Production Lazer3D LZ7 - Quiet Gaming Cube PC Case

[K888D]

CPU cooler clearance for the LZ7 is listed as 65mm, with 60mm or less the recommended maximum height...

Thats is indeed correct. The full clearance is around 68mm, but at that point your CPU cooler/fan would be touching the underside of the Power Supply, this is why 65mm is stated as the max to give some clearance, your CPU cooler fan won't function well without it.

Ideally you need at least 10mm clearance which is why the specs say under 60mm recommended, there are a fair few good coolers under this height including the Scythe Big Shuriken 2 at 58mm which would be my number 1 choice (with the fan swapped out to something like the new slim Noctua 120mm).

What's the highest processor TDP that this case can handle? I'm interested in building a ryzen @ 4GHz and would like to know if this case could handle it.

Thats a difficult one to answer, because its dependent on what you class as acceptable noise levels, which is subjective and different for everyone.

Personally I wouldn't go above 65W as my priority is low noise, the case can handle CPU's of 65W TDP very quietly with the right cooling setup (see HERE).

I'm sure you could put a 95W TDP processor in and achieve acceptable temperatures with a bit more noise, overclocking however I'm not sure how much headroom you would have, probably not much. But can you overclock a CPU well in any of the current 7 litre cases?

 

[Boil]

@K888D

Might usage of the Noctua NF-A12x15 in place of the NF-A9 allow rotation of the heat sink...?

 

[K888D]

@K888D

Might usage of the Noctua NF-A12x15 in place of the NF-A9 allow rotation of the heat sink...?

Not sure what you mean sorry? Which CPU cooler are you referring to?

 

[Boil]

Not sure what you mean sorry? Which CPU cooler are you referring to?

Sorry, talking about the NH-L12...

 

[JosephEK]

Why did you choose to put the sole case fan position on that side and not the other way? Then it would blow air through any parrallel heatsink fin arrays in its path and out the venting over the IO instead of directly into the PCB of the GPU opposite the motherboard. I hope I make sense.

 

[K888D]

Sorry, talking about the NH-L12...

Ah get ya now, quite possibly yes! It would be tight on the RAM clearance but it may fit, it may need a modified fan mounting bracket?

 

[K888D]

Why did you choose to put the sole case fan position on that side and not the other way? Then it would blow air through any parrallel heatsink fin arrays in its path and out the venting over the IO instead of directly into the PCB of the GPU opposite the motherboard. I hope I make sense.

I think I understand what you mean, are you saying why is the case fan not positioned on the same side as the GPU?

if you have a single slot GPU or you remove the GPU shroud then you can fit a 140mm on the GPU side with the current design, however I wouldn't recommend it.

But the main reason was to create a balanced system, promoting good airflow throughout the case which benefits all components. The current design creates a wind tunnel from one side of the case to the other. If the main case fan is setup as an intake then the airflow pushes the CPU exhaust heat towards the vents by the GPU preventing recirculation, the GPU has access to direct fresh air so heat re circulation is not a concern for the GPU. However if the airflow was reversed the hot GPU exhaust air is pulled across the motherboard and into the CPU cooler, the result is a much less balanced system with the CPU being the weak link.

 

[JosephEK]

I think I understand what you mean, are you saying why is the case fan not positioned on the same side as the GPU?

if you have a single slot GPU or you remove the GPU shroud then you can fit a 140mm on the GPU side with the current design, however I wouldn't recommend it.

But the main reason was to create a balanced system, promoting good airflow throughout the case which benefits all components. The current design creates a wind tunnel from one side of the case to the other. If the main case fan is setup as an intake then the airflow pushes the CPU exhaust heat towards the vents by the GPU preventing recirculation, the GPU has access to direct fresh air so heat re circulation is not a concern for the GPU. However if the airflow was reversed the hot GPU exhaust air is pulled across the motherboard and into the CPU cooler, the result is a much less balanced system with the CPU being the weak link.

Okay, thanks for making that clear and understandable. Also congrats on passing 1000 posts in this thread!

 

[Davila]

What if i were to use a G-Unique PSU instead of SFX?

How much CPU cooler clearance would that give us?

 

[K888D]

What if i were to use a G-Unique PSU instead of SFX?

How much CPU cooler clearance would that give us?

You would need an alternative back plate or a bracket which covers the SFX cutout in the rear of the case. But yes it would allow for a CPU cooler up to around 130mm in height (I've not checked out exact dimensions), the case has 148mm of total internal height, so minus the 6mm standoffs, 1.6mm motherboard thickness and CPU socket height (7mm I think).

 

[K888D]

Video of the laser engraving process:

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Here is the end result:

 

[Boil]

I don't suppose one could request a specific serial number...?!?

 

[K888D]

I don't suppose one could request a specific serial number...?!?

Unfortunately not, as they are all getting shipped to Overclockers UK in a big batch, I imagine they will just pick a random one up for each order.

The only way it could be done is if I made it specifically for you separately and you would have to pay the separate shipping!

 

[robbee]

Might usage of the Noctua NF-A12x15 in place of the NF-A9 allow rotation of the heat sink...?

Im using a regular 120mm fan which just touches my VLP ram. They're supposed to be about 18.75mm high, so you'd have about 28mm ram clearance with the 15mm thich fan. This would be enough for low-profile modules like the LPX from Corsair (26.25mm).

EDIT: there's more than memory that needs clearance. I've made a mockup of how the different orientations would look on my board. You've about 28 mm for each component that's under the heatsink. I'd say option 1 and 4 would almost never fit.

 

[K888D]

Im using a regular 120mm fan which just touches my VLP ram. They're supposed to be about 18.75mm high, so you'd have about 28mm ram clearance with the 15mm thich fan. This would be enough for low-profile modules like the LPX from Corsair (26.25mm).

EDIT: there's more than memory that needs clearance. I've made a mockup of how the different orientations would look on my board. You've about 28 mm for each component that's under the heatsink. I'd say option 1 of 4 would almost never fit.

Nice work and good point about all the other stuff that sticks up off the motherboard, I guess you would just have to be lucky to get a combination that works

 

[Boil]

@robbee , might we see the top left orientation on the ASRock AB350 Gaming-ITX/ac motherboard...?

Thanks...!

A few things about the NH-L12 & mounting a 120mm x 15mm fan underneath...

The bottom of the heat sink is inset for the stock 92mm fan, I wonder about issues with that gap if a 120mm fan is mounted in place of the 92mm fan...?

Noctua is annoying me with their 'in development' low profile L-type cooler (which is supposed to be based on, or the successor to, the NH-L12), this HSF assembly (when used with fan in bottom position) is actually 4mm TALLER than the NH-L12...!

Hey @K888D , thoughts towards this new CPU cooler (Noctua states 70mm with fan in bottom position) fitting in the LZ7, the fins might just be touching the PSU...?

You had a measurement of your NH-L12 that was a few mm shy of the listed Noctua spedification, maybe the 'new' NH-L12 will follow suit & be just under 70mm...?

"Further heatsink news included an upcoming update of the existing NH-L12 cooler with the new NF-A12x15 PWM fan...
...scheduled to come to the market in Q4."

http://noctua.at/en/noctua-at-computex-2017

 

[robbee]

@robbee , might we see the top left orientation on the ASRock AB350 Gaming-ITX/ac motherboard...?

Compatibility looks quite good, but keep in mind that this is a mockup that could be a bit off.

 

[Boil]

Compatibility looks quite good, but keep in mind that this is a mockup that could be a bit off.

Good deal, thanks...!!!

I think some Corsair Vengeance LPX should JUST fit under a bottom-mounted 120mm x 15mm fan; if not, removal of the heat spreaders should do the trick...?

Now I am looking forward to the revised NH-L12...!

 

[dcaparros]

Compatibility looks quite good, but keep in mind that this is a mockup that could be a bit off.

can you reverse the cooler? I think that fan under the VRM are more useful than memory

 

[Boil]

can you reverse the cooler? I think that fan under the VRM are more useful than memory

I think the heat pipes might impinge on the RAM if the orientation is reversed..?

And in the case of the LZ7, the chassis fan will be blowing across the VRMs...