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

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I saw this being sold online... What in the world???
 
Hi guys,

I recently tested 3 different pairs of Noctua fans in the two bottom chasis spots to see how they affect cooling the video card. The fans I tested where:

NF-S12A
NF-F12
NF-A12

I tested both intake and exhaust. The only one that did better with exhaust was the NF-F12 since its purely static. The other two did better as intake.
Overall, the best performing fan was the new NF-A12. It was quieter too.
Tests were done using a full benchmark pass in Heaven.

Hope this helps anyone trying to make a similar decision.

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Hi guys,

I recently tested 3 different pairs of Noctua fans in the two bottom chasis spots to see how they affect cooling the video card. The fans I tested where:

NF-S12A
NF-F12
NF-A12

I tested both intake and exhaust. The only one that did better with exhaust was the NF-F12 since its purely static. The other two did better as intake.
Overall, the best performing fan was the new NF-A12. It was quieter too.
Tests were done using a full benchmark pass in Heaven.

Hope this helps anyone trying to make a similar decision.

View attachment 95783 View attachment 95784 View attachment 95785

A good bit of testing there! It makes sense to me that it's better to have the bottom fans as intake when you have a stock non-FE cooler on a graphics card because its own fans will be trying to draw air into the heatsink. It would be interesting to see a similar test (intake vs. exhaust) done with a large after-market heatsink like the Accelero Xtreme ones.
 
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Hello guys,


with the new incoming 1180(or 2080...) I am ready to pull the trigger.
I would like to share my list of component and have your imput.

I already own : Ncase M1v5, Noctua C14

i will buy :

asus strix z370I -> not sure about this one, seems like the best option so far
8700K-> not gona wait october, waited long enough, else I will wait the 1180ti etc etc
ram ? 32 go but not sure about what would fit under the C14, do I need to go low profile ddr4?
ssd : 970 evo nvme 1to plus 860 evo sata 3 2to
gpu : 1180/2080
accelero 3( hoping that it will still work)
Fan: 2* noctua NFa 12*25( under the accelero3) and one nf14 that is provided with the c14
psu sf600 gold or platinum depending of what is available

that it.

do you have any recommendation reading the Motherboard and the RAM? the other conponent I think that i went the easy way with already appouved and tested solution.


thanks a lot.
 
Fan: 2* noctua NFa 12*25( under the accelero3) and one nf14 that is provided with the c14

If it is an original C14, not the C14S, then standard Corsair LPX Vengance RAM should fit just fine, as long as you are not using a fan under the heat sink...

I would go with a pair of NF-A12x25 PWM fans for the side mount, rather than the stock fans that come with the C14...
 
Yes it is a C14.
So a pair of NF-A12x25 and they should leave enough space for the ram?
Plus another pair of NF-A12x25 under the accelero 3. 4 NF-A12x25 total?

Thanks a lot for the Ram advice. And now people are feeling me to wait september and the 9900K...
 
Yes it is a C14.
So a pair of NF-A12x25 and they should leave enough space for the ram?
Plus another pair of NF-A12x25 under the accelero 3. 4 NF-A12x25 total?

Thanks a lot for the Ram advice. And now people are feeling me to wait september and the 9900K...

It won't make a difference in gaming.. 6c/12c at 5ghz is not going to hold you back. If you want to buy now. Buy now. Otherwise wait, but by that logic you may as well wait and see if Zen2 brings something special to the table, and then you'll wait for Intels next offering... It's an endless cycle. Grab what's good now if you need your machine now.
 
Yes it is a C14.
So a pair of NF-A12x25 and they should leave enough space for the ram?
Plus another pair of NF-A12x25 under the accelero 3. 4 NF-A12x25 total?

IF it is an older C14, not the current C14S, then the two NF-A12x25 PWM fans will go on the NCase M1 side bracket, and they will be over the CPU heatsink (and the PSU area)...

You would not have any fan under the heatsink...

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IF it is an older C14, not the current C14S, then the two NF-A12x25 PWM fans will go on the NCase M1 side bracket, and they will be over the CPU heatsink (and the PSU area)...

You would not have any fan under the heatsink...

View attachment 96045
I remember that build... I had bottom intake because I didn't like bottom exhaust, where the warm air would bounce off my desk, and get directed to me. My M1 sits to my left, so the two side fans blows away from me. I believe I had a NF-F12 between the heatsink and the CPU (see that brown?), as well as a A9x14 on the back.

totally going off on a tangent - I actually shifted this build into the Cougar QBX Kaze, thinking that the small 80mm front fan would help overall cooling than the M1. It didn't. Also the GPU space allotted in the QBX was only <2.5 slots, meaning I needed to use slim (12mm not even 15mm fans). I've since learned my ways, and have returned to the M1 (after 4 other cases...)
 
I remember that build... I had bottom intake because I didn't like bottom exhaust, where the warm air would bounce off my desk, and get directed to me. My M1 sits to my left, so the two side fans blows away from me. I believe I had a NF-F12 between the heatsink and the CPU (see that brown?), as well as a A9x14 on the back.

totally going off on a tangent - I actually shifted this build into the Cougar QBX Kaze, thinking that the small 80mm front fan would help overall cooling than the M1. It didn't. Also the GPU space allotted in the QBX was only <2.5 slots, meaning I needed to use slim (12mm not even 15mm fans). I've since learned my ways, and have returned to the M1 (after 4 other cases...)

thanks a lot, do you think that the 6 fans were useful? I was thinking that going with 4 Fans, would be enough.

2 NFA12 as intake under the Accelero 3 and 2 other as intake on the side bracket.

I will not wait for the 9900k, I will just o with the 1180and 8700 k, and I might update to a 990k and 1180TI once available later on this year.
It s mainly to play with a alienware ultrawide 3418dw. that a 1440p ultrawide monitor. I am quite sure that a 8700k plus 1180 should be able to provide a good gaming experience with that resolution.
 
thanks a lot, do you think that the 6 fans were useful? I was thinking that going with 4 Fans, would be enough.

2 NFA12 as intake under the Accelero 3 and 2 other as intake on the side bracket.

I will not wait for the 9900k, I will just o with the 1180and 8700 k, and I might update to a 990k and 1180TI once available later on this year.
It s mainly to play with a alienware ultrawide 3418dw. that a 1440p ultrawide monitor. I am quite sure that a 8700k plus 1180 should be able to provide a good gaming experience with that resolution.

Most builds using the Accelero 3 have the bottom fans set to exhaust, that way the GPU heat is exhausted out of the case rather than being pushed up to the CPU. 4 fans should be plenty.
 
Thanks, I will use the 3d print feet for the ncase. That might help getting a little bit better result.
Should I also put the cup fan as exhaust?
 
Thanks, I will use the 3d print feet for the ncase. That might help getting a little bit better result.
Should I also put the cup fan as exhaust?

I think you mean the upper fans, the ones on the side bracket. These are usually set as intakes to cool the CPU cooler, especially one like the NH-C14, the motherboard area, and the power supply section where storage drives may be located.. The M1 provides a filter for the side-bracket which helps to reduce the amount of dust in the case.
 
yes sorry, autocorrect went from cpu to cup...
perfect, I will remember, intake for CPU and exhauste for gpu.
Now let s wait for the 2080 gpu next week :)
 
yes sorry, autocorrect went from cpu to cup...
perfect, I will remember, intake for CPU and exhauste for gpu.
Now let s wait for the 2080 gpu next week :)

Are you going for the Founders Edition gpu-wise or for a 3:rd party version?
 
I will go for a founder edition once it s confirmed tha it can be coupled with an acelero 3
 
Thanks, and very very quiet!
I love this setup!

Very great build, have a lot fun with it, only the old (hard to find) original Noctua C14 (non S) would be one step up for the CPU and motherboard ambient cooling. But you have already a very silent and efficent cooling setup for the Ncase M1, if I would go back to air cooling for my Ncase M1 build I would do the same.
 
Would I be correct in assuming the Arctic Accelero will not work on my GTX 1070 strix? I find it odd that my older /returned GTX 1070 EVGA SC with 2 fans was far quieter overall than my Strix with 3 fans, (smaller fans though I suppose), but in general I found temps just as good, with a quieter fan-curve.
 
Hi guys,

I recently tested 3 different pairs of Noctua fans in the two bottom chasis spots to see how they affect cooling the video card. The fans I tested where:

NF-S12A
NF-F12
NF-A12

I tested both intake and exhaust. The only one that did better with exhaust was the NF-F12 since its purely static. The other two did better as intake.
Overall, the best performing fan was the new NF-A12. It was quieter too.
Tests were done using a full benchmark pass in Heaven.

Hope this helps anyone trying to make a similar decision.

View attachment 95783 View attachment 95784 View attachment 95785

What cooling solution was used on the GPU? Was it a blower, open air cooler, or the accelero xtreme?

Did you record temps that you could share with us? Preferably delta from ambient temps instead of absolute temps.

How was the cooling of the rest of the system configured? I.e. what cpu cooler/fans/orientation, any rear fan used, if yes intake or exhaust, psu orientation?
 
before i got the desk the ncase was in a spare box on the floor, so the plastic was to keep dust and other stuff from scratching it.

Supposedly the platinum sf600 is now coming out in September, so im just trying to swap some old parts for a used gold sf600.

i got some custom cables ordered from pslate etsy shop to coordinate with the gpu back cover im hoping to order.



https://static.wixstatic.com/media/...55a4a8c42f33f9e6e4~mv2_d_4608_3456_s_4_2.webp
 
Hello,


As there is already some pics of the 2080 serie pcb, do you think that the accelero 3 will be compatible?

I have to be ready to pull the trigger if they start selling them today after the presentation.
 
Hello,


As there is already some pics of the 2080 serie pcb, do you think that the accelero 3 will be compatible?

I have to be ready to pull the trigger if they start selling them today after the presentation.

good question :)
 
Just ordered a 2080 Ti. Was available on the Nvidia UK site before Jensen even announced it (in fact he still hasn't). The site crashed a few times, said "out of stock" when I tried to check out a few times, but eventually it worked and I put in the order for... £1099. Dear lord... Luckily the pound is cheap now. I hope it's worth it, I'll try to defray some of the cost by mining with it. Mining is awful now, but that card has insane compute capabilities, so I'm hoping for at least $40/month. I'd never done anything this insane, the only way I'm able to afford it is because I sold my 1080 Ti which fully paid for itself.

Will post a shot with it in my M1 as soon as I get it (site said it ships Sept 20th).

Edit: Seems like it's $1000 in the US, I miss home. :(
 
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Just ordered a 2080 Ti. Was available on the Nvidia UK site before Jensen even announced it (in fact he still hasn't). The site crashed a few times, said "out of stock" when I tried to check out a few times, but eventually it worked and I put in the order for... £1099. Dear lord... Luckily the pound is cheap now. I hope it's worth it, I'll try to defray some of the cost by mining with it. Mining is awful now, but that card has insane compute capabilities, so I'm hoping for at least $40/month. I'd never done anything this insane, the only way I'm able to afford it is because I sold my 1080 Ti which fully paid for itself.

Will post a shot with it in my M1 as soon as I get it (site said it ships Sept 20th).

Edit: Seems like it's $1000 in the US, I miss home. :(

He announced it for $999 during the stream but it is on their website for $1199. :(

Please keep us updated, I am really curious to see real world performance. He also stated this new cooler design would be 1/5 as loud as previous reference designs. That seems to be stretching it but I am hoping they do run pretty silent.
 
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He announced it for $999 during the stream but it is on their website for $1199. :(

Please keep us updated, I am really curious to see real world performance. He also stated this new cooler design would be 1/5 as loud as previous reference designs. That seems to be stretching it but I am hoping they do run pretty silent.

I will definitely post pictures when I get it a month from now.

$1200 for FE in the US makes me feel a bit better, with the cheap pound mine came out to $1400. Usually tech in the UK is like 30-40% more, so that's not an awful deal. Still, that is an insane price tag, but this is what happens when there's no competition.

Performance will be better, but all of those 6-10x improvement figures pertain to ray-tracing only. Overall, it won't be as staggering as Maxwell - > Pascal as that was a massive die shrink. My guess is they launched the 2080 Ti alongside the 2080/2070 because the 2080 will not be faster than the 1080 Ti overall in games. Still, the compute power will be incredible, possibly around 10x with the RT and AI cores. Hoping I can mine and defray some of the cost, but I'm not counting on it.

The FE design is pretty cool, though it almost seems like they could have squeezed in a third fan. The 1/5th figure may be true, considering to OC the reference 1080 Ti you had to go into jet engine mode, so that's not saying much.

Anyway, this will test my M1's cooling/airflow capacity. Maybe I should replace my bottom Gentle Typhoons with Noctua A12x15s... I wonder if the extra space will help with airflow.
 
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