Production Velka series cases for ultra compact and portable desktops

cennis

Average Stuffer
Jan 13, 2020
66
50
Thanks. my vk3 with L9i has 3-4mm of room between the side panel and the noctua fan when fully assembled. Probably too close to fit.
 

Ca11idus

Average Stuffer
Feb 13, 2017
85
57
www.heatware.com
I need some help. This thing feels so flimsy and I'm just afraid that I'm going to break it. Frankly I kinda want to. The Velka fans don't even fit properly as the motherboard base/stand is angled in a way that it pinches the fan. I'm about ready to just give it away. What mods, if any, did you guys have to do to get it working?

Asus b360-i Strix without the black shield
Galax rtx 2060 S ITX
NH-L9i
Sfp 500w flex psu
 

LordHighBinary

Case Bender
New User
Mar 19, 2020
2
0
Hello Michael,
Long time reader in these forums first time poster.
I was wondering if there was a specific reason for limiting the top fan spacing to 80x10mm vs 80x25mm?

Asking cause there are a magnitude of options (silent and other) for the 80x25mm whereas the 80x10's options are far and few between.

I don't think making it slightly taller (1/2" - 1") would impact the overall size, but then I am not the designer of this case and have no case design skills to speak of.

Thanks in advance.
 

Kilrah

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Feb 20, 2017
128
112
I asked myself the same question, but figured it was really to have something "as small as possible, no compromises" rather than something that would make more sense even if a tad larger...
 

VELKASE Michael

King of Cable Management
Original poster
VELKASE
Gold Supporter
Oct 7, 2018
743
914
I need some help. This thing feels so flimsy and I'm just afraid that I'm going to break it. Frankly I kinda want to. The Velka fans don't even fit properly as the motherboard base/stand is angled in a way that it pinches the fan. I'm about ready to just give it away. What mods, if any, did you guys have to do to get it working?

Asus b360-i Strix without the black shield
Galax rtx 2060 S ITX
NH-L9i
Sfp 500w flex psu

It doesn't require any mods. Can you provide a photo of the issue?

Hello Michael,
Long time reader in these forums first time poster.
I was wondering if there was a specific reason for limiting the top fan spacing to 80x10mm vs 80x25mm?

Asking cause there are a magnitude of options (silent and other) for the 80x25mm whereas the 80x10's options are far and few between.

I don't think making it slightly taller (1/2" - 1") would impact the overall size, but then I am not the designer of this case and have no case design skills to speak of.

Thanks in advance.

Dedicating space for case fans is inefficient in the way of increasing performance in cases of this size. Any extra space taken up by case fans would be better used for increasing graphics card or CPU cooler clearances. Support for 10 mm thick fans was only implemented because the original internal structure happened to leave about that much empty space at the top.
 
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LordHighBinary

Case Bender
New User
Mar 19, 2020
2
0
Dedicating space for case fans is inefficient in the way of increasing performance in cases of this size. Any extra space taken up by case fans would be better used for increasing graphics card or CPU cooler clearances. Support for 10 mm thick fans was only implemented because the original internal structure happened to leave about that much empty space at the top.

Thanks for the insight.
I guess my needs/wants are different then yours. Still an awesome case and currently waiting for the next set of orders to be released.
just haven’t decided on the 3 vs 5.
Cheers
 

Tazpr

Master of Cramming
Aug 7, 2018
553
429
Do you have an install guide on how to do this ??
It's held on with the power button and double sided tape in this case - reach out to @warmack who has the dimensions for the panel and he can assist you with getting a pane, he does Velka 3's too. But super easy to install if you have decent double sided adhesive.
 

VELKASE Michael

King of Cable Management
Original poster
VELKASE
Gold Supporter
Oct 7, 2018
743
914
I recall you posting ideas here for feedback/discussion. Its your prerogative to not do so anymore, but IMO it was a good thing

We can still keep a discussion going on what changes and fixes everyone would like to see in the next revision. Some of it may influence the design, however, the design may not be revealed until later. The following changes are certain:
  • All cases will only be available in black, at least in the beginning
    • Reason: black is the most popular color and decreasing the number of colors makes quality control and inventory management easier. This translates to faster order fulfillment.
  • All cases will be shipped with a riser. This also means that the Velka 3 will no longer be a 2-in-1 case for both APU builds and higher-end builds
    • Reason: this decreases overhead and allows for faster order processing. Most people buy them with a riser
  • The new power buttons will have a more tactile feel and have optional white illumination

The primary focus of this upcoming revision is to fix all of the functional issues the 1.x revisions have had, and then give the cases a more characteristic appearance. The previous revisions have a somewhat generic appearance that is easy to copy because they were originally designed for very small batches.

1.x revisions of Velka 3 and 5

A list of some of the issues people have had with the 1.x revisions
  • case fans not fitting
  • limited PSU cooling
  • graphics card fans contact side panel
  • weak frame
  • incompatibilities with older revisions of the HDPLEX-400
  • incompatibilities with some motherboards with backplates
  • inconsistent 2.5" drive compatibility, motherboard dependent
  • standoffs interfere with some motherboards
  • large open areas on the back panel
  • visible exterior screws
  • side panel gaps
  • inconsistent style of top and side vents

  • I/O split between the top and rear
  • SFX-(L) power switch interferes on some power supplies in certain orientations
  • graphics card fans contact side panel
  • weak frame
  • difficult to route USB and audio cables with long graphics cards
  • motherboard tray not firmly secured
  • standoffs interfere with some motherboards
  • side panel gaps
  • visible exterior screws

Since the Velka 3 will no longer be a 2-in-1 case, there might be a new, cheaper case that will take care of compatibility with parts for lower budget APU builds.
 
Last edited:

sid21177

Cable-Tie Ninja
Mar 19, 2019
170
27
Since the Velka 3 will no longer be a 2-in-1 case, there might be a new, cheaper case that will take care of compatibility with parts for lower budget APU builds.

Sucks not to have an APU only option for Velka 3 ? - surely you can spare a few units for this option ? (in fact 1 is enough?)