DAN A4-SFX v3 with 120mm aio!!

Tr15

Caliper Novice
Original poster
Nov 26, 2017
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It finally arrived! So it's time for an upgrade to the beautiful DAN A4-SFX v3 case.

My old rig can be found here:
https://smallformfactor.net/forum/t...-7600k-gtx-1060-hdplex-power.5889/#post-88235

The new one is basically a transplant of the internals into the new enclosure, but to recap:

Intel i5 7600k overclocked to 5Ghz
16 gb Hyper X 3000Mhz RAM
Asus z270 rog strix motherboard
Asus Pheonix GTX 1060
Samsung Evo 256Gb nvme drive
Cooled by a Corsair H75 aio
Powered by a HDPlex 160

Some pics below, followed by a few build notes:


Build notes:
- As you probably noticed from the pics I had to remove the shroud from the GPU. The PCB is true itx but the shroud extended another 2cm or so which made it impossible to install the aio in this orientation with it on. Removing the shroud seems to have had zero impact on temperatures.
- The HDPlex dc barrel connector is a very tight squeeze. So much so I thought I would have to get the sander out but some perseverance and I managed to squeeze it in without any mods.
- It was fiddly as all heck to get the aio in there and the tubes routed while keep the cables roughly in order. Recommend growing a third arm to assist!
- Once everything is in, there is heaps of space actually. I will probably upgrade the power delivery to a HDPlex 400 when the next round of Nvidia gpus are released.
- I am stoked with this beautiful case. It's actually as good or better temps than my old CM 110 Elite but one third of the volume.
- Will update with more temps and pics details as I play around with the system.
 

loader963

King of Cable Management
Jan 21, 2017
660
568
Very impressive! With the aio in there, can you feasibly get the two 2.5” drives in the bottom or will they not fit in your opinion?
 

Tr15

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Original poster
Nov 26, 2017
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@Matias Petersen , yes it sure does! The unit gets very hot under high load (modern AAA games) but it has never tripped.

@loader963 , I would say yes looking at it with a ruler in hand. Plus the aio mount allows the rad to slide up and down a bit so I could probably push it a little closer to the roof of the case. I will give it a go in the next few days and report back. (I would imagine nice cable management will be tricky!)
 
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Tr15

Caliper Novice
Original poster
Nov 26, 2017
23
32
@loader963 , so I tried to fit the ssds in the drive cage below the fan and radiator but it is just too tight of a squeeze for me comfortably get it in without disassembling the whole thing... I still think it may be possible if you did the build in the right order. Some pics are below with just one drive below the cage which is pretty easy, the one on the top was too tight.

Also this is exactly why I went with M.2 - the more space and less cabling you have in there the better for cooling (and looks in my opinion).

 

dondan

Shrink Ray Wielder
DAN Cases
Feb 23, 2015
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Than he can switch to SFX and it will still fit if he use a thinner fan on the Corsair AIO.
 
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Tr15

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Nov 26, 2017
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@artemis I hope not since the PC is used 90% for work at which point the draw from the wall is well under 50 watts, but not a big deal if it fails as Dan says.

@dondan thanks for the comment, and yes I love the flexibility with v3, so that even if something goes wrong I can use sfx or hdplex 400w and still have my aio.
 

haseem04

What's an ITX?
Jul 4, 2018
1
0
I have a Corsair SX-650G.
Thought I could cram my Corsair H75 AIO in but that seems like a no-go as it goes in place of the PSU.

Is there a smaller AIO that could fit where the drive bay is? Can't seem to even get the rad in at the bottom.

So, to use a 120mm AIO, you'd need the small PSU and not an SFX?

Might just strap it on the outside, smacked next to the GPU, but then I'd have to keep the cover off :(

GREAT CASE, BTW!
 

bananaboy93

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Mar 28, 2018
112
18
Theres a 92mm aio from asetek 545LC which allows you to use the sf psu. If you want to go the 120mm aio I believe you have to get the hd plex. In my experience I rather go the noctua l9 cooler than the 92mm aio because everything will be so tight hence the lack of air flow for the aio and the temperature will be the same as the air cooler at the end of the day. Thats my opinion doeee
 
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bledha

Airflow Optimizer
Feb 22, 2017
307
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yes it sure does! The unit gets very hot under high load (modern AAA games) but it has never tripped.

That must be the newer version of the 160, which is likely performing a lot better than the old ones. It must be! I think I tried a thousand similar configurations to this with a much less powerful CPU (65w, not overclocked and 1060, 960 mixes) and through 3 different HDPlex 160's, it could never handle it for more than a minute in game before shutting off. This was with a 230w tested brick as well!

Well good on you for getting that 160 to power a 1060 and an overclocked >90w CPU! I can barely believe it, really!

What brick are you using?

Nevertheless, cool build!
 
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rosinbole

Cable-Tie Ninja
Jan 18, 2018
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Theres a 92mm aio from asetek 545LC which allows you to use the sf psu. If you want to go the 120mm aio I believe you have to get the hd plex. In my experience I rather go the noctua l9 cooler than the 92mm aio because everything will be so tight hence the lack of air flow for the aio and the temperature will be the same as the air cooler at the end of the day. Thats my opinion doeee
I have an Asetek 545lc, which was crammed into the case with fully sleeved cables and all, but when I removed all of the cables and psu, the CPU temp didn't drop a degree... Seems that it was able to move enough air, even getting almost fully blocked by cables... Can't speak for anyone who uses anything else than the 14mm thick noctua 92mm fan
 
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Tr15

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Original poster
Nov 26, 2017
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That must be the newer version of the 160, which is likely performing a lot better than the old ones. It must be! I think I tried a thousand similar configurations to this with a much less powerful CPU (65w, not overclocked and 1060, 960 mixes) and through 3 different HDPlex 160's, it could never handle it for more than a minute in game before shutting off. This was with a 230w tested brick as well!

Well good on you for getting that 160 to power a 1060 and an overclocked >90w CPU! I can barely believe it, really!

What brick are you using?

Nevertheless, cool build!

Yes, although I bought the unit from the HD Plex website I think it's actually one of the new @Kmpkt Dynamo mini units (I guess they are the same thing in reality?).

The power brick is an official Dell 330w unit.

I rarely push the unit to its limits as this is mostly a machine for work, but it does manage a nice 90fps in Dirt 4 :)
 
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trundrumbalind

Efficiency Noob
Jul 30, 2018
7
0
Hey everyone!
I just bought the A4-SFX v3 and I'm in the process of getting all the parts for it, but I'd appreciate some feedback on the compatibility of my build.

Here's what i got so far:
- Asus z370-i MOBO

- 8700k No worries, I'll delid it and apply LM. Would have gone for the non-k version, but they're out of stock where i live, and just as expensive as the K version.

- 32gb Corsair Vengeance DDR4 RAM - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078MF6XC5/?tag=theminutiae-20

- Bequiet! SFX-L 600w PSU

- 1tb Samsung 970 EVO M.2 PCIe SSD

- Asetek 554LC + Intel 115x retention kit

-Noctua NF-A9x14 fan

- This PSU cable kit: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073W6N7Y2/?tag=theminutiae-20


BUT I don't know about the GPU. I'm thinking Asus ROG Strix 1080 (non-TI), MSI Garming X and EVGA FTW2.

I've seen other builds with the components I already have, but the GPU i'm still confused by, since there's very contradicting info out there.
Also, my temps worry me a bit.

What do you guys think ( particularly @dondan of course), will it work???

Cheers!
 

Tr15

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Original poster
Nov 26, 2017
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@trundrumbalind I would be very cautious about getting an SFX-L PSU and the Asetek cooler - it will be a tight/impossible fit. (Just check the forums for some pics of the Corsair SFX PSUs with the Asetek beneath - there is basically zero clearance).

For the GPU, @dondan has a compatibility list on his website: https://www.dan-cases.com/dana4_spec.html

It will be a very powerful build though! (Why not wait until September and get an 1180?)
 
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Tr15

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Nov 26, 2017
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I thought I would add to this post briefly with the pic below. My Dan case now has the addition of a KMPKT Dynamo 360 DC-ATX. This is powering an MSI Aero GTX 1070 GPU... its a nice upgrade from the 1060 3Gb!

(And those of you worrying about my HD-PLEX 160 going up in flames can chill out)