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

noobzilla said:
Finally set-up my Asus Z77 and Noctua C14. I got owned by cables :(

@ Necere. Maybe advertise on pc forums and sites like tomshardware? Or I guess have mods (if you know anyone) bump their M1 reviews and just say it's available for pre-order.
Click to expand...

The bumping of relevant threads should help with reminding people that its available, or get new viewers, and the ability to buy Now and for the limited time left.

I certainly only learnt through a friend, and I have been letting my friends know, and also up on my feed.

Throughly enjoying my case. Un/fortunately I already have two cases, and that seems like enough for my computing needs for many years to come.
 
@Necere: what is the distance from PCIe Slot to TopPanel?

_59a792231fmtqgu4w.jpg


I think about fitting a
be quiet! Shadow Rock TopFlow SR1 Air Cooler
shadowrock0qey2.png

with a ASRock Z77E-ITX


Its gonna be very close because the metal tips. Maybe cutting the tips off?
bequiet_shadow_rock_t9msl7.jpg

bequiet_shadow_rock_t2de08.jpg
 
Those metal tips are the end of the heatpipe. Cut them off and you might as well strap a fan straight to the cpu and hope it doesn't melt. ;)

Modifying the heatpipes is technically possible, but not advisable!
Most of the time you will lose some efficiency in the cooler and it's hard to do properly.
 
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JaccoW said:
Those metal tips are the end of the heatpipe. Cut them off and you might as well strap a fan straight to the cpu and hope it doesn't melt. ;)

Modifying the heatpipes is technically possible, but not advisable!
Most of the time you will lose some efficiency in the cooler and it's hard to do properly.
Click to expand...

I'm sure many of us are aware of this, but for those that aren't: Heatpipes in CPU (and other) coolers are not just bent tubes/rods of metal! They are hollow and contain a coolant that is liquid at ambient temperate, but vaporizes as it is heated. This phase change causes the coolant to expand throughout the heatpipe, and then condense on the cooler parts, thus transferring heat throughout the heatsink for fans to then dissipate.

This construction is actually preferred over solid metal rods, since the liquid can move a lot of energy very quickly - much more so than solid metal. You're essentially using the physics of phase changes and vaporization to your advantage. Note that this is also why most heatsinks with heat pipes have big warnings telling you not to have the ends pointing downward - that's mostly because in such a setup, the liquid would collect on the ends of the heat pipes opposite to those that make contact with the CPU, thanks to gravity. Clearly, that's a bad idea ;)

Often times, this liquid is just pure water, which has a boiling point of 100C at STP. But how, you might ask, can water be used, if it boils after the TJmax for CPUs? Well, when water is inside a heatsink, the heatpipes they are contained in are sealed, with the internal pressure being much lower than ambient. This in turn lowers the boiling point! Brilliant, right?

...Obviously, though, if you cut off the ends of those heatpipes, you undo that. Only to have the efficacy of those heatpipes be all but destroyed. :rolleyes:

Consequently, cutting the ends of a heat pipe is a bad, bad idea. Even if you went with a cooler that uses alcohol or some other liquid that vaporizes at lower temperatures, they too tend to be sealed and kept at a lower pressure, so you'll be certainly be diminishing the effectiveness of the cooler at a minimum. Plus, it's easy enough to mangle these heatsinks while modifications are being made - you have thin fins and relatively malleable pipes at extreme bends that could be prone to warping.

IMO, I would suggest that you find a compatible cooler, or try a AIO if possible, which is just as good as these beefy air coolers.
 
@Necere

I apologize first for my bad english. I do not think it has any noticed that started the Pre-Order. even though I signed up for the email notification, I did not get anything until today. as already mentioned many know I do not know.
 
Tipitip2000 said:
@Necere

I apologize first for my bad english. I do not think it has any noticed that started the Pre-Order. even though I signed up for the email notification, I did not get anything until today. as already mentioned many know I do not know.
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The email went straight to my spam and was lucky to see it otherwise I would be very pissed if I missed it again.
 
JaccoW said:
Those metal tips are the end of the heatpipe. Cut them off and you might as well strap a fan straight to the cpu and hope it doesn't melt. ;)

Modifying the heatpipes is technically possible, but not advisable!
Most of the time you will lose some efficiency in the cooler and it's hard to do properly.
Click to expand...

This saved my Cooler. I never wasted even a single thought about whats inside a heatpipe ;)
But bending should be a viable option.
 
Necere said:
Compared to the first production campaign, the number of orders has been a bit lower. At the current rate, we may reach 500 orders by the 22nd, but it will be close.
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Oh boy, now I really do need to get a second. The resale market will be sparser than I expected.
 
Will this build work? I am wondering if there is a conflict with the PSU and video card.

Intel 4790k CPU
Asus Maximux VII Impact Motherboard
Corsair H100i
8GB Corsair Dominator Platinum
Samsung EVO 840 500GB SSD
Seagate 4TB SSHD
EVGA 780 Ti SC Reference Cooler GPU
Silverstone ST65F-G 140mm PSU
Silverstone PP05-E short cable kit

I already have the 780 Ti. Also would the above fit with an optical drive, another ssd and another hard drive?

Thanks!
 
The ATX PSU is modular and won't fit, you also can't do ATX and 2x120mm rad.
 
gameaholic said:
Will this build work? I am wondering if there is a conflict with the PSU and video card.

Intel 4790k CPU
Asus Maximux VII Impact Motherboard
Corsair H100i
8GB Corsair Dominator Platinum
Samsung EVO 840 500GB SSD
Seagate 4TB SSHD
EVGA 780 Ti SC Reference Cooler GPU
Silverstone ST65F-G 140mm PSU
Silverstone PP05-E short cable kit

I already have the 780 Ti. Also would the above fit with an optical drive, another ssd and another hard drive?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
From the compatibility section on our site:

ATX PSU support is possible using the included bracket with the following limitations:
-Cannot be used with the dual 3.5" HDD cage or 240mm radiator mounted to the side bracket
-Cannot be used with long GPUs (over 195mm), with the exception of 140mm or shorter non-modular PSUs
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Did you read this, and if so, did you have trouble understanding it? Genuine question - I don't want people to be confused about it. It may need rephrasing.

Your PSU won't work for both of the reasons outlined above: it can't be used with a 240mm radiator (H100i) on the side bracket; and it's modular, which won't allow a GPU over 195mm long to fit.
 
noobzilla said:
@ Necere. Maybe advertise on pc forums and sites like tomshardware? Or I guess have mods (if you know anyone) bump their M1 reviews and just say it's available for pre-order.
Click to expand...

MachIV said:
To me it actually seems like there was less coverage on this run. I even missed pre-ordering until two days after the start, because I put too much faith in the notification mail. The email actually ended up in my spambox, which I normally never check. But my semi-compulsive lurking on this thread got me notified anyhow. :)
However last time I saw the first indiegogo through newssites and the like. And then more on the first production. This time however I have not noticed anything. I'm not sure why that is, but my guess would either be it no longer being considered "news" or me checking the wrong newssources. ;)

Either way I'm happy I ordered one. :D
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okwchin said:
The bumping of relevant threads should help with reminding people that its available, or get new viewers, and the ability to buy Now and for the limited time left.
Click to expand...
There's probably a few reasons why it hasn't gotten as much attention this time around. It's not really "news," for one. We did send out a press release for this campaign, as we did previously, but only I think 2 or 3 out of 10 or so it was sent to actually ran it, which is a lot less coverage than before.

During the crowdfunding campaign, we encouraged people to "spread the word" (something the IGG/KS pitch recommendations suggest), which we didn't this time. That resulted in a number of threads being created on various forums. This time around some of those threads got bumped, but it doesn't have quite the same effect when people check it and see it's a year old thread. Or have already seen it and don't even bother checking it. But then again, if they're not even looking at the thread, they probably aren't a potential buyer anyway.

And then there's the issue of the potential market for a $200 (closer to $300 after shipping/customs, for some countries) mini-ITX case with a wait time of a couple of months. It's a niche within a niche. The last year also saw the release of many other mini-ITX cases (250D, Hadron, etc.), which, while they may not be able to match the performance-per-liter potential of the M1, they're nevertheless 'good enough,' and offer a better value proposition for many people.

sVnification said:
@Necere: what is the distance from PCIe Slot to TopPanel?
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~169mm.
 
Necere said:
From the compatibility section on our site:



Did you read this, and if so, did you have trouble understanding it? Genuine question - I don't want people to be confused about it. It may need rephrasing.

Your PSU won't work for both of the reasons outlined above: it can't be used with a 240mm radiator (H100i) on the side bracket; and it's modular, which won't allow a GPU over 195mm long to fit.
Click to expand...

Read it quickly and thought there would be a conflict so came here to make sure. I knew there was a place I could ask questions so I didn't pay attention to the specs on the order page as much as I should have. Okay so it looks like I need a sfx psu recommendation. What should I get to power an overclocked 780ti and 4790k? I'd prefer a quiet one. So with a sfx psu, long gpu,and a h100i, can I fit 2 ssds and 2 mechanical hard drives?
 
gameaholic said:
Read it quickly and thought there would be a conflict so came here to make sure. I knew there was a place I could ask questions so I didn't pay attention to the specs on the order page as much as I should have. Okay so it looks like I need a sfx psu recommendation. What should I get to power an overclocked 780ti and 4790k? I'd prefer a quiet one.
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At this moment the Silverstone ST45SF-G is the only option. It's not very quiet under load (and depending on your luck, at idle either). Silverstone has announced a 600W updated version of that power supply, as well as a 500W SFX-L (130mm long SFX) with a 120mm fan, but there's no release date for either yet.

We don't know the noise characteristics of either, but we can probably guess that the 600W may be similar or a bit better than the 450W ST45SF-G since it still uses the same 80mm fan. The 500W model has a 120mm fan so it has the potential for a lower noise level.

The 600W is a straight replacement for the 450W, so fitting it won't be a problem. The 500W SFX-L should technically fit, but may be very tight for the modular connectors with a long GPU.

gameaholic said:
So with a sfx psu, long gpu,and a h100i, can I fit 2 ssds and 2 mechanical hard drives?
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Assuming you're talking about 3.5" HDDs, only one will fit with that setup. The rest is okay, though.
 
Bobalias_LeShay said:
Oh boy, now I really do need to get a second. The resale market will be sparser than I expected.
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That's actually not a bad idea, unless W360 & Necere also plan on stocking extras to sell for later.

Not sure what their opinion on this is, but I think it would actually be nice if a shop or some individual resellers bought up an extra 100 cases to sell for any folks that miss this run (or for those that haven't even heard of it yet). I personally wouldn't mind paying the extra mark-up, if my only other options were not having one at all or waiting another year for a 3rd run (which may, or may not ever happen).
 
Just checking, where it says

Please note: these are V2 panels, and are fully backward compatible with the V1 chassis. However, the V2 top panel is not compatible with the V1 front panel.

So this just means that I have to swap both the front and the top if I swap panels on my v1 chassis yeah?
 
PolarBear said:
Just checking, where it says

Please note: these are V2 panels, and are fully backward compatible with the V1 chassis. However, the V2 top panel is not compatible with the V1 front panel.

So this just means that I have to swap both the front and the top if I swap panels on my v1 chassis yeah?
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Yes. At least, if you want to use a V2 top panel, you need to use a V2 front. The side panels will work with either.
 
yashau said:
Necere, what are the chances of the V2 shipping before August?
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52.7%.

No, actually, I don't know right now. Paypal is being kind of stubborn about releasing funds atm, and we have yet to schedule production with Lian Li. We should have a clearer idea in a week or so.
 
Necere said:
52.7%.

No, actually, I don't know right now. Paypal is being kind of stubborn about releasing funds atm, and we have yet to schedule production with Lian Li. We should have a clearer idea in a week or so.
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Bitcoin.
 
Necere said:
52.7%.

No, actually, I don't know right now. Paypal is being kind of stubborn about releasing funds atm, and we have yet to schedule production with Lian Li. We should have a clearer idea in a week or so.
Click to expand...

as Optik said, I'm all for Bitcoin.
I'll buy another one if I can pay for it in BTC.
 
so ive been doing a bit of overtime at work lately, which has led me to revise my plans for my M1 V2 when it arrives.

CPU cooling = Corsair H105 38mm AIO on the side mounts
Mobo = Z87/Z97 ROG Impact (i have a 4670K so ill get little benefit from the Z97 board from what ive seen - unless anyone here can sway me that itll be a serious improvement)

and ive been playing about with the idea of AIO cooling my GPU (galaxy GTX 770 GC - which is noisy) using the bottom 120mm slots- working out a way to mount a standard asetek 120mm AIO (H75 for example) to the GPU (in the same fashion as the NZXT G10 with the hoses facing the rear of the case on the GPU and the front of the case at the radiator end. anyone got any ideas if this would work?

can anyone using a waterblock on their GPU give me an idea of the clearance between the bottom of the case and the PCB of a long card? and the approx position of where the AIO would mount on an nvidia card (i assume the majority of the long 700 series card have the gpu in similar places on the PCB?)

thanks guys, itd be really nice if i could get this one off the ground as a proof on concept in the M1.
 
You're not going to be able to fit an AIO kit for the GPU at the bottom. There's simply not enough room.

If you're dead set on going AIO for both CPU and GPU your best bet is two separate 120mm units side by side.
 
vipz said:
You're not going to be able to fit an AIO kit for the GPU at the bottom. There's simply not enough room.

If you're dead set on going AIO for both CPU and GPU your best bet is two separate 120mm units side by side.
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What if you got a really short GPU, like the reference-size 750Ti, then a 120mm rad should fit on the bottom, and even with a 25mm thick fan. The only issue would be routing the tubing, depending on rad dimensions. This is my plan to AIO cool my CPU and GPU, AND have 2*3.5in drives.
 
If you have a 750ti, then you don't need an AIO, it only produces 70W or something.
 
Breex243 said:
What if you got a really short GPU, like the reference-size 750Ti, then a 120mm rad should fit on the bottom, and even with a 25mm thick fan. The only issue would be routing the tubing, depending on rad dimensions. This is my plan to AIO cool my CPU and GPU, AND have 2*3.5in drives.
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well im theorising a little here but given that we have photos on here of people with 240mm rads with slim fans in the bottom mount position, in addition to a waterblock taking up space i may be able to squeeze a single 120mmx25mm rad with (maybe) a 25mm or 20mm fan mounted really close under the naked PCB. tbh i just need someone with a naked card to measure from the lowest point on the PCB to the floor of the case to give an indication.

im not dead set on it, just experimenting and attempting to see how far the M1 can be pushed without going custom WC loop (which i am way too terrified about getting into tbh).
 
Why would you even NEED more than a single 240mm radiator in this case ? I have a Intel Core i5-4670K and an AMD Radeon R9-290X both on a single Swiftech H220 with the standard fans set to be quiet to my ears (I'm not overly sensitive to noise) and it has a hard time reaching 60°C with the fans at 1300rpm on load.

If you want multiple radiators because of random desire, use a case that benefits from them. Having a slim radiator with slim fans squished between the bottom of the case and a single slot GPU waterblock is just wasted.
 
callumbolch said:
well im theorising a little here but given that we have photos on here of people with 240mm rads with slim fans in the bottom mount position, in addition to a waterblock taking up space i may be able to squeeze a single 120mmx25mm rad with (maybe) a 25mm or 20mm fan mounted really close under the naked PCB. tbh i just need someone with a naked card to measure from the lowest point on the PCB to the floor of the case to give an indication.

im not dead set on it, just experimenting and attempting to see how far the M1 can be pushed without going custom WC loop (which i am way too terrified about getting into tbh).
Click to expand...

those pumps in those 120mm AIO are most likely much louder than the fans of let's say a MSI Twin Frozer

Also I highly doubt that there is any space for air flow with a 25mm rad AND 25mm fan. There is barely any with a 25mm rad and 12mm fan.
 
Is there anywhere list of what gpu fit in the case?

I am interested to know if MSI Twin Frozr 4 780 or Asus 780 DCII fits?
 
milkcow said:
should fit in the M1.

It is narrower than the MSI Twin Frozer, but slightly longer (12 inch)
According to the first post cards up to 12.5 inch fit ;)
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Looking at it, the shroud extends the full "height" of 113mm all the way to the end. Since it is over 11", it is going to need to go into the cut-out in the front panel, right? At 113mm, it is just over the 4.4" max height for cards of that length (depending on the precision of the 4.4" limit). If it fits, it is gonna be tight.
 
Geoffrey4283 said:
Looking at it, the shroud extends the full "height" of 113mm all the way to the end. Since it is over 11", it is going to need to go into the cut-out in the front panel, right? At 113mm, it is just over the 4.4" max height for cards of that length (depending on the precision of the 4.4" limit). If it fits, it is gonna be tight.
Click to expand...

if my MSI 760 is really 260mm long
and the Tri-X is really 305mm long

then it should NOT got throught the cut out, but stop 2-3mm before.
There is one of those palstic clips for mounting the side panel at about GPU power connector height which could lead to trouble, however looking at that picture the R9 290 might just perfectly fit in the M1.

6.jpg


NO GUARANTEE :D
 
Geoffrey4283 said:
Looking at it, the shroud extends the full "height" of 113mm all the way to the end. Since it is over 11", it is going to need to go into the cut-out in the front panel, right? At 113mm, it is just over the 4.4" max height for cards of that length (depending on the precision of the 4.4" limit). If it fits, it is gonna be tight.
Click to expand...

Well, look what I found ;)

It fits, but well I doubt darxider recommends a R9 290x with the 450Watt PSU
http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1040648346&postcount=10594

IMAG0438.jpg
 
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