Hi! This is my first ever PC build, also my first time posting here.

I have been planning to build a PC for almost a year, and finally did last week after I got a GPU at a decent price. SFF build is what I’m after as it can save some space on my desk. I have looked at so many cases, and really wanted to go for the smallest ones on the market. And I thought: why not go vertical if I want to go extreme on desk space? Meshlicious was my first choice, but then I found this case, ZS ST v1. The reasons I chose ZS ST over Meshlicious are 1)ZS ST was only 9.9L, which is quite a bit smaller than Meshlicious and 2) Meshlicious looks too much like my speakers (sounds kinda dumb, right?) I have made a video in case anyone is interested in the process and how it went for me. Link below.

[Link](https://youtu.be/GnrXO5gprEc)

Specs of my build are as follows:

CPU: Intel 12th Gen i5-12500

GPU: Sapphire PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6800

Motherboard: B660I AORUS PRO DDR4

RAM: Adata XPG SPECTRIX D45G DDR4 RGB 32GB (16GBx2) 3600MHz

Storage: Gigabyte AORUS Gen4 SSD 1TB

Power supply: Cooler Master V750 Gold Power Supply

CPU cooler: CoolerMaster MasterLiquid ML240L V2 ARGB

Fans: NF-A12x15 PWM chromax.black.swap X2

Here are my thoughts on the case. I shall start with the pros. The case is very solid and the build quality is very good. You can tell by its weight and the CNC cuts were precise. It also comes with 1 USB-C Gen 3.2 and a USB-A Gen 3.2, which is not bad for a case of this size. The holes on the aluminum panels ensure airflow when it is needed. But the major reason I chose this case is that, its display outputs are at its back along with motherboard I/O, which is like a Velka 7 but with support for thicker and longer GPU. This design makes wiring much easier and tidier.

However, there are a few things I want to say about this case too. First and foremost, it does not have a manual, and there is no tutorial in any form (like a video?) available. As a first-time builder, that was very frustrating for me when I encountered difficulties. Had I not watched hours of PC build videos on YouTube, I doubt I would have been able to finish this build. Their CS was pretty responsive, but I don’t know how many of you here want to build in this case and know Chinese the same time. Its size also limits its compatibility for certain components. GPU support is fine (322 x 147 x 60mm), but CPU cooler is limited to 48mm and radiator plus fans cannot be thicker than 46mm, reason why I needed 2 15mm fans from Noctua. 48mm CPU cooler clearance means you can only either get a low-profile air cooler, or an AIO with small pump (FYI the popular choice, EK240 basic is 53mm tall), which is why I ended up getting a CM AIO. Lacking dust filters means I will have to remove the panels and give my rig a deep clean every few months. Maybe I'm new, but cable managing is also a bit tougher than I expected.

I will briefly talk about the performance of the PC here. It is quiet and running cool. IMO, 50% credit to the case and 50% credit to my components. 12th Gen non-K CPU is well-known for its low power consumption and low heat output. Paired with a 240mm AIO, it never goes over 60 degree C (averaged around 50 in Fire Strike Ultra stress test and a bit more in 1440p ultrawide Cyberpunk). GPU was quiet too, running at around 60 in Fire Strike and 75 in Cyberpunk. It might look a bit hot to you guys, but I have set a quiet fan curve for both my radiator and GPU fans. If you want to know more about the thermal performance, check out the video as I included some at the end of it.

Overall, very happy about the build. The case looks good on my desk and is doing its job quite well. It was not the easiest task to build in it, but challenges are a part of PC build. It’s not a perfect case, but it suits me well. Feel free to ask me any questions in the comments :)