Stalled [New Video Assembly] Densium 4 & 4+ - Tiny cases with real hardwood frontpanel!

[espi]

I want to give so much props and kudos to @Densium.net for bringing this beauty to life!

I just found this forum and joined after spending good part of last 2 days obsessively searching for a unique cool sub 5l case to build my first ITX in, and found the Densium after like 12 hours of various search terms ha. My criterion is it needs at least 50+mm clearance and alas this sandwich style doesn't seem to get to the bare minimum I need of 48mm (and that would leave no room touching). My wishes for ideal case are that I must have no ports on at least front and ideally sides, and ideally not even a power button on front, I want it to not look instantly like a small computer but a cool piece, and ideally have room for internal small psu as I've learned is "brickless" ha. If could be horizontal or vertical, symmetrical, no dumb off placed ports, buttons, stuff or style elements. It surprised me how there aren't a lot that meet this style. There are many who would love a clean piece whether doing arts/music or a audiophile/HTPC/living room, gaming, etc. I'm sure I'm not alone.

I'm not using a GPU so I'm going to sign up on the email list now on site and hope to hear when an "APU" style is in the works, I'm in for one, white or a space gray with a cherry/teak/mahogany/etc will be a dream come true, will be so sick.

Wishing all well JSP

 

[Densium.net]

So in the images for the V2 I'm seeing case feet, would they be compatible with the V1? And if so would it be possible to buy just those

Yeah they'd be compatible with the holes in the V2 too, but I still don't have them in stock. The ones used in pictures are just sample units, so you might have to wait until the V2 if you'd like to get some.

 

[Densium.net]

I want to give so much props and kudos to @Densium.net for bringing this beauty to life!

I just found this forum and joined after spending good part of last 2 days obsessively searching for a unique cool sub 5l case to build my first ITX in, and found the Densium after like 12 hours of various search terms ha. My criterion is it needs at least 50+mm clearance and alas this sandwich style doesn't seem to get to the bare minimum I need of 48mm (and that would leave no room touching). My wishes for ideal case are that I must have no ports on at least front and ideally sides, and ideally not even a power button on front, I want it to not look instantly like a small computer but a cool piece, and ideally have room for internal small psu as I've learned is "brickless" ha. If could be horizontal or vertical, symmetrical, no dumb off placed ports, buttons, stuff or style elements. It surprised me how there aren't a lot that meet this style. There are many who would love a clean piece whether doing arts/music or a audiophile/HTPC/living room, gaming, etc. I'm sure I'm not alone.

I'm not using a GPU so I'm going to sign up on the email list now on site and hope to hear when an "APU" style is in the works, I'm in for one, white or a space gray with a cherry/teak/mahogany/etc will be a dream come true, will be so sick.

Wishing all well JSP

I'll be doing a 'Densium 4 APU', which is the same dimensions as the Densium 4, just with an APU layout, ~70mm CPU clearance. It'll have a front panel USB port.

 

[blacklagann]

Yeah they'd be compatible with the holes in the V2 too, but I still don't have them in stock. The ones used in pictures are just sample units, so you might have to wait until the V2 if you'd like to get some.

I'll keep an eye out then, love these cases

 

[Irish Os1r1s]

I'll be doing a 'Densium 4 APU', which is the same dimensions as the Densium 4, just with an APU layout, ~70mm CPU clearance. It'll have a front panel USB port.

I think that would be a missed opportunity honestly. Folks can already pretty much have that by leaving out the GPU with the existing Densium 4. Removing the width required for the GPU leaving you with a super slim version of the Densium 4 would be a far better option imo. Maybe even have the flex PSU mounted on its side to compliment the slimness would be stellar. That's my two cents anyway.

 

[Densium.net]

I think that would be a missed opportunity honestly. Folks can already pretty much have that by leaving out the GPU with the existing Densium 4. Removing the width required for the GPU leaving you with a super slim version of the Densium 4 would be a far better option imo. Maybe even have the flex PSU mounted on its side to compliment the slimness would be stellar. That's my two cents anyway.

You definetly got a point, the case could be more optimized for an APU layout - But it's not a matter of being a "good" design, it ultimately boils down to cost efficiency and manufacturability. At least with my business-model at the time, I need to manufacture roughly 100 cases for it to be sustainable.

I currently don't have the funds or the faith to make 100 APU cases, but by making them so similar to the Densium 4, It can be bent using the same machinery. Therefore I can convince my manufacturer to make them together with the Densium 4, and therefore get the same volume discount on both cases, essentially "loopholing" the "100 case barrier". I could then manufacture 30 APU cases along with the Densium 4, instead of having to manufacture 100 separate APU cases.

I'd like to make a more optimized layout in the future - but I'm still a small player, and need to "loophole" the system for my business to be sustainable, lol.

Hope it made sense

 

[espi]

It's still small and great at the size it's in, whatever size it may be or changes, I'm in! There are a ton of cool ones with no gpu but not internal room or psu space, some cool ones with various internal psu configs, like the j-hack pure and a bunch of others, the A01 was a contender, some others too, the one that looks like a G-Drive I think called Metal Gear or something. I'm super excited about this, it looks great and stood out among the hours of scrolling my brain numb to find one that was unique, attractive, compelling as a cool piece not just clearly a tiny pc, and had the criterion of being sub 5l and psu in it, no ports all thrown all around, no ugly design elements and ugly vent hole patterns, no acrylic or glass etc. Thick or thin, I'm in and thanks so much for responding and great communication w people during process, that matters a lot too. I've been in some mech keyboard things and other things w music & retro batches etc and it makes all the difference

 

[Irish Os1r1s]

You definetly got a point, the case could be more optimized for an APU layout - But it's not a matter of being a "good" design, it ultimately boils down to cost efficiency and manufacturability. At least with my business-model at the time, I need to manufacture roughly 100 cases for it to be sustainable.

I currently don't have the funds or the faith to make 100 APU cases, but by making them so similar to the Densium 4, It can be bent using the same machinery. Therefore I can convince my manufacturer to make them together with the Densium 4, and therefore get the same volume discount on both cases, essentially "loopholing" the "100 case barrier". I could then manufacture 30 APU cases along with the Densium 4, instead of having to manufacture 100 separate APU cases.

I'd like to make a more optimized layout in the future - but I'm still a small player, and need to "loophole" the system for my business to be sustainable, lol.

Hope it made sense

Totally understandable.

 

[Valantar]

I think that would be a missed opportunity honestly. Folks can already pretty much have that by leaving out the GPU with the existing Densium 4. Removing the width required for the GPU leaving you with a super slim version of the Densium 4 would be a far better option imo. Maybe even have the flex PSU mounted on its side to compliment the slimness would be stellar. That's my two cents anyway.

That to me would make it very poorly proportioned. Flipping a FlexATX PSU onto its side would make the case significantly longer/taller, which would be accentuated by slimming it down to an APU-only thickness. This would just not look good - it would be a large flat slab with an oddly small wooden accent, that would be very unstable if placed vertically (necessitating some sort of stand/feet that widen its footprint), and reminiscent of a mini rackmount server case if laid flat. A huge part of what makes the Densium and similar cases (Velka 3, for example) work is that the proportions are visually pleasing, balanced and harmonious. Your suggested redesign would break that.

A smaller APU design that looks good would be possible, but it would require ditching the FlexATX PSU - which is essentially unnecessary for an APU build anyhow - and designing it around something like the new HDPlex 250W unit, mounted in the same orientation as the current FlexATX PSU, which would also leave decent cooler clearance. But as Audun said above, a change like that isn't economically feasible currently.

 

[Irish Os1r1s]

That to me would make it very poorly proportioned. Flipping a FlexATX PSU onto its side would make the case significantly longer/taller, which would be accentuated by slimming it down to an APU-only thickness. This would just not look good - it would be a large flat slab with an oddly small wooden accent, that would be very unstable if placed vertically (necessitating some sort of stand/feet that widen its footprint), and reminiscent of a mini rackmount server case if laid flat. A huge part of what makes the Densium and similar cases (Velka 3, for example) work is that the proportions are visually pleasing, balanced and harmonious. Your suggested redesign would break that.

A smaller APU design that looks good would be possible, but it would require ditching the FlexATX PSU - which is essentially unnecessary for an APU build anyhow - and designing it around something like the new HDPlex 250W unit, mounted in the same orientation as the current FlexATX PSU, which would also leave decent cooler clearance. But as Audun said above, a change like that isn't economically feasible currently.

Agree with ditching the flex, but a half the height Densium would be sexy af imo. Have a wii type stand for those who want it vertical, which again, in my opinion was one of the nicest looking consoles ever created. A guy can dream damnit.

 

[Gucky]

Agree with ditching the flex, but a half the height Densium would be sexy af imo. Have a wii type stand for those who want it vertical, which again, in my opinion was one of the nicest looking consoles ever created. A guy can dream damnit.

You cant go thinner without really either use a HDPLEX or external PSU. And if you go external PSU, you have already enough cheap ones...
There is just not enough margin to justify such a case.
And a HDPLEX is really expensive for an APU PC... Its 3x times as much as a SFX or FLEX-ATX PSU with 250W...

@Densium.net Im Curious. Will a Custom Enhance ENP-7660b also ship from China? Or will it ship directly from Overtek? Made in the USA, Custom Length made in England and then shipped to me? Im asking since the Case is already shipped, but without the PSU.
While im not in a hurry, all other parts are already lying around .

 

[Valantar]

Agree with ditching the flex, but a half the height Densium would be sexy af imo. Have a wii type stand for those who want it vertical, which again, in my opinion was one of the nicest looking consoles ever created. A guy can dream damnit.

Sure, those proportions work, but the Wii is essentially ITX motherboard sized (a bit shorter, a bit deeper), meaning no room for a PSU at all with those proportions. ITX + sideways FlexATX would be like a Wii that was made 50% taller with no other proportional changes. And that would look weird AF. It would look more like an Xbox One S on its side, just less well-proportioned than that too. That's why ditching the FlexATX PSU would be a necessity for something like that to work aesthetically - basing the design around the new HDPlex would make it much closer to Wii-style proportions.

 

[Irish Os1r1s]

Plex would be ideal, but pricey.

 

[Valantar]

Plex would be ideal, but pricey.

Definitely. But without that I think keeping the current form factor is the better aesthetic solution - and of course it also allows for chunky CPU coolers for those wanting to get the most out of their APUs. Those iGPUs do love to OC in my experience.

 

[Irish Os1r1s]

True. All needs to be done with the current form is alter the back motherboard position and lower the middle spine. In hindsight would have been a good idea to make the back swappable and to offer the different back and spines.

Buy the shell, then choose your middle spine and backplate as you do the different fronts kinda thing.

 

[RedSawn]

Something I just remembered... a few builds here slipped an SSD in the gap between the power supply and at the very least the case side panel on the motherboard side. Is that still possible with the prototype?

 

[Densium.net]

You cant go thinner without really either use a HDPLEX or external PSU. And if you go external PSU, you have already enough cheap ones...
There is just not enough margin to justify such a case.
And a HDPLEX is really expensive for an APU PC... Its 3x times as much as a SFX or FLEX-ATX PSU with 250W...

@Densium.net Im Curious. Will a Custom Enhance ENP-7660b also ship from China? Or will it ship directly from Overtek? Made in the USA, Custom Length made in England and then shipped to me? Im asking since the Case is already shipped, but without the PSU.
While im not in a hurry, all other parts are already lying around .

Yes, my PSUs are delivered by Overtek, shipped from the UK.

 

[Densium.net]

Since we're discussing the APU layout, how would you guys feel about instead of going for full APU, we add a single slot PCIe, sacrificing some CPU cooler height, but adds to the customizability, and opens the door for an RX6400.

@Valantar @Irish Os1r1s

 

[robbee]

Since we're discussing the APU layout, how would you guys feel about instead of going for full APU, we add a single slot PCIe, sacrificing some CPU cooler height, but adds to the customizability, and opens the door for an RX6400.

@Valantar @Irish Os1r1s

Without sandwich layout, you would still be able to use a low profile, single slot pci card if there is enough cpu cooler clearance (about 70 mm). This allows for an RX 6400 too.

 

[Densium.net]

Without sandwich layout, you would still be able to use a low profile, single slot pci card if there is enough cpu cooler clearance (about 70 mm). This allows for an RX 6400 too.

I'd have to increase the height to have this layout, since it would stick out beyond the edge of the motherboard