Discussion S400 + clones

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Thought I might start a FAQ / KB thread while I'm rebuilding my Streaming System in the Shiny Snake / Miningeek Neo S400.
Already created a short wiki page in my personal wiki

Wiki page: https://wiki.wp-devil.com/rtfm/sffpc/shiny-snake-s400

Known versions:
V1 - apparently a 9.9L version - 320 x 220 x 140 mm (L x H x W)
V2 - the current 10.8L version found on Amazon - 340 x 205 x 155 mm (L x H x W)

Further information:

• potential custom or AIO water / liquid cooling options, with case modifications (SFF.Network)
• News / Announcement of the S400 with a tiny bit of background information (min.news)
• S300 vs S400 size comparision (r/sffpc)

Builds / Reviews:

• Manong's Unboxing: S400 | A 10.8L SFF ITX Build (yt)
• Ander: A 10L portable gaming itx pc build by Shiny snake S400 (yt)
• Enter PC: Best BUDGET “Intel 13th Gen” INTEL I5-13600KF / RTX 3060 TI / SHINY SNAKE S400 (yt; with very impressive cable routing)
• My own build: Portable workstation

 

[Analogue Blacksheep]

I think there's enough room to stick a deep-itx/deskmeet board in the S400, if anyone wants to try it.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

What I also can report now: The <= 67 mm for CPU cooler including fan is the ABSOLUTE maximum. I put in the Silverstone Air Slimmer, which is 15.6 mm, on top of the Thermalright AXP120-x67, and its sitting next to flush with the side panel. Its not bulging yet, but just one mm more, and it would become an issue.

 

[Analogue Blacksheep]

There's a S450 now.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Beware when reinstalling the side panels: Only and always use flat headed screws for anything thats attached to the frame. Else you wont be able to properly close the panel.

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Interesting case mod seen on the S300: Cutting out an opening above the CPU section to allow for bigger fans or a larger CPU cooler.
Could be an option for the S400, too, because the 67 mm is the absolute maximum height for CPU cooler including, there is literally no room left. Would probably improve noise levels as well.


cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Building notice: If your mainboard has its fan connectors located at the top of the mainboard, you should add extension cables into all of them, because with the rotated mounting position, the connectors are now positioned at the bottom of the case, nearly unreachable.

Sure, if you're really good with a pair of tweezers, you MIGHT be able to overcome this, but for us mere mortals, its a guarantee for a few chipped fingernails, and bruised finger joints (or worse).

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

BEWARE: The Miningeek MiniNeo S400 black variant I received this month, ie. late January 2024, is of EXTREMLY shoddy build quality. The steel is .. of a very bad quality. I just did some rearrangements with moving the mainboard tray etc, and when I accidently got stuck with the hooks of the SAMA IM01 SFX PSU tray, I bent the lower front leg of the mainboard tray rather easily.

Oh, and when trying to remove the back bracket, I slightly bent it. I've used neodym magnets to keep it attached to the case .. thought it was because of that, but .... NO.

Its crappy "steel" - if it is even steel, maybe cast iron? - when I removed the plate, I could bend it by hand, and I'm not particularly strong, at least not with my hands. Its not soft like chewing gum, but certainly not as solid as the version I received in October 2023. Maybe like some very strong rubber? Even the classic "wobbly" thin steel of your run of the mill PC case side panel is much less prone to bending than this stuff.

Already measured the thickness of the metal before (its certainly made from iron, magnets like it a lot), this is much thinner material - 1,79 vs. 2.3 mm, and it some parts even 1.6 vs. 2.4 mm.

Edit: Oh, and the material used for the SAMA IM01 clone, ie. the Inter-Tech Pocket IM-1, even for the PSU SFX bracket, is to some extends thinner, but much better quality. I certainly need pliers to strongly bend it, and when I was having the .. incident .. with the PSU bracket hooks described above, the hook was only slightly bent, while the lower tray leg was at least at a 20° angle. Ugh!

Thought I gonna keep it, just for testing out things, but maybe now I gonna put it back together and return it.

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Build in the S450 by ander:


Apparently the case reuses the fan mounting bracket as radiator bracket. Setup is basically the same as I use in my S300 mod, but the PSU extension position is not as good, obviously. This looks like 1:1 reuse of the original S400 layout, and then just enlarging the top. So the PSU extension stays on the same position underneath the top.

One advantage might be, that at least in theory, it shouldnt get as toasty as before in the original S400. At the same time its a disadvantage, because you wont be able to install a 280 mm radiator (which would fit).

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Interesting case mod seen on the S300: Cutting out an opening above the CPU section to allow for bigger fans or a larger CPU cooler.
Could be an option for the S400, too, because the 67 mm is the absolute maximum height for CPU cooler including, there is literally no room left. Would probably improve noise levels as well.


cu, w0lf.

Rereading this in retrospect: Well, I went down a different path

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Apparently, S400 v2 with PCIe 4 riser is now available on Amazon Germany.

So I ordered one case, mostly for my future mod (inverted classic layout + either air cooled or side-mounted AIO).
Should arrive today somewhere "before 22 o'clock"

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

It has arrived.

Quality-wise, exactly the same as the one I bought about a year ago.

But includes a PCie 4.0 riser cable.

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

The notice about "was made for 67 mm CPU coolers, but may only support 65 mm" is true - but only for AMD.
It fit my 13500 + MSI B760 board perfectly, with no issues. But with the Asrock B650E PG + Ryzen 9 7950X its about 1 - 2 mm too tall.

Tested with the Thermalright AXP120-x67 in my portable workstation build.
Solution / Workaround: Magnets

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Just installed the AXP90-X53 with a 25 mm fan mod. Important: ALWAYS add two fans on top. Without them, it gets pretty crispy very quickly, even in idle.

Did run into an issue, probably too much pressure on the PCIe port thanks to the offset GP, and had to unplug everything but the CPU fan - damn, it gets HOT!

- idle: 49° C for NVMe, 52° C for CPU.
- lower load: 55° C NVMe, 60° C CPU

Vs. now with replugged top fans:

NVMe: 48° C in idle, 50° C under medium load load
CPU: 45° C in idle, 50° medium load

My original "fans all in the front" mod would probably improve the situation much more, but it requires rerouting the PSU extension cord.

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Notes about S300:

Maxium depth on the GPU side is 58 mm (maybe 60, but the side panel is aprox 1.5 - 2 mm).

You still wont be able to install a much bigger GPU without modifications, ie. either by removing the stand-offs OR slightly rising the GPU above the regular mounting position, but if thats no issue to you, you may certainly be able to stuff a 3 slot GPU inside

Did the measurement to figure out if a 120 mm AIO would fit on the GPU side, as I already got a 120 mm regular sized fan installed in my S396 build. With regular AIO radiator sized at 27 - 28 mm, this should certainly work out

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Apparently there is some rumors about a "Pro" version. Be aware: That IS NOT the S400.
Dug around a bit, and its just the PCCooler Hummingbird 3. Nevertheless, looks like a nice case

cu, w0lf.