DAN Cases A4-SFX V4.1 Mini-ITX Gaming Case - Black

Daniel Hansen is the German-born designer of the DAN Cases gaming case for Mini-ITX systems. He financed the development with his Flensburg-based one-man company, named after him, via the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. The campaign brought international attention to the minimalist SFF case (Small Form Factor) and helped establish its popularity among PC hobbyists, mini-case enthusiasts and gamers. The hype surrounding the unique aluminium case is also easy to explain, as it is nothing less than the smallest gaming case in the world. The A4-SFX V4.1 represents the fourth edition that has been released to market.

The DAN Cases A4-SFX V4.1 Mini-Case at a Glance:

• Extremely compact dimensions with only 7.25l volume
• High-grade aluminium with polished finish
• Superb craftsmanship thanks to production by Lian Li
• Space for two 92mm fans and one 120mm AIO
• Supports full-size graphics cards
• 3M riser module with full PCI Express 4.0 speed
• Supports Mini-ITX motherboards (all AMD and Intel sockets)
• Place for powerful SFX or SFX-L power supplies and two to three 2.5-inch drives

The new features of version 4 (4.1) briefly summarized:

• New front panel USB slot type C (max. 5 Gbit/s)
• 3M Riser cable, certified for PCI3 4.0 (version 4.1)
• New slot for 92mm fan under the mainboard
• The bracket for a 120mm AIO is optional

Optimised Space Usage & Ingenious Design

With the extremely compact dimensions of only 115 x 200 x 317mm (W x H x D) of the chassis, the case has a volume of just 7.25l - roughly the size of a shoebox or toaster. The fact that a complete gaming PC can be installed in spite of this size format is achieved by a well-thought-out design and one trick: The graphics card is housed parallel behind the Mini-ITX motherboard in a separate chamber. Gaming PCs just don't get any smaller than this!

High-Quality Aluminium Case Produced by Lian Li

Externally, the innovative little case impresses with its minimalist design and the flawless workmanship of the brushed aluminium. The 1.5mm thick metal is produced in cooperation with case specialist Lian Li. Accordingly, the minimalist front of the A4-SFX V4.1 features a revised power button, an unaccompanied USB 3.2 port with an internal motherboard connection. The interior itself is limited to the space required for essential hardware only. Due to the meticulously planned dimensions of the case, the maximum permissible dimensions of all components must be observed cautiously.

A detailed operating manual in German and English clearly illustrates the sequence in which assembly must be performed. The power supply of the mini-gaming system must be a power supply unit in the compact SFX or slightly longer SFX-L standard, pulling in cold air from the right side and exhausting waste heat upwards. Behind the front a 15 mm high 2.5inch drive can be accommodated. Under the power supply one (with PSU in SFX-L format) to two (with PSU in SFX format) further 2.5inch SSDs/HDDs can be mounted in a drive frame. Motherboards with M.2 slots expand the drive capacities accordingly.

Two More Radiator Slots

The clever cooling design of the case is similarly spartan in outlook. A separate fan is not needed as the case takes advantage of the integrated cooling of the installed hardware, thus saving valuable space here as well. To ensure that all components are exposed to fresh air the two side panels and the top of the A4-SFX V4.1 have been provided with round air holes over a large surface area along with elongated holes on the bottom to ensure a continuous supply of fresh air.

Since the V2, there have been holes included that allow a 92mm fan on the bottom, which can be used instead of one of the three SSDs. In the new V4.1 version, there is an additional slot for a 92mm fan, which can be placed under the motherboard - without having to sacrifice a drive. The additional V3 mounting bracket for a 120mm radiator, which is integrated vertically either on the left side, i.e. on the side where the graphics card is installed, or opposite on the side where the mainboard tray is mounted, is available to purchase separately. With the latter option, the fan-less 400W Hi-Fi DC ATX power supply from HDPLEX is required, which is attached to the side where the GPU is situated. Then the AIO and fan may be up to 52mm deep, which is possible with slimline variants (15mm) of fans such as those available from Akasa or Scythe. And also the graphics card may be up to 273mm in length.

In a reversed setup, where the AIO moves to the GPU side next to a conventional SFX form factor power supply. This reduces the length of the graphics card to 173 mm and the height of the AIO including fan to 42mm. Those who can do without two SSDs have room for 92mm AIOs on the ground, such as the 545LC from Asetek. To effectively protect all vents from dust, DEMCiflex provides optional DAN Cases A4-SFX Dust Filters.

Supports High-End Graphics Cards via 3M Riser Module

Inside, on the right side, a Mini-ITX format motherboard can be accommodated, on which a CPU with a maximum48 mm high processor cooler can be installed. Flat top-down blower coolers are completely sufficient for cooling due to the ever decreasing TDP of processors. A riser adapter redirects the PCI-Express x16 slot of the motherboard to the left side of the case, where up to 295mm long graphics cards can be installed. The riser adapter is from 3M.

Game Console Size, Gaming PC Performance

. PCI Express lanes are normally sensitive to the signal loss associated with the extension, but the Lian Li riser card is a quality product that supports even higher data rates than the PCI Express 3.0 standard, so there is no need to worry about speed reduction.

Since the graphics card and the Mini-ITX motherboard are installed back-to-back and could possibly come into contact, an insulating plastic foil between the two components effectively protects them from short circuits. Note: Any PCIe power connections on the back or top of the graphics card must also be taken into account!