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

Interesting thank you. Strong build and air cooled. If the Aero works without extras, then I’m confident that my ichill works too.
 
Are the Corsair SFX PSUs now the best option?

I put 450W Corsair in my wife’s build and it is SO much better than the older Silverstone 450W unit in mine. I have never heard my wife’s Corsair. My PSU is the loudest component in my build. There have been concerns over the noise level of the 600W Corsair, but it sounds like there was just a few in the first production run that had some issues, so I plan on getting one of the Corsair 600W soon. Most people who have them say they never hear them. (There was a discussion about this over on the Dancase A4 thread. It was the last few posts as of the time I’m writing this)
 
My 600W Corsair SFX is in my Cryorig Taku, and I haven't heard it either- especially over the drone of the Cryorig C7 HSF :ROFLMAO:
 
Yes my fan at my SF450 never spins up in my Ncase M1... even my i5-8600k @ 5 Ghz and GTX 1070 @ 2 Ghz run at 100% load, amazing PSU this Corsair SFX series.
 
Got the email yesterday that my M1 is on the way to me so I think I’ll start collecting my parts. Thanks everyone for all the help, I’ll let you know when I’m ready to get building and let you know how I get on.
 
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Hello everyone! I recently finished my NCase Build, including a tempered glass side panel.
Recently found out that NZXT is going to release the Kraken M22 and since I really love the design of it I was wondering if you guys think it's somehow possible to make it fit in my current build?
I don't want to use the side bracket since I got the tempered glass side panel and that would ruin the looks of it.
Here are some pictures of my build:

IMG_20180321_150053.jpg


IMG_20180321_152643.jpg




Some more pictures with slightly different cable management.

 
Hello everyone! I recently finished my NCase Build, including a tempered glass side panel.
Recently found out that NZXT is going to release the Kraken M22 and since I really love the design of it I was wondering if you guys think it's somehow possible to make it fit in my current build?
I don't want to use the side bracket since I got the tempered glass side panel and that would ruin the looks of it.

The only way would be to flip the power supply, use a 92mm-to-120mm fan adapter and mount it on the power supply fan mount, using the PSU fan as part of a push-pull config. I *think* it would fit if you oriented the tubes down. And it would look cool, especially if you used an RGB fan. However, your temperatures will be worse than with the D9L, possibly much worse during gaming as your open-air GPU will be feeding hot air to your CPU AIO. You'd probably have to reorient the rear 92mm fan to intake, to feed some fresh air into the case. It would work better with a blower-style card... Also, your PSU will be hotter and louder and could potentially overheat and shut down, though if it's an SF600 and you're drawing less than 300W, you should be fine. Games don't usually tax the CPU ALL that much (usually no more than 50-60%), so that setup should work, but would be louder and hotter.

Overall, other than the improved looks, I don't know why you'd want to do it, and there's simply nowhere else to put a 120mm AIO if you want to have a window and a graphics card longer than the PCIe slot. Arguably, the D9L looks pretty badass too. If you're desperate to improve temperatures, the U9S performs a bit better, but not much.
 
I have looked at the detailed spec for GPU compatibility and not previously noted the limitations on 2.5 width cards. My card is 302.5x110.5 and 2.5 slot. I think it should just fit - can anyone else comment and confirm they agree?

https://m.imgur.com/5fktEW1

It’s the ‘maximum length of card in slot 3’ dimension which is troubling me. Does this mean ‘maximum length of a tall card in slot 3’?

It’s not a massive problem if the card won’t fit but if I can stick an Accelero on it - at the very least it will reduce the 2.5 to 2.

Amazon says hwat as does Newegg
Thank you I managed to find a source but it doesn’t seem to be picked up by pcpartpicker which is odd.
 
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@QuantumBraced: thanks a lot for your ideas. I actually thought about something similar regarding the PSU thingy, but don't really know how to get at it and if it's worth to do just for the better looks!
I had the NZXT Kraken X52 in a previous µATX build and I absolutely loved it, thats why I came up with the idea of putting the M22 inside the M1. Maybe somehow has some other ideas :)
 
@QuantumBraced: thanks a lot for your ideas. I actually thought about something similar regarding the PSU thingy, but don't really know how to get at it and if it's worth to do just for the better looks!
I had the NZXT Kraken X52 in a previous µATX build and I absolutely loved it, thats why I came up with the idea of putting the M22 inside the M1. Maybe somehow has some other ideas :)

You're welcome. The reason I typed such a long response is because I've been thinking about this myself as I plan to get the upcoming M1 window panel and I have a 120mm AIO currently mounted to the side bracket on the motherboard side. I plan on mounting the AIO on the bottom as I recently downgraded to a 1050 Ti, which is only the length of the PCIe slot, so a 120mm AIO will fit on the bottom next to it. But with a longer GPU, the PSU fan mount seems to be the only option -- I may test and I'll let you know how it performs, I have a 6800K OCed to 4GHz which draws about 100W at full load. Otherwise, your only other AIO option is the Asetek 92mm to mount to the rear panel, but that doesn't really look good and I think your D9L will outperform it significantly.

Anyway, let us know what you decide to do and post pictures. If you have access to a 120mm AIO, you could get the 92-to-120mm adapter (less than $10) and just try it to see what the temps are. Again, your main issue is that open air GPU that will be feeding the AIO warm air and the PSU even warmer air. You could consider undervolting/underclocking the CPU/GPU a little to reduce TDPs, just gotta decide how much you want that sick RGB fan look.
 
Two questions:

1.) What's the best cooling solution to add some sort of airflow to the motherboard VRM's? I'm running my current build with a Corsair H110i but my Gigabyte's VRM's were overheating, prompting me to start a new build. This time I might ditch the 110i if air cooling combined with case fans will offer better airflow. I'd still like enough CPU cooling to try an overclock an 8700k to 5Ghz.

2.) Custom cables: has anyone done a build with the ASUS ROG STRIX Z370-I and the Corsair SFF PSU's? I'm looking at custom cable lengths because I hate how messy it is inside my case right now with my Gigabyte board, and since I'm re-doing my build might as well organize the cable management in there with shorter cables.
 
Two questions:

1.) What's the best cooling solution to add some sort of airflow to the motherboard VRM's? I'm running my current build with a Corsair H110i but my Gigabyte's VRM's were overheating, prompting me to start a new build. This time I might ditch the 110i if air cooling combined with case fans will offer better airflow. I'd still like enough CPU cooling to try an overclock an 8700k to 5Ghz.

2.) Custom cables: has anyone done a build with the ASUS ROG STRIX Z370-I and the Corsair SFF PSU's? I'm looking at custom cable lengths because I hate how messy it is inside my case right now with my Gigabyte board, and since I'm re-doing my build might as well organize the cable management in there with shorter cables.
1. Depending on your ram and cooler config, the best solution I see is this. A 120 side mounted fan with direct airflow, a top down cooler with good airflow, or perhaps most ideally: a top mounted slim-full width 92-120mm fan blowing directly down over the vrms (with ddr4 orrientation hopefully not blocking the vrms airflow). Worst come to worst you may opt to unmount your IO shield to allow airflow out the back.
 
So basically side and top slim fans, a tower cooler, and maybe a 92mm rear exhaust fan? I'd like to see if anyone's done it. Searching through this thread right now.
 
So basically side and top slim fans, a tower cooler, and maybe a 92mm rear exhaust fan? I'd like to see if anyone's done it. Searching through this thread right now.
Something like that basicly. If you want to do something crazy. You could vertically mount your gpu, put that 240mm AIO in the bottom, and then potentially have more clearance for a full size high rpm fan in the top for the vrms.

(I vertically mount mine so I can say there is enough room for this...depends on things like your motherboard layout though)

Conditions: blower ideal as the gpu could pontentially make VRM temps worse if its a non blower style cooler.

Just my crazy mind making more problems than solutions more than likely.
 
Two questions:

1.) What's the best cooling solution to add some sort of airflow to the motherboard VRM's? I'm running my current build with a Corsair H110i but my Gigabyte's VRM's were overheating, prompting me to start a new build. This time I might ditch the 110i if air cooling combined with case fans will offer better airflow. I'd still like enough CPU cooling to try an overclock an 8700k to 5Ghz.

2.) Custom cables: has anyone done a build with the ASUS ROG STRIX Z370-I and the Corsair SFF PSU's? I'm looking at custom cable lengths because I hate how messy it is inside my case right now with my Gigabyte board, and since I'm re-doing my build might as well organize the cable management in there with shorter cables.

two answers:
1.) a fan
2.) yes
 
You're welcome. The reason I typed such a long response is because I've been thinking about this myself as I plan to get the upcoming M1 window panel and I have a 120mm AIO currently mounted to the side bracket on the motherboard side. I plan on mounting the AIO on the bottom as I recently downgraded to a 1050 Ti, which is only the length of the PCIe slot, so a 120mm AIO will fit on the bottom next to it. But with a longer GPU, the PSU fan mount seems to be the only option -- I may test and I'll let you know how it performs, I have a 6800K OCed to 4GHz which draws about 100W at full load. Otherwise, your only other AIO option is the Asetek 92mm to mount to the rear panel, but that doesn't really look good and I think your D9L will outperform it significantly.

Anyway, let us know what you decide to do and post pictures. If you have access to a 120mm AIO, you could get the 92-to-120mm adapter (less than $10) and just try it to see what the temps are. Again, your main issue is that open air GPU that will be feeding the AIO warm air and the PSU even warmer air. You could consider undervolting/underclocking the CPU/GPU a little to reduce TDPs, just gotta decide how much you want that sick RGB fan look.


Here's a crazy idea:

What if you reversed the direction of the PS fan so that it drew air in from above (beside the AC connection) and then through the 120 mm radiator (via a 92-120 adapter. The SF600 is quite efficient and it might not warm up the air too much. Have a 120 mm fan on the other side of the radiator (pulling air through it). The warm air would be exahusted inside the case but you could exhaust it out the rear. Some would diffuse out the top, especially if you had bottom intake fans.

Told you it was crazy.
 
Here's a crazy idea:

What if you reversed the direction of the PS fan so that it drew air in from above (beside the AC connection) and then through the 120 mm radiator (via a 92-120 adapter. The SF600 is quite efficient and it might not warm up the air too much. Have a 120 mm fan on the other side of the radiator (pulling air through it). The warm air would be exahusted inside the case but you could exhaust it out the rear. Some would diffuse out the top, especially if you had bottom intake fans.

Told you it was crazy.

Or an even crazier idea. Ditch the windowed side panel, mount the 120mm AIO on the fan bracket with an additional 120mm fan to cool the VRM. Now that would be crazy. :p
 
Or an even crazier idea. Ditch the windowed side panel, mount the 120mm AIO on the fan bracket with an additional 120mm fan to cool the VRM. Now that would be crazy. :p

How boring!;)
 
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Here's a crazy idea:

What if you reversed the direction of the PS fan so that it drew air in from above (beside the AC connection) and then through the 120 mm radiator (via a 92-120 adapter. The SF600 is quite efficient and it might not warm up the air too much. Have a 120 mm fan on the other side of the radiator (pulling air through it). The warm air would be exahusted inside the case but you could exhaust it out the rear. Some would diffuse out the top, especially if you had bottom intake fans.

Told you it was crazy.

That may be a better setup, because you effectively again another intake (top) and the PSU, which is the largest potential source of noise, would be getting cooler air vs. intaking thru a radiator. However, I suspect there would be a fair amount of recirculation happening with the PSU intaking its own exhaust. Both setups would have to be tested.
 
That may be a better setup, because you effectively again another intake (top) and the PSU, which is the largest potential source of noise, would be getting cooler air vs. intaking thru a radiator. However, I suspect there would be a fair amount of recirculation happening with the PSU intaking its own exhaust. Both setups would have to be tested.

I think you're right about the recirculation of warm air from the radiator back into the PS. Maybe sealing the top of the PS to the top panel (with soft foam?) and/or sealing the underside of the top panel that is close to PS could reduce the amount of recirculation. It'd be an interesting experiment.
 
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I think you're right about the recirculation if warm air from the radiator back into the PS. Maybe sealing the top of the PS to the top panel (with soft foam?) and/or sealing the underside of the top panel that is close to PS could reduce the amount of recirculation. It'd be an interesting experiment.

Sure, DIY ducts would solve the problem, but they would look pretty ugly, and the whole point of this is looks. I think as long as the CPU is tuned to max power consumption of no more than ~100W and isn't used for video editing or consistent near 100% load and the GPU is not open-air exhausting in the case, you would be fine with intake thru the PSU.

This guy did it:

qfa3FtI.jpg


He posted it on reddit, but no comment on temperatures...

On one hand, you'd think the PSU fan would go into jet engine mode because you strapped a radiator to it. But on the other hand, you have a 120mm fan pushing air thru it, greatly helping with airflow, so that should reduce the need for the PSU fan to ramp up. I think under moderate load it would be fine, but under heavy load, it would be Airbus A380 taking off.
 
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lhIC47fl.jpg


My current setup for SolidWorks, KeyShot, Excel and GTA 5:

NCASE M1 + SFFLAB Window
Intel i9-7900X
Nvidia Titan XP Star Wars Galactic Empire
ASRock X299E-ITX/ac
Noctua NH-U9S and additional 92mm fan (NF-A9 PWM)
Corsair SF600
Samsung 960 EVO

Still need to the following:
1. custom sleeved PSU cables (window makes cable mess too obvious)
2. dual Thunderbolt 3 front I/O module


I will try and post temperatures in APR - time is rare these days.

More info on how the windowed panel affects the system temp is always good.
 
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View attachment 62093

My current setup for SolidWorks, KeyShot, Excel and GTA 5:

NCASE M1 + SFFLAB Window
Intel i9-7900X
Nvidia Titan XP Star Wars Galactic Empire
ASRock X299E-ITX/ac
Noctua NH-U9S and additional 92mm fan (NF-A9 PWM)
Corsair SF600
Samsung 960 EVO

Still need to the following:
1. custom sleeved PSU cables (window makes cable mess too obvious)
2. dual Thunderbolt 3 front I/O module


I will try and post temperatures in APR - time is rare these days.

More info on how the windowed panel affects the system temp is always good.

That looks great. I am also considering switching to the U9S when I get the window, seems to be the best option. You could tuck the PCIe cables behind the GPU a little until you get the sleeved ones.

The X299E-ITX/ac doesn't have Thunderbolt 3, so how would you use it?
 
That looks great. I am also considering switching to the U9S when I get the window, seems to be the best option. You could tuck the PCIe cables behind the GPU a little until you get the sleeved ones.

The X299E-ITX/ac doesn't have Thunderbolt 3, so how would you use it?


I got a eGPU OEM board, I'm turning it into Thunderbolt 3 for personal use.

NCASE is not authorized to sell TB3 stuff, because Intel never got back to us on approval, so it's not something we can sell.
 
I got a eGPU OEM board, I'm turning it into Thunderbolt 3 for personal use.

NCASE is not authorized to sell TB3 stuff, because Intel never got back to us on approval, so it's not something we can sell.

I see. Well please post pictures when your setup is done, I'd be curious to see how you set up the TB3 board and front I/O.
 
The (passive) graphics card doesn't have a fan, but there is a case fan (NF-P12) underneath it.

Huh, I didn't realize that was a passive 1050 Ti. Great choice of components to achieve your goal of a silent build.
 
Wahaha, any chance we will ever get the option to purchase the front I/O bracket? I will more than likely have to fabricate one soon, as I want to delete all the USB and Audio jacks and just have the power switch. I accidentally scratched my stock one when I did the power switch mod.
 
What's the biggest reasonable air cooler that you can fit into the NCASE with an ASUS ROG STRIX Z370-I? Is the Noctua NH-U9S with an extra fan enough to cool a delidded 8700k at 5Ghz?
I'm thinking of replacing my Corsair H100i V2 with an air cooler in order to make it easier to travel with, so I'd like something with more or less equivalent cooling capacity and not loud.
 
I'm 5+ years late to this party but I'm in for one. Ordered a sliver no ODD back on March 22nd. Got the shipping notice yesterday that it's leaving Taiwan.

I've been building and upgrading my own systems for a long time although I don't have near the expertise as many on this forum - I just know how to plug things in - lol. My first build had a 80286 CPU, a whopping 512 KB of ram and a "monster" 32 MB 5.25" hard drive!! I had one of the early VGA monitors - I think it displayed only 256 colors (or was it 16?) on 14" CRT. I guess that all means I'm really old. Anyway I've been long overdue for a new build - it's been awhile - some of my components date back to 2008. I'm ready to down size - I used to do video capture of TV shows and movies and store them on my system - 16TB of storage stuffed into a Lian Li PC-V1000LA Silver Aluminum ATX Full Tower Chassis that cost a basket full of $$. With the advent and maturation of streaming services there really is no need for that anymore.

Anyway, started researching my new build about a month ago and stumbled upon SFFLAB and started digging into the cases available there which lead me to this thread. I started reading from the first post and continued reading clear through to the first production shipments arriving in the US and then jumped ahead and skimmed through the last year or so. Amazing story. If they ever wanted to make a movie about a successful crowd funded project (a la The Social Network) they should come right here. Two guys on opposite coasts that desire to make something better with all the contributions from forum members along the way. One of the two doesn't even get his opportunity to see the project in the flesh for what - about year and half? Then he FLIES TO TAIWAN to personally oversee shipments? Are you kidding me!? This was a hobby after all, right? They could even over dramatize (as Hollywood is prone to do) the corporate rip-offs of your design. Add to that the drama of all the whining and sniveling over design changes (please make it 20MM taller, etc.) and shipping issues. And to top off all that the total class that both Ncere and Wahaha360 have displayed for all these years. Amazing patience and tolerance to all sorts of issues, questions (wish I had a dollar for every time someone was directed to go back and read the original post) and criticisms.

I'm a production planner for one of the largest food companies in the world so have some understanding of the undertaking of at least the logistics what you guys have done. I couldn't be more impressed. I know it's been said many times before but fantastic job guys!
 
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