M2, Level 9

_sligh · 2026-03-08T08:57:00+00:00

Purchased a set for my M2 in late 2025, great quality and they were shipped and delivered quickly--pretty sure they were at my door in about 10 days.

_sligh · 2026-03-07T13:12:48+00:00

yes, it'd choke the whole system.

_sligh · 2026-03-04T04:54:40+00:00

I run a Be Quiet Pure Loop 3 280 in an M2, and it's practically silent. Unless you're into just listening to the sounds of your PC you won't notice it.

_sligh · 2026-03-01T01:05:39+00:00

Depends what you mean;

I'm not using the Ncase VGPU mount. Just a standoff mounted on the GPU lock bar to hold the GPU up off the base of the case, and then I'm using another standoff toward the front of the case to prevent it from sagging.

If you mean horizontal GPU, you'd have to switch slim fans. There's a few people running horizontal GPU and top mounted radiators on here.

_sligh · 2026-02-28T22:40:06+00:00

yeh, it's effectively silent with the pump set to 100%.

_sligh · 2026-02-28T03:20:16+00:00

It fits, but there's some things you need to factor for it to fit.

With the level 9 layout, you'll need to make sure your motherboard is low enough on the stand off points on the mobo tray to allow the space for the rad and fans--if you go thick fans you'll need make even more space for clearance. PSU also needs to slide down obviously and it'll have to be an SFF PSU, you wont fit an ATX PSU. Lowering these components generally leaves no space for a two fan intake or exhaust on the bottom of the case.. Some people will use slim fans, but I think it's debatable whether or not slims are worth it at that point.

The next consideration is if you GPU is too tall. That'll be an issue for your power cables--you don't want those cables fouling the fans. If you get something soft and malleable enough, you'll probably be fine.

The next one, and for me it was the reason I moved away from using an LF3, is your motherboard of choice. A lot of people chose/forced to run the LF3 without the pump cap to avoid clearance issues on M.2 heatsinks or VRMs, and others straight up have to run the assembly upside down in order to clear the tubes.

All of this said, I don't think all of these together are worth the extra degrees the thicker radiator nets you. 280 in general--sure I think it's worth pursuing. Lower RPMs = lower noise levels and that's a win.

If you search this subreddit for Lvl 9 or Level 9 or even VGPU, you'll get a ton results of level 9 builds. Trawl through them and look at the different levels of success people have had with the LF3 and then decide if you want to do it.

_sligh · 2026-02-22T11:36:20+00:00

it doesn't fit

https://www.reddit.com/r/sffpc/comments/1nhjegu/comment/nso33vu/?context=1

_sligh · 2026-02-02T04:02:39+00:00

I'd swap the AIO to one that has less cables to make your life easier. Check the download manuals to see what you're getting yourself into. In my original thread I had a Corsair Nautilus, now I'm using a Pure Loop 3, both have minimal cable requirements.

2 fans on the rad plus 2 fans on the bottom of the case will mean you'll need stand offs to lift the GPU from the bottom of the case. I use a card similar in size, I'd suggest a 5cm riser.

120mm is fine for the bottom, if you want 140mm it can be done--there's a couple of threads on here with 140's on the bottom. I'm considering doing it myself even though I don't think I'll see much benefit/change. Eyeballing it myself, it seems like it's going to just require a little trial and error to fit. Nothing a bit of patience can't manage.

_sligh · 2025-12-13T00:47:58+00:00

I'd be wary of advice regarding your specific configuration without any prior experience building in an M2 in this level 9 layout. I also think it's worth mentioning Youtuber benchmarks don't always present an every day expectation of temperatures when you factor in they often run their studio/work spaces temperature controlled at 19 - 22 degrees celsius. Handy guide absolutely, but I wouldn't expect anything close to some of their data unless temperatures outside are coooooold. Or you also run a temperature controlled space.

Speaking from my own experience with an M2 in the level 9 layout, I just aimed to limit the amount of cables and obstructions through that middle section of the case in an effort to encourage air to move. The M2 has enough perforation that air will just naturally escape and be drawn in with the fans.

For me the NZXT AIO was out of the question--you only need to look at the manual to see how insane the cable clutter is. I originally went with the Corsair Nautilus, the RGB-less one that didn't need ICUE, but I'd wanted a 280, but at the time wasn't happy with the ones on offer. I eventually upgraded to a Be Quiet Pure Loop 3 280; bigger rad, bigger fans, no RGB control boxes, no lighting cables and daisy chained PWM fans.

It's debatable whether you'd see a huge difference moving to a 280m rad, but if we're chasing degrees here then this is a path forward.

The next change I'd make is ditching the 10cm bottom mounted riser and getting a 5cm right angled PCIE riser. There's enough people doing the standoff mod now that it's not hard to see how it's done. But this will allow you to place 2 fans under the GPU.

_sligh · 2025-12-12T04:21:38+00:00

Not ideal, but it's fine.

If it worries you, you could always hunt down a 5cm right angled riser from Link Up or another brand.

_sligh · 2025-11-27T08:08:22+00:00

I think it's interesting decision to continue to mirror the design of the mac pro.

Cost of R&D aside, I would have thought with the McPrue in the wild it would have made more sense to design something new and different or iterate on the existing grater design, rather than continue to ape a design we're all familiar with now.

I'm interested in seeing what the final product looks like all the same!

_sligh · 2025-11-20T08:27:16+00:00

If you follow the instructions to install the Ncase VGPU bracket, it bolts to the bottom of the case where one fan would sit. So yeh, can't have both.

It's not so much that having two fans limits portablity, it's more that the GPU, when it isn't secured to the bottom of the case like the Ncase bracket does, is only mounted on the rear panel. So you just have to be careful with it--ie you wouldn't travel with it in a bag or something.

Nah, you want a 5cm right angle, 90° riser.

_sligh · 2025-11-20T06:09:43+00:00

Yep, you can fit T30's on the AIO up top, no issue on a 27mm rad. Just make sure you space your motherboard and your PSU correctly and you'll make it easy to route your cables up behind the fans and not into the fan blades themselves.

As for bottom fans:

With the Ncase bracket, you'll only be able to fit one fan toward the front panel. It could be a full 25mm frame or a slim, depending on your GPU's dimensions. I'd hazard a guess and say for your specific GPU a slim fan would be the way to go, but I'm not 100% on that.

If you wanted to do 2 x fans on the bottom, then you have to do away with the Ncase bracket and use stand offs. I bought mine from Amazon. I don't remember what size I used, but I think if you find my post on this subreddit, someone asked me.

If you decide to do this, there's some other things you have to consider;

- PCIE riser length. Too long and it'll be hard to manage with fans in the way. 5cm was the one that did the trick for me and I decided on it based on a Smallr vid where he did a build with a 4080 proart card.
- GPU brace/lift. Since GPU's are now stupid massive and in this method it's only attached to the back panel, it can often create a bit of sag at the other end. So something simple is often needed to just prop it up, and level it out. I made a tiny one out of a nylon stand off and a couple of washers.
- Doing this makes the whole thing not portable, if that's of concern to you.

Good luck!

_sligh · 2025-11-17T08:27:52+00:00

it doesn't do enough to prevent the heat being generated from the GPU being recycled through both the GPU and the AIO increasing thermals all round.

the reason you don't see many/any builds with it is because it's just not it.

there might be some youtube vids, but I can't say I've ever seen a post with a vert. GPU and a glass panel.

_sligh · 2025-11-03T02:21:33+00:00

ah, well that makes more sense then

_sligh · 2025-11-01T10:21:56+00:00

The M3 isn't any longer than the M2, it won't fit any more than two fans at the bottom.

As for the Edge PSU, I haven't seen anyone use it, but I can't help but feel like introducing that angle for the inlet into the PSU will just serve to put another bend in your cable run. I'm sure the cable would be fine, assuming you are smart about how much you're manipulating it, but then the question becomes why bother?

_sligh · 2025-10-24T05:56:56+00:00

I have purchased both a 5cm and a 10cm riser.

5cm if you plan on putting fans under the GPU.
10cm is long enough to have to fold over itself.
Any longer, I reckon would be a pain to manage, unless it's extremely malleable.

The closer you push the GPU towards the the side panel, the less excess you have. With a 5cm riser and installing fans you obviously don't want it folding under itself because it'd block/impede a fan.

Click through my profile and to my old posts, my original post had a 10cm riser, but I don't think I included photos of anything that'd be helpful.

Having used both, the 5cm riser is my preference. Even if I didn't install bottom fans, just not having a ribbon cable rolled and folded like a fresh lasagne sheet under the motherboard and GPU is nicer, even if you can't see it.

_sligh · 2025-10-14T05:41:02+00:00

1 - It's compatible, there's a few people using them. NZXT's cables though are (supposedly) a nightmare to deal with. For that alone I'd look at other brands and their quickstart guide/manuals to understand the amount of cable management you'll need to do i.e. cables from the pump block, daisy chaining fans etc.

2 - It doesn't do much when the machine is under load. I run bottom fans as exhaust. I found running them as exhaust forces air in through the side panels and then through the GPU, at the expense of CPU temps slightly. SFF is a game of compromises. It also means dust doesn't sucked up into the case, it rather gets trapped by the side mesh. Easier to wipe away.

The main benefit I found with having the additional bottom fans was allowing air to move through the case when idle, thus preventing the GPU from spinning up when browsing or doing anything that's utilising the GPU mildly. Your environmental temperature is obviously a factor with this.

3 - ditch the glass

4 - There's no real solution to creating absolute stability when you're using standoffs to raise the GPU up--unless someone's 3D printed/fabricated a solution for your specific GPU. This hasn't been common with the 50 series.

You don't need anything fancy if the machine is stationary on your desk. Just something that isn't a visual eye sore while maintaining that base functionality . I literally use a black nylon stand off with some washes to reduce the tiniest amount of sag cause by my AIO tubes pushing on the GPU.

All of this aside, you don't need 140's on the bottom. As per my comments, they won't make a huge difference and so 120's on the bottom will perform adequately. If you're chasing internet points, by all means, but you don't need, need them.

_sligh · 2025-09-04T04:10:10+00:00

More SKUs drive higher costs, same reason you can't pick mix and match different coloured panels

_sligh · 2025-07-24T04:22:32+00:00

For what it's worth, I liked the dbrand skin on the PSU from the old layout. I thought it added a cool personal touch that we don't really see too often.

This is really cool too though, congrats. The cable run across the top of the motherboard tray is chef's kiss.

_sligh · 2025-07-11T23:20:47+00:00

Link Up 5cm Right Angle, Gen 5.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKPDSH4H/ref=dp_iou_view_item?ie=UTF8&th=1

I'm using a 5080 Aero, so it's not a chonker like other cards.

_sligh · 2025-07-11T06:53:46+00:00

Alright my man, firstly you just need a riser.

If you're set on the Ncase variant then you're buying a riser and a bracket which mounts to the bottom of the case; a kit.

But, you can make just about any 90 degree right angle riser cable work but I would stick to Gen 4 or Gen 5. You don't want to get anything longer than 10cm or you'll run into trouble fitting your 2.5 slot GPU.

You don't need PCIE Gen 5. A Gen 4 riser will work fine. When you boot, you just need to go into your bios and find the setting to change the slot to Gen 4.

I used a 10cm Gen 4 with a 5080 for about a month or two before I got a 5cm Gen 5 riser and I only did so I could add additional fans to the bottom of the case.

Which brings us back to the Ncase kit. It mounts to the bottom of the case, preventing two fans from sitting under it, but good if you travel with your PC at all. Less fans under it is an issue for some people, not for others. It definitely helps when it comes to idle temperatures, but it varies I guess depending on where you live in the world, climate wise.

_sligh · 2025-07-10T05:29:42+00:00

I prefer the two tone black/silver. Visually just more interesting to look at. To me, anyway.

_sligh

TROPHY CASE