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

[rfarmer]

Oh, one more thing:
Does anyone know where to find an internal power cable that's "flipped"?
The one that comes with the case is kind of tricky, since it routes towards where the optical drive is, with very little clearance. One that routed towards the back of the case would be preferred.

Also, are there short PSU -> SATA power cables available for the SF series (specifically, SF450)? I'll need one to two connectors.
I found short PSU -> PCI-E cables for the SF series at modDIY.

//Trying to minimize cable clutter

https://store.cablemod.com/configurator/ You can buy custom cables for the SF450 there, including SATA cables as short as 150mm.
https://www.ncases.com/product/M1 Accessories You can get either right angle or left angle in the accessory section.

 

[Mrclean]

Anyone know where I can find replacement side panel attachment clips? The plastic clips the side panels pins clip into.

I emailed them last month, they said they would have them in feb, so hopefully soon.

 

[Chapeau]

That's good to know... I should definitely get some as spares.

 

[fash1k]

Hello guys,

Some pages ago I've asked questions before ordering the case about cooler for CPU and now I use my M1 for some time, made some cable management and let's say got used to it . But I've got new questions\problems and I wonna find answers to it. Only you guys can help me .

In the beginning I wonna remind my conf:

• MB: ASUS Z97I-Plus
• CPU: i7 4790k
  
• COOLER:: NH-C14
• RAM: 16 GB of Ram
  
• GPU: ASUS R9270-DC2OC-2GD5
  
• PSU: Corsair SF600 (with default cables at the moment)
  
• HDD: 1 SATA SSD on front

Also, I wonna add few photos, so you can see how it is look like at the moment:



So, my questions:

1. About components orientation in NCASE M1.

a) I wasn't able to put NH-C14 and SF600 in the case when last is in default position. It is impossible because of the bottom cooler of C14 I think. So, I've decided to stay with both coolers of C14 but to replace PSU, fortunately I've bought SFX to ATX bracket with it, so I was able to put PSU on front. Is this configuration is optimal? Or I was wrong and there is a way to put PSU in default place with both coolers of my C14?;
b) Is this orientation of C14 is best? I mean blades of radiatior.. Or I need to rotate it? Working in intake mode (both coolers).
(Why do I ask? I can't pass Prime95 2nd test with default clock of CPU with 4.4Ghz Turbo boost activated without throttling. When I am writing this the temperature of CPU is ~36C (quiet and cool), when I start Prime95 it is about 70-75C but 2nd test raises the temp to dramatic 100C and I don't like that because I am not even in OC mode, so I am thinking that rotating of the cooler could help... Didn't tried it yet, so I wonna know your opinion on it);​

2. About the GPU. I am thinking of upgrade in near future and I found that my 150W R9 270 is too hot for this case. Now I am looking at ASUS 1060 Turbo version because of: a) 120W; b) rear exhaust cooler type; c) it has dual link DVI which is must have for my HP LP3065 (the only way to connect my monitor). The problem is next: if I will leave the PSU in front as it is at the moment, the GPU will end exactly under the place where cables are connected to it. Will be possible to use default PSU cables in that case or... it brings us to the next question ;

3. About custom PSU cables. So, to get even better cable management and because of the hypothetical problem described in 2nd question, I think about switching to custom PSU cables. I've meaured my default cables, tried to measure what length I want to get and here what I've got:

a) MB cable: 300-350mm (can't decide if 300 is okey, at the moment I think 350 is solid);
b) CPU cable: 500mm(?) (it's even more then default 400mm, I know, but you can see at the picture that my MB uses weird place for the CPU supply - in the top-center of the plate... So, I think with custom cable I will be able to put it under the MB, so it will go behind it and I will hide the cable from view. Added aditional mm to do so. Is it good length?);
c) GPU cable: 200mm? Or even 100mm? Don't really know because of very close distance from PSU to my GPU (R9 270) or even closer when I will switch to 1060 Turbo. So, 100mm is enough?;
d) SATA cable: 100mm+100mm. I think I can connect my SSD with first 100mm and the 2nd is needed if I will decide to connect 2nd SSD or HDD. May be better idea will be to get 2 separate cables of 100mm?;
​

4. What about the type of custom cables? Is paracord better then nylon as it is more flexible? Or nylon is better to select?

It seems that I've finished with my questions . Thanks a lot for those who read and answered .

 

[StrawKite]

Definitely - There are a whole bunch of builds that do this:

Options - DDC 5.25 pump/res on case floor build
- EK pump/radiator (discontinued but stock still available if you hunt around) on the side panel build
- D5 pump res build
- DDC no res build (I don't think this is effective however as I've tried a single bottom radiator only) and one on [H] as well

There are a whole bunch of options. I recommend checking out the build gallery linked on page 1 of this thread.
Considering the coolant is just a carrier for heat and there is minimal thermal expansion, it's entirely ok to run without a reservoir.

Finally, here is my own build with the parts list here and an extended gallery if you please....

Thank you very much for helping me out. And awesome build!

I've planned my conversion to watercooling:
Gtx 1080 ti (when it arrives)
i7 7700k
EK supremacy evo
EK FC1080 ti GTX Strix - Acetal+Nickel
EK-SBAY Dual DDC 3.2 pump/res on case floor
EK-CoolStream PE 240 (will be mounted on the sidepanel)
EK-DuraClear 9,5/12,7mm 3M
8 fittings (no idea what angles to get, I still gotta figure this part out)
EK-ATX Bridging Plug (24 pin)
2 Noctua NF-F12 PWM (for a total of 4)

 

[cyclimse]

I'm in the same boat. It does puzzle me.

I've been doing some research regarding the power LED blinking, Asus latest BIOS on Z170 mobos (3016) seems to be the cause.

 

[rfarmer]

I've been doing some research regarding the power LED blinking, Asus latest BIOS on Z170 mobos (3016) seems to be the cause.

Looks like the BIOS versions 3106 and 2002 are just for support of Kaby Lake processors. If you are running a Skylake I would try version 1809.

 

[cyclimse]

Yeah i'm running skylake, but unfortunately I can't downgrade the BIOS on my motherboard (Z170i pro). It's a bit bothersome but the BIOS is fine otherwise.
Managed to get my 6700k stable at 4.5ghz / 1.25VCore / LLC level 5

 

[Qrash]

Hello guys,

Some pages ago I've asked questions before ordering the case about cooler for CPU and now I use my M1 for some time, made some cable management and let's say got used to it . But I've got new questions\problems and I wonna find answers to it. Only you guys can help me .

In the beginning I wonna remind my conf:

• MB: ASUS Z97I-Plus
• CPU: i7 4790k
  
• COOLER:: NH-C14
• RAM: 16 GB of Ram
  
• GPU: ASUS R9270-DC2OC-2GD5
  
• PSU: Corsair SF600 (with default cables at the moment)
  
• HDD: 1 SATA SSD on front

Also, I wonna add few photos, so you can see how it is look like at the moment:

View attachment 16942 View attachment 16943

So, my questions:

1. About components orientation in NCASE M1.

a) I wasn't able to put NH-C14 and SF600 in the case when last is in default position. It is impossible because of the bottom cooler of C14 I think. So, I've decided to stay with both coolers of C14 but to replace PSU, fortunately I've bought SFX to ATX bracket with it, so I was able to put PSU on front. Is this configuration is optimal? Or I was wrong and there is a way to put PSU in default place with both coolers of my C14?;
b) Is this orientation of C14 is best? I mean blades of radiatior.. Or I need to rotate it? Working in intake mode (both coolers).
(Why do I ask? I can't pass Prime95 2nd test with default clock of CPU with 4.4Ghz Turbo boost activated without throttling. When I am writing this the temperature of CPU is ~36C (quiet and cool), when I start Prime95 it is about 70-75C but 2nd test raises the temp to dramatic 100C and I don't like that because I am not even in OC mode, so I am thinking that rotating of the cooler could help... Didn't tried it yet, so I wonna know your opinion on it);​

2. About the GPU. I am thinking of upgrade in near future and I found that my 150W R9 270 is too hot for this case. Now I am looking at ASUS 1060 Turbo version because of: a) 120W; b) rear exhaust cooler type; c) it has dual link DVI which is must have for my HP LP3065 (the only way to connect my monitor). The problem is next: if I will leave the PSU in front as it is at the moment, the GPU will end exactly under the place where cables are connected to it. Will be possible to use default PSU cables in that case or... it brings us to the next question ;

3. About custom PSU cables. So, to get even better cable management and because of the hypothetical problem described in 2nd question, I think about switching to custom PSU cables. I've meaured my default cables, tried to measure what length I want to get and here what I've got:

a) MB cable: 300-350mm (can't decide if 300 is okey, at the moment I think 350 is solid);
b) CPU cable: 500mm(?) (it's even more then default 400mm, I know, but you can see at the picture that my MB uses weird place for the CPU supply - in the top-center of the plate... So, I think with custom cable I will be able to put it under the MB, so it will go behind it and I will hide the cable from view. Added aditional mm to do so. Is it good length?);
c) GPU cable: 200mm? Or even 100mm? Don't really know because of very close distance from PSU to my GPU (R9 270) or even closer when I will switch to 1060 Turbo. So, 100mm is enough?;
d) SATA cable: 100mm+100mm. I think I can connect my SSD with first 100mm and the 2nd is needed if I will decide to connect 2nd SSD or HDD. May be better idea will be to get 2 separate cables of 100mm?;
​

4. What about the type of custom cables? Is paracord better then nylon as it is more flexible? Or nylon is better to select?

It seems that I've finished with my questions . Thanks a lot for those who read and answered .

I will try to help where I can.

1.a) It is not possible to have the PSU in the default orientation when the NH-C14 bottom fan is 140 mm in diameter. If you remove the bottom fan or replace it with a 120 mm fan, then the PSU can be mounted in the more common orientation.
b) I don't know if rotating the NH-C14 is possible with your CPU socket location and the dimensions of the M1. All you can do is try, but I don't think it will be much different. The NH-C14 installation manual advises against mounting the heatsink such that the ends of the heatpipes are downwards. Prime95's list of Torture Tests is Small FFTs, In-place large FFTs, Blend, and Custom. Small FFTs is very stressful and some here feel that it puts an unrealistic load on the CPU. I have seen recommendations to use older version of Prime95 (2.6 or earlier, I think) or to use Aida64's Stability Test instead.

2. Some owners have reported having GTX 1070 cards, such as the Asus Strix and the Gigabyte G1 Gaming, installed with no bottom fans and still having acceptable GPU temperatures. My son's M1 is like this and his temperatures are fine. I have removed the third expansion slot cover plate and the small rectangular plate above the slots to aid with the escape of warm air from the graphics card. I figure this can't hurt if air is flowing out and not into the case through these openings.

 

[StrawKite]

I would advice against aida64 for stability testing, my pc crashed in games after overclocking using aida64 for stability testing. But for heat testing i think aida64 is pretty accurate.

 

[Skott]

I have Panasonic UJ-265 BD writer (6x) drives in both M1 builds. Some people says it is loud, but mine have been fine for me. Silverstone sells the SOB02 which is really a UJ-265.

I have the Silverstone model but as you say its really a UJ-265. Mine makes noise on spin up but then its quiet. Only when you put a disk in. If the disk is already inside it then spin up is quiet. I can see why some say its loud but to me its not that bad. Kind of like the old CD drives that made that spin up noise so it doesn't bother me. Its a solid unit though.

 

[gsilver]

I have the Silverstone model but as you say its really a UJ-265. Mine makes noise on spin up but then its quiet. Only when you put a disk in. If the disk is already inside it then spin up is quiet. I can see why some say its loud but to me its not that bad. Kind of like the old CD drives that made that spin up noise so it doesn't bother me. Its a solid unit though.

Yeah. I'd prefer my case to be as quiet as possible, but it's really only once in a blue moon that I *really* need the drive (mostly reinstalling Windows and accessing a few old backups) and the whole reinstalling Windows thing doesn't always work well with an external.

But at any rate, I was happy enough with the noise levels with the Xtreme Gaming that I went ahead and put in an order for a 2nd NCase M1 for my desktop (where given my limited desk size, compactness is turning out to be even more important than my HTPC setup)

Turns out that my MSI Seahawk GTX 1070 has won the award for the shortest-stayed videocard in any system that I've ever owned
Oh well. It's past the return window, but at least resale value is still pretty good (and it was pre-owned to begin with).

I think that I'll just run the Fractal Design Core 500 with the top off and the 1st Xtreme Gaming (which I hadn't gotten around to returning yet) sticking out the side until the NCase arrives. Kinda silly, but it's tucked behind the monitor, so I won't exactly be staring at it too much.
Definitely looking forward to reclaiming some of that desk space when I get the second M1, though.


And I think that for future builds, I'm going with M.2 SSDs... Extremely fast, and reduced wire clutter.

 

[icc0rz]

Hello guys,

Some pages ago I've asked questions before ordering the case about cooler for CPU and now I use my M1 for some time, made some cable management and let's say got used to it . But I've got new questions\problems and I wonna find answers to it. Only you guys can help me .

In the beginning I wonna remind my conf:

• MB: ASUS Z97I-Plus
• CPU: i7 4790k
  
• COOLER:: NH-C14
• RAM: 16 GB of Ram
  
• GPU: ASUS R9270-DC2OC-2GD5
  
• PSU: Corsair SF600 (with default cables at the moment)
  
• HDD: 1 SATA SSD on front

Also, I wonna add few photos, so you can see how it is look like at the moment:

View attachment 16942 View attachment 16943

So, my questions:

1. About components orientation in NCASE M1.

a) I wasn't able to put NH-C14 and SF600 in the case when last is in default position. It is impossible because of the bottom cooler of C14 I think. So, I've decided to stay with both coolers of C14 but to replace PSU, fortunately I've bought SFX to ATX bracket with it, so I was able to put PSU on front. Is this configuration is optimal? Or I was wrong and there is a way to put PSU in default place with both coolers of my C14?;
b) Is this orientation of C14 is best? I mean blades of radiatior.. Or I need to rotate it? Working in intake mode (both coolers).
(Why do I ask? I can't pass Prime95 2nd test with default clock of CPU with 4.4Ghz Turbo boost activated without throttling. When I am writing this the temperature of CPU is ~36C (quiet and cool), when I start Prime95 it is about 70-75C but 2nd test raises the temp to dramatic 100C and I don't like that because I am not even in OC mode, so I am thinking that rotating of the cooler could help... Didn't tried it yet, so I wonna know your opinion on it);​

2. About the GPU. I am thinking of upgrade in near future and I found that my 150W R9 270 is too hot for this case. Now I am looking at ASUS 1060 Turbo version because of: a) 120W; b) rear exhaust cooler type; c) it has dual link DVI which is must have for my HP LP3065 (the only way to connect my monitor). The problem is next: if I will leave the PSU in front as it is at the moment, the GPU will end exactly under the place where cables are connected to it. Will be possible to use default PSU cables in that case or... it brings us to the next question ;

3. About custom PSU cables. So, to get even better cable management and because of the hypothetical problem described in 2nd question, I think about switching to custom PSU cables. I've meaured my default cables, tried to measure what length I want to get and here what I've got:

a) MB cable: 300-350mm (can't decide if 300 is okey, at the moment I think 350 is solid);
b) CPU cable: 500mm(?) (it's even more then default 400mm, I know, but you can see at the picture that my MB uses weird place for the CPU supply - in the top-center of the plate... So, I think with custom cable I will be able to put it under the MB, so it will go behind it and I will hide the cable from view. Added aditional mm to do so. Is it good length?);
c) GPU cable: 200mm? Or even 100mm? Don't really know because of very close distance from PSU to my GPU (R9 270) or even closer when I will switch to 1060 Turbo. So, 100mm is enough?;
d) SATA cable: 100mm+100mm. I think I can connect my SSD with first 100mm and the 2nd is needed if I will decide to connect 2nd SSD or HDD. May be better idea will be to get 2 separate cables of 100mm?;
​

4. What about the type of custom cables? Is paracord better then nylon as it is more flexible? Or nylon is better to select?

It seems that I've finished with my questions . Thanks a lot for those who read and answered .

Here's my input.
I've got the same MB and cooler as you, but I have the i5 4690k CPU instead.

1a) I dropped the second fan and replaced the original P14 fan with a F-P14r which has a PWM(4-pin) connector, a bit higher static pressure and more airflow. I mounted it on the case bracket instead of on the cooler and added a S12B fan next to it. This allowed me to turn the PSU. I got the cooler orientated the same as you.
Are you using any of the LNA or ULNA adapters that followed the fans? Remember to configure the FAN control in the BIOS, use advanced mode and set the correct min. rotational speed. (not sure if this only apply for PWM fans...)

1b) Prime95 is known for being brutal on the CPU, but 100C sounds way too high for your setup. What sort of voltage do you use for your overclock? I managed to get 4.4Ghz on my CPU as well, but my temps running the newest Prime95 is never above 76C. I would have double checked that the cooler is properly mounted on the CPU and that the entire contact surface is covered with cooling paste. Also, use something like hwmonitor to verify that fans are running at full speed.

2) Using the 970 with an Accelero IV and two 120mm fans at the bottom I actually found that blowing air out the bottom instead of taking it in reduced my GPU temp by as much as 10C, as well as reducing other temps.

 

[Chapeau]

Hello guys,

Some pages ago I've asked questions before ordering the case about cooler for CPU and now I use my M1 for some time, made some cable management and let's say got used to it . But I've got new questions\problems and I wonna find answers to it. Only you guys can help me .

b) Is this orientation of C14 is best? I mean blades of radiatior.. Or I need to rotate it? Working in intake mode (both coolers).
(Why do I ask? I can't pass Prime95 2nd test with default clock of CPU with 4.4Ghz Turbo boost activated without throttling. When I am writing this the temperature of CPU is ~36C (quiet and cool), when I start Prime95 it is about 70-75C but 2nd test raises the temp to dramatic 100C and I don't like that because I am not even in OC mode, so I am thinking that rotating of the cooler could help... Didn't tried it yet, so I wonna know your opinion on it);​

The temps sound high and what you describe don't exactly fit with what I'm suggesting may be the cause.... But an FYI (certainly I didn't know this in the beginning). The latest version of Prime95 stress the CPU in a way that is far beyond what it would normally experience. The preferred version for stress testing is Ver. 26 which is enough to test with, but not unrealistic.
Usually the versions after this will spike the CPU to 100 immediately...

Thank you very much for helping me out. And awesome build!

I've planned my conversion to watercooling:
Gtx 1080 ti (when it arrives)
i7 7700k
EK supremacy evo
EK FC1080 ti GTX Strix - Acetal+Nickel
EK-SBAY Dual DDC 3.2 pump/res on case floor
EK-CoolStream PE 240 (will be mounted on the sidepanel)
EK-DuraClear 9,5/12,7mm 3M
8 fittings (no idea what angles to get, I still gotta figure this part out)
EK-ATX Bridging Plug (24 pin)
2 Noctua NF-F12 PWM (for a total of 4)

Not sure if you've ordered yet -
But I would consider getting another radiator instead of the EK one as I didn't have great experiences. The EK is quite dense and thin, a configuration that doesn't make that much sense.
My total tubing length was under 1m in the end which surprised me.

 

[pslate]

I'm planning on doing a tempered glass side panel mod and therefore the bottom two fans will be the only intake in the case. I'm guessing a fan with a higher static pressure would be optimal for this due to the video card being right there? What kinds of fans are people using at the bottom?

I was thinking of getting NF-S12B redux fans if pressure isn't a factor or Corsair ML120s if it is (will also being pulling through a demicflex filter on the bottom; I've heard this restricts airflow a little.)

 

[dmw5678]

New Air-Only build that will use SILENTWINGS 3 PWM 120mm high speed fans at the bottom. I am still undecided on the graphics card. I'm a big fan of the DirectCU Mini cards from Asus. I may just re-purpose a 970 DirectCU in this build instead of purchasing a Titan X or 980. Patiently waiting for the next great video card from Nvidia or AMD.



NCASE V5 Silver
Asus ROG Strix Z270i Gaming Motherboard
Intel Core i7-7700K
CORSAIR Dominator Platinum Special Edition 32GB
CORSAIR SF600
Samsung 1TB 960 PRO
Noctua NH-L9x65
4x be quiet! SILENTWINGS 3 PWM 120mm HIGH SPEED

 

[phillai]

I've just heard that there's a new mini GTX 1070 that sounds interesting, the Galax GeForce GTX 1070 OC Mini
http://www.techradar.com/news/stick-a-gtx-1070-under-your-tv-with-palits-new-mini-itx-pc-card
I wonder if this is not 'too tall' to fit into the NCASE M1?

 

[phillai]

I've just heard that there's a new mini GTX 1070 that sounds interesting, the Galax GeForce GTX 1070 OC Mini
http://www.techradar.com/news/stick-a-gtx-1070-under-your-tv-with-palits-new-mini-itx-pc-card
I wonder if this is not 'too tall' to fit into the NCASE M1?

Just checked the dimensions for the Galax GeForce GTX 1070 OC Mini

• Dimensions (with Bracket): 195 x 130 x 41.5 mm
• Dimensions (without Bracket): 181 x 116 x 38.6 mm

I'm currently using the Asus GeForce GTX 970 DirectCU Mini

• Dimensions: 170 x 121.9 x 40.7 mm

What do you think guys? And what does the bracket do and do you even need it?

 

[fash1k]

1a) I dropped the second fan and replaced the original P14 fan with a F-P14r which has a PWM(4-pin) connector, a bit higher static pressure and more airflow. I mounted it on the case bracket instead of on the cooler and added a S12B fan next to it. This allowed me to turn the PSU. I got the cooler orientated the same as you.

Do you think this config w/ F-P14r+S12B is better (cooler) then the original one w/ two P14? Can't decide if I need it because I don't see any pros of taking my PSU back to default place from front position. It works fine, even GPU which length is bigger then my one can fit when PSU is their. What do you think? What can give taking the PSU back?

Also, why do you selected P14r and S12B? I mean, for example, NF-A14 PWM has even more static pressure then P14r - 2.08 vs. 1.91 and NF-F12 PWM has nearly X2 vs. S12B - 2.61 vs. 1.31. Are this pair is even better? So, how did you chose those two one's?

The latest version of Prime95 stress the CPU in a way that is far beyond what it would normally experience. The preferred version for stress testing is Ver. 26 which is enough to test with, but not unrealistic.

HA! Never thought that this could be a problem but I've checked my temps with version of Prime95 266 instead of my "old" 28x. Here is the result:

Spoiler: Prime95 result

So, it's much better then 100C . Now I can think about OC because this is default configuration of 4790k w/ Turbo boost enabled. Thanks a lot for your explanations.

 

[galletabah]

Just checked the dimensions for the Galax GeForce GTX 1070 OC Mini

• Dimensions (with Bracket): 195 x 130 x 41.5 mm
• Dimensions (without Bracket): 181 x 116 x 38.6 mm

I'm currently using the Asus GeForce GTX 970 DirectCU Mini

• Dimensions: 170 x 121.9 x 40.7 mm

What do you think guys? And what does the bracket do and do you even need it?

Will fit

 

[icc0rz]

Do you think this config w/ F-P14r+S12B is better (cooler) then the original one w/ two P14? Can't decide if I need it because I don't see any pros of taking my PSU back to default place from front position. It works fine, even GPU which length is bigger then my one can fit when PSU is their. What do you think? What can give taking the PSU back?

Also, why do you selected P14r and S12B? I mean, for example, NF-A14 PWM has even more static pressure then P14r - 2.08 vs. 1.91 and NF-F12 PWM has nearly X2 vs. S12B - 2.61 vs. 1.31. Are this pair is even better? So, how did you chose those two one's?


HA! Never thought that this could be a problem but I've checked my temps with version of Prime95 266 instead of my "old" 28x. Here is the result:

Spoiler: Prime95 result

View attachment 17005

So, it's much better then 100C . Now I can think about OC because this is default configuration of 4790k w/ Turbo boost enabled. Thanks a lot for your explanations.

Great to hear that your Prime95 results improved!

Regarding the PSU position, I believe it's better to get fresh air from outside the case. At least, it stops the PSU fan from spinning too much.

I picked the Redux fans because they offer a higher airflow and less noise(due to the reduced pressure). Just having the cooler and not a second fan means there's good space for airflow and then you don't really need that much pressure. Don't get me wrong, the NF-F12 PWM are really great fans. I don't believe a NF-A14 would fit in the case.

 

[Qrash]

Great to hear that your Prime95 results improved!

Regarding the PSU position, I believe it's better to get fresh air from outside the case. At least, it stops the PSU fan from spinning too much.

I picked the Redux fans because they offer a higher airflow and less noise(due to the reduced pressure). Just having the cooler and not a second fan means there's good space for airflow and then you don't really need that much pressure. Don't get me wrong, the NF-F12 PWM are really great fans. I don't believe a NF-A14 would fit in the case.

Another option is the NF-A15 PWM which has the same mounting holes as a 120 mm fan.

 

[n_ls]

Hey guys, here is an update:

I installed my ASUS ROG Strix Z270I on Monday to replace the DOA ASRock Z270 M-ITX Fatal1ty. Here is my system (PCP: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/9Ft8yf)

i5-7600k, overclocked to 4.5 GHz
2x8GB Corsair Vengeance LPX 3200 CAS 15
1TB 960 EVO NVME m.2
ASUS ROG Strix Z270I M-ITX
EVGA 1070 Hybrid
Noctua D9L and extra NF-A9 PWM, set to intake

Everything fit with plenty of clearance. Noise levels are audible when under load. I suspect it is the GPU fan that is loudest, but I need to do more investigation. It is not too loud however. I also need to up my cable management game.

I overclocked the system using ASUS "EZ-Tune" setup and then set it to "ASUS Optimum".

CPU-Z results: 8909 @ 70 C (valid.x86.fr/gmiax6). My GPU sits at 36 C when idle.

 

[phillai]

How easy is it to change a PSU from a fully assembled NCASE M1...
I'm going to give my current SilverStone SX500-LG to my friend and I'll be getting the Corsair SF600 tomorrow.

 

[Qrash]

How easy is it to change a PSU from a fully assembled NCASE M1...
I'm going to give my current SilverStone SX500-LG to my friend and I'll be getting the Corsair SF600 tomorrow.

I would say that you likely need to remove the graphics card in order to be able to remove the PS from the M1. Then unplug the PS cables from the PS (remove the side panel behind the motherboard). Next, unplug the PS cables from the drives and motherboard. You may also have to remove the CPU cooler if it is preventing you from detaching the PS cables from the motherboard.

 

[Qrash]

I would say that you likely need to remove the graphics card in order to be able to remove the PS from the M1. Then unplug the PS cables from the PS (remove the side panel behind the motherboard). Next, unplug the PS cables from the drives and motherboard. You may also have to remove the CPU cooler if it is preventing you from detaching the PS cables from the motherboard.

EDIT: Let me rewrite this for clarity:

1. Unplug the M1's black internal power cable from the exhaust side of the PS.
2. Unplug PCI-E cables from the graphics card.
3. Remove the graphics card to provide more room to remove the PS.
4. Remove the side panel that is behind the motherboard to gain better access to the PS cables.
5. Unplug all of the PS cables from the PS.
6. Remove the PS from its mounting bracket.
7. Unplug the remaining PS cables from the drives, motherboard and any other devices.

It may be necessary to remove the CPU cooler in order to detach the PS cables from the motherboard.

 

[Ricky07]

How much does the M1 weigh?

 

[lukedriftwood]

How much does the M1 weigh?

2.3kg

 

[galletabah]

HI!

Anyone with a EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 SC GAMING ACX 3.0 Black Edition?
What about the temps?

 

[pslate]

HI!

Anyone with a EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 SC GAMING ACX 3.0 Black Edition?
What about the temps?

I have a EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 SC GAMING ACX 3.0. Same model but less black and with a backplate. On the default fan curve, my temps peaked at 76 degrees in Unigine Heaven. That's without 120mm fans at the bottom of the case.

 

[Rhialto]

For such a small case and all others similar small cases I always thought video cards with rear exhaust gave best results. You don't want heat from video card to be blown everywhere inside the case. The idea is to push fresh air in the case, the blower suck some of it and hot air is immediatly sent outside the case. Remaining fresh air in case go through CPU cooler and ideally you align it to a grill to exhaust without too much obstacle in path.

Dual/triple fan cards will just help raise temperature inside the case and all parts will reuse this air making it again hotter. Those cards works better in large case where there is a huge air flow from front to back and from which turbulance from video card fans won't affect that air flow like it would in a small case.

Hope it makes sense. Maybe there is drawings already showing this?

 

[Nathan Spears]

HI!

Anyone with a EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 SC GAMING ACX 3.0 Black Edition?
What about the temps?

I have the 1070 Black Edition. Temps are relatively cool, even under load. I don't know the exact number since I'm away from my Ncase ATM, but temps don't go past 80 C, but I also have 2 - 120mm fans underneath to provide extra airflow. I wouldn't worry at all about temps. It seems that other than look nice, backplates don't do much to help with temps.

 

[Nathan Spears]

Hello guys,

Some pages ago I've asked questions before ordering the case about cooler for CPU and now I use my M1 for some time, made some cable management and let's say got used to it . But I've got new questions\problems and I wonna find answers to it. Only you guys can help me .

In the beginning I wonna remind my conf:

• MB: ASUS Z97I-Plus
• CPU: i7 4790k
  
• COOLER:: NH-C14
• RAM: 16 GB of Ram
  
• GPU: ASUS R9270-DC2OC-2GD5
  
• PSU: Corsair SF600 (with default cables at the moment)
  
• HDD: 1 SATA SSD on front

Also, I wonna add few photos, so you can see how it is look like at the moment:

View attachment 16942 View attachment 16943

So, my questions:

1. About components orientation in NCASE M1.

a) I wasn't able to put NH-C14 and SF600 in the case when last is in default position. It is impossible because of the bottom cooler of C14 I think. So, I've decided to stay with both coolers of C14 but to replace PSU, fortunately I've bought SFX to ATX bracket with it, so I was able to put PSU on front. Is this configuration is optimal? Or I was wrong and there is a way to put PSU in default place with both coolers of my C14?;
b) Is this orientation of C14 is best? I mean blades of radiatior.. Or I need to rotate it? Working in intake mode (both coolers).
(Why do I ask? I can't pass Prime95 2nd test with default clock of CPU with 4.4Ghz Turbo boost activated without throttling. When I am writing this the temperature of CPU is ~36C (quiet and cool), when I start Prime95 it is about 70-75C but 2nd test raises the temp to dramatic 100C and I don't like that because I am not even in OC mode, so I am thinking that rotating of the cooler could help... Didn't tried it yet, so I wonna know your opinion on it);​

2. About the GPU. I am thinking of upgrade in near future and I found that my 150W R9 270 is too hot for this case. Now I am looking at ASUS 1060 Turbo version because of: a) 120W; b) rear exhaust cooler type; c) it has dual link DVI which is must have for my HP LP3065 (the only way to connect my monitor). The problem is next: if I will leave the PSU in front as it is at the moment, the GPU will end exactly under the place where cables are connected to it. Will be possible to use default PSU cables in that case or... it brings us to the next question ;

3. About custom PSU cables. So, to get even better cable management and because of the hypothetical problem described in 2nd question, I think about switching to custom PSU cables. I've meaured my default cables, tried to measure what length I want to get and here what I've got:

a) MB cable: 300-350mm (can't decide if 300 is okey, at the moment I think 350 is solid);
b) CPU cable: 500mm(?) (it's even more then default 400mm, I know, but you can see at the picture that my MB uses weird place for the CPU supply - in the top-center of the plate... So, I think with custom cable I will be able to put it under the MB, so it will go behind it and I will hide the cable from view. Added aditional mm to do so. Is it good length?);
c) GPU cable: 200mm? Or even 100mm? Don't really know because of very close distance from PSU to my GPU (R9 270) or even closer when I will switch to 1060 Turbo. So, 100mm is enough?;
d) SATA cable: 100mm+100mm. I think I can connect my SSD with first 100mm and the 2nd is needed if I will decide to connect 2nd SSD or HDD. May be better idea will be to get 2 separate cables of 100mm?;
​

4. What about the type of custom cables? Is paracord better then nylon as it is more flexible? Or nylon is better to select?

It seems that I've finished with my questions . Thanks a lot for those who read and answered .

Are you using the ATX bracket that came with your PSU or with the NCase? Does the Ncase's ATX bracket allow you to mount the SFX PSU in an orientation like this? If so, it would be so much easier to mount the Cryorig C7 with the heat pipes facing the IO.

 

[Tephnos]

For such a small case and all others similar small cases I always thought video cards with rear exhaust gave best results. You don't want heat from video card to be blown everywhere inside the case. The idea is to push fresh air in the case, the blower suck some of it and hot air is immediatly sent outside the case. Remaining fresh air in case go through CPU cooler and ideally you align it to a grill to exhaust without too much obstacle in path.

Dual/triple fan cards will just help raise temperature inside the case and all parts will reuse this air making it again hotter. Those cards works better in large case where there is a huge air flow from front to back and from which turbulance from video card fans won't affect that air flow like it would in a small case.

Hope it makes sense. Maybe there is drawings already showing this?

Almost. Those cards are okay if you're stuck with stock, but they're noisy. An Accelero Xtreme setup with fans exhausting out the bottom will give you the best temps and the best noise ratio.

 

[xcharlesy]

For those of you running the NH-C14 cooler. How important is having a 120mm fan mounted under the heat sync and in what orientation/direction do users with this setup have the air flowing? Just want to achieve the best temps out of the C14 in the Ncase.

 

[Rhialto]

Almost. Those cards are okay if you're stuck with stock, but they're noisy.

All I can say is in my case it's less noisy. I had a blower type (8800 GT IIRC) and was ready to upgrade and decided to buy a MSI Twin Frozr III and as soon as I started a game, fans went full speed. There was a switch to select Perf or Silent, even switching to silent didn't make it more silent. I went crazy and finally was able to get a full refund and put old card in. Then a few months later I bought a 660Ti with blower and it's still that one I use today and it's almost silent. When on load it will become a bit louder but not annoying. Never again I will use other type than blower.

Air flow is a complex science...

 

[avidracer]

I made the choice to go with a gigabyte Z170N motherboard in my build, but now face the challenge to be able to mount a third SATA drive. all but two ports are are vertical in this board. In the ncase the vertical port gets stacked agains the SFX PSU. Does anyone manage to use the vertical SATA ports? The link below shows the motherboard layout for better understanding. Thanks for any helpful suggestions!!

http://www.gigabyte.com/FileUpload/Product/2/5529/20150821142253_src.png

 

[Chapeau]

All I can say is in my case it's less noisy. I had a blower type (8800 GT IIRC) and was ready to upgrade and decided to buy a MSI Twin Frozr III and as soon as I started a game, fans went full speed. There was a switch to select Perf or Silent, even switching to silent didn't make it more silent. I went crazy and finally was able to get a full refund and put old card in. Then a few months later I bought a 660Ti with blower and it's still that one I use today and it's almost silent. When on load it will become a bit louder but not annoying. Never again I will use other type than blower.

Air flow is a complex science...

I can't say I ever ran my blower card stock - but even with an AIO it was basically silent. I ran my fans at around 800rpm and got temps around 65 with a very healthy OC.
In retrospect I could have finessed the fan speed a bit and got better results but the 800 was silent. Even the pump which so many people seem to complain about was fine...

 

[StrawKite]

This is what i have planned for my conversion to watercooling:
Gtx 1080 ti (when it arrives)
i7 7700k
EK supremacy evo
EK FC1080 ti GTX Strix - Acetal+Nickel
EK-SBAY Dual DDC 3.2 pump/res on case floor
EK-CoolStream PE 240 (will be mounted on the sidepanel)
EK-DuraClear 9,5/12,7mm 3M
8 fittings (no idea what angles to get, I still gotta figure this part out)
2 male and 2 female quick disconnect fittings, for the GPU
EK-ATX Bridging Plug (24 pin)
2 Noctua NF-F12 PWM (already own these)

This is how I plan to do it:

Spoiler

Should I use PETG tubing or just the normal stuff? I like a challenge.

Do you guys see any bottlenecks or problems with this setup?

 

[Qrash]

I made the choice to go with a gigabyte Z170N motherboard in my build, but now face the challenge to be able to mount a third SATA drive. all but two ports are are vertical in this board. In the ncase the vertical port gets stacked agains the SFX PSU. Does anyone manage to use the vertical SATA ports? The link below shows the motherboard layout for better understanding. Thanks for any helpful suggestions!!

http://www.gigabyte.com/FileUpload/Product/2/5529/20150821142253_src.png

In the photo you provided there are two SATA Express connectors along the edge of the motherboard, each of which has 2 standard SATA ports to use. Are these the ports you want to use?

If so, a SATA cable with a 90 degree connector might work. This will result in the SATA cable running along the side of the power supply towards the side panel that is behind the motherboard. You can then gently bend the cable around the power supply back to the front panel or wherever your drives are located.

Another option are Silverstone's CP11 SATA cables. These are ultra thin and have a very low profile 90 degree lateral connector. They are available in blue or black and are 300 mm or 500 mm long. Even 300 mm may be too long, but these should work for you.