I totally agree. I tried to talk him into doing a white powder coated one from the first batch, no luck though.
He teased me with that from a previous email, but had no plans for a white version. Man it looked cool though.
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Completed The MI-6 Microtower Case: Performance in 6.7L
- Thread starter firewolfy
- Start date
I totally agree. I tried to talk him into doing a white powder coated one from the first batch, no luck though.
He teased me with that from a previous email, but had no plans for a white version. Man it looked cool though.
I totally agree. I tried to talk him into doing a white powder coated one from the first batch, no luck though.
He teased me with that from a previous email, but had no plans for a white version. Man it looked cool though.
TAKE MY MONEY!
So just stumbled upon this case and it honestly looks like my dream case come true. Basically a smaller Dan case A4 for mini itx gpus. Looks like the build quality is very similar as well. Very much looking forward to ordering one these. Anyone upsizing and looking to sell theirs haha ?
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So just stumbled upon this case and it honestly looks like my dream case come true. Basically a smaller Dan case A4 for mini itx gpus. Looks like the build quality is very similar as well. Very much looking forward to ordering one these. Anyone upsizing and looking to sell theirs haha
I have a Ncase M1, Dan A4, SG-05, Node 202, Inwin 301, 2 Custom Mod 3.24s, and the MI-6.
The MI-6 is my favorite of them all. The build was easy, quality excellent, and size perfect. I use it as my Adobe editing PC.
Runner up is my Ncase M1. I’ve got an 8086K at 5GHZ and a 2080 at 2GHZ crammed into it.
So just stumbled upon this case and it honestly looks like my dream case come true. Basically a smaller Dan case A4 for mini itx gpus. Looks like the build quality is very similar as well. Very much looking forward to ordering one these. Anyone upsizing and looking to sell theirs haha
Recently picked up a DA2 and may be looking to offload my Mi-6 FE
Interesting. Apart from the size (obviously) how do you think MI-6 is better compared to M1 and A4?
I don't have an A4-SFX but I do have a Ncase. I have managed to strip 3 of the screws in my M1 because both the screws and frame is aluminum. The MI-6 uses threaded inserts and I have had no problems with them. My M1 is anodized aluminum and personally I prefer the powder coating of the MI-6. Seems more durable and doesn't show finger prints as bad.
Also owned an A4, M1, and the MI-6. Some of the touches on the MI-6, including the 3mm top panel, gpu mount bracket, and the brushed aluminum finish are much nicer (imo) and the aluminum structure of the M1 and A4 feel a bit flimsy and light to me.
So let me start by saying I love the M1 and A4-SFX. So why do I like the MI-6 better? Keep in mind I'm coming from an overclock enthusiast perspective. I DESPISE not getting full turbo out of my chips, and I HATE loud computers.
It's the age old issue: PICK TWO: Fast, Small, Quiet.
Well I want all three. Or maybe I don't know what I want.
I'm asking basically the impossible and unable to rectify why it's not possible in my mind. Until Gallifrey decides to share it's TARDIS tech with case builders, I'm out of luck. To quote Batman... I have issues. Lots of issues. Everything below are extremely personal nitpicks that are, even by my own opinion of myself, stupid and idiotic.
The M1 design started in 2012 and is a bit of a product of its time. It's goal was basically a top of the line PC in as small a case as possible. That said, it's aged very very well. My gripes are mostly of personal taste. I would have liked to seen the unit support slightly taller cooler towers, and I also would have liked to have seen a 3.5 inch HD mounting system revision so as to have a single bracket over the PSU such that you could have a tower cooler and still have two 3.5 inch HDs. Additionally, the aluminum, is thin which makes it difficult to silence the system. I used to hang out at SilentPCReview for reference.
Currently I'm running an 8086K at 5GHZ Prime 95 AVX stable system in my M1. To cool that, I had to go from using a Cryorig C1 on my previous 6700K OC build, to a NZXT X52. I lost my 6TB HD in the process. I know...first world problems. The 9900K requires even greater cooling and my X52 is already at it's limit of thermals. Additionally, most RTX cards are now 2.75 slots or more and there are some compatibility issues. To keep up with enthusiast modern hardware the case may have to grow a bit. A few centimeters in all directions would help a lot especially with cable routing and GPU compatibility.
To be fair, if you search the M1 thread I also suggested a shorty version of the M1. Turn the PSU sideways, and cut the size of the case down by the difference. It would use reduce the length of the case a good amount.
The A4-SFX is wonderfully designed, but again, a product of 2013. Dan wanted the ultimate small gaming PC when he designed it including top end CPUs. Due to CPU cooler limitations, it's getting harder and harder to run high spec CPUs at their full potential. I love my A4-SFX and used it for nearly a year. But ultimately I moved the system to the MI-6 because I could run better CPU cooling. I went from 3.5 to 3.6 GHZ turbo to 4.3GHZ turbo. The A4-SFX would be much easier to work with if it was about 4 cm thicker on the CPU side. I was hoping DAN might do a "fat boy" version with support for 3 slot GPUs, and 80 mm of CPU clearance.
The MI-6 allowed me to build a tiny, virtually silent system while still getting full turbo boost out of an 8700. I DID have to undervolt the 8700 to do it, and I tried several coolers before getting the L12S, but I did succeed. I'm confident it can run a 9900K at STOCK settings, but I do have concerns it will eventually have GPU compatibility issues. I haven't seen a lot of small RTX 2080 class cards forthcoming.
That is my main gripe about the NCASE M1... it's so easy to strip the screws holes (happened to both screw holes for my graphics card mount). I love the steel thread inserts in the CCD MI-6.
I currently have builds in the NCASE M1 (Ryzen 7 1800X -- but may be putting my i7-8700K system that's currently in a NZXT S340 Elite in there soon as I want to go minimalist for my main system), the CCD MI-6 (i5-8600K), and a Dan Case A4-SFX v2 (Ryzen 7 1700). Of the three, I like the CCD MI-6 the best as far as looks and portability. I take this system with me when I travel to visit my daughter in another state so that I can work remotely--I do finite element analysis work, and even a powerful laptop gets way too hot when performing an analysis that can run for several hours.
Here are my +/- for each of the cases:
NCASE M1
+ CPU cooler height (130 mm)
+ removable panels (I have a set of silver and a set of black that I can swap)
+ full length GPU
+ quiet-running (due to support for tower coolers and full length GPUs with more than one fan--even when on full load)
+ cable management (room to tuck away cables)
- screw holes are easy to strip (no steel thread inserts into the aluminum)
- removable panels (Yes, this is a minus also -- they come off too easy when picking up the system for transport.)
- fingerprint magnet (on the black panels)
- size (although the larger size allows for tower CPU coolers and large GPUs, it's not as easily transported as the other two)
DAN A4-SFX (v2)
+ size (easily fits in backpack)
+ screws to help hold side panels on (I'm not a fan of quick remove panels--I'm not afraid to use a screwdriver from time to time)
+ full length GPU
- CPU cooler height (48 mm) -- this really limits your CPU choice if you are air cooling (you can delid your CPU if you are so inclined to run a beefier CPU, or you can go the 92 mm AIO route)
- PCIe riser is mounted too high so taller GPUs with top power plugs are tough to deal with (makes it really tough to get the 6/8-pin power connectors to my MSI GTX 1070 Gaming X bent enough to attach the top of the case)
- cable management (tight space really makes custom length cables a must)
- fingerprint magnet (mine is black)
CCD MI-6 (1st batch, minimalist case with no USB/power on front)
+ size (easily fits in a backpack--has the smallest footprint of the three cases)
+ steel thread inserts (Yay! No stripping of threads)
+ powder coat finish (doesn't show finger prints easily, although can get a little scuffed when transporting in a backpack)
+ lid/sides attached with screws (everything stays on until you want it to come off)
+ GPU retention bracket on back (absolutely fantastic way of securing the GPU bracket--a single tool-less screw secures the bracket)
+ ventilation (good opening-to-metal ratio for better cooling)
+/- CPU cooler (65 mm) -- can fit a Noctua NH-L12 (with 92 mm fan only) -- without CPU delidding, you are still somewhat limited on how powerful a CPU you can adequately cool in this case. I'm running an i5-8600K with a -0.050 V offset and a NH-L12 (92 mm fan only), and my full load temperatures get to 78 to 79 C. I had to turn off the XMP profile of my 3000 MHz RAM and run it at 2133 MHz to keep my CPU temperatures below 85 C.
- Short GPUs (although some powerful GPUs are available in ITX form, options are somewhat limited)
- cable management (tight space really makes custom length cables a must--bunching cables have also kept me from utilizing the extra 2.5" drive mount)
- not quiet (On full load, the single-fan GPUs can get quite loud. If your CPU fan is on top of the heat sink and is close to the sides of the case, air turbulence can make a full load system pretty loud. The 92 mm fan being on the bottom of the NH-L12 helps with this, but can still be relatively loud.)
I'm probably in the minority here, but I prefer air coolers over liquid cooling (especially for systems that I have to travel with--you won't be taking a liquid cooled system in a carry-on onto an airplane).
I actually prefer air cooling to liquid as well. I'm from the old school SPCR (Silent PC Review) crowd where decibel for decibel air coolers were just better than AIOs. Not much has really changed on that front. I really only use AIOs when size limitations require it, or I want to be able to see that glorious GSKIL Trident Z RGB RAM. I'm a sucker for that stuff.
My old 2600K rig used a Venomous X Thermalright tower with two Nexus 120mms in push-pull. I got a 24-7 prime stable 4.7GHZ on that set up. For my 6700K in my first NCASE M1 I used the then new-to-market Cryorig C1. I replaced the stock fan with two Noiseblocker units; one on the heatsink and one directly over as an intake. It was quiet, though not silent. It was only when I went to the 8086K with a 5GHZ all core Prime stable OC goal that I had to go 240AIO. And believe me... I tried other heatsinks first.
The MI-6 rig I have is similar to yours ENGR, except I have an I7-8700. I avoided the 8700K because if it's overclockable you know I'm going to have to do it. I tried an L9I first, and while not loud, it wasn't quiet and the CPU didn't turbo very hard or very long. I then swapped to a 25mm thick Noctua fan and it helped, but still wasn't good. I then got the original NH-L12 and used the 92mm only. The clocks got better, but still not a full sustained turbo of 4.3 GHZ. I then took a chance on the L12S as I saw a Youtuber use it on their case with a similar set up. It "fit". It lightly presses against the CPU side panel, which is fine because that makes it part of the heatsink. My CPU temps dropped substantially, and my VRM and board temps as well. The system is also much, much quieter. I set the stock 120x15 fan as an intake.
ENGR: Your CPU should be capable of a .100 offset without loosing stability. That will drop temps substantially. I highly recommend you get the L12S. I have a first gen MI-6 like you. I have a custom cooling profile that basically keeps the fan very, very quiet until the system hits 90C.
Not sure what GPU your running but my MSI AERO 1070 is barely audible. I have it OC'd to just over 2GHZ, but here is the trick. I'm running a 1920x1200 60HZ display on this rig. The GPU, even on modern games, has no problem hitting 60FPS will auto throttle down to a slower speed. As such, the heat is lower, and the fan doesn't need to spin as much. If you're running a similar resolution, enable VSYNC and make sure your GPU software doesn't try to hardlock the MHZ.
That said...even at full speed my system is quiet. Just have to keep tuning.
The BIGGEST culprit for noise in the MI-6 I've found is the 92x15mm bottom fan. I set that to only 30% in the BIOS, it still cools the HDs plenty, and it's silent.
My old 2600K rig used a Venomous X Thermalright tower with two Nexus 120mms in push-pull. I got a 24-7 prime stable 4.7GHZ on that set up. For my 6700K in my first NCASE M1 I used the then new-to-market Cryorig C1. I replaced the stock fan with two Noiseblocker units; one on the heatsink and one directly over as an intake. It was quiet, though not silent. It was only when I went to the 8086K with a 5GHZ all core Prime stable OC goal that I had to go 240AIO. And believe me... I tried other heatsinks first.
The MI-6 rig I have is similar to yours ENGR, except I have an I7-8700. I avoided the 8700K because if it's overclockable you know I'm going to have to do it. I tried an L9I first, and while not loud, it wasn't quiet and the CPU didn't turbo very hard or very long. I then swapped to a 25mm thick Noctua fan and it helped, but still wasn't good. I then got the original NH-L12 and used the 92mm only. The clocks got better, but still not a full sustained turbo of 4.3 GHZ. I then took a chance on the L12S as I saw a Youtuber use it on their case with a similar set up. It "fit". It lightly presses against the CPU side panel, which is fine because that makes it part of the heatsink. My CPU temps dropped substantially, and my VRM and board temps as well. The system is also much, much quieter. I set the stock 120x15 fan as an intake.
ENGR: Your CPU should be capable of a .100 offset without loosing stability. That will drop temps substantially. I highly recommend you get the L12S. I have a first gen MI-6 like you. I have a custom cooling profile that basically keeps the fan very, very quiet until the system hits 90C.
Not sure what GPU your running but my MSI AERO 1070 is barely audible. I have it OC'd to just over 2GHZ, but here is the trick. I'm running a 1920x1200 60HZ display on this rig. The GPU, even on modern games, has no problem hitting 60FPS will auto throttle down to a slower speed. As such, the heat is lower, and the fan doesn't need to spin as much. If you're running a similar resolution, enable VSYNC and make sure your GPU software doesn't try to hardlock the MHZ.
That said...even at full speed my system is quiet. Just have to keep tuning.
The BIGGEST culprit for noise in the MI-6 I've found is the 92x15mm bottom fan. I set that to only 30% in the BIOS, it still cools the HDs plenty, and it's silent.
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Whoa I never realized how difficult life can be with aluminum threads. I never used aluminum case before (all steel), so kinda took it for granted. Thankfully MI-6 uses steel thread inserts.
My MI-6 is practically silent when not gaming. The SF450.. Heck I don't think the PSU fan ever spins.
My MI-6 is practically silent when not gaming. The SF450.. Heck I don't think the PSU fan ever spins.
@Revenant, thanks for all of the good info. I tried running the i5-8600K with more offset, but it wasn't stable. I can't remember, but this may have been when I was running the RAM with the XMP profile. Running the XMP profile instead of just running the RAM at 2133 MHz made a huge difference in CPU temperature. My motherboard is a Supermicro Z370 with a confusing BIOS, so i was never able to determine what power settings for the CPU were changing in order to run the RAM with the XMP profile. I'll try running the CPU with more offset since and see if it's stable with the RAM at 2133 MHz.
I only have an EVGA GTX 1060 (the 6163 heat sink version). While the 92x15mm bottom fan in my case may be the major contributor to noise, the GPU fan so close to the vents is definitely a contributor. Maybe I can eliminate the noise from the 92x15mm bottom fan if I can undervolt my i5-8600K some more.
Any chance a handle could be made for this case in next batch? Something like what cerberus has?
@Engr62, @Revenant, @ignsvn, @rfarmer, @Rjk1617 --
Thanks for all the great info and feedback on the case. Always nice to hear the +'s and -'s.
The first edition didn't have optimized venting for the bottom fan. I found that a fan gasket/spacer can help to get the blades away from the vents and reduce noise some. I don't have a sound meter, so I don't have good data, just personal comparison. Something like this might be worth a try, if you haven't tried one alrealdy:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007EFMFZW/?tag=theminutiae-20
Thanks for all the great info and feedback on the case. Always nice to hear the +'s and -'s.
The first edition didn't have optimized venting for the bottom fan. I found that a fan gasket/spacer can help to get the blades away from the vents and reduce noise some. I don't have a sound meter, so I don't have good data, just personal comparison. Something like this might be worth a try, if you haven't tried one alrealdy:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007EFMFZW/?tag=theminutiae-20
Any chance a handle could be made for this case in next batch? Something like what cerberus has?
It is difficult to add a handle to the top because the slots are so narrow. I looked at it but I'm concerned about screw strength for a screw small enough to fit (m3 or smaller). You could do a DIY mod to the case for a handle: drill a couple holes in the top to match the handle of your choice...
Another option is to just limit the fan speed in the BIOS. I’ve found that even at 30% the HD stays nice and cool while the fan is mostly inaudible. If you’re using a SSD, then I wouldn’t even install the fan.
