
The Dancase A4-SFX and LOUQUE Ghost S1 MKII cases are two of the most solid, and even iconic, ITX cases for SFF enthusiasts. They allow for high-end PC builds at only a fraction of the normal-sized, full-ATX cases, ranging from only 7.25 to 8.2 liters of space. Despite their small size, they can holster full-sized GPUs, and top-of-the-line CPUs such as the Intel i9-9900K or the Ryzen 9 3950X.
That being said, these cases are not terribly easy to get a hold of, even if one were willing to dish out the over-$250 price tags that accompany these cases. Fortunately, the A4-SFX and Ghost S1 have shown that SFF cases do have demand, and more companies were quick to jump upon this bandwagon of growing popularity. Now, new cases are constantly being released, with quality that matches, and arguably even exceeds, that of these two cases.
Also, depending on your needs, these alternatives do come in varying size of up to 13.6 liters, meaning that if the Dancase A4-SFX or the Ghost S1 are slightly smaller than what you need, you can find some great cases in this list to fit your needs. These alternatives are in the same price range, and will have the same quality of build, of the two flagship cases, though they may allow a bit more flexibility in regards to customizations for your SFF setup.
Without further ado, here are the four best alternatives to the Dancase A4-SFX v4.1 and LOUQE Ghost S1 MKII cases.
Best Dancase A4-AFX & LOUQE Ghost S1 Alternative Cases – My Recommendations
1. NZXT H1 (13.6L)
The NZXT H1 is a worthy opponent for any of its high-end SFF case competitors. First off, the case has an incredibly stylish design, featuring a tempered glass front panel, and a dual-chamber airflow which allows both positive and negative pressures to be applied to the case, offering better heat dispersion for the encased hardware. Also, it has a unique I/O slot which actually faces downward, routing all cables through the bottom of the case. An extra plus is that it comes with an integrated 650W 80+ Gold PSU, so you don’t have to worry about finding a compatible PSU. Also included are a PCIe x16 Gen3 high-speed riser for vertical GPU mounting, as well as an NZXT AIO 140mm liquid cooler with pre-routed cables.
It can hold full-sized GPUs of up to 2.5 slots, and it comes with a pre-installed, toolless, SSD tray. The top of the case has USB Type-C and Type-A slots, as well as an audio jack. If you’re looking to build an SFF setup without having to worry about all the hassle and planning that comes with making such builds, this is the case for you. Both for gaming and for workstations, the NZXT H1 is a great choice. That being said, all the added hardware it comes with do add to the price, as the case does currently sell for $349, though it is arguably worth the extra cost for the integrated components and quality of build this case includes.
2. Thor Mjolnir (9.7L)
Whether it be for a workstation or for a gaming build, the Thor Mjolnir is a case worthy of its legendary name. This case features 5mm thick 6061 aluminum walls, which can be purchased in three different finishes: steel, dark, and stealth.
Don’t let its small 9.7L size fool you; this case can hold full-sized, high-end, GPUs like Nvidia’s RTX 2080 Ti. In fact, it can hold GPUs of up to 322mm in length (w/o bracket) and 159mm tall. The riser that is included is PCIe x16 Gen4 compatible, and is armored, as well as EMI shielded. In terms of cooling, it can hold 51mm thick air coolers, and up to 240mm AIOs, given that they are used with only one 120mm fan under the PSU. In fact, even custom loops are possible, allowing for high-end builds to take advantage of CPU overclocking capabilities. In addition, it can also hold two case fans, one 120x25mm and one 120x15mm. In regards to storage, it can hold up to two 2.5” SSDs, and of course M.2 SSDs mounted on the motherboard as well. Depending on what kind of build you are looking to make, some customizations are also possible. The side panel can either be airflow optimized, or tempered glass – if you are willing to sacrifice some airflow to display your RGB compatible hardware. The case itself also can come with additional RGB lighting, for an extra $100. That being said, for a $299 case, this is definitely an enthusiast-level, high-end optimized case, that has great looks and is top of the line for its size.
3. NCase M1 V6.1 (12.6L)
The original crowdsourced SFF case: the NCase M1 is a small enclosure with a large amount of compatibility. Featuring a brushed, anodized, all-aluminum 1.5mm thick frame, and 2mm top panel, this case is built strong. It has a front-panel I/O with a dual-color LED backlight power button, two USB Type A and one USB Type C ports, and of course 3.5mm headphone/mic jacks.
In regards to compatibility, it can hold a dual-slot, 317mm GPU, or a triple slot 290mm GPU (if I/O ports are removed, otherwise 280mm support). Even more impressive is the cooling support. It can hold a 130mm CPU cooler, a 240mm radiator for liquid cooling, and up to five (!) cooling fans. Two 120mm fans on the side, two 120mm fans on the bottom, and one 92mm fan on the rear. More than enough cooling for even the most demanding hardware setups.
For its incredibly small size, and only two-kg weight, this is a premium SFF case for high-end setups; and given its current price of $210, it is a great deal for SFF-build enthusiasts that want a small setup that can pack a punch.
4. Sliger SM550 (9.7L)
Another highly customizable SFF case, the Sliger SM550 comes with a plethora of options to choose from to make it fit your style. This case can support dual slot GPUs of up to 305mm length, as well as two 120mm fans, or a 92mm AIO cooler. It has a front panel I/O with USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C, Type A, and audio jacks as well.
It comes in three distinct colors to choose from, and allows you to choose whether you would like the side panel to be windowed, vented, or unvented – both on the GPU as well as the motherboard side. It also allows you to choose the front panel board connectors, whether or not you’d like a single PCIe 3.0 x16 riser, or a bifurcated 2x PCIe x16, and it even allows you to choose whether you’d like a standard flush mount or a pigtail style power cord for the power supply cable – or both, at a slight extra cost of $8. Additionally, at an extra $90 cost, you can choose a preset AIO 645LT kit, for either AMD AM4 or Intel 115X. Finally, you can also purchase magnetic dust filters or SSD brackets to complete your build.
Given that this case comes at a competitive base price of $219, it gives you the freedom to add a few extras options to make the case uniquely your own. A worthy competitor for the Dancase A4-SFX and Ghost S1 cases.