It basically is a CPU cooler, but also case at the same time. I have been thinking around ideas with this technology over the last year. Between silent option models like this as well as water cooling methods. Technology development via Tefen's Tech
Love how a great part of this channel is not only about technology itself, but about design, lifestyle and integration into your surroundings. One look on your Setup is proof enough. You and the work you put into your videos are incredible. I have so many more positive things to say, but I don't have time the whole night. Please keep up the good work!
It's all part of the experience. Abstract case designs encourage this unconventional editing ha. Hear me unbox a case while it's inside a park... WTF?!?! the exact reaction i was looking for :D -Dmitry.
If i understand correctly, every 4 side of this case could potentially dissipate about 65 W (recommended) or 80W (as seen here), 320W in total, probably less. That would mean, as long as you have the right hardware(heat-pipes, mounting block etc.) you could use a 1060/70 and some sort of i5, i guess. (AND tons of thermal-paste :D) Would be great to see something like this in the future. :)
Here is how I got completely silent PC. Step number 1: I got 10 meter long cables for display port and usb 3.1 for split. Step number 2: connect cables to the monitor which is LG 34UC79G-B ( cool monitor, but don't buy it). Step 3: enjoy absolute silence and I mean ABSOLUTE SILENCE. I use this room with LG as an office and it is amazing how nothing can distract you. There are no random squiiiking noices from PC you don't hear fans when you run expensive application and so on. And the best thing is I payed like £14 for the cables no silent case can beat that price.
Given that it only makes use of one side panel for cooling, and the surface area used for contact with that panel is not all that much larger than a single CPU block, I could see it working. The problem with going that route is that it would no longer be a silent build, as you need to run a pump.
***** I see your points, like I said would be a neat experience to try it though. My idea would be to put a block on each side panel then just make a simple loop. BTW I use an alpha cool d4 pump in my rig and it is basically silent. Not like those crappy all in one kits. The only thing you can hear in my rig is the fans.
Brian Fisher I use a D5 and it's extremely quiet as well. I'm not saying it would be obtrusive or anywhere near unbearable, just that it would defeat the whole silent idea. I agree it would be a cool project though. You could probably fit two or so EK Annihilators per panel.
Armadillito That really is not a good idea. First of all, I would not trust a 3D printer to make anything water tight. There's always air trapped between the layers, and even if you get no outright layer separation, I'd expect it to spring a leak before long. I'm assuming you want to use plastic for the top of the block, in which case the only reliable way to do it would be to buy a solid chunk of acetal or acrylic and machine it down to shape. The problem with milling your own heat transfer plate for the base is that while you would increase the contact area with the side panel, the quality of machines you could expect to find in someone's garage would be in no way capable of recreating the micro-fin structure you see in commercial blocks. you'd actually wind up with less internal surface area in contact with the water.
Agree with the design innovation. But why close the top? It's not like thermodynamics will suddenly go away amazed by it's design. Hot air still goes up. 10/10 would have this case for an HTPC setup and would replace the top by some metal/plastic mesh to let air and bugs out of it.
Yeah it sucks to live in, Ive gotten over 8 feet of snow you cant even open the front door... you have to dig your way out and remember it has to get to 32 F to snow, thats cold.
LinusTechTips recently tested a prototype of such a case. It's huge and really, really heavy. But it cools the hardware including a Titan X without problems and is completely silent.
zollotech I was thinking the same. There are mini versions of the entire Pascal line, so another inch of bottom clearance, a vented bottom so you could use a psu and a gpu facing down and it would check all the boxes of a design piece case.
wanted to take the time out and say i just love your guys videos. the presentations, the pleasant voices, the wealth of information....please never stop making vids.
Not feeling the opening, with the box opening sound match with outdoor shots. It doesn't go too well together make it a bit off and awkward. But as always great shots and angles :)
I built a FC8 Evo form the same Company as a christmas present for my parents. It stays in there living room and they love it. It does not obstruct the sound if you're watching a movie on Netflix and with the wireless Keyboard with Trackpad you can work or surf the web using the TV as a screen.
This channel is more art and technology, mixed together. Nice, as I do not like some other channels that get to technical or geeky, just because they can. And the videos are streamlined and beautiful, a work of art in it self :) You talked about all the issues with this case, great. Now they need to fix all that and release the DB5. They could solve a lot of issues if the case was a bit taller, both the case it self and the stand for it. Such a beautiful case. If the case had no special components, like the PSU, then you could use it for a long time without worry of replacing hard to find parts. It would be great if the CPU and GPU could use heatpipe cooling. Also the top cover should be made out of aluminium, plus some sort of smart easy mounting point system for a included aluminium handlebar to have the option to carry the case around if you needed that. With thumbscrews or something like that. Like the carrying solution on the Lian-Li PC-TU100 case. Superb review :)
sheiksubra The iPhone moves every phone manufacturer to make all touchscreen smartphone - the iPad triggered modern tablets too - basically, apple is the most copied company on earth
As a music producer I've gotten used to the fan noise of my budget desktop, but with Streacom's fanless design I really wonder what eliminating fan noise could do for my productivity. I don't need the highest clocked CPU since most processes are dependent on the size of the CPU's multiple caches and etc. And even if we can utilize Dedicated GPU power for audio processing I'd doubt I'd need any enthusiast cards as most of my sounds aren't that intensive. (well maybe pads) Thanks for sharing Dmitry! You've got a new subscriber!
lol eliminating sound to enhance ur productivity what a joke.... just buy a less crappy fan and or case. fan and use some headphones people are stupid these days... how does looks improve productivity .... www.bequiet.com/en/casefans
vakantieman32 Well the last thing I want to put on my head is a peripheral that isolates my ears from my surroundings. Also pressure + isolated bass is a nice stew for Tinnitus, that's WHY producers have studio monitors. for their long term health. BTW I didn't say there "would be" enhanced productivity, I said there "could be" due to the absence of fan noise. - think of fan noise as that ugly wallpaper that you keep on your wall because behind it is some real ugliness.
dimitry, when you do a fanless review, you need to actually show the biggest interest of it and make a shot with real room noise while in use. many people are missing the whole point of having a fanless pc because they don't realize how awesome it is to use your pc in complete silence everyday.
haha well, i guess i could have emphasized what it means to have zero noise on a PC. My heating unit on the wall produces more noise, but i guess anything would that has motion.
I like the aesthetics of this chasis because it could easily blend in with most of your decorative furniture or objects within the house. Therefore, discrete as long as the LED is disconnected.
Definitely a concept case, and needs a lot of improvement. I like the approach, though. I'm surprised there are no vents on the top. Even passive air flow through the center of the case would help.
at first, thought it was a weird looking passive heatsink, then i wondered how does one install it upon a cpu and will the mobo handle the 7kg weight, then i face desked upon finding out it's a pc in its own right.
I think this case is best suited for something like a NAS, where you install a low-power CPU and a bunch of hard drives inside (five 3.5" drives means up to 50TB!), and you can place it anywhere in your home and it blends in quite nicely with its surroundings, while most dedicated NAS boxes are real eyesores with the drawers and displays and LEDs and whatnot. And unlike regular NAS boxes, you can even place this one close to a wall since the cables are hidden beneath the thing.
I would really like this system as the Living room computer, instead of a regular PC case, since there is no Gaming need there and its only used for internet browsing and Netflix, and UA-cam (DUH). Overall i agree with you that its a really neat design, with the downside being customization, but i think its a more targeted product like the Iphone, specifically made for a target audience that can appreciate it.
I would definitely appreciate this case in an office or non gaming or creativity environment. It's uniqueness lends the opportunity for an obscure, or one of kind home or office, environment as you mentioned in the review.
This will look nice in my bedroom with my 4k 50" LG on the wall. I'll build a nice little shelf for it and put it up there. I'm waiting to see what kind of APU's Zen will bring to the table for a setup like this!
What I'd love to do with this case is water-cool the outside panels ... a nice electric blue running through the recessed areas of the panels would be gorgeous!
So after watching the whole (very in depth and high quality) review, I have to say, I wish they had included some parts to be able to convert this to a ultra-cooled fan-capable PC. This would bring it from "only fanless" to "fanless is optional" where you could have intense cooling because of the case construction if you were able to use fans with it. That'd make me really happy. If I ever owned one of these I would definitely be cutting it open to allow installation of a fan on the bottom to pull air into it. I can only imagine the temps. I am excited to see what they do with the DB5 :]
Two things they should've/could've done for the I/O: Include 90 degree adapters, or have the ports on a retractable cable that you can pull out to plug things into that when not in use go back into the case.
I mean, it's not noisy, so there's that. But there's a limit to the CPU, which limits a lot of people. Originally, I'd say that it would be a great office editing rig, but running an i7 6700K or something would be too risky. Plus, all that heat buildup inside the case in no bueno. I guess it would be great in a living room, as a media PC, if you cab afford a case more expensive than its contents...
I as a musician/producer would love this rig as a music production case since my budget desktop's fan noise is much louder than ambient noise rn - it also looks a little more portable and looks nice AF, so that's good. I don't need the highest performing clock speeds (though a Xeon could benefit me due to larger caches) and I certainly don't need a titan x in there. so it fits my niche really nicely. $200 is Much cheaper than I expected for a case like this tbh.
Yeah, $200 isn't so bad. Still, there are other case that are even cheaper, portable and more versatile. Might not look as good but you can have airflow with low profile coolers..
If I were to buy a case like this. Id drill a big ass hole in my desk directly below the case that I would run the cables though so they wouldn't be bent. This case is so gorgeous it would be worth putting extra time and effort into the whole setup.
donerkebab97 You could, but as far as I know there are no mini/75w blower cards. Even if there were, it completely defeats the fanless purpose of the case, without modifying it.
I am surprised the manufacturer did not do their due diligents in testing the cooling or make sure the clearance i enough for flash drives and video cables. that said i like the look and idea of of a silent living room system i have no use for that kind of system but i like it. good video cheers.
Thanks for the input. I was going for abstract, not lame :p audio/video out of sync to compliment the difference in visuals of a PC case inside the park.
I really like the way you review. A lot of your criticisms come across as either pain points or "please improve this for your future designs". Even on some of your most critical complaints. This case is extremely elegant, and shows what great design can achieve. I'm looking forward to what we'll see in the next 3-4 years. Keep up the good work.
you should add oil (motor oil or transmission oil) yes car oil between the copper pipes and the aluminium heat sink, maybe the oil will help the heat transfer between the heat pipes and the aluminium block or thermal paste would work too.
For a simple productivity build (some development and regular browsing/office tasks), I love it. Problem for me is the NUC exists and can fill that need, while being more compact.
I think that one could easily add a 120/140mm Fan on top for better airflow. Also some more holes in the ground plate would help with convection. For asthetics they should add some windowed sidepanel - tempered glass maybe?
Most excellent review! I also like how you had an earlier video showing us how you did your product shots for the review. As far as the case, it's beautiful but it's not really something I would buy. My primary home computer for the last 2 years has been my tiny red Gigabyte Mini PC (Intel Core i5-4570R 3.2GHz Iris Pro Graphic 5200) running Arch Linux. And it's tucked away to where I don't even see it.
I actually have one of the Streacom's low profile cases that looks like an amp / dvd player. I can confirm that the quality is out of this world, Apply would envy the CNC precision of these products. The build contained a i7-3770T processor, 16GB of RAM, 250GB SSD, 1TB 2.5" HDD, and other extras. Got spoiled by silence, so now any fan noise from another PC drives me crazy during the evenings. 1st world problems, eh? However I was waiting for the DB4 to arrive since I first saw the concept. Sadly it does not meet my specific needs, at least at it's current state. Streacom sells this case with 65W thermal design in mind, which limits the use of Intel's CPU range. That said they do have an upgrade to get the TDP up to 105W, however the problem is motherboard compatibility as the extra pipes need clearance where you would usually have VRM heatsinks on the motherboard. I am no engineer but by looking at the case layout I am 99% sure they could add extra TDP without compatibility issues, furthermore the manufacturing costs would be the same or less. Maybe it would not be as effective as the current upgrade, but even if it is 10%-20% worse it is still worth it in my eyes. Speaking of cooling. Since Streacom's upgrade and my idea only utilises two case panels to function, why not consider a possible GPU cooling option? I know that is over the top, but I suspect the results could be OK for lower TDB units. Just a thought anyway... Personally I am working on a possible semi-passive liquid cooled + TEC solution in this case. That is if I cannot get the TDP with available plates to where I need it. Just waiting on some spare time and cash. Power supply situation should not be an issue in the first place. You can find Nano Pico PSU's that are rated for over 300W just using a brick. I mean look back at Alienware 18x laptops from a few years back. Dell was selling units that were rated for 320W if I remember correctly. This saves precious internal space and keeps the heat out. Or just like mentioned in the video, modern power supplies have a smaller form factor now and would fit with no problems inside the case. As a conclusion I would personally say that I would like these things revised: 1. Better max TDP cooling by utilising both panels without impacting compatibility. 2. Better PSU support, as you can get 300W bricks these days and let the customer choose an SFX mounting option. 3. Slightly more GPU space height wise as some GPU's extend beyond the PCI-E metal bracket. 4. More ventilation notches holes on the bottom of the case, maybe some better convection slots on the top withouth impacting the current looks. Also curious to know if adding small slots on the inner side panels would impact the passive cooling. All in all, stunning case! Just needs updating just like the video mentions.
Sounds like a great case if you put thermal paste between the 4 walls. Would increase the thermal capabilities greatly. I'd also do some drilling above and below for some low profile fans to increase airflow. But running the airflow from top to bottom would make more sense because of the convection of the side panels.
That's really cool. I'm not able to afford it in the least, but I really appreciate the innovative approach. Like, it's obvious they weren't obsessively worried about "OH GOSH, WILL THIS DECISION LOSE MARKET SHARE??"
I wonder if a fanless water cooling setup would work well with this case. Run water to the cpu and gpu and to a water block mounted to each of the four sides. Suspend the pump with thin shock cord so no vibration is transferred to the case and noise is minimized. Or try using a pumpless system. Attaching the water blocks securely to the sides without anything visible on the outside could be tricky. Drilling and tapping shallow holes part way through would probably be most proper but a lot of work. Epoxy might hold it adequately unless it gets really hot at the cost of somewhat inefficient heat transfer. Solder would have good heat transfer but perhaps sketchy adhesion with just a flat surface to grab on to. Using expandable rods of some kind to press against blocks on opposing sides might not be possible with obstructions and could be difficult to put together regardless.
I would love to house my gaming PC in a fanless case to cut down on not only noise, but the amount of dust that gets collected inside, filters are not always full proof. That is a beautiful design and love the customization of the interior, would like to see a full ATX gaming rig like this. I think I have, but something affordable for those of us not living the high life.
if this case had hardware already installed it might be something to consider, however, with the right cooling solutions you can make a active aircooled case pretty quiet too
This case with just one large and very slow spinning slim exhaust fan mounted up top through a mesh/filtered top panel would drastically increase its thermals. Can't see why they didn't do this, or at the very least if trying to keep with the fanless theme, make the top panel mesh or vented. It's not as if thermodynamics ceases to exist when you remove fans. Air still conducts heat, and storing all that hot air in a contained cube, fan or not, is going to drive up temps for no reason. I'd wager just having a vented top and no fans still would decrease temps significantly, much increasing the abilities of this case to utilize higher thermal output parts. It's a gorgeous case, but it's a shame it's thermal limitations make it nothing more than a nice HTPC option, especially at the price. It'd be super interesting to see one with a modded vented top panel, perhaps with a large fan for top venting. At the size needed, the speed would be so slow it would be inaudible regardless, and moving the hot air out of the top would likely drastically reduce the ambient heat in the case, similar to the current Mac Pro design thermally.
I have been looking for a way to make a quiet pc for a while for sound editing and production, and mixing it with style/ industrial feel is just amazing. I think I know in what I am gooing to build now :)
Snip the line going to the power led and add in a small potentiometer dial so you can reduce the voltage to the led. A resistor would work too but you'd have to figure out how many ohms resistance you need
One thing that comes to mind immediately: How about a fanless external GPU? Combine this case/heatsink concept with some judicious acoustic baffling, and this would be very sexy! Have that be an adjunct to something like the Microsoft Surface, which could be more easily used for sound production. (It could be more easily optimized for silent operation that way.) Combining something like that with an ultra-light notebook would be a good deal for many creators as well.
I love these fanless case designs, but not for the reason you'd think. I'd install a 12cm fan somewhere, barely turning, so the temperatures would drop significantly, with minimal noise.
I have this case and experimented with different combinations. The biggest problem is the CPU TDP ratings which are rubbish. I’ve had a 8700 non-K which has a TDP of 65W and hence should be just enough for one panel. However, the CPU easily pulls 100W or even more, practically lighting up the panel until it hits 100C and thermal throttles. So that needed two panels. The GPU TDP ratings are reliable, actually bang on. Had a GTX 1060 and that did 120W and could be cooled by two panels (65W per panel is realistic for sustained loads, more than that only for short whiles). I then fitted a Zotac GTX 1080 Mini, the smallest on the market, which only would fit with some handiwork on the cabling and heatpipes. This is a 180W card, and was just too much, easily overwhelming the case’s cooling potential. But I had already figured I could make a top panel with a 12cm fan in it. I bought a beQuiet Silent Wings 3, spinning between 250 and 850 rpm, less audible than the coil whine from the 1080. This actively pulled hot air from the case and dropped temps by 10-15C and made it feasible. Great! However, this kind of defeats the purpose of the case, and now the GTX 1660ti is on the market, with a TDP of 120W, I decided to go for that. I currently have the GTX 1660ti coupled to a 8086K, which offers the possibility to undervolt, shaving 10C off whithout sacrificing performance. This seems like the maximum spec currently possible with this case (8 core CPU’s would be too hot). The only real improvement I can still do, is replacing the top panel, which is closed and traps hot air, with something that allows better airflow. With the top off, the difference is 3-5C, so that is worthwhile to pursue.
Canadians can just put their PCs outside and they will stay plenty cool.
It wouldn't actually freeze since it's constantly making heat while running. ;) Condensation might be an issue though.
***** lol Nuuu thank you. XD I'll stick with my 16 degrees here in Maryland.
they would probable Need cable extentions thoug
Not in my country because your PC would overheat and buurn.
hahaha
I taught it was a CPU cooler😂
it is a CPU cooler
hahaha i see what you did there
It basically is a CPU cooler, but also case at the same time. I have been thinking around ideas with this technology over the last year. Between silent option models like this as well as water cooling methods.
Technology development via Tefen's Tech
Tefen M Well i saw it as a heatsink in the thumbnail
me to!
Love how a great part of this channel is not only about technology itself, but about design, lifestyle and integration into your surroundings.
One look on your Setup is proof enough.
You and the work you put into your videos are incredible. I have so many more positive things to say, but I don't have time the whole night.
Please keep up the good work!
haha appreciate the support :D
Dominiq Akoraa You're completely right. Dmitry is out of this world, quite genuinely. 👌
yea, it looks awesome
yup , need the same thing
look here: kanttii.deviantart.com/art/Abstract-4K-Wallpaper-576699442
This is the perfect case for a hackintosh.
You sir, are correct. It goes perfectly with the Mac theme.
thats what i was thinking
They did the same in the past and call it the cube, if u saw the movie "steve jobs" u can see it
I agree. Even the cost is in line with Apple's marketing approach.
Elias Sen Doudouh the build quality, yes. Hands down the best.
I thought the audio was out of sync in the beginning.
It's all part of the experience. Abstract case designs encourage this unconventional editing ha. Hear me unbox a case while it's inside a park... WTF?!?! the exact reaction i was looking for :D
-Dmitry.
HardwareCanucks Exceptional editing indeed Dmitry. Also thanks for replying you made my day!
Dimitri, maybe you should start with binaureal recording soon :D
If i understand correctly, every 4 side of this case could potentially dissipate about 65 W (recommended) or 80W (as seen here), 320W in total, probably less.
That would mean, as long as you have the right hardware(heat-pipes, mounting block etc.) you could use a 1060/70 and some sort of i5, i guess. (AND tons of thermal-paste :D)
Would be great to see something like this in the future. :)
Here is how I got completely silent PC. Step number 1: I got 10 meter long cables for display port and usb 3.1 for split. Step number 2: connect cables to the monitor which is LG 34UC79G-B ( cool monitor, but don't buy it). Step 3: enjoy absolute silence and I mean ABSOLUTE SILENCE. I use this room with LG as an office and it is amazing how nothing can distract you. There are no random squiiiking noices from PC you don't hear fans when you run expensive application and so on. And the best thing is I payed like £14 for the cables no silent case can beat that price.
as long as my pc does not sound like a jet I dont mind a little noise
"loud like a jet, fast as a turtle"
I wonder if you could do a water cooled build. Instead of radiators just put a few CPU blocks on the side panels, would be an interesting experiment.
Given that it only makes use of one side panel for cooling, and the surface area used for contact with that panel is not all that much larger than a single CPU block, I could see it working. The problem with going that route is that it would no longer be a silent build, as you need to run a pump.
***** I see your points, like I said would be a neat experience to try it though. My idea would be to put a block on each side panel then just make a simple loop. BTW I use an alpha cool d4 pump in my rig and it is basically silent. Not like those crappy all in one kits. The only thing you can hear in my rig is the fans.
Brian Fisher I use a D5 and it's extremely quiet as well. I'm not saying it would be obtrusive or anywhere near unbearable, just that it would defeat the whole silent idea. I agree it would be a cool project though. You could probably fit two or so EK Annihilators per panel.
Would be better to have a custom heat transfer plate with a larger surface area, with could be done with a CNC mill and a 3D printer, I should think.
Armadillito That really is not a good idea. First of all, I would not trust a 3D printer to make anything water tight. There's always air trapped between the layers, and even if you get no outright layer separation, I'd expect it to spring a leak before long. I'm assuming you want to use plastic for the top of the block, in which case the only reliable way to do it would be to buy a solid chunk of acetal or acrylic and machine it down to shape. The problem with milling your own heat transfer plate for the base is that while you would increase the contact area with the side panel, the quality of machines you could expect to find in someone's garage would be in no way capable of recreating the micro-fin structure you see in commercial blocks. you'd actually wind up with less internal surface area in contact with the water.
I thought this was a CPU cooler
Well you're not wrong....
same
CPU cooler this large would be awsome
Case review, then suddenly....
ART!
Agree with the design innovation. But why close the top? It's not like thermodynamics will suddenly go away amazed by it's design. Hot air still goes up.
10/10 would have this case for an HTPC setup and would replace the top by some metal/plastic mesh to let air and bugs out of it.
The tops of the channels in the aluminum sides are open. Don't need to open the rest of the components up to dust.
I'm envious... you have snow there :( let's make a deal... you send the snow over here and I'll like the video
Sent... FedEx express. Customs paperwork incoming :D
Thank you and have an ice day
Thank you, i will freeze :)
EMPeter livililii
Yeah it sucks to live in, Ive gotten over 8 feet of snow you cant even open the front door... you have to dig your way out and remember it has to get to 32 F to snow, thats cold.
Can I just say that on top of this case review, that OCZ ad you put together at the beginning is simply amazing. Great work as always.
the most creative advertisement iive seen in a while btw
Its interesting how he does not say its an advertisement,im tired of technology channels selling out without telling you their content is sponsored.
It's not an ad tho, it's a review:l
Great review. Love the case, but would love a slightly larger variant for a serious GPU.
3en6ie 3en6ie yes, I understand. However I would like to see a modified version of this to accommodate such a design.
LinusTechTips recently tested a prototype of such a case. It's huge and really, really heavy.
But it cools the hardware including a Titan X without problems and is completely silent.
zollotech there is a mini gtx 1080ti, if not wrong gigabyte did it.
zollotech I was thinking the same. There are mini versions of the entire Pascal line, so another inch of bottom clearance, a vented bottom so you could use a psu and a gpu facing down and it would check all the boxes of a design piece case.
HDPLEX has a case where you can put an underclocked gtx 970 and it runs at 70° after 4 hours of benchmark.
i thought this was a cpu cooler
well technically, it is
wanted to take the time out and say i just love your guys videos. the presentations, the pleasant voices, the wealth of information....please never stop making vids.
Not feeling the opening, with the box opening sound match with outdoor shots. It doesn't go too well together make it a bit off and awkward. But as always great shots and angles :)
That's the whole point. It's unconventional and abstract, just like the case :D
HardwareCanucks that's Mr.Robot levels of edginess right there... c:
HardwareCanucks Damn... You're good....but we already knew that.
I find it very well done, it gave me pleasure tbh xD
I built a FC8 Evo form the same Company as a christmas present for my parents. It stays in there living room and they love it. It does not obstruct the sound if you're watching a movie on Netflix and with the wireless Keyboard with Trackpad you can work or surf the web using the TV as a screen.
Who else thought this was a cpu cooler from the thumbnail
This channel is more art and technology, mixed together. Nice, as I do not like some other channels that get to technical or geeky, just because they can. And the videos are streamlined and beautiful, a work of art in it self :)
You talked about all the issues with this case, great. Now they need to fix all that and release the DB5. They could solve a lot of issues if the case was a bit taller, both the case it self and the stand for it. Such a beautiful case. If the case had no special components, like the PSU, then you could use it for a long time without worry of replacing hard to find parts. It would be great if the CPU and GPU could use heatpipe cooling. Also the top cover should be made out of aluminium, plus some sort of smart easy mounting point system for a included aluminium handlebar to have the option to carry the case around if you needed that. With thumbscrews or something like that.
Like the carrying solution on the Lian-Li PC-TU100 case.
Superb review :)
Thanks :)
arent they stealing the unity game engine logo?
nah... Unity isn't owned by Apple.
qwormuli I don't get ur joke 😢
sheiksubra The iPhone moves every phone manufacturer to make all touchscreen smartphone - the iPad triggered modern tablets too - basically, apple is the most copied company on earth
Audie Liem what does that have to do with what I said? 😢
Whatever you say mate.
camera work, tone of voice, just everything is beautiful, u should be much bigger than this
As a music producer I've gotten used to the fan noise of my budget desktop, but with Streacom's fanless design I really wonder what eliminating fan noise could do for my productivity. I don't need the highest clocked CPU since most processes are dependent on the size of the CPU's multiple caches and etc.
And even if we can utilize Dedicated GPU power for audio processing I'd doubt I'd need any enthusiast cards as most of my sounds aren't that intensive. (well maybe pads) Thanks for sharing Dmitry! You've got a new subscriber!
Welcome to the channel :D
lol eliminating sound to enhance ur productivity what a joke.... just buy a less crappy fan and or case. fan and use some headphones people are stupid these days... how does looks improve productivity ....
www.bequiet.com/en/casefans
ya because you can see fan noise
vakantieman32 Well the last thing I want to put on my head is a peripheral that isolates my ears from my surroundings. Also pressure + isolated bass is a nice stew for Tinnitus, that's WHY producers have studio monitors. for their long term health.
BTW I didn't say there "would be" enhanced productivity, I said there "could be" due to the absence of fan noise. - think of fan noise as that ugly wallpaper that you keep on your wall because behind it is some real ugliness.
This video 5 years ago motivated me to make my latest machine one with only component fans. Cpu, gpu, psu, no other fans.
dimitry, when you do a fanless review, you need to actually show the biggest interest of it and make a shot with real room noise while in use. many people are missing the whole point of having a fanless pc because they don't realize how awesome it is to use your pc in complete silence everyday.
haha well, i guess i could have emphasized what it means to have zero noise on a PC. My heating unit on the wall produces more noise, but i guess anything would that has motion.
You mean to show his ambient noise? If all the components are fanless, there's no sound leaving it.
You tried servicing yourself in complete silence? Its quite disconcerting.
I like the aesthetics of this chasis because it could easily blend in with most of your decorative furniture or objects within the house. Therefore, discrete as long as the LED is disconnected.
Definitely a concept case, and needs a lot of improvement. I like the approach, though. I'm surprised there are no vents on the top. Even passive air flow through the center of the case would help.
Good thing the top cover is an easy fix if they were to add some ventilation on the plastic cover.
What a beautiful case. Wow. The black one looks even better.
Great intro with the sound of unboxing. It really worked.
I watched your other video where you showed this case and the behind the scenes well done sir. masterful
at first, thought it was a weird looking passive heatsink, then i wondered how does one install it upon a cpu and will the mobo handle the 7kg weight, then i face desked upon finding out it's a pc in its own right.
I think this case is best suited for something like a NAS, where you install a low-power CPU and a bunch of hard drives inside (five 3.5" drives means up to 50TB!), and you can place it anywhere in your home and it blends in quite nicely with its surroundings, while most dedicated NAS boxes are real eyesores with the drawers and displays and LEDs and whatnot. And unlike regular NAS boxes, you can even place this one close to a wall since the cables are hidden beneath the thing.
dimitri where can i find that wallpaper???
if u get a response let me know. it kinda looks like default wallpaper on my nexus 10 tablet
orig06.deviantart.net/34fd/f/2015/341/f/a/abstract_4k_wallpaper_by_kanttii-d9jco4y.jpg
solid
Wow I guessed how the case was cooled! The case was the heatsync!
potato! oh shit lol
heatsync? is that a new technology to eliminate heat lag? jk
Thread212 😂
That's a damn sexy case. Perfect for any designer giving Mac Pro a run for it's money.
It doesn't take much.
that mounting system is freaking awesome! now thats what i call modular.
This would be wicked good as a pfsense box in my living room
I would really like this system as the Living room computer, instead of a regular PC case, since there is no Gaming need there and its only used for internet browsing and Netflix, and UA-cam (DUH).
Overall i agree with you that its a really neat design, with the downside being customization, but i think its a more targeted product like the Iphone, specifically made for a target audience that can appreciate it.
This will be the future imagine if they maximize all 4 side wall
I would definitely appreciate this case in an office or non gaming or creativity environment. It's uniqueness lends the opportunity for an obscure, or one of kind home or office, environment as you mentioned in the review.
I feel like modders could do great things with that case.
like install fans?
Like mod this entire case to become a cpu heatsink
Now that would be cool
Aescen top mounted fans and an SFX power supply would be the first thing I'd do. Would be a fucking nice case then.
GetTheCheeseToSickbay probably paste low power thermoelectric to the case
This case has great potential as an open-air cooling case.
I've been waiting for your opinion on this. Like before seeing the video, lol
lol
HardwareCanucks :@
i cant wait to watch this, i have been waiting and also waiting for your fractal design review too!
I'm almost sure they did a video on this case, but it was smaller and a few months ago >.>/
power mac G4 cube clone
Awesome review. I love this case! agreed about the power source but love the direction
I feel like this case will make the PC in the livingroom normal :D
Very beautiful case, also like always excellent filmed, amazing lights!!!
I'm not secure if I like or hate the concept of this case :/
Nice video dude!
This will look nice in my bedroom with my 4k 50" LG on the wall. I'll build a nice little shelf for it and put it up there. I'm waiting to see what kind of APU's Zen will bring to the table for a setup like this!
I might be interested, depends on the price.
$299. very pricey.
Not so interested.... lol
lnxpro not too bad for something like this.
lnxpro not bad
You mean that behemoth of a case? Fanless is pretty much the only thing those two cases have in common. Well, that and the price tag.
I would use this machine as my Living room HTPC, excellent design !!!
Your thumbnail says the truth 😂😜😱
Zero Fans
What I'd love to do with this case is water-cool the outside panels ... a nice electric blue running through the recessed areas of the panels would be gorgeous!
This is neat. If I were rich, I would build something with it just for fun. But it doesn't have any use for me, unfortunately.
I would highly consider this for when I build an ITX system
This would be such a good htpc but most people aren't willing to spend 300 on a case for a htpc
So after watching the whole (very in depth and high quality) review, I have to say, I wish they had included some parts to be able to convert this to a ultra-cooled fan-capable PC. This would bring it from "only fanless" to "fanless is optional" where you could have intense cooling because of the case construction if you were able to use fans with it. That'd make me really happy. If I ever owned one of these I would definitely be cutting it open to allow installation of a fan on the bottom to pull air into it. I can only imagine the temps. I am excited to see what they do with the DB5 :]
I thought that was a heatsync not a case
It's stunning. I have just got a new Threadripper build but I might sell it to make a more modest system in this.
This is how MacPro should have looked.
EthanBB buttttt they decided that a trashcan is much more fancy looking
Two things they should've/could've done for the I/O:
Include 90 degree adapters, or have the ports on a retractable cable that you can pull out to plug things into that when not in use go back into the case.
So, who is this for exactly?
Bill Pairaktaridis for office words processing xD
I mean, it's not noisy, so there's that. But there's a limit to the CPU, which limits a lot of people. Originally, I'd say that it would be a great office editing rig, but running an i7 6700K or something would be too risky. Plus, all that heat buildup inside the case in no bueno. I guess it would be great in a living room, as a media PC, if you cab afford a case more expensive than its contents...
Bill Pairaktaridis not much. Could do HTPC or light office use.
I as a musician/producer would love this rig as a music production case since my budget desktop's fan noise is much louder than ambient noise rn - it also looks a little more portable and looks nice AF, so that's good.
I don't need the highest performing clock speeds (though a Xeon could benefit me due to larger caches) and I certainly don't need a titan x in there. so it fits my niche really nicely. $200 is Much cheaper than I expected for a case like this tbh.
Yeah, $200 isn't so bad. Still, there are other case that are even cheaper, portable and more versatile. Might not look as good but you can have airflow with low profile coolers..
If I were to buy a case like this. Id drill a big ass hole in my desk directly below the case that I would run the cables though so they wouldn't be bent. This case is so gorgeous it would be worth putting extra time and effort into the whole setup.
You could fit a 1050ti in there
power supply wouldn't be enough for a 1050Ti
donerkebab97 you could... But you should really evaluate your choices first
Even if it fits physically, I don't think the case can provide adequate cooling for a 1050ti...
donerkebab97 You could, but as far as I know there are no mini/75w blower cards. Even if there were, it completely defeats the fanless purpose of the case, without modifying it.
i run a fanless build with a fanless 1050ti and only use a 195w psu.
I am surprised the manufacturer did not do their due diligents in testing the cooling or make sure the clearance i enough for flash drives and video cables. that said i like the look and idea of of a silent living room system i have no use for that kind of system but i like it. good video cheers.
The intro was lame, if you added some background music or maybe rustling leaves it would be better. Now the audio and video didn't stick well.
Thanks for the input. I was going for abstract, not lame :p audio/video out of sync to compliment the difference in visuals of a PC case inside the park.
what a commercial . bravo I'll buy ten of it, never know when I'm gonna need them
Most ridiculously beautiful review ever. Great work!
I really like the way you review. A lot of your criticisms come across as either pain points or "please improve this for your future designs". Even on some of your most critical complaints.
This case is extremely elegant, and shows what great design can achieve. I'm looking forward to what we'll see in the next 3-4 years.
Keep up the good work.
This case needs an active cooling solution. Doesn't need to be loud, but even quiet running fans improve cooling performance extraordinary.
Why do you make the best youtube ads of any tech channel out there?
This would make a perfect winter PC. You can touch the panel whenever your hands get cold.
Wow really liked the way you promised to do the unboxing noises
you should add oil (motor oil or transmission oil) yes car oil between the copper pipes and the aluminium heat sink, maybe the oil will help the heat transfer between the heat pipes and the aluminium block
or thermal paste would work too.
WOW, this is awesome for Canadian winter.
For a simple productivity build (some development and regular browsing/office tasks), I love it. Problem for me is the NUC exists and can fill that need, while being more compact.
I think that one could easily add a 120/140mm Fan on top for better airflow. Also some more holes in the ground plate would help with convection. For asthetics they should add some windowed sidepanel - tempered glass maybe?
This is a fantastic case. Keep up the good work.
Most excellent review! I also like how you had an earlier video showing us how you did your product shots for the review. As far as the case, it's beautiful but it's not really something I would buy. My primary home computer for the last 2 years has been my tiny red Gigabyte Mini PC (Intel Core i5-4570R 3.2GHz Iris Pro Graphic 5200) running Arch Linux. And it's tucked away to where I don't even see it.
I actually have one of the Streacom's low profile cases that looks like an amp / dvd player. I can confirm that the quality is out of this world, Apply would envy the CNC precision of these products.
The build contained a i7-3770T processor, 16GB of RAM, 250GB SSD, 1TB 2.5" HDD, and other extras. Got spoiled by silence, so now any fan noise from another PC drives me crazy during the evenings. 1st world problems, eh?
However I was waiting for the DB4 to arrive since I first saw the concept. Sadly it does not meet my specific needs, at least at it's current state. Streacom sells this case with 65W thermal design in mind, which limits the use of Intel's CPU range. That said they do have an upgrade to get the TDP up to 105W, however the problem is motherboard compatibility as the extra pipes need clearance where you would usually have VRM heatsinks on the motherboard.
I am no engineer but by looking at the case layout I am 99% sure they could add extra TDP without compatibility issues, furthermore the manufacturing costs would be the same or less. Maybe it would not be as effective as the current upgrade, but even if it is 10%-20% worse it is still worth it in my eyes.
Speaking of cooling. Since Streacom's upgrade and my idea only utilises two case panels to function, why not consider a possible GPU cooling option? I know that is over the top, but I suspect the results could be OK for lower TDB units. Just a thought anyway...
Personally I am working on a possible semi-passive liquid cooled + TEC solution in this case. That is if I cannot get the TDP with available plates to where I need it. Just waiting on some spare time and cash.
Power supply situation should not be an issue in the first place. You can find Nano Pico PSU's that are rated for over 300W just using a brick. I mean look back at Alienware 18x laptops from a few years back. Dell was selling units that were rated for 320W if I remember correctly. This saves precious internal space and keeps the heat out. Or just like mentioned in the video, modern power supplies have a smaller form factor now and would fit with no problems inside the case.
As a conclusion I would personally say that I would like these things revised:
1. Better max TDP cooling by utilising both panels without impacting compatibility.
2. Better PSU support, as you can get 300W bricks these days and let the customer choose an SFX mounting option.
3. Slightly more GPU space height wise as some GPU's extend beyond the PCI-E metal bracket.
4. More ventilation notches holes on the bottom of the case, maybe some better convection slots on the top withouth impacting the current looks. Also curious to know if adding small slots on the inner side panels would impact the passive cooling.
All in all, stunning case! Just needs updating just like the video mentions.
Sounds like a great case if you put thermal paste between the 4 walls. Would increase the thermal capabilities greatly.
I'd also do some drilling above and below for some low profile fans to increase airflow. But running the airflow from top to bottom would make more sense because of the convection of the side panels.
I've been waiting for this ever since the behind the scenes video!
Where was this filmed? Love the snowy background...
The best apart the channel is how Dimitri doesn't just follow what the company wants to hear. He tells what they could have done better and done wrong
That's really cool. I'm not able to afford it in the least, but I really appreciate the innovative approach. Like, it's obvious they weren't obsessively worried about "OH GOSH, WILL THIS DECISION LOSE MARKET SHARE??"
I wonder if a fanless water cooling setup would work well with this case. Run water to the cpu and gpu and to a water block mounted to each of the four sides. Suspend the pump with thin shock cord so no vibration is transferred to the case and noise is minimized. Or try using a pumpless system.
Attaching the water blocks securely to the sides without anything visible on the outside could be tricky. Drilling and tapping shallow holes part way through would probably be most proper but a lot of work. Epoxy might hold it adequately unless it gets really hot at the cost of somewhat inefficient heat transfer. Solder would have good heat transfer but perhaps sketchy adhesion with just a flat surface to grab on to. Using expandable rods of some kind to press against blocks on opposing sides might not be possible with obstructions and could be difficult to put together regardless.
I would love to house my gaming PC in a fanless case to cut down on not only noise, but the amount of dust that gets collected inside, filters are not always full proof. That is a beautiful design and love the customization of the interior, would like to see a full ATX gaming rig like this. I think I have, but something affordable for those of us not living the high life.
if this case had hardware already installed it might be something to consider, however, with the right cooling solutions you can make a active aircooled case pretty quiet too
This case with just one large and very slow spinning slim exhaust fan mounted up top through a mesh/filtered top panel would drastically increase its thermals. Can't see why they didn't do this, or at the very least if trying to keep with the fanless theme, make the top panel mesh or vented. It's not as if thermodynamics ceases to exist when you remove fans. Air still conducts heat, and storing all that hot air in a contained cube, fan or not, is going to drive up temps for no reason. I'd wager just having a vented top and no fans still would decrease temps significantly, much increasing the abilities of this case to utilize higher thermal output parts.
It's a gorgeous case, but it's a shame it's thermal limitations make it nothing more than a nice HTPC option, especially at the price. It'd be super interesting to see one with a modded vented top panel, perhaps with a large fan for top venting. At the size needed, the speed would be so slow it would be inaudible regardless, and moving the hot air out of the top would likely drastically reduce the ambient heat in the case, similar to the current Mac Pro design thermally.
I actually like this case & the design! Great for HTPC!
I have been looking for a way to make a quiet pc for a while for sound editing and production, and mixing it with style/ industrial feel is just amazing. I think I know in what I am gooing to build now :)
Nice job on the painting mate, top draw :}
maybe it would help to take the vinyl cover off the top and replace it with some kind of grid. it has to be holding the heat inside the case.
Snip the line going to the power led and add in a small potentiometer dial so you can reduce the voltage to the led. A resistor would work too but you'd have to figure out how many ohms resistance you need
One thing that comes to mind immediately: How about a fanless external GPU? Combine this case/heatsink concept with some judicious acoustic baffling, and this would be very sexy! Have that be an adjunct to something like the Microsoft Surface, which could be more easily used for sound production. (It could be more easily optimized for silent operation that way.) Combining something like that with an ultra-light notebook would be a good deal for many creators as well.
I love these fanless case designs, but not for the reason you'd think. I'd install a 12cm fan somewhere, barely turning, so the temperatures would drop significantly, with minimal noise.
I like the DB4.... I will look into getting one. I would try to perforate or slot the top laminate cover to vent some heat.
This guy is the best hardware review on internet!
I have this case and experimented with different combinations. The biggest problem is the CPU TDP ratings which are rubbish. I’ve had a 8700 non-K which has a TDP of 65W and hence should be just enough for one panel. However, the CPU easily pulls 100W or even more, practically lighting up the panel until it hits 100C and thermal throttles. So that needed two panels. The GPU TDP ratings are reliable, actually bang on. Had a GTX 1060 and that did 120W and could be cooled by two panels (65W per panel is realistic for sustained loads, more than that only for short whiles). I then fitted a Zotac GTX 1080 Mini, the smallest on the market, which only would fit with some handiwork on the cabling and heatpipes. This is a 180W card, and was just too much, easily overwhelming the case’s cooling potential. But I had already figured I could make a top panel with a 12cm fan in it. I bought a beQuiet Silent Wings 3, spinning between 250 and 850 rpm, less audible than the coil whine from the 1080. This actively pulled hot air from the case and dropped temps by 10-15C and made it feasible. Great! However, this kind of defeats the purpose of the case, and now the GTX 1660ti is on the market, with a TDP of 120W, I decided to go for that. I currently have the GTX 1660ti coupled to a 8086K, which offers the possibility to undervolt, shaving 10C off whithout sacrificing performance. This seems like the maximum spec currently possible with this case (8 core CPU’s would be too hot). The only real improvement I can still do, is replacing the top panel, which is closed and traps hot air, with something that allows better airflow. With the top off, the difference is 3-5C, so that is worthwhile to pursue.