Cooler Master Unveils the Ncore 100 Air SFF Chassis at CES 2025

[TheLostSwede]

Cooler Master, a global leader in PC components and tech lifestyle solutions, today announced the Ncore 100 Air, a small form factor (SFF) PC case crafted for gamers, content creators, and SFF enthusiasts. Designed to streamline PC building and upgrading, the Ncore 100 Air features an open, tool-less design, an innovative expandable design and compatibility with the latest hardware, ensuring users can easily keep up with their performance needs while enjoying a sleek, minimalistic look.

The Ncore 100 Air builds on Cooler Master's commitment to empowering users to create high-performance PCs in small spaces. Designed with modern users in mind, this case delivers the perfect blend of power, versatility, and minimalism, supporting the latest GPUs, ITX motherboards, and SFX power supply units while maintaining an efficient thermal layout.




"The Ncore 100 Air is more than just a PC case; it's a statement for builders who value simplicity, performance, and style," said Jimmy Sha, Cooler Master CEO. "We designed this product to meet the needs of gamers and creators who want powerful hardware in a compact, elegant form. With its open frame and innovative features, the Ncore 100 Air reflects our mission to empower users with products that are as versatile as they are sophisticated."

Features

• Ultra-Small Footprint: Compact 14.7L size, comparable to a small booklet.
• Open and Tool-less Design: Easy-to-access frame with tool-less design for quick builds and upgrades.
• Superior Airflow: Large mesh air vents and efficient thermal layout for optimized cooling.
• Hardware Compatibility: Supports triple-slot GPUs up to 336 mm (extendable to 356 mm) and Intel/AMD ITX motherboards.
• Premium Build: Anodized aluminium panels in black or white for a sleek, minimalistic aesthetic.
• Pre-Installed Cooler Master Low-Profile Fan: Ensures efficient airflow right out of the box.
• Dimensions: Standard: 155 mm x 212 mm x 449 mm; Expanded: 172 mm x 212 mm x 449 mm.
• Connectivity: Includes USB Type-A and Type-C ports and an audio combo plug.

Availability and Launch Details
The Ncore 100 Air will make its debut at Cooler Master's exhibition in Las Vegas and will be available globally starting in the first quarter of 2025 through Cooler Master's retail partners, Amazon, and the Cooler Master online store.

Cooler Master Ncore 100 Air on YouTube
[Editor's note: Click above to watch the YouTube short on YouTube, as it doesn't play as an embedded video]

View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[BSim500]

"Cooler Master, a global leader in PC components and tech lifestyle solutions, today announced the Ncore 100 Air, a small form factor (SFF) PC case"

Cases like this are exactly why I gave up on Mini-ITX and went back to Micro-ATX. Genuine "S"FF cases have not just a "small footprint" but also a small volume. Otherwise any idiot could make a 15cm (w) x 15cm (d) x 4ft tall case and call that "Small" Form Factor...

 

[bug]

supporting the latest GPUs

Sounds about right, because it looks like there's no way you'll fit a modern video card in there. But you could the GPU alone.

 

[Woomack]

"Cooler Master, a global leader in PC components and tech lifestyle solutions, today announced the Ncore 100 Air, a small form factor (SFF) PC case"

Cases like this are exactly why I gave up on Mini-ITX and went back to Micro-ATX. Genuine "S"FF cases have not just a "small footprint" but also a small volume. Otherwise any idiot could make a 15cm (w) x 15cm (d) x 4ft tall case and call that "Small" Form Factor...

Most mATX cases are almost as large as compact ATX cases, so I find mATX pointless. If you want a larger CPU cooler or graphics card in mATX, then you will end up with an ATX-size PC anyway. It doesn't change that ITX cases are getting ridiculous and many of them are also barely smaller than ATX. Another thing is that most brands release almost the same products. They moved from horizontal to vertical design, but the inside is the same. So, it has a smaller footprint but nothing else. Later they call it innovation.
If anyone wants a vertical ITX case, I guess the best option from new products is Deepcool CH170 - quite cheap, with good airflow, no stupid risers, not too large, and can install AIO, a custom loop, or a large air cooler.

 

[AnarchoPrimitiv]

"Cooler Master, a global leader in PC components and tech lifestyle solutions, today announced the Ncore 100 Air, a small form factor (SFF) PC case"

Cases like this are exactly why I gave up on Mini-ITX and went back to Micro-ATX. Genuine "S"FF cases have not just a "small footprint" but also a small volume. Otherwise any idiot could make a 15cm (w) x 15cm (d) x 4ft tall case and call that "Small" Form Factor...

Is it even possible to design an itx case that has BROAD gpu compatibility and has the small volume you desire? Videocards are so large today that I feel like it is impossible to reach that small volume without designing the entire case around specific pieces of hardware like the FF04 pictured below which is designed for, and only for, the Asus Proart RTX lineup (and, although I'm not 100% sure, that may be even limited to only specific skus within that model line).

I think the days of affordable (that's the key word) SFF cases Which you seek may be passed us....otherwise your options are limited to more or less bespoke, boutique pieces like the one below.

 

[Mistral]

Now they need to carry this perforation pattern to their other cases. It might seem like a small change, but it looks much better and less cheap like this.

 

[TheDeeGee]

I like the GPU they showed, which allows you to use 3x 120x25 or 120x15 mm case fans. Just a shame they will only use them for their own pre-builds, but it's a step in the right direction and hopefully AIB's will follow.

 

[Chrispy_]

SFF and 300W+ graphics cards are an oxymoron.
Like others here, I wish case manufacturers would stop ruining mITX cases just to provide compatibility with triple-slot, 14" long graphics cards.

There are plenty of upper-midrange GPUs that are dual-fan, compact affairs at 11" or less and those don't require defeating the purpose of the mITX form-factor.

Is it even possible to design an itx case that has BROAD gpu compatibility and has the small volume you desire? Videocards are so large today that I feel like it is impossible to reach that small volume

Nobody said you had to make all cases compatible with the largest 4090s on the market. For the last 25 years we've been quite capable of picking compact hardware to fit inside compact cases. If people really want a massive graphics card, they can pick a larger case that will fit it.

4070S are available from just about every manufacturer at under 10" length, and Asus make a 227mm 8.9" Dual variant.
4070TiS are available under 10" from Gigabyte, Palit, MSI, Inno3D, Gainward, Zotac - to name just a few.
The AMD reference 7800XT is only 10.5" and Powercolor makes an extremely compact 10" 7800XT that even adheres to the ATX slot height limit that everyone else violates:



So it depends what you mean by "BROAD gpu compatibility".
Yes, you do need to be careful you don't buy the biggest fattest GPU you see, but even towards the high-end, there is wide availability of compact models from a broad range of vendors, it's not like these are unicorns you need to go out on a quest to track down.

 

[BSim500]

Is it even possible to design an itx case that has BROAD gpu compatibility and has the small volume you desire?

I don't think it is, but that's actually my point. Most people likely to buy 3x fan triple-slot GPU's paired with 360mm radiators, etc, are the least likely to want to stick them in the smallest case due to 1. Airflow and 2. Limited PSU's. And those who most benefit from smaller cases (ie, those with actual SFF components, just end up with the same +80% wasted space that they "downsized" MATX / ATX from. Even many "2-slot" GPU are now more like 2.5x slot but since half the "overly tall tower" ITX cases with vertical motherboard have the GPU facing down, (instead of sidewards onto a side intake) you still need that extra slot underneath it to actually get air under it to breathe, and now a "4 slot ITX" has just reinvented MATX but with the usual excessive ITX price premiums for "reasons".

As Chrispy said, half these "S"FF cases are simultaneously too large for actual SFF components, whilst high end users with 300-600w GPU's will quickly find "powered by SFX PSU's" is less than ideal. Even though Corsair sell 750-1000w SFX PSU's, they're cooled by a small 92mm fan that gets much noisier under load vs 120-135mm ATX PSU fans, at which point the novelty quickly wears off and you start wishing you bought normal sized ATX case for a normal ATX PSU for half the price...

 

[PCL]

Still only designed for vertical orientation. Sigh.

 

[dyonoctis]

I don't think it is, but that's actually my point. Most people likely to buy 3x fan triple-slot GPU's paired with 360mm radiators, etc, are the least likely to want to stick them in the smallest case due to 1. Airflow and 2. Limited PSU's. And those who most benefit from smaller cases (ie, those with actual SFF components, just end up with the same +80% wasted space that they "downsized" MATX / ATX from. Even many "2-slot" GPU are now more like 2.5x slot but since half the "overly tall tower" ITX cases with vertical motherboard have the GPU facing down, (instead of sidewards onto a side intake) you still need that extra slot underneath it to actually get air under it to breathe, and now a "4 slot ITX" has just reinvented MATX but with the usual excessive ITX price premiums for "reasons".

As Chrispy said, half these "S"FF cases are simultaneously too large for actual SFF components, whilst high end users with 300-600w GPU's will quickly find "powered by SFX PSU's" is less than ideal. Even though Corsair sell 750-1000w SFX PSU's, they're cooled by a small 92mm fan that gets much noisier under load vs 120-135mm ATX PSU fans, at which point the novelty quickly wears off and you start wishing you bought normal sized ATX case for a normal ATX PSU for half the price...

It’s really not that loud, by the time you’ll reach a +600watts total power consumption, the other components will probably be nosier in such a small space. And SFF users tends to undervolt the like of the 4090, by default that GPU use a lot of power for a meager benefit. High-End SFF users are usually big tinkerers I’ve seen ~10 liters build with a 4090 and i9 13900k that were heavily tuned (and still faster in games compared to the skus below it)