TINY ATX: Sub 20L gaming case project

[StrawKite]

This case project is inspired by an issue presented by my friends, which is:

1. They want a small PC like the ITX builds they see online, but they can't afford to buy everything you would need (SFX PSU, case, motherboard and cpu cooler).
2. My less fortunate friends buy used pc parts to save money. However, the used parts you can find for sale are very often atx size, which makes it very hard to find ITX components, as there is very few on the used market.

So I thought to myself, why can't we arrange the parts they already have in a way which would allow them to fit in a small case.

Therefore I present to you the TINY ATX, a sub 20L gaming case.
A 18,9L ATX case which fits standard sized atx components.

Note: I'm a complete scrub at 3D drawing, please excuse me.

Custom loop:

Spoiler

Note: I'm a complete scrub at 3D drawing, please excuse me.

Size estimate: 197mm x 325mm x 295mm 18,9L

Compatibility:

• CPU cooler height: 165mm (Without radiator on top), 110mm (With radiator on top)
• GPU: 280mm, 150mm, 40mm
• PSU: ATX std.
• Watercooling, as seen on the drawing it would fit a 240mm and 30mm deep radiator and a pump & reservoir combo.

I'll probably make a drawing with an aircooler and a 3,5" harddrive soon.

Please let me know what you think.
~StrawKite

 

[auntjemima]

My concerns are the space required for the water cooler tubing. Once you throw in a full sized cooler on that cpu, it will leave you next to no space in there.

 

[StrawKite]

My concerns are the space required for the water cooler tubing. Once you throw in a full sized cooler on that cpu, it will leave you next to no space in there.

You want to aircool cpu and watercool gpu with a 240mm radiator?

In that case I'd recommend you watercool both instead, would be cheaper and yeld better results.

 

[auntjemima]

"CPU cooler height: 165mm (That's a Noctua NH-D15 right there people!)"

I guess I read it incorrectly?

 

[StrawKite]

"CPU cooler height: 165mm (That's a Noctua NH-D15 right there people!)"

I guess I read it incorrectly?

No your right, you can fit that cooler. You just cant do that at the same time as having a radiator on top. I just thought that would be very obvoius, my bad.

 

[okwchin]

Why ATX when the lower PCI slots are blocked by the PSU? I am not familiar with ATX boards, but apart from the larger selection and lower costs, is mATX or even ITX not preferred with the same layout as it would afford more space next to the PSU for cable management or anything else.

(OOPS! need to read the text before just looking at pretty pictures... Yes. we are talking about SFF with normal ATX gear!)

In this case, yes, the design goal is clearer. my question though, is unless dealing with an existing system, is the cost saving really that significant for a new system? Also, the case would need to be cheap enough to suit the intended market of lower cost full size components.

If there were a saving of 100-200 dollars in components and the case were the same price as a low to mid tier case, I could see this working, as it is still a saving and your getting the same performance in a smaller case for less money. The compromises are that some parts of the motherboard are behind the PSU and its not the smallest ever possible case, but for what its trying to do, SFF on a budget, I can now see why and where this fits.

PSU - a SF450 is worth $90 USD, we can go down to a $40 PSU saving $50
Mobo - best case, take a decent itx $150, we can go down to a $50 atx, saving $100
HDD - maybe we can have a 3.5" instead of a 2.5", saving another $50, or if we are going SSD, have 2x M2 on the mobo.


Question now is really, how much is this case? if it comes out at $150+ each, then its not really going to happen as a cheap ITX case will pay for an ITX mobo anyway, but less than that, and its starting to be justified. If you can get this case really really cheap then you have a potential winner for existing system owners.

 

[StrawKite]

Why ATX when the lower PCI slots are blocked by the PSU? I am not familiar with ATX boards, but apart from the larger selection and lower costs, is mATX or even ITX not preferred with the same layout as it would afford more space next to the PSU for cable management or anything else.

(OOPS! need to read the text before just looking at pretty pictures... Yes. we are talking about SFF with normal ATX gear!)

In this case, yes, the design goal is clearer. my question though, is unless dealing with an existing system, is the cost saving really that significant for a new system? Also, the case would need to be cheap enough to suit the intended market of lower cost full size components.

If there were a saving of 100-200 dollars in components and the case were the same price as a low to mid tier case, I could see this working, as it is still a saving and your getting the same performance in a smaller case for less money. The compromises are that some parts of the motherboard are behind the PSU and its not the smallest ever possible case, but for what its trying to do, SFF on a budget, I can now see why and where this fits.

PSU - a SF450 is worth $90 USD, we can go down to a $40 PSU saving $50
Mobo - best case, take a decent itx $150, we can go down to a $50 atx, saving $100
HDD - maybe we can have a 3.5" instead of a 2.5", saving another $50, or if we are going SSD, have 2x M2 on the mobo.


Question now is really, how much is this case? if it comes out at $150+ each, then its not really going to happen as a cheap ITX case will pay for an ITX mobo anyway, but less than that, and its starting to be justified. If you can get this case really really cheap then you have a potential winner for existing system owners.

Theres another factor too, my less fortunate friends buy used pc parts to save money. However, the parts are always atx size, which makes it very hard to shop around for ITX components.

About price, I want this case to be as cheap as possible, I don't want any profit, and whoever decides to use this layout for a case can decide the price themselves.
Hopefully it will be competitively priced, to compete with everything else on the market.

I cant estimate a production price for you, I know nothing of this subject.

 

[StrawKite]

Update: Added a render with a CPU cooler similar to the Noctua NH-D15.

I'm considering just going with only supporting aircooling so a big tempered glass panel would be possible.

Let me know if there is a certain angle you want a picture of