Tiny Case with Perfect Fitment - Dan A4-H2O

[@danielhart2012]

As much as I love the build montages that you do, videos like this are way more helpful to the audience since we actually get to see the little nuances of building in SFF cases and hear your commentary on them as you do it. More of this!

[@nardo446]

6

[@ayyublakhani2584]

@@nardo4467

[@samueltriplett]

I really enjoyed this video where you don't have everything already figured out and optimized. Seeing the snags and bumps you run into and how you figure out ways to solve those is great!

[@ericchoocl]

Totally agreed. Loving this trial n error format but not draggy… which is good!

[@pnwenstuff4787]

All of your build never disappoint. Clean and an eye candy.

[@EyadAlAkkad]

clean and sexy!

[@gucky4717]

It's really an awesome build. But im still hoping for a Tophat like the Ghost S1 for my NR200P. Or a taller revision said NR200P for an additional 280mm AIO at the Top. The NR200P is not THAT much smaller and I don't like cramming everything in like that. There is also the Krux Naos which is almost the same as the NR200P 22L vs 20,3L, BUT has room for a M-ATX Board and an ATX PSU at the same time. I'd consider those to entry level SFF, while the DAN A4-H20 is Mid/High Tier.

[@ClintStrickwood]

Just so you know, a RTX 4090 FE and MSI Ventus X3 4090 will fit in this case. I have the FE personally and the temps are splendid.

[@blackice364]

what cooler do you use? and what is noise like?

[@b1zzler]

looking at the offerings in 2024, this case still seems to come out on top overall unless you're okay with paint finish instead of anodized aluminum

[@ClintStrickwood]

@@blackice364 I was running a beQuiet Silent Loop 2 240mm and noise could obviously be better since everything was very packed at this point. A month later a switched to a fully custom build system with an external MoRa 420mm and a Heatkiller Pro CPU cooler, for the GPU I used a EK Quantum Vector cooler but I wouldn't buy EK anymore because of the drama around them.

[@radiantav]

This is super nice, that front cutout is a master stroke. Visually looks so clean and while ports area detracts a bit there, I know from practice it's very useful to have those ports available.

[@Wellibob68]

When I first starting watching this chaps videos (about 2 years ago) I thought he was a bit arrogant. However it was me at fault and this guy really knows his shit with small form factors and pc's as a whole. I'm proud to learn from this man. Cheers.

[@93836]

@yousef alsammarraie Totally agree. Being able to spot other smart people who are at the top of their craft, that is a skill in itself. It can enable you to find great people to surrounding yourself with, who can help you out with your own hobbies and projects.

[@neobscura]

The building may not be as fluid as your other videos but seeing you working your way into the build as a first timer is SO MUCH more insightful. I like the step by step as someone who's considering SFF but scared to fumble my way into it, this is very interesting.

[@dylanw1691]

I pre-ordered the case within half an hour watching your video. Super impressed by its low-profile design and non-compromising hardware support. As always, great video, looking out for more!

[@indridcold2840]

NGL. I subbed this channel years ago on an old account just as much for the beautiful shots as the quality content. Keep up the awesome work mate. Cheers

[@ErronKebabb]

Damn yo thats bussin Wouldda been KINDA suss if you just subbed this week or sumthn.. ngl

[@KingLamink]

Did my first itx build just the other day after finding your channel. Chose the meshilicious, and not regretting it one bit. Absolutely loving it so far

[@xninefoxx8874]

As always great video! Like you said, it's nice to see SFF case makers standing up to the big GPU challenge and trying to make it as compact as possible. I'll wait for the next gen GPUs and hopefully a bit later, we'll hear more from the "Ncase M2" concepts. I can't wait to see, what Ncase will do next!

[@Z4KIUS]

it's the worst thing, causes cases to get huge for no reason and yet most of them can't handle CPU cooling anyway

[@Grimmwoldds]

It would be better for them to make an actual liquid cooling case. Saying you can use an AIO and a bulky 3 slot air cooled GPU isn't liquid cooling, it's just an AIO like practically ever PC case on the market. Either make a tiny tiny tiny case with bulkhead connectors and a matching rad/pump/psu stand, or make the case with a space for pump/res and focused airflow through a rad or two.

[@imnotusingmyrealname4566]

Now with next gen GPUs out you should buy previous gen GPUs.😂 Man I hate the PC market right now. Sadly this seems to be the new normal.

[@imnotusingmyrealname4566]

@@Grimmwoldds I prefer air cooling. SFF PCs are expensive enough already and air cooling is more reliable and longer lasting. Smart designs for air cooling is what I want.

[@eaaeeeea]

The first good review of this production ready model of Lian Li - Dan A4-H2O. Excellent work Optimum Tech! I'm going to buy it, hopefully they ship fast.

[@alexsiniov]

Man I love your tiny builds. thinking about fitting my all monster stuff into small case like this

[@diedenieded3831]

The flipped GPU layout is absolutely genius! One of the biggest problems I've faced when building in a Ghost S1 knockoff is how the GPU power cables are either brushing up against the fan, or are really pushing against the AIO tubes. Installing a GPU is also a nightmare, since you have to unscrew the PCIe riser from its mount point just to have enough space to put the GPU in.

[@aculturedman.9172]

Just got mine in the mail today. I love how this thing actually fits in my backpack and is just a tad bit wider than my dell optiplex work PC, but can fit a dang 3 slot GPU lol. It’s insane and built very well. Can’t wait to build in it.

[@UsnRoberts]

what backpack does this fit in?

[@EdwardWongHauPepeluTivruskyIV.]

@@UsnRoberts my thoughts exactly...

[@Metabrotropic]

I freaking love how real this video is.

[@cappythule4061]

i love this format of build video! the kinda natural step by step is just as fun as watching your montages! very easy to listen to

[@mattpedro4570]

I love the aesthetic of this channel, everything is so clean and well considered

[@balazskovari4814]

Couple of things that can make building in this case easier. 1 - slim fans (with grilles) (also solves a potential issue with screws interfering with the chassis crossmember); 2 - consider pull instead of push (or even (dare I say) as intaake); 3 - pipe length > 400mm will allow routing them at the bottom (eg. DeepCool LS520SE); 4 - SFX-L is not a good option

[@RetroPlus]

This is one of the better compact cases i've seen, the design is really smart

[@nohpleft]

really nice to follow you along as you’re installing everything. love the format, thank you.

[@mangamikecospla]

Super slick man, love your reviews, you pick up on some me great detail. Really missed your case reviews and it's came back with a bang with our favourite manufacturer Dan.

[@MD_Production]

This case is so minimalistic and that is what I like about it, Great build as always ❤

[@Stallnig]

This is the perfection I've been dreaming about. I tried to CAD something similar but with glass sides, and it is close to impossible to make a clean design, just drove me crazy. I'm interested in seeing a full water cooled build.

[@mt423]

Nice choice using the EK 240 Basic, I love it only uses a 4 pin header to power the pump instead of a SATA power cable found in AIO coolers due to RGB lighting. Just having 1 less cable to deal in a cramp build is a plus to me.

[@MichaelChan0308]

Many are not going to like this but I would prefer a NR200Max sort of a bundle here. With Lian Li SFX PSU with custom sleeve cables and basic AIO which has custom length tubing and wires, pre-routed. Fan guard is cheap and could be an meaningful add-on. Or just flip the rads and fans placement. Some may prefer the option to support top 280 AIO too and I imagine that wouldn't made the case much larger, and cable management would be a breeze. It may also make installation of mammoth MSI Suprim cards possible, which is 336mm long. Excellent build btw, and I bet only with biceps like yours can we squeeze the AIO and PSU into place lol

[@MrMooMoo89]

Pressure on the ram was a big issue for me, was getting random hard freezes. All issues stopped when I moved the tubing side to the VRM side.

[@partyloco]

Last week I cleaned my PC with an air blower and it didn't boot up. It was the RAM. Damn, if they're delicate.

[@luke5957]

Yeah over time that's gonna rip the board traces up

[@RetroPlus]

Motherboard manufactures really need to allow for more space on their ITX boards

[@gibanica4854]

Thank you Mr. Optimum Biceps for another epic vid.

[@yoruneko34]

the photography in your videos is always bonkers good

[@markwoll]

Just did a build in this case. Thank you for the detailed build video. It was very helpful. There is really no room for excess cable. And I am using a fairly short 2 slot zotac 4070.

[@justmakemeaname]

Its a good day when optimum tech uploads.

[@lentwood]

Unironically, I have started actively checking my sub box every couple of days just to see if you've uploaded - you've inspired me to build 'SFF and Im already onto my second one (LianLi Q58) Absolutely loving your content! Keep doing what you're doing!

[@emp1985]

Went with the Meshlicious and I'm telling you, I'm never building anything outside this case. The desk-real estate savings on a ITX tower is way too nice, something these ITX formats can't offer. The Meshlicious, with very little mods, can accomodate two 80mm fans (back in GPU compartment, in 4-slot mode) and a 92mm top exhaust. It's compact and chilly AF like this. I even went with a Thermalright AXP-90 X47 for an air cooler on a non-TDP-limited 11400, and it's working perfectly. Should cope just perfectly fine with a non-k 11700/12700 as well. Awesome video though!

[@ChrisWEEZ]

How loud does it get?

[@martin28bln]

Same question like above. Which temps do you get while gaming with 80 to 100W TDP? Thinking of testing the AXP90 X47 with a 12700 - at the moment on 240er Rad in FormD T1.

[@svn5994]

Nearly 16L and can only fit a single rad + GPU is not a worthy case to be bragging about.

[@EmersonCloud]

Cool video. I liked hearing your thoughts while building in the case

[@gregmartel407]

Glad to know this case's got perfect cabinetry!

[@CoyoteMilkwater]

You have reviewed and built so many itx cases over the years and you’re the sole reason I have an itx build currently. I am curious though as to why you haven’t built in the Lian Li Q58 yet?

[@amtypaldos]

Excellent build! Can't wait to see the custom loop in here!

[@beckmann930]

Nice Video Ali and nice Case DAN!

[@Ritv123456]

2:30 it’s stiff because you’re supposed to pop the top panel off first

[@twnlumh]

Ordered mine today directly from Lian Li! So excited 🤩

[@IamMxfia]

wow a 22 minute Video, my day is saved 🤩

[@andrewwilkinson5776]

I love your new format with a build/ tear down. I get why you avoided it because it's very common in low quality videos but I'm sure you now know what you're doing.

[@hallowieners]

Managed to snag a silver pcie 4 version from aliexpress through lian's official store. The black ones are still out of stock on there though. Also have to pay for VATs and shipping so it ended up being around $190.

[@TheGryskiewicz]

I'm blown away that this man only has 500k subscribers.

[@beefwantko7269]

one thing that ive noticed over the last months, with mining and just power supplies in general is that sure you can run a 750 watt, even a 650, but when it comes to effieciency, your loosing about 7-11 percent when your maxing out the power supply. ive heard it before once or twice but really you do want to figure out your average wattage, and get a psu that is going to be running at 60 percent, the power curve is at maximum effiecency in that middle curve area, and with you being a lot about efficiency and noise .. it will help with both of those. so buying a psu with 30 percent headroom is honestly preferable

[@weeq326]

This was my 2nd ITX case, and it was the easiest build ever! RTX 3080 TUF no problem. And you can fit all 4motherboard screws with IFixit extension cable using their screw driver!

[@DontEatCream]

That assembly looks like a colossal PITA, not gonna lie. Kinda makes you wanna just buy a NR200P MAX and call it a day

[@BenyaminLorit]

The building experience feels like an absolute nightmare but the end product looks so good. For most people, I feel more comfortable recommend the NR200P (both max and non-max) but I can definitely see a lot of SFF enthusiasts going for this.

[@17t]

Horry I've been waiting for this video for half a year🙌

[@ulmwurttemberg1682]

3:36 I decided on air cooling. All good thus far. I don't know how to create a hard tubing system and the thought of "tube routing" when the tubes weren't specifically made for my setup turned my stomach. Too much forcing things to fit and settling for whatever layout resulted. If there were water cooled systems that allowed you to modify tube length...

[@nayanpitlam5621]

as someone waiting for formd t1 v2 this is suuper tempting 😌

[@Aexeq]

I feel you... H2O might still be fun to play around with some beefier 240 rads + full size fans.

[@ls.vinicius]

I love this channel. Sadly I don’t have many case options in my country

[@igor.lacerda]

Another well-made SFF case squeezed in a volume rank! Great review as always! My main PC is on my first SFF case which is a NR200P, waiting on a old NCASE M1 (v3 I guess) and a Cougar QBX, want to see if can get my hands on some DAN cases here in Brazil as well! Cheers! 🤘🤘⚡⚡

[@ElTeeger]

Very nice video. I've been more fond of smaller cases that can fix bigger gpu and don't compromise performance. thank you for this.

[@salsashreenee6887]

Built mine and have been working great for the last month. 12700k & ROG Strix 3080Ti with a SF750

[@Shane-fk2gz]

Man, those Trident Royals are gonna BAKE in that case.

[@ShinobiRaijin]

Waiting for this, your review of this case 💘💘

[@illietw]

Had the same issues with tube clearance in my FormD T1 using EK AIO 120 and Trident Z Neo RAM. The tubes weren't long enough in my case (shorter for the 120 version, do not recommend), and the RAM was in the way on the right side, what a pain :) It all fits in the end, but the tubes are stretched and pressing on the RAM a bit, but no issues after almost a year. Would be very interested to see you do a custom loop in one of these. I actually really like seeing you try around a bit, and deliberate how to proceed.

[@jablue4329]

Oh boy, I've been waiting for this.

[@kraftwels]

when i first heard about this case it seemed like the case of my dreams and i was eagerly anticipating it's release. Ironically the case i actually got was it's slightly bigger brother, the q58. The A4-H2O looks great and i like the dimensions, but the q58 is my endgame. The design, the performance, the hardware compatibility and surprisingy the build process are amazing in the q58 and i'm never letting go!

[@rayqand5068]

Can I ask what radiator and GPU you have ? Really keen to see if this can fit the arctic 280mm AIO and the powercolor red devil 6800XT. Both are on the absolute edge of maximum dimension reported for this case. Keen to see what your experience was !

[@skytreegirl6929]

The q58 sucks lol 😆 such a big case for a sandwich layout

[@rayqand5068]

@@skytreegirl6929 yeah I’m keen to see what if any are the advantages of the q58 seeing as on the website it’s listed as having the same max radiator dimensions (315mm) and slightly shorter GFX size (320mm)

[@skytreegirl6929]

@@rayqand5068 ok professor thanks for the math lesson 😑 😒

[@rayqand5068]

@@skytreegirl6929 umm ok? Mf waiting to get offended these days. Gtfo of here

[@spudboy1234]

An undervolt on these Alderlake chips is a must. Once you get it dialed in the power draw and heat output is way lower for the same performance.

[@Girvo747]

Yeah the out of the box power draw is bonkers, basically solely done to beat AMD in benchmarks - gaming performance does not need it at all!

[@g14_jojo33]

Hay man, Thanks so much for your Content. It inspired me to try bulding my own small formfactor pc and watercooling it (meshlicious, 2080ti (best available for under 1000€) and 5600X), both i´ve never done before. It was great building it and I enjoy it every day. thank you again and greetings from Germany :)

[@stephenpascua9792]

I've had the Meshlicious, and that choice was greatly influenced by your videos! Though I would love to see how the A4-H20 sized up with the Meshlicious side by side

[@Just_Call_Me_Tim]

I've been looking for a case this size. Hopefully I can nab one up. Aesthetic AF build as usual man! Cheers!

[@triliner254]

Finally you got to testing the EK AIO. I was wondering when you were gonna buy one.

[@895takashi]

Just built in the A4 H2O and the side panels are total opposite, they very easily come off, so if you are trying to use the panels to keep in cables the cable will most likely pop the panels off

[@Youskarumbo]

Case looks great and I love that u don’t need to mount the motherboard upside down for a cool open case look. Only thing I wanted to see is a TG panel option. Missed opportunity there. Overall great itx case that’s affordable.

[@ianlamp3127]

God I love Optimum tech.

[@DennisBLee]

Maybe I'm being dense, but would it not make the most sense to rotate the block counterclockwise 90 degrees and have the connectors facing the top of the case? Also I'm sure that the VRM heatsink and IO shield cover could be removed and replaced with a smaller heatsink if needed.

[@Drone443]

Hey guys if you're looking for this case I found both colorways on AliExpress, only the Gen 4 cable though. It's sold from the official Lian Li store there

[@DanielKaspo]

Love the video - just noticed it's not shot at a 16:9 aspect ratio - took me by surprise!

[@dunderdotten]

I got this case yesterday and i was planning going aircooling (moving from my NR200P) but even with aircooling it IS a challange. I would really ask friends who is looking at this case to give it a second thought since it IS really small. Def. not a first SFF case to get if you are "new" to sff builds :D I am really amazed about Optimums work in getting his customloop installed. Respect.

[@Pharesm]

bah, don't scare off people.. Anyone with an IQ over 100 should have no problem...

[@Blackleaves]

Is there a point to try installing fans at the top of the case instead of the radiator? Cables will not affect fans, but there will be a bit longer tubing. Also airflow should not be that affected because of "walls" around radiator.

[@93836]

I have a 2007 BMW that I love. And the only area of the car that ever gives me trouble is the water cooling parts. It’s the reason the car goes to the shop once a year, often towed on a flatbed. Cracking hoses, leaking fittings, and failing pumps. Destroying other components of the car in the process, and immediately making the car un-drivable. So, I’m not exactly eager to add liquid cooling to my PC. Especially since the air cooling works so well. I have an RTX 3090 FE, Ryzen 5900x, cooled with a Noctua NH-D15S and Noctua 140mm case fans. Everything runs whisper quiet, GPU runs at 66°C and CPU around 72°C. All on quiet air. But, it is tempting to try liquid cooling to fit everything inside a tiny case. But I already have the system working well inside a larger Fractal Design case, and I don’t really want to mess with it. Haha.

[@PabzRoz]

I love this case I want it, it's so tiny lol. I love your content you inspired my next build to be an itx. I'm obsessed with sff now.

[@benbunch4159]

Strong push pins seem to make sense so that you can have tubes crammed up against it without the sides popping off.

[@999-y7j3x]

I have an 11-liter air-cooled case right now. If in the future I gonna to do a water cooled version I think I will choose this case.

[@benjaminnyman8687]

Been waiting ages for this case to release

[@kuzzzzzzzzzzzz7511]

This dude always building ideal itx i hope you gonna giveaways before the end of the year 🙏

[@BomimoDK]

I still feel like the formd T1 is the absolute king here. I got it after you showed it and everything is just perfectly fitted. closes tight and securely without things clattering from being loose or bending from being too tight.

[@Zombie101]

FINALLY a DECENT SFF we can get hold of

[@riomendoza1111]

I want to build this so bad. Im gonna sell my MBP and switch to PC cause this little thing looks amazing snd its crazy powerful. Just what i have been wanting.

[@evilcab]

this heals me after that massacre that bitwit did to his build using this case.

[@zykablyad941]

just saw that video, omg that was scary to watch I am sure that the air hose would pop out any second.

[@suprimx3130]

Hope you can review next the Geeek M5 once it’s out! Looking forward to it

[@creepinwhileyousleepin]

Hopefully you get your hands on the other FormD cases coming out. A few of my friends want one now after seeing mine in person.

[@angelotrezza9256]

12:28 The advice that saves you from various heart attacks, and various blasphemies

[@busterscrugs]

Neat little case. I love being able to pack powerful hardware into a fraction of the space. ATX full tower cases are such a waste of space.

[@rnwnsfla]

I gave up this case after watching this video. I don'y want to struggle with the space. Thanks.

[@JekoJuice]

When I build a new pc I’m 100% getting this case

[@gizConAsh]

I think the word you're looking for is fitting. Fitment is a noun. Used to refer to immovable objects around the house, e.g. furniture.

[@ThatUnfunGuy]

This is a super impressive case. It's essentially the size of a PS5, insane!

[@kurosami9448]

for anyone looking for an AIO that will fit and mount in any direction the AIO I recommend is the phanteks glazier. I found that you can mount it in any direction on ROG z690i and msi z690i boards,

[@SpeedyFlix]

Thought my monitor is shaking. As always super awesome content

[@guffey1989]

Looking like this will be the perfect replacement for my Silverstone SG13, being able to make the jump to 240mm AIO while keeping essentially the same volume.

[@nathanbraun2067]

I like it. Looks sleek and and unassuming, and no cringe rgb

[@garyshumway9089]

Excellent. Disappointed re: not running a 12900K...maybe, under-volting, smaller GPU, another fan or something...necessity is the mother of invention. Now let's see if I can even get the case. Another great vid.

[@JohnDoe-xp4iy]

That is a perfect size PC. When I build my next one, it will probably be with this case.

[@chandlergreff3113]

I hope there will be a version without the AIO extension soon

[@IcalebthelionI]

Really love how clean this case looks. Would consider moving my Meshlicious build into this but wouldn’t get me to move out of the M1

[@JDHitchman]

I would rotate the cooling block 90deg clockwise and put the hose fittings at the bottom. Looks like the lines would be just about the right length then.