In Win D-Frame Mini Review
Category : Cases
Published by Luca Rocchi on 17.09.14
A few months ago In Win presented the D-Frame Mini, a new case with mini-ITX form factor. Made of aluminum pipes and tempered glass, the case is able to house 240 mm watercooling solutions as well as one high-end graphics card. It is an elegant solution, made from high-end materials and a unique design. If you are looking for a solid and rather unique mini-ITX case, check this new review.
Today
we will be checking out one of the latest cases from In Win, the D-Frame Mini in black color. The company is not new to this kind of
design solution, as it has proposed a similar system call the H-Frame few years ago. The
In Win D-Frame, that we will test today, as anticipated, is only compatible with mini-ITX solutions, however In Win also offers a DIY case for
an ATX motherboard.
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Preview
Specifications
| Model |
D-Frame Mini |
| Case Type |
Open Air |
| Dimensions |
405mm (H) x 230mm (W) x 501mm (D), 5.25Kg |
| Material |
Aluminum Pipes
Aluminum Metal Plate
Tempered Glass |
| Color |
Black and red |
| 5.25'' drive
bay |
0 |
| 3.5'' drive bay |
3 |
| 2.5'' drive bay |
2 |
| Expansion
slots |
2 |
| Form factors |
Mini-ITX |
| Cooling |
Bottom: 2x 120mm
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Bundle
Overview |
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| The package contains all the necessary components to properly assemble your In Win D-Frame Mini PC case. All the accessories and the screws are placed and well separated in a handy plastic bag. The bundle includes instructions, screws, clamps, zip-ties and a soft cloth to clean the tempered glass. As you can see from the pictures, the case comes well packaged and protected with a black soft cloth.
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Product overview
Overview |
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The D-Frame Mini features a rather unique and extravagant design, in fact, the case is composed of multiple aluminum tubes and two side panels made from tempered glass. The build quality is very high, aluminum and all finishes are on
a high level. As mentioned, the basic structure is composed of a series of aluminum tubes welded
to each other in order to complete a cage which is finished off with two pieces of tempered glass
on each side. The painting, both inside and outside, is great. The product is very solid and sturdy, but we do recommended to handle it with
an extreme care. In contrast to the majority cases available on the market,
the D-Frame does not have a single way to stand, but can be used in both vertical and horizontal way. Thanks to multiple configurations of the case, In Win chosen to position buttons, USB 3.0 headers and audio jacks on the front of the case. This case may seem very basic and minimalist, however
thanks to the unique design, it is able to accommodate up to a maximum of three 3.5" HDDs and two 2.5" SSDs. In other words, the 3.5" HDDs are placed on HDD sleds, made of aluminum, while the SSDs are
located behind the motherboard tray. |
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Installation
Overview |
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| The instructions included
with the D-Frame Mini are very clear and will help you during the installation of the components.
Despite the unconventional design of the In Win D-Frame Mini, the components are arranged almost like in a normal case. Once you have removed both sidepanels, the access to the work area is very immediate. The PSU bay is located on the rear exterior part of the case and you can install units with a maximum length of 220 mm. The motherboard is positioned in a vertical way with the connections facing towards the upper area. Regarding the compatibility of the
CPU heatsink, the D-Frame Mini is compatible with air systems with a maximum height of 165 mm, in other words, with the most of
the coolers on the market. As suggested by the internal arrangement of the components, the case does not have any restrictions regarding the size of the graphics card, in fact we were able to use our reference card
which is 28 cm long without any problems. After placing all the components, we can say that the interior space inside the In Win D-Frame Mini is not
lacking. Despite some initial concerns about the visible cables, we must say that thanks to the sleeved black cables and the smoked glass, it is pretty hard to see what is inside the case.
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Ventilation options
Overview |
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| The In Win D-Frame Mini, by its very nature, does not offer many
places for fan installation. Despite this, the ventilation in this model does not seem to
be lacking either. The open frame allows optimum ventilation and, at the bottom, there are two slots
for 120 mm fans. For our test, we installed two fans in order to check
if the case is compatible with a 240 mm radiator. |
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[pagebreak]
Conclusion
| General |
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+ |
- |
| In Win has done an excellent job in creating a mini-ITX case which is able to accommodate high-end components. Despite its rather exclusive compatibility with mini-ITX motherboards,
the D-Frame Mini supports large graphics cards. Aesthetically speaking, we like the massive use of high quality aluminum and side panels made from tempered glass. The interior
space is well designed, with innovative solutions and high end finish. The case, if
that is the right terms, belongs to the category of "open air" cases, therefore there are many openings that allow a good air flow. |
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- Bundle
- Colors
- Design
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- Price |
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| Manufacturing quality / Ergonomics |
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+ |
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| The build quality is on a very high level, the internal and external aluminum is very well made. The skeleton of the Mini D-Frame is solid and very sturdy,
so the case can be carried away very easily thanks the practical knurled handle
at the top. The installation of the components inside the D-Frame Mini is quite simple and straightforward, since the space available for work is plentiful. We have not
found any problems during the installation process, however, we would like to see
a bit more use of a tool-less system, especially on the HDD sleds. |
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- Build quality
- Portability
|
- Not tool-less |
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| Design |
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+ |
- |
| The In Win D-Frame Mini is one of the most unique cases we have tested so far. The design of the case is really something special and innovative, and, in our opinion, very well done. Like most cases made from screen panels, we believe that the
the In Win D-Frame Mini is also not a product for everyone. The block of aluminum combined with two heavy tempered glass windows give the case an elegant design. Despite the wide use of tempered glass, the total weight of the case is very low thanks to the aluminum chassis.
The D-Frame Mini is compatible with water cooling systems with 240 mm radiator and air cooling with a maximum height of 165 millimeters. Like all bench test tables and cases with a high air flow,
the D-Frame Mini will get dirty from dust very easily. |
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- Design
- Water cooling solutions
- Aluminum
- Weight
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- Dust
is an issue |
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| Recommendation |
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+ |
- |
| Like all the high-end products, the In Win D-Frame Mini also comes with a rather steep price tag. On Geizhals, the In Win D-Frame Mini starts at 299 euro excluding shipping costs. Despite
its extremely good build quality, innovative and strange design as well
as the internal space, we believe that the price is slightly steep. If you are looking for a unique product that can accommodate high-end components and
a 240 mm radiator, as well as like the looks of it, the In Win D-Frame Mini is
definitely a great choice. However, due to the restricted cooling solutions, we do not recommend
it as a purchase for a hardcore gamer. |
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Gaming-PC
- Modding
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- Price
- High-end Gaming-PC |
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| Rating |
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The In Win D-Frame Mini gets good
4 out of 5 stars. |
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