News "DNK|PRIME. Sophisticated beauty in Mini-ITX Design"

Just found email from LUNA Design announcing pre-order availability of the DNK PRIME. This appears to be very well done mini-itx case at 7.8 liters. The draw is CNC cut anodized aluminum.

Link: https://luna-design.org/dnk-prime#design

They have my email because I purchased the DNK H a year or two ago.

Neil

 

[Kmpkt]

That is a beautiful case. Honestly I've been designing my own for a while and that's pretty much exactly what I've done (280mm x 140mm internal volume exactly). Will be nice to take some design queues from them though.

 

[neilhart]

That is a beautiful case. Honestly I've been designing my own for a while and that's pretty much exactly what I've done (280mm x 140mm internal volume exactly). Will be nice to take some design queues from them though.

Yes. I have sent them a query about the riser cable. Is it included? My knee jerk reaction was to order one, however I have resisted.

Neil

 

[Kmpkt]

For that price I kind of doubt it to be honest. Even at bulk they are like 40-50 bucks. Considering the costs of CNC Milling each unit (high) and the price they're asking (196 USD), it seems a tad on the low side if they want to have decent margins. That being said it's being made in Russia and maybe production costs there are lower since it's a less healthy economy last time I checked.

 

[gffermari]

Nice find! It's not as beautiful as other cases at its level but it's great as a small and business like case.

...we will need more information about its thermal ability and photos with real hardware installed.

 

[jtd871]

Looks like the PSU is mounted with the long side parallel with the front of the case. Interesting design decision.

 

[Vittra]

Yes. I have sent them a query about the riser cable. Is it included? My knee jerk reaction was to order one, however I have resisted.

Neil

For that price I kind of doubt it to be honest. Even at bulk they are like 40-50 bucks. Considering the costs of CNC Milling each unit (high) and the price they're asking (196 USD), it seems a tad on the low side if they want to have decent margins. That being said it's being made in Russia and maybe production costs there are lower since it's a less healthy economy last time I checked.

Click "Tech Specs" tab, then click on the orange text titled "Package Content >"

It shows:

Package Contents

• DNK | PRIME PC Case
• 45cm internal AC power cord extender for power supply
• 20cm PCI-e 16x extender cable
• 50cm USB 3.0 extender cable
• 1 x 3.5" HDD fixing bracket
• 2 x 3.5" HDD fixing bracket
• All necessary Fixing elements
• Color box

 

[Kmpkt]

Thanks. Obviously missed that part. Not a bad deal all things considered. DAN A4 came in around 250USD for approximately the same package.

 

[Boil]

Looks nice…

But the venting bothers me…

The intake is passive from the sides; the CPU or GPU fans pulls in what it can, and then that air just mills about in the chamber…

The only (semi)active venting is the PSU…

But the RAM may block airflow from the MB chamber to the PSU intake…

And what if the PSU is efficient enough that it does not need to spin up its fan as much…? No assisted exhaust for the CPU / GPU chambers…

And with no top venting at all, the hot air in the respective chambers has nowhere to go…?

 

[Kmpkt]

Yeah I was thinking the case would really benefit from bottom to top intake or exhaust fans. Even a single 120mm or 140mm thin fan directly above the motherboard would be pretty good.

 

[Boil]

Yes, dual 92mm fans up top would be excellent exhaust for the chassis…

Flip the PSU so it is intaking from the front venting…

Top fans have to pull air from somewhere, and that would be the side venting, which would also feed the CPU & GPU…

I feel that all & any of these recent back-to-back CPU/GPU style chassis' could definitely benefit from dedicated active exhaust fans…

The whole "intake fans are not needed because the CPU/GPU draws in fresh cool air from the adjacent side panel" mantra is misleading…

Yes, they draw in fresh cool air, but when that same air is run thru the respective heatsink and turned into hot air, where does it go from there…?

A chassis with top venting will let some of the hot air out, but a lot of that same hot air just kinda mills about in the chamber…

Top vents & top exhaust fans, that is the most reasonable solution…

 

[Thehack]

Yes, dual 92mm fans up top would be excellent exhaust for the chassis…

Flip the PSU so it is intaking from the front venting…

Top fans have to pull air from somewhere, and that would be the side venting, which would also feed the CPU & GPU…

I feel that all & any of these recent back-to-back CPU/GPU style chassis' could definitely benefit from dedicated active exhaust fans…

The whole "intake fans are not needed because the CPU/GPU draws in fresh cool air from the adjacent side panel" mantra is misleading…

Yes, they draw in fresh cool air, but when that same air is run thru the respective heatsink and turned into hot air, where does it go from there…?

A chassis with top venting will let some of the hot air out, but a lot of that same hot air just kinda mills about in the chamber…

Top vents & top exhaust fans, that is the most reasonable solution…

Based on Dan's testing results the temperatures are pretty good. I don't see any reason for fans if the results of the GPU and CPU temps are good.

 

[jeshikat]

Considering the costs of CNC Milling each unit (high) and the price they're asking (196 USD), it seems a tad on the low side if they want to have decent margins. That being said it's being made in Russia and maybe production costs there are lower since it's a less healthy economy last time I checked.

The DNK-H is manufactured in China and I'm certain this is too. From what I can tell the designer is Russian but either lives in China or spends a fair bit of time there overseeing production.

 

[Phuncz]

Interesting production concept for that price. I didn't think it would be possible below $200.
The rear design is very nicely done with the rounded corners and recesses, the toolless design seems unhandy but it looks amazing.

BTW: it looks like there are openings in the bottom where the 2,5" storage sits (this image) but lacking compatible screw holes, it might not work. Still, 92x15mm fans could possibly fit in there.

 

[Boil]

Interesting production concept for that price. I didn't think it would be possible below $200.
The rear design is very nicely done with the rounded corners and recesses, the toolless design seems unhandy but it looks amazing.

BTW: it looks like there are openings in the bottom where the 2,5" storage sits (this image) but lacking compatible screw holes, it might not work. Still, 92x15mm fans could possibly fit in there.

I feel as if the space/volume used to get those recesses for the MB & GPU I/O areas could be better utilized for a 120mm exhaust fan up top…

Problem with bottom intake fans would be that the chassis appears to be sitting directly on the desk surface, there are no real feet & no gap to pull air in from under the chassis…

I would love to see some real temp testing, both synthetic benchmarks & real world multi-task usage (gaming with browser & such open in the background)…

It is a good looking chassis, and I really want to find a home for this SFX PSU I have sitting here…

 

[wywywywy]

Based on Dan's testing results the temperatures are pretty good. I don't see any reason for fans if the results of the GPU and CPU temps are good.

The difference though is that Dan's has a lot of holes up top for the hot air to get out.

Interesting production concept for that price. I didn't think it would be possible below $200.

$196 is not that far off $200?

---

One thing though, I don't see how a 20cm riser cable is long enough?

 

[Phuncz]

$196 is not that far off $200?

Oh sorry, I was thinking one thing, but typed another. I meant to say I didn't think it would be possible at $200.

 

[VisualStim]

i might jump on this seems good. i liked his first case too

maybe instead of using the SFX PSU use a G-Unique?

 

[neilhart]

I received another email from Luna Design and I took a good long re-look at the “DNK I PRIME” comparing it to my own scratch build Sky Lake and Kaby Lake systems and as a result I pre-ordered one.



Neil

 

[matt3o]

I received another email from Luna Design and I took a good long re-look at the “DNK I PRIME” comparing it to my own scratch build Sky Lake and Kaby Lake systems and as a result I pre-ordered one.

what psu cooler would you pair with it?