DAN A4-SFX: The smallest gaming case in the world

Thank you! haha Backplate made ZERO difference. It's the shroud that's actually the problem. Backplate fits fine. It's the XC3 Ultra. I assume the black will fit the same as all the others. The shroud barely fits and so the fans are right up against the side panel.

Is the side panel flex with this trick visible? How much fan clearance do you get - something like 1mm or 0.5mm?
 
It's the shroud that's actually the problem. Backplate fits fine. It's the XC3 Ultra. I assume the Black will fit the same as all the others. The shroud barely fits and so the fans are right up against the side panel.
Okay, gotcha. So the 3080 XC3 Ultra Gaming version fits, and the backplate doesn't need to be removed.

Noted! Thank you! This is really good to know. Cheers.

I had thought the Black version would fit easier, because it is seemingly without a backplate... however as you said, the backplate makes no difference - the snug fit is due... to the shroud!

(It seemed / seems like the backplate is removed on the Black version, based on a comparison of shots showing the end of it, versus say the XC3 Gaming, and XC3 Ultra Gaming which seem to be thicker. Here is the XC3 Ultra which seems thicker, and here the XC3 Black which seems thinner.)

But maybe our DANA4 has enough room to accommodate even those thicker cards / those with backplates.

Thanks again for the clear answers, Sandman.
 
In about a week I'll receive 10x Noctua NF-A9x14 fans (tan/brown) that are of the 2500RPM 2.52W variant that ships with the NH-L9i. I'm looking to sell them for $17 each (shipping included to CONUS, else $15 + shipping,) and figured y'all might be interested as they've been brought up in this thread a couple of times. PM me if you're interested and I'll set them aside from you.
 
Turns out the brackets I ordered for the AXP90R from superbuy were not for mounting the cooler parallel to the RAM. They are the exact same as the ones included. Anyone got an up to date link for those brackets? Has anyone actually tested and confirmed they cool better? I have the AXP90 here ready to install, but I'd rather do it and be done with it and not have to take the build apart again. If it makes no difference I'll stick with what I have, if the brackets actually help I'll order them and wait.
What about your earlier comment worrying about card thickness? Isn't the EVGA too thick?

"It looks like no. They are all too thick :(
Not all have had their dimensions announced yet, but of the ones that have, all of them are 5cm+ and the A4-SFX is max 45mm with backplate. The others don't look any thinner. Keep a lookout for when the dimensions of MSI GeForce RTX 3070 VENTUS 2X are announced. "
They weren't listed on the places I checked, so I didn't know about them. But they look like true dual slot.
 
I also ordered an AXP90R, in the hopes it would be more friendly for ram clearance.
If you have any install tips let me know
 
AMD has introduced its new graphics cards. According to the description the smallest one has even a 2 slot heat sink

The reference design of all three graphics cards is equipped with an almost identical cooler, which offers 3 axial fans.
The reference cooler
the Radeon RX 6800 is 2.0 Slot (250 Watt TBP)
RX 6800 XT and Radeon RX 6900 XT each with 2.5 slots. (250 Watt TBP)
All three graphics cards are 27 cm long and use two standard 8-pin power plugs

Wouldn't such a RX6800 with undervolting to max 0.9v also do well in Dan ?

I would really like to try a Dan with 5800x and RX6800 :). Do you get that halfway quiet ? The thing doesn't need benchmarks only demanding games in 4k.
 
So I have the original DAN case that came out from Kickstarter back in 2016. Due to health and finance reasons I have not been able to use it, but those have finally passed. It is time to build!

The v1 likely has PCIe 3 riser - correct? If so, can I replace that riser with a PCI 4.0 riser?

Anyone have suggestions given that it is the original? On the assumption that I cannot upgrade the riser, I had planned a budget+ Ryzen 5 5600 + value upper range card (6800 or 3070 once I see reviews of each).
 
Sure you could upgrade the riser cable, but the 3M should work with PCIe 4.0 and if it doesnt work, simple disable pcie 4.0 and you are fine.
 
Dan doesn't want to make competition here but what do you think would be the better case for a 5800x/5900x and a 6800XT ? The DAN or Ncase ?

For the 2.5 slot story I could get a spacer. https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/dan-a4-sfx.252/page-199#post-228297

In the Dan one would have to reduce TDP with the CPU probably to 65 and undervolt the graphics card for a pleasant volume ?

I like the size of the Dan. I think it is dead fancy. :/. But I can't decide what is more useful now. This is one of those things where you have to have both cases here and try to change the hardware and then decide :(. It is noticeably bigger and more massive.

danvergleich.jpg
 

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More than the 2.5slot GPU support, it would give a bit more space to the side panels for 2 slot GPUs, too. I had a FE 2060 that didn't have idle stop, and the fan turbulence was the noisiest part of the entire system. In game, I didn't care, but it was just always noisy, and my computer was in my bedroom back then. I found by pushing out the side panel by a little bit, the noise would be drastically reduced. Of course, it wouldn't be a problem if idle fan stop was actually enabled in the first place. Fan stop did exist in the firmware of the card itself, but the drivers forced the fan to be always on.

All of that being said, a big part of the appeal of the DAN A4 SFX, for me, was the uncompromising focus on small size, without actually removing compatibility with parts (I was surprised my massive ASUS 970 fit in there, when the Ncase M1 required removing a side panel clip and required partial disassembly of the GPU to squeeze it in - the V6 would fix both issues, but I was installing it into a V5). I get that GPUs are getting bigger nowadays, but if the A4 SFX is adding a few mm (5mm to be exact) for wider GPUs, it could afford to add a few mm for taller CPU heatsinks, too... Would also allow for more space to offset mount a PSU (for blow-through coolers and 120mm radiators).
 
Dan postet this in a other forum
https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/dan-a4-sfx.252/page-201#post-228548

Request
Yesterday I asked you about what do you think about a new revision of the A4-SFX (named v5) that does have support for 2.5 slot gpus. The response on the forums and reddit was very positive and many customers would love support for 2.5 Slot gpus. Yesterday I read many time "please offer spacer" so I throught around the idea and came up with this. Optional spacer side panels. These panels are some slices every 4mm that are stacked up. So the space you can see in the picture will add 8mm more space. I could be possible to offer these also on the CPU side. The main advantage of this solution is no change required to the original A4 and everyone is able to upgrade.

What do you like the most these optional side panels or a A4-SFX that has 5mm more in width?
 

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Soda is slowly time that I also start to build something.

Something with

AMD 5600X by 300

B550 e.g. https://geizhals.at/asus-rog-strix-b550-i-gaming-a2295415.html?hloc=at
3060 TI Founder Edition for 400 Euro
2 TB NVME SSD e.g. https://geizhals.eu/corsair-force-series-mp510-1-92tb-cssd-f1920gbmp510-a1907873.html Target max 250 Euro
Thermalright AXP-90R Full Copper with Noctua ( can you strap a 120 on it ? )
Corsair SF600
Corsair Vengeance LPX black DIMM Kit 16GB, DDR4-3600, CL18-22-22-42
Dan sfx 4.1

( euros )
250ssd
300 cpu
200 motherboard
400 graka
50 cooler+ fan
230 Housing
20 Ram ( already bought )
125 Power supply unit
-------------
1575 Euro

Do you think this is a good station wagon? I don't want to spend more money. Mainboard I find expensive. I'd like to have the 5800X but it costs too much for it and I only want to spend some money for editing videos. 4k with DLSS on 4k TV with mid to high quality setting or 2k at Epic Details.
 
Hello there,
I have an ASUS Strix GTX 1660 Super inside of the Dan Case. It fits but it's tight and the fans get loud on load because they're very close to the side panel.
Would removing the backplate of the GPU help saving a few millimeters or are there alternative cooling solutions for this GPU?
Thanks!
 
in my own testing, the sidepanels needed to be almost 1cm further away to avoid turbulence noise. I eventually just ran with the GPU sidepanel off.
 
Quick question in respect of the RTX cards which have pass-through cooling. How does the sandwich format affect expulsion of hot air through the back of the card and out into the world? Won’t it just heat up the separator and radiate the heat back at the card? More of a general sandwich-design question really but seems particularly relevant for Dancase.
 
Has anyone tried to fit an aftermarket RX 6800?
I'd really prefer 3x DP, and the only board that looks like it MIGHT fit is the PowerColor Fighter (AXRX 6800 16GBD6-3DH/OC)
 
I am a 3d rendering individual. I do 99% on my 2080. I do use the cpu only if I am doing hand brake encoding which is not often. I just bought a 750x sfx and a Rog strix X570 I gaming.

My memory is
Module Manufacturer: G Skill
Module Part Number: F4-2400C15-16GFX
Memory Speed: 1200.0 MHz (DDR4-2400 / PC4-19200)


The last part i need to buy is a fan. I was looking at the new Dan A4 fan but you need LP ram and I think there was an issue in this MB. I am looking for fans that won't go over ram. What fans will cool a 3900x in a Dan A4 that you recommend? No over clocking on any parts.
I found the QVL for the MB
https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/...d_Gen_AMD_Ryzen_with_Radeon_Graphics_X570.pdf

If I need to buy new ram i will but I have never bought ram that was not on QVL so if you know of any ram that works well let me know.

Thanks guys. I hope to get some return on my Full ATX system. Enough that if i need new memory i can buy it. I will also note I will be getting a 3080 10GB when ever my post in the Evga que gets to me. should be sometime at the end of the year.
 
Hello, has there been any aftermarket product to allow for converting USBA to USBC on the front panel for older A4 cases please?
 
The internal USB-C Cable is a custom one so you can't buy them. This means there is no need to release a hole adapter.
 
The internal USB-C Cable is a custom one so you can't buy them. This means there is no need to release a hole adapter.


Dan, Do you mean these?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/LINKUP-Motherboard-Extension-Key-Connector-Type-C-Panel-Right-Angle-040cm/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cablecc-Header-Type-C-Female-Extension/dp/B0755DDD9B
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Front-Panel-Header-Type-C-Extension/dp/B07V838ST8

I dont think they are "custom" anymore - they're available and plentiful. So an accessory to help us upgrade our sub V4's to modernise them would be great.

As long as they're not $30 or something silly, I'd be in the queue to buy one.

Thanks
 
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Dan, Do you mean these?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/LINKUP-Motherboard-Extension-Key-Connector-Type-C-Panel-Right-Angle-040cm/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cablecc-Header-Type-C-Female-Extension/dp/B0755DDD9B
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Front-Panel-Header-Type-C-Extension/dp/B07V838ST8

I dont think they are "custom" anymore - they're available and plentiful. So an accessory to help us upgrade our sub V4's to modernise them would be great.

As long as they're not $30 or something silly, I'd be in the queue to buy one.

Thanks
his case uses a custom one made specifically for it, you cant be it in retail.
get [H]ard and mod one in.
 
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Top panel

Hi,

my DAN A4 V2 is still sleeping - must be years now... Maybe I can use it as an Office Computer with iGPU standing on the bottom beside my desktop. But if a cup of coffee is spilled over the top, the computer will be kaputt.
So is there an elegant way to close the mesh or some sort of top cover? Anyway I cannot grasp why nowadays most of the ITX cases have mesh on the top. Most people won't work under laboratary conditions so fluids and particles will enter the case and do harm.
 
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Top panel

Hi,

my DAN A4 V2 is still sleeping - must be years now... Maybe I can use it as an Office Computer with iGPU standing on the bottom beside my desktop. But if a cup of coffee is spilled over the top, the computer will be kaputt.
So is there an elegant way to close the mesh or some sort of top cover? Anyway I cannot grasp why nowadays most of the ITX cases have mesh on the top. Most people won't work under laboratary conditions so fluids and particles will enter the case and do harm.
Because with a higher end GPU in the system you might be generating 300+ watts of heat, and that has to go somewhere. In the A4 the GPU, CPU cooler, and PSU fans pull air in through the side vents and exhaust it mostly through the top. Without the top ventilation the hot air is just going to recirculate and cook your components. It's the internal layout of the components and airflow requirements that determine where the vents should be.
 
For anyone looking to buy the Inno3d 3080ti X3, it's a tight fit. I thought it wasn't going to go in at first due to the angle of the card but you need to put some pressure between the front panel and card to squeeze it in. The card is screwed into the pci slot and the top display port is a bit tight.

Cant comment on noise/temps yet because SF750s are out of stock and haven't run it at full power. The 3080Ti on 75% power targeting 65'C is quieter than my AXP90 drone.

IMG_20211005_160237.jpg
IMG_20211005_160253.jpg
 
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