Discussion DarkFlash V22 - Why is this case being ignored?

CmdrSloth

Distinguished
Oct 3, 2013
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Recently got this case, and I'm kind of stunned that it's been out for as long as it has, with the features that it does, without a single one of the bigger review channels taking a stab at it.

Seriously, it's one of the only cases with a rotated motherboard, with a configuration that elegantly completely removes GPU sag from the equation, and positions the GPU intake fans directly in front of the 3x 120mm front fans.

I get that it doesn't allow for any bigger radiators than 240, and doesn't support top mounted rads which are very popular configurations, but building in this thing was not only incredibly easy, but the anecdotal temperature improvements on the GPU have been pretty amazing, while not effecting the internally drawing DeepCool Castle 240EX at all.

Has anyone else recently gotten this case or have been looking at it?
 

DSzymborski

Titan
Moderator
Recently got this case, and I'm kind of stunned that it's been out for as long as it has, with the features that it does, without a single one of the bigger review channels taking a stab at it.

Seriously, it's one of the only cases with a rotated motherboard, with a configuration that elegantly completely removes GPU sag from the equation, and positions the GPU intake fans directly in front of the 3x 120mm front fans.

I get that it doesn't allow for any bigger radiators than 240, and doesn't support top mounted rads which are very popular configurations, but building in this thing was not only incredibly easy, but the anecdotal temperature improvements on the GPU have been pretty amazing, while not effecting the internally drawing DeepCool Castle 240EX at all.

Has anyone else recently gotten this case or have been looking at it?

It just seem quite niche. Someone has to want a rotated motherboard and the opening on the other side. Then it has to be a person who is interested in a budget case but already has their own fans, but also doesn't mind being constrained to just single possible fan config.

Plus, I'd be skeptical about trusting the airflow without real A/B testing; cases with glass fronts and some kind of small corner vent and filter nearly invariably perform poorly when they don't have significant alternate ways to bring in fresh air. There's no bottom option or side option. I'd place some money on there being some quite hot areas on that motherboard with two constrictions on entrance and a GPU before anything even gets to it.
 
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CmdrSloth

Distinguished
Oct 3, 2013
16
9
18,515
It just seem quite niche. Someone has to want a rotated motherboard and the opening on the other side. Then it has to be a person who is interested in a budget case but already has their own fans, but also doesn't mind being constrained to just single possible fan config.

Plus, I'd be skeptical about trusting the airflow without real A/B testing; cases with glass fronts and some kind of small corner vent and filter nearly invariably perform poorly when they don't have significant alternate ways to bring in fresh air. There's no bottom option or side option. I'd place some money on there being some quite hot areas on that motherboard with two constrictions on entrance and a GPU before anything even gets to it.

I did a lot of temperature testing on my old, mesh front Corsair vs this case, and the results are actually a lot better than you are suggesting. The side vents on the front fan cover are a good deal larger then most cases, at almost two inches of clearance on both sides. There is also a moderately sized bottom vent cut out that you can't see. I've seen a large number of tests show that as long as that clearance is there, the difference between a mesh front is a few degrees. The front fans are by no means choked for air. All of my VRM temps have stayed more or less the same, with none of them going over 60~ even on this budget B350, and the GPU averages 10 (!) degrees cooler due to the intake fans being pointed directly toward 3x 120mm case fans, instead of where they usually are, over a hot PSU.

The GPU fans in particular barely ever spin up now, only when a game gets minimized an a frame rate cap isn't being adhered to do I ever even hear my computer.

With the 240mm AIO in its exhaust configuration, it's also drawing any stagnation of air away from the VRM's, and has not effected CPU cooling performance (61 degrees max while gaming, 35-40 idle)

With VRMs much more temperature tolerant compared to things like GPU's and the ability for nvidia based GPU's to boost as hard as thermals can allow, this case configuration I think is super interesting.

Though I agree that the left glass panel orientation is uniquely good for my situation: My computer sits up in a bookshelf "above" my desk, which is situated in front of the bookshelf. This allows me to see the components while having the cables hidden and routed out and around the back and down the shelves.