front of the board, and on the rear it is easy to add a thermal pad to couple the drive to the chassis.
 
Yes, the future is continuing convergence. Mass storage and RAN is one avenue. Will the chipset disappear into the CPU?
 
csd said:
Yep - Accelero Extreme IV. Works a charm too - can overclock to 1400 and keep the temps reasonable:)
Click to expand...

what sort of temps do you get with this? i finally found a site that sells it in AU and am thinking about picking one up for my 980Ti, as the Super Jetstream Cooler, while excellent, struggles with recirculated air in the M1.

id use 2x120mm Noctua iPPC 2000rpm fans on it. id love to know your details before i commit to buying.
 
callumbolch said:
what sort of temps do you get with this? i finally found a site that sells it in AU and am thinking about picking one up for my 980Ti, as the Super Jetstream Cooler, while excellent, struggles with recirculated air in the M1.

id use 2x120mm Noctua iPPC 2000rpm fans on it. id love to know your details before i commit to buying.
Click to expand...

The max is ~74C while benching, which is fine with me. That's with my Noiseblocker M12-PS running at 1100rpm as I like to keep my system as quiet as possible.
 
csd said:
The max is ~74C while benching, which is fine with me. That's with my Noiseblocker M12-PS running at 1100rpm as I like to keep my system as quiet as possible.
Click to expand...

are your fans set at intake or exhaust? you have a significant OC running on your GPU yes? did you find that mounting the system to the card and getting the card inside the case was hard work?

id love to get a fair bit of detail regarding your thoughts/pros/cons on this cooler before i go ahead and buy it, given i could use the G10 kraken i already have (but would prefer more silence/no pump noise).
 
so my z170 build is done

ASRock Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming-ITX/ac Intel Z170 So.1151 Dua...
CoolerMaster Nepton 240M
1000GB Samsung 850 Evo
256GB Samsung SM951 M.2 2280
16GB Crucial Ballistix Sport
Noctua NF-P12 PWM 120x120x25mm 300-1200 U/min 20 dB(A) br... 4x
Teac BD-W26SS-BM3 Blu-ray Disc
Intel Core i7 6700K 4x 4.00GHz
600w silverstone SilverStone SST-SX600-G v 1.1
graka nvidia titan

did some benchmarking
prime95 run 60 min / 67C
gaming 50-60C
graka titan 80C

i have playing with the system for a while and the psu stayed silent the fan didnt even spin
 
callumbolch said:
are your fans set at intake or exhaust? you have a significant OC running on your GPU yes? did you find that mounting the system to the card and getting the card inside the case was hard work?

id love to get a fair bit of detail regarding your thoughts/pros/cons on this cooler before i go ahead and buy it, given i could use the G10 kraken i already have (but would prefer more silence/no pump noise).
Click to expand...

Sure.

Fans are intake - mounted straight to the bottom of the case.
I've got it OC'd to 1400 and 3800 (+200 core and +260 memory).
Very easy mounting the cooler, though the only thing I'd note is the supplied washers were too tall and I didn't get very good contact, but I had something else suitable to use that fixed that. Otherwise it's very easy to take in and out of the case as long as your cables are neat;)
I've always used Thermalright coolers and had a TR Shaman on it before it which didn't work as well (surprisingly).

I don't think you'd get a better setup in this case - I'd only change it over for a full block and "proper" WC setup...:)
 
Grendell said:
so my z170 build is done

ASRock Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming-ITX/ac Intel Z170 So.1151 Dua...
CoolerMaster Nepton 240M
1000GB Samsung 850 Evo
256GB Samsung SM951 M.2 2280
16GB Crucial Ballistix Sport
Noctua NF-P12 PWM 120x120x25mm 300-1200 U/min 20 dB(A) br... 4x
Teac BD-W26SS-BM3 Blu-ray Disc
Intel Core i7 6700K 4x 4.00GHz
600w silverstone SilverStone SST-SX600-G v 1.1
graka nvidia titan

did some benchmarking
prime95 run 60 min / 67C
gaming 50-60C
graka titan 80C

i have playing with the system for a while and the psu stayed silent the fan didnt even spin
Click to expand...

Pics Please! :D
 
some pics like requested ;D

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Hi does anybody have any advice on how to remove this stripped screw? http://i.imgur.com/Zgfos3c.jpg I got the other ones out fine but messed this one up real bad. It's the super small screw on the right side of the fan bracket. I don't have any real tools nearby (college dorm), but I'm willing to take the bus to a Home Depot to buy whatever it takes to fix this. It's pretty much just a circle now inside
 
Sometimes a small flathead screwdriver applied tangentially to the head of the stripped screw head will slowly turn the screw out of the hole (counterclockwise). Applying some pressure from the underside of the screw (a straightened paperclip) should help.
 
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Qrash said:
Sometimes a small flathead screwdriver applied tangentially to the head of the stripped screw head will slowly turn the screw out of the hole (counterclockwise). Applying some pressure from the underside of the screw (a straightened paperclip) will help.
Click to expand...

Thank you!! I was going crazy and about to try this hot glue method I read online, but your way worked perfectly.
 
I'm going to be using the ASRock Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming-ITX/ac w/ an 6600k/ 980ti hybrid. What is the best 120mm aio as far as pump noise? I had a CM seidon 120mm and after a few months the pump got louder. Thanks.
 
csd said:
Sure.

Fans are intake - mounted straight to the bottom of the case.
I've got it OC'd to 1400 and 3800 (+200 core and +260 memory).
Very easy mounting the cooler, though the only thing I'd note is the supplied washers were too tall and I didn't get very good contact, but I had something else suitable to use that fixed that. Otherwise it's very easy to take in and out of the case as long as your cables are neat;)
I've always used Thermalright coolers and had a TR Shaman on it before it which didn't work as well (surprisingly).

I don't think you'd get a better setup in this case - I'd only change it over for a full block and "proper" WC setup...:)
Click to expand...

ok thanks for that - did you see that others on here have the AX4 with fans set to exhaust and saw improved temps?

i think ill pull the trigger just to have a play with it - even if i dont use it for my 980Ti in the M1 i can use it for my Gtx970 in my missus's rig - as itll work wonders for that i imagine.
 
right well it looks like i may hold off on the Arctic Accelero Extreme IV - unable to find it in Australia - so the only way to get it is off the Arctic International store - which will cost me like 135AUD, which is a tad extreme for a GPU cooler!
 
callumbolch said:
right well it looks like i may hold off on the Arctic Accelero Extreme IV - unable to find it in Australia - so the only way to get it is off the Arctic International store - which will cost me like 135AUD, which is a tad extreme for a GPU cooler!
Click to expand...

Shame :(
Are you on OCAU? That's where I picked mine up from.
 
I've been holding on to my v4 m1 for over a month (feels like a year), waiting for Skylake itx.

Since the motherboards are getting released. Id like to ask your opinion regarding the cpu coolers.

My main priority aside from cooling is the noise levels. Ive narrowed my choices to the following
Nh-u9s (push pull config - hot air goes out on top), nh-c14 or Be Quiets dark rock tf.

The dark rock is extremely hard to find, i have to grt it outside my country. Not sure if its worth the hassle.

My components are...
I7 6700k
Gigabyte z170n itx gaming5
Sm951 achi 512
Nvidia 980ti ref
Silverstone 500w sfxl
16gb ddr4 3000mhz

Ive been thinking about the build for a month. I need help to finalize the build so that i can regain my sanity. :)
 
Can anyone tell me the approximate thickness of thermal pad needed to fit between an M.2 SSD on the bottom of a motherboard and the M1 side panel?

The motherboard in question is an Asus Z97I-PLUS, although i'd imagine it'd be about the same distance for most motherboards.
 
Hey guys! Just bought a M1 case and would like your opinion on what cooling configuration you think is best for me.

I'm going to use two 120mm intake fans at the bottom and one 92mm intake fan on the rear. My CPU cooler is Noctua C-14 and here is my question. What of these two options do you think is the best.

1. Use the 140mm fan that comes with it (but unable to use any side bracket mounted fans) and a 120mm fan underside of the C14.

or

2. Use two 120mm fans on the side bracket and one 120mm underside of the C14.
 
Actually the V4 edition of the side fan bracket has slightly longer fan mounting slots which allowed me to connect the Noctua NF-A15 PWM, a 140 mm fan with 120 mm mounting holes, to the side fan bracket over my NH-C14 along with a second 120 mm fan beside it. You can also add a 120 mm fan to the underside of the NH-C14 heatsink for a push-pull arrangement.
 
Qrash said:
Actually the V4 edition of the side fan bracket has slightly longer fan mounting slots which allowed me to connect the Noctua NF-A15 PWM, a 140 mm fan with 120 mm mounting holes, to the side fan bracket over my NH-C14 along with a second 120 mm fan beside it. You can also add a 120 mm fan to the underside of the NH-C14 heatsink for a push-pull arrangement.
Click to expand...
I'm thinking of going with the nh-c14.
But i want to use the 140mm fans that it comes with.
So I wanted to put my sfx power in the atx bracket.
This will give me some extra room to put the bottom 140mm fan on.

Is this a good idea?
 
Mounting the SFX power supply in the ATX bracket will block the front half of the side fan bracket. As for adding the lower 140 mm fan to the C14, I think it will fit so long as your RAM modules are not taller than 38 mm.
 
SpoiledMilk said:
I've been holding on to my v4 m1 for over a month (feels like a year), waiting for Skylake itx.

Since the motherboards are getting released. Id like to ask your opinion regarding the cpu coolers.

My main priority aside from cooling is the noise levels. Ive narrowed my choices to the following
Nh-u9s (push pull config - hot air goes out on top), nh-c14 or Be Quiets dark rock tf.

The dark rock is extremely hard to find, i have to grt it outside my country. Not sure if its worth the hassle.

My components are...
I7 6700k
Gigabyte z170n itx gaming5
Sm951 achi 512
Nvidia 980ti ref
Silverstone 500w sfxl
16gb ddr4 3000mhz

Ive been thinking about the build for a month. I need help to finalize the build so that i can regain my sanity. :)
Click to expand...

I've also been holding onto an NCASE for a while. I'm debating between z170 and X99. In the mean time, I ordered a C14 as it should be a great cooler for either option. The ILM mounting brackets are needed for X99, but Noctua sends those for free.
 
I've been mulling about it and I'm just not convinced that the C14 would be suitable for X99 at a reasonable overclock (e.g. 4.4-4.5GHz). My NH-C12P was quite the underperformer for my 3770K.

The C14 would probably do well for Z97 and Z170, though.
 
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I see very few people using the ZALMAN CNPS8900 Quiet 110mm CPU fan, is it not recommended for an Ncase build?
 
Qrash said:
Mounting the SFX power supply in the ATX bracket will block the front half of the side fan bracket. As for adding the lower 140 mm fan to the C14, I think it will fit so long as your RAM modules are not taller than 38 mm.
Click to expand...

I want to use crucial ballistic sport witch is 30mm in height. So I got enough clearance there.

Wil the dual 140mm fan setup of the nh-c14 be enough to cool the system if the rest of the case acts as passive exhaust?
 
ctrlbrk said:
I see very few people using the ZALMAN CNPS8900 Quiet 110mm CPU fan, is it not recommended for an Ncase build?
Click to expand...

The Zalman CNPS8900 is only 60 mm tall and the M1 can accomodate heatsinks up to 130 mm in height. Using, the CNPS8900 would leave 70 mm of leftover space above the motherboard for a fan, the hard drive cage, or even a GPU radiator and fan assembly. I think most people would rather use a larger air cooler and put these other items in the front half of the side fan bracket. Also, Zalman's financial situation this past year have lowered its presence in computer hardware and review sites.

However, I might consider the CNPS8900 for the upcoming LRPC (Living Room PC) enclosure from Ncase, the S1. See this thread: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1831382
 
friend'scatdied said:
I've been mulling about it and I'm just not convinced that the C14 would be suitable for X99 at a reasonable overclock (e.g. 4.4-4.5GHz). My NH-C12P was quite the underperformer for my 3770K.

The C14 would probably do well for Z97 and Z170, though.
Click to expand...

It would depend on your criteria. A bad chip will never hit 4.4 GHz on an NH-C14, but I think a good one could if you are okay with ~80 C temps and don't use any AVX stress testing (no Linpack, newer Prime95 versions, IBT, etc.).

berendsp said:
I want to use crucial ballistic sport witch is 30mm in height. So I got enough clearance there.

Wil the dual 140mm fan setup of the nh-c14 be enough to cool the system if the rest of the case acts as passive exhaust?
Click to expand...

You didn't post your system, but presumably it would.
 
XelNika said:
It would depend on your criteria. A bad chip will never hit 4.4 GHz on an NH-C14, but I think a good one could if you are okay with ~80 C temps and don't use any AVX stress testing (no Linpack, newer Prime95 versions, IBT, etc.).
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I've been going through plenty of C14 reviews and while it seems suitable for overclocks on smaller quad-core platforms, it seems to absolutely fall apart with the thermal loads from HEDT. The underwhelming performance was evident on LGA 1366 processors (i7-920/960 IIRC, so not even the hexa-cores).

Another thing to keep in mind is that an average processor might be able to hit a given target reasonably at temperature X (e.g. 70'C), but fail at temperature X+10 (e.g. 80'C).

Basically I'm hesitant to commit to the C14 for overclocks with voltages exceeding 1.2v, and indeed for overclocks where the quality of the chip has not been established (for example a new build).

There's no question that it remains one of the only viable options as far as low-noise is concerned, but I'm strongly leaning towards a H100i with low-RPM fans instead given the temperature concerns.
 
friend'scatdied said:
There's no question that it remains one of the only viable options as far as low-noise is concerned, but I'm strongly leaning towards a H100i with low-RPM fans instead given the temperature concerns.
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As someone who replaced my H100i with a C14, the H100i is not significantly cooler. My own testing showed a 1 C difference in favour of the C14. That's far within margin of error, the fans I used could've accounted for the difference.

EDIT: That's not to say the C14 is a good cooler for overclocking in general, it is obviously not as good as the top tower coolers, but we don't have that luxury.
 
Here's my build i thought up:

Cpu: Intel i5 6600k
Cpucooler: nh-c14
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-Z170N-WIFI (has yet to come out)
Ram:Crucial Ballistix Sport BLS8G4D240FSA (single stick 8 ddr4, if I want to upgrade my ram next year I just have to stick another stick next to it, instead of buying a new pair)
Gpu: gtx 970
PSU: Silverstone 600w sfx

This my first time building a pc from the ground up, so any advice would be very much appreciated:)
 
XelNika said:
As someone who replaced my H100i with a C14, the H100i is not significantly cooler. My own testing showed a 1 C difference in favour of the C14. That's far within margin of error, the fans I used could've accounted for the difference.
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Again, I don't think 115X testing applies to HEDT at all.

My H80i outperformed an NH-D14 on X58 (4.2GHz, reasonably high voltage but don't remember where exactly).

Additionally the NH-C12P was so far below the H80i (at similar noise levels) with a 3770K and 4790K in a SG08 that I'm just not willing to gamble with the Noctua bandwagon again.

The only thing that could change my mind is if someone could verify that their X99 processor is running swimmingly at >1.2v with the NH-C14. Unfortunately anecdotal evidence with these pairings is exceedingly slim.
 
friend'scatdied said:
Again, I don't think 115X testing applies to HEDT at all.

My H80i outperformed an NH-D14 on X58.

Additionally the NH-C12P was so far below the H80i (at similar noise levels) with a 3770K and 4790K in a SG08 that I'm just not willing to gamble with the Noctua bandwagon again.
Click to expand...

But how do you know modern HEDT is anything like Broadwell? I've read the reviews too and there was only one that had the C14 fail catastrophically despite most using the 1366 platform.
So few even had AIOs to compare to. Really, most reviews I've seen are so poorly done that it's embarrassing.
 
XelNika said:
But how do you know modern HEDT is anything like Broadwell? I've read the reviews too and there was only one that had the C14 fail catastrophically despite most using the 1366 platform.
Really, most reviews I've seen are so poorly done that it's embarrassing.
Click to expand...

Just a function of heat dispersion here. Haswell-E has 50% more heat to disperse than 115X, regardless of the efficiency of the IHS.

As I retroactively edited, I will consider the NH-C14 if and only if I find some anecdotal evidence to verify that it can handle >1.2v loads on X99. Otherwise the H100i remains the known quantity here.

The NH-C14's commendations are almost unilaterally for its Z68-Z97 performance. I'd be more confident if anyone actually used it on X99 or even X79 at all, but we're talking about a niche within a niche and there's virtually no one out there that's posted such a combo.
 
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