While it looks nice. I am strongly considering "dumping" the Ncase for a NR200. Feels like the NR200 ticks all my boxes and isnt wallet breaking!
True and one or more may end up on there later in the year as I’m planning to move away from the M1. I want to do a water cooled build in the T1, but I’ll wait until I can get a 3080/Ti (or next gen) to do that as I don’t feel it’s worth water-cooling a 3070 or lower. In the meantime I impulse pre-ordered a Raw S1 so think I’ll move the bits from the M1 into that. I’ll hold the S4Mini until i can get a reasonable GPU that actually fits in it; there is only the EVGA 3060Ti XC at the moment and they are like rocking horse excrement!
What kind of heresy is this?? Raw S1 looks good, as does Dan's proposed B4 vertical case... Still watching the Dan Case C4 development and hope to have one this year if it turns out as good as it promises. That's the only thing that would move me away from my M1 right now.
My W1 is delayed until later in the year (why did I wait for silver....) Hoping I can get a prototype version of the B560 which is a conventional layout sff case (just) with dual 280 rad support.
My Ncase is sitting in it's box - coming soon to a market place near you* - the NR200 is small enough for my needs but big enough to support a 3090FE and, crucially, a pair of roof fans. I'm not a massive fan of the mesh roof panel on the NR200 - it's a bit too fine and blocks a fair amount of exhaust air. Running without it atm and seeing reduced temps - anyone know where I can get me a pair of white plasti-dipped 120mm wire fan grilles? *eventually. probably. when I can be bothered to lay it all out and photograph it....
I know, I know. I'll probably regret it as the M1 is a cracking case, I just feel I want to mix it up a bit and try something different. I must have had the M1 for over 4 years now! The C4 does look really interesting, I've been keeping an eye on that too and may well pick one up if it lives up to expectations.
Ignore the big circle but here is a render. I can’t access the others, as the site they are on is down. Its still being prototyped but currently looking like it fits a 3090FE and ~140mm tower coolers in an Air config. Watercooling is dual 280’s. The other thing is the target price is sub $200, which in the Non-mainstream SSF world is pretty excellent.
My old v2 M1 still does everything I need from a case, so no plans to move away from it any time soon. Then again, I built this PC just over 4 years ago and the only hardware change in that time was a new GPU (remember those?) two years ago.
What's the appeal? When I saw this I had to wonder what the fuss is about - it looks like an NCase layout (good - but you have an NCase already!) with a sub-optimal option for running it as a sandwich. Are there some added features I have totally missed?
They're pretty similar, as you say. For me, I like the 'standard' layout the M1/C4 offers, but I feel the C4 does it with a bit more flexibility than the M1, e.g. the vertical GPU mount option as standard (I have the MNPCtech vertical GPU mount for the M1 but couldn't bring myself to chop the case up!), being able to fit 280mm rads, the ability to invert the case, proper 3-slot GPU compatibility. I know, I know, the NR200 would do most of that for a lot less money and, for the money, it's an amazing case. I very nearly bought one of them to replace the M1 a while ago but they just weren't available But then it comes down to tactility and sense of enjoyment, and I like the feel of, and take enjoyment from, well-crafted things. And I'm pretty sure that if I'd built in the NR200 I'd soon be wanting to replace it with something (entirely subjectively) 'better'.
I can see where you're coming from. I can see for someone with no case, the C4 could be slightly better (as it ought, given the time since M1 launch!). Though I can't say I really see the benefit of the optional sandwich layout myself. I've now picked up some risers for my GPU fans for my M1 and I think I'm now a convert to the exhaust setup - for life. It is so much cooler and quieter to have the hot air pulled straight out of the case instead of cycling within. I imagine the triple-slot compatibility of the NCase would be a lot higher once you get the bulky shroud and fans off of a GPU, too. https://imgur.com/a/r5XYSmf
I like the idea of the choice of classic or sandwich options in one case. I take your point in having an M1 already, but would like to support Dan as a specialist case designer rather than Coolermaster or whoever. It's a academic at the moment, no sign of a better GPU this year, so no real need for change. I could be allowed to have upgraditis after 3 years with the M1...it IS a great case nevertheless. Part of me is still irrationally looking for a decent portable sub 20L mATX case, just because it'd be good to cram all that in. I can't see anything more appealing than the Metalfish S5 at the moment, and am in no hurry to order stuff from China.
Yeah, there is certainly a bit about supporting case designers like Dan as well. The mATX point is interesting, as you'd really only need to add 20mm to the hight of the M1, C4 or NR200, and either rotate the PSU or switch it to the side opposite the mobo, and you would have an mATX case in almost the same volume. I'm surprised it's not been done, but there does seem to have been a bit less interest in mATX since ITX boards became so well featured.
I feel like mATX should get a lot more love really, as it's going to be perfectly sufficient for 99% of users. ITX is enough for 95%+ though, imho. Hardly anyone needs full ATX but they're still the default option for some reason.
This really baffles me - the vast majority only use a single slot anyway but insist on ATX. The last ATX board I had in my main rig was X58, so there's obviously some bias on my part, but still...
