What size is right for YOU??

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[@Matuse]

Double tower. You take two full towers, cut out the bottom of one and the top of the other, weld them together, then run 2 CPUs in CPU-SLI with quad video cards. It's able to run Pong in 84,000 FPS.

[@VIKINGzTH]

Threadripper times two 👀

[@kangjohan78]

Oddly specific. hehehe

[@brando3342]

@Matuse Super slow-mo Pong videos never looked so smooth!!

[@MotoCat91]

Many years ago I actually did a double tower build, but side by side rather than on top.. Left side was a conventional style mid-tower with 3x GPUs, loaded up with HDDs and all the water cooling going into the back wall, through to the other side. Right side was another of the same case but effectively hollowed out and the window moved to the outside, and this one housed the PSU, radiators, pump/res Imagine a LianLi PC-08, but much uglier and not very practical

[@Hybris51129]

Thermaltake makes a case (W200 I believe) that should be able to do just that.

[@Myst3ry714]

Case Reviews are also good because there are so few actual Brick and Mortar computer stores where we can get a good look at cases and their size, and all the little caveats in person.

[@UnknownMoses]

Is that not the true, I miss Frys, I which there was a Microcenter near me.

[@Overlord277]

That's what we get for shopping online to save $20 on a build.

[@itsmehighguy7639]

​@@UnknownMoses I assume you are in Phoenix

[@thegrimwrangler]

Glad I've got two microcenters and a b&h nearby 😎

[@fluphybunny930]

To me mid towers are still the sweet spot. Good amount of room where you aren't shoe horning components in while still been small enough to place on or below the desk.

[@ryanokeefe12]

Have a look at compact mATX if you're looking for a proper sweet spot of small size vs minimal constraints on components.

[@curvingfyre6810]

@@ryanokeefe12 Matx is the sweet spot for most people. But those of us who are strapped for budget have to buy the motherboard which is cheapest, size regardless, and select a cheap or used case for it, not the other way around.

[@ryanokeefe12]

@@curvingfyre6810 Hence why I said mATX is the sweet spot for smaller form factor.. mITX is far more expensive than mATX.

[@Johnny76624]

Small midtower's are nice.

[@angrysocialjusticewarrior]

Or just buy a super size atx tower and use THAT as your desk?

[@fredygump5578]

Anyone remember when we filled the front half of tower cases with DRIVES? Instead of fans, guys would have like 6 CD/ DVD drives on the front of their case?

[@miless17]

I settled on an ITX build because I’m tight on space and while there are a number of things to keep in mind it’s really crazy how much you can fit into such a small enclosure. You don’t have to make many sacrifices as far as hardware goes.

[@justinpatterson5291]

I like ITX builds. But, you pay a premium for the form factor. Especially for optimized, boutique cases.

[@danielkarram4390]

Can confirm. N200 3090 FE 12900k 280mm aio And 4 other fans So much in such a small package.

[@thomoose1388]

It's easy to cool (air or water) a 3080 and 5900x in a Nr200p at this point and that's a very easy size to work with. Not too big, not too small.

[@northwiebesick7136]

I'm looking at building an ITX build, myself, specifically for a home server, used for media serving, and data backup, but in a different version than what most would think of. What's different, is that I want to put it into a 1999 iMac bubble Mac AIO machine, which is currently gutted, including getting rid of the CRT monitor from the inside, to make more room for the components, and more room for less heat as well, while attaching a portable monitor to the front... Also, it'll probably be an AMD APU build, so that'll help as well, with the heat, as there won't be an extra graphics card putting heat into the system... It will look crappy on the outside, I'm sure, since it's an old machine, that doesn't look shiny like in the pictures, but at least it's a good test machine, to see if the idea might work, after which I can get something like the see-through graphite version, instead of the current one which is a see through blue color, which I don't specifically like

[@joko49perez]

Wallet

[@MrMartinSchou]

15:00 - Now I sort of want to see Jay put four or more ITX boards into a single case that size. Bonus points for cooling all CPUs and GPUs with a single loop.

[@ThePlacemat]

a lan party in one case

[@MrMartinSchou]

@@ThePlacemat Four gamers, one case. Or two gamers, one streaming computer, one server host.

[@pocketlint82]

If love to see where he puts all those power supplies. Sounds like a cool build

[@linuxstreamer8910]

and only use sff parts

[@spawntohell]

I bet he will do it! He has enough stuff around to make a great content video and thinking of it might be usefull in day to day use like i sometimes use 2 computers at the same desk ..hmm typing this i think i just got gived myself a ideea for saving space...

[@Atari_Safari]

I love my Thermaltake View 71 and there's a sense of pride when everyone I know says it's the biggest computer they've ever seen. All the space to come up with a variety of cooling/fan setups along with lighting themes is awesome. I can't go back to mid towers for my main build. I could see myself doing a small form factor or mid tower for a secondary PC to play with though.

[@Landjrin]

Running a ITX system in a Velka 3-like case mainly for the portability. I'm on the move a lot right now so being able to fit the whole system into a backpack has been super handy. The entire system is only a little bigger than the ITX motherboard itself moving this thing around is incredibly easy (You can pick it up with one hand, It's smaller than a PS5 or Series X!)

[@NinjaSushi2]

Please do a thirty second video on it!

[@CODA96]

Are you also really tiny IRL?

[@Landjrin]

@@CODA96 Why yes I am how did you know? :)

[@CODA96]

@@Landjrin It was the first image popping up in my mind, some gnome holding an ITX System in his hands, which just looks normal sized for everyone else 🤣

[@BlackDragon-tf6rv]

​@@CODA96XDD

[@tars3249]

Compact mATX cases are a great size imo. Still gives you decent options for components that fit in the case. Easy to work with compared to SSF builds. Light enough to carry/transport easily. Good middle ground between Mid Tower and SFF.

[@jameslewis2635]

SSF builds don't have to be difficult to work with, just chose a decent case rather than try to cram everything into half the area of a shoe box.

[@neroz06m.20]

@@jameslewis2635 true but building something powerful and crammed in a small package like the geeek a30 or velka 5 can be very fun to build if you don't mind the challenge

[@philallen7626]

Trouble is that good mATX boards are getting pretty hard to find. It is sadly falling out of favour.

[@neroz06m.20]

@@philallen7626 that's what I thought as well but the recent z690m mobos are promising

[@lukeclark4102]

Thing is it can also be quite hard to find a compact case that’s only slightly bigger than itx that would fit an matx board. the only one I have seen that would tick the most boxes imo is the meshify c

[@SashimiSteak]

I got a super large Phanteks 719 case that Phil's using because I love jamming a crap tonne of rads in my rig so I can run my fans at barely audible speed even under heavy impractical loads. Utilising even the mini-itx space at the bottom of the case for an additional radiator stack I managed to fit 2x 480, 1x 360, 1x 240 and 1x 120 rads plus a set of dual d5 serial pumps in there to keep flow rate up through so many components and travel distance. Ironically GPU coil whine became the loudest noise coming from my rig under load 🤣

[@m4ster_root]

Having three Corsair 1000D's I can safely say that you really don't need that many rads for a dead silent build. It sounds sick though! I've always been too much of a chicken to build a custom loop... My newest gaming rig case is the Corsair 5000D mid-tower. CPU is water cooled by an AIO but my RTX 3090 Strix is fan cooled, yet all I hear is the card whining. I did change all fans except the GPU to run at ~800 RPM unless shit's getting toasty and I never really hear them. Even with a custom quite fan curve my i9-12900K stays cool enough during stress testing.

[@SashimiSteak]

@@m4ster_root Yeah you're right the cooling is way overkill even for a silent build. But it's fun to design and build nonetheless. I have a 3090 with active backplate to watercool the back of pcb vram modules, plus a 5950x of a CPU, and the thermal paste is now the bottleneck in terms of cooling lol. Yeah can't solve the coil whine. I limit fps when gaming to my monitor's max refresh rate so it doesn't always run at full power that seems to help just a little. Edit: You might want to also keey an eye out on the VRAM temp if you run your GPU at low fan speed. RTX 3090 is notorious for having hot VRAM at the back of the PCB.

[@keibohow69]

@@m4ster_root with regards to custom loops start with soft tubing. And old parts

[@TheKazragore]

I've got a Thermaltake View 71 with dual 420mm rad loops (1 loop for CPU, 1 loop for GPU). It's pretty quiet and even when the fans ramp it's just a gentle whooshing sound. It weighs a TONNE with all that glass and water, though.

[@DailyCorvid]

[@aimedshadez101]

I had wanted an itx system since I got into pcs around 2014. At the time there weren't too many cases that appealed to me, but last year I got a SSUPD Meshlicious and a new system to go in it. I've loved it ever since, it's great to keep on my desk, and easy enough to take to my friend's house without too much hassle.

[@aluckyshot]

Nice, always have wanted a small case then new computer time comes and I buy some stupid large tower, small is cool.

[@mushieslushie]

I have a Silverstone RVZ01. I first built it in 2014. I liked it so I built in in again. Its not flashy, but I like that I can put it behind my monitor and it doesn't take up any more space on my desk. I feel like these days, unless you are going really high spec and plan to overclock etc., mini ITX is all you need.

[@Nierez]

Sorry it's an old comment. Is your itx water cooled or air?

[@aimedshadez101]

@Ivan Nierez it's watercooled. I managed to fit a 280mm aio in it. Works pretty well

[@TranceHistorian]

I moved from a smaller mATX case (Antec NX200M) to a mid-tower (Corsair 4000D Airflow White) because I wanted more than 2 M.2 slots. It really changed how well my system runs. It is bigger and more bulky but the increased space and the ease of building is welcome! Although the recently released ASUS AP201 case makes me wanna go back to mATX. 😓🤣😭

[@russellgibson5733]

Antec NX200M is a amazing case!

[@yaboystacey5578]

I'm also getting the 4000d but I'm not sure if the 4070 ti will fit in the case with my z790

[@Misfit626]

Mini itx is definitely getting more popular. I even switched over. Something about powerful hardware in such a small package

[@mikem9536]

I've long been a fan of mATX.

[@xXRusheR90Xx]

My first build was in a mid, my second one in a full tower. But lately I fell in love with sff builds. It´s more challenging but also more practical. And it feels like a huge success when you managed to fit your custom loop in the tiny case and every cm is utilized.

[@i_am_macgyver84]

I built my first computer when I was 13 in 1997, the only thing I didn't do that my dad did was install the CPU. My second computer in 2002 is the only desktop I have ever purchased that I didn't build myself. That was a Dell Dimension 8200 pentium 4, geforce 4 TI 4800, top of the line then lol. Besides a laptop, netbook, and tablet I have built all of my computers and a couple friends computers. Having wasted all that time, I am very interested in buying one of those tiny computers by beelink or NUC or something. It would never be my gaming rig, but man are they small with very impressive hardware and able to upgrade ram and storage.

[@racerex340]

"but also more practical" How is a smaller case that is more challenging "more practical"? My view of practical / practicality involve convenience, usefulness and sensibility. Being limited on component choice, component placement and cooling when compared to other form factors, I don't see building in SFF as being practical. Fun, challenging, interesting, sure, but not practical.

[@i_am_macgyver84]

@@racerex340 Practical is a very subjective word. Maybe they are living in a tighter space or maybe they travel and bring their machine with them. Yes, there is not much expandability but not everyone needs that.

[@racerex340]

@@i_am_macgyver84 I think I was being a little pedantic.

[@Wooskii1]

I get the appeal, but I'm all about dual chamber cube cases now. Just buy parts and put them in without concern of running out of space or future expandability. Also, I've always put my cases on the floor or on a low shelf under the desk. Also, also, the cube shape is easy to lug around and can chill riding in the passenger seat without much fuss.

[@Pestigirioso]

For my build I went for a Cooler Master Q300L. I fell in love with the looks (sadly it doesn´t come with glass panel, just a plastic one), and I feel it is just the right size for me, with a micro-ATX. Also, the airflow is insane. It has holes everywhere, so it kind of works out. I love that case, haha.

[@shdwmage24]

My favorite case is the CoolerMaster HAF932. It's a massive case that I bought in 2009 for my first gen i5 processor. I purchased it because I wanted good airflow for hardcore WoW raiding during BC. Larger fan = less rpm = less noise.

[@t.c.b4722]

I've always favored mid-tower cases. Big enough to grow and allow for good airflow, but not so big moving it is a chore.

[@JETWTF]

This right here, not too big and not too small. Easy to work with and plenty big enough for good airflow. The Goldilocks of PC cases.

[@TheDarkMaster02]

Agree! I can never understand why people choose huge full-tower cases when they barely have any thermal benefits over mid-towers.

[@brando3342]

@T.C. B Agreed. I went with an mATX case, specifically the thermaltake s100, because it is white and tempered glass and like you say; big enough to hold what I needed and fairly portable, it was also within my budget and fairly cheap actually.

[@tars3249]

Moving my 5000D Airflow is definitely a chore... Another build I did in a Compact mATX case was a breeze to transport though.

[@brando3342]

@@tars3249 I love how easy it is to move around the mATX cases.

[@xbadjokerx]

I remember my first PC - where i installed windows 95 through a ton of floppy disks - was bigger than any of those cases. And i LOVED IT!! Took 15min to boot but I loved it. Come 2022 and I only like mini ITX.

[@Nobe_Oddy]

yea those super tall cases were called MAXI cases... and there were MIDI and MINI -= well that's how I was taught :)

[@TheMyname707]

Was it a Chieftec CS 901 by chance? I have still its predecessor with three holes cnc-milled in the top. Yes, it was for a 360 rad. 😁 Nowadays I going towards sff-builds with good airflow.

[@Digikidthevoiceofreason]

3.5 disks were not called floppy disks. That name was reserved for the 5.25 disks. The 3.5 were called diskettes. Hell I remember the old punch cards and 8 inch disks we had to use. Fun times indeed.

[@datapro007]

I was glad to see the Nano S in your lineup. I did a Ryzen 3700x build in one a couple of years ago with a full size graphics card, air cooled, which I'm still using. I think the Nano S is the right compromise for my needs. I prefer it to my mid-tower build because it has as much muscle with far greater portability, yet no extreme limitations like some of the tiny ITX cases on the market.

[@kylebrown3043]

Another reason for the popularity of case review videos, from my perspective at least, is that they are an opportunity to showcase physical innovation. Compared with performance reviews of other components (CPUs and GPUs predominantly) there's something really interesting about cases and water-cooling builds/tutorials because they offer up something visual, physical and tactile in terms of new features and different ways of doing things, rather than just looking at comparative numbers.

[@ano_nym]

Yeah, CPU and GPU innovations (at the layman's level) basically consist of "number go up".

[@neroz06m.20]

Matx is my go to and im happy to see manufacturers make z690 versions since they got shafted during the previous generations.

[@schwanzmunster2503]

I ran a mid-tower for years until I switched to a full tower in 2016 and that's all I've used since. I went with a Coolermaster Storm Trooper-windowed case. So much easier to build in with my extra large hands.

[@slaaneshgod]

I have the same tower and also hate cramped building.

[@anhiirr]

@@slaaneshgod HDD were my biggest PITA the ribbon of power connectors colored sata cables etc....just ruining the aesthetic/flow of the build...HDD cages/locations etc and plug access when trying to troubleshoot drives too....fkn nightmare. So glad i tore mine out and chose not to ever use a HDD again outside of external drives. Running an itx build got me used to it...then going back to fulll...and having to rip my cage out to fit a front mount arctic push pull 280. Had me happy i had rear panel 2.5" mounts tool less too...and a hinge back panel so i can access them with ease. Sometimes updates/bios/chipsets make certain programs run finicky which is nice having a duel boot system or a secondary drive i can just plug in to enable duel boot.

[@Dalagante]

I don't have big hands and I only use full because it is just easier to work with. I had the coolnaster storm trooper window too.

[@ArmadaOne]

I always go with the big towers for several reasons: 1. It's much easier to reach everything when building your system and you'll never run into the problem of having to cram in parts / cables. 2. Airflow. More air means better cooling because the closer together various parts are, the more heat will build up inside the case. 3. Space for the 38 mm thick push / pull configuration 360 cooler. It just doesn't fit in a midi tower. 4. Space for 3 fans and still have space left over for a fan controller and a all in one media hub. I just like having a display for my temps and lots of I/O at the front. 5. It's just more impressive than a small case because of all the neat stuff you can cram in it, all the lights and the sheer size.

[@timl9495]

Extremely helpful ! After two full tower (HAF) builds I thought about going to mid-tower, but after watching this I think now I will stay with full tower. Now just have to find what I feel is the best full tower that doesn't cost me $800 !

[@awesomeruben]

Have you found a good full tower?

[@Itspronouncednuclear]

Yes, I went with a Fractal Torrent. Awesome case !@@awesomeruben

[@thomaslayman9487]

i'm running a 4000d airflow because it takes up the room i have for a pc on my desk while fitting my components and cooling them extremely well :) i'm obsessed with airflow and fan setups so it was very important to me that i had a case that could accommodate what i had in mind in terms of cooling , and i got it for like 80 bucks too so it was the right price for me

[@mazadorlord108]

When I did my first build, I went with a super tower because I was worried about parts not fitting. Phantex P500A is a great airflow case though so it works.

[@mgpmbass3616]

I've always been a mid tower fan, but for the Mame table top cabinet I'm building, the small case will work great.. And with Mame, the most basic hardware will do.

[@JamesW81]

gotta love MAME. I'd like to build myself an arcade cabinet, but unfortunately don't have the room.

[@dennissmith1435]

Top priority for me in a case is cooling/airflow, then the build quality and features, finally aesthetics. Aesthetics includes how the components will "fit" in the case. If there is too much room left over or too little, that, for me is an aesthetic concern as well as a cooling concern. I have generally opted for mid-tower cases.

[@revanmercury]

Last 3 builds I've done have gotten smaller and smaller. Most recent was Q58 with 11700 (w/ 240 Galahad AIO) and 3060 and temps have been great and it's very quiet.

[@Aldarris]

It's cool to see that the OG glass tubing system is still around, I just built in that case this year after remembering that video. One of the few ITX cases that would fit my 280 and 240 AIO on my CPU and GPU.

[@experimental0000]

Full/Super towers are my jam. Mid are good too, but the large ones still invoke nostalgia to me from seeing the beige monsters sitting under desks or on a very sturdy desk/table from back in the day. Still niche use cases for the big ones just like mentioned in the video, plus those were AT and not ATX which means a lot more expansion cards for things that just weren't integrated into the motherboards yet, so you needed bigger cases to hold all of it. My biggest issue with modern cases is the fad of RGB and glass. I'd love to see more professional looking cases make a comeback even if it's black or white for the color vs silver, grey, and beige.

[@kendallquirostyrken7339]

Same here,large and bulky cases rules!

[@Its_Me_Wheelz]

Yes, I love the large in your face cases.

[@miketooantuh]

I've been thinking about joining the custom loop gang, and, man, I'd be totally lost without you Jay. Thanks for starting these vids up again

[@beastdude]

Now I wanna see what's the biggest case you can put the smallest parts in, and what the performance issues would be. Given the space, a massive case with tiny parts and not fussed about a performance hit would make for some interesting themed interiors.

[@abeezy]

I went full compact, started out with an H500 but decided quickly it just was too big. Moved into a Sliger Console a couple years ago but I recently got an EVGA 3060 Ti so I can go even smaller. I just purchased a Densium 4+ about a week ago (they should start shipping next month). Having an R5 5600X and a 3060 Ti in a sub 5L case will be awesome for the LAN parties I still regularly go to.

[@anhiirr]

i swear with each gen leap it amazes me how much YIELD they get out of that small of a PCB/power envelope.... my buddy has a 2 fan 3060 and i just blows me away that it accomplishes with 170w compared to the 150w 1070 they sold to upgrade. Hell even laptops with their 120-140w "big boi" gpus have proven how well these various newer gpus operate compared to previous gen.....right up to the desktop cards...talking sub power level operation like 50% or less..or scenarios where you add a frame cap to a game....watching how my 3070 strix runs vs the 2080ti strix it replaced(at a considerably less cost). With the same frame caps across various pve/single player titles....way less watts overall and insanely better thermals/noise. I bet youre pretty stoked on that 5L build its power and noise of operation too withthose frame yields. IT really is just amazing to benchmark on a system that small and quiet vs what a 2070 or 2070S would be like in ITX. As if the pcb would even be small enough.

[@angrysocialjusticewarrior]

Why are you so obsessed with going small on a desktop? Its not a laptop. It just stays under your desk for years and no one is going to regularly see your "cute and small" system.

[@anhiirr]

@@angrysocialjusticewarrior true, why do you care? pls elaborate. if you have nothing to add other than blatant general knowledge Go post this on some SFF vids see if you gain anymore knowledge about something you have no interest in since its worth your time...OOOOOH Senpai my bad DID you want me to care back my bad G>.< so sorry youre BIG D pc is so Gangster g. Its under your desk and nobody looks at it and it goes bleep bloop the end

[@abeezy]

@@angrysocialjusticewarrior If you read what I said, I do regularly attend LAN parties, people do see my small build. I like that it's small enough to fit in a backpack.

[@aswinkumarkk]

I like how Jay does these contents. Always feels like the first time I am learning something..

[@FatSn8ke]

I love SFF builds for their minimalistic and clean look. Mid-tower cases are the best in terms of practicality and cost though

[@rit4089]

I got all my pc parts today and I want someone to help me figure out what case to get u mind helping ?, I got a tuf gaming 660-plus wifi motherboard with a c7 12700,kranken x53 Rgb cooling system and a rtx 3070 ti gigabyte

[@ChaiTimeDataScience]

Thank you for covering this Topic Jay! I work in Data Science and really needed to build a multi GPU machine that could work without watercooling I wish this video existed when I was trying to find the right tower for my build

[@randoir1863]

Phanteks cases !

[@I_Am_Hateful]

5000D Airflow is my ideal size of case which i have now. that being said i really want to do an ITX build just to try it.

[@Omen465]

I have the 4000D airflow and I love it.

[@supraman221989]

I have one and it's perfect

[@urxtoxicxface1]

Yup I'm in the same position, I've been waiting to get another gpu to make a mini itx build.

[@jr_3153]

I also have a 500D. I recently bought a Revolt 3 case and built a SFF build just to do it. Now I have a travel PC lol

[@thetechrealist]

If you want to try mini Itx, go with the nr200, and stay away from vertical cases unless you want to go through hell for your first Itx pc.

[@toothybj]

Love my fractal case. Best one i’ve ever had. Mid-tower size, plenty of vents w/ removable screens, glass door on one side…

[@ryanbrown908]

I went from a Corsair 465x to a Phanteks p600s. For me, the hinged door was a plus. For cleaning and organizing. The cable management is awesome and I'm a big guy, so the raw size of the case made a huge difference. Filled it out with a 360mm EK AIO up top and 140mm fans front and back. The grommets on the door also help to cut down the fan noise. And I have two dogs that are always in the office with my wife since she works from home. The modular panels installed when the pc is off helps to cut down from the dust of it just sitting there

[@bjorksven]

Tiny. Rebuilt my rig in a Cooler Master NR200P a while ago, overall really like that case. With a rear 92-mm fan as intake and tuning the voltage-frequency curve and max power of my 5800X the rig is crazy efficient and quiet.

[@YouMadBr0Br0]

Do you recommend that case? Because I just discovered them the other day and Amazon has a gorgeous Hot pink one and I'm in the process of building a PC and I have a Corsair carbide Delta mid tower which I'm sure will be nice when I actually get to installing everything (waiting for a GPU 🤦🏼‍♀️) but I saw those cases and I really liked the look and now I'm thinking about going to an itx build.

[@bjorksven]

@@YouMadBr0Br0 In principle I do recommend it, yeah! It is relatively small compared to something like a Fractal Design Define Nano S, so it can be a little bit finnicky to build in, but in general it worked well for me. One thing I do remember was having a bit of trouble mounting my 2.5" SSD on the PSU bracket, but that wasn't major. Double-check your cooler height, though! I had to change my Noctua U12S for a L12s that I will be kitting with a NF-A12x25 for more air flow. I have two 120-mm intake fans at the bottom blowing straight into the GPU, one (filtered) 92-mm rear intake with a RPM-reducer cable getting some extra air to the CPU and then two top exhausts. Also using the tempered glass sidepanel. I might recommend an SFX-L PSU because of their lower fan RPMs, if you care about noise.

[@taxa1569]

"rear 92-mm fan as intake" this is mind blowing to me. I have 23 fans in my case not including CPU/GPU fans. 3 of which are 120mm, 20 are 140mm :D I have an ultra super mega tower case (thermaltake core w200) and it's 2 PC's in 1 haha. Also it's near impossible to cable manage. Omfg it's hard. I need about a dozen cable extensions to cable manage properly and NO. I already spent as much on the case as I did fans and fan controllers. Bottom/front fans in, top/back fans out. It's big enough to BE my desk.

[@bjorksven]

@@taxa1569 Sounds like you need a separate PSU for just your fans 😂

[@bjorksven]

@@taxa1569 I should perhaps clarify that I also have 2x120 mm as intake on the bottom and also as exhaust up top, it's just that I use the rear 92-mm spot for intake rather than exhaust, because otherwise the CPU would have to breathe GPU exhaust only.

[@YOEL_44]

My AeroCool Xpredator cube was the smallest cube (with horizontal mobo) that I could buy and still easily fit all my components, footprint is large, airflow is only decent and the windows is relatively small and made out of cheap plastic (it's an old case) but is exactly what I needed, I tried a Zalman Z3 in the past with a more standard design and it was terrible.

[@N3tstorm]

Might be worth to mention that SSF cases tend to get more expensive than regular and sometimes even large cases. In addition, if you want to try an ITX/SSF build, you have to plan your build ahead as cables will be your worst enemy.

[@inflex56]

sff

[@saveourplanet0139]

Another important thing to think about is that there would be more ways that dust can get inside your tower if you chose a large case compared to medium or small. Be prepared to clean out dust more often with a large case.

[@oceanbytez847]

filters out the wazoo, positive air flow, and place it in an easily accessible spot.

[@thomasl.3663]

I’m all about the small form factor cases now personally. Maybe I’d consider going up to mATX, but I love the little ITX motherboards and cases! You can pack so much into them!

[@korezako3930]

Superior SFFPC!

[@halcyonacoustic7366]

I went the opposite direction. I started with a Raven 2 and now I have a mid-tower.

[@BrisyTechBytes]

I've went with an ITX build myself, although I have limited desk space I felt like the extra volume in my Lian Li Lancool 2 mesh case would help with the the cooling and for future upgrading of components, would really love a mini ITX build but think I would only go down that route if it could be water cooled....and I win the lottery 🤣

[@Nomokuto]

I love ITX. Putting and managing the highest performance into a small factor is just a lot of fun for me.

[@joelholpers2691]

Thanks, Jay! This video helped me a lot, and your videos are always fun and interesting, so keep up the awesome work! 👏🏻

[@ReclusiveEagle]

Its easy to answer, based on Cost? If you're outside the US? *Mid tower* Smaller doesn't = cheaper with Mini ITX. Since Mid Towers are basically the standard, all parts are mass produced. So what often ends up happening is the cheapest Mini ITX board is more expensive than ATX with less features. US prices don't apply anywhere but the US

[@VoidOperator]

Agreed. The ITX case options at reasonable prices has come a long way. SFX power supplies are at a bit of a premium, but got damned the boards are ridiculous. I'd love to build a simple little 12300k iGPU rig for a minecraft server but the cheaper board for it is basically still an enthusiast board and coast way more then the processor. Makes it impossible to justify

[@williaamlarsson]

I have a Meshify S2, so a kinda between medium to small case. That's perfect for me right now, it fits full size ATX and 360mm aio without wasting too much space like a regular mid-size

[@alexisschwindt1934]

As someone that modded the hell out of his mid tower one to fit more components that it should, I really get the use of a full tower or a super tower with shitloads of space. Im actually on a sunked cost situation because I already modded my chassis, but when the 4000 series gets launched, im 100% sure im going to use one of those phantek gargantuan 2 system chassis just for ease of cable management.

[@AddieB55]

Hey Jay, as I'm building my first PC I've been super appreciative of your channel and insight. I went ahead and bought a full tower because I didn't want to mess around too much in terms of space and cooling needs. It might be overkill especially because I'm going full Air Cooled (kind of scared to install liquid cooling, even an AiO on first build), but I'm hoping it works out. For reference running a 3090 and a i9 11900k.

[@CCISolitude]

There's 2 cases I've truly loved over years, NZXT Vulcan - the side was all grill, great Micro-ATX case. The other was Coolermaster's 935/915 combo - you could take 2 of the 915's and side mount radiators on each, keeping all your airflow/heat away from the main rig in the 935. Would really -really- love to see a refresh of that design!

[@Tadders]

I just looked into this, The CoolerMaster 935/915 looks like an insane case. Very neat concept.

[@CCISolitude]

@@Tadders it just needs a modern take on it :) all that radiator support with current and next gen hardware would be a godsend.

[@Darrolm]

I went Fractal Design R6 when I did my build at the end of 2018 as I wanted a case that allowed me to put an ATX board inside it while also keeping it within the height restriction I had for where my system would be at the time. I also liked how deep the case was as it has now proven it can fit a EVGA 3080 without interfering with any potential storage drives I might add plus it had a 5.25 bay so I could keep a disc drive for now.

[@cameronliddell9533]

ive got the same case curently but removed all the main HDD drives (using m.2 drives). opened up the case so much and allowed for much better airflow. granted i also have a front mounted 280mm corsair aio

[@abvmoose87]

Fractal Design Big tower here too, theyre fairly priced and you can fit anything in there

[@astro143_]

I think that glass tube PC was one of my favorites that I've watched you build. Glad to see its still here!

[@dfredericks86]

I'm discovering the beauty of Jayz - you speak the perfect level of layman vs tech part speak for someone who is caught between being able to build a computer and know good parts but isn't at the level of being able to fully customize a BIOS or OC in detail a CPU, memory and GPU beyond incremental basic safe bumps. Proper reservoir water cooling looks scary to me but basic self contained water coolers are plug and play - I STILL use an X61 Kraken and it performs amazingly YEARS later. Cheers for continually making the links between the layman and tech knowledge. There is a MASSIVE gap of commentary/content that hits the intermediate space for enthusiasts to really know what they're doing when building/doing low-intermediate risk tweaking. Steve at GN is amazing but he moves too quickly at a higher level for me to keep with about 20% of what he discusses though he seems to be at the cutting edge of hardware enthusiast reviewing - he distils his numbers down well but doesn't focus on laymen level education and drawing those connections with his analysis for others to maybe replicate. Jayz is in a really good sweet spot for me and have already learned a few more things through a couple of vids after years of computer tinkering. Well done!

[@SnwwhtEI]

When I first saw the Phantex Enthoo Primo I knew I had to have that case it's crazy huge and big personality and it's 100% versatile and will definitely be future proof no matter where I want to go. 🤤🤤

[@sparkymark75]

Recently I've been going for SFF builds as I like the small footprint. I also enjoy the challenge of building a decently powered gaming rig in them. My current build is a custom loop in a Meshlicious with a 5600x and a 6900 XT. It all manages to be kept cool with a Corsair XR5 280mm radiator with 2 x Noctua 140mm fans.

[@fabolousjada5070]

Maingear makes the best small pcs

[@anhiirr]

all ive learned in my experience is...unless youre gaming in 4k....where a 12400 is a great NEW solution that is budget oriented towards affording a 4k capable gpu....Any other cpu...like a k series or zen3....will require a custom loop for ideal thermals and clocks...to actually get the most out of the GPU. Or else theres a fall off point. Where cost comes into play be it VIA custom loop or generally A good performing SFX psu like corsair. Where you wouldnt need that level of PSU/12v performance with a 100-150w gpu or a non OC heavy oc oriented cpu. The second i try to incorporate a 200w+ gpu or a high boosting cpu into the equation on a duel load...it gets troublesome/expensive to remedy. As fun as it is to build and benchmark.

[@nickh8649]

Just finished my custom loop in a 5000x. ATX mobo, 3080, 240 reservoir, 2 360 rads, 10 fans plus rigid PETG tubing. It fits really well. Well enough that I went with an overcomplicated loop order for aesthetic (res>rad>gpu>rad>cpu>res). The case fits alot more than it looks like and it fills out really nicely. I had a 4000x with my components in it before while it was on air and comparison wise, the length between the both cases arent that different. The extra height gives alot more space than it looks!

[@joeseph2179]

Using the fractal design meshify. It has great thermals, clean wire management, , room for upgrades, and it’s built sturdy! Fits the msi 1080ti well!

[@joelboags8741]

I've been running the cougar conquer for about 2 years, i love the look and amazing temps being open chassis, i am running a custom loop and have been wanting to go back to a regular case, i'm leaning towards the 5000D just because of the similar components in your builds.

[@dai-okami]

Think I saw a cougar case called a "darkblade" or something along those lines. I was thinking of getting it because it seemed like it'd be very great for air flow and cooling. Glad to see someone else is liking a case from the same brand

[@HL2Titanic]

I've historically gone with full tower cases because I wanted to future proof as best as I could, and often had lots of 3.5" hard drives. My latest build is a mid tower (Corsair 570x crystal). I love that case but miss the extra space. Especially now that I just finished a CPU/GPU custom loop. Ditto for the cable management on the back. Not enough space.

[@MrGrinchi017]

Yep had the same problem went from Full Tower to Mid + Custom Loop and it wasnt enough space (IMO) to proberly hide and organize all the mess. Went for Full Tower again.

[@runerasmussen8704]

I've gone for a 4U chassis because it fits in the rack I got my hands on, and I really love the enterprise/industrial look.

[@johndododoe1411]

Yeah, too little coverage of rack cabinets such as the 2U ATX cabinet I will use in a moment. It has survived a complete motherboard replacement from AMD to Intel after a failure and still has the same PCIe 8x card in the big slot and embedded graphics for emergency access.

[@joshhofman8163]

Gosh, Jay, that IFixIt add is still so amazing. Please never change it. I love it

[@matthewparker9276]

I prefer a full tower, though when building me last PC the deciding factor was room for an optical drive

[@MrShadow1617]

You still play older games on physical media, or what is that optical drive for?

[@matthewparker9276]

@@MrShadow1617 games on physical media, music and video on physical media, and also burning a disc from time to time. Mostly it's for nostalgia though.

[@TailsGuy72]

@@matthewparker9276 I do it for archival purposes

[@matthewparker9276]

I got a bluray drive, because I forgot that the Bluray Disc Association seems to think that just because you paid for the disc, and the reader, doesn't mean you're not some filthy pirate, so fork over for those aacs keys too, which makes playing brurays a pain in the arse.

[@matthewparker9276]

@@TailsGuy72 yeah, having an optical backup of finished creations is a nice peace of mind option to have in storage.

[@AdroSlice]

My first build was a mid tower. Now I just completed a build in the A4-H2O, and I gotta day, it's nice being able to put it on my desk without wasting too much space, and I feel comfort knowing I've user all the space available to me without sacrificing thermals.

[@_Patrick_]

Wow I remember watching your video on define nano s when it came out. Built my wife a mini because of it lol. Glad to see it's still around, loved that build!

[@emresubasi4348]

Mini ITX is just a trend. Upgrade, maintenance, cable management, airflow %90 of the time is limited. I don't even mention SFF. My current build is in a mid-tower case. Next time I'm gona use something bigger.

[@innocentiuslacrim2290]

Yeah, there are always compromises on cooling, price and expandability. Still the arrival of large M.2s and SSDs has made this form factor possible for the people who only need one pcie card. Its not for me though: I have multiple hard drives and SSDs, M-Disk drive, high airflow system with the capability to add in more stuff whenever I want. I do not need to consider space: if it is a PC component, it will fit.

[@abidlack1980]

I went full tower with my last build. I spent a lot of time looking at cases because I wanted future-proofing and the ability to add watercooling in the future. I had my last case for 12 years so I wanted another case that would last several years.

[@vasocreta]

12 years is solid, dude. I'm with you: I pick out cases that I know will last a decade.

[@Petermason_]

I build an entire new pc purely because of sff. I had so much fun getting all the custom wires and making everything fit perfect all while being so simple.

[@Skidd2]

I just bought a 4000D as an upgrade from a deepcool case from 2016. Definitely worth it. It is much quieter than my old case, and it's got actual glass! I was going for quiet when I chose it, by the way. Looks are great too

[@shadowtech9158]

My rig I built a few years ago and that just recently put a 3080 (upgrade from GTX 770) uses a Azza Genesis 9000B, its a full tower. After so many years and new types of fans I think I might go to mid when I go to upgrade my motherboard and cpu later next year.

[@notmatt5864]

I decided to go with a define 7 for my atx build and simply love the case. Its a dream to work in for water cooling. For my itx build i stumbled across the sxm 6.3L and was blow away with the pc i could stuff in a case that small with little effort and decent airflow. oh, and i am working on fixing my fractal era as it should have been at launch. Wonderful case , no, but it will be.

[@jondonnelly4831]

I love the define 7, tis an execellent case.

[@brattpack]

I am looking for a case atm, so this video was immensely informative. Thank you.

[@POOOON25252]

This video is actually exactly what I need right now. I'm getting a 10980xe with an eatx motherboard and the guy I'm getting it from is giving it to me in a huge case. Now I know I can fit the motherboard im a mid case 👏👏

[@NotThatAverage]

My girl been asking that for years

[@theonlyone38]

For my new build, I fell in love with the Corsair 1000d right from the start when they showed it off at Computex. I knew that my next build had to be all or nothing kind of thing, so that's what I'm doing. The spec list is much too large to list here, but I'm very happy with the case. Now it's just a matter of having a funeral for my wallet.

[@ElfGreatTree]

holy crap, its 500 bucks? jfc!

[@theonlyone38]

@@ElfGreatTree yeah my build isn't for the weak willled😅

[@petergriffin383]

I agree, I want to be able to expand and change components through time.. just look how big the new 40 series gpu's are. What do you have for cpu, gpu and Mobo?

[@theonlyone38]

@@petergriffin383 I have a 5950x, X570 Godlike, and a 3090 so far. Thinking about adopting ddr5, but not sure yet.

[@petergriffin383]

@@theonlyone38 Nice.. I'm still researching which components I want, this will be my first gaming pc and I don't want to buy a pre built

[@pmcomputing2459]

I love larger cube style cases, I got spoiled on the Corsair Carbide Air540 a Long time ago, recently built a new system and went with a thermaltake view51, love my case!

[@JamesSomersetActor]

I love my 4000D airflow. The 5000 wouldn't fit on my desk but the 4000 fits perfectly and fits all my components in with no issues.

[@rarva-760]

Great video giving the brief overview of the differences. As for my gaming computer. I'm using a mini ITX build, because I wanted a smaller computer and wanted to be able to take it with me easily when going to my friend's house. For the case, I started with the Lian Li TU 150, but that felt like it was fairly big after awhile and did some research on other SFF cases. I eventually went with the SM560 from Sliger, to keep the size down and still support alot of hardware. I don't water cool, which is why I didn't get the SM580 (no mid ground allowing for fans at the top without additional space for a radiator). So far the space savings with the SM560 is great and I haven't run into any issues with temps. When I build a computer, I take into consideration the use case of the computer and then will try and find an option that fits that need. As some examples, my personal computer and the computer I built for my mom, are both smaller and have good airflow (for their respective levels of hardware) because they use case for these required them being smaller. Another example would be my server, it is used to host VMs for different applications I use, so I needed space, and as a result, went with a large case (12 5.25 in bays on the front, most full of hotswap bays).

[@dominicsolis8731]

I was really attracted to mid tower cases when I built my first PC in 2018. I’m all about SFF now. You can fit a high end cpu and gpu into such a small space and provide adequate cooling. Takes less space off your desk and make your space look super clean. SFF is convenient too as it is easier to travel with versus mid tower/full tower builds.

[@mjc0961]

Desk? Computer on floor! (apologies to Paul's Hardware)

[@CursedDepartmentEastOffice]

I accidentally paired an mATX motherboard with an ATX/mid size case and it somehow ended up better than expected. The extra size was good for toggling around and I like the upgradability. It also helped that the Darkflash DK351 looks sharp.

[@kamk27]

Great greatttttt information!!! Thank you sir

[@john36855]

Case selection: 1) brand loyalty 2) part capability (I wanted an optional drive, lot of my files and old games are on disk) 3) airflow

[@TimJay]

I recently swapped to a new case and I wanted to go as with the smallest footprint I could where it was still ATX and could fit a 280mm radiator on top. Price and aesthetics were also a big consideration. I went with the 4000D Airflow because I like the boxy look of it but I was trying to avoid going to the slightly bigger 5000D.

[@RATTU5_]

The O11 air mini can fit ATX and a 280mm rad inside as I recently swapped to that from a 4000D

[@KenShew325]

I made the same choice for the same reasons.

[@carlself3930]

I am quite happy that I went with a mid tower….the right balance between space and weight. Mine has a mesh so I’ve been able to keep the system cool with air flow too.

[@windlockatc]

Recently upgraded to a Lian Li Dynamic O11D, and gotta say it's the best looking case I've ever used. Love how it looks

[@MarquesAllenJones]

I've always had mid-towers, but I really think I'm going to switch to a mini-ITX for my next build. I like the look of a lot of those cases (the NZXT H1 v2 looks really nice). I was always worried I wouldn't be able to keep a SFF build cool enough, but I just started water cooling with my current build and am comfortable with it now. Once AM5 comes out, I will see how it compares to 12th gen and figure out which way to go.

[@illyont]

I've usually had the big towers. Right now I'm considering building a secondary computer in the NZXT H1 v2. It looks really, really good imo. My primary computer is in a Fractal Define 7 XL though.

[@WierdGuy523]

@@illyont I recently built my wife a computer in the Thermaltake Tower 100. It's a very nice case, and while not as small as the H1 it was my first forray. I want to do something smaller next haha. Have fun with it!

[@mache2784]

It’s cool if you have a small form factor lifestyle. I found being home with such small computers causes more headaches than admiration of a console sized PC.

[@atthelord]

I have the H1 V1 with a new riser, fan mods and a mini screen mod, and it’s amazing! I’m running a full balls to wall build (5800X + 3080) and it can most certainly handle it with decent temps. Though the Revolt 3, meshlicious and NR200P max are also great options! They’re cooler by 5-7c but don’t look as cool :p

[@Mike-dd8bd]

I like my H1 a lot but I am switching to a lian li mid tower this month. I like to tinker with my PCs and the H1 is kind of a build it and don`t touch it kind of PC.

[@Suzuki_B-King_Hooligan]

Recently decided to upgrade to the Corsair 7000D Airflow case. First time I've seen a warning on a case box stating its heavy, two persons recommended to pick it up.. HAHA Now that its finally built and functioning as intended, its NEVER moving again, a real back breaker to handle as the final touches were being done to finalize the build. But man, it looks clean! So much space to fit everything, route the cables properly, install a full Corsair icue h170i elite capellix in the top, the whole nine yards, to keep everything nice and cool running.

[@hksp]

cool, so not even moving to clean it after it suck itself full of dust ?

[@xsyst90]

I finished my new build just a month ago and i'm also using the Corsair 7000D. It's a f***ing beast that fits two 420mm radiators in a push/pull configuration without looking overstuffed.

[@Suzuki_B-King_Hooligan]

@@hksp of course there will be exceptions, O_o... But for sure not a setup to carry along with to a friends house or move between offices on the regular. Yes, I can pick it up alone. Do I want to? NO, its DAMN heavy.

[@Suzuki_B-King_Hooligan]

@@xsyst90 yes, indeed a beast. And that 1.2mm steel used to construct it, really adds up fast to how it's much heavier than it looks at first glance. Really like the modularity too, since I still had old 3.5 mechanical drives, which this case can take 6 off! With more mounts for additional SSD's...

[@petrobull2560]

Thanks for the great video. Just ordered the Corsair 5000D Airflow to upgrade my gaming PC! I like the case because of the increased airflow and ease of building inside. Gives me more freedom to do upgrades later down the road👍

[@parkerroundy7248]

Best commercial I've ever seen. It's definitely in the wow would you look at that shine tier!! Pure gold 😙👌

[@DartzIRL]

One thing I noticed about cases was how hard it was to find a decent one with an ODD slot. It's like they died a death. That said, I've used a mid tower with an mATX board simply because it was a CPU-only system and running a larger chassis made for better airflow with less fans. Compared to a small form factor case - it runs a fair bit quieter.

[@Mrx7tloma]

I went with a micro atx case on my second build and the cable management was 100% better then my mid tower. Though I think I big part of it was that one case actually had space made for the cable vs one that did not. Though if I had to redo my mid tower I just shove it in another case as the fractal focus g was a terrible first case to build in.

[@jc.1191]

I used the g mini. Found it really cool. I'm not a hide the cabling guy tho.

[@rianriggs7252]

i love case reviews!! not many ppl do them anymore.. i consider it the start of any build and what you do to fill it.. also if im building for someone else i like them to pick that because its astetic.. its what they gota look at so they should like it..

[@oscarcharliezulu]

Your videos are very useful especially with respect to general advice and observations that don’t age as fast as vids that just review tech. Maybe that’s why they are popular. Also the ads you do like ifixit are hilarious and I actually look forward to them.

[@theordinarydude2104]

I’ve been a big fan of ITX systems for some time (circa Shuttle XPCs) though I’ve had plenty of others too, but lately I’ve found a micro-ATX case that’s as small as many of the newer ITX cases, the Sama IM01 and it’s works well with micro-ATX or Mini-ITX boards, as well as ATX or SFX PSUs. Take a look at it.

[@ffwast]

Affordable too, but I might be spoiled for weight by my aluminum itx case, it feels so heavy to me.

[@chadp6307]

My recent build reuses the Phanteks Enthoo Pro (Limited Edition) I bought 3 years ago. This particular full tower had features I wanted.. namely lots of HDD/SSD bays, more than 1 ODD bay, removable filter screens for ease of cleaning, built-in cable management options behind the MB tray, and plenty of room for fans/air flow. It was also on sale at the time. The reasons I usually buy full towers: - I prefer internal storage rather than building a home server, and full/super towers tend to have more HDD bays. I also still use ODDs and prefer them to be internal as well. - Having the room to keep things internal cuts down on the potential clutter of cables needing to be routed to external devices. - As you showed in the video, full towers offer more room to fit rads & fans without interfering with MB connectors. I have been hesitant about putting water anywhere near these expensive parts, but my 5950X doesn't seem happy with an air cooler so that may change. - Having a full tower saves me from changing cases just because I change cooling methods. - Desk space isn't an issue for me so I don't feel a need for a smaller form factor.

[@Mr3ppozz]

I will have to keep an eye open for that model... thanks ! I have a medium tower but my love will always be for Big/Super/full towers

[@Sol_Divisive]

This is why I went with the obsidian 1000D. I have 9 SSD's and 4 HDD's. I wanted a dual system capable tower so that I could host dedicated servers for what ever game my friends and I are playing at the time (ark, valheim, etc). Having 16 fans on the front all pulling in cool air means with that much airflow, the fans run at a lower RPM resulting in an almost silent obelisk beside my desk crammed to the gills with what ever I want to put in it.

[@pottingsoil723]

I have the same case but the base (2014?) model and I bought it for the exact same reasons. I was shopping for features at the time and the Phanteks Enthoo Pro checkmarked every box. Also I wanted to be sure that an NHD15 would fit no compromises. The case has great default airflow and the ambient temps are very nice. I remember some OEMs having ridiculous ambient temps and I wanted to avoid that at all costs. The 200mm intake is just icing on the cake.

[@chadp6307]

@@pottingsoil723 My (correction: Special Edition) has the white interior and came with the Phanteks Halos RGB fan frames for the two 120mm fans in the front. Like you, I wanted a case that was wide enough to comfortably fit today's larger air coolers. I had no problems accommodating the Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4.

[@chadp6307]

@@Mr3ppozz The model number is PH-ES614PTG_SWT (white interior) or there is the black interior version as well.

[@FarmerRiddick]

As someone who is considering the modern era and building a system since my last in 2002 (I think?), I'm grateful for this video and others you have done.

[@Lukiel666]

For me it was an easy choice. Focus G, because it came in Red for my AMD build. Also 5 1/4" drive bays so I can install an aftermarket sliding drawer to hold my USB 3.0 sticks. And plastic clear side panel not glass which makes it lighter. Took the lower included front fan and moved it to the rear as exhaust, installed BeQuiet 140mm fan in its place for even better intake. Oh and I put in a $20 cup holder. It perfectly fits those drink coasters that come with MBs and graphics cards. (I have anime DVDs)

[@sidewind131258]

For my "gaming rig" I use midtower (if you can call a define 7 a midtower), and for my fileserver I choose the Define 7 XL. Both choices are made for the reason that I have to have enough room for my hands down there, and they are a size 11/12 glove, and stiff after some 35 years as a scaffolder. The Define 7 XL could today have been a Define 7 with miniturasation of HDD's but at the time of the build, some 2½ years ago, I needed the space for HDD's, running stripped and mirror'ed disks, as I'm the storrer of family photos and videos and failure is not an option.

[@bodinian]

I'm the storage guy for my family too. Redundant storage is essential. I have at least 3 copies of my family photos and videos at any given time, not including cloud storage that adds two more copies for the photos.