NCASE M1: a crowdfunded Mini-ITX case

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Wreckem

Diamond Member
Sep 23, 2006
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Could it be smaller? Yes.

Is it anywhere as big as the Prodigy? Not really the Prodigy is matx case thats limited to mitx boards.

The NCASE M1 is pretty small. Its barely bigger than the 05. I believe the NCASE M1 is the smallest case that can fit a 240mm radiator. I think that was one of the main goals was to fit a 240mm radiator while keeping it as small as possible. They added the slot load drive because of whiners. Same for the atx psu capability. When in reality, the Silverstones SFX 450 is plenty to power anything with modest overclocks. Just need to swap out the stock fan for a quieter one.

Wish they would offer silver or black instead of just black.
 
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IlllI

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2002
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Wreckem said:
They added the slot load drive because of whiners. Same for the atx psu capability. When in reality, the Silverstones SFX 450 is plenty to power anything with modest overclocks. Just need to swap out the stock fan for a quieter one.
Click to expand...

you probably know this already, but for others reading, i dont think those two additions increased the size of the case. i know for the optical drive, that was just dead space originally. but that space can also double as room for more ssd drives if the person wishes. i'm not sure about the atx psu, but i think it only increased the size by a couple mm if at all.


Zap said:
Having two SG05 in the household, I am well aware of that. :p I just think it can be even smaller while retaining GTX 680 compatibility.
Click to expand...

the m1 is 12.6L

sg05 is 10.8 liters

my opinion its not really THAT much bigger :p
for the extra 1.8 liters you get a whole lot more flexibility than what the sg05 offers. thats the biggest appeal for me :)
 
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capeconsultant

Senior member
Aug 10, 2005
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Optical drives are dead in small cases. What is the matter with people? SAVE THE SPACE. An external DVD for the one time in 2 years you may actually need one is like what, $20 bucks?
 
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Wreckem

Diamond Member
Sep 23, 2006
9,458
987
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capeconsultant said:
Optical drives are dead in small cases. What is the matter with people? SAVE THE SPACE. An external DVD for the one time in 2 years you may actually need one is like what, $20 bucks?
Click to expand...

The only changes they changed to allow for the slot load odd was making a slot in the top of the case. The space, in between the case and the front panel already was already there for SSDs.
 
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IlllI

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2002
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oh i misread what you were trying to say then hehe
i was thinking more along the lines of wreckem's reply
 
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Skott

Diamond Member
Oct 4, 2005
5,730
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The ODD is not dead. Stop trying to force your vision of what a case should and should not have on others. They were nice enough put the option in BECAUSE SOME ASKED THEM TO! If you don't like the idea of a case having a ODD then don't buy it.
 
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capeconsultant

Senior member
Aug 10, 2005
454
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I will or will not buy it. I have contributed. So I will have the option of purchase. Since I do not need a large video card of any type, this may or may not be my next case. I appreciate cases for the thought that goes into them, even if they do not meet my exact requirements.

And by expressing my opinion, I am not exactly forcing my ideas on others. No more than the ones who requested the ODD did.
 
dave_the_nerd

dave_the_nerd

Lifer
Feb 25, 2011
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I spent three hours this week playing Age of Empires III, which loads from CD and needs disc 1 inserted to play. It's not available on Steam.

I fart in your general direction.
 
Eureka

Eureka

Diamond Member
Sep 6, 2005
3,822
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As a question, why is this preferable over a SG05 for $120 or SG08 for $200, both which come with PSUs?

If it's $250 without a PSU, wouldn't that be far more expensive for what's more or less the same design?
 
SithSolo1

SithSolo1

Diamond Member
Mar 19, 2001
7,740
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Eureka said:
As a question, why is this preferable over a SG05 for $120 or SG08 for $200, both which come with PSUs?

If it's $250 without a PSU, wouldn't that be far more expensive for what's more or less the same design?
Click to expand...

More cooling options without modding, room for more storage and longer video cards without modding, all aluminum, ATX PSU support(with shorter GPUs), and its a limited production "collector's item." Also, imo, it looks much nicer at least in the renders. Waiting on the prototype photos for final judgement.
 
Eureka

Eureka

Diamond Member
Sep 6, 2005
3,822
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I just finished reading the original discussions, I think I will be in for one... just donated to the campaign! I think I finally found my mITX case, although it seems to be a bit farther away than I would like (looking to be summer shipments).

My only disappointment is that you can't use both a full ATX PSU and a full sized GPU, looks like I'll have to get rid of my current PSU too. But I'll be able to keep my H70, from the looks of it. But if the creator's price of under $200 is realized, that's going to be a crazy hot case.

Can't wait.
 
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Skott

Diamond Member
Oct 4, 2005
5,730
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Personally, I think a summer release is not going to happen. Prototypes will be out for reviews by summer but I think Fall/Winter for finished product delivery is more likely. They still got a long road ahead of them. People wanting something now or soon will be disappointed. Just a guess/opinion I have about final delivery time.
 
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capeconsultant

Senior member
Aug 10, 2005
454
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Me, I like to choose my own PSU. So I can choose the best. As I think it is a CRITICAL component of a great computer.

The darn handles on the Prodigy also do nada for me.
 
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Wreckem

Diamond Member
Sep 23, 2006
9,458
987
126
Eureka said:
I just finished reading the original discussions, I think I will be in for one... just donated to the campaign! I think I finally found my mITX case, although it seems to be a bit farther away than I would like (looking to be summer shipments).

My only disappointment is that you can't use both a full ATX PSU and a full sized GPU, looks like I'll have to get rid of my current PSU too. But I'll be able to keep my H70, from the looks of it. But if the creator's price of under $200 is realized, that's going to be a crazy hot case.

Can't wait.
Click to expand...

Technically yes/no.

Technically the the ATX spec has a dpeth of 140mm. Technically anything bigger than that is technically EPS, EPS12V or ATX12V. So yeah you cant fit 160mm or 170mm PSU(or even 150mm, technically not even 140mm modular) in this thing.

But this case was built for SFX in mind. A 450watt SFX should be able to power anything you can realistically stuff in the case with the exception of say a 690 and possibly Titan.
 
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Zap

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
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IlllI said:
the m1 is 12.6L

sg05 is 10.8 liters

my opinion its not really THAT much bigger :p
Click to expand...

My point was that it should be possible to make a case smaller than the SG05 while still being able to fit and power a GTX 680. ;)
 
cbn

cbn

Lifer
Mar 27, 2009
12,968
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Zap said:
I see an SG05 (what the NCASE M1 started with in philosophy) and see a case that is 30mm too tall. Ditch the optical drive. Put the SFX PSU (not ATX) in the front of the case. Cut 30mm off the top. Make out of aluminum. Voila! Being small and simple, it also would be a lot cheaper and lighter.
Click to expand...

Hey Zap,

Moving the SFX PSU to the front....is that to allow for a larger CPU cooler?
 
dave_the_nerd

dave_the_nerd

Lifer
Feb 25, 2011
16,788
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Zap said:
My point was that it should be possible to make a case smaller than the SG05 while still being able to fit and power a GTX 680. ;)
Click to expand...

Does anybody make a picoITX board with a PCZI-E slot?

Might not have the CPU options you'd like though...
 
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IlllI

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2002
4,927
10
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Zap said:
My point was that it should be possible to make a case smaller than the SG05 while still being able to fit and power a GTX 680. ;)
Click to expand...

i missed that point. not sure of their specific dimensions, but two that come to mind that could possibly be smaller than sg05 are falcon northwest 'tiki' and digital storm 'bolt'. however both have a lot of tradeoffs to get to that size, and are quite expensive.
 
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Iam918

Junior Member
Feb 7, 2010
1
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Saw this on [H] the other day and instantly went to the indiegogo page and plopped down $ for support.

I'll be getting at least 2 of them when they become available for order. Or donating twice in the next campaign if that's the way to order them.
 
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