• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.

MicroATX case

Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
3,240 (0.58/day)
Location
Czech republic
Processor Ryzen 5800X
Motherboard Asus TUF-Gaming B550-Plus
Cooling Noctua NH-U14S
Memory 32GB G.Skill Trident Z Neo F4-3600C16D-32GTZNC
Video Card(s) AMD Radeon RX 6600
Storage HP EX950 512GB + Samsung 970 PRO 1TB
Display(s) HP Z Display Z24i G2
Case Fractal Design Define R6 Black
Audio Device(s) Creative Sound Blaster AE-5
Power Supply Seasonic PRIME Ultra 650W Gold
Mouse Roccat Kone AIMO Remastered
Software Windows 10 x64
I built a small home server with Bitfenix Phenom M.
What originally looked like really good small case with beautiful aesthetics turned out to be a bloody disgusting nightmare.
Certain screws got destroyed on second loosen/tighten cycle, the 5,25" drive bay is completely useless, the manual is only good enough for wiping your arse, and some of the case's internals are designed in a completely ridiculous way (that's an understatement).
I'm going to RMA the case or toss it into garbage, and am currently looking for something new.
I'd like to hear some recommendations.

What I already considered:
Fractal Design Node 804 - too big. I'm only using three HDDs, so this would be a waste of space. Plus the depth is too... deep for where the server sits.
Thermaltake Core V21 - too big as well. Awkward PSU placement with questionable room for any airflow for the PSU itself (seems blocked by a side panel).
Corsair Carbide Series Air 240 - only 80mm rear fans (what the hell?)
Fractal Design Core 500 - not sure, looked too packed for a change or something.
 

TheLostSwede

News Editor
Joined
Nov 11, 2004
Messages
17,677 (2.41/day)
Location
Sweden
System Name Overlord Mk MLI
Processor AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Motherboard Gigabyte X670E Aorus Master
Cooling Noctua NH-D15 SE with offsets
Memory 32GB Team T-Create Expert DDR5 6000 MHz @ CL30-34-34-68
Video Card(s) Gainward GeForce RTX 4080 Phantom GS
Storage 1TB Solidigm P44 Pro, 2 TB Corsair MP600 Pro, 2TB Kingston KC3000
Display(s) Acer XV272K LVbmiipruzx 4K@160Hz
Case Fractal Design Torrent Compact
Audio Device(s) Corsair Virtuoso SE
Power Supply be quiet! Pure Power 12 M 850 W
Mouse Logitech G502 Lightspeed
Keyboard Corsair K70 Max
Software Windows 10 Pro
Benchmark Scores https://valid.x86.fr/yfsd9w
How about Silverstone?
https://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=291&area=en
https://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=796&area=en
https://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=314&area=en

Cooler Master?
http://www.coolermaster.com/case/mini-tower/mastercase-pro-3/
They don't seem to have much else that's any good and that might be too large.

Jonsbo?
http://www.jonsbo.com/en/products_26_2.html
http://www.jonsbo.com/en/products_56_2.html
http://www.jonsbo.com/en/products_13_2.html

So many case makers are focusing on the external looks today, rather than making decent cases. It's really quite frustrating imho.
 
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
3,240 (0.58/day)
Location
Czech republic
Processor Ryzen 5800X
Motherboard Asus TUF-Gaming B550-Plus
Cooling Noctua NH-U14S
Memory 32GB G.Skill Trident Z Neo F4-3600C16D-32GTZNC
Video Card(s) AMD Radeon RX 6600
Storage HP EX950 512GB + Samsung 970 PRO 1TB
Display(s) HP Z Display Z24i G2
Case Fractal Design Define R6 Black
Audio Device(s) Creative Sound Blaster AE-5
Power Supply Seasonic PRIME Ultra 650W Gold
Mouse Roccat Kone AIMO Remastered
Software Windows 10 x64
I want something compact :( The server is in the living room in very visible spot, so I want it to blend in as much as possible by at least not being huge :D
 

TheLostSwede

News Editor
Joined
Nov 11, 2004
Messages
17,677 (2.41/day)
Location
Sweden
System Name Overlord Mk MLI
Processor AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Motherboard Gigabyte X670E Aorus Master
Cooling Noctua NH-D15 SE with offsets
Memory 32GB Team T-Create Expert DDR5 6000 MHz @ CL30-34-34-68
Video Card(s) Gainward GeForce RTX 4080 Phantom GS
Storage 1TB Solidigm P44 Pro, 2 TB Corsair MP600 Pro, 2TB Kingston KC3000
Display(s) Acer XV272K LVbmiipruzx 4K@160Hz
Case Fractal Design Torrent Compact
Audio Device(s) Corsair Virtuoso SE
Power Supply be quiet! Pure Power 12 M 850 W
Mouse Logitech G502 Lightspeed
Keyboard Corsair K70 Max
Software Windows 10 Pro
Benchmark Scores https://valid.x86.fr/yfsd9w
I want something compact :( The server is in the living room in very visible spot, so I want it to blend in as much as possible by at least not being huge :D

Did you look at the Jonsbo cases?
You're using a mATX board after all, so you can't go too small.
Maybe get a mini-ITX board instead?
 
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
3,240 (0.58/day)
Location
Czech republic
Processor Ryzen 5800X
Motherboard Asus TUF-Gaming B550-Plus
Cooling Noctua NH-U14S
Memory 32GB G.Skill Trident Z Neo F4-3600C16D-32GTZNC
Video Card(s) AMD Radeon RX 6600
Storage HP EX950 512GB + Samsung 970 PRO 1TB
Display(s) HP Z Display Z24i G2
Case Fractal Design Define R6 Black
Audio Device(s) Creative Sound Blaster AE-5
Power Supply Seasonic PRIME Ultra 650W Gold
Mouse Roccat Kone AIMO Remastered
Software Windows 10 x64
I did.
Not available in any reasonable way.

The Phenom M case is about the perfect size.
 
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
3,240 (0.58/day)
Location
Czech republic
Processor Ryzen 5800X
Motherboard Asus TUF-Gaming B550-Plus
Cooling Noctua NH-U14S
Memory 32GB G.Skill Trident Z Neo F4-3600C16D-32GTZNC
Video Card(s) AMD Radeon RX 6600
Storage HP EX950 512GB + Samsung 970 PRO 1TB
Display(s) HP Z Display Z24i G2
Case Fractal Design Define R6 Black
Audio Device(s) Creative Sound Blaster AE-5
Power Supply Seasonic PRIME Ultra 650W Gold
Mouse Roccat Kone AIMO Remastered
Software Windows 10 x64
So about this server.
I eventually bought the Node 804, but then I swapped the disks around later on, and currently have 4x2,5" SSDs in it. The problem is I would like a smaller case, and the Node 804, despite being a fine case, is just huge.
Is anyone aware of something?
The requirements:
Micro-ATX
possibility to mount 4x2,5" SSD
dust filters

I've been looking for something on and off for a few years now and never found anything that would check all the boxes, primarily the 2,5" capacity.
 
Joined
Jun 2, 2017
Messages
9,208 (3.36/day)
System Name Best AMD Computer
Processor AMD 7900X3D
Motherboard Asus X670E E Strix
Cooling In Win SR36
Memory GSKILL DDR5 32GB 5200 30
Video Card(s) Sapphire Pulse 7900XT (Watercooled)
Storage Corsair MP 700, Seagate 530 2Tb, Adata SX8200 2TBx2, Kingston 2 TBx2, Micron 8 TB, WD AN 1500
Display(s) GIGABYTE FV43U
Case Corsair 7000D Airflow
Audio Device(s) Corsair Void Pro, Logitch Z523 5.1
Power Supply Deepcool 1000M
Mouse Logitech g7 gaming mouse
Keyboard Logitech G510
Software Windows 11 Pro 64 Steam. GOG, Uplay, Origin
Benchmark Scores Firestrike: 46183 Time Spy: 25121
Asus AP201 I am not sure about the SSD support for 4 drives but it does support full ATX PSUs and is nice and compact with support for a 360 rad. The box is the size of a Mid tower and the case is half the box.
 
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
3,240 (0.58/day)
Location
Czech republic
Processor Ryzen 5800X
Motherboard Asus TUF-Gaming B550-Plus
Cooling Noctua NH-U14S
Memory 32GB G.Skill Trident Z Neo F4-3600C16D-32GTZNC
Video Card(s) AMD Radeon RX 6600
Storage HP EX950 512GB + Samsung 970 PRO 1TB
Display(s) HP Z Display Z24i G2
Case Fractal Design Define R6 Black
Audio Device(s) Creative Sound Blaster AE-5
Power Supply Seasonic PRIME Ultra 650W Gold
Mouse Roccat Kone AIMO Remastered
Software Windows 10 x64
I should add I would prefer box style case, not a tower of any kind.
 
Joined
Jan 31, 2012
Messages
2,655 (0.57/day)
Location
East Europe
System Name PLAHI
Processor I5-10400
Motherboard MSI MPG Z490 GAMING PLUS
Cooling 120 AIO
Memory 32GB Corsair LPX 2400 Mhz DDR4 CL14
Video Card(s) PNY QUADRO RTX A2000
Storage Intel 670P 512GB
Display(s) Philips 288E2A 28" 4K + 22" LG 1080p
Case Silverstone Raven 03 (RV03)
Audio Device(s) Creative Soundblaster Z
Power Supply Fractal Design IntegraM 650W
Mouse Logitech Triathlon
Keyboard REDRAGON MITRA
Software Windows 11 Home x 64
Fractal POP Mini? There is a silent version as well.
 
Joined
Aug 15, 2022
Messages
441 (0.53/day)
Location
Some Where On Earth
System Name Spam
Processor i9-12900K PL1=125 TA=56 PL2=288
Motherboard MSI MAG B660M Mortar WiFi DDR4
Cooling Scythe Kaze Flex 120mm ARGB Fans x1 / Alphacool Eisbaer 360
Memory Mushkin Red Line DDR4 4000 16Gb x2 18-22-22-42 1T
Video Card(s) Sapphire Pulse RX 7900 XT
Storage Team Group MP33 512Mb / 1Tb
Display(s) SAMSUNG Odyssey G50A (LS27AG500PNXZA) (2560x1440)
Case Lan-Li A3
Audio Device(s) Real Tek on Board Audio
Power Supply EVGA SuperNOVA 850 GM
Mouse M910-K
Keyboard K636CLO
Software WIN 11 Pro
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
3,240 (0.58/day)
Location
Czech republic
Processor Ryzen 5800X
Motherboard Asus TUF-Gaming B550-Plus
Cooling Noctua NH-U14S
Memory 32GB G.Skill Trident Z Neo F4-3600C16D-32GTZNC
Video Card(s) AMD Radeon RX 6600
Storage HP EX950 512GB + Samsung 970 PRO 1TB
Display(s) HP Z Display Z24i G2
Case Fractal Design Define R6 Black
Audio Device(s) Creative Sound Blaster AE-5
Power Supply Seasonic PRIME Ultra 650W Gold
Mouse Roccat Kone AIMO Remastered
Software Windows 10 x64
Joined
Jun 2, 2017
Messages
9,208 (3.36/day)
System Name Best AMD Computer
Processor AMD 7900X3D
Motherboard Asus X670E E Strix
Cooling In Win SR36
Memory GSKILL DDR5 32GB 5200 30
Video Card(s) Sapphire Pulse 7900XT (Watercooled)
Storage Corsair MP 700, Seagate 530 2Tb, Adata SX8200 2TBx2, Kingston 2 TBx2, Micron 8 TB, WD AN 1500
Display(s) GIGABYTE FV43U
Case Corsair 7000D Airflow
Audio Device(s) Corsair Void Pro, Logitch Z523 5.1
Power Supply Deepcool 1000M
Mouse Logitech g7 gaming mouse
Keyboard Logitech G510
Software Windows 11 Pro 64 Steam. GOG, Uplay, Origin
Benchmark Scores Firestrike: 46183 Time Spy: 25121
I should add I would prefer box style case, not a tower of any kind.
The AP 201 is not a tower, more of a big brother of the NR200 from Cooler Master.
 
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
3,240 (0.58/day)
Location
Czech republic
Processor Ryzen 5800X
Motherboard Asus TUF-Gaming B550-Plus
Cooling Noctua NH-U14S
Memory 32GB G.Skill Trident Z Neo F4-3600C16D-32GTZNC
Video Card(s) AMD Radeon RX 6600
Storage HP EX950 512GB + Samsung 970 PRO 1TB
Display(s) HP Z Display Z24i G2
Case Fractal Design Define R6 Black
Audio Device(s) Creative Sound Blaster AE-5
Power Supply Seasonic PRIME Ultra 650W Gold
Mouse Roccat Kone AIMO Remastered
Software Windows 10 x64
Case Size Small Tower

The bottom line is it's bigger than Node 804, so while it does look nice, it's not what I'm looking for.
 
Top