Production SFFtime presents: P-ATX V3 - 10.4L evolution of ATX console case

[riba2233]

V3 manual download link

Hi everyone,

I am proud to showcase the new design of my P-ATX case, I am really excited about this one.

The idea behind this new version is to address some of the cons of V2 design, mainly weight, production time, and lack of gen4 riser option. But I went a bit further than that so V3 brings all this to the table:

1. Fully aluminum construction - all parts will be made from 1.5mm aluminum sheet, which will simplify the production and lower the weight by full 2kg, for a total weight of 1.66 kg plus cables

2. Flatpack - totally new construction style that enables case to be fully disassembled and flatpacked to around 27mm. It will require some simply assembly but I am sure that many of you will enjoy this adult "lego" assembly style

3. Economical and eco-friendly, small volume packaging without ANY plastic at all. Lower shipping weight will also lower the shipping price, I doubt I will get it below 2kg, but it should be below 2.5kg which means I can ship two cases for the price of one

4. Invertible layout - yes, I managed to do it without making either layout look worse, wasn't easy. So good news for anyone who uses AIO, or keeps the case on the left side of the table. It is also very easy to change the layout, you only need to remove the side panels, 8 screws in total.

5. Gen4 riser support - ok this wasn't as easy as it seems, long story short it will come with "gen4 compatible" riser that will enable boot to bios and OS so you can change your setting to gen3 without the trouble, and there will be an option to upgrade to a true gen4 riser, linkup style.

6. USB-C front connector - yes I know, it is 2022. Also yes, we hate that unwieldy internal usb3 cable, I agree

7. GPU position fully adjustable without steps, from 1 slot to 3 slots, with markings for every 0.25 slot so you don't have to guess the riser position

8. Fully perforated right panel - many of you asked for this and I also wanted to make it this way so finally it is here.

And a few other small tweaks. Also one big thing is that this type of chassis construction will enable easier, faster, more precise manufacturing, which means I will be able to make more cases faster, and have more time for new designs and customer support. Also it is friendly for stamping, so who knows, maybe one day

Enjoy the renders and please give me your feedback below, thank you a lot for reading!

And flatpack:

 

[scatterforce]

First, brilliant job!

Second, build check.
ITX motherboard
Flex PSU behind GPU
Watercooled GPU + CPU

Would it be feasible to mount a 280mm Rad at the front with the above options?

 

[thelaughingman]

First, brilliant job!

Second, build check.
ITX motherboard
Flex PSU behind GPU
Watercooled GPU + CPU

Would it be feasible to mount a 280mm Rad at the front with the above options?

The case is slightly larger now, not sure which dimension got the increase but let's assume you have the same length of 378mm of the V2, takeaway 140mm of the radiator and you're left with a GPU block that is at most 238mm in length. Think only the 30x0 FE cards have water blocks that short.

@riba2233 continue the great work man! Awesome to see the P-ATX keeps evolving for the better. Hopefully the N-ATX will follow suit too

 

[Mackan]

I agree this looks amazing, very clean case, fantastic job! Not sure I have any real feedback, perhaps smaller things/questions.

• By "lego" assembly, I assume the pieces are still attached by screws? I got a little confused, since I don't see too many screw holes in the renders.
• Have you considered putting the power button right above the USB Type-C port? I assume it maybe complicates things, but is perhaps what the "normal user" would expect. If the power button remains below the case as in V2, the stand is absolutely required to elevate the case. I believe there was some feedback regarding this for V2, i.e. that people wanted to put their own case feet on the case, but that the gap then becomes too small to actually reach the power button. Things like that. Personally I have no strong opinion on this, but it could be worth reflecting over (as you probably already have done).
• The little bracket that you attach/secure to the GPU at the back has always looked a little strange to me when it is "inside" the case. It would look a bit more natural to me if the bracket was on the outside. But I guess the current solution is convenient if the GPU can slide more freely?
• Related to the above, if the GPU position is fully adjustable without steps, how is the bottom part of the GPU pcie slot secured? Usually it goes into "slots", or is pressure secured by another bracket.
• I really like the switch to aluminium. However, will 1.5mm be sturdy enough to avoid bending it, e.g. at the bottom of the case that rests on pressure points on the stand, when the case has its full weight?

 

[Aluminyum]

While lower weight is a welcome change, I, too, suspect that 1.5mm is a bit too thin for aluminium parts. Perhaps, some parts (e.g., those with screw threads) should be made from steel as before?

 

[riba2233]

First of all, I want to thank all of you for the feedback and glad you like the case

First, brilliant job!

Second, build check.
ITX motherboard
Flex PSU behind GPU
Watercooled GPU + CPU

Would it be feasible to mount a 280mm Rad at the front with the above options?

Thank you so much!

I guess it could fit behind the gpu if you have a single slot block. 280mm rad might fit if you are handy with a dremel Problem is, you only have 333mm in height, I don't know if there are any 280mm rads that are shorter than that. Also you would only have 233mm for the gpu block, not a lot I guess. 240mm 38mm thick rad might be a better bet.

The case is slightly larger now, not sure which dimension got the increase but let's assume you have the same length of 378mm of the V2, takeaway 140mm of the radiator and you're left with a GPU block that is at most 238mm in length. Think only the 30x0 FE cards have water blocks that short.

@riba2233 continue the great work man! Awesome to see the P-ATX keeps evolving for the better. Hopefully the N-ATX will follow suit too

Actually the V2 and V3 volumes are the same if you count all the protrusions on V2 (screw heads etc). V3 doesn't have any protrusions so 10.4 L is a true volume.
but there is a slight difference, V3 is a bit shorter and slightly wider. Internal dimensions are the same though, except for the internal width, with V3 you have 1mm extra for CPU cooler height.

And thank you, N-ATX should get a similar treatment yeah

I agree this looks amazing, very clean case, fantastic job! Not sure I have any real feedback, perhaps smaller things/questions.

• By "lego" assembly, I assume the pieces are still attached by screws? I got a little confused, since I don't see too many screw holes in the renders.
• Have you considered putting the power button right above the USB Type-C port? I assume it maybe complicates things, but is perhaps what the "normal user" would expect. If the power button remains below the case as in V2, the stand is absolutely required to elevate the case. I believe there was some feedback regarding this for V2, i.e. that people wanted to put their own case feet on the case, but that the gap then becomes too small to actually reach the power button. Things like that. Personally I have no strong opinion on this, but it could be worth reflecting over (as you probably already have done).
• The little bracket that you attach/secure to the GPU at the back has always looked a little strange to me when it is "inside" the case. It would look a bit more natural to me if the bracket was on the outside. But I guess the current solution is convenient if the GPU can slide more freely?
• Related to the above, if the GPU position is fully adjustable without steps, how is the bottom part of the GPU pcie slot secured? Usually it goes into "slots", or is pressure secured by another bracket.
• I really like the switch to aluminium. However, will 1.5mm be sturdy enough to avoid bending it, e.g. at the bottom of the case that rests on pressure points on the stand, when the case has its full weight?

Hi, these are all great questions, let me answer them:

1. Yes, all the pieces will be screwed together, in total 13 screws plus 3 nuts, and 8 screws for side panels.
2. Power button is on the bottom, but if you invert the case it will be on the top so you will have that option. I wouldn't want it on the front panel, imho there is not an option for button that would look elegant enough and it would raise the volume a bit.
3. There are few reasons for why it is on the inside, if it was on the outside pci mounting holes would be too close to the flange, and it would look worse imho.
4. Bracket that holds the riser is made with two parts, one secures to the bottom of the case and another one that actually holds the riser can slide freely in the first part. Everything should be secured well enough.
5. I think it will be ok, especially the stand since now it supports the case with two long flanges unlike on V2 where there was like 3cm support on each flange.

While lower weight is a welcome change, I, too, suspect that 1.5mm is a bit too thin for aluminium parts. Perhaps, some parts (e.g., those with screw threads) should be made from steel as before?

Based on my experience with MNLT, 1.5 should be fine. Part where the threads are is extruded, so there is in total 3mm of meat for the threads. Already tried on MNLT and they work fine and reliable.

 

[Aluminyum]

Based on my experience with MNLT, 1.5 should be fine. Part where the threads are is extruded, so there is in total 3mm of meat for the threads. Already tried on MNLT and they work fine and reliable.

Good to know. Speaking of which, since aluminium threads aren't exactly known for their durability, did you consider using steel threaded inserts?

Incidentally...

3. There are few reasons for why it is on the inside, if it was on the outside pci mounting holes would be too close to the flange, and it would look worse imho.

I think that moving it "outside" could be a good idea: not only would that make for a more secure card mount (due to better weight distribution), it also would slightly increase the maximum card length.

 

[riba2233]

Good to know. Speaking of which, since aluminium threads aren't exactly known for their durability, did you consider using steel threaded inserts?

Incidentally...

I think that moving it "outside" could be a good idea: not only would that make for a more secure card mount (due to better weight distribution), it also would slightly increase the maximum card length.

I tested them and with 3mm of meat they are durable enough, I already assenbled and dissasembled my mnlt so many times, threads are same as day one. Also before I started making cases I jad another product with lot of threads in 3mm aluminum bars, they were super durable.

Having that small bracket on the outside wouldn't change anything, mounting would be equally though with same two screws, and gpu is already all the way to the rear side of the case, as far as it can be. It was the same way on V2 and worked great.

 

[Aluminyum]

I tested them and with 3mm of meat they are durable enough, I already assenbled and dissasembled my mnlt so many times, threads are same as day one. Also before I started making cases I jad another product with lot of threads in 3mm aluminum bars, they were super durable.

That sounds promising.

Having that small bracket on the outside wouldn't change anything, mounting would be equally though with same two screws, and gpu is already all the way to the rear side of the case, as far as it can be. It was the same way on V2 and worked great.

Oh, looks like I misunderstood what's this all about... I saw some older photos of the case, and got an impression that there's a gap between the rear of the case and the card's bracket: with the mainboard being visible through the cut-out behind the card, it creates an optical illusion of sorts. Now that I think about it, that shouldn't even be physically possible to begin with. Sorry for the confusion!

 

[riba2233]

That sounds promising.


Oh, looks like I misunderstood what's this all about... I saw some older photos of the case, and got an impression that there's a gap between the rear of the case and the card's bracket: with the mainboard being visible through the cut-out behind the card, it creates an optical illusion of sorts. Now that I think about it, that shouldn't even be physically possible to begin with. Sorry for the confusion!

Oh yeah don't worry, sometimes it is hard to judge from the pictures but I definitely wanted to maximize the gpu length so you can for eg. fit 3070 fe with 120mm rad.

 

[SammyXXM]

The case is slightly larger now, not sure which dimension got the increase but let's assume you have the same length of 378mm of the V2, takeaway 140mm of the radiator and you're left with a GPU block that is at most 238mm in length. Think only the 30x0 FE cards have water blocks that short.

I had the same problem until I found this:

Alphacool Eisblock Aurora Acryl GPX-N RTX 3080/3090 GameRock mit Backplate

Der Alphacool Eisblock Aurora Acryl GPX-N RTX 3080/3090 GameRock mit Backplate vereint Style mit Performance und eine umfangreiche Digital RGB Beleuchtung. Die Erfahrung von über 17 Jahren sind in diesen Grafikkarten-Wasserkühler...

www.alphacool.com

and this:

ASUS EKWB GeForce RTX 3090 24GB GDDR6X | Graphics Card | ASUS Global - Tech Specs

ASUS EKWB GeForce RTX™ 3090 24GB GDDR6X with Auto-Extreme Technology, Protective Backplate, Stainless Steel Bracket, a single-slot design, and EK® water block.

www.asus.com

In short, there are solutions.

 

[thelaughingman]

I had the same problem until I found this:

Alphacool Eisblock Aurora Acryl GPX-N RTX 3080/3090 GameRock mit Backplate

Der Alphacool Eisblock Aurora Acryl GPX-N RTX 3080/3090 GameRock mit Backplate vereint Style mit Performance und eine umfangreiche Digital RGB Beleuchtung. Die Erfahrung von über 17 Jahren sind in diesen Grafikkarten-Wasserkühler...

www.alphacool.com

and this:

ASUS EKWB GeForce RTX 3090 24GB GDDR6X | Graphics Card | ASUS Global - Tech Specs

ASUS EKWB GeForce RTX™ 3090 24GB GDDR6X with Auto-Extreme Technology, Protective Backplate, Stainless Steel Bracket, a single-slot design, and EK® water block.

www.asus.com

In short, there are solutions.

yep, there are always solutions, just that the guy should aware of all the limitations and very-specific-part-selection that he must make to make the whole thing works. And lest we forget that GPU is still extremely hard to get and at ridiculous prices, homing in on 1-2 specific SKUs is not a luxury most people can have.

 

[SammyXXM]

yep, there are always solutions, just that the guy should aware of all the limitations and very-specific-part-selection that he must make to make the whole thing works. And lest we forget that GPU is still extremely hard to get and at ridiculous prices, homing in on 1-2 specific SKUs is not a luxury most people can have.

The SFF: This is the Way

 

[tajmahal]

Looks awesome!

A few questions:

1. Front USB-C is a nice addition, but does that mean the USB-A ports are gone?! That would be a shame, as most of my peripherals that I'd like to quickly attach, like USB drives, or license dongles, are still USB-A.
   
   
2. Also, the additional 1 mm in width probably doesn't provide support for more CPU coolers, does it? Since the ID-Cooling IS-60 is no longer available, what are the best choices now? (For e.g. a 5900X)?
   
   
3. Are two 2.5 inch drives still supported without limiting the GPU space?

 

[riba2233]

Looks awesome!

A few questions:

1. Front USB-C is a nice addition, but does that mean the USB-A ports are gone?! That would be a shame, as most of my peripherals that I'd like to quickly attach, like USB drives, or license dongles, are still USB-A.
   
   
2. Also, the additional 1 mm in width probably doesn't provide support for more CPU coolers, does it? Since the ID-Cooling IS-60 is no longer available, what are the best choices now? (For e.g. a 5900X)?
   
   
3. Are two 2.5 inch drives still supported without limiting the GPU space?

Thanks, glad you like it!

1. Yes, I had to choose between A or C, I like the usability of A a bit more, but market has spoken and C is kind of a standard now and a requested feature. It also looks better and internal cable and connector are much better and easier to work with.

2. It is truly a shame that they no longer make it and new version is 64mm tall, but here are some other good options:

a. ID cooling IS60 (old version, not EVO)
b. Thermalright APX100 cu
c. Scythe shuriken 2 (not big shuriken)
d. Id cooling IS50x V2
e. Thermalright APX90 cu with 92mm fan or APX-53

Depending on usage, you will maybe have to limit the PPT of 5900x a bit, esp if you render with it. For gaming it is fine.

3. Yes they are, either one 3.5 or two-four 2.5 or even more if the gpu is shorter.

 

[FLiP]

Thanks, glad you like it!

1. Yes, I had to choose between A or C, I like the usability of A a bit more, but market has spoken and C is kind of a standard now and a requested feature. It also looks better and internal cable and connector are much better and easier to work with.

2. It is truly a shame that they no longer make it and new version is 64mm tall, but here are some other good options:

a. ID cooling IS60 (old version, not EVO)
b. Thermalright APX100 cu
c. Scythe shuriken 2 (not big shuriken)
d. Id cooling IS50x V2
e. Thermalright APX90 cu with 92mm fan or APX-53

Depending on usage, you will maybe have to limit the PPT of 5900x a bit, esp if you render with it. For gaming it is fine.

3. Yes they are, either one 3.5 or two-four 2.5 or even more if the gpu is shorter.

I have the Scythe Shuriken 2 and wasn't really impressed with the cooling. Would you know which between the ID Cooling IS-50X V2 + Noctua AM4 Bracket or the Thermalright AXP90 X53 would be better?

 

[thelaughingman]

Would you know which between the ID Cooling IS-50X V2 + Noctua AM4 Bracket or the Thermalright AXP90 X53 would be better?

I'd say get the AXP-100 instead, it's a larger heatsink and comes with a larger stock fan. And you can easily mount a 120x15mm of your choosing for even better performance (AXP-100 comes with a flexible fan bracket)

 

[FLiP]

I'd say get the AXP-100 instead, it's a larger heatsink and comes with a larger stock fan. And you can easily mount a 120x15mm of your choosing for even better performance (AXP-100 comes with a flexible fan bracket)

But the AXP-100 has RAM limitations, would the Crucial Ballistix (non-RGB and non-Max) fit?

 

[thelaughingman]

But the AXP-100 has RAM limitations, would the Crucial Ballistix (non-RGB and non-Max) fit?

Gskill Ripjaws V which is 42mm works so Crucial Ballistix at 39mm should be no issue. But it has to be this specific orientation. Original Reddit comment

EDIT: found the photo for Crucial Ballistix HERE. Basically the heatpipes have to be vertical.

 

[FLiP]

Gskill Ripjaws V which is 42mm works so Crucial Ballistix at 39mm should be no issue. But it has to be this specific orientation. Original Reddit comment

EDIT: found the photo for Crucial Ballistix HERE. Basically the heatpipes have to be vertical.

Thanks for researching, I should have mentioned my motherboard was the Gigabyte B550I Aorus Pro AX which in this video by The Tech Buyer's Guru had some issues when he tested the AXP-100.

The AXP-100 Full Copper is quite expensive, I don't want to buy it without being sure it will fit. Returns aren't really that easy where I'm from.