Small form factor PCs seem to have been around forever, and I've always been a fan. After all, a regular ATX case can take up some pretty awkward space on a desk, so it seems sensible to fit components into a small, efficient case instead. However, Cooler Master seems to have forgotten the "small and efficient" part of this principle, and at CES 2024 they introduced the mini ITX case.

Called the Ncore 100 Max, aside from giving the impression of a fancy dehumidifier, I don't understand why this case exists.

Cooler Master calls this "a pivotal moment in small form factor PC case design," and I don't know if I agree, but it is certainly one of the stranger case configurations I have seen. Constructed of aluminum alloy, the Ncore 100 Max is 481mm tall and has an internal volume of 15.8L, expandable to 17.54L by extending the case width from 155mm to 172mm, which according to Cooler Master can accommodate a 3-slot wide GPU.

Given the odd dimensions and internal configuration, the Ncore 100 Max comes with a V SFX Fold 850W ATX 3.0 PSU with custom length cables and a custom AIO with a 38mm thick radiator designed to provide adequate power and cooling in its elongated proportions, a Comes with a "tailor-made power solution" (in other words, an obvious necessity).

This seems like an awful lot of effort to accommodate a form factor that, given its name, should be considered small, but the pictures make it look otherwise.

Look, I get the principle. The area occupied by the desk is what should be considered here, along with maximizing the internal build space, and what better way to minimize the space occupied on the desk than to stand everything on end? But honestly, given that a lot of hard work went into making this configuration work, and that the end result is a chassis that is as delicate and visually dominant as a brick, was this really a good idea?

This is no small, and the engineering may be impressive, but I really have a hard time understanding who would genuinely want it.

Is your desk in a broom closet with a high ceiling? If not, I can't help but feel that unless you are either madly in love with the sheer imposing appearance of this product or absolutely must fit a 3-slot card in an ITX case, you have just created a new chassis design and have accomplished nothing yet.

I admit that it is quite impossible to fit an RTX 4090 in an ITX case. Nevertheless, if you really want to use the most high-power components in the smallest possible case, there are already more elegant solutions such as the above, making such upright antics somewhat redundant.

Typically, I am drawn to the weird, the wonderful, and the bizarre. It's like a bunch of custom engineering, without much of an outcome. But if I change my mind and realize that I need a huge GPU but have limited space on my desk, I will let you know.

Oh wait, we can put the PC under the desk instead. Yeah, that's a good idea too.

_____________________________________ PC Gamer's CES 2024 coverage is courtesy of Asus Republic of Gamers.