Hi everyone!
I’ve been designing and refining this 3.7L Mini-ITX case for the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Low Profile.
The enclosure is fully 3D printed and optimized for maximum airflow while keeping the footprint as small as possible.
Specifications
Volume
3.7L
Dimensions
200 × 85 × 220 mm
Weight
2.1 kg

Hardware
AMD Ryzen 5 5600
Mini-ITX B550 Motherboard
6-Heatpipe Low Profile CPU Cooler
32GB Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200
Samsung 990 EVO 1TB NVMe SSD
Gigabyte RTX 5060 Low Profile
Mean Well LOP-300 + DC-ATX PSU
Intel AX200 Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth 5.3

Cooling Performance
15-minute CPU + GPU stress test
GPU
Average: 76°C
Peak: 80°C
CPU
Average: 80°C
Peak: 81°C
For a 3.7L enclosure, I’m pretty satisfied with the thermals.

Design Features
Fully 3D printed enclosure
Honeycomb ventilation panels
Tool-less side panel access
Dedicated airflow path for both CPU and GPU
Designed specifically around the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Low Profile
Only 2.1 kg
I’m also testing an optional CNC aluminum GPU backplate for a cleaner look.
This is still a work in progress, so I’d really appreciate any feedback or suggestions from the SFF community!

Gosh.....my fingers hurt so muchhhh.
The nuts for 4 corners are really boss level.....

Specs as follow
7800X3D (-15 / ECO 65W)
Colorful B850i
ZOTAC RTX5070 Twin
Corsair DDR5 32GB (16x2) 5600mhz/CL36
WD Blue SN5100
TR AXP-36
PSU Enhance 7660B

Moved all my hardware from my Fractal Terra and with no instructions in the box it was still just about the challenge I expected. Not bad if you built a SFF PC in the past.

If you remove the top part, make sure you put it back on the way it came off because you’ll run into an issue where the panel doesn’t sit flush and you’ll have to switch it back

Besides that hiccup the build was great and I do expect better temps at least from my GPU with the blow through path that it can take now.

I’ll probably add more info if asked by the community if people are interested

Specs:
GPU: RTX 5080 FE
CPU: 9800x3d
RAM: 96GB DDR5 clocked at 6000mts
Storage: Samsung 9100 pro 2TB
MOBO: Asus ROG Strix X870-I

*last pic is the marvelous desk it sits on in the comments

Hi, this has nothing to do with an actual Steam Machine (I actually built my first version of this before they were even announced), I just call it that because I've been rocking the Steam Controller for years lol.

My old HTPC was in a massive Silverstone LC03 with a 3080 and an R7 5700. It took up way too much space on the table. Moving it to the bedroom (especially during the World Cup) or doing any maintenance on it was a total nightmare. So, I wanted to downsize as much as physically possible while still handling my two main uses 4K movies and 4K emulation.

For 4K Switch emulation you usually need a 2070 minimum. Since my hard limit for this build was a strictly single slot, I grabbed a Quadro RTX 4000 (same performance as 2070)

For media, I absolutely needed a 5.25 bay for a Blu-ray drive, a 3.5 bay for a HDD for BD rips, and a SD reader to swap saves from my modded Switch. Finding a sub 10L case with those bays is tough. I was originally hunting for a Rosewill RS-MI-01 BK, but ended up finding this Thermaltake Element Q brand new at a pawn shop for $20. same layout, just with exposed bays (not a big fan) The case technically only supports SFX, but I managed to squeeze an SFX-L PSU in there down to the absolute millimeter. I did this to get better airflow since the PSU fan is literally the only exhaust, I swapped the stock PSU fan for a 120mm Corsair slim (the fan I found with the highest static pressure, even more than the Noctua).

Specs

Ryzen 5 5500 (negative offset & power limited)

Noctua NH-L9a (fan flipped to blow upwards had to countersink the fan holes slightly so the screw heads sit)

Nvidia Quadro RTX 4000 (using an active DP to HDMI adapter for the TV)

ASUS ROG Strix B550-I Gaming (got this specifically for future SSD upgrades with the dual M.2 slots, and the USB-C 3.2 header)

PSU Silverstone 500W SFX-L Modular (with the Corsair fan swap)

16GB Corsair lp 3600MHz

500GB flexxon NVMe SSD + 4TB WD Purple HDD

5.25" Blu-ray drive (flashed with custom firmware to rip 4K UHDs)

3.5 bay hub with USB 3.0, USB-C, and SD/MicroSD reader

Frame: Custom MakerBeam XL

Mobo: MSI MPG B850I Mini ITX

PSU: Corsair SF1000

CPU: Ryzen 5 9600X

RAM: one kidney = 16GB DDR5

Storage: two little drives I had lying around from the before times

Cooler: Noctua NH-L12Sx77

GPU: GTX 750 Ti LOL

This is my first SFF build. I do a lot of data heavy editing and was looking for something that could support that workload while still being in a small form factor for travel. I did quite a bit of research gauging sizes and was able to fit everything into the Fractal Ridge below. One thing that was a little off was the uneven heights on my deshrouded Asus GPU, which made the clearance very tight on the AIO side. The case would close, but the side panel wanted to pop the top off a little, so I trimmed off one of the fan mounts and that solved the issue. Enjoy.

Build Specs

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X 16-Core Processor
• CPU Cooler: Cooler Master AIO (with Noctua Chromax G2 120mm fans)
• GPU: Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5080 (Deshrouded)
• Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
• RAM: 96GB DDR5 SDRAM T-Create
• Storage: 2TB Samsung 9100 PRO NVMe (Primary) + 4TB Gen 5 NVMe (Secondary)

Fan Control Adjustments

The two Noctua Chromax fans are sandwiched between the AIO radiator and the GPU heatsink, functioning to cool both. They are connected to the CPU header, and then I used the Fan Control app to sync them to a custom Mix Curve tracking whichever temperature is higher between the CPU and GPU.

• CPU Fan Curve (Master Mix):
  • 45°C @ 30% / 65°C @ 50% / 80°C @ 75% / 90°C @ 100%
• GPU Fan Curve: Linear control curve targeting the core sensor directly:
  • 35°C @ 25% up to 80°C @ 60%
• Chassis Fan Curve (60mm Array): Forced to follow the combined CPU/GPU Mix Curve:
  • 40°C @ 25% / 70°C @ 45% / 85°C @ 65% / 90°C @ 100%
• Extra Flow / VRM Fan Curve: 15mm Noctua Chromax 120mm mounted above the AIO block on the outside wall of the case:
  • 40°C @ 20% / 55°C @ 40% / 65°C @ 60%
• AIO Pump Curve: Locked flat at 100% speed static (completely silent to my ears, providing maximum fluid velocity).

Benchmarks & Thermals

3DMark Steel Nomad Stress Test:

• DX12 Score: 8,553
• Max GPU Temp: Stabilized right at ~85°C under sustained loop load
• Max CPU Temp: Hovered comfortably around 50°C to 55°C with brief intermittent utility spikes up to ~65°C

HWInfo Built-In Stress Testing (10+ Minute Sustained Heavy Load):

• CPU Only Load: Settled smoothly at 88.0°C under full multi-core stress.
• GPU Only Load: Leveled out at 74.6°C.
• Simultaneous CPU + GPU Test: CPU stabilized at 88.5°C while the GPU actually dropped to a cool 67.6°C.

Acoustics: The system is actually pretty quiet, averaging about 35dB from 1 foot away, and moving closer to 38dB at flat-out full speed. When I was first running tests, there was an AC unit and a generator running nearby, and the PC was completely inaudible in that environment.

Overall pretty happy with how it turned out :)

Hi everyone this was my first PC build although I put a yeston 3050 in a Lenovo previously but that doesn't really count.

Having trouble with noise which I knew could be a problem but I was silly enough to put the Arctic p8 slims like 0.5mm from the case probably because I wanted space around the CPU and cooler 🤦🏼‍♂️. Currently have 6mm fan spacers I will install if I can get the top off without pulling everything apart.

Was there anything else to do?

I swapped the thermalright apx 120 for a noctua 120, the enhance PSU is stock fan and the GPU obviously has same fan set up.

I believe turbulence is coming from the 2x arctic fans being to close, I don't believe the noctua being close to the case causes turbulence as when I put it on then removed it it made no difference but I think some turbulence is from the fan onto the cooler blades.

Also yet to do fan curves but I want to get the case sorted first but if anyone knows good settings for that it would be much appreciated thanks.

Also does anyone know the difference in noise between the Geeek m31 and the Lzmod a24 v5?

Long story short. Like many others I put my name into the draw to get a Steam Machine, and like many others my number didn’t come up. As patience was never my strong point, and let’s face it, the Steam Machine power restrictions are only going to get worse over time as my wait goes on, I decided to raid my PC parts cupboard and build my own. Full transparency, I did buy a few things and spend around the same the 2GB model Steam Machine would have cost me.

Ryzen 7 5800x (already owned)
Kingston Hyper X Predator 3200mhz 16gig DDR4 (already owned)
WD_Black SN850 1TB M.2 (already owned)
Samsung 970 EVO Plus 500GB (already owned)
Gigabyte Aorus PRO AX
Thermalright AP90-X47 Full Copper
Corsair SF850 Power Supply
PowerColor RX9070XT Reaper 16GB
Noctua NF-A9x14HS - cooler fan swap
2 x Noctua NF-A6x25 - exhaust fans
Noctua NA-FD1 Fan duct kit (already owned)
3D printed pegs to mount Fan Duct (printed at home)
Tetra S case (bought second hand)

I could have got a cheaper case (it was still expensive 2nd hand due to the waitlist) but it does not look out of place in our living room and slots nicely next to the TV unit in vertical orientation. Also, the walnut fits great with our furniture. I’m not sure I would put it horizontal into the TV unit though. The S5M was my second choice but having to order the wood panel etc from the US would have been very expensive.

Building in the case was a bit fiddly using the Corsair stock cables. Using bespoke cable would definitely make your life easier. AST the Reaper is quite a small GPU, at least the cable up to it were easy to manage.

As the 5800x can run very hot I have undervolted it and so far I have not had any issues.

I installed SteamOS 3.8.10 and it went fairly smoothly with a couple of stumbling blocks :

Apart from that I have not had any issues and Steam OS seems to run smoothly.

Glad for everyone who’s happy with their machines.

Wanted to share some findings and issues with trying to replicate (close to) the form factor in a entertainment center

I’ve been building PCs since the 90s, but as my last rig was getting over 10 years old, i took a side track to Xbox but wasn’t happy with the limitations. After waiting for the machine and deciding the performance wasn’t going to make me happy I went the DIY route.

Build: Deskmeet x300, Ryzen 5 5600 and Rx 9060 16gb

Overall size is around 9x9x7”

The main issues with this guy was temps, so after adding a full copper axp90 cooler and replacing the PSU fan with a noctua running on the chassis header, I can cruise at low 70s & 50s gpu and cpu.

The other issue is running in an entertainment center isn’t the best for airflow, the best solution is to give it more room to breathe, so I installed a pull out shelf.

This rig will comfortably do Doom the dark ages at 70-80fps in 1440 and FSR upscale to 4K at 60fps. I’m very pleased with how everything turned out at about the same price as a machine.

I am sorry for the camera quality, I am using an old phone while mine is under repair and it has debris between the outer shell and the lens itself.

I went with the AXP90-X53 cooler for my CPU (LGA1700) because it was the best money can buy at this size without going AIO. What I didn't know would be the long term impact.

7 months I went with that cooler without any problems, then suddenly my computer started shutting down at random, then suddenly, it wouldn't turn on at all. It took my hours of losing my mind, trying to figure out what was happening. Then I realized it looked like a hole had been put through my riser, I tested another one and suddenly it works like new.

The mounting hardware for the AXP90 has screws that stick out far beneath the motherboard, these screws would then push the riser against the GPU. Over time this seemed to wear it down.

This is a heads up that you should be cautious when mixing these two components. I'll be looking at alternatives, possibly ID-Cooling or Noctua. Open to suggestions.

I decided to change cases while making a GPU upgrade to my rig. I couldn't be happier with the M3, it fits so much in that small package. I may have gone a little overboard with the fans, but at least she stays cool :) I still have a little cable management left to clean up, but the case swap is all done for the most part.

Build Details:
-NCASE M3 GRATER | Silver
-NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 FE
-Stock Air Cooler
-AMD Ryzen 9800 X3D
-Noctua NH-D15 G2 Air Cooler
-Samsung 990 PRO 2TB
-Corsair Vengeance 96GB 6000
-ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Motherboard
-Silverstone SX1000 Power supply

Hi! Just wan to share my journey of building a Steam Machine for the family. My wife and I have invested heavily in Steam games over the past six years, so we decided it was finally time to build a couch "console". Some people seems to be building their own Steam Machine lately, so here's ours.

We already had the hardware: a M920x. The missing piece was the GPU. The obvious choices were an NVIDIA RTX 3050 Low Profile or an AMD RX 6400/6500 Low Profile. Then this RX 7400 suddenly showed up on marketplace, and I grabbed it fast for $197 in my country.

In Windows 11, it turns out it can not run AAA games like FC26 and Assassin's Creed Origins. The system would suddenly shut down after launching them. My initial guess was that the 135 W power adapter was the culprit. The CPU is an i7-9700, which can draw well over 100 W on its own peak.

Surprisingly, the system handled games like Stray without any issues. That made me think the GPU wasn't the problem. So I decided to order a 230 W power adapter to see if the system could finally handle more demanding AAA titles without shutting down.

Unfortunately, it still crashed even with the 230 watt power adapter. At that point, I felt incredibly stupid. I had just spent more money, only to end up with exactly the same problem.

The only difference was that the game lasted a little longer before it crashed. Then, I decided to start logging the system with HWiNFO to see exactly what was happening with the power consumption. We can see that 230w PSU should be able to handle this.

I was still running Windows 11 because I wanted to play FC26 too. So I wiped the system and installed Bazzite instead. And the crashes were gone. It turns out Windows or the AMD Windows driver was the cause. I don't know which one the real culprit.

Now I can play HZD smoothly without issues.

As for FC26, I'll just stream it from my gaming PC. The original goal was to build a couch console for the family. Since we don't have HDMI-CEC support, I use ADB commands to control the TV directly from the console instead.

The final spec:
- Lenovo Tiny M920X with copper cooling
- Intel i7 9700 (non-T)
- AMD RX 7400 low profile
- 1TB SSD
- 16GB RAM
- 230watt Lenovo adapter
- OS: Bazzite.

It runs all games at stable 1080p 60fps, the graphics configuration is depending on the games.

The only missing piece now is waking the system with just the controller. Once that's working, the whole experience will feel just like a real console. But that's a project for another tinkering session. :D

I’m downsizing from a full build to an CH160 case and it’s stuck on yellow light. After a few minutes, it’ll shut off and then flickering off and on. I tried using different sticks of RAM, resetting the CMOS and unplugging all motherboard cables to no avail. All parts are taken from 2 different builds, only the AIO is brand new. Can anyone help me please?

Specs: 9800x3D, Asus B650E-I, 64g DDR5 (tried both Gskill and Viper venom), Corsair SF850, 5080 FE

Seems like when this was announched it kind of got overlooked IMO. Four fan headers and for me the biggest plus been no annoying fan (active cooling). Would I be crazy to chose this over the B850i/B650i Rog Strix?

My friend wanted to try an SFF build. He fell in love with the look of the Fractal Design Terra. I rebuilt it for him as he isn't into building PCs.

Having one issue that is very very weird.
We're sometimes getting pixelation on the screen as if the gpu is dying. Makes me suspect something up with the riser cable. My understanding is its a gen4 riser cable.

We're using an rtx 3080 (MSI Ventus 3x)
The gpu is absolutely fine. Weird thing, we put it on one of those metal shelving units, that has cardboard ontop of the metal slats(?) and we get the pixelation issue as if some kind of short is possibly happening to the cable or gpu.

But we move it ontop of his desk and its perfectly fine there. For hours. No issues.
Added pictures of "Pixelation issue" as i call it. And where we want the pc to be. I am so confused with it cause theres no way the PC being ontop of cardboard is in anyway an issue as far as I know.
Any ideas?

I was considering going into bios and messing with like forcing the pcie lane to run at gen4 if thats messing with the cable at all?