HDPLEX H5 Fanless Computer Case Review

[Guest]

HDPLEX is widely known within the HTPC and audiophile communities for making premium, fanless computer cases. Can the second generation H5 build on the success of its predecessor?

HDPLEX H5 Fanless Computer Case Review : Read more

 

[leaded gas only]

I dig it.
The case reminds me of a old David Hafler component power amp.
Disappointed that it doesn't support AMD CPUs MBs.

 

[haftarun8]

Aaaaand I just found my chassis for a recording studio DAW

 

[chandra7979]

Streacom has been making cases like this for a while (I have the FC5 EVO). This one looks like a taller FC5 (or a slimmer FC10). Could you maybe add metric dimensions to the specs table?

 

[Chris Droste]

i feel like the thermal limitations of the passive air cooling, along with the cost, wind up making Intel's Skull Trail NUC a better purchase

 

[cmiconi]

Streacom has been making cases like this for a while (I have the FC5 EVO). This one looks like a taller FC5 (or a slimmer FC10). Could you maybe add metric dimensions to the specs table?

I put them into the table originally, but it seems they never got published. I'll see if I can get them to update the table.

 

[RedJaron]

Definitely a nice case, but at $288 ( on mfr's site ) the thing just about costs more than everything that would go inside it. As much as I'd like one, I don't know if I could ever justify spending that much.

 

[jsmithepa]

These are mainly for folks who must have a fan-less. If you have to add fans, for whatever reason/requirement, that's one expensive enclosure. I have one of their H1-ITX enclosure for a bedroom HTPC, the silence is precious.

 

[Amdlova]

i love it

 

[jdwii]

i feel like the thermal limitations of the passive air cooling, along with the cost, wind up making Intel's Skull Trail NUC a better purchase

I can't see how when it can handle a I7 since it can handle 95 watt CPUs not to mention a 750Ti would also be fine in it.

However i agree with the cost part.

 

[Andress Constantinides]

It's too expensive for the lack of fans.

 

[RedJaron]

It's too expensive for the lack of fans.

It's expensive because the lack of fans. You're getting heat pipes and heatsinks built into the case. You're paying a premium for the quiet.

 

[DotNetMaster777]

Nice and Quite !!!

 

[Et____]

no place for a SSD and a HDD ?
i still believe any gamer today would like to run their PC with a 250 or 500 gb SSD and most likely add a 1 TB HDD to it

 

[NeatOman]

I'm very curious to find out what temps it would have if you use thermal paste on the heat pipes. From the normal gray goop, to Arctic Silver 5 (as a reference point really), to something "extreme".

 

[NeatOman]

I'm very curious to find out what temps it would have if you use thermal paste on the heat pipes. From the normal gray goop, to Arctic Silver 5 (as a reference point really), to something "extreme".

Sorry! just read it comes with pre-applied thermal paste lol.. still wonder how "better" thermal paste would perform.

 

[cmiconi]

I'm very curious to find out what temps it would have if you use thermal paste on the heat pipes. From the normal gray goop, to Arctic Silver 5 (as a reference point really), to something "extreme".

Sorry! just read it comes with pre-applied thermal paste lol.. still wonder how "better" thermal paste would perform.

The consumer version of the case does not come with pre-applied paste. The second, prebuilt case they sent me did come with the paste applied but that's because it was already put together.

There's a ton of surface area to grease inside that thing, but they do give you plenty of thermal paste and a handy applicator for the grooves. From what little testing I did, the stuff they give you is pretty good. It may not be quite up to par with AS5, but it's as good as most of the other products I've used.

 

[tuffjuff]

no place for a SSD and a HDD ?
i still believe any gamer today would like to run their PC with a 250 or 500 gb SSD and most likely add a 1 TB HDD to it

I run 3x500GB SSDs in my system, with no HDD in sight. Also, 1TB SSDs can be had for ~$250 USD these days.

 

[kchilaka]

Does the front panel flip open to expose the optical drive? If it does not I can't see how to use this case with a blu-ray drive?