Water Cooled Mini-ITX Review: Dan Case A4-H2O Thermals, Noise, & Cable Management

[@GamersNexus]

What's next? We're going to knock out a couple more ITX cases before we publish a full methodology standalone piece -- we want to see how the thermals & acoustics trend with different parts to figure out the final test direction. Watch our Fractal Terra review for some more ITX testing context! kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnzMd55tqaeHgsk And support us on Patreon if you like this direction & our inclusion of community input! www.patreon.com/gamersnexus

[@andrewleno591]

Thanks for the review, this topic is really interesting. I'm currently looking for a smaller case. Planning to have a small render PC with 16C Zen 7000 or future 8000 series. Something which will have very good performance in Corona and still affordable for regular mortal humans and it must be a small factor. In parallel I'm interested in gaming laptop, with two M2 slots, fully on AMD because of their drivers... they are really user-friendly and modern. I know what I'm saying, I have Asus Zephyrus G14 gen 1 with 1660ti max-q, Nvidia drivers are just from stone age... also having 6900 xt in the current full tower PC.

[@TripleKhaos]

review of lian li q58?

[@v1nnyc]

SSUPD Meshroom S or Corsair 2000D, if they ever get released how about the Cooler master NCORE 100 or Streacom FF1

[@r.andy27]

Velka 7 rev 3.0 please

[@PrankstarDK]

DAN Cases C4-SFX. IT has a unique approach to SFX with the reversed mobo layout for gpu to have intake from the top. Could be interesting to see how it pairs up with this unique layout with various fan layout to prove their statements for the optimal airflow layout in a gaming SFX.

[@nerfherder6166]

A few tips: 1. If you want to air cool, it's totally doable. The Thermalright AXP90-X53 is made specifically for this case. It works great with a couple Noctua case fans up top. 2. Try routing the CPU power cable behind the motherboard and the 24 pin power cable behind the PSU. I have a Corsair SF750 and the included cables are the perfect length. Cable management is beautiful. Just make sure the GPU is mounted on the outside slot as in this video. I did get a 150 mm VGA cable from CableMod which also fit my RTX 4070 FE perfectly, but that's not necessary. 3. If you're air cooling with top mounted case fans, use a wooden chopstick to flip the PSU switch without taking the fan mount off. 4. For AM5 users, do NOT get the Gigabyte B650i Aorus Ultra if you want to air cool. The daughterboard is completely inaccessible so you have to connect the case fans via molex, and one of the board heatsinks makes most CPU coolers (including the AXP-X53) unusable. The ASUS ROG Strix B650Ei works great though.

[@roethle]

Great tips, I am working through part select for this case right now.

[@Jake_Create]

I'm running both this case and the B650i Aorus Ultra, and even though the daughterboard is obstructed the only things that are inaccessible are the Sata headers in my experience (Which aren't really important given the case and that you can fit 3 M.2's onto this board. I'm also running an EK Nucleus 240mm cooler and that isn't obstructed by any parts of the board. (As a note, I'm running 6 fans off the motherboard, replaced PSU fan, Noctua 92mm slim over the M.2, 2 NFF 12's in the top, and 2 slim arctic 140's as a GPU cooler mod and it all works flawlessly off the motherboard!)

[@IRefuseToUseThisStupidFeature]

But I want to know how it compares to the other cases of similar size. Not knowing how it compares to the terra makes it just as much of a shot in the dark as buying either without either review.

[@dickinathaniel2250]

I'm using an ID Cooling IS55 in this case, motherboard ASRock B660M ITX, plus 2 Noctua fans S12 Redux on top, love it 👌

[@johnsimons7846]

​@@dickinathaniel2250the ID cooling IS55 fits? I was looking at that cooler but thought it wouldn't fit due to being 57mm? Also seen another guy struggle to get the side case on

[@ressarts]

Love to see Gamers Nexus review SFFPC cases and mention about all the positives and negatives that go along with them. It is great that you are continuing to make tweaks based on feedback from the community and even greater when you stand by your previous methods while defending those decisions. Very much looking forward to more SFF case reviews!

[@colbycapps508]

As a system integrator that solely focuses on SFF builds, I love your SFF reviews for being able to both see my own research confirmed, and still learn new things about the cases that are helpful for me to take back to the workbench and tweak configurable options on my website. As a small business still growing the company, I don't have the means to always put this level of reasearch into each and every case, so it helps me out a lot.

[@Kiragenn]

This has got to be one of my favorite cases. I am personally running my set up with an rx6800 and 5800x3d, plus custom cables, and I’m getting amazing temps / noise. The fact that you can stick a 4090 and a higher end cpu with minimal compromise is wild. No need for a giant 40L case when the A4 H2O can handle high end components with ease, and save space!

[@mddunlap03]

I don't know I think it's going to get a bit warm with over 3x the heat inside

[@Digi20]

@@mddunlap03the GPU wont care much as it draws outside air, in fact this setup is better than in many big tower cases for GPU temps - CPU temp however will definitely rise as you are dumping all the GPU heated air out through the radiator.

[@aaronzahorski9809]

I have the same RX 6800 and 5800X3D combo but I used the Fractal Ridge since it’s for a living room gaming console using ChimeraOS. This combo works great and once I undervolted the 5800X3D temps are great with a Thermalright AXP120-X67.

[@maximus3294]

​@@mddunlap03look at the sffpc subreddit and you'll see plenty of users with such systems 😉

[@michaellvoltare]

I'm surprised you can fit that, what 4090 are you rocking? I have a Gigabyte 3090 OC and it barely fits.

[@lennard9331]

I'm really glad you're reviewing mini ITX cases these days. There aren't that many reviewers out there who do so (Hardware Canucks and Optimum Tech are the most notable other channels who review them), so, despite ITX being a smaller niche, it's great for the people who want to get into SFF builds and allows would be SFF customers to discover the good/bad options on the market. Great job!

[@Kelekona_808]

I think with ITX builds when it comes to cable management, many builders will opt for custom length cables to fit the case runs with little slack left over. Reducing the need for cable management.

[@iqcool]

I just upgraded my rig with this exact case a month ago, and I have since decided to invest in 2 short 8-pin PCIe power cables from Cable Mod to cleanup some of the excess cable clutter.

[@jimiscott]

Yes - It helps, but you if you send a bit of time routing the cables properly instead of GN's bowl of spaghetti you end up with a very clean solution (which my Dan A4 H2O is).

[@captainminxley]

Agreed. I have this case too, with a modular SFX PSU, an RX7900 XTX, and two additional 40mm fans, and my cabling is a heck of a lot neater than GN's. Having said that, Steve did not state the obvious in that you can't see the cabling with the panels on!

[@chadhowell1328]

@@jimiscottexactly what I was thinking. This case can be really clean with just a little time routing cables along edges etc

[@Spentalei]

As a long time SFF builder... No. Whatever Steve is doing is the norm lol. That's just a downside to SFF.

[@adrianfitzpatrick4638]

Yay just built one of these for my son. Wasn't an easy build, but it's great looking and worth the sweat, tears and cussing.

[@GamersNexus]

Nice! What components did you end up using?

[@adrianfitzpatrick4638]

240mm aio, obviously, i5-12400f, Rx 6700 xt, 2tb pcie4 m2 nvme/ 32mb ddr4 3200..... Not the highest end build , but a step up from his i5-7500/gtx1060 he's been using ((with no issues really,) since 2017.

[@adrianfitzpatrick4638]

And no RGB nonsense.

[@jwillsher80]

@@adrianfitzpatrick4638 Which AIO? Honestly, one of the most difficult things to do from a part picking perspective, is finding a compatible AIO for that case. From a testing perspective that must be a pain in the ass to find one universally compatible.

[@svn5994]

It's really not hard to build in these cases.

[@BeeseChurger07]

I must say, the EK basic 240mm cooler just makes the cable management and the tube routing just chef’s kiss in this case. Stylish and looks super snazzy, can keep most of the cable management in the floor of the case and pulled up where you need it. GREAT REVIEW, can’t wait for more ITX content!!!❤

[@richsnapp6149]

i have this case with the EK basic 240 and i agree with you, it's like it was built for this case. unfortunately the last i checked EK doesn't sell it anymore!

[@BeeseChurger07]

@@richsnapp6149 a few months back they still had the RGB 240mm, but they did discontinue the basic! A shame, the all black pump block with the EK logo looked super clean with the black aluminum panels.

[@silentnative0134]

I have had mine for almost a year now. I have a 13600k paired with a 4080 and it was a little bit of a challenge, but that is the fun with SFF builds. My thermals are great and the whole system is quiet. The other cool thing you can do is make custom fronts to the case that are easy to remove and install via magnets.

[@roman993_]

Ended up building in this case last year, and I'm glad you guys finally have done a comprehensive review of it. Was a little tough, but worth it for my use case!

[@DChosenOneD]

The DAN A4-H20 had me interested in comparison to my current NCASE M1 v6.1 due to being a slightly smaller footprint (12L vs 12.7L) but being able to fit larger GPUs. I'm really interested in seeing the NCASE M1 EVO once people are actually able to test it to see how it compares to other popular ITX cases out there like the Meshroom or Meshilicious. Great work with the ITX reviews especially with the SFX vs SFX-L considerations.

[@EverythingisFire]

I miss my little M1 (V3? I think). I upsized to the NR200 but want to shrink back down again. Maybe to this!

[@watercannonscollaboration2281]

This was my personal build’s case before I switched to the SSUPD Meshlicious. I went with a Corsair SFX PSU and the cables it comes with are braided an shorter, which made it great for this case, and unlike the OG Dan A4 which I built in, you don’t really need custom length cables

[@jakehutchens]

Absolutely in love with this case and that's what motivated me to build a new rig after a decade of sticking to my laptop.

[@Didymuss1]

Very happy to see another ITX review, small PCs are awesome. I particularly like the editing to show footprint on the desk, very well done and a good idea to show a rough expectation of what it'll be like. The only other ITX case I'm really interested in now is the Meshlicious/Meshroom, and you've got one of those, so...

[@richardfarmer6570]

I built in the H20 with the same AIO and this model has 400mm tubing and Dan recommends routing the tubing below the PSU rather than above. I would also recommend getting yourself a Corsair SF750 just for the better cables if no other reason. It's fairly easy to hide away the fan cables which would have made your build much cleaner.

[@djentleman7]

I love the professionalism and eloquence in your reviews, but also importantly the light hearted humor as well.

[@vincenttam8642]

I put a 7800x3d and 4090 in this case, it's pretty janky to build but the thermal performance is pretty great for such a small case. I think it's a great case.

[@MrTekniqs]

What cooler did you use?

[@vincenttam8642]

@@MrTekniqsFor the CPU AXP90-X47 copper, for the 4090 it came with AIO (MSI Suprim Liquid X)

[@magenof1440]

@@vincenttam8642does such a tiny cpu cooler prevent the 7800x3d from thermal throttling?

[@vincenttam8642]

@@magenof1440 yup never had any thermal throttling with the 7800x3D. Max temp under 10 mins Cinebench R23 stress test were 81C and for gaming CPU around 60~65C, GPU 55~60C. Perfectly acceptable temp. But I did -25 Curve Optimizer under PBO2 for the 7800X3D

[@captainlooney4356]

I’ve built 3 PCs using this case and it was such a pleasure to plan out the build. With m-ITX cases you really have to build in a particular order to get better cable management and also get it to fit properly sometimes. It’s sleek has great thermals. It can even fit a Strix 3080 Ti.

[@EverythingisFire]

I'm heavily considering this. I've built in an Ncase M1 (My first build ever) & the NR200. I really like this sammich type layout vs conventional.

[@HiddenGhost00]

What 240mm CPU liquid cooler would you recommend for this case?

[@AdroSlice]

For AIO recommendations, I used an H100X with Noctua fans, routing the hoses from the left up , around the block and to the right through the top gap at the PSU bracket. It's a very clean run like this, however I'd recommend either securing the hoses in a way where they won't interfere with the fans, mounting the fans between the radiator and the bracket, or using some fan grills to prevent the fans scratching against the hoses or other cables.

[@thestig8061]

I built my first PC in this case a few months ago. I built mine to a $1,000 budget, and chose to forgo the AIO in the interest of allocating more budget to the GPU. To anyone thinking of doing an air cooled build in this case, it does work nicely, and you can put two 120 mm case fans in an exhaust configuration where the AIO would go to aid airflow. Again, in the interest of budget, I'm using the stock Intel RM1 CPU cooler on my i5 12400, which is admittedly quite noisy under load. My GPU is an overclocked and undervolted ASRock Challenger Pro 6750 XT (2735 MHz, 1125 mV, +15% Power Limit). Both the CPU and GPU are running a custom exponential fan curve. My temperatures are as follows: CPU (Idle): 41 C @ 33% PWM CPU (Gaming): 75 C @ 100% PWM GPU Hotspot (Idle): 47 C @ 0% PWM GPU Hotspot (Gaming): 90 C @ 65% PWM GPU Edge (Idle): 43 C @ 0% PWM GPU Edge (Gaming): 68 C @ 65% PWM Ambient (Idle): 41 C Ambient (Gaming): 53 C

[@IRefuseToUseThisStupidFeature]

Thank you for sharing the details, it's not as controlled as GN but at least I have more idea than with the liquid cooler.

[@stevenstemmler7573]

For ITX case reviews one of the biggest frustrations I have is a lack of size comparison/perspective. While I appreciate that the dimensions are as simple as looking at the numbers, I would love it to see a side by side visual comparison with other ITX cases you are reviewing, but also place a common object beside the case for sample perspective. I think a can of pop is a common and standard size object, as well as an average ATX case (so long as it is always the same one). The other element in size comparison is travel for a full setup. I am currently looking at replacing my MSI Trident X 9th - a 10l PC case. I relocate for work every 6 months and I am sure I am not the only one who wants to have the portable system that is not limited to a laptop that can be set up and taken down for rapid transitions.

[@kevinkinneyak]

Ive built in two of these. My current build is a 13700k w/ an evga 3080 ftw3. I even managed to fit some t30 fans in it as well. Ive built in the Dan a4 sfx, sentry 2.0, NR200p, Ncase m1, as well as other lesser known itx cases and i have to say this is my favorite so far. For aio cooling this is one of the best cases that balances overall size and component compatibility with performance. To Steve's point, this would be a little more difficult to build in for someone just beginning to build in ITX cases because of the cable management, but if youre willing to be patient id reccomend giving it a try. Custom cables make it incredibly easy and tidy if youre willing to spend the extra cash.

[@PhilfreezeCH]

8:00 I agree the number is useless. I think what people actually want is a phonearena style overlay of the footprints some well-known or comparable cases. This gives a good impression without requiring us to open inkscape and draw the dimensions ourself. You can find similar graphs quite often in SFF forums to quickly compare different footprint shapes and sizes.

[@neo0031]

I have been running this case for a year and I am still watching this.

[@joemarais7683]

No shame in reaffirming your buying choice by watching favorable content about it. Especially with this case.

[@b34k97]

I’ve got this case and I love it. It’s my second ITX case after one from Sliger. The DAN was half the price, has a smaller footprint, and easier to build in. Definitely a home run in my book. I’ve got a 4090 FE, 5800x3D with the EK 240 water block and squeezed in some Phanteks T30s. It stays nice and cool, and while a bit loud a max load, I’m usually gaming with headphones, so I don’t mind it.

[@nebularazer]

I recently build my first SFF PC in the A4-H20 with the same Fractal AIO (non-RGB version) and must say that my cable management is way cleaner than you guys make it look in the video. I even have less room on the GPU side as i choose an 4070Ti. I only bought an extra 12VHPWR cable for my Corsair SF750 to avoid using the bulky NVIDIA adapters. I think the lack of cable management in your system might shine a bad light on SFF Builds.

[@FrozenMilkOnACloudyDay]

Love mini itx form factor, wish there were more options but things are improving Can't wait for more reviews

[@TheRoarer]

I always wanted a A4, but never was in a position to build a really modern pc. I finally had the opportunity and went with the A4-H2O, 13600k and Powercolor Red Dragon 6800 XT. It was not particularly PLEASANT to put together. It also took quite a bit of undervolting to get things quiet and cool. But I'm so pleased with the result. I love my computer.

[@Craftimonium]

Thanks for releasing another video for my case! I think you’ve inspired me to take it apart and rebuild it to its fullest potential

[@lastink444]

Absolute gem, please do more reviews of this type (SFF). Especially interesting to see the difference between AIO and air coolers in these type of cases

[@ravika1206]

I picked up an H2O when they first came out and it was an absolute nightmare trying to find a cooler that would fit the Z690 boards at the time, all of them had massive blocky heat sinks that had most everyone trying to find a compatible cooler for. I contacted a few AIO suppliers for accurate pump block sizes for measurements but only two ever got back to me, those being Fractal and Phantex. I ended up going with the Lumen S24 as well, but opted for some slim Noctua fans to help with my cable routing since it was all so tight on the Asus Z690i with a EVGA 3080 FTW. A massive gripe I had with the Dan case was changing from a PCI gen 3 to gen 4 raiser. The hole spacing and thread pitch they use for the gen 3 riser is different from the gen 4 cable, so I ended up having to use calipers to measure the standoff side and thread pitch (which was the standard motherboard size) and order them off Amazon in a 50 pack. The S24 since had a recall and the new version I have preforms a lot better and the tubes are also less rigid helping with fitment. Last thing to touch on, there are MAJOR issues with the Z690 itx boards from all manufactures with Gigabyte even issuing a recall for their boards. I went through 3 replacement Asus Z690 I boards along with replacing all components after the second board, new 12700k, 970 evo ssds, Corsair ddr5 ram, raiser cable, power supply and GPU in my attempts to troubleshoot the constant crashes without a blue screen. After changing to an MSI Z790 board I haven't encountered a single issue with the PC and it's been very smooth sailing. Anyway! Thank you so much for reviewing these cases, it's awesome to see the ITX form factor getting some love and I hope companies take notes!

[@Im_Behind_You]

I love the return to case reviews, you helped me a lot to pick the best possible case (Fractal Torrent, obviously)

[@schassis_eddi]

Wow, I followed this case in 2017 and waited... and waited... and waited... and then got the Fractal Terra case. This case was what a lot of us wanted on SFX forums

[@TechyBen]

Even without your amazing thermals/tests, these videos are just great to see your expertise in understanding which case for which use case/customers/comparisons. :)

[@sprK92]

I own both this case and AIO. routing the tubes underneath the psu helps reducing clutter a lot. Also there are good options for air cooling too, like the thermalright x53

[@ChineseMannequin]

With this move towards itx reviews, I am hoping that the GN team will start testing some more low profile CPU coolers such as the thermalright solutions available. Noctua is great but more options is more better.

[@aaronzahorski9809]

Agreed, and a great case to review them in would be the Fractal Ridge, just did a build in one and used a Thermalright AXP120-X67. It’s working great, tried an ID-COOLING IS-55 first but had clearance issues with the power plug.

[@manoli.160]

Just here to say thank you very much for your honesty and detail in your content. You showed class during LTT scandal and always liked how you test cpu air coolers with crazy detail and even measuring vrm temps. Keep up the good work 👏

[@drinnee]

awesome to see a build and review on this one. i moved into this from an NR200 and was very happy with both the aesthetic and performance. cable management is truly rough but i already had some custom cables so they do help a bit.

[@jimiscott]

Built this with a 7950x, an nVidia A5000, ROG STRIX X670E-I MB, Corsair SF750 and the NZXT Kraken Z53. The cable management was a bit of a pain, but with a couple of custom cables and some clever routing the build is very clean. Tips as follows - I have routed the power cable and the 8 pin ATX in between the radiator/fans, I have routed block pump cables for the Kraken to the top of the case and under the motherboard, the 24pin ATX cable has been combed up and then immediately routed down between the motherboard and power supply cage (it's tight but works). As Steve mentioned there is a lot of space at the bottom of the power supply (use it). There is also a bit of space at the front of the case.

[@markfelton3484]

absolutely love the itx case reviews. seems like the market is shifting towards sff builds as the quality/design of the cases are improving faster and faster

[@physicsnerd02]

Thank you for validating a choice I made 15 months ago :) Really this case is amazing and performs well. (12700k/3070ti). I bought angled adapters for the GPU power cables to help with clearance on the bottom, but otherwise it was surprisingly easy to build in for a case this size.

[@jasnix]

Built 2, one for myself and one for the neice. Would definitely recommend a ek dark aio an Lian unity 120mm fans to reduce the cable clutter. Custom power cables may help as well. But it runs like a champ.. if you have animals or high dust in the location cleaning the rad on a regular basis is a must

[@Kato0909]

I struggled with 6800xt fitment into my similar SFF case, but from 2021. It was designed in the pascal/polaris Era, and supports only 2 slot Cards. I greatly appreciate the larger space for the Graphics Card in this case, but Terra looks much more interesting on the outside. Keep em coming, I'm looking forward to more SFF case reviews.

[@ThisMoose]

I have a 7950X3D & 4090 FE in mine. Cable management wasn't the easiest thing ever, but it wasn't that bad. Temps are surprisingly good.

[@edgenutcry]

Which aio did you buy?

[@froobly]

I've got one of these. Got decent cable management over the MB by cramming excess cable lengths wherever they'd go under the PSU or in the GPU compartment. I got an RX 7900XT in there, so it came down to pushing the cables on one side until the PSU fit, then pushing back from the other side until the GPU fit, and repeating until eventually the mess was sufficiently hidden. I call it the "guests are coming in an hour, toss everything in the bedroom" strategy. The Corsair 240mm AIO has a much less bulky CPU block so the tubes were able to go around into one of the suggested configurations with only a little bit of trial and error. One thing that I wish I'd understood better is that just because it's physically small doesn't mean it doesn't take up space. A giant GPU in a Mini-ITX case generates the same amount of heat as it does in an ATX, so the thermal footprint is gonna be the same. Yeah, you don't have metal physically preventing you from putting it in a nook, but you'd better maintain at least a foot of clearance over the top because hot death is gonna be pouring out of that radiator. Lastly, the aluminum cover is a static hazard. Do not try to ground yourself to it when you're plugging in headphones or something, because it's not grounded. Instead what happens is the charge arcs to your video card which throws it into an error state and you have to reinstall the drivers to make it feel alright. All that aside, I really like the case. It's really pretty, fits components that have no business being in an SFF case, and even with all those caveats is still easier to work with than most SFF cases. The components I've chosen can chew through most graphics-intensive games, and doing that in a case this size feels like I'm cheating nature somehow.

[@endlesstechandgaming]

I love this case, I built two. Although it cannot accommodate larger graphics cards with more than 322mm in length, I can still fit a 4090 Founder's Edition in it. Great thermals and awesome compatibility with a bunch of ITX parts. You'll definitely need to do research on the parts you're putting together before buying it.

[@finalbag858]

as someone still using their dan a4 case, custom cable length is very important to any sff build where you care about cable clutter. Keep up the good work, I'm hoping yall find me my next itx case for me, so i don't have to do any work to figure it out. Most interested in the sub 10L cases though, these bois look chunky to me..

[@Eunoseer]

I built a budget/low power machine in one of these a few weeks back. I had helped a friend diagnose a faulty motherboard and had ordered cpu/ram/mobo for that. I was left with a Ryzen 5500 and 16gb DDR4 and decided I’d use them instead of adding them to the hoard. In my case (no pun intended) I ended up running with the stock stealth cooler with a bit of foam to seal the intake against the side panel. I also slapped in a couple of spare 120mm hyte fans I had laying around in the top. It runs relatively cool and maintains boost clocks consistently while gaming and benchmarking, but that’s down to the 5500 being what it is not the prowess of the case for air cooling 😂 I only really had an SFX-L power supply option available in my budget and time frame when I was ordering parts for the build. I would 100% recommend going with the SFX over SFX-L. The extra space to stash cables would have been a huge help. I also had to double-sided tape my SATA SSD to the back of the power supply because I couldn’t mount it to the bottom panel with the SFX-L. I did also find that if I had it in that position, the SATA connector seemed to interfere with the spine of the case?? However that could be down to the combination of parts and cables I had laying around. For graphics I took a punt on the arc A750. Impressive benchmark results and no thermal issues in the case. I’m now living the arc life of watching for game and driver updates to improve performance on titles I like to play.

[@BMUproject]

I have this case and I love it. It was a *pain* to build in, but well worth it. I had to reverse engineer the Corsair h100i pump so that I didn't have to deal with the huge fan/rgb controller, and I got a custom PSU->GPU power cable to free up internal space and airflow. It fits a 7950x and 4080, and performs amazingly.

[@surrogatpappan]

Tightest build of my life. Took way longer than anything else even though components that were going in were just a few. But I'm glad I did it. It's been performing great for me. Above expectations since there's little room room for air. I might regret writing this before watching the entire video...😅

[@Ben-AP]

I spent a lot of time researching ITX cases for my build earlier this year, and the H2O came very close to winning. Ended up going with the Iqunix ZX-1 though. Would love to see a review of that too if you decide to get more cases. Personally I'm really happy with it

[@swizzler8053]

Had the case and cable management was a nightmare. Really loved the small size. Review the Jonsbo VR3 and the meshroom s if you guys have the chance. Keep up the great work you guys and stay safe.

[@svn5994]

A. Use a good PSU with good cables (SF750) B. It actually requires you to use your brain C. Buy custom cables from an independent maker rather than CableMod

[@RemedyTalon]

My current case and I love it. The best layout for a SFF case imo. I currently have a 5900x and a MSI Ventus 4080 stuffed in mine and the temps remain very low and I was able to hide all my small wires, it looks very clean.

[@sffbuilds5242]

ITX builds require a thoughtful selection of components, it's a part of the fun/challenge.

[@tr4nnel752]

I really don't see how you can call this case expensive. It includes a PCIE 4 riser and the component compatibility for this small form factor is top notch. I also think it looks the part and is of decent quality. It's a steal imo.

[@Bagheera98]

I think it's due to nzxt SFF case where they blueprint with a PSU & water cooler alongside a case all for $200

[@Mr_Elg]

love these ITX case reviews! A review of the Formd t1 would be amazing!

[@jwillsher80]

A couple small build notes I experienced. Pull the slack of the Fractal Lumen AIO tubes into the GPU chamber, space permitting. This will help prevent bowing of the motherboard case side panel by those same tubes. My final comment regards the pump acoustics; the pump is a 3 wire plug and can be slowed down to something less noticeable. If you do not slow it down, it *CAN* be noticeable. I also opted to replace the fans with inexpensive Noctua Fans. Edit: This may be a n00b hint, but drop the harder to get to screws into the holes on the motherboard like the lower corner, before you install the motherboard. The magnetic tip screw driver could not reliably hold the motherboard screws.

[@jamieknight326]

Fantastic review. Really useful as I work out options for future builds. I have a suggestion for a future video. I’d love to see a video where you work through the process of building a PC to fit a specific small space. Something like an ikea cube bookshelf. It would help put the ITX PC builds in context.

[@wertywerrtyson5529]

I used to be all in for Mini ITX a decade ago but I’m so glad I went back to ATX. I don’t miss how little space there was to fit things. Not being able to use most GPUs because they were too big and even if you do fit it my hands couldn’t fit to work with components and any little thing basically required an entire tear down of the entire case to reach. I never want to go back. If I need something small I use something like a NUC with an iGPU. For regular cases I instead go for as big as possible these days. Especially since graphics cards get bigger and bigger and I want support for 360mm AIO.

[@KYSMO]

Including protrusions should be a must. If a case can't fit inside a shelf that is 1mm longer, taller and wider than what one's case is advertised as, then one has scammed me. I am glad that you are choosing to include protrusions.

[@erpetter]

I've had this case for a longer while on my secondary PC build. Switched from a larger ITX (non-SFF) case and the experience assembling it was quite straightforward following the order in the user manual. Making it look good inside and managing the cables is another thing. Depending on the AIO the tube routing will be either be easy or a nightmare. Mine fits only in one orientation on the CPU and the tubes would initially touch the fan blades. Had to carefully bend and guide them for a better fit. Adding good ol' fan grilles might help a lot. The case also messes with your brain: even when fully assembled it doesn't heavy but oh boy does it surprise you when lifting it up, this thing is dense!

[@joshua33112]

I really like the “chimney” effect of the top fans on this case, and I feel like it should be a standard practice for case designers to try incorporating top fans to draw hot air away from the system.

[@killerful]

Plus an exhaust setup in ITX cases work best

[@NotTheBobby]

I almost wish Steve would release a more condensed version of these case review videos. I end up scrubbing through a lot. It's just a case.

[@leakyabstraction]

I was waiting for this review for months, and then annoying KZbin didn't notify me of it. I love this case - my only gripe with it is that my M2 SSDs, both on top of the MB and underneath it, are being absolutely fried. The idle temp of my Samsung 970 Evo Plus (located underneath an Asus ROG Strix MB heat sink) is reported to be 60+ degrees, and from what I remember the active operating temp almost reaches the manufacturer stated limit. I'm using it with an EK240 AIO, but the fan cable management is a pain even with that, so I want to look into replacing the fans with a newer one that has cabling/connectors integrated into the fan body.

[@DrewSchaeffer]

Have this case and love it! Glad you reviewed it and brought some attention to it. Thanks

[@Arthzil]

Got the Meshroom from SSUP and I'm pretty happy. The shitty thing they did is making the second generation without any notice or even updating factsheets with sellers. Because of that I'll likely be cutting the top bracket to fit my GPU although the side panel has been hanging quite well on a double sided tape. Thermals are phenomenal.

[@gzfelix]

I am rocking this case with a 5600X/EVGA RTX 3090 all air set up. It has been very quiet. Works great for me. One thing to note - I believe eventually most ITX case owners would go for custom cables to avoid cable management. I got some pslate cables that work perfectly with my PSU, motherboard, and GPU combination.

[@thelastdwemer]

What kind of CPU cooler do you use? It looks like it has clearance for a low profile CPU air cooler, but I'd be curious to know just how much leeway there is in practice.

[@gzfelix]

@@thelastdwemerit’s an ID Cooling IS-55 with a Noctua low profile A12x15 fan. The fan slightly touches the side panel but the fan blades don’t. The panel deforms slightly due to the protrusion but it still works fine. Lower profile cooler like the Black Ridge might work better

[@thelastdwemer]

​@@gzfelix That's good to know. I use a 47mm Silverstone in my current SFF build and that would fit perfectly with room to spare.

[@satoriikei257]

have been using this case for about a year and love it. Pretty easy to build, good cooling. The only gripe i have is that the gpu which actually needs fresh air might end up facing the wall. And one usb-a is wasted (only one is wired to the front panel).

[@bgrossish]

This was a great review. Looking forward to more of these. Would love to see you review the JONSBO N1 Mini-ITX NAS Chassis. I think it would be a great off site server.

[@dunastrig1889]

Awesome! Love the ITX case testing, maybe the Meshroom D and or the Shift X?

[@Phelper99]

12:23 There are two screws holding the PCI extension to the case. It's been a common problem that it shorts out something, sometimes when the desk gets jarred or the case jarred, causing a lockup/reboot. I finally, after many months of dealing with these reboots, googled it, and found it was common. Removed the screws, and it's never happened again.

[@Grgxr]

Great video as always, would love to see NR200P, Meshilicious/meshroom or Fractal Ridge next.

[@nameresu]

This review stopped me from ordering freezer 2 for this case, thank you.

[@ak48disk]

I have a 7800X3D and 4090FE in this case, it's great. Two A12x25 fans constantly running at 1000rpm with ~no noise, and GPU is cool. I recommend to use a low power consumption CPU such as the X3D

[@AdroSlice]

Bro I literally just built a rig in this. Let me just say the cable management can be made a ***lot*** easier with a bit of planning. CPU power goes under the motherboard tray, audio connector can go under the PCIe riser where it plugs into the motherboard, and many of the cables and splitters can be stuffed into the gaps next to your radiator. I recommend pre-bending and shaping the 24-pin connector using some cable ties or velcro straps. I did not end up installing a 2.5" SSD, and I don't recommend it either. If you need more space, get an external enclosure, a NAS, or just make do with the 2 m.2 slots that most motherboards that go in here should come with.

[@bumbaclot813]

You guys work hard. My hat goes off to the entire team. Seriously awesome stuff.

[@OneInTheRiver]

Can confirm that this case was a pain in the ass to build in but the fact that I was able to fit an EVGA 3080 FTW3 and have room for a 4090FE (should I choose to upgrade) is crazy for how small it is.

[@CosmicLF]

I did my first build with this case Pretty happy with the results.

[@-Brunnen-G]

It's nice to see external access on PC cases. It is a must for small form factor cases. There's nothing worse than trying to get things to fit in small case without this access.

[@AdroSlice]

On the topic of cable management, I definitely would like the section to include a high effort variant as would be expected of someone building these kinds of systems. I understand it will take a lot more time, but it gives you the opportunity to provide more specific advice regarding cable management and present a worst- and best-case scenario for it. Additionally, cramming all the cables into all the spaces can impact thermals, which is a important metric here.

[@matuszelenak6503]

You can quite easily access the power supply switch from the front if you just remove the front panel, no need to lift the radiator

[@nbarretto]

Built my A4 H2O back in May. 7800x3d + 4090fe, PSU flipped. I left the bottom access panel off completely to allow for more "cable junk". Temps are pretty much a non-issue, -30 curve optimizer, 0.975v max in MSI AB to mitigate GPU voltage spikes. This saves a bit of power all around.

[@duckyatsea]

Oh definitely please do the Meshroom S...I recently built my new main system in it with a full custom loop, it's amazing

[@mr-huggy]

I don't have this case but i have used custom made cables from Cablemod to make cables shorter and easier to fit in a small case like this one. Makes it much more better.

[@HAS-xw1kd]

Thanks for this. Since discovering ITX it is all that matters :) Elite of the elite as we call it here in France.

[@kilosera]

Please include weight of the case and maybe even completed build in these reviews, as one of the reasons for building ITX PC is mobility.

[@dryfto7222]

I have the A4 H2O and my cable management is not as bad as you just described, and is waaaay nicer than what you're showcasing in this video. For reference, I have the corsair h100i pro rgb 240m AIO, Lian Li sp850 sfx psu, and the msi gaming z trio 3070 which technically isn't supposed to be compatible with this case (it's 323mm versus 322mm that the case supports. Ido have a 1mm protrusions on the front panel) All stock cables, didn't customize the length of any cable at all. But IMO, your opinion on "terrible" cable managability is a bit too harsh

[@Hossimo]

Wow, I just built one of these yesterday 13900KF RTX 4080 Founders, 850W SFX-L , so far after some 0 undervolting and testing with Furmark, Prime95 Cinebench it's been a dream. I need to buy yet another crimper to make some custom cable lengths though. Almost forgot, I almost thought I screwed up when I first installed the AIO, I accidentally pinched the return hose between the rad and the IEC on the PSU causing my temperatures to jump to 100C in BIOS, rerouted things a little and now I'm down ti 40C Idle and 70C under a 10Min Cinebench load.

[@RobertDemery]

Not ITX but I am really insterested in the ASUS AP201. It really seems the best of both worlds without the headache or cost of full on ITX.

[@RindosRides]

This case is my favorite case by far. I use an AIO pump, a 240mm with some hose barbs, and a water cooled GPU. The hose routing is actually very clean when you add in the GPU.

[@flavio1243]

What a coincidence my H2O is getting delivered today and this video popped out.

[@munchkinmatt1670]

I have this case with a reference AMD RX 6800 in the "outer" position because I wanted to route the cables in between the GPU and the mobo, and I wanted to give the riser cable more breathing room. I had heard of people complaining about their riser cables failing at the time, and my only guess was that the heat trapped between the GPU and mobo didn't help. Unfortunately, the RX 6800 fans are REALLY loud because they're only 1-2mm from the side panel. Taking off the side panel reduces a lot of the noise. I've thought about getting custom side panel with much larger openings to hopefully reduce the very loud turbulence.

[@Szergej33]

I have this case, did a build in it a year ago (when crypto crash made 3000 series attainable). Was so sad the LianLi Galahad AIO does not fit in the LianLi case... The slim 240 rad was nice, the pipe length was perfect for routing. With the exception the CPU block is too tall so you cannot actually close the case... Still love it tho and it takes a small space on the desk behind the monitor. Also in general with the ITX case testing, it would be good to say what riser cable is included. PCI-e risers are in almost all ITX cases, and usually the cheaper ones are PCI-e 3, while more expensive ones are PCI-e 4. Even this case has both options, and a significant ($30 when i was buying) difference in price tag, which comes up to +- 15% of the price.

[@Britaliope]

Honestly being specialized is exactly what i look for in ITX cases, and probably with cases in general. It's not like I change the components of my PC or the way i intend to use it every week and i need flexibility. I pick the case and the components for a coherent project that fit with requirements, and if the case does just what i need that's good for me.

[@intosite7279]

Love this case! Running a 7950x and 3090 both in a liquid cooler in series. 240x120 rad with integrated pump+ 120x120 rad in series. Though needing to top up coolant almost once ever month

[@PaulHindt]

Beware that certain radiators come with machine screws that have a rounded or domed top, which means that the top panel of this case won't sit flush and will pop off slightly, unless you find a flat-headed machine screw of the same size as a replacement. I ran into this issue when installing the NZXT Kraken X53 into this case.

[@lennaertedens4624]

Hey! Thats my case! I have the silver version, i have a 7600 non-X and an INNO3D RTX4070Ti inside it. I love the case and the thermals are great in my opinion

[@vensroofcat6415]

Agree on measuring the volume by the max dimensions. If the design requires bottom fans and thus feet, that's part of the design and must be included. Because without those a case could suffocate. Also putting parts on the outside has to follow the same rules. If it's part of design by design, that's also part of the volume.

[@caldeio]

I have a x570-i strix with a 5800x3d. motherboard is full ek waterblocked. lian li 750 psu radeon 6700 xt flt80 with ddc and heatsink 32gb gskill rgb 4000 mhz at 3600 cl16 ek fittings, lots of low pro! SINGLE lian li 120mm fan and 240mm radiator from corsair I had a full water blocked vega 64 before the 6700xt but I couldnt used my LG 4k C2 oled correctly but other than that it was perfect! It's almost silent until I game! Then not bad! I love this case! Get one! Getting some wierd crashing/freezing with my video driver? ctrl-shift-windows key + B fixes it. Other than that a reset does. It happens just watching web videos. Gaming seems ok most of the time. Sometimes fullscreen videos get like a grey filter after a second or two when i switch to fullscreen. replaced everything except cpu and mb. So hoping to rma that this year lololol