Completed The MI-6 Microtower Case: Performance in 6.7L

huddy

Caliper Novice
Aug 22, 2018
30
29
@firewolfy , do you have a timeline for how long you'll be accepting preorders for lofts? I'm on the fence if I'll actually need one but won't have a solid answer until a few days after 7/7.
 

firewolfy

Master of Cramming
Original poster
Nov 12, 2015
424
836
Looks like 15 so far. I was going to run until the end of the month, but it might run over into July some.

Fred
 

Jello

Airflow Optimizer
Nov 15, 2016
376
163
@firewolfy any plans to offer some different layouts with a similar design to the Mi-6? Just curious, I'm a big fan of the look of my case with the silver top and black front and sides.
 

firewolfy

Master of Cramming
Original poster
Nov 12, 2015
424
836
@firewolfy any plans to offer some different layouts with a similar design to the Mi-6? Just curious, I'm a big fan of the look of my case with the silver top and black front and sides.
I don't have any firm plans. One idea is to maybe go a bit more mainstream, maybe mATX, make a big brother to the MI-6.
 

Revenant

Christopher Moine - Senior Editor SFF.N
Revenant Tech
SFFn Staff
Apr 21, 2017
1,670
2,697
Hard to mess with perfection...

I used to advocate a 3.5 inch HD slot, but I’ve started to hate mechanical drives. I’m spoiled by SSDs wonderful silence.

Maybe a horizontal config for HTPC? Not my thing but I guess you could try to make a bottom plate that matches the top plate, and put some feet on the CPU side.

Hmmmm. An MATX / DTX version would be neat. Just scale all the proportions though to keep the design. I would lean toward MATX size rather than mini-DTX. Maybe a Ryzen 3K oriented design for that new mini DTX board? I guess that would allow for bigger video cards and larger CPU coolers too.

If the case was scaled to MATX/DTX Board size but maintained its current proportions it would have to grow in all dimensions by roughly 1.44X. However the GPU side could still be limited to the same width dimensions as more than two slots isn’t needed. I’m not sure what the exact numbers would be but you might be able to mount a Noctua C14S on the CPU side (115mm). At the very least, a double fan on a. L12S.

GPU length would be be in the 250mm range. No 2080TIs exist yet at that size, but ZOTAC did release that 1080TI mini that was I think about 215mm.

Mini DTX would only yield a 1.18X (approximately) size increase in all case dimensions. GPU length might be in that mythical 215mm range.

16 Cores and a 2080TI with a boat load of SSDs/HDs in under 10L. That would be cool. The loft might have to be standard at that point though.

Of course I’m grossly oversimplifying the process.

EDIT: I had some numbers confused.
 
Last edited:

thel3igo

Trash Compacter
Nov 4, 2018
34
27
I don't have any firm plans. One idea is to maybe go a bit more mainstream, maybe mATX, make a big brother to the MI-6.
Hard to mess with perfection...

I used to advocate a 3.5 inch HD slot, but I’ve started to hate mechanical drives. I’m spoiled by SSDs wonderful silence.

Maybe a horizontal config for HTPC? Not my thing but I guess you could try to make a bottom plate that matches the top plate, and put some feet on the CPU side.

Hmmmm. An MATX / DTX version would be neat. Just scale all the proportions though to keep the design. I would lean toward MATX size rather than mini-DTX. Maybe a Ryzen 3K oriented design for that new mini DTX board? I guess that would allow for bigger video cards and larger CPU coolers too.

If the case was scaled to MATX/DTX Board size but maintained its current proportions it would have to grow in all dimensions by roughly 1.44X. However the GPU side could still be limited to the same width dimensions as more than two slots isn’t needed. I’m not sure what the exact numbers would be but you might be able to mount a Noctua C14S on the CPU side (115mm). At the very least, a double fan on a. L12S.

GPU length would be be in the 250mm range. No 2080TIs exist yet at that size, but ZOTAC did release that 1080TI mini that was I think about 215mm.

Mini DTX would only yield a 1.18X (approximately) size increase in all case dimensions. GPU length might be in that mythical 215mm range.

16 Cores and a 2080TI with a boat load of SSDs/HDs in under 10L. That would be cool. The loft might have to be standard at that point though.

Of course I’m grossly oversimplifying the process.

EDIT: I had some numbers confused.
I myself was thinking about designs the other day as well. Came across the DSE Breathe case... It is really hard to think of a way to make that thing more compact, the only problem is you have that awkward thing where all the cables are sticking out of the top of the case... I couldn't think of a way to make the dimensions smaller without vastly limiting the gpu size while leaving a lot of open awkward empty space. Designing a case is no joke shit's complicated
 

ignsvn

By Toutatis!
SFFn Staff
Apr 4, 2016
1,706
1,646
Hard to mess with perfection...

I used to advocate a 3.5 inch HD slot, but I’ve started to hate mechanical drives. I’m spoiled by SSDs wonderful silence.

Maybe a horizontal config for HTPC? Not my thing but I guess you could try to make a bottom plate that matches the top plate, and put some feet on the CPU side.

Hmmmm. An MATX / DTX version would be neat. Just scale all the proportions though to keep the design. I would lean toward MATX size rather than mini-DTX. Maybe a Ryzen 3K oriented design for that new mini DTX board? I guess that would allow for bigger video cards and larger CPU coolers too.

If the case was scaled to MATX/DTX Board size but maintained its current proportions it would have to grow in all dimensions by roughly 1.44X. However the GPU side could still be limited to the same width dimensions as more than two slots isn’t needed. I’m not sure what the exact numbers would be but you might be able to mount a Noctua C14S on the CPU side (115mm). At the very least, a double fan on a. L12S.

GPU length would be be in the 250mm range. No 2080TIs exist yet at that size, but ZOTAC did release that 1080TI mini that was I think about 215mm.

Mini DTX would only yield a 1.18X (approximately) size increase in all case dimensions. GPU length might be in that mythical 215mm range.

16 Cores and a 2080TI with a boat load of SSDs/HDs in under 10L. That would be cool. The loft might have to be standard at that point though.

Of course I’m grossly oversimplifying the process.

EDIT: I had some numbers confused.

Btw if your harddrive is so noisy that you can not take it.. Probably something's wrong with it?

(i understand mechanical drives make noise, but IMO never to the annoying level)
 

Revenant

Christopher Moine - Senior Editor SFF.N
Revenant Tech
SFFn Staff
Apr 21, 2017
1,670
2,697
Btw if your harddrive is so noisy that you can not take it.. Probably something's wrong with it?

(i understand mechanical drives make noise, but IMO never to the annoying level)


Drive is good. I used to hang out on SPCR forum for reference. I've been modifying computers to be silent since I had to dremel Lian Lis with imported yate-loon and pabst fans. ;)
 
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huddy

Caliper Novice
Aug 22, 2018
30
29
I think a mini DTX concept would be a good follow on since mATX seems to be fading away (a shame IMO as it meets most user needs and doesn't require the space of ATX while still being easily cooled). I recall another thread where one of he designers had spoke to board makers and it seems that mATX is falling out of favor with them. Still a bummer that the ASUS crosshairs board doesn't carry a second a lot, whether PCIe x1 or x4 or x16 running at x8. Dual single slot GPU's or a nice sound/network/NVMe card are still nice. I hated to give up my dedicated sound card on my planned build but didn't want to splurge for a new PCIe card or use an mATX or larger board.

I do have my eye looking at a Sapphire Pulse Vega 56 and am wondering if I am crazy to consider buying one at $299 and figuring out some way to mod/replace the cooler (loft+AIO loop?).? I do want the raw compute power for photo/video and have no problem with a mild undervolt/underclock but am hoping AMD makes a nice GCN/Vega card in the 40-56 CU range on 7nm so that I can have smaller PCB's and less power...
 

DrAwesome95

Caliper Novice
Jun 25, 2018
27
9
I do have my eye looking at a Sapphire Pulse Vega 56

Have had the same idea for a while, but it seems short of getting a custom cooler/ strapping on an AIO, there isn't much hope.
At that point, its a massive leap to take financially, and I'm too chicken haha.
I looked into buying a dead Aero card and fitting the cooler onto the Vega, but of course lots of modding, and I don't have access to a 3D printer.
If you do, I would love to share some ideas and maybe come up with a Vega 'Nano' kit.
 

ignsvn

By Toutatis!
SFFn Staff
Apr 4, 2016
1,706
1,646
I'll buy your old one if you can get it to Australia :) Problem solved .

How can I sell my old one to you if I "need" 2? :)

In a separate note, my finance minister somehow says she doesn't mind if we have another PC for the living room. Although I'm still on the fence to spend around $1.2K for another build I know won't be used often.
 

huddy

Caliper Novice
Aug 22, 2018
30
29
Have had the same idea for a while, but it seems short of getting a custom cooler/ strapping on an AIO, there isn't much hope.
At that point, its a massive leap to take financially, and I'm too chicken haha.
I looked into buying a dead Aero card and fitting the cooler onto the Vega, but of course lots of modding, and I don't have access to a 3D printer.
If you do, I would love to share some ideas and maybe come up with a Vega 'Nano' kit.

And the price just went back up to $400+ on the cards this morning. There goes that idea for now. I had the same thought with an aero itx cooler from a 1070. I don't have a 3D printer but some of my friends do.
 

ignsvn

By Toutatis!
SFFn Staff
Apr 4, 2016
1,706
1,646
There's this thread about case with integrated distroplate..

I wonder if one of us here ever thought about creating something similar to be placed on top ala the loft.

Distroloft.