Aftermarket front panel IO

Deuteronomy93 · November 19, 2019

Hi All

I've posted a few times before about a potential build I'm looking at doing sometime in the near future.

It'll be with a custom case, very boxy acrylic panels with an NH D15s on both the CPU and GPU. Inspiration came from an old DIY Perks video.

As with this type of build, I'd need new front panel IO as well as a switch. Switches are pretty easy to find, obviously lots of different options and we're spoilt for choice.

Finding a new front panel IO however, seems a bit more difficult...

I've researched a few and although some look ok and I can take off the shroud or (if the shroud is nice) cut it down so its much smaller, there seem to be a lot of mixed results about whether the products genuinely provide the speeds advertised. The mobo in the build will most likely have USB type C, whilst I don't necessarily need it right now I'd quite like to make use of it with it becoming more popular.

There is an Akasa one which looks good, would just need to cut it down a bit and has the ports I want, however a review here said the speeds advertised weren't accurate: https://www.amazon.com/Akasa-InterConnect-Type-C-Panel-Ports/dp/B07KCLY4YB#customerReviews

I don't want to buy a case just to use the front panel and the only other one I have is an 011 Dynamic which is definitely not going under the knife! Do people typically go on ebay etc to find spare parts and just use those or any other feedback you might have?

In case people are interested, attached is a very crudely drawn image with some notes etc on it which is a very rough first draft, just getting notes in my head down (definitely no measurements yet!) I was thinking of putting the front panel at the bottom left, next to the PSU, so that it wouldn't obstruct any airflow for the CPU or GPU as this would likely be the only other areas it could fit and look clean.

Feedback welcome!