DAN C4-SFX

Markus.bitt

Minimal Tinkerer
New User
May 22, 2023
4
2
Finished build. It includes a few interesting things that might be helpful to people. E.g.

SFX-L power supply with custom Cablemod cables

Right-angle 16pin cable for 4090 from Cablemod. Puts a tiny bit of pressure on the side panel that I fixed with a small amount of double-sided tape to make it essentially undetectable.

Offset Noctua brackets for AM5

JakefaceCustoms top panel.





Feel free to ask any questions. Sorry for all the contrasting wood in the photos, didn't have time to set it up somewhere prettier for photos.
Thanks for sharing, really nicely built. I believe Dan mentioned in the past that the small 92mm fan attached to the rear (to pull in air) was potentially generating some turbolences and hence he was not recommending it, also because the benefit in terms of temperature would have been 2-3 degree improvement. Have you noticed any sound/turbolence yourself?At which speed are you running the fans? And how have you connected them to the motherboard? (Assuming Y cable)
 

Oogar

Cable Smoosher
Jun 13, 2023
9
12
Nice build! I was also considering using the Cablemod right-angle connector, but it doesn't look like the one you shared. Mine looks like the one pictured here. I would love to find one that's lower profile though. Could you elaborate on how you solved the side panel fitment issue? I'm concerned I will run into the same thing.

Thanks! I tried that right-angle adapter with the 4090 and it was definitely a no-go. Way too chunky. I used the custom configurator on Cablemod's website and opted for the SFF-targeted cables (unsleeved). There they had an option to do a 4x8pin to 16pin right angle variant b adapter. The custom cable is definitely lower profile, but it does protrude a couple millimeters outside of the case. There is a tiny amount of bend in the side panel that was most visible when looking at the case head-on. I used a strip of really thin 2-sided tape to pull the side panel in. It's not a perfect solution, but the peace of mind knowing I am not wrenching on the 16-pin adapter is really nice.

It's possible the plastic on that 16pin right-angle connector could be shaved down the slightest bit - but I didn't get that far and didn't feel like borking the cable :D.

What cable lengths did you order? I assume the 24pin is 150mm, but the 8pin and HPWR? Would you have ordered differently now they're installed?

Using an Asus B650E-I, I ordered the following:

Unsleeved SFF cables:

24 Pin ATX - 150 mm
8 Pin EPS (CPU) - 250 mm
90 Degree 16 Pin Micro-Fit to 4x8 Pin PCI-E 12VHPWR 600W Cable for NVIDIA 4000 Series - Variant B (GPU) - 400 mm

The 24-pin was as short as you could go on their configurator. Had to make some interesting bends given how close the two connections are. The Unsleeved cables are pretty rigid but bend into place nicely.

The 8-pin EPS probably could have been 1-3CM shorter - there is some slack on the cable but not so much that I have to route it any differently, it just lies on the bottom of the case with a curve instead of being totally straight. The tiny bit of extra slack to play with was not the end of the world.

The 16pin to 4x8pin cable I would say was the perfect length. You maybe could shave a 1-2 CM but given the fact that you have to account for each 8pin having to reach a different spot on the PSU, I wanted to make sure that the cable could reach the furthest away 8pin on the SF1000L. With this configuration, you are bound to have the further 1-2 8pin be the right length, while the closer 1-2 8pins having more slack given they don't have to reach as far.

All in all, happy with the cables and not itching to change anything. I have an affinity for numbers ending in a 5 or 0 :).

Awesome build.
Finally someone mounts the d12l as it is supposed to be. What are those ram sticks under the heatsink? Curious about the maximum ram height in this configuration. And it is possible to place the power connector at the lower hole?

Thank you! Surprisingly, I got away with G.Skill F5-6000J3040G32GX2-TZ5N. They are 43-44mm in height and they just fit. It is possible! Mine is setup on the lower hole. The power cable routes along the bottom of the case underneath the CPU cooler.


Thanks for sharing, really nicely built. I believe Dan mentioned in the past that the small 92mm fan attached to the rear (to pull in air) was potentially generating some turbulences and hence he was not recommending it, also because the benefit in terms of temperature would have been 2-3 degree improvement. Have you noticed any sound/turbulence yourself? At which speed are you running the fans? And how have you connected them to the motherboard? (Assuming Y cable)

Thanks!

On the Asus B650E-I, using a Y-Cable for the top-mounted slim 120mm fans, and a Y-Cable for the 92mm + 120mm CPU cooler fans. 140mm fan goes directly to the MB. I used the Noctua anti-vibration fan mounts anywhere I could to reduce any noise.

Played around with Fan Control and I think it's fair to say the 92mm fan creates audible turbulence. I think the play might be to Y-Connector the CPU+140mm side mounted fan instead and directly control the 92mm fan so I can limit its RPM to the point that it's imperceivable.
 

Albatross1486

SFF Lingo Aficionado
May 9, 2023
100
76
Played around with Fan Control and I think it's fair to say the 92mm fan creates audible turbulence. I think the play might be to Y-Connector the CPU+140mm side mounted fan instead and directly control the 92mm fan so I can limit its RPM to the point that it's imperceivable.
This is what I did. Slightly different setup, I have 2x140mm slim intakes on top, 140mm exhaust on the side, SS135 cooler with stock 120mm, and slim 92mm rear (wasn't sure if a 25mm would fit, so I went with slim. A 25mm should fit no problem). I have the 140mm intakes together on a Y, and the 120mm/140mm together on a Y. The 92mm is set to something like 15% all the time. I only hear the 92mm spin up when I boot.
 

kuj0

Trash Compacter
Jul 11, 2023
46
32
Thanks! I tried that right-angle adapter with the 4090 and it was definitely a no-go. Way too chunky. I used the custom configurator on Cablemod's website and opted for the SFF-targeted cables (unsleeved). There they had an option to do a 4x8pin to 16pin right angle variant b adapter. The custom cable is definitely lower profile, but it does protrude a couple millimeters outside of the case. There is a tiny amount of bend in the side panel that was most visible when looking at the case head-on. I used a strip of really thin 2-sided tape to pull the side panel in. It's not a perfect solution, but the peace of mind knowing I am not wrenching on the 16-pin adapter is really nice.

It's possible the plastic on that 16pin right-angle connector could be shaved down the slightest bit - but I didn't get that far and didn't feel like borking the cable :D.
Thanks for sharing all the details. I'd love to see what your solution ended up looking like! Curious to see what you did with the double-sided tape and connector. If you wouldn't mind sharing pics, I would really appreciate it - still not sure if I'm going to pull the trigger on custom cables myself and hearing that the right angle connector bows the panel has me second-guessing it
 

Covuk

Average Stuffer
Jun 13, 2023
58
58
- still not sure if I'm going to pull the trigger on custom cables myself and hearing that the right angle connector bows the panel has me second-guessing it

Optimum Tech on YouTube did a 4090 build in the C4 using just a MODDIY custom cable with a standard conenctor, no angled connector.

He didn't mention which type of cable but looks like the soft silicone type. Seems to be plenty of room to route without affecting the case side. Given the cost of an angled connector vs one cable, I think this cable is the route I'd go.
 
Last edited:

Oogar

Cable Smoosher
Jun 13, 2023
9
12
Thanks for sharing all the details. I'd love to see what your solution ended up looking like! Curious to see what you did with the double-sided tape and connector. If you wouldn't mind sharing pics, I would really appreciate it - still not sure if I'm going to pull the trigger on custom cables myself and hearing that the right angle connector bows the panel has me second-guessing it
Here are some shots of what I am talking about.



Right panel has slight space on right-hand side.



In red is where I roughly have the double-side tape.
 

kuj0

Trash Compacter
Jul 11, 2023
46
32
Optimum Tech on YouTube did a 4090 build in the C4 using just a MODDIY custom cable with a standard conenctor, no angled connector.

He didn't mention which type of cable but looks like the soft silicone type. Seems to be plenty of room to route without affecting the case side. Given the cost of an angled connector vs one cable, I think this cable is the route I'd go.
I saw that one. The 16 pin cable that came with my Loki is actually really flexible and thin, so that is still an option. Wanted to give the lo pro 90 degree cable a shot as well though, since that offers proper protection for the connectors. Had a coupon for cablemod custom cables in my PSU box so I decided to give it a shot. We'll see which one works best!
Here are some shots of what I am talking about.



Right panel has slight space on right-hand side.



In red is where I roughly have the double-side tape.
Honestly, I can't even see the gap. Is the top shot with the double sided tape or without? I can't see any bowing at all in either photo!
 

tinyitx

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 25, 2018
2,279
2,338
Honestly, I can't even see the gap. Is the top shot with the double sided tape or without? I can't see any bowing at all in either photo!
Compare the red vs the green in the pic below.
The right side panel appears to bow out a little.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Arboreal

kuj0

Trash Compacter
Jul 11, 2023
46
32
Compare the red vs the green in the pic below.
The right side panel appears to bow out a little.
Maybe it's just the resolution making it a bit hard to see. It's a bit more apparent with the circle areas, but again it is pretty minute.
 

Oogar

Cable Smoosher
Jun 13, 2023
9
12
Honestly, I can't even see the gap. Is the top shot with the double sided tape or without? I can't see any bowing at all in either photo!
Yeah, both photos included that double-sided tape. Definitely minute from the top down, especially when it's the panel furthest away from me when sitting on my desk. Without the double-sided tape though, a front-view of the case will have the side panel extended further out sideways past the front panel (by a small amount) given in an ideal scenario they are completely flush, so any bowing is immediately obvious.
 

kuj0

Trash Compacter
Jul 11, 2023
46
32
Yeah, both photos included that double-sided tape. Definitely minute from the top down, especially when it's the panel furthest away from me when sitting on my desk. Without the double-sided tape though, a front-view of the case will have the side panel extended further out sideways past the front panel (by a small amount) given in an ideal scenario they are completely flush, so any bowing is immediately obvious.
Gotcha! What brand/kind of double sided tape did you end up using? I have a couple options on hand, but they might be a little too thick.
 

konnerbllb

Efficiency Noob
Jun 1, 2022
5
3
The new C4-SFXv2 is 8mm shorter than the C4-SFXv1. Some of the saved milimeters are added to the height to fit mATX. If i would add the io to the top the max gpu length would be 328mm.
Adding it to the bottom is a perfect spot because here is a unused zone. In my opinion the front does look less boring with i/o.

Could we see internal sketches of how a mATX motherboard would fit in the new design with other components installed?
 

Rem Freeman

Chassis Packer
Jul 8, 2023
16
7
Just got off the phone with Amazon support, and it's seeming more and more likely that the C4-SFX I purchased last month will never ship, most likely because they started selling them without actually having inventory on hand. So I guess I'll be waiting for v2 to come out 😭
 

Bonusround

Cable-Tie Ninja
Jun 26, 2018
219
239
Been really liking the flat, ‘single plane’ front panel designs. I wonder how the concept above looks with ventilation holes running cleanly up to the front edge.
 

Markus.bitt

Minimal Tinkerer
New User
May 22, 2023
4
2
I played around with the C4-SFXv2 concepts and did some rendering:





Some color tests:


Thanks Dan!

1. What are the next steps in the process for the V2 please?
2. Are you thinking of releasing a couple of variants, among which we can order what we want?
3. Is it realistic to think that the new version will be shipped starting from 2024?

Thanks in advance
 

Albatross1486

SFF Lingo Aficionado
May 9, 2023
100
76
Interesting renders. I did consider the A4-H2O but didn't want to have to use a riser. The side IO is nice, though not enough to tempt me out of my v1. The solid panel looks nice, and I like all the color options.
 

Flash

Cable Smoosher
May 18, 2023
12
8
I like the side IO. actually love it (maybe 1 additional usb-C - the world is moving that direction, but not required). But it would make more sense to be on the right side since the GPU is on the right side, right? And now I'm thinking what if the IO is independent of the panel and thus you can swap it from right side to left side depending on your preference (might be too much to ask for a v2 - but maybe later on?)
 
  • Like
Reactions: iatacs19