Need help finding a small case

[l3gion]

Hi,

 

The search for small 5-6 HDD slot case is driving me crazy. Looks like some years ago there were some nice small cases, but they all been discontinued.

The system is a mini ITX, with no GPU and space for 5-6 HDD and 1-2 SSD.

My storage is small and is super full, so space is very limited, my plan is to bolt 2 L shaped wall mounts and fit it in my wall behind the door 😅

So, the case can't be very wide too.

 

My ideal case would be something like a U-Nas NSC-600, but I can't get that in Europe (Germany).

The Lian-Li PC-Q25 would be ideal, but no where to be found.

The SilverStone DS380 can fit 8 drives, but I won't need that many, and I read about some complaints about the HDD cooling.

The Fractal design node 304 is a bit too wide and the HDD access is not so straight forward.

 

Currently looking at the Fractal define Nano S, does anyone know if I could fit a drive cage into it? The case size is a bit bigger, but it's still ok.

 

A small case with a couple of 5.25 bays would also do, so I could add some sas/Sata drive cages.

 

Does anyone have any case suggestion, for a small case, itx form factor, SFX/Flex psu, and 5-6 drives capacity? Would really appreciate some help.

 

Thanks.

[Hoopster]

1 hour ago, l3gion said:

My ideal case would be something like a U-Nas NSC-600, but I can't get that in Europe (Germany).

The Lian-Li PC-Q25 would be ideal, but no where to be found.

The SilverStone DS380 can fit 8 drives, but I won't need that many, and I read about some complaints about the HDD cooling.

The Fractal design node 304 is a bit too wide and the HDD access is not so straight forward.

The Fractal Define Nano S seems to have very limited HDD capacity.  I have no idea if you can get a drive cage into it, but, from looking at the pictures, it seems that would be a very tight fit if it is even possible.

 

I have the following cases:

 

Fractal Node 304 (Mini-ITX only)

My backup server is currently in the Fractal Node 304.  Actually, I really like the case, but, I agree that disk access is less than ideal if you swap disks frequently.  Since it is a backup server and I rarely even think about it (a backup script powers it on/off automatically via IPMI as needed), I like the fact that it is very small for its capacity.  It holds 6 HDDs/SSDs and, if needed, additional SSDs can be attached with velcro to the outside of the HDD brackets.  For your needs, I would think this is a better option than the Nano S.

 

Lian-Li PC-Q25B (Mini-ITX Only)

Until recently, I had two of these cases (I sold one).  My main server was in this case for years.  It would meet your needs perfectly.  This is a really great Mini-ITX case and it is unfortunate that it is no longer available.  The one I have left is currently empty, but, I will probably build in it again in the future. It really is a close-to-perfect Mini-ITX case for NAS builds. Perhaps you can find one on eBay or some other online marketplace?

 

Silverstone CS380 (Big brother to the DS380 - Mini-ITX, mATX and ATX)

I just moved my main server to this case (moved it from the Lian-Li PCQ-25).  For a case that can hold 8 HDDs and has two 5.25" bays, it is surprisingly compact. It has some of the same cooling issues the DS380 has, but, they are easily rectified,  See this thread for some great info on some simple case mods that really increase cooling capacity.  Dmacias provided some great guides and suggestions and I added my experience with building in this case.  My biggest issue was finding the right fan/control combination, but, it works very well now.

 

What I love about this case is that it can hold up to 8 hot-swap HDDs and they are easily accessible through the front of the case.  I am only using 4 HDDs currently, but, I also put a 4xSSD enclosure in one of the 5.25 bays and I have a DVD/Blu-Ray/UHD optical drive in the other for ripping discs with MakeMKV.

 

I moved from the Lian-Li PC-Q25 because I wanted/needed the flexibility to move beyond Mini-ITX with future upgrades. Perhaps it is too large for your current needs, but, if you think your future needs may call for greater flexibility, it is a great option.

 

Here's a photo of the front of the case with the door open.

 

 

[l3gion]

Again @Hoopster thanks for the great reply.

 

I read the page you linked too and also found some extra ones about the cooling mods on the SilverStone case. I might have to go for the ds380, it's really unfortunate that there are almost no alternatives to it, specially in Europe.

 

I also looked for the Lian Like case in EBay and all stores, and it's nowhere to be found 😭

 

Since noise is also a concern of mine, what rpm are your fans running at? I'm wondering if 2 low rpm 120mm fan can provide enough cooling to the HDD bays with the cooling modd. Example, 2x noctua 120mm redux 700, they run at 700 rpm and are inaudible. Or maybe pwm fans running at low or minimum rpm.

 

Thanks.

 

[Hoopster]

1 hour ago, l3gion said:

Since noise is also a concern of mine, what rpm are your fans running at? I'm wondering if 2 low rpm 120mm fan can provide enough cooling to the HDD bays with the cooling modd. Example, 2x noctua 120mm redux 700, they run at 700 rpm and are inaudible. Or maybe pwm fans running at low or minimum rpm.

The hot-swap drive cage in the DS380 and CS380 are identical, but, of course, the cases are very different.  I don't have any experience with the DS380, but, the two Noctua NF-F12 1500 RPM fans in my CS380 case keep the drives fairly cool.  They are speed controlled by the Auto Fan plugin (both connected to the Noctua Y-cable and a PWM fan port on MB) and run at ~300 - 400 rpm when drive temps are less than 35C.  They are very quiet even at full speed when drive temps exceed 40C.  The hottest I have seen any drive is 42C (during parity check), but, of course, it is winter now and ambient temp is about 22C in that room.

 

The Cougar Vortex CF-V12H 120mm fan on the bottom intake is connected to a 7v low-noise adapter and is very quiet.  It's max speed is 1500 RPM, but, with the LNA, I think it is running at around 1000-1200 RPM (at max speed it is fairly quiet at 18 dBA).  I don't have an exact RPM as it is powered by Molex.

 

The Be Quiet SilentWings 120 mm exhaust fan is running full speed (1450 RPM) but is also very quiet (16.4 dBA)

 

Overall the system is very quiet.  It is the quietest computer of the three in my home office.

 

Again, I really do not know how well the fans would cool in the DS380, but, even at high speed in the CS380, they are very quiet.

 

My CPU still has a low-profile (65mm) Noctua cooler on it since the MB came from the the Lian-Li PC-Q25 case in which there was limited clearance between the CPU and PSU.  A better CPU cooler with dual fans (I am considering the Cryorig H7 Plus) may improve overall case airflow as well.

 

Silverstone announced the new CS381 case in June, but, it is not yet shipping.  Perhaps it will be an option if it ships soon.

[l3gion]

@Hoopster 

I read through the CS380 thread you recommended, was quite a saga. Seems too much effort to get the temperatures to a level that the case should be able to provide by default....

I understand you had to modify your case beyond adding a flap to direct the air flow to the drive cage.

I think I'm going to keep looking a bit further.....

 

That new SilverStone (CS381) case you linked seems neat, and a copy of the U-Nas case 😅

Any ideia of it's release date?

 

Thanks.

[Hoopster]

3 hours ago, l3gion said:

I understand you had to modify your case beyond adding a flap to direct the air flow to the drive cage. 

Yes, I did all the mods documented by dmacias; duct tape to seal the open areas and increase airflow, a drill to make holes in the plastic insert blocking airflow through one drive slot, and a hacksaw to cut away an inch of metal on the bottom of the drive case so I could install a bottom intake fan.

 

However, remember that these mods were to the larger CS380 case.  The DS380 in which you expressed interest only requires a piece of cardboard or some other flap to improve cooling.

 

Other than the mods I made, my saga with the CS380 was due to a noisy Enermax fan, which, when identified and replaced, completely solved my noise issues.  If you want to stay with Mini-ITX form factor, there is no need to consider the CS380.

 

I have no information on the potential release date of the CS381.  Perhaps Silverstone can give you more information if you contact them directly.  They have responded to inquiries I made regarding other matters.

 

Good luck in your search.

[Hoopster]

5 hours ago, l3gion said:

Any ideia of it's release date?

Latest news I could find indicates a Q1 2019 release.  Of course 'Q1" could mean January but it could also be March.