ZS-A4M Project Suggestions

[DarkDjin]

Hey,

Im planning my first SFX build and need some advice

1. Where and how to buy the case
should i buy directly from the taobao seller or trough a agent

2.Flex ATX PSU
i am planning a GTX 1050Ti for now but i might be able to go for a 1060 o upgrade to something power hungier in the future
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...r2oM2&id=550965039622&ns=1&abbucket=13#detail
as far as i can tell i would not be able too hook up everything on theese PSUs

2. Sufficiently cooled GPU that fits this case
does the 1050Ti Strix or MSI 1050Ti fit ?
is there any other option i could go for without going for poorly cooled Mini cards ?

 

[Thestarkiller32]

Hey,

Im planning my first SFX build and need some advice

1. Where and how to buy the case
should i buy directly from the taobao seller or trough a agent

2.Flex ATX PSU
i am planning a GTX 1050Ti for now but i might be able to go for a 1060 o upgrade to something power hungier in the future
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...r2oM2&id=550965039622&ns=1&abbucket=13#detail
as far as i can tell i would not be able too hook up everything on theese PSUs

2. Sufficiently cooled GPU that fits this case
does the 1050Ti Strix or MSI 1050Ti fit ?
is there any other option i could go for without going for poorly cooled Mini cards ?

Case: yes, taobao seams to be the only source

outere ones:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Des...225b-446a-b854-073e8195c07a&priceBeautifyAB=5

(250W psu preinstallt vor a APU build i guess)

PSU: that on taobao seams ok and easyer than that one
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N4IGM0O/?tag=theminutiae-20

GPU: its a 1050Ti so they would both fit.

 

[warfreak131]

I would warn against using that red/black case, because of the weird way the GPU sits in it. Notice you don't see the 90 degree piece of the GPU I/O shield? That's because it's not there.

The black piece with the HDMI, DVI and vent hole is a separate metal bracket that screws into the case. In order to mount the graphics card in the case, you have to take the I/O shield off of the graphics card, and mount this metal bracket onto it, which looks to be held in place by the screws on the DVI port. Then you have to mount the metal bracket to the case
(scroll down https://www.chiphell.com/article-5607-4.html)
As far as I can tell, there are no additional metal brackets, which means that the graphics card you purchase MUST fit the template provided by the bracket. It has to have a DVI port on the bottom right, an HDMI port on the bottom left, and nothing on the top row. Most low profile graphics cards have a DVI port on the second row, which make them incompatible.

 

[jØrd]

which means that the graphics card you purchase MUST fit the template provided by the bracket

Or, i dont know, make your own

 

[Thestarkiller32]

Or, i dont know, make your own

 

[InfernoZeus]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Des...225b-446a-b854-073e8195c07a&priceBeautifyAB=5

You should post that on the What's on Taobao thread! Not seen it posted there yet. (Ok, technically it's not on Taobao, but I think it definitely fits there.)

 

[Thestarkiller32]

You should post that on the What's on Taobao thread! Not seen it posted there yet. (Ok, technically it's not on Taobao, but I think it definitely fits there.)

yea there are some nice cases on that side...
https://de.aliexpress.com/item/Computer-Fall-vollturm-unterst-tzung-server-E-ATX-bord-PC-wasser-k-hler-2017New-gaming-fall/32833010053.html?spm=a2g0x.search0103.3.229.3895cebDL7VQB&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_1_10320_10152_10321_10151_10065_10344_10068_10342_10547_10343_10322_10340_10548_10341_10193_10194_10084_10083_10304_10615_10307_10302_10180_10313_10059_10184_10534_100031_10319_10604_10103_10186_10142,searchweb201603_6,ppcSwitch_5&algo_expid=363035d6-73d7-447c-9b60-833c3aa8b387-37&algo_pvid=363035d6-73d7-447c-9b60-833c3aa8b387&priceBeautifyAB=2

https://de.aliexpress.com/item/Gold...id=e704aa94-6516-4a01-a3c0-cc260ae200b6&tpp=1

https://de.aliexpress.com/item/Mini-itx-pc-geh-use-Unterst-tzung-gro-e-power-24-CM-gro-e-grafikkarte-USB3/32842067776.html?spm=a2g0x.search0103.3.8.5d791eacorTaA0&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_1_10320_10152_10321_10151_10065_10344_10068_10342_10547_10343_10322_10340_10548_10341_10193_10194_10084_10083_10304_10615_10307_10302_10180_10313_10059_10184_10534_100031_10319_10604_10103_10186_10142,searchweb201603_6,ppcSwitch_5&algo_expid=3e320e68-7433-4667-a8c6-7480d517586d-1&algo_pvid=3e320e68-7433-4667-a8c6-7480d517586d&priceBeautifyAB=2

 

[warfreak131]

Or, i dont know, make your own

What's with the snarky comeback? I brought up a legitimate concern with the chassis...

 

[jØrd]

What's with the snarky comeback? I brought up a legitimate concern with the chassis...

Apologies, it wasnt my intention to come across as snarky, i was trying to emphasize that for the majority of people here (this is a forum full of modders after all) that this is likely a surmountable problem as opposed to a go / no-go issue.

 

[warfreak131]

Very well, sorry I jumped the gun on that one, side effects of text vs. in person.

TBH, I've considered purchasing this case and making my own brackets, but I don't know the first thing about 3D modeling. Then again I assume if you give someone the dimensions and perhaps grease their palm, they could model it for you.

 

[FoskcoRS5]

Hey,

Im planning my first SFX build and need some advice

1. Where and how to buy the case
should i buy directly from the taobao seller or trough a agent

2.Flex ATX PSU
i am planning a GTX 1050Ti for now but i might be able to go for a 1060 o upgrade to something power hungier in the future
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...r2oM2&id=550965039622&ns=1&abbucket=13#detail
as far as i can tell i would not be able too hook up everything on theese PSUs

2. Sufficiently cooled GPU that fits this case
does the 1050Ti Strix or MSI 1050Ti fit ?
is there any other option i could go for without going for poorly cooled Mini cards ?

I picked up a ZS-A4 (non m) and I used superbuy as my agent. The issue with using agents is they up charge shipping. I think I paid like, $170 all in (including PCIE riser). $80 more and I could have picked up a DAN A4.

 

[DarkDjin]

I picked up a ZS-A4 (non m) and I used superbuy as my agent. The issue with using agents is they up charge shipping. I think I paid like, $170 all in (including PCIE riser). $80 more and I could have picked up a DAN A4.

For me sadly every dollar counts cause i live and work in turkey and the exchange rate is 1US = 3.60 TRY with a median income of around 1700 TRY a month.

thats also the reason i dont want to spend too much for the GPU at this moment.
probably will just get a second hand 1050Ti or 950 and upgrade later

for me the besst thing would probably be to get the case pcie riser and psu shipped in one package.

in terms of CPU what would be better for SFF builds i almost exclusively see intel builds, so the natural question would be to ask if AMD with the Ryzen lineup has any obvious drawbacks regarding SFF

 

[FoskcoRS5]

For me sadly every dollar counts cause i live and work in turkey and the exchange rate is 1US = 3.60 TRY with a median income of around 1700 TRY a month.

thats also the reason i dont want to spend too much for the GPU at this moment.
probably will just get a second hand 1050Ti or 950 and upgrade later

for me the besst thing would probably be to get the case pcie riser and psu shipped in one package.

in terms of CPU what would be better for SFF builds i almost exclusively see intel builds, so the natural question would be to ask if AMD with the Ryzen lineup has any obvious drawbacks regarding SFF

The primary drawback is single core performance. Intel has been offering higher clocks with few cores which gives applications that use one to two cores an advantage when it comes to best performance.

I'm curious to see the motherboard offerings once the APU's are out. The ASUS X370 and B250 board looks amazing.

The Ryzen chips have had great TDP ratings so they'll run much cooler than previous AMD offerings.

Looking at CPUBenchmark.net nearly all of the higher rated price to performance chips are Ryzen.

 

[DarkDjin]

and another question what CPU Coolers would i be able to cram in the ZS-A4M 90% of the sff build i see use the Noctua NH-L9i, are there any others out that perform better better ?

 

[FoskcoRS5]

and another question what CPU Coolers would i be able to cram in the ZS-A4M 90% of the sff build i see use the Noctua NH-L9i, are there any others out that perform better better ?

CPU clearance says 38mm. Noctua L9i is 37mm. There is also an AM4 NH-L9a-AM4.

I'm sure there are comparisons on other threads in the forum. I know Josh at NFC has put a lot of work into low profile cooler performance in the S4 mini.