$1600 Dan A4-SFX Gaming PC Build Guide

[@optimumtech]

Would love to do more of these detailed build guides in the future - so let me know if you found it helpful!

[@Zak7]

I think it is very helpful. Thanks dude!

[@joostwagelaar8837]

Could you try to mount a 645lt on the nzxt g12 in the DAN a4?

[@mehirt7431]

Love these builds, I think all you need is to range the price ranges and ur good to go!

[@tomkingston8886]

Yes

[@MrMoschtkopf]

I'd love to see a detailed build guide for the Sliger SM560! Currently planning on one!

[@darkbluedragoon1059]

New favorite KZbinr! I have my A4 SFX and Motherboard, after watching this ordered the black ridge and am really stoked to build. Thanks for the comprehensive build guide, I'm binging your channel and really enjoying it.

[@mauricetrean9702]

Thanks for the input. I just bought the DAN A4 in V4.1 and will soon be installing a 5600X with a 4070 Super in it. Now I have a very basic impression of how the case is constructed. Thanks for that! As far as airflow is concerned, I have to tell you that you are wrong if you install the fans at the bottom with airflow downwards: warm air rises upwards (hot air balloon principle). So you are trying to work against physics. Of course, you are at least leading some of the warm air out of the case, but this rises on the outside walls of the case and is directly drawn in again by the CPU, PSU and GPU... It is better to design the airflow from the bottom (cool) to the top (warm). The case has a permeable top for a reason. Even if only inline fans are installed, the case will not burst ;)

[@AdamNeisler]

Huge props for the amazing sound demonstration of the undervolt @13:50 . The mouse clicking sound for reference was also very nice to hear.

[@mrmacneil]

Maaaaan you got me now trying to choose between this and the NZXT H1 now.

[@Qadi90]

just buy the dan a4 trust me. I freakn love how it looks and it is such a nice clean build once its done. im so thankfull for what optimum tech is doing here. helped me a lot. Also go check out @Glob3Tech for tips and tricks while building in the dan a4. He put so much effort in building and providing "must have information".

[@atthelord]

MrMacNeilPlays I’d say you can’t go wrong either way. A vertical setup takes less space on your desk and if it’s for a rig which is up to a 2070 super, either rig will be fine! I really like the Dan A4 as well, however I still went with an H1 because it comes with an AIO, PSU and looks just so good! Plus, it was quiet enough for me, with decent thermals too 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@she5_madd33]

Me 2

[@nivenisrael1565]

H1 has bad gpu thermals, looks bigger, looks cheaper and is worse value as the aio being included doesnt mean the aio is worth it and it has had price increases

[@NOSfusion]

I sold my Dancase a4 and got an H1. The a4 chassis would heat up, like the entire case, not just one side. The CPU fan was loud, and I tried 2 different Noctuas. GPU was noisy, but not bad. I had a Ryzen 3600 CPU (65w) and Founders Edition 2060 Super. It fit into my backpack which was extremely convenient when travel to LAN parties. Now I have the H1 chilling on my car seat when traveling. Not a big issue. Almost silent operation. GPU does get warm, but doesn’t thermal throttle in any way. Want to see pictures of both? Search my name on Reddit.

[@jakelis808]

Wish I had seen something like this a month ago when I was building my new itx machine. This channel is fantastic, all of the technical information I need, but with a much sleeker presentation that I'm used to seeing

[@memelord_699]

Graphics card de-shroud when?

[@optimumtech]

Next up!

[@memelord_699]

yay :)

[@wamzer2339]

@@optimumtech can you also do in that video a stock fan change to noctua to see noise and thermal improvements ?? for example in ghost s1

[@FordGTmaniac]

@@optimumtech The RaijinTek Morpheus 8057 is releasing soon. Will you be reviewing that as well, since it goes hand-in-hand with de-shrouding the GPU?

[@Hohoho701]

Nr200 custom watercooling build when?

[@bronztech]

Dan a4 deserves to be in the ITX Case Hall of Fame. I have it and thermals are the best out of three ITX cases I've tried

[@odinsplaygrounds]

Aww the kitty inspection. So cute.

[@333Moonie]

Got addicted to this channel back in May and built something very similar back in June! Same CPU, mobo, case (v3), RAM, case fan, and PSU but with a 1080ti and a WD SN750 SSD. Used some 3D printed mod parts from Reddit and the Asetek 545LC with a bigger CPU fan. PSA: You can still wedge a Noctua 92mm slim fan under the Mobo in the v3 case. There’s no mounting holes, but it fits in there nicely with a small bit of adhesive and the vibration pads.

[@Revolve-Studios]

That case is TINY! Makes my NZXT H1 look less impressive, but I love it anyway.

[@HiROmodding]

Thank you so much Optimum Tech! I was personally looking to make a Dan A4 build with this exact price point and I previously had the MSI unify board instead of this ASRock board, I had no idea the cooler wouldn't fit in the MSI board. Glad I didn't order it yet! Thank you thank you!

[@achannelhasnoname5182]

We need more NR200 content :)

[@remy7663]

truth

[@16jiwang]

Best budget itx case air flow was really amazing! Ryzen 5 3600x 2070 super Idle Cpu 40° Gpu 40° Gaming on 2k ultra Cpu 58°max Gpu 67° max

[@markgutierez9922]

Yes

[@haronzatari1446]

A custom water loop inside the NR200 would be nice

[@kaojao12345]

Yes please!

[@arjdroid]

Digging the new logo! Looks super fresh, very fitting of your clean aesthetic!

[@sharlinespinal3287]

These build guides are tremendously helpful and I'd love to see more of them.

[@jazmineash8450]

Congrats on the new intro and profile picture, nice job

[@TY-un4no]

A super satisfying build process! Amazing work as usual!!

[@SWatchik]

Super helpful vid. Loved the description behind all the components and reasoning. Also more cat cameos please!

[@sohhaosean]

We demand the cat be in every video from now on

[@piotrkozowski4230]

3:45 would love to see review of that mobo

[@MaelosV]

Thank you for this. I'm still stuck on the Formd T1 as I miss the CNC feel of my old Caselabs case. I would like to hear more about the Ryzen vs Intel chip decision when it comes to gaming vs multitasking. I like my 1400p screen but can't really feel/tell much difference with the 144hz. I think I'd personally rather have more cores for multitasking with multiple monitors like I do for work and when at home. Thank you for the quality of your videos. I wish I had the time and could dedicate myself as you do to learn then teach things to the best of your ability. Please keep it up and hopefully one day I can contribute as you do.

[@b6s4shelter]

When can we expect other configs video in NR200 case?

[@steveseeger]

Yes!

[@markgutierez9922]

Yes

[@Gymliftpeep]

yes please I'm loving these series

[@26107011]

Need more cameos with that furball in the future

[@nateaugustine1172]

After almost a year of attempting to de-clog my current rig, gonna be throwing most of this in a Sentry 2.0. Thanks for the fantastic details and peaking my interest in undervolting, the office is a fair bit warmer than the rest of my place so time for some science!

[@ZeroDividesByYOU]

THANK YOU FOR THIS! Planning to put my current hardware in this thing, and I'm so HAPPY you made this guide. I've been obsessing over your reviews and videos on the 645 LT and the Dan Case A4 for weeks. Can't wait to watch

[@xXYasiirXx]

I'm gonna save money to build this beautiful peace of art

[@r1ftx]

I just finished my first build, and I saw this video when I was looking for what type of pc I wanted, and it helped me choose a design similar but with a nr200 and a 3070.

[@QuantumBraced]

It's pretty awesome that this board has 2 M.2 slots on the front, no other ITX board I know of has that. Great for cooling. ASRock always pushes the envelope in SFF.

[@richardfarmer6570]

Great video, nice to see the Dan A4 still getting some love.

[@Hiiipowerdanni]

I love these small builds!

[@pumpuppthevolume]

u call that small :P jk

[@austinzhaotjuaika]

I happened to pick the same exact CPU/MOBO/RAM combo in my recent gaming PC build!!! Other components in the build are: - WD BLACK SN750 500GB, - ASUS ROG Strix RTX 2080 O8G, - Corsair SF600 Platinum, - NCASE M1 v6.1 (CPU & GPU both sit comfortably in the M1 case and are both hovering around 65-70 degree during intensive gaming sessions), - Noctua NH-U9S. With only $159 (which is in the same ballpark with ASUS b460/h470 ITX boards), ASRock Z490m ITX/ac gives you the ability to OC the 10600K and have a memory frequency higher than 2,666 MHz (compared to the B/H series ITX board). Like you mentioned, the power delivery on this board is not as beefy as some of the higher-end Z490 ITX boards, but it should be able to handle the 10600K without any problem. I wonder how this board would perform when paired with 10700K or even 10900K, in terms of VRM Temp. & OC Capacity/Stability, etc. I really enjoy the ITX-focused contents in your channel - please keep doing what you're doing now and keep the fantastic contents coming!!!

[@onetrick8944]

i followed this build and made my pc with this case, i love it. Thanks!!

[@QuantumBraced]

10:38 Someone has been benching...

[@Bonercondoner]

I just bought the Dan case v4.1, so I’m very happy you made this!

[@bellonamars2541]

I couldn't purchase the Dan case. At least not in a timely fashion. Ended up buying a NUC 10 instead. No regrets here.

[@poragon]

Same here, and I'm sure you'll condone my current reaction to the purchase. How are you planning to build your Dan A4? Kinda running into dilemmas here and there.

[@ruachpneuma5638]

Which motherboard you going to get for the case and graphic card?

[@poragon]

@@ruachpneuma5638 Hey, I ended up getting a 2080 Super (founders if I can get it, otherwise the Zotac AMP). For the Mobo, I'm going for the AsRock B550i Phantom because I THINK the heatsink is low enough for the Alpenfohn Cooler to fit. Haven't put everything together yet, waiting on the small fans and GPU to arrive.

[@goldencarpbread]

@@poragon I also bought the same Mobo with the alpenfohn cooler! Haven't received the parts yet though. Would you mind letting me know if you run into any issues regarding clearance?

[@romanch2]

I pretty much replicated everything that you did! It came out pretty good! The case took the longest to get.

[@jolness1]

Undervolting definitely helps a TON. I am still using my 1080Ti FE and with a mild undervolt, I am hitting higher boost clocks (about 35mhz on the core), thermals are around 76*C vs pegging the 83*C limit before. This in addition to lower fan speeds (about 700RPM). Blower card finally tolerable for noise. Your guide was massively helpful for me. Also, Love this video, would love to see more build guides.

[@arnavprabhakhar]

When's the NR200 custom loop video coming?

[@steveseeger]

The people have spoken!

[@markgutierez9922]

Yes

[@timbuktimbuk]

Cat the inspector 😼

[@cid386]

Your videos are nothing short of amazing. Keep up the great work.

[@TheCuttz1984]

Even tho I just finished a itx. This makes me want to do it all over again. Supper clean setup

[@Kennephus]

Great walkthrough! Would love to see a budget version of this with one of the ~$80 cases out there and a 3300X/1650 Super to show not only how approachable the process is, but also the price point. And such a system would have a phenomenal upgrade path. Maybe pair that with your next budget case review? :)

[@Helixan]

You should check out his Silverstone SG13 build - I think it was $900 and had a H55 AIO and a 1660 super.

[@DrewwNM]

I like the new clean intro!

[@MrApplegummy]

I did a exact build like this for 1150, I love it !

[@omegaelixir]

I like how you say Coo-Say for Corsair

[@BlissOn47]

Nice logo update 👍

[@peez8]

First video I've seen of this mobo, glad to see it shown! I have one in a ghost S1 with a NH-L12S, unfortunately had to remove the big MOSFET heatsink 'cause the l12s has to be horizontal, cannot fit vertically, be warned!

[@eldeni24]

One of those videos where one like is not enough

[@ancapeancape9829]

Man can't wait the 3070 upgrade of this build, love your content man, you are awesome!!

[@alexalonso828]

Loved the old logo for this channel

[@TheJarJarKinks]

Any cat: *appears on camera* The entire internet: *"MOAR"*

[@yiepie9822]

Was going to build in the same case with the same budget. Couldn’t’ve come at a better tome!

[@christopherchristopher4820]

love those deadlift calluses man, dont think i missed em

[@atthelord]

Man I’m looking forward to your NR200 custom loop video and the H1 mods video! Can’t wait !

[@trentdale]

This was really funny to watch because I JUST bought almost all of these exact same parts to put in a Nouvolo Steck. But it makes sense because my parts list was heavily influenced by your content.

[@DireAxis]

Very interested in this as gaming/work pc, though with an AMD setup. the manufacturer site mentions being able to mount two 2.5 HDD's or SSD's depending on PSU, which is of immense interest to me since I have a lot of Games and some media I'd like to keep internal for quick access. Wondering what PSU would best fit the setup to allow that. I like the idea of being able to invest more in core components while maintaining respectable thermals and the small footprint.

[@RingoDX]

Been mulling this over for a while but after watching this I ordered my A4-SFX last night! Hoping to pick up an ampere GPU for this in September. Will be my first build...all in anticipation for Cyberpunk 2077.

[@telvinsnider8797]

Same here, I want this to be my first build with cyberpunk 2077 with ampere gpu

[@RingoDX]

Telvin Snider looks like the new 3080 FE isn’t compatible with the Dan A4! Any thoughts on what you’re going to do? Hoping we see an AIB small enough with the right fan set up!

[@telvinsnider8797]

@@RingoDX hell I was looking for the dan a4 but didnt have any luck on finding one in stock.

[@telvinsnider8797]

What budget you have in mind also

[@RingoDX]

Telvin Snider Thinking around 2k USD all in? Depends though, I’m based in Tokyo and part prices seem to be higher here.

[@danielkgr]

Great video on the Dan A4-SFX! Would be great to see more of those! Got the A4.1 version and just installed the Asetek 645lt a few days ago. If you experience too much noise from that fan on the bottom, you can install a mesh in front of it. It has a problem with the distance to the case somehow...

[@arvinsim]

Very tempted to replace my matx build with a mitx build right now. But I ultimately, I would wait out for the NVIDIA GPU and AMD CPU releases later this year.

[@Lollakuk]

Hey dont forget RDNA2! 😉

[@MRacer001]

im in a simillar situation myself, i bought the dan case a4 v4.1 just as lockdown was kicking in globally, after i bought mine it was basically sold out everywhere, but ive been saving up since for the new cpu/gpus, the wait is killing me!

[@BoiSoth]

Love this build video and your content in general. I am building one similar but with the MSI z490i Unify, which the Alpenfohn BR barely clears the IO, but fits without modifications 🙃.

[@joaoaraujo3112]

I have this case and I love it !

[@aliff3968]

Crisps as always

[@aadityabrahmbhatt]

Really good you changed the logo and intro new one looks way better!

[@BARBELLS-AND-BUDS]

I really like the size of this build! I love my NR200 for its size and power, but this is cool for a bedroom pc or a portable one!

[@BBoYSHaDoE]

When did you change your logo? I like the simpler new logo, not that the old one was bad. Keep up the good work!

[@imthe13thdoctor]

nice new intro graphic!

[@dragoncrystal24]

Yeeessss thank you so much I've been planning on building a sffpc this year. Debating between Dan A4, Velka 5 and the T1

[@RindosRides]

I have a customlab case, basically a A4 but tiny bit smaller. It comes in handy if you move your pc around a lot, as it can fit on say a window sill. But if your going to keep the pc stationary mostly then get the T1

[@georgioslogothetis5008]

new logo, new intro... cool! :)

[@victoravila2518]

Love your vids! Keep up the great work!

[@hellishgengar2473]

You should make an Ncase M1 V6.1 build guide in this format ! Love the videos Ali !

[@ermacstudios]

I would love if you did a motherboard review of that specific board, and the AsRock B550M-ITX/ac board as well. I've been arguing people do not need the $300 boards for ITX cases, and both these AsRock boards are the only reasonably priced boards for ITX (for AMD and for Intel)

[@FreeLEB]

I love you man , ya keep posting such videos. :*

[@seeyditti]

CPU fan direction? Should the label on the CPU fan be facing the mobo or facing the radiator?

[@IbizaStyler]

It was very helpful - especially for an itx system! I would love to see a water cooled build guide

[@ecube7395]

I'm using the Noctual Chromax L9i cooler with my Dan A4 and it is solid! CPU i5 8400.

[@SteadfastWL]

the Dr. Zaber Sentry 2.0 is still my favorite SFF case

[@sig7813]

You make amazing videos. I am sad i didn’t find you much earlier. Will be catching up

[@KvnOrdnz]

Any reason why you would want to run the bottom fans as an exhaust and not an intake? Wouldn't you want to intake cooler air and let it naturally exhaust through the top/back?

[@ZeroEight]

put painters tape along the bottom of your FE RTX card, and it will force all the hot air up and out of the case. my testing has shown a drop of about 10C under full synthetic load on my RTX 2080 ti when doing this in the A4SFX

[@JamesWilbur]

I'm actually finding this to be really helpful and inspiring - though I feel bad now for going with the Ryzen 3600. I almost feel as if I should've just bit the bullet and did some upgrading but I figured it would be the best bang for the buck since I got it at around 160$ US. Awesome build - I'd love to see you do one using the RVZ03 from Silverstone or perhaps even the Mil08 case with the handle just to see how a pro would handle heat management in either build.

[@ftj8279]

Ryzen 3600 is perfectly fine, still holds the title as the best value cpu for gaming out there. He also mentioned that you'll only lose about 5% gaming performance, which honestly speaking won't be noticeable to most human eyes.

[@cerme92]

Man definitely your contents deserve more views and your channel more subs! I understand SFF is the focus of the channel, but I'd really like to see some builds on more easy/affordable ITX case. What do you think of the MetallicGear Neo Mini V2? Cheers!

[@joshw1526]

Surely the money saved on the CPU and the motherboard by going for a Ryzen 5 would be better spent on a graphics card?

[@ALmaN11223344]

Really depends, you can get a 10700 or 10600 and a cheaper mobo and still have superiority over Ryzen for gaming, and only a couple % less than the top end K series parts. Ryzen definitely runs cooler though, I can’t break 70C with a cryorig C7 CU in my A4 no matter what the workload is, granted I’m undervolted.

[@joshw1526]

@@ALmaN11223344 I suppose going for a non-K CPU and a non-Z motherboard would reduce the cost quite a bit at the cost of overclocking. Plus you have a stock cooler which I normally recommend to delay an extra cost (assuming stock coolers would fit and perform well enough in whichever case)

[@cwill2127]

How many people realistically need over a 2070s though? I’d prefer to ‘splurge’ a little for the 10600k vs any ryzen as the cpu cannot be upgraded easily or on its own (assuming you’re a normal person who doesn’t upgrade your cpu every year). The gpu can be upgraded later on down the road if you so wish and you’ll only have one thing to buy vs two

[@happyrobot6396]

no reason to be buying ryzen when these 10th gen intel CPUs exist. 10600k is better than the 3600 and same price.

[@lilyusi]

Please do more step by step build guides if possible for ncase m1, sidearm t1, etc... Really needed something like this since I've never built a pc b4.

[@argodark-blade2791]

Something to note on the newer Dan Case model, make sure to get a compaible motherboard for the front usb-c plug if you plan on using it. Last I checked there weren't many available mobas supporting it so it limits your choices

[@massiveheadwoundharry6833]

Last computer I put together was a mini-itx in a lian li case. It was a little tricky getting the fullsize gpu in and had to modify the case, but I love the small form factor. And the case has a beefy handle on top so taking places, though rare, is super easy.

[@SilverBullet159]

I personally went with the Corsair SF750 Platinum, the SF600 kinda has a weird Fan Curve which made it a little too noisy for me. Maybe the Kingston A2000 over the Crucial P1, because the A2000 has better specs overall and they almost have the same price (at least in germany) But great video as always! :)

[@suti9563]

Nice new logo

[@darkktint5974]

I need at least 18 to 20 liter build. keep up to good work. my next build will be a high end itx build.

[@yazurah389]

Nice intro !

[@corneliusotto4737]

Would you still recommend this with the next Gen GPUs? Im considering a i9-10850k + a RTX 3080, but I somehow worry about temperatures. Id ofc install the bottom 92mm fans, but is there anything else? Deshrouding is not for that case, right?

[@scottik]

Hi @Optimum - why does this setup produce better thermals with exhaust fans on the bottom instead of intake? I thought I'd need to use intake to encourage airflow upwards and out the top of the case.

[@Malysitos]

How convenient, I was considering making my first PC build in this chassis, except I will be doing it with the Asetek 645LT 92mm liquid cooler... oh boy, it’s gonna be rough

[@JoshHarmez]

Great video! Thanks for the upload. I wonder how these new reference Nvidia cards are going to go in a sandwich layout.

[@wolfajk3029]

Bloody starting to love this channel. I love tiny pcs as I hate having a giant protruding tower... Now most other channels don't seem to care for small cases... The average consumer doesn't even use more than a single pcie slot, 2 DIMM slots and maximum 2 sata connections anyway, so why not build smaller? I feel 7-15L the thermals are safe enough too and noise isn't an issue either as well, it's just the graphics card that'll produce noise. So I'd just like to say a big thank you for making these videos, I think a video with some extremely comprehensive tests of thermals between 7-15L would be good however, ideally the same setup in each case too?

[@Helixan]

Really cool vid! I just built my Dan A4 a month ago but went a budget route for £720 (almost all second hand) with a MSI 1650 super gaming x until the new GPU's come out. For your fan config you set the fan as exhausting air out the bottom? I currently have my two case fans pulling air up through the top - does your setup improve thermals significantly? Thank you for creating great content.

[@glkcox]

Yes, I'd like to see the thermals with those fans pointing up instead.

[@DavidMadariaga]

hi, i hope you are doing great. Can u please make a build with this case and a ryzen 9 with the 3080 PLEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASE?

[@ygdiget4119]

T1 build guide please!

[@valentineli305]

It's nice to see you mention the fan header splitter in your build videos. Is it the second time after the NR200 video? After some research, I found that noctua 120 pwm fans use around 0.1a, and a 1A 12V header could easily accommodate multiple fans with a splitter.

[@der_rechtsamwald]

You can build it cleaner by routing the power cord and the pcie cables thu the front

[@BopNiblets]

OCUK told me September for next stock of Dan cases, I want to do a 3600 build in one.

[@ivansemin6980]

buy it from w360

[@Cptn_Fabulous]

W360MOD has a fresh batch of v4.1s that are still in stock (and in both colours)! Be warned though, they don't ship to every country. I live in Australia, and had to get it shipped to the U.S. and utilise a third-party service to get it from there to here.