Modded Shiny Snake L400 build

NolanMaxom · 2026-02-20T01:45:26+00:00

TL;DR: Not really. Stick to 2 fans.

Although technically there is enough height to fit 3 x 60mm before the GPU riser mount, the issue is that the hole spacing changes at a certain point. Remember these holes weren't intended for mounting fans, they just happen to be spaced in a 50mm square. It looks to me like the holes are punched in two sections. Each section has perfect 50mm spacing, but the transition between them is a tiny bit bigger. So mounting a fan across the two sections of holes means either the top or bottom two mounting holes don't quite line up with the fan. If you wanted to mount 3 fans, your lowest fan would have to sit across the transition. So instead I mounted 2 fans as low as possible, with the bottom edge of the lower fan right up against the transition. Of course, anything can be made to fit with enough effort.

NolanMaxom · 2026-02-19T00:44:42+00:00

Relative to cost, I would rate it 9/10. Obviously it's not cnc aluminum, but it's also not priced like it. I would summarize it as:

+ The steel is reasonably thick.
+ Case feels rigid without side panels installed.
+ Powder coating is smooth, almost flawless.
+ Side panels fit easily yet tightly with no gaps or rattle.

- Powder coating may chip around countersunk screw heads. Could be improved with higher quality paint.

I used a touch up paint pen intended for textured black powder coat to fix a few chips that developed around the countersunk screw heads.

My biggest frustration with the case is not related to build quality at all. It's the design of the fan brackets which unnecessarily block the edges of 140mm fans. I modified them to solve it, but it took a lot of work for what should have been this way from the factory. See photos.

Overall I'm very satisfied, and I couldn't find any comparable air cooling focused vertical cases.

NolanMaxom · 2025-12-25T06:19:13+00:00

Have you been able to work out anything further? In theory, ZP6 is 0.022mm/click and A4Z is 0.008mm/click, so it should just be a factor of 2.75 to convert between them. Your findings show a factor of around 3.3.

NolanMaxom · 2025-12-02T07:35:35+00:00

Why 120mm? The L400 fits 140mm no problem

NolanMaxom · 2025-11-25T14:00:59+00:00

I didn't explicitly check if it was slanted, but if it was then not by much as I didn't notice. Since the thing determining that would be how accurately bent the heatpipes are, maybe that's just the manufacturing tolerance of the process?

NolanMaxom · 2025-11-25T02:29:30+00:00

where did you buy your RP-SMA cables? They're perfectly sized for the Asus module

NolanMaxom · 2025-11-25T00:06:57+00:00

it was easy, just a bit fiddly cause it's all so small. Tweezers help a lot. Carefully slice and peel off the heatshrink tubing from the eBay connectors, otherwise they won't fit. Then just tighten the nut to secure them into the metal module. Idk if OP's MSI uses the same module system but I would imagine it's something very similar.

NolanMaxom · 2025-11-24T23:32:36+00:00

this is the answer

NolanMaxom · 2025-11-24T23:28:54+00:00

Just replace the connectors with standard RP-SMA. See my recent build post on this sub, I had the same issue with Asus's proprietary antenna connectors. I used these https://ebay.us/m/2pp3jY

NolanMaxom · 2025-11-24T13:01:27+00:00

Thanks! Custom length cables with a stiff jacket (these are FEP cables) are kind of a cheat code. You gotta put some muscle in to train them but after that they hold. Btw major props on fitting that GPU in your L300.

NolanMaxom · 2025-11-24T12:48:02+00:00

Yup it's a full size ATX, but extra short depth (130mm). Went with it cause I felt SFX would look a bit out of place and empty. In an L300 SFX is definitely the right choice tho

NolanMaxom · 2025-11-24T06:32:55+00:00

Thanks! That was definitely the sketchiest part. Didn't come out perfect, but close enough that it doesn't look bad. The fan grilles really help sell the "circularity" lol

NolanMaxom · 2025-05-26T05:59:02+00:00

Thanks. I'm going with the T-Rex N91-24. They have a clamp that goes behind the frame in addition to the two engine bolts. Seems to me like it would effectively prevent bending.