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

Hey guys,

I'd love your input regarding the below draft of my first M1 build.

Goal:
Gaming on 1440p ULTRA, Compact, Elegant, Silent

Philosophy:
I wish to build a compact, elegant and as silent as possible gaming rig for 1440p ULTRA settings. The Ncase M1 seems to definitely meet the compact, stylish and performance criteria. Based on the research I've done so far it seems reasonable silence can be achieved as well. I have tried to stay away for any water cooling due to additional noise and the fact that I will not be moving this around much, e.g. going big air with a heavy heat sink is fine.

Below is my current parts list:
CPU | Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor
CPU Cooler | Noctua NH-U9S 46.4 CFM CPU Cooler
Motherboard | Asus MAXIMUS VIII IMPACT Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory
Storage | Intel 750 Series 800GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB Superclocked Gaming ACX 3.0 Video Card
Power Supply | Corsair SF 600W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular SFX Power Supply
Case | NCASE M1 v5 (Black)
Case fans (intake) | (2) x Noctua NF-F12 taking air from the bottom towards the GPU
Case fans (exhaust) | (1) x Noctua NF-A9x14 in the rear exhausting hot air
Gaskets | (2) x 120mm radiator gasket 5mm (for intake fans)

1) How can I make this build more silent?

2) Is it worth buying gaskets for the bottom intake fans? See example

3) Does one need more than 16 GB of RAM nowadays?

4) Does anyone have experience with these Intel 750 Series SSDs?

4.1) Can I afford to install above the front IOs, e.g. "outside" the case right underneath the front panel?

4.2) Any risk of overheating in this position?

4.3) How reliable are NVME SSDs?

5) Any other suggestions on what to change?

Thanks & regards,
 
NO actual experience with the Intel 750 Series (aside from geek lust), but check the specs…

The 800GB model is actually the slowest of the three drives…!

Now, Newegg has the prices jacked back up on the U.2 versions (cabling), but they DO have the 400GB model with the M.2 cabling on sale for 300 bucks…!

Yes, you would have to change MBs, but this would allow you to route the cabling from the back of the MB, under the PSU & to the front panel area…

Personally, I think the best bang for the buck in NVMe SSDs right now is the Samsung 960 EVO line…

And with a M.2 format SSD, two less cables to worry about…!
 
harsaphes said:
Are N1 users using the M.2
format in their cases?
Click to expand...

I know I am. They seem to run a bit cooler too than the ones that are on the top of the motherboard. Mine is usually below 40C, I did see an user that added small heatsinks to his M.2 SSD to cool it even better.
 
Did anyone made any BIG mods to this case? I am thinking about adding a windows (it has been done by some people) and making it as a desert theme as I love Franks Herbert "Dune".
 
Boil said:
NO actual experience with the Intel 750 Series (aside from geek lust), but check the specs…

The 800GB model is actually the slowest of the three drives…!

Now, Newegg has the prices jacked back up on the U.2 versions (cabling), but they DO have the 400GB model with the M.2 cabling on sale for 300 bucks…!

Yes, you would have to change MBs, but this would allow you to route the cabling from the back of the MB, under the PSU & to the front panel area…

Personally, I think the best bang for the buck in NVMe SSDs right now is the Samsung 960 EVO line…

And with a M.2 format SSD, two less cables to worry about…!
Click to expand...

I've read about thermal throttling issues with the Samsung 960 EVO. What are typical N1 users' experiences?
Which mobo would you recommend for an M.2. SSD setup?
 
A bit off-topic, but most of our mITX mobos have a half-height mini-PCIe slot for built-in wifi. For those using wired connections, has anyone ever used that slot for anything else?

Not that there are too many things that can use the slot - mostly extra USB or SATA ports - but I see mini PCIe SSDs which seem like they'd be make neat scratch drives or general extra storage.
 
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Morgon said:
A bit off-topic, but most of our mITX mobos have a half-height mini-PCIe slot for built-in wifi. For those using wired connections, has anyone ever used that slot for anything else?

Not that there are too many things that can use the slot - mostly extra USB or SATA ports - but I see mini PCIe SSDs which seem like they'd be make neat scratch drives or general extra storage.
Click to expand...


On my asrock z77e itx board I used a mpcie to pcie x1 adapter to run a sound card with my gpu. Worked pretty good, but I wanted my wifi more than a sound card.
 
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Morgon said:
Thank you! Mine came today (from Titan Rig on Amazon) and I was able to slap it on.. still waiting on my C14 from the Great White North until I can test it.

Another stupid (and slightly pedantic) question for everyone -
The slimline ODD is keyed for a specific orientation. The "Silverstone" ODD (which is just a Panasonic UJ265? wtf; can buy those for half the cost of the Silverstone-branded one) seems to load with the label away from you, where it kinda feels like it'd be better with the label facing the front. Clearly, some custom mounts would be fashioned in some way... but has anyone ever tried getting that to work?
Click to expand...


Congratulation on getting their last one ! I see they are sold out now. I was lucky enough to get one 2 weeks ago. I have a question for those who have used the C14 and had to replace the lower fan with a 120mm.
What method did you use to attach it to the cooler? I was assembling my M1 last night and the lower fan hits the SF450 power supply. The cooling tubes are toward the back of the case which is the only orientation that will work for me.Does anyone know if it is possible to mount the SFX bracket into the ATX bracket and relocate the power supply to the front of the case?
 
F41LTR41N said:
I've read about thermal throttling issues with the Samsung 960 EVO. What are typical N1 users' experiences?
Which mobo would you recommend for an M.2. SSD setup?
Click to expand...

You are thinking of the Samsung 950 Pro models…

The 960 EVOs are still on pre-order (again, Newegg), but all the advance reviews I have read indicate thermal throttling to be much less of an issue…

Also, keep in mind, the cases of thermal throttling are usually a situation where the backside mounted M.2 slot is sandwiched between the MB & a solid panel… I would hypothesis that this is exasperated even more by chassis designs that have the MB & GPU back to back, then the M.2 is in the middle of a heat sandwich…!

Now, the M1 has a MASSIVE amount of perforations on the panel over the backside of the MB, so thermal throttling should not really be an issue (especially with the newer models of M.2 SSDs)…

As to a M.2 enabled MB, I believe your choices would come down to either the Asus Pro Gaming or the ASRock Fatal!ty models…

EVGA decided that it would make sense to NOT include M.2 SSD compatibility on their Z170 offering…

MSI decided that it would make sense to support M.2, BUT only the 2240 & 2260 sized cards; but virtually ALL of the M.2 SSDs on the market are of the 2280 spec…! This is a real shame, as it is a good looking board, and has a GREAT color scheme for the rear I/O…!

Gigabyte, well, they like to drop their USB connection right in the middle of the MB, which is stupid…

Biostar, we just won't go there…
 
Aguda33 said:
Congratulation on getting their last one ! I see they are sold out now. I was lucky enough to get one 2 weeks ago. I have a question for those who have used the C14 and had to replace the lower fan with a 120mm.
What method did you use to attach it to the cooler? I was assembling my M1 last night and the lower fan hits the SF450 power supply. The cooling tubes are toward the back of the case which is the only orientation that will work for me.Does anyone know if it is possible to mount the SFX bracket into the ATX bracket and relocate the power supply to the front of the case?
Click to expand...

You can definitely do that, but keep in mind that takes away the ability to use either the HDD cage or a 120mm fan on the forward side panel area…
 
F41LTR41N said:
Does one need more than 16 GB of RAM nowadays?
Click to expand...

I remember getting a PC back in 1995, with a MASSIVE 64MB of RAM…!

You may not NEED more than 16GB right now, but if you can afford the extra scratch, I would go for 32GB of RAM, future-proofing…!
 
Is it possible to install a couple of 120 Noctua in the bottom of the M1 with an ASUS 1070/1080 STRIX?
 
Boil said:
You can definitely do that, but keep in mind that takes away the ability to use either the HDD cage or a 120mm fan on the forward side panel area…
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply, I don't mind loosing the hard drive cage, but wanted the fan in the front side. First thing I will try is a 120 fan on the underside of the cooler, Any ideas on the best method of attachment?
 
yyv_146 said:
Finished my build today! This was a fun project. I plan to use this as my main workstation and for 4k gaming, so no corners were cut...spec list:

Intel Xeon E5 2695-v3
Asrock X99 itx
Nvidia Titan X Pascal
Crucial 64G (32x2) ddr4 ECC 2133
Corsair SF600
CPU cooling: Noctua NH-C14. Phanteks 140HP on top, original 140mm Noctua fan on bottom
Samsung 950 pro m.2 512g
2x Phanteks 120MP for bottom intake
Cablemod custom cables: 400mm 24-pin, 150mm 8-pin, 200mm 6/8-pin PCIE
A whole lot of cable ties!

S0diM1X.jpg
Click to expand...

You now removed the bottom intake fans, right? So you only have the two CPU cooler fans on the NH-C14? What are the GPU and CPU temps like under load?
 
Well, I tracked down a good ITX LGA 1155 board and canceled the order for the 3-slot mATX one.

Any suggestions for case fans? Looking for the absolute quietest possible build.
Planning on starting with a GTX 970.

It need both an exhaust fan in back as well as two intake fans on the floor of the case, right?
 
F41LTR41N said:
Hey guys,

I'd love your input regarding the below draft of my first M1 build.

Goal:
Gaming on 1440p ULTRA, Compact, Elegant, Silent

Philosophy:
I wish to build a compact, elegant and as silent as possible gaming rig for 1440p ULTRA settings. The Ncase M1 seems to definitely meet the compact, stylish and performance criteria. Based on the research I've done so far it seems reasonable silence can be achieved as well. I have tried to stay away for any water cooling due to additional noise and the fact that I will not be moving this around much, e.g. going big air with a heavy heat sink is fine.

Below is my current parts list:
CPU | Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor
CPU Cooler | Noctua NH-U9S 46.4 CFM CPU Cooler
Motherboard | Asus MAXIMUS VIII IMPACT Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory
Storage | Intel 750 Series 800GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB Superclocked Gaming ACX 3.0 Video Card
Power Supply | Corsair SF 600W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular SFX Power Supply
Case | NCASE M1 v5 (Black)
Case fans (intake) | (2) x Noctua NF-F12 taking air from the bottom towards the GPU
Case fans (exhaust) | (1) x Noctua NF-A9x14 in the rear exhausting hot air
Gaskets | (2) x 120mm radiator gasket 5mm (for intake fans)

1) How can I make this build more silent?

2) Is it worth buying gaskets for the bottom intake fans? See example

3) Does one need more than 16 GB of RAM nowadays?

4) Does anyone have experience with these Intel 750 Series SSDs?

4.1) Can I afford to install above the front IOs, e.g. "outside" the case right underneath the front panel?

4.2) Any risk of overheating in this position?

4.3) How reliable are NVME SSDs?

5) Any other suggestions on what to change?

Thanks & regards,
Click to expand...

1, you can't, really. The U9S comes with low noise adapters so you can use that if you wanted.
2, not really? do you really need the extra fans? The bottom two will increase noise, not reduce it. Also the U9S is not big enough to stop you using a full size fan at the rear. Grab another normal thickness fan 92mm if you wanted. Grab another NF-A9 instead of the slim 14mm one.
3, not for gaming/general use. 16GB is plenty
4, Go for Samsung, or go cheaper on an Intel 600P NVME.
4.1 standard 2.5s fit at the front so you should be fine, but see 4.
4.2 not really.
4.3 pretty reliable, but see 4.
5, board to Z170i Pro Gaming instead (this ties into my suggestion to change NVME)? Unless there is a specific reason you need/want the Impact. Frankly it won't increase any OC headroom. If you need it for the audio, consider an external USB DAC anyway which will counter/balance the cost of the cheaper board vs the Impact. This also means you can use an m.2 based NVME drive instead. Maybe the 1TB Intel 600P or one of the new Samsung 960 pros. Coming from someone who has a Z87i Pro with the daughterboard, it's frankly a pain in the backside, gets super hot, and is really not required these days.

I removed my bottom intake fans, and it reduced noise/turbulence, though increase idle temps (given my card goes idle fans, so having some small airflow over them helped), but I really think the card can handle itself. Perhaps let the card fend for itself, put a single NF-F12 on the side as intake for the U9S instead.
 
ReaperX22 said:
1, you can't, really. The U9S comes with low noise adapters so you can use that if you wanted.
2, not really? do you really need the extra fans? The bottom two will increase noise, not reduce it. Also the U9S is not big enough to stop you using a full size fan at the rear. Grab another normal thickness fan 92mm if you wanted. Grab another NF-A9 instead of the slim 14mm one.
3, not for gaming/general use. 16GB is plenty
4, Go for Samsung, or go cheaper on an Intel 600P NVME.
4.1 standard 2.5s fit at the front so you should be fine, but see 4.
4.2 not really.
4.3 pretty reliable, but see 4.
5, board to Z170i Pro Gaming instead (this ties into my suggestion to change NVME)? Unless there is a specific reason you need/want the Impact. Frankly it won't increase any OC headroom. If you need it for the audio, consider an external USB DAC anyway which will counter/balance the cost of the cheaper board vs the Impact. This also means you can use an m.2 based NVME drive instead. Maybe the 1TB Intel 600P or one of the new Samsung 960 pros. Coming from someone who has a Z87i Pro with the daughterboard, it's frankly a pain in the backside, gets super hot, and is really not required these days.

I removed my bottom intake fans, and it reduced noise/turbulence, though increase idle temps (given my card goes idle fans, so having some small airflow over them helped), but I really think the card can handle itself. Perhaps let the card fend for itself, put a single NF-F12 on the side as intake for the U9S instead.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input! I agree with removing the bottom intake fans based on all the comment I just read.
I've also decided to go for a 960 Pro m.2. SSD and therefore change the motherboard.
Do you have any external USB DAC recommendation?

I still don't who what the best and most silent heatsink and airflow combination is. However one concept that seems to make sense is the following:
1) Intake in front / top feeding directly into cpu cooler
2) Exhaust out rear of case (either mounted onto cooler or rear of case)

What do you think?

0db78f8d41.jpg


Source:
https://hardforum.com/threads/ncase...x-case-updates-in-first-post.1717132/page-531

Alternatively wouldn't solely having an NH-C14 with a 140 mm fan may suffice if I don't overclock? It would essentially act as an intake from the left panel. The bottom would have no fans but the GPU fans would pull in the air. This should all result in a positive pressured case that will naturally exhaust through the top and back, while somewhat keeping dust out. I'm not even sure the second fan under the NH-C14 would be required since it may constrict airflow on a mini-ITX board as opposed to truly helping. If CPU temperatures can remain reasonable with solely this then this might also be rather silent since there would only be one 140mm CPU cooler fan and the native fans of the video card. Can a "less is more" approach work?


I will need to further update this list tomorrow to reflect my final airflow / heat sink / fan decisions.

[PCPartPicker part list](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/zHNdd6) / [Price breakdown by merchant](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/zHNdd6/by_merchant/)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/tdmxFT/intel-cpu-bx80662i76700k) | $329.88 @ OutletPC
**CPU Cooler** | [Noctua NH-C14 CPU Cooler](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/yDg323/noctua-cpu-cooler-nhc14) |-
**Motherboard** | [Asus Z170I PRO GAMING Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/TykwrH/asus-motherboard-z170iprogaming) | $159.99 @ SuperBiiz
**Memory** | [G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/LhgPxr/gskill-memory-f43000c15d16gvrb) | $79.99 @ Newegg
**Storage** | [Samsung 960 PRO 512GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/TstWGX/samsung-960-pro-512gb-m2-2280-solid-state-drive-mz-v6p512bw) | $329.00 @ B&H
**Video Card** | [EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB FTW Gaming ACX 3.0 Video Card](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/bNcMnQ/evga-video-card-08gp46286) | $678.99 @ SuperBiiz
**Power Supply** | [Corsair SF 600W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular SFX Power Supply](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/CQ648d/corsair-power-supply-cp9020105na) | $119.99 @ Corsair
**Operating System** | [Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/wtgPxr/microsoft-os-kw900140) | $88.58 @ OutletPC
**Case Fan** | [Phanteks PH-F140HP_WT 88.6 CFM 140mm Fan](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/4rdqqs/phanteks-case-fan-phf140hpwt) | $33.43 @ Amazon
**Case Fan** | [Phanteks PH-F120MP 53.3 CFM 120mm Fan](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/MwPzK8/phanteks-case-fan-phf120mpbkpwm) | $15.98 @ Newegg
**Case Fan** | [Phanteks PH-F120MP 53.3 CFM 120mm Fan](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/MwPzK8/phanteks-case-fan-phf120mpbkpwm) | $15.98 @ Newegg
**Monitor** | [Asus PG279Q ROG Swift 27.0" 2560x1440 165Hz Monitor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/XvfmP6/asus-monitor-pg279q) | $734.99 @ Jet
**Other**| NCASE M1| $185.00
 
Last edited:
Aguda33 said:
Thanks for the reply, I don't mind loosing the hard drive cage, but wanted the fan in the front side. First thing I will try is a 120 fan on the underside of the cooler, Any ideas on the best method of attachment?
Click to expand...

What motherboard are you using? I had no trouble attaching a 120 mm fan to the underside of the NH-C14 heatsink using the provided wire clips. My NH-C14 is oriented with the ends of the heatpipes towards the front of the case as in this photo:

 
Morgon said:
Thank you! Mine came today (from Titan Rig on Amazon) and I was able to slap it on.. still waiting on my C14 from the Great White North until I can test it.

Another stupid (and slightly pedantic) question for everyone -
The slimline ODD is keyed for a specific orientation. The "Silverstone" ODD (which is just a Panasonic UJ265? wtf; can buy those for half the cost of the Silverstone-branded one) seems to load with the label away from you, where it kinda feels like it'd be better with the label facing the front. Clearly, some custom mounts would be fashioned in some way... but has anyone ever tried getting that to work?
Click to expand...

The problem is getting the slot in the top panel to be aligned to the loading slot on the ODD if you flip it. Still, I agree with you that it would be nicer to see the label of discs when loading them.

Maybe it could be done with a thin 9.5 mm ODD plus custom mounts. The mounts that come with the M1 are for a 12.7 mm thick ODD.
 
F41LTR41N said:
Do you have any reference?
I thought all I could do was remove the Wifi card from the only M.2 slot or connect an NVME SSD to the U.2 port.
Click to expand...

From Asus.... All ROG Maximus VIII motherboards support M.2 SSDs......am I reading this wrong?

Guess I'm wrong after looking around,but funny it would say that on their site.
 
Last edited:
F41LTR41N said:
Hey guys,

I'd love your input regarding the below draft of my first M1 build.

Goal:
Gaming on 1440p ULTRA, Compact, Elegant, Silent

Philosophy:
I wish to build a compact, elegant and as silent as possible gaming rig for 1440p ULTRA settings. The Ncase M1 seems to definitely meet the compact, stylish and performance criteria. Based on the research I've done so far it seems reasonable silence can be achieved as well. I have tried to stay away for any water cooling due to additional noise and the fact that I will not be moving this around much, e.g. going big air with a heavy heat sink is fine.

Below is my current parts list:
CPU | Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor
CPU Cooler | Noctua NH-U9S 46.4 CFM CPU Cooler
Motherboard | Asus MAXIMUS VIII IMPACT Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory
Storage | Intel 750 Series 800GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB Superclocked Gaming ACX 3.0 Video Card
Power Supply | Corsair SF 600W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular SFX Power Supply
Case | NCASE M1 v5 (Black)
Case fans (intake) | (2) x Noctua NF-F12 taking air from the bottom towards the GPU
Case fans (exhaust) | (1) x Noctua NF-A9x14 in the rear exhausting hot air
Gaskets | (2) x 120mm radiator gasket 5mm (for intake fans)

1) How can I make this build more silent?

2) Is it worth buying gaskets for the bottom intake fans? See example

3) Does one need more than 16 GB of RAM nowadays?

4) Does anyone have experience with these Intel 750 Series SSDs?

4.1) Can I afford to install above the front IOs, e.g. "outside" the case right underneath the front panel?

4.2) Any risk of overheating in this position?

4.3) How reliable are NVME SSDs?

5) Any other suggestions on what to change?

Thanks & regards,
Click to expand...

4.1: It is possible to mount two 7 mm SSDs at this location using the included stacking brackets. There is a small gap between the two SSDs when they are stacked together so a single 15 mm thick drive like the 2.5-inch format 750 U.2 SSD should fit.

UPDATE: I wrote the following before I saw your later posts. Good going!

As far as cooling, the NH-U9S does not permit you to mount a 120 mm intake fan on the rear half of the side bracket, but you can mount one on the front half of the bracket. In fact, you can even mount a larger fan at that location so long as it has 120 mm fan mounting holes. I'm doing this on my son's build, using a NF-A15 PWM as a large (and hopefully slow and quiet) intake for entire section above the graphics card. Some owners have mounted their Corsair PS units with the fan facing the inside of the case so that the fan on the front half of the side bracket blows right into the power supply which delays the start of the PS's own fan.

Finally, you might not even need bottom intake fans. I would start without any and run some tests. Though they are in the minority, there have definitely been a few builds here over the past 3 years that had very few fans. The need for bottom intake fans may depend on how the computer will be used and how warm you are comfortable with letting the graphics card get.
 
Last edited:
harsaphes said:
From Asus.... All ROG Maximus VIII motherboards support M.2 SSDs......am I reading this wrong?

Guess I'm wrong after looking around,but funny it would say that on their site.
Click to expand...

The Maximuss VII Impact (Z97 chipset) has a PCI-E x4 M.2 connector on the PCI-E Combo daughterboard.

The Maximus VIII Impact (Z170 chipset) motherboard only has a U.2 connector. There is no M.2 connector. This is why you don't read about too many builds here with that motherboard. Instead the Z170I Pro Gaming has been the more frequently used Asus model.

I have seen small U.2 to M.2 adapters, but I haven't read about anyone here using one. Here is one: http://www.microsatacables.com/u-2-sff-8539-and-sff-8643-to-m-2-pci-e-ssd-adapter
 
Last edited:
F41LTR41N said:
Thanks for the input! I agree with removing the bottom intake fans based on all the comment I just read.
I've also decided to go for a 960 Pro m.2. SSD and therefore change the motherboard.
Do you have any external USB DAC recommendation?

I still don't who what the best and most silent heatsink and airflow combination is. However one concept that seems to make sense is the following:
1) Intake in front / top feeding directly into cpu cooler
2) Exhaust out rear of case (either mounted onto cooler or rear of case)

What do you think?

0db78f8d41.jpg


Source:
https://hardforum.com/threads/ncase...x-case-updates-in-first-post.1717132/page-531

Alternatively wouldn't solely having an NH-C14 with a 140 mm fan may suffice if I don't overclock? It would essentially act as an intake from the left panel. The bottom would have no fans but the GPU fans would pull in the air. This should all result in a positive pressured case that will naturally exhaust through the top and back, while somewhat keeping dust out. I'm not even sure the second fan under the NH-C14 would be required since it may constrict airflow on a mini-ITX board as opposed to truly helping. If CPU temperatures can remain reasonable with solely this then this might also be rather silent since there would only be one 140mm CPU cooler fan and the native fans of the video card. Can a "less is more" approach work?


I will need to further update this list tomorrow to reflect my final airflow / heat sink / fan decisions.

[PCPartPicker part list](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/zHNdd6) / [Price breakdown by merchant](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/zHNdd6/by_merchant/)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/tdmxFT/intel-cpu-bx80662i76700k) | $329.88 @ OutletPC
**CPU Cooler** | [Noctua NH-C14 CPU Cooler](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/yDg323/noctua-cpu-cooler-nhc14) |-
**Motherboard** | [Asus Z170I PRO GAMING Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/TykwrH/asus-motherboard-z170iprogaming) | $159.99 @ SuperBiiz
**Memory** | [G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/LhgPxr/gskill-memory-f43000c15d16gvrb) | $79.99 @ Newegg
**Storage** | [Samsung 960 PRO 512GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/TstWGX/samsung-960-pro-512gb-m2-2280-solid-state-drive-mz-v6p512bw) | $329.00 @ B&H
**Video Card** | [EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB FTW Gaming ACX 3.0 Video Card](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/bNcMnQ/evga-video-card-08gp46286) | $678.99 @ SuperBiiz
**Power Supply** | [Corsair SF 600W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular SFX Power Supply](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/CQ648d/corsair-power-supply-cp9020105na) | $119.99 @ Corsair
**Operating System** | [Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/wtgPxr/microsoft-os-kw900140) | $88.58 @ OutletPC
**Case Fan** | [Phanteks PH-F140HP_WT 88.6 CFM 140mm Fan](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/4rdqqs/phanteks-case-fan-phf140hpwt) | $33.43 @ Amazon
**Case Fan** | [Phanteks PH-F120MP 53.3 CFM 120mm Fan](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/MwPzK8/phanteks-case-fan-phf120mpbkpwm) | $15.98 @ Newegg
**Case Fan** | [Phanteks PH-F120MP 53.3 CFM 120mm Fan](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/MwPzK8/phanteks-case-fan-phf120mpbkpwm) | $15.98 @ Newegg
**Monitor** | [Asus PG279Q ROG Swift 27.0" 2560x1440 165Hz Monitor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/XvfmP6/asus-monitor-pg279q) | $734.99 @ Jet
**Other**| NCASE M1| $185.00
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The C14 is widely regarded as the best aircooler for this case. If you're not overclocking a single fan will likely also be fine on the side. If you have access to a C14, go for it, it'll perform better than the U9S as it takes air directly from outside rather than the internal air which will likely be heated up due to the GPU. The picture you posted is exactly how I pictured your build haha. I would go with that setup with the U9S, or 2 side fans with the C14 and the GPU by itself again.
 
Qrash said:
4.1: It is possible to mount two 7 mm SSDs at this location using the included stacking brackets. There is a small gap between the two SSDs when they are stacked together so a single 15 mm thick drive like the 2.5-inch format 750 U.2 SSD should fit.
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Sorry but no you can't. I have a 7mm SSD and a 9.5mm Samsung 2TB drive mounted in mine and the SSD sits directly on the Samsung. There is a small gap but not enough for a 15mm drive.

87750ee2e7.jpg


Edit: Sorry I thought you were saying a 15mm in addition to a 7mm SSD, yeah you could install a single 15mm drive there with no problem.
 
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The Silverstone OOD is in fact a rebranded Panasonic UJ265. In my instruction manual (bought a year ago) it even claims it is. Thing is Panasonic no longer makes the UJ265 (I looked into this at the time) so good luck finding one. They make a newer model but supposedly it won't fit the M1. Basically if you want to make sure of compatibility get the Silverstone. Its over priced IMO but what are you gonna do other than get a external unit? Mine works fine although its not the quietest unit when it spins up. It doesn't ruin watching a show however. Just makes a loud click when a disk is inserted and then you can hear it spin up but then it's quiet. Not a game breaker IMO.
 
Skott said:
The Silverstone OOD is in fact a rebranded Panasonic UJ265. In my instruction manual (bought a year ago) it even claims it is. Thing is Panasonic no longer makes the UJ265 (I looked into this at the time) so good luck finding one. They make a newer model but supposedly it won't fit the M1. Basically if you want to make sure of compatibility get the Silverstone. Its over priced IMO but what are you gonna do other than get a external unit? Mine works fine although its not the quietest unit when it spins up. It doesn't ruin watching a show however. Just makes a loud click when a disk is inserted and then you can hear it spin up but then it's quiet. Not a game breaker IMO.
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My two UJ-265 drives are fairly quiet too. I bought them as part of the Archgon CB-5021-GB from Amazon (USA). It comes mounted to a 5.25-inch drive bay that has room under the ODD for a hard drive. The price was decent and it included a Slim SATA power cable that you need for all laptop-style ODD. Unfortunately, the Archgon units are no longer in stock on Amazon, but maybe you can search for this product name elsewhere and still find one. Good luck!
 
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Qrash said:
What motherboard are you using? I had no trouble attaching a 120 mm fan to the underside of the NH-C14 heatsink using the provided wire clips. My NH-C14 is oriented with the ends of the heatpipes towards the front of the case as in this photo:

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Thanks for the response Qrash ! I am using the Asus Pro Gaming and have the same cooler orientation as you. I guess I was just tired last night and not thinking clearly. Didn't occur to me to use the original clips. Tried that and all is well. Now just waiting for Samsung to release my 960 EVO m.2 that has been on preorder for a month. Thank you for your help !
 
Aguda33 said:
Now just waiting for Samsung to release my 960 EVO m.2 that has been on preorder for a month. Thank you for your help !
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Ha! You, me, and probably thousands of others. Where are those 960 EVOs Samsung?
 
Skott said:
The Silverstone OOD is in fact a rebranded Panasonic UJ265. In my instruction manual (bought a year ago) it even claims it is. Thing is Panasonic no longer makes the UJ265 (I looked into this at the time) so good luck finding one. They make a newer model but supposedly it won't fit the M1. Basically if you want to make sure of compatibility get the Silverstone. Its over priced IMO but what are you gonna do other than get a external unit? Mine works fine although its not the quietest unit when it spins up. It doesn't ruin watching a show however. Just makes a loud click when a disk is inserted and then you can hear it spin up but then it's quiet. Not a game breaker IMO.
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There are several UJ265s on the 'Bay for less than $100 - one is $66. I guess you could argue that it's a crapshoot, but so is anything anymore.

Qrash said:
Ha! You, me, and probably thousands of others. Where are those 960 EVOs Samsung?
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Looks like Amazon's changed their expected dates for all Evos to December 10th. Previously, it was Dec 11th for just the 256GB, with the others simply claiming 'unavailable'; so this seems like positive movement.

Still no word on the 512GB 960 Pro that I snagged for $285 (assuming they don't cancel it on me).
 
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Morgon said:
Looks like Amazon's changed their expected dates for all Evos to December 10th. Previously, it was Dec 11th for just the 256GB, with the others simply claiming 'unavailable'; so this seems like positive movement.

Still no word on the 512GB 960 Pro that I snagged for $285 (assuming they don't cancel it on me).
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Damn that is a good deal for a 250GB. I was reading a comparison between the 960 Pro and the 960 Evo, speed comparison was very, very close but the price on the Pro is quite a bit higher. Wish the 960 Evo had been available when I got mine.
 
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Newegg still has the 960 EVOs with an expected availability date of 12/13/2016…
 
Boil said:
Newegg still has the 960 EVOs with an expected availability date of 12/13/2016…
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A couple of days ago B&H Photo had the available date as December 8th, but today the site no longer lists a date, just "Coming Soon".

Hopefully, my pre-order with Samsung directly will be shipped and arrive when these sites get theirs.
 
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