Hi Dondan
As a current user of the A4 v3, I can say, I think trying to compete with the T1 in the similar category will be very difficult without some other advantage as the T1s biggest advantage IMO is not just the fact it can house a 240 AIO but the also mesh side panels which allow maximum airflow. To me that is my ideal sandwich layout case.
Personally I think the current iterration of the case is amazing, the biggest advantage to me over the T1 is the fact it does not require a riser and still looks sleek and allows watercooling with less restrictions. However, one downside is that it seems the GPU would be difficult to find fittings that will not hit the side of the case in the normal layout (based on the photos).
I think support for a 280AIO support will also be popular espically for people who want to liquid cool both their GPU and CPU and at 11.3L it's still smaller than the M1 and IMO looks much better.
It would also be nice if you could do dual radiators but I am mindful that with 280AIO support the case will become larger in size compared to what it originaly started out as, and having dual radiator support may put it in a position where it now competes with the M1.
Sorry this isn't 100% true. A mesh panel is more airflow restricted as a classic vent hole patter like on the C4 even it is done over a smaller area (
https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Effects-of-Grill-Patterns-on-Fan-Performance-Noise-107/). See the GPU thermals on T1 vs A4. Yes the thermals are the same level, but the A4 has a much smaller vent hole area. The big advantage for mesh is noise reduction (because of its restrict level), cheap manufacturing and it work like a budget dust filter. I personal does not like the look.
For the GPU water block you are right. It requires a narrow one like the Watercool Heatkiller or a special one with fitting port under the GPU like the new EKWB slim one.
The final version will have the same capabilities for the radiator and GPU as the M1 + extra 280 radiator support on the side attached AIO bracket. So on max out you can fit a 240 radiator on the bottom + 280 radiator on the side.
Biggest takeaway for me from the thermal testing is that air cooling has problems. This calls in to question the point of having a dual layout, given its primary advantage is air cooling support.
- Is it possible to fix air cooling performance? Maybe by adding 2x 120mm fan mounts above the motherboard?
- Is potential 280mm radiator support in Classic layout only? Or is it in both layouts? If the latter, then Classic layout seems redundant, essentially only catering to mid-range air-cooler builds (with limited GPU support). If the former, then I guess this is the new purpose for Classic layout.
- If the case needs to be inverted to improve performance, wouldn't it be better to have this as the default layout?
Personally, I'd buy the case as-is. But my cooling needs are fairly limited (Ryzen 2600 & 5700 XT Reference).
To be fair the U9S is not made/big enough to cool the 3900X proper. On a different motherboard you can mount the C14S that will be a bit better. Yes two 120mm fans on top would result in better air cooled temps but would also add another 0.8L to the case.
The case width is not big enough to support 280 AIO at the bottom + Lian Li clips.
For the possible final version I will make the inverted layout to default and remove the flip feature, because there is no use case where the default orientation is better.
With your hardware it will be like a walk in the park cooling the CPU very silent. For the GPU you have to use a aftermarket heatsink to reduce temps and noise.
280mm AIO in an 11.3 litre case would be pretty massive. Isn't the Streacom DA2 currently the smallest that supports this? And that's 17.6L (IIRC).
Yes you are right - it would be the smallest existing case with this feature.
@dondan For the classic layout non flipped - can you check if the GPU heatsink are all covered by the side vents? Having the vent holes going lower to reach all the way to the GPU heatsink fins will allow hot air to exit faster. A side intake fan will also probably help to bring cool air in.
On a separate yet similar note, I believe many top-down coolers will perform better compared to U9S, such as: C14 (if layout permits), NH-L12/s, Thermalright AXP90, Raven Ridge, ID Cooling IS-60, and so on. Not because they have more mass, but because they take cool air straight from the side panel vent holes.
Nearly yes, some mm are missing. On a possible final version the area above the motherboard will be smaller and the lower bigger. The GPU will have a higher level and will be covered even more. I did also some tests with covering the vent holes in this zone completely and that changed not that much. The GPU does not create enough pressure to move enough air out in these zones. It is easier for the hot air to be sucked in by the radiator. The real advantage of these holes will be achieved by using a deshrouded GPU with outtake fans.
If the C14S would fit on my board in this case I think I would agree, but not for the LP heatsinks on your list.
