Other What's on Taobao

[Valantar]

From occasionally reading this thread I've gathered that there are tons of great-looking SFF cases available on Taobao, but getting any kind of overview of what's available in a given form factor or based on other criteria is a serious challenge. Given all the amazing information in this thread, would it be feasible to gather this into some sort of periodically updated "master post" listing cases with brief descriptions and/or images? I get that this would often include dead links as they change over time, but it would at least help in terms of making it easier to know what you need to search for. A post listing "Name of case X" and a link is helpful only as long as the link is available, while a post listing for example "Name of case X, [motherboard]+[PSU]+[GPU(no/short/long/multiple?)]+[form factor (sandwitch, M1-style, etc)]" with a link would be valuable far beyond the death of the link. I get that it might come off as if I'm asking people to do a lot of work here, which isn't my intention - I find looking into these cases as fun and rewarding as anyone - but the current form of this thread is only mildly useful, and I find it quite frustrating to see people gushing over a case ten pages back that I can't see as the link is dead. And googling every single case name just to see if it's even the right form factor gets old pretty quick, after all.

 

[rocklobster]

From occasionally reading this thread I've gathered that there are tons of great-looking SFF cases available on Taobao, but getting any kind of overview of what's available in a given form factor or based on other criteria is a serious challenge. Given all the amazing information in this thread, would it be feasible to gather this into some sort of periodically updated "master post" listing cases with brief descriptions and/or images? I get that this would often include dead links as they change over time, but it would at least help in terms of making it easier to know what you need to search for. A post listing "Name of case X" and a link is helpful only as long as the link is available, while a post listing for example "Name of case X, [motherboard]+[PSU]+[GPU(no/short/long/multiple?)]+[form factor (sandwitch, M1-style, etc)]" with a link would be valuable far beyond the death of the link. I get that it might come off as if I'm asking people to do a lot of work here, which isn't my intention - I find looking into these cases as fun and rewarding as anyone - but the current form of this thread is only mildly useful, and I find it quite frustrating to see people gushing over a case ten pages back that I can't see as the link is dead. And googling every single case name just to see if it's even the right form factor gets old pretty quick, after all.

That would have been very helpful a couple of months ago when I was first building. The SFFPC subreddit has a pretty good Excel file with all the compatible parts by case but with almost no China cases.

 

[vanbeveren]

The other problem is that even a spreadsheet would be nearly impossible to keep up to date with any real accuracy (which could be worse than not having one at all)

On so many of the actual product pages on Taobao you see things like "pictures and specs are of version 1 - not what will ship!" - which is a bit like saying "just order and who knows what you're getting" - LOL

 

[Valantar]

The other problem is that even a spreadsheet would be nearly impossible to keep up to date with any real accuracy (which could be worse than not having one at all)

On so many of the actual product pages on Taobao you see things like "pictures and specs are of version 1 - not what will ship!" - which is a bit like saying "just order and who knows what you're getting" - LOL

I get that designs can and do change, but does that make a spreadsheet less helpful than no information at all? IMO, all that would take would be a column for "design subject to change: Y/N". If this variability is inherent to buying off-brand cases off Taobao, then making a spreadsheet repeating listed measurements is no less misleading than the store pages themselves, but still more accessible. And fundamental changes such as PSU size or going from riser-based to not in terms of layout shouldn't be very common. IMO, an accessible but faulty database is always better, given the required cautions towards use, than inaccessible data (especially when said data is at least as inaccurate).

It would be interesting if the (re)"launch" of SFF.network included adding community wiki or similar functionality like this. It would be just as useful for finding cases (and other components) in general, but of particular use for more obscure stuff like this.

 

[vanbeveren]

@Valantar

I get where you're coming from, but honestly I just would question the value of a spreadsheet of data that you essentially might not be able to trust anything about.

And the logistics of keeping it up to date may involve physically contacting sellers, constantly, and hoping they are accurately conveying the precise details of products.

It's just a really tall ask.
I seriously applaud anyone who attempts it and I will appreciate it if they do - but I'm still not sure I'd rely on it when putting money down on purchases.

I know in my own research of cases there and contacting sellers, I personally can't do it (nor do I want to) as it would be a nearly full time job trying to stay on top of it.

 

[Windfall]

I clipped a pic out of Corsair's website in China. The top red circle is the ''American business pirate ship'' and the bottom one is just ''pirate ship'' as their copyright name. If you click into the ''About Us'' link to learn about the company, they are calling themselves just this name. Go figure.

Thanks to imgur embed issues, I can't see your picture.

 

[Valantar]

@Valantar

I get where you're coming from, but honestly I just would question the value of a spreadsheet of data that you essentially might not be able to trust anything about.

And the logistics of keeping it up to date may involve physically contacting sellers, constantly, and hoping they are accurately conveying the precise details of products.

It's just a really tall ask.
I seriously applaud anyone who attempts it and I will appreciate it if they do - but I'm still not sure I'd rely on it when putting money down on purchases.

I know in my own research of cases there and contacting sellers, I personally can't do it (nor do I want to) as it would be a nearly full time job trying to stay on top of it.

I get that this would be far too much, but that isn't what I'm suggesting either - all I'm saying is that it ought not to be too much work to collect a simple set of data (like the one I suggested above) which might then lead interested people to research the right cases in the first place, rather than looking at dozens of dead ends. IMO, motherboard standard (ITX, mATX, ATX, PIO?), PSU size (ATX, SFX, 1U, Flex-ATX, external/DC-DC, etc.), GPU support (full-size, ITX, LP, single slot, none), layout ("classic"/riserless, sandwich, console-style, etc.), and perhaps case material ought to be sufficient. Approximate size in litres would probably be a good addition, despite potential inaccuracy. It sounds unlikely to me that a given case is likely to change these characteristics between revisions, and my impression from people asking about cases is that these are the most important characteristics for starting the search for a case. It's not like searching for a case on Taobao is for the faint of heart anyhow, so the risk of misleading someone due to outdated data sounds minimal.

It sounds like you're thinking of a far more comprehensive database containing measurements, clearances, ventilation, cooler support, colors, etc., which would of course be amazing, but as you say, a full time job (at least!) to maintain. And, frankly, unnecessary.

IMO, my suggestion wouldn't be much harder to implement than agreeing on a standardized set of info and formatting of said info in this thread for any new case posted, which could then be added to the "master post" through a simple quote. That method does lose the ability to sort the list by desired characteristics, of course, but would be extremely simple to implement and maintain.

I.e. someone posting of a new case they found would say

Hey, look at this cool case I found! Really love the design, and the front vents are cool.

[Perhaps a picture or three?]

Brand / model: XYZ-case 123
Mobo: ITX
PSU: SFX
GPU: Full size
Layout: Console
Volume: 3.141592 litres

Taobao link: fjadsklhfdskjlahufieanjlfhesuial

Instead of the current

Hey, look at this cool new case I found, XYZ-case 123! Really love the design, and the front vents are cool. Link here: fhdjaklfhdsauuilfdshajklfheiu

To me, this is a low-effort, common-sense solution to ... well, not a problem, but something that has a lot of potential for improvement.

 

[vanbeveren]

@Valantar

I apologize as I am absolutely not trying to be snarky here, but perhaps you want to do it?

Usually someone who comes up with a great idea or wants something to get off the ground is best served spearheading the effort, yeah?

Or perhaps you are saying that you are going to lead the charge and I’m not quite understanding?
Apologies if so

 

[tinyitx]

BTW, Deng also has a F12 case, in addition to the F15.
The F12 is 16mm narrower and 17mm less tall than the F15, thus accommodating 135mm tall CPU air cooler + 2x120mm fans at bottom + 55mm thick GPU only.

taobao | 淘寶

淘寶（Taobao）讓您隨心淘超值商品，爲您提供流行服飾、美妝洗護、3C數碼、大小家電、家俬家居、箱包皮具、運動戶外、五金工具、玩具等千萬件熱銷好貨，淘寶支持文字或圖片搜索商品。天貓淘寶海外作爲Taobao面向華人的跨境電商平台，覆蓋200多個國家和地區的消費者，其中核心站點包括：淘寶香港（taobao hk）、淘寶台灣（taobao tw）、淘寶澳門、淘宝新加坡、淘宝马来西亚、淘宝韩国（타오바오 사이트）、淘宝澳洲、淘宝加拿大、taobao world。

world.taobao.com

 

[MrClippy]

Some more ITX cases on Taobao

ample room for slim case fans everywhere, while being 7.97 liters.
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.1-c-s.w4004-17766534317.19.77d357ede67OuX&id=564650562596

>11Liters but has normal case design i.e. no need for pcie riser.
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.1-c-s.w4004-17766534317.9.77d357ede67OuX&id=582218941169

5L with some number of 80mm case fans and flex atx psu. definitely has smaller cpu cooler height restrictions.
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a21wu.10013406.0.0.747253cdl5y9JQ&id=568108919118

~8L iron man. sfx psu with 68mm height for cpu cooler?
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.1-c-s.w4004-17766534317.13.77d357ede67OuX&id=572226916661

Now for something crazy. A foldable case with space for monitor and keyboard; a battery-less laptop???
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a21wu.10013406.0.0.164c53cdv4ctJx&id=584953491879

 

[vanbeveren]

BTW, Deng also has a F12 case, in addition to the F15.
The F12 is 16mm narrower and 17mm less tall than the F15, thus accommodating 135mm tall CPU air cooler + 2x120mm fans at bottom + 55mm thick GPU only.

taobao | 淘寶

淘寶（Taobao）讓您隨心淘超值商品，爲您提供流行服飾、美妝洗護、3C數碼、大小家電、家俬家居、箱包皮具、運動戶外、五金工具、玩具等千萬件熱銷好貨，淘寶支持文字或圖片搜索商品。天貓淘寶海外作爲Taobao面向華人的跨境電商平台，覆蓋200多個國家和地區的消費者，其中核心站點包括：淘寶香港（taobao hk）、淘寶台灣（taobao tw）、淘寶澳門、淘宝新加坡、淘宝马来西亚、淘宝韩国（타오바오 사이트）、淘宝澳洲、淘宝加拿大、taobao world。

world.taobao.com

LOVE the look of that Deng F12

That said, I do wish one USB had made it's way up front on a case that size...
..and the prices. wow..

$190-$230 before any shipping - ???

That's a tough trigger to pull on something from TaoBao with the lead time and variability in what people actually seem to receive.

It looks incredible, but that's an expensive gamble..

 

[tinyitx]

LOVE the look of that Deng F12

That said, I do wish one USB had made it's way up front on a case that size...
..and the prices. wow..

$190-$230 before any shipping - ???

That's a tough trigger to pull on something from TaoBao with the lead time and variability in what people actually seem to receive.

It looks incredible, but that's an expensive gamble..

US$200 is not cheap for a case. But I am in China and so shipping cost is relatively cheap for me.

Being a tough trigger for you might be a good thing. I mean, this can prevent you from implusive buying. If these cases are too cheap, you might end up buying too many that you might never use or need.

One 'problem' with these cases from Taobao is that they are often of limited supply. They are available for a limited time only. Once a batch is gone, it will not be restocked. I think, usually these cases are made by a very very small company or even just being a project by an individual, who has limited time and fund to manufacture a limited number for sale. When the stock is sold out, that is it. Take Sunmilo as an example, his T02 came out late 2017 and then a few months later, it is replaced by T02 Pro (around early 2018). Now, T02 Pro does not seem available anymore and is replaced by T03. I am more interested in his T02 Pro though.

 

[vanbeveren]

Take Sunmilo as an example, his T02 came out late 2017 and then a few months later, it is replaced by T02 Pro (around early 2018). Now, T02 Pro does not seem available anymore and is replaced by T03. I am more interested in his T02 Pro though.

A great example of why I was arguing above that a spreadsheet for "what's on Taobao" is mostly a fools errand.
It's an incredibly fluid situation there.

 

[chyll2]

wrong post. please delete.

 

[tinyitx]

A great example of why I was arguing above that a spreadsheet for "what's on Taobao" is mostly a fools errand.
It's an incredibly fluid situation there.

Well, one one hand, I do agree that having a database or spreadsheet of some kind is useful as it is better than nothing at all. Its usefulness might be limited but not totally useless.
But, on the other hand, I think a better way is just to keep oneself updated periodically by visiting various forums (not just this one but also Chinese forums like Chiphell...etc). This is probably the best method to get an accurate feel of what SFF cases are out there. This should not troublesome as this is supposed to be a hobby and a hobby is meant to be enjoyed.

 

[chyll2]

Took the plunge and ordered a Q2. Time to hunt locally for a good deal on used 160mm coolers for AM4

 

[tinyitx]

Took the plunge and ordered a Q2. Time to hunt locally for a good deal on used 160mm coolers for AM4

Look forward to your build with lots of pics.

 

[wirdo]

I've been looking at this case:

四盘位NAS机箱 黑裙晖机箱 热插拔机箱 itx机箱 带PCI-淘宝网

欢迎前来淘宝网选购热销商品四盘位NAS机箱 黑裙晖机箱 热插拔机箱 itx机箱 带PCI,想了解更多四盘位NAS机箱 黑裙晖机箱 热插拔机箱 itx机箱 带PCI，请进入费金桃的店铺，更多null商品任你选购

item.taobao.com

For $12 it seems a bit cheap. Anyone has any idea on the shipping costs for these kind of items?

 

[MrClippy]

Ordered the 【Lz-a4】itx mini on March 31, 2019 through Superbuy. The items all arrived to their warehouse and shipped on the 19th of April and arrived in North America May 4th. It shipped very fast for something that is usually made to order - took little over a month. This thing is surprisingly flush with all it's panels and real sturdy.


Also using this power supply. Cables are a little too flexible (flimsy?) but the noise is as advertised - very quiet. Will see if it can survive over time. https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=550586245256

 

[tinyitx]

Ordered the 【Lz-a4】itx mini on March 31, 2019 through Superbuy. The items all arrived to their warehouse and shipped on the 19th of April and arrived in North America May 4th. It shipped very fast for something that is usually made to order - took little over a month. This thing is surprisingly flush with all it's panels and real sturdy.

I wonder, since it is sitting on thick carpet, would the thermals be further improved if you put something solid in between the case feet and the carpet so that the relatively short case feet do not sink into the thickness of the carpet?