Building a Tiny Productivity and Gaming PC

[@Jayguevara1982]

That is a crazy sleek case if I ever saw one.

[@2Kaleb]

The Dan A4-H20 is perfection ❤

[@N7CmderShepard]

It really is, I just wish it had a nicer power button.

[@the12gaugeshotty]

It definitely is. I just moved to it a month ago. SFF is the way to go!

[@the12gaugeshotty]

@@N7CmderShepard power button seems fine to me. You press it to turn it on, simple switch and it's small and convenient spot. I really like the simple front IO as well. Single USB A and USB C ports and audio out + mic (even though I use a Schiit Magni Unity for my audio).

[@phizix5023]

I love this case. Using one for a build in my bedroom for 4k 60FPS with a 5800x3D and 7900 XT for a while now. Fits perfectly on my tv stand.

[@taariq5324]

I also have a build in my bedroom using this case

[@FreakishlyTinyWalnut]

Looking to do the same build. What MOBO did you go for?

[@pedrosmmc]

This case is awesome. I use a Ryzen 9 7950X3D, and managed to fit a RTX 4090 FE. Further, I'm using Asus Rog Strix B650E-I motherboard, Asus Loki 1200w Platinum PSU. The top of the case is always really hot due to the liquid cooling, but the components stay in a nice temperature on heavy loads (CPU

[@light.8430]

Transferred my build from the H2O to the FormD T1 a few weeks ago, I also used an Atmos and getting cables to fit in the T1 was a struggle. That difference in 1 liter between H2O and T1 is insane and, and build in the H2O was much easier, and didn't need to swap out Atmos fans either like in the T1. The T1 experience and build quality is absolutely fantastic but it was $230 shipped to the US, but the H2O is $60 cheaper, more available and a little easier to build in, especially for a first time.

[@emiya_muljomdaoo]

thanks im buildling for the first time and this reply help me make decision. im going with h2o

[@Dawelio]

The FormD T1 is an much more premium and niche case/product. Lian Li is an well established case manufacturer by now, hence they have the resources to make the H20 in an much higher quantity and hence being able to keep the prices down. As well as having an much larger international shipping network. Although in terms of quality, the H20 is no where close to the T1.

[@light.8430]

@@Dawelio Yes, it is absolutely more premium, and was worth the upgrade to me, and the building experience was amazing, Ikea style case!

[@Dawelio]

@@light.8430 Absolutely agree. Meanwhile nothing wrong with the H20 by any means. The quality etc of the T1 is just on a whole other level. It's difficult to explain it, it's simply something you need to actually experience in order to really appreciate it.

[@Frnk100]

your channel is one of my favorite ones for SFF builds, always look forward to your build drops. for my 1st ITX build i started with this case and a 13700k, from there a tried different ITX cases with different coolers. The Ncore, both versions of the NRP, Corsair 2000D, open air cases and after selling my previous build im now running a liquid cooled CH160 with a 13600k/4070ti but after all this i think i'm going to circle back to this case. Probably my favorite of all the cases i've tried.

[@itsKEVO]

❤love watching itx builds!! And I love your builds! I’ve been two of your suggested builds and now I’m building an nr200p max

[@JuanCAraujoS]

The A4-H2o is one of my two favorite SFF cases - the other one being the Fractal Terra. Simple but neat, small but efficient, silent and deadly.

[@rarewhiteape]

I've had my A4-H20 for nearly a year now. After some quality issues at first (game crashes caused by a faulty riser cable) I had that all fixed through warranty support and it has been a dream. I have a 7800X3D installed in it with a little Thermalright air cooler, and a 4070 wedged into the back side. Temps in this little case are way lower than the same components installed in my old midi size ATX case.

[@cselig]

Was really cool to see Apollo on your hoodie in the thumbnail, hope you enjoyed it! And amazing video of course!!

[@devyn.johnston]

Thanks man! I miss Apollo everyday! When your app was shutting down I picked up a few items to show support. I’ve rarely used reddit on my phone since because nothing compares.

[@polymathart]

A small, powerful gaming PC combined with a graphics tablet like a Cintiq or a Huion Kamvas Pro would be the dream.

[@officialthestranger]

U a digital artist

[@Lowsky__]

what is that FPS overlay at 1:05 ? ive been tryna find a simple one like it for so long

[@AlteredVisioned]

Would like to know too

[@АвгустПятидесятого]

pls, i need😢

[@achyuthsuchit1445]

Yes please!

[@motolux2954]

Yes!

[@RafaellLycan]

+1

[@Trippze]

why dont you show temperatures when running?

[@pilotr498]

He does?

[@the12gaugeshotty]

Because it runs hot. Your nVME will run hot in this case even with heatsinks on them. But that's okay, as long as they have heatsinks. That 4080 Super is going to poop hot air though make everything hotter. If he didn't switch out to better fans (like Noctua) that have a quieter profile then it's going to be loud to draw out all the hot air.

[@Jacketz123]

@@pilotr498 timestamp?

[@stevenkoo2294]

​@@the12gaugeshotty and it need to be in an 16°c room with air purifier

[@KroeseMaurits]

That 4080 super is going to thermal throttle like crazy. The clearance between the exhaust fan on the back and the psu back cover is a couple of millimeters. Maybe flip the psu?

[@MrMoeJo]

As always, your PC building insights are incredibly valuable! This video on the custom build sparked an idea for my own dual-PC setup - one for gaming and another dedicated to streaming. With that in mind, I'd tweak this build for a super streaming rig by swapping the CPU to a Ryzen 7 8700X3D and opting for an RTX 4060 8GB GPU. Thanks again for all your content! I constantly revisit your videos for inspiration on future builds.

[@pakxenon]

For my A4-H2O, I threw on some fan grills and shoved all the AIO wiring into the top rear cavity with the pump wiring going behind and down to the bottom right. The power extension would go on the motherboard side to clean up the GPU side for maximum clearance.

[@classicaudioadventures]

I went with the A4-H2O for my first SFF build and was surprised by how easy it was to work with. I was initially concerned that the gap between my 4090 and the PSU would be too small for sufficient airflow, but the cooler apparently doesn't struggle.

[@the12gaugeshotty]

Probably because it has direct access to cooler air through the side panel.

[@sm8081]

This case doen not need rgb stuff. Video production quality is at top level. But I’d like to see temps under load (especially nvme’s temps) and undervolting, if needed.

[@JonRacesCars]

Nice build. I love building SFF systems. Suggestion when demonstrating noise levels at 8:08 it would help to mute the background audio.

[@ChipoltleXD]

Recently finished a a4-h20 build a few months ago. Its so nice and surprisingly easy to work in for how dense it is.

[@richardfarmer6570]

Nice build, small and powerful. I was really surprised you hadn't done a build in the A4-H20 before.

[@biernutt9168]

So I made a build in this case using the same AIO, PSU and 4080 FE but went with a Strix 650E-I and 7800X3D. I feel like a few things were omitted in the video. The cable management of the ARGB splitter with the 2 fans and pump block plugged in is a bit of a pain. On the 650E-I all the fan and ARGB headers are on the top just under the rear AIO fan. I ended up routing all fan cables to the back tucking the fan splitter in the gap between the rear AIO fan and case and laying the ARGB splitter cable on top of the 4080 FE. Also you didn't mention but can see in the video you added 120mm grills on the AIO fans. The included cables with the SF750 are mostly fine but be aware the CPU cable is just long enough to reach and using the PCIE cables with the 3 way splitter included with the 4080FE was a non-starter. It's just too crowded and the connector sticks up too far to get the bottom case plate screwed down without an extreme bend in the cable. I ended up having to use a custom right angle cable. Great looking compact build but tight AF in this case. Would have loved to see details of your cable mgmt.

[@namhsaa]

A 7950X3D is definitely overkill even for productivity, I see only a few uses for it so if you're not a heavy video editor or NASA employee just go with the 7800X3D

[@tastyham]

Yup, and 7800x3D is also cheaper for.. better usage!

[@juskim]

I'll take all the threads available for MATLAB :)

[@migueltorcuator2152]

you have no idea what you’re talking abou

[@vinyfiny]

Plenty more use cases than those two that'll take as many threads as you can get. AMD and Intel wouldn't be making high thread count CPU's just for NASA employees and video editors😂.

[@netnomad47]

let him cook

[@Renegade_Rabryn]

Another awesome build video.

[@Gabrilrules]

What was that adapter? At 3:14 and where can I find it please???

[@danilosadorra]

What. is. that. FPS. overlay. PLEASE, somebody's got to know. I need that minimalism! (at 1:05)

[@TheOneCleanHippy]

Would have liked to see the thermals and performance at the end.

[@yeoldepedro]

Why using RGB fans when they won't be visible at all? This just makes the cable management harder and also causing more clutter (and thus worse airflow).

[@reuben142]

7:34 25mm fans + 37mm radiator fits in a 55mm clearence?

[@devyn.johnston]

looks like I misspoke. I said 37 but meant to say 27. The fans are 25mm and the rad is 27mm.

[@DrellKing]

I'll say it again, your cable management is god like!

[@dawsonpoe]

Hey Devyn, have you built or plan on building in a Mechanic Master case? Personally I’d reccomend either the C26 or C28.

[@joaoguimaraes31]

great video! If it wasnt for the lack of dust filter I would buy it

[@EmberIsABrat]

I'm using my titan in the dan case. I have to have the sides off though because it over heats. :( any solutions?

[@Mag844]

There's also the Z690i Meg Unify rocking 3 M.2 slots and Thunderbolt 4 which is a board that i don't see often and currently own.

[@GonzoGaming22]

Great build!! Devyn where did you get your custom cables for the SF750?

[@oakleytrue2414]

how much would this build be? and it look like it should be ok for carryon for travelling

[@Vib1on]

i cant find the super 4080 founder edition will other normal 4080 fit ? i wanna make this exact build also with the nzxt water cooler

[@williamong3692]

You should try the minisforum A990i! It has a laptop i9 processor and 4(!!!) m.2 slots for an itx motherboard (amd has a ryzen 9 too in bd790i but just 2 m.2 slots)

[@coleh1815]

Love the Videos! I would love to see you do a build using the Custom_mod Case SLM1 3.9L really curious about how it does thermally with less room for the cooler. Keep up the awesome work, crazy quality content!

[@WinterKloudz]

This may seem like a weird question, and idk if you actually still use this pc. But I just built the same exact pc using this video. But mine is very unstable, I’ve had multiple blue screens and crashes, replaced the ram, and cpu already, updated bios, messed with XMP settings and nothing has fixed it. Mainly what I was wondering, was have you experienced any instability, or issues with this build/these parts?

[@devyn.johnston]

I hadn't experienced any problems with this build but most stability issues that I've run into was from the riser cable. I would try troubleshooting around that to see if it's causing the issue. Try re-seating the GPU and riser cable connections or potentially trying a different riser cable if you have one.

[@rong.2457]

Same problem here. Windows actually disabled my gpu. 🤔 I may replace the riser cable. *edit* I had a corrupt gpu driver…and, I need to reapply thermal paste to my cpu and AIO cooler block.

[@ajjames1960]

nah u did something wrong, mine is working perfectly and i kinda feel like itx build is no difference to atx build or even matx, i mean like the thermals is good in itx so why bothering going to matx or atx cases then lol

[@WinterKloudz]

@@ajjames1960nah I didn’t do anything wrong, I replaced motherboard with a different brand and it solved everything, guess i just got unlucky

[@ajjames1960]

@@WinterKloudz i see what mobo are u using now? mine sharing it?

[@ZarkinDrife]

I just wish the cooler master 240 atmos white was available in Australia. Would love to use it if I get that iqunix zx-1 case

[@lalosangron]

That mobo is just what I need for.my storage needs, I hope I can find a reasonable priced 4080s to try and recreate it

[@phoenics2465]

This is what i needed

[@csabavass9479]

Awesome build, but can we see some benchmarks and especially thermal readings during full load with Blender, Premiere and gaming?

[@Tech2C]

GPU temps? It looks very cramped in there.

[@Anthexd]

does it fit a nzxt 240 Kraken Elite?

[@jonatandehnisch202]

Velka 7 vs Dan A4? Which is most sturdy for travel and most flexible for graphic cards?

[@thatzaliasguy]

FYI, AMD can utilize CUDA via ZLUDA in these same applications, about on par with Nvidia native.

[@maks-yaremenko]

where to get 4080 super founders edition?

[@impyr3x293]

pls do a follow up video with temp-loads and stuff, considerung the get this full build, so slick!

[@popcornguy96]

How is the graphics card connected to the motherboard when it's at the back?

[@dardo23]

I built in this lian li case. I went as overkill as possible and put in the msi ventus 4090 and i9 13900ks, Its loosing about 7% of performance thanks to itx formfactor against a 13900k in a large atx. I am planing to switching the cpu when new ryzen releases but so far the custom watercool loop is cooling it decently.

[@pepel3d]

why does almost everyone who builds such computers not do temperature tests under load? It looks cool, but it's small and I can't say for sure how it will behave if, for example, I render with the processor for 4 hours.

[@jeremyg2236]

better place to ask such info, is SFF community forums, or SFF pc discord servers. They have various people using their SFF pc for work on top of gaming.

[@AlteredVisioned]

AMD + mesh case + aio, the temps will mostly be good

[@pepel3d]

@@AlteredVisioned 1. This is a mesh case, but it is a small mesh ^^ 2. if the temperatures, as you say, will be good, why not show it in the tests? I'm sure such a computer will be great for games, but for a long and frequent render, I'm not sure.

[@Sergeeeek]

New amd cpus target 95c at full load, so temp graphs will be kinda boring. It will have a higher clock if you have good cooling though or if you undervolt. So instead of temperatures I'd rather see the clocks. I'm using a 7600 in a tiny case (Velka 5) and a tiny small air cooler. When compiling a large c++ codebase it's stuck at 95c. Before undervolting it would run at slower frequency, now it runs a bit faster (100-300mhz difference)

[@HOOKD-UP]

Hey im looking for a small but powerful build for 3d art. Modeling, rendering, animation all within blender and unreal engine 5. I will be using a grahpic tablet with a screen and then also a portable screen, with a wireless keyboard and mouse. Would you recommend this build or something else?

[@I_am_Just_Unlucky]

0:19 Ryzen 7 7950x3d?

[@fairycat]

That 5000T case was super cool. It would be interesting to see Corsair’s mini chase.

[@syafiqaddin2667]

may i know what app you are using for the cpu and gpu performance reading as overlay ingame?

[@Spitsinbums]

hi, how much did this weigh all together? cheers

[@andresbrand9221]

Awesome video. I love the case

[@robjoyce-lifestyle6464]

This is a awesome build for the size, I have a question is it possible to build something this small and have a portable power source to power it when traveling and power is nowhere in sight and one has to depend on power bricks/ power banks etc, is that even possible. Do they make a PSU that can run off of both AC and DC?

[@nayanpitlam5621]

Keep trying new cases Really well made videos mate!

[@alihammad6883]

Gigabyte boards seem to having issues with PCI-E Gen 4.0 Riser cables. Did you face any of those issues?

[@A.H_610]

So if my productivity is about MS office and Pdfs and browser tabs like 30+ and statistical analysis software like Stata and Python. Which cpu is good and future proof for me as I game AAA games sometimes if I have time. 7800x3d or 7950x3d.

[@kingofeveryfries]

he finally uploads 👏

[@whippyy782]

The 14900k is not on par with the 7950x3d. Especially with the compatibility problems, instead of fixing them they created a weak default profile which doesn't perform anywhere close to the 7950x3d

[@calmdownsleepytime]

Love these SFF builds. Fantastic job!

[@jesseyou2]

Anyone know why creators are chosing the Cooler Master AIO compared to others recently? My AIO is almost at the 5 year mark so I kinda wanna replace it before any leakage.

[@NguyenTruong-ko5cl]

the temperature is wild!

[@faridhronianto]

damn watch this video on my saturday night is awesome. thanks

[@rodrigoambriz8421]

How can I get those clean looking stats while playing? Is it a skin for Afterburner ?

[@sam-ut1nh]

it's gonna take me some months to afford to build this, but I'm looking forward to it

[@DwiWahyudi]

software for fps monitor?

[@dhofari9009]

This pc is clean AF

[@JTvlogs984]

still beats my ten series build from 2016 - i7 67k @ 4.5GHz - Z170X Gaming - MSI 1070 8GB - Corsair Ram 30000MHz OC to 3200 - M.2 - SSD's - NZXT AIO

[@grantbrazil8780]

Almost my exact build!! I went with a lot of these components thanks to your videos. Looks great, and well done on the cable management. What temps are you getting during gaming? my 4080s can get up to 75C during gaming, which seems a little high.

[@yamchayaku]

I'd totally go to AMD over Intel. After the nightmare I've been through with the i9-14900, I don't think I'll ever go back to Intel again. I AM however, considering making a small form pc that I can take with me on my travels. This video really caught my interest. I might build this type sometime soon!

[@InNawa]

Is Mini PC like that good for gaming in long term use??

[@thedesignguy9203]

Does it fit in a backpack ?

[@DengueBurger]

Can you build in the SSUPD MESHROOM D?

[@JFlogerzi]

This is my next case! Its perfect.

[@artem.boldariev]

Can you tell me, please: will it handle 9950X alright?

[@kettusnuhveli]

BTW the Corsair SF750 has been discontinued

[@Athasin]

They now have an SF1000

[@megadeth8592]

you can still buy them

[@kettusnuhveli]

@@megadeth8592 nah they rereleased the line like a month ago, the new ones are different and to my knowledge don’t come with branded cables anymore

[@HardwareFRA]

Same Case and same PSU, they fit no problem

[@imsoborrred5422]

what software using for measuring performance in games ?

[@zette4273]

Hows this motherboard doing with gen4 riser? ive seen people complaining about it not wortking unless set to gen3 mode manually

[@hvasya]

I have gen3 version of this case and have issues (at the start of building or if you drop mobo setting to default) with gen4 card 😅

[@ericnguyen0419]

hi devyn, what are you using to measure fps temps etc? is it afterburner? maybe i need to tweak mine cuz yours looks clean

[@gucky4717]

There are a few points I want to mention. 1. Intel can be very efficiant, if you undervolt it and lose some performance in the process. You have to try a few numbers, but it will also fix the instability. Due to the IHS and DIE placement it can be cooled much better then AM5 currently. That difference can easily be 50-70W and you still get the same temps. 2. The 7950X3D still has some issues with assigning cores, which can produce hicups in games for example. And the 7950X3D can run really hot due to the thick IHS, you NEED good cooling for productivity. For gaming it uses the lower clocked 3D-Cores and produces less heat. 3. Socket longevity. AM5 will get Zen5, the next generation AMD CPU, but it is doubtful if it gets another generation after that. Zen6 will have 2x cores and more cores usually need for power. In order to get more power to the socket, you need to change it, thus AM6 for Zen6. Since I don't do productivity on my PC, I'd choose the 7800X3D every time, but not the 7950X3D. A CPU that is undervolted and downclocked by about 10-15% might lose 10% performance, but save 30-50% power!!! Same as GPUs, my 4090 runs below 300W but only loses 5% performance for that. 5% is 2-3 FPS you won't notice, but you notice the quieter PC and less heat in the room.

[@algo7574]

I think the rad is 27mm. Cuz 37mm rad + 25mm fan will not fit in that case

[@devyn.johnston]

Yea I misspoke

[@east_wood]

To clarify for others, this rad is 27mm not 37mm (otherwise it wouldn't fit). If you are considering this case, do not buy an extra thick radiator thinking it'll fit. I'd also avoid using T30 fans unless you have a slim radiator. Clearance is a tight 55mm.

[@Owen_Harry]

55mm of aio clearance. 37mm+25mm=62mm surely it shouldnt fit?

[@justeddm]

Hope you make a video on Dan a3 matx.. since it's my perfect size case

[@robertlucke4964]

Nice build

[@DengueBurger]

12:00 yeah, pretty sad how nvidia will release ~5 different 8GB cards. but only 1-2 12Gb, 1 16GB, and 1 20-24GB cards lol. Like even for gaming, 10-12GB minimum would be nice now. Make 6-8GB cards low profile or single slot. 🎉

[@leakyabstraction]

Great PC case, I still love mine a lot, especially in this silver color. But if someone is considering a build with it, just don't make the mistake of going with an L power supply like I did... it's super tight :(

[@bohemiadre]

Do you ship to vancouver?

[@soup_bone]

clean!

[@69Buddha]

If you were going to go Intel instead of AMD for this build, what MB would you use instead? Great review, btw!

[@nuphn]

The Asus rig b760i is pretty good for 200, u can’t overclock on it but I wouldn’t do it in an itx build anyway

[@lvc1fer69]

How much in total?

[@Nezusuke]

So sad gigabyte mini itx motherboard not sell in Indonesia 😢

[@bohemiadre]

can i buy this setup directly from you?

[@andrewvickers4487]

Can anybody recommend a channel/site for non-gaming builds i.e. iGPU? I know it's less sexy and all but..?

[@deviouslaw]

I would have liked to see it tested.