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

broddy said:
Sorry to ask question but the tread got too long...I see this is V5 already. Is it still made by lian-li? What material is the frame since the dust filter is magnetic? I know the panels are aluminum. Thanks
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It's an aluminum case, but the fan bracket on the side is steel so you can use magnetic filters.
 
ILikeVoltron said:
http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1040498585&postcount=15 It looks to me like there's no room for a decent GPU in that picture, other than maybe one of these: https://www.asus.com/us/Graphics-Cards/GTX960MOC2GD5/
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I could easily fit an ATX PSU in my build now. I have one too. What's stopping me is the hassle of where to put all the excess cable lenghts. That's a 970 btw. Same cooler as the 960 you linked to.

TevpU1ml.jpg


Oh, and that USB 3.0 cable is really irritating. I tried to make the best of it by bundling it with the SATA Data cable but it still looks like crap. You can't really tuck ti anywhere either, because it is so stiff that it can easily put too much stress on the MB connector. I am considering doing away with the entire thing, but then there are two square holes in the front to address. As has been mentioned I don't think those low profile extenders are necessarily a good idea due to the shielding. I have already considered it for myself.
 
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My first build in my Ncase was a Seasonic X560 together with a Samuel 17 on the CPU and an MSI GTX 760 ITX. No space problems at all. I actually found cable management to be a lot easier with my ATX PSU than with my later SFX-L adoption. Due to the sheer size of the ATX PSU you could just stow the cables underneath or behind it and you were good to go. With a SFX PSU you don't have any of those possibilities and your best option for nice looks would be manually shortened cables.
 
raymondo said:
My first build in my Ncase was a Seasonic X560 together with a Samuel 17 on the CPU and an MSI GTX 760 ITX. No space problems at all. I actually found cable management to be a lot easier with my ATX PSU than with my later SFX-L adoption. Due to the sheer size of the ATX PSU you could just stow the cables underneath or behind it and you were good to go. With a SFX PSU you don't have any of those possibilities and your best option for nice looks would be manually shortened cables.
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I see your point. Might actually work. Though one of the big wins in my new layout is air circulation. Could always try it out but i suspect that adding a huge ATX PSU might make the GPU noisier to the point where I might as well use the SX600-G.
 
I didn't want to go through all the hassle with a bad quality SFX PSUs and decided to get a proper ATX PSU. I can say that the cable management with the ATX PSU was surprisingly easy. I have full length cables at the moment, but I will make custom cables for SATA and PCIE. Of course you need to make a few sacrifices regarding to GFX choice and you can't use 3.5" HDD bracket or dual radiator, but if you are willing to make those sacrifices I can say it's worth it. I have my setup up and running and after I've done the cables I will post some pictures for you guys!

I have to thank Necere and wahaha360 for this amazing product!
 
Shipping 25-28th Jan - theoretically it's on it's way.

Gotta wait a week for my tracking number though :( just sat here drumming my fingers impatiently now... :( Really excited, but have to wait.

Nox
 
ILikeVoltron said:
http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1040498585&postcount=15 It looks to me like there's no room for a decent GPU in that picture, other than maybe one of these: https://www.asus.com/us/Graphics-Cards/GTX960MOC2GD5/
Click to expand...

I didn't realize that a full size ATX power supply would impede a full size card from fitting.

It looks like it is possible to use a full-size card using a pci-e extender and mounting the card a slot lower.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/clean-ncase-m1-mitx-build.216545/
 
Hi guys,

A lot of reading latelly... thanks a lot for all the info.
So I ordered my NCase and should receive it in a month and hald.
That give me some time to figure what to put in...
I started to think about what I want and what I don t want.
I would really appreciate your advice and I am already sorry for asking question that in the last 900 pages must have been answered. Promess I read a lot before posting...
so here is the part that I am thinking to use:
CGU: Gtx 980 ti reference
CPU: I7 6700K
SSD: Samsung 950 m.2 256 Giga
Mobo: Gigabyte Z170N-Gaming 5+
Ram: 16giga ddr4 low profil ( please any recommandation)
no HD.
Cpu fan: Noctua(please any recommandation )
PSU: new Corsair.

what do you think so far?
I will add a couple of nctua 120 fan too and search for shorter cable.

Goal is mostly for gaming(95%) and if possible the quietest way.
I am.not looking for any overclocking. I will rather have less noise.
If the CPU create too much heat and is too powerfull for my use, I will be glad to hear your advice.

I will play on a 1440 screen resolution.

I will really appreciate any help and promess to share a lot of picture.
 
How big of a ATX PSU I can use with a card like MSI 980 ti? I Have no need for using the side bracket for HDD and I need a good PSU for OC my CPU...I rather have something 700w. Is modular PSU mandatory or I can use non-modular ATX PSU with a long graphic card? Thanks

I know in the chart said no..but i swear I saw a picture here someone used a ATX PSU with long graphic card.
 
broddy said:
How big of a ATX PSU I can use with a card like MSI 980 ti? I Have no need for using the side bracket for HDD and I need a good PSU for OC my CPU...I rather have something 700w. Is modular PSU mandatory or I can use non-modular ATX PSU with a long graphic card?
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It's the other way around: the PSU must be non-modular to use with a long GPU, because on a modular PSU the connectors add 20mm+ to the length. On a non-modular PSU the cable bundle passes to the side of the GPU, allowing long GPUs to fit. The maximum length ATX PSU that will fit with a long GPU is 140mm.
 
broddy said:
How big of a ATX PSU I can use with a card like MSI 980 ti? I Have no need for using the side bracket for HDD and I need a good PSU for OC my CPU...I rather have something 700w. Is modular PSU mandatory or I can use non-modular ATX PSU with a long graphic card? Thanks

I know in the chart said no..but i swear I saw a picture here someone used a ATX PSU with long graphic card.
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There is this build with an ATX power supply and a 980 TI. I'm assuming a pci-e extender was used to mount the card a slot lower to accomodate the larger size of the PSU.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/clean-ncase-m1-mitx-build.216545/
 
kndonlee said:
There is this build with an ATX power supply and a 980 TI. I'm assuming a pci-e extender was used to mount the card a slot lower to accomodate the larger size of the PSU.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/clean-ncase-m1-mitx-build.216545/
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This is a possibility, though it's more in the DIY/modding arena. Another alternative is to use one of the 2/3 slot mATX boards to drop the GPU down a slot. Either way, it gives you an extra 20mm to work with, which is enough for the modular connectors on a 140mm ATX PSU.
 
Necere said:
It's the other way around: the PSU must be non-modular to use with a long GPU, because on a modular PSU the connectors add 20mm+ to the length. On a non-modular PSU the cable bundle passes to the side of the GPU, allowing long GPUs to fit. The maximum length ATX PSU that will fit with a long GPU is 140mm.
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Thanks!! Will be ordering the case once I get my tax refund :D
 
Got my tracking # today.... :)

Anybody who used TW2 comment on how long it took? (I know it says 2-3 weeks as an estimate) but asking others with experience with this method and shipped to California. Any information would be appreciated.

Can't wait to build in it, just hoping the corsair psu does come out in feb.
 
Slowly working on my M1 component:

GPU: Gtx 980 ti reference--> EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti HYBRID GAMING, 6 Go( saw a couple of M1 with it so it should fit). Overall better performance and less noise.

CPU: I7 6700K

SSD: Samsung 950 m.2 256 Giga

Mobo: Gigabyte Z170N-Gaming 5+ ( thinking about the Asus - MAXIMUS VIII IMPACTbut I saw that this Mobo was creating a couple of issue and needed some cutting work and no m.2-->U.2 ssd).

Are they any mobo that you would recommend, I need:
I7 6700K compatibility
DDR4
M.2 compatible with the NVM Express.
Good Wifi and ethernet( intel wifi better than killer)
I would love good Audio
The Gigabyte Z170N-Gaming 5 answer all those need, but if you know something better, I would greatly appreciate.


Ram: 16giga ddr4 low profile ( please any recommendation, absolutely no idea...)

NO HD 256Giga is enough for me and external HD via usb at worst.

Cpu fan: Noctua NH-C14 CPU(do you see any fittig issue with this cooler?)

PSU: new Corsair SF600 should be available by then

Fan * 2 or 3 : Noctua NF-F12 PWM 55.0 CFM 120mm Fan( 2 intake down, 1 intake on the side, the EVGA hybrid fan as outake on the back + passif out take from the top)? what do you think?) Also, any upgrade for the hybrid fan? should I by another one to replace it?


Overall any one can tell me if I am going the good way or if this build make no sense?

Going back to my research, thanks

edit, for now I am thinking about this : http://pcpartpicker.com/p/h8jGK8
RAM and CPU cooler might change as I am looking for the best combo with the Gigabyte Z170N-Gaming 5. Config is still on my budget(2500$)

looking forward for any advice.
 
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jpm804 said:
Got my tracking # today.... :)

Anybody who used TW2 comment on how long it took? (I know it says 2-3 weeks as an estimate) but asking others with experience with this method and shipped to California. Any information would be appreciated.

Can't wait to build in it, just hoping the corsair psu does come out in feb.
Click to expand...

No idea how long TW2 took. I went to TW1 and live in the burbs of Philadelphia. It appears that it took around 8 days just to get from Taiwan to California. From Cali to PA took an additional 7 days. I think 2 days of the CA -> PA can be attributed to the recent snow storm in the east coast though.

https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction?qtc_tLabels1=CC283707850TW

Creeping on the spreadsheet, it looks like people living in California got their cases the next business day after arriving in CA, thus the 1-2 week shipping time.
 
I am so close to getting my case, but waiting for USPS shipping has been frustrating. Maybe I've been spoiled by amazon prime/newegg.

Has Ncases considered offering FedEx or UPS delivery? Is it too cost prohibitive?

It would've been nice if there was an option to forgo signature confirmation. For many of us living in suburban neighborhoods, getting tons of packages, signature confirmation is just an unnecessary hassle.
 
kndonlee said:
No idea how long TW2 took. I went to TW1 and live in the burbs of Philadelphia. It appears that it took around 8 days just to get from Taiwan to California. From Cali to PA took an additional 7 days. I think 2 days of the CA -> PA can be attributed to the recent snow storm in the east coast though.

https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction?qtc_tLabels1=CC283707850TW

Creeping on the spreadsheet, it looks like people living in California got their cases the next business day after arriving in CA, thus the 1-2 week shipping time.
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Thanks for the info .... now the waiting game begins.
 
1 more question...can i install msi gtx 970 gaming and still put 2 120mm fans on the bottom as air intake? Is it good thermal solution? I dont want to use blower type if possible.

Or...use the blower type and still install 2 120mm fan..will that help the GPU temp? I looked up and gtx 970 with blower can run in the 80s when under load....
 
broddy said:
1 more question...can i install msi gtx 970 gaming and still put 2 120mm fans on the bottom as air intake? Is it good thermal solution? I dont want to use blower type if possible.

Or...use the blower type and still install 2 120mm fan..will that help the GPU temp? I looked up and gtx 970 with blower can run in the 80s when under load....
Click to expand...

Hi.

To answer the 3 questions in your "1 more question" post;)
1- Yes, it's a 2-slot cooler. Fans will fit in the bottom.
2- Is it good? Depends what you're after. They will help with air circulation, but since you will struggle to control the rpm's based on GPU temp, they will either run too loud at idle or possibly restrict the GPU cooler itself when under load. Still, the added circulation might make up or that. I've done some testing with my old setup, and I got the best temperatures (and acoustics) by adding ducting for the GPU fans instead. I would install it as is without the fans and see if the GPU throttles in real life games. Don't mind the stress tests. They are only ever useful for creating identical scenarios to test layouts or pit hardware against each other. If it ends up being too loud or too hot, then try fans or ducts.
I'll add that I stress tested my ASUS 970 mini the other day in Valley just to see how it coped. Everything on max @ 1080p. Max GPU temp never exceeded 80C and most of the time it Boosted to just over 1400Mhz all by itself. That is above spec. Clocks were never under 1200Mhz. Core clock is 1088Mhz so that means it always boosted. At that temperature the GPU fan, according to afterburner was never over 60%, but I am not sure I trust that one. Your card will be quieter at idle, but 3 fans working hard to get rid of hot recycled air with that big card, it will probably go louder at load. Maybe something to consider.
3- For cramped conditions like in the ncase blower coolers are, from what I've gathered here, better but louder.

Oh, and a pro-tip for open air coolers: I forget who suggested it. It was not my idea but it really worked. There is a small cover-plate over the PCI bracket that screws in after you install the GPU. If you leave it off it might reduce the GPU temp by as much as 5C. It did for me.
 
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ranix said:
Does the Black Rock TF have better result than the Noctua NH-C14?

http://www.comptoir-hardware.com/images/stories/articles/cooling/bequiet/dark_rock_tf/photos/dark_rock_tf_ram_t.jpg

seems like you have 45 min under the fan. That should be enough. But you might encounter other issue.The temp and noise seems on par with the NH-C14. But with the be quiet PWM is possible.
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Hi, I'm a lurker who finally registered this morning, having placed an order for the M1 a few days ago.

I have bought the Asus Z170i Gaming, an i5-6600K and 2x8GB Vengence LPX 3000mhz DDR4. I also bit the bullet and ordered the NH-C14 (yet to arrive) as there wasn't enough info for me to take the risk of buying the Dark Rock TF, which is a more attractive design.

So I will be interested to hear whether it fits the Gigabyte and Asus Z170 boards!

I also bought a secondhand UJ-265 on ebay this morning - rare as hen's teeth in the UK (and similar blu ray slot drives) unless willing to order from China. I dropped an email to ncase to suggest they offer an optical drive as an additional accessory but I've not not heard back yet (admittedly I only sent the email yesterday morning) and so I quickly bought the secondhand UJ-265 when I saw it pop up last night on ebay.
 
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Just checked my NH-C14 order and annoyingly the supplier is waiting for stock (ordered it several days ago) but this means that I do have a window of opportunity to cancel and source the Dark Rock, if it fits.....

EDIT: I see on the spreadsheet that someone has fitted it but not without ditching a fan and compromising the potential use of an AIO cooler for the GPU (I will buy a graphics cards in due course, although relying on integrated graphics initially).

YES*
Only top fan can fit, touches RAM, bulkier AIO GPUs may not fit.
 
branwright said:
Hmm, using the Dark Rock TF is very interesting... Wonder if it will fit with the Asus Z170I Pro Gaming. It's not listed at all on the Google Sheet.
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It is? See above comment (unless the comment has only just been inserted into the spreadsheet? It looks like it)
 
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So basically, Dark Rock TF is not really a good choice...

With 1 fan less the result should not equal the NHC-14, no?

NHC-14 seems to remain the best choice.
Papperlawer, we should receive our Ncase at the same time ;)
Let s help each other in this adventure!
 
ranix said:
So basically, Dark Rock TF is not really a good choice...

With 1 fan less the result should not equal the NHC-14, no?

NHC-14 seems to remain the best choice.
Papperlawer, we should receive our Ncase at the same time ;)
Let s help each other in this adventure!
Click to expand...

:) Sounds good to me!

My other components (what is remaining from the 2500K I pulled apart (with hindsight, I should have kept!)) is a Crucial M4 512GB SSD which I'll mount in the case (the optical drive will prevent me from using the front of the case for that purpose, I believe).

As for the graphics card, in the UK overclockers.co.uk sell a 970 with a quiet reference blower for £300 which gets very positive reviews. However, I may wait for a price drop when the new graphics card ranges are released.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/ocuk...ddr5-pci-express-graphics-card-gx-205-ok.html

I am also going to bid on a Silverstone 450W SFX PSU on ebay and then replace the 80mm fan to quieten that down too.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1297303/replacing-psu-fan-in-silverstone-sfx-450w
 
And my build is completed and running.

Assorted thoughts:

  • Aluminum is thermally conductive. The right and top sides of the case get warm. But, I'm not stroking my case, and that's conducting heat away from the components, so I'll take it.
  • Temperatures are good, and noise is low enough for me - running three threads of Prime95, along with FurMark, the Kabuto II (with its fan mounted to the fan bracket instead of the heatsink (better filtering, less weight on the pushpins), and the fan bracket in the high position) keeps the CPU and "system" (not sure where the sensor is on the GA-Z170N-Gaming 5), I'm guessing northbridge or VRMs) temperature below 65 C, at about 1000-1050 RPM. GPU (a blower GTX 960) holds at 82 C, which appears to be the thermal limiter, but it's reasonably quiet at 80% fan (I can hear it, but it's not annoyingly loud), and it's hitting both power and thermal limits at the same time, so improving the thermals wouldn't make it any faster. Granted, there's a 1 U server about 15 feet away, and that masks a lot of noise, but it's not a particularly loud one. And, idle temperatures are about 30-35 C CPU, 40-45 C system, 50-55 C GPU. I'll take it.
  • Damn, this case looks good. I mean, damn.
  • Most of the Silverstone SX600-G's power cables are way too friggin' long for this case, especially when your slimline optical's SATA adapter has a molex connector for power. I might get a different adapter for this, that way I can get rid of a whole long power supply cable and just use SATA power.
  • Modern USB 3.0 cables suck to work with, especially when Gigabyte puts the USB 3.0 connector right next to the CPU keepout. I posted about that earlier, though. Then again, I just checked one of my employer's products (an OptiPlex 9020), and its USB 3.0 cables are flat and more flexible than the NCASE's, which means there's a lot more give to get a cable routed around something, and less cable to deal with. That might be a suitable modification for a v6 (although I found a heatsink orientation that works), unlike the low profile adapter that I suggested earlier. Check Dell part number 5F85N to see what I'm talking about (that exact part wouldn't work as-is because the locking mechanism is different from the industry standard (although it's a lot better IMO), but it's the right idea IMO).
  • I still haven't come up with a good hostname, and no, DESKTOP-6NLQS7Q doesn't count.
 
PaperLawyer said:
Just checked my NH-C14 order and annoyingly the supplier is waiting for stock (ordered it several days ago) but this means that I do have a window of opportunity to cancel and source the Dark Rock, if it fits.....

EDIT: I see on the spreadsheet that someone has fitted it but not without ditching a fan and compromising the potential use of an AIO cooler for the GPU (I will buy a graphics cards in due course, although relying on integrated graphics initially).

YES*
Only top fan can fit, touches RAM, bulkier AIO GPUs may not fit.
Click to expand...

ranix said:
So basically, Dark Rock TF is not really a good choice...

With 1 fan less the result should not equal the NHC-14, no?

NHC-14 seems to remain the best choice.
Papperlawer, we should receive our Ncase at the same time ;)
Let s help each other in this adventure!
Click to expand...
It looks like I need to clear up some misconceptions about these two coolers (Noctua NH-C14 and Be Quiet Dark Rock TF).

  • Both coolers come with two fans (2x140mm for the Noctua, 2x135mm for the Be Quiet), however neither will fit in the M1 with both fans installed. The NH-C14's lower fan will run into the SFX bracket/PSU, while the Dark Rock TF's top fan won't fit (though it's not clear exactly why - going by the specs it should fit, but see this build). In both cases, however, it is possible to use a 120mm fan in place of the cooler's included 140/135mm second fan.

  • Neither cooler will allow an AIO to be mounted to the front half of the side fan bracket. It's a given that if a cooler blocks the 3.5" HDD cage, it will block an AIO. Moreover, even coolers that don't block the HDD cage will block an AIO, because an AIO is at least 120mm wide, while the HDD cage both takes up less space, and is offset towards the front. If you want to use an AIO for the GPU, it's best to either 1.) use an AIO for the CPU too, or 2.) use a cooler that doesn't exceed the CPU socket area (~95x95mm), such as the Noctua NH-U9S.
 
That's really helpful, thank you. My intention is to overclock the 6600K but I would like a quiet PC so aircooling has been my plan. I assume the C14 is much more effective that the smaller noctua and much more suited to an overcooked CPU so I either change to a water cooling plan (and so leave the door open for a water cooled gpu as well) or go with quieter, big air cooled solution and accept a gpu which has a blower style that is also reasonably quiet.
 
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Necere said:
It looks like I need to clear up some misconceptions about these two coolers (Noctua NH-C14 and Be Quiet Dark Rock TF).

  • Both coolers come with two fans (2x140mm for the Noctua, 2x135mm for the Be Quiet), however neither will fit in the M1 with both fans installed. The NH-C14's lower fan will run into the SFX bracket/PSU, while the Dark Rock TF's top fan won't fit (though it's not clear exactly why - going by the specs it should fit, but see this build). In both cases, however, it is possible to use a 120mm fan in place of the cooler's included 140/135mm second fan.

  • Neither cooler will allow an AIO to be mounted to the front half of the side fan bracket. It's a given that if a cooler blocks the 3.5" HDD cage, it will block an AIO. Moreover, even coolers that don't block the HDD cage will block an AIO, because an AIO is at least 120mm wide, while the HDD cage both takes up less space, and is offset towards the front. If you want to use an AIO for the GPU, it's best to either 1.) use an AIO for the CPU too, or 2.) use a cooler that doesn't exceed the CPU socket area (~95x95mm), such as the Noctua NH-U9S.
Click to expand...

I haven't finished my build 100%, but after consulting another forum member I installed a Darkrock 2 with both 140mm fans. I was able to get it to fit in my case. I wonder why there is a discrepancy?

I'm still trying to figure out a good solution to fitting things in the case. I'm using a non-blower Gigabyte GTX980 G1. I had to remove the back plate to fit in my Sharkoon SFX-L psu, but without it the video card sags, and I'm not able to fit fans on the bottom. Without the bottom intake fans my GPU temps went from 72c to 80c.
 
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Has anyone had the I/O shield not align up well with the motherboard in the NCase? The mobo fits like a glove in the other 2 cases I have, but not in the Ncase... :( I think the case is defect from manufacturing. I will check with a spirit level on the "backplate" or the motherboard standoffs to see if I can confirm it...
 
Mackan said:
Has anyone had the I/O shield not align up well with the motherboard in the NCase? The mobo fits like a glove in the other 2 cases I have, but not in the Ncase... :( I think the case is defect from manufacturing. I will check with a spirit level on the "backplate" or the motherboard standoffs to see if I can confirm it...
Click to expand...

Which board? I didn't have any issues with my Asrock X99 ITX's I/O shield going into my V4.


I mean, to be honest the ports are a little bit off height wise if I remember correctly, but not to the point where there's any issue. Are you saying your board sits too low due to standoffs being a little too short?
 
fs454 said:
Which board? I didn't have any issues with my Asrock X99 ITX's I/O shield going into my V4.


I mean, to be honest the ports are a little bit off height wise if I remember correctly, but not to the point where there's any issue. Are you saying your board sits too low due to standoffs being a little too short?
Click to expand...

I have the Z170i Pro Gaming, going into Ncase V2 I bought about a year ago. I would say the board sits a bit too high. At first I thought the mobo was somehow warped, but since it fits perfectly in 2 other cases, it must be the Ncase that has a problem.
 
Mackan said:
I have the Z170i Pro Gaming, going into Ncase V2 I bought about a year ago. I would say the board sits a bit too high. At first I thought the mobo was somehow warped, but since it fits perfectly in 2 other cases, it must be the Ncase that has a problem.
Click to expand...

Which Ncase version do you have? I'll have to take a look at mine when I get home and see if it's actually too low or too high, I forget which direction it was off.
 
fs454 said:
Which Ncase version do you have? I'll have to take a look at mine when I get home and see if it's actually too low or too high, I forget which direction it was off.
Click to expand...

Looks like his was version 2 and yours was a version 4.

I have z170i pro going in my version 5, wondering how it will fit now.
 
Furious Salesman said:
I haven't finished my build 100%, but after consulting another forum member I installed a Darkrock 2 with both 140mm fans. I was able to get it to fit in my case. I wonder why there is a discrepancy?

I'm still trying to figure out a good solution to fitting things in the case. I'm using a non-blower Gigabyte GTX980 G1. I had to remove the back plate to fit in my Sharkoon SFX-L psu, but without it the video card sags, and I'm not able to fit fans on the bottom. Without the bottom intake fans my GPU temps went from 72c to 80c.
Click to expand...


Could you take a picture of you build? the darkrock 2 and the part with the gpu?
Which version of the ncase do you have and which mobo?

thanks
 
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