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

I am also planning the build so I cant say things for sure but I think it is fine to put SFX-L and GTX 970 together. Although I personally would wait for Corsair SFX PSU.
For the motherboard, I decided to go for Asrock Fatal1ty Z170 because of the oc ability and M2 slot.
 
I am also planning the build so I cant say things for sure but I think it is fine to put SFX-L and GTX 970 together. Although I personally would wait for Corsair SFX PSU.
For the motherboard, I decided to go for Asrock Fatal1ty Z170 because of the oc ability and M2 slot.
I read above that the chinese new year should be when the new Corsair units are out, that would be today, no? Also you said that the ASRock board overclocks better than the other Gaming ITX boards, do you have any posts that show that? The Gigabyte board has a M.2 slot as well. Right now the ASRock board is $25 more than the Gigabyte board and I believe Gigabyte is considered a premium manufacturer, which makes me wonder if the ASRock board is particularly special?
 
Full length graphics card do fit with an SFX-L power supply, though the PS cables have to bent tightly and may rest on the back of the card. Adding some electrically insulating tape to the back of the greaphics card where teh PS cables make contact has been recommended in the past. The full length graphics card you have chosen has no back plate which would reduce the space between the card and the PS cables. Finally, the natural sag of the card will provdie a bit more room than if the card was perfectly straight. So yes it is possible, just be aware of these facts.
 
I am also planning the build so I cant say things for sure but I think it is fine to put SFX-L and GTX 970 together. Although I personally would wait for Corsair SFX PSU.
For the motherboard, I decided to go for Asrock Fatal1ty Z170 because of the oc ability and M2 slot.
I wasn't aware of a better OC ability with either board, but I was leaning towards the ASRock due to it having an M.2, Type-C, and more USB ports on the IO panel.
 
I wasn't aware of a better OC ability with either board, but I was leaning towards the ASRock due to it having an M.2, Type-C, and more USB ports on the IO panel.

Oh ok thanks for clearing that up. I am leaning towards the Gigabyte for the possible Thunderbolt support, and great luck with Gigabyte boards in the past. Just trying to make an informed decision. So hard to decide between the two! As far as I can tell though, Gigabyte also has M.2, and Type-C.
 
Yup, it does, and all reports indicate that the ASRock won't get Thunderbolt support, so if you're looking for that, I think Gigabyte is your only option right now.
 
I read above that the chinese new year should be when the new Corsair units are out, that would be today, no? Also you said that the ASRock board overclocks better than the other Gaming ITX boards, do you have any posts that show that? The Gigabyte board has a M.2 slot as well. Right now the ASRock board is $25 more than the Gigabyte board and I believe Gigabyte is considered a premium manufacturer, which makes me wonder if the ASRock board is particularly special?

I dont know much about Gigabyte but from the Tweaktown review the Asrock is pretty good.
 
You should read the McRip page more carefully:

The chirp is a non-issue because the fan rarely stops again once it gets going. Fan noise and coil whine are bigger issues. Given that you have an H105, I'm not surprised your SX600-G is "silent". The pump noise would definitely rival, if not completely drown out, the sound of the PSU fan.

yeah i understand what you are saying but still, people go wayyyy overboard. people will likely read reviews and expect this psu to sound like an engine, when in reality its near silent and would be perfectly fine for 95% of people.

And the only time i have ever heard any noise from the h105 is when the system powers on, you can hear the liquid swirl and air bubbles move around, but other than that it is silent.

My gpu is by far the loudest part of my build
 
Wohoo .... Tracking got updated and looks likes its at my local post office, hopefully today or tomorrow I will get it.

For others information , I chose TW2 air and it was shipped on 1/28 and got to California on 2/8.
 
when did you order?
I think that mine that I ordered on January 27 will be shipped in 2 weeks...

I found a nhc-14 for 45 euro. bought it.
So nhc-14 it will be!
Now time to decide about the other parts...
Corsair 600 W PSU
Samsung m.2 95 pro
are on my short list.
Mobo GPU and RAM still undecided....
 
when did you order?
I think that mine that I ordered on January 27 will be shipped in 2 weeks...

I ordered on 1/21 before their Jan cutoff for shipping that month, got email confirmation of when it was going to ship on 1/25 and it shipped out on 1/28 and got tracking number then.
 
I've noticed my front port has some EMI/Noise for my headphones. Does anyone have any fixes for it? I was thinking possibly to sleeve the cable but i'm not sure that helps.
 
I ordered on 1/21 before their Jan cutoff for shipping that month, got email confirmation of when it was going to ship on 1/25 and it shipped out on 1/28 and got tracking number then.

That was fast!!!

I still need some time to figure what to put inside, so for me that good ;)
 
That was fast!!!

I still need some time to figure what to put inside, so for me that good ;)

Yea I was debating on TW1 vs TW2 air .... Figured I wasn't that in a rush and went with TW2 to save $10 bucks and it's nice that it got here quicker and also probably helps I'm in California.

Anybody have any experience with the Silverstone sfx 450w psu. Might just get something as a stop gap til the corsair psu comes out.

Should be enough for my system build

Skylake - 6600k
Asus z170i pro gaming
970 gtx
500gb ssd / 256gb 950 pro
Corsair h105
 
What do you guys think is the non-blower style GTX 980 Ti with the lowest idle temps to use in the M1? I was betting on the Gigabyte G1 Gaming, but I was looking for other opinions.

I'm basically looking for the card which can hold the Zero-RPM mode the longest.

Is it totally mandatory to place the two 120mm intake fans in the bottom of the case for additional idle cooling when using this type of card?

Btw the rest of my setup will be a 5820k (not OC'ed) with the Noctua NH-C14 and I'll be waiting for Corsair's 600W SFX PSU.

Thanks!

Was hoping to get a reply on this :rolleyes: anyone?

One more thing, I've seen people mount the NH-C14 on Asrocks's X99 ITX mobo (which is what I intend to do), however I'm yet to discover how it's actually done, since there is a mounting compatibility issue with the board's 2011-3 narrow mount. In the user-contributed spreadsheet, in the "cooling compatibility" sheet, one user states that Noctua's Narrow ILM Mounting brackets are required. Which brackets are these? Are they included with the original heatsink, or purchased separately? And where?

Sorry for all the potentially noob questions, but I couldn't google my way out of this one! Thanks.
 
I am currently building a Oculus build and preordered a Ncase M1 v5. I have been reading this thread in and out and have a few questions.

1. Does the Silverstone SFX-L 500 have the same issues as the SFX-600?
2. Will the SFX-L 500 work with a full length 970 card like the blower card I have below?
3. Is the EVGA SC Blower style card the best option or is a MSI, PNY or reference lower better for the money?
4. Is it really better to use a blower or is the noise not worth it?
5. I know there is some argument but would you choose the Gigabyte or ASRock ITX board?

I completed a similar build recently with the SFX-L 500 and an EVGA 970 SSC ACX2.0+

1. I basically can't hear the SFX-L 500 at all, or at least it doesn't stand out as particularly loud. The whole system is pretty quiet. There's no clicking or chirping that I can hear, though maybe I got lucky.
2. The card fits just fine. There's a tiny bit of pressure on the GPU from the PSU cables but nothing alarming. Don't get the backplate.
3, 4. I'm not having any temp. issues from what I can see using the ACX cooler. It's nice and quiet too. I have a couple of quiet fans above the gpu exhausting air, which seems like a good solution.

If you were getting a hotter card you might have to be more concerned but I don't think you need to worry to much with the 970.
 
Was hoping to get a reply on this :rolleyes: anyone?

One more thing, I've seen people mount the NH-C14 on Asrocks's X99 ITX mobo (which is what I intend to do), however I'm yet to discover how it's actually done, since there is a mounting compatibility issue with the board's 2011-3 narrow mount. In the user-contributed spreadsheet, in the "cooling compatibility" sheet, one user states that Noctua's Narrow ILM Mounting brackets are required. Which brackets are these? Are they included with the original heatsink, or purchased separately? And where?

Sorry for all the potentially noob questions, but I couldn't google my way out of this one! Thanks.

Hey man, I am building a similar system except I am waiting for the new GPUs and the Corsair PSU. Yes, the narrow ilm kit you can either email Noctua http://noctua.at/en/nm-i2011-mounting-kit.html or find some on ebay if you dont want to wait.

For the GPU question i cant help you but for the bottom fans from what I have seen this definitely helps GPU temps and seems even more important as you and I both will have a very hot processor dumping heat into the case.
 
Reference GPUs have 4 pin PWM headers although they use a different connector. You can get adapters for normal fans easily enough.

My two Noctua F12s are powered and controlled by the fan header on my 980 Ti.

Yes. Gelid has provided such an adapter for many years. Should be easy to get in Europe at least.

Even better is the mini-pwm splitter from ModDIY http://www.moddiy.com/products/Mini-4%2dPin-GPU-to-2-x-4%2dPin-PWM-Fan-Adapter.html

If you have an old GPU and a soldering iron (can be a $10 model) then you can make your own in 20 minutes. Remove the old PWM connector, cut the wires, splice to your new fans' wires and solder, wrap with electrical tape.

Thanks guys. This is REALLY useful:D I've been holding off on accelero coolers for a while due to this issue, but this might tip the scale. If this has been discussed here already i have totally missed it.

I did the same, but the minimum speed from the PWM header appeared to be too fast and had pretty high idle noise, so I ended up hooking the fans up the mobo anyway to control the fans via the Asus Q Control options.

I used Maxwell Bios Tweaker to change the speed to a more acceptable level, around 400rpm at idle.

Flashing the bios is scary as hell, but probably a very good option to tweak the fan speed. I'll need to do some googleing to figure this one out. I'd rather not mess it up;)
 
What do you guys think is the non-blower style GTX 980 Ti with the lowest idle temps to use in the M1? I was betting on the Gigabyte G1 Gaming, but I was looking for other opinions.

I'm basically looking for the card which can hold the Zero-RPM mode the longest.

Is it totally mandatory to place the two 120mm intake fans in the bottom of the case for additional idle cooling when using this type of card?

Btw the rest of my setup will be a 5820k (not OC'ed) with the Noctua NH-C14 and I'll be waiting for Corsair's 600W SFX PSU.

Thanks!

Blower cards will work. There are some issues regarding getting rid of the hot air but it is manageable. You could consider an Arctic Accelero Extreme cooler to beef up the cooling if you are worried. The tech specs on arctic's home page does list reference 980ti as compatible. I think the Gigabyte card is the best open air card that will fit the M1 so I'd probably go with it if I were you. If you decide to go with after market cooling I'd probably try to find a reference model or confirmation that the card you end up going for will be compatible.
 
the artic accelero extrem cooler fit in the ncase 1?
Is this a good solution coupled with a 980 ti?
It looks like it will affect the general temp in the case no?

What about a prolimatek mk26 plus noctua nf f12on a 980ti?
As anyone tried this in a ncase( cpu cooler will be a noctua nhc-12)
 
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the artic accelero extrem cooler fit in the ncase 1?
Is this a good solution coupled with a 980 ti?
It looks like it will affect the general temp in the case no?

What about a prolimatek mk26 plus noctua nf f12on a 980ti?
As anyone tried this in a ncase( cpu cooler will be a noctua nhc-12)

I highly rate the Accelero Cooler - the best air cooler by far.
Fits in the N1 fine. I had mine on a Titan X so any reference 980ti should be fine.
Temps were around 30C idle and 70s when benching and OC'd.

Pics for reference (with a Noctua 14C)

Ncase%20M1%20-4.jpg
 
I highly rate the Accelero Cooler - the best air cooler by far.
Fits in the N1 fine. I had mine on a Titan X so any reference 980ti should be fine.
Temps were around 30C idle and 70s when benching and OC'd.

Pics for reference (with a Noctua 14C)

Ncase%20M1%20-4.jpg


Thanks, looks quiete good and clean.
I saw that you moved to watercooling.
Ho do you feel compare to this set up?
how was the noise level with the Accelero?
 
Case received! Ordered January, got a tracking number on 31/01/2016 and received the M1 today 10/02/2016.
This was faster than expected, I'm still missing a lot of parts. Maybe I should have opted for slower shipping… ;)

1nEA6dk.jpg
 
Yep I moved to a WC setup. I was running a single 240mm but have since changed to a Nano (the Titan X was fun for benching but overkill for me) and added a second 240 rad.
I'll switch to hard tube soon, but this is it currently:

Ncase%20M1%20-43.jpg


I took the standard Accelero fans off and ran 2x Noiseblocker PWMs - didn't even try the stock fans.

Noise wise it the air setup is quieter when not under any load, but not drastically. Good fans and a PWM pump help I think.
Under load the water setup is quieter. The Nano doesn't go much above 40C when benching.
 
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What about a prolimatek mk26 plus noctua nf f12on a 980ti?

The Article Accelero Extreme Cooler is less tall than similar large third-party heatsinks, such as the Prolimatech MK-26 and the Alpenfohn Peter II. For this reason it permits the mounting of 25 mm thick fans on the bottom of the M1, whereas the others I mentioned only permit the use of thin 15 mm fans.
 
I highly rate the Accelero Cooler - the best air cooler by far.
Fits in the N1 fine. I had mine on a Titan X so any reference 980ti should be fine.
Temps were around 30C idle and 70s when benching and OC'd.

Pics for reference (with a Noctua 14C)

Ncase%20M1%20-4.jpg

That's not the usual Noctua fan colour - is it a different fan or have you been applying plastidip (or similar)?
 
Yep I moved to a WC setup. I was running a single 240mm but have since changed to a Nano (the Titan X was fun for benching but overkill for me) and added a second 240 rad.
I'll switch to hard tube soon, but this is it currently:

I took the standard Accelero fans off and ran 2x Noiseblocker PWMs - didn't even try the stock fans.

Noise wise it the air setup is quieter when not under any load, but not drastically. Good fans and a PWM pump help I think.
Under load the water setup is quieter. The Nano doesn't go much above 40C when benching.

Have you got any photos with the bottom rad removed? I would love to see how long the Nano is with respect to the bottom - how much space would be there to mount e.g. a 3,5 HDD behind the Nano.
 
It's a Noctua NFP14R Redux:)

Thank you, now I have a 140mm PWM fan on my list :)
I did raise this question before and I think Urelure suggested that keeping the 140mm fan directly on top of the CPU cooler will be best, but has anyone noted the temperature differential by ditching the single 140mm fan on the top of the NH-C14 (which blocks the use of the side panel) in favour of two 120mm cans mounted on the side panel? Would that provide almost as much cooling to the CPU cooler AND allow better case cooling? Or should I stick with the 140mm?
 
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ok so since the aio gpu adapters are so sketchy i decided i want to explore air cooling more.

for my gpu with ref 980 pcb would i choose the accelero 3, 4, or 4 280(x). they all say they are compatible but the differences are hard to determine.

Would this provide a real difference in temps over a ref blower? I know the noise will be better but will the temps change enough to make it worth it? I get about 70-75c while gaming now.
 
What do you guys think is the non-blower style GTX 980 Ti with the lowest idle temps to use in the M1? I was betting on the Gigabyte G1 Gaming, but I was looking for other opinions.

I'm basically looking for the card which can hold the Zero-RPM mode the longest.

Is it totally mandatory to place the two 120mm intake fans in the bottom of the case for additional idle cooling when using this type of card?

Btw the rest of my setup will be a 5820k (not OC'ed) with the Noctua NH-C14 and I'll be waiting for Corsair's 600W SFX PSU.

If you're not willing to put an aftermarket cooler like an Arctic Accelero IV (I get 30C silent at idle) on your card, the Gigabyte cards should work well as they're long rather than tall, preventing them from sealing air in the lower compartment. I would always add fans underneath a non-blower card as otherwise you'll recycle a lot of hot air.

Was hoping to get a reply on this :rolleyes: anyone?

One more thing, I've seen people mount the NH-C14 on Asrocks's X99 ITX mobo (which is what I intend to do), however I'm yet to discover how it's actually done, since there is a mounting compatibility issue with the board's 2011-3 narrow mount. In the user-contributed spreadsheet, in the "cooling compatibility" sheet, one user states that Noctua's Narrow ILM Mounting brackets are required. Which brackets are these? Are they included with the original heatsink, or purchased separately? And where?

You'll need to contact Noctua for the brackets, which might be free if you provide proof of purchase and your use case.

Flashing the bios is scary as hell, but probably a very good option to tweak the fan speed. I'll need to do some googleing to figure this one out. I'd rather not mess it up;)

Linus Techtips did a guide using the same method to add the 0 RPM fan at idle function to cards that didn't have the feature built in (e.g. the Gigabyte cards).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfVHIlSLK58

The required programs are hosted in the Downloads section of Techpowerup.

the artic accelero extrem cooler fit in the ncase 1?
Is this a good solution coupled with a 980 ti?
It looks like it will affect the general temp in the case no?

What about a prolimatek mk26 plus noctua nf f12on a 980ti?
As anyone tried this in a ncase( cpu cooler will be a noctua nhc-12)

The Arctic IV cooler allows you to use 120mm fans to exhaust heat out of the bottom of the case, so you'll actually be lowering case temps. There's no way the MK26 will fit in the M1. Noise levels on my 980 Ti are much lower than reference air, non-reference air, and CLC water cooling.
 
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The Arctic IV cooler allows you to use 120mm fans to exhaust heat out of the bottom of the case, so you'll actually be lowering case temps. There's no way the MK26 will fit in the M1. Noise levels on my 980 Ti are much lower than reference air, non-reference air, and CLC water cooling.

Have you done any test with various combinations of intake v exhaust on both bottom fans and side fans?
 
ok so since the aio gpu adapters are so sketchy i decided i want to explore air cooling more.

for my gpu with ref 980 pcb would i choose the accelero 3, 4, or 4 280(x). they all say they are compatible but the differences are hard to determine.

Would this provide a real difference in temps over a ref blower? I know the noise will be better but will the temps change enough to make it worth it? I get about 70-75c while gaming now.

To go along with this, the C14 wont work for me because I have a p8z77 board and need to have a hdd on the bracket next to it. What cpu cooler will allow me to have the hdd and provide the best cooling?

I am wanting to be able to fit the hdd in with a fan like in this picture but with a good air cooler, dark rock tf?

The more i look into it i might go with the Scythe Kabuto 2

Y6Oxwi4.jpg
 
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Any photos of your build? Did you install the Prolimatech fans in your sig on the bottom of your case?

You got me. I have not touched my build in months. I keep getting side tracked by life and "She who must be obeyed". Need to make the time. Here's a photo I posted a while ago of my 2 slim 140s:

 
Have you got any photos with the bottom rad removed? I would love to see how long the Nano is with respect to the bottom - how much space would be there to mount e.g. a 3,5 HDD behind the Nano.

I'll take some photos next time it's apart:)
Should be fine fitting a 3.5" HDD on the bottom though - plenty of room with the Nano.


Are the nano's free from coil whine yet?

Nox

Nope... Mine's new and comes complete with coil whine...
 
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