Tiny PC cases often require big compromises, but InWin’s POC One aims to give you as much choice as possible. Last year’s POC case design required users to bend their own case into shape, and feedback from consumers to InWin revealed that most builders just weren’t interested in bending a product that they just purchased. InWin listened to that feedback and came out with the POC ONE, which is still a buildable case, but without all the bending. Instead of bends, the case panels are held together by rubber hinges. As far as component support goes, you can fit a mITX motherboard, as well as a full size graphics card up to 335mm in length. What’s more, it can even fit an entire ATX power supply and an AIO radiator, though not at the same time. InWin’s new POC One, showcased at CES 2024, supports up to a 240mm radiator to cool your CPU. You’ll need an SFX power supply to install it, but that’s normal for mini cases. Opt for 120mm fans, and that’ll allow you to fit an ATX power supply up to 160mm long. Now it’s just a matter of learning how to choose the right power supply for you. However, there is still room for all types of GPUs with expansion up to 3.5 slots. InWin even includes a PCI-E adapter cable just in case. The POC One now comes partially assembled from pre-assembled parts. If you're at all familiar with IKEA flat packs, they're no different in their approach. The end result will save you precious minutes, allowing you to start assembling your computer straight away rather than juggling case parts. In addition to changing the internals, InWin also makes the case lighter at 4.4 kg / 9.7 lbs. This puts it much closer to the Fractal Design Terra than the original's 5.2 kg / 11.46 lbs. Its diet is based on a switch from SECC to 3 mm aluminum, but this makes it more expensive.
On paper, this reads like a special product and it’ll be interesting to see if it can offer the performance to match.
Packaging & Contents
InWin's POC ONE outer box is flat. It saves on packaging materials. You can see that the visual image is the "flattened" case.
A software scanning code is set here. Just scan it with your mobile phone to enjoy the interactive product installation instructions.
At the bottom we see the specification table for the chassis. Below that, we have a sticker that identifies the color of our chassis.
There is an inner box in addition to the outer box. After opening, the first layer on the left is foam to protect the main body, and there are some components on the right, including a metal bracket, a POC ONE label, a magnetic bracket, a handle, and an IO dust cover. The second layer is the casing itself. The third layer is accessories, including IO modules, PCI-E extension cables, parts packages, and 1 Jupiter AJ120 ARGB fan. You will see a large number of accessory packages, all of which are securely fixed with black foam, so you will definitely not lose the parts.
The parts package includes Radiator Screws, screw tools (L-shaped Hex Wrench x 1B - Wrenches x 2) and hexagonal screws (for appearance).
Footpads (horizontal-vertical) and PSU EVA Shockproof Pads.
POC ONE label sticker and IO dust cover. You can choose where to stick the label according to your preference, and two large sets of dust covers are provided, which almost cover most of the current interfaces. This part needs to be cut and used by yourself.
Structure Support Bars.
Handles.
Handle Stand-Offs.
I/O Module.
PCI-E 4.0 Riser Cable.
SFX Bracket.
In addition to the case elements, the kit includes some Zip ties and velcros.
A 12cm Jupiter AJ120 fan is included, supporting ARGB. In a black box, we find the InWin Jupiter AJ120 High Airflow ARGB Case Fan, and it is shown in full glory in the middle of the panel. Across the bottom, we see notations to compatibility with ASUS, GIGABYTE, ASRock, and MSI sync methods.
The back of the packaging is where all of the information is found. Just under the name of the fan and the serial number, we see the High Airflow, ARGB, ARGB Sync, PWM control with a list to the right of it as to what comes in the box. Next comes the condensed specifications with a sound and RPM chart, which then concludes with a fan's front and back images.
There are four fan screws to mount them to any chassis that takes 120mm fans. The 3-pin "jumpers" work with the ARGB cables to allow them to daisy-chain together for connectivity.
This 120mm fan that is 25mm thick, and the frame is made of PBT, and the seven transparent blades are made of poly-carbonate plastic.
The back of the hubs is also covered, where the frame comes together in the middle. The sticker here has the InWin name and logo, Jupiter AJ120, with a bit of the planet peeking out over the name, and along with the voltages we saw in the specifications, we also get the FNH1225N model number of the fans. This 2.4W fan sip power with a current rating of just 0.20 Amps to spin the blades, while the 5V ARGB draws 1.1W pulling 0.22 Amps.
On two sides of the frame, which is not highly designed like some others, still sports the stretched octagonal shape in the middle of the frames, this time with a double-arrow icon denoting the direction of flow from the fans. On the other two sides, we find the InWin name present. Considering many times the wires are placed nearest the motherboard tray when the fans are installed, the exposed side to the case door will have the InWin name showing!
Rotational speed ranges from 500 RPM on the low-end, with the maximum being 1800 RPM. At top speed, the Jupiter AJ120s deliver 70.32 CFM. There is plenty of flow, but with a 2.62 mmH2O pressure rating, they are suitable for things like AIOs and Cases with tighter filters!
The fan offers six ARGB LEDs in the hub, which uses three out of four pins in their connectors.
The fan is PWM controlled via 4-pin fan connections and allowed to run full speed, measures 35 dB(A). The last few things to note are the use of a sleeve bearing, roughly 30,000 hours of operation, and that it is backed with a two-year warranty.
A Closer Look - Outside
POC ONE is a case that needs to be assembled by yourself. When it leaves the factory, it looks like a flattened origami.
The InWin POC ONE comes with pre-assembled flat panels, making assembly very quick and easy.
The One Piece case featuring aluminium panels that are pre-linked using straps that allow them to take shape with ease.
The expansion card slots and the bottom are vertically fixed to the main body. You must fix the graphics card side panel to the expansion card slot and bottom.
We are looking at a monolithic design, standing tall but taking up very little space with a footprint of just over 8 inches wide and depth of about 12 inches. With a height of 20 inches the overall verdict is that this is not bigger than a bread box. Three of the sides are generously vented, and one side is a solid steel panel. The enclosure feature an attractive 3mm thick aluminium colour scheme, with frosted panels that provide an elegant display and allow easy access to internal components.
The blue micro-transparent side cover is made of acrylic. The side covers of the silver version are blue, while those of the black version are matte white. What looks like the bottom is actually the top. Although it can be placed horizontally with either side facing down or up, there is a word "ONE" on the top of the side lens, so it is more suitable to face it upright. You can also choose to place it horizontally. In this case, you can move the top handle to the bottom to use as a raised foot pad, and stick a non-slip pad underneath.
POC ONE can be placed upright or horizontally, and there are corresponding foot pads for both parts that fix by gluing. There is a concave three-dimensional InWin Logo on the lower right side.
For upright placement, you can choose to install handles on both sides of the top. The corresponding screws on the upper two sides are changed to raise the pillars, and then the acrylic handles are installed. The long and short pillars have cross teeth on the side of the lock, so you can use a screwdriver to assist in fixing, or you can use the provided wrench to fix it. There is a notch on the side of the pillar for the wrench. Looking around top reveals nothing but a place for an I/O panel.
On the right side (or the bottom if placed upright), there are triangular-shaped ventilation holes corresponding to the graphics card and power supply. Only a place for a 120mm fan mounts above. There are large openings for cable routing, and a reasonable amount of space behind the motherboard tray to organize cables.
You'll also see that the front-panel ports are placed in an ideal location if you put the PC on a desk, and that they include only a single audio jack—a combo jack that fits headsets with a single four-barrel connector, placed in the midlle of two USB 3.x Type-A ports and a USB 3.2 Gen 2-spec Type-C port. It has clear tops that reveal the power indicatory. The vents on this side cover the graphics card chamber.
Interactive Assembly Guide
InWin POC ONE offers a 3D interactive assembly guide with easy-to-follow demonstrations and ideas for how to use it. Users can also experiment with designs directly in the app.
The software analyzes various installed parts in use. You must follow the instructions to complete the installation. The instruction manual is divided into Product Story, Assemble, and Build.
Assemble is a tutorial on how to assemble the case.
There is a process on the left, and the screws or accessories required for the assembly are marked. In the middle is an animation, which can be paused. The visual view on the right can be rotated, moved, and scaled to make the assembly content clearer.
Building is a combination of computer components. You can click on the components on the left to see how to assemble them. You can also rotate, move, and zoom to view the details.
Installation & Finished Looks
POC ONE only supports only Mini-ITX motherboards.
Fix the IO module to the housing. The sides are fixed with screws.
A 12cm fan can be installed on the side above the motherboard. POC ONE comes with a Jupiter AJ120 ARGB fan. While the case measures only 210mm in width, it is surprising that the POC ONE is able to keep CPU coolers up to 140mm height inside, considering that there still needs to be some cable management done, as well as house a total of 4 panels. The installation position of the 2.5-inch hard drive is as follows. The bottom corresponds to the graphics card, so the hard drive needs to be installed first. Although it's a relatively small case, the POC ONE does come with a couple of cable management benefits. At the bottom of the case, behind the Motherboard compartment, we will find a couple of zip ties available to group and stuff all of our cables. However, the main benefit of cable management as we found, is the position of the cable cutouts around the motherboard.
Cover the graphics card side panel and secure it with the side screws. In addition, the cover on the graphics card uses magnetic brackets on the top and bottom, and is not fixed with screws. It can be opened easily, and the graphics card can be quickly removed or used for cleaning. Lock the graphics card extension cable to secure the copper column.
A 24cm water cooler or corresponding fan can be installed on the inside of the upper cover. You need to use an SFX small-size power supply.
The power supply can support SFX specifications through an adapter. There are several advantages to changing to a smaller SFX size. There will be more internal space, and the outer cover can support 24 cm water cooling. The power supply is on the side, and it is obvious where the cables are routed, so it is not easy to hide the cables.
While we were able to see necessary details by staring through holes with a flashlight, a borescope would have been useful.
Capturing RGB lighting against silver is difficult, but generic images on the POC ONE webpage provide additional detail. Here's a look at what the top of the POC ONE looks like with the system filled.
Vents on both the side and front panel appear ideal for showing off the lighted fans of a liquid cooling system and an RGB-equipped graphics card.
Performance
Our test system for this case is based off the following components…
Processor: Intel Core i7-14700K
Motherboard: ASRock B760M-ITX/D4 WIFI
Graphics Card: Gigabyte RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB Windforce MAX OC
Memory: Crucial Pro Overclocking Edition DDR5-6000 32GB
Storage: Samsung 870 EVO
Cooling: be quiet! Silent Loop 2 360mm
PSU: Silverstone SX1000 Platinum
We will be using AIDA64 to measure temperatures for the CPU and graphics card. For idle we just have the system sitting on the Windows 11 desktop and for load we run the AIDA64 system stability test for 1 hour with just the CPU and GPU selected.
It is clear that the i7-14700K can be cooled more than adequately in the POC ONE. The graphics card benefits less from the fan, but can cool itself adequately through the mesh on the sides. The disadvantage is that there is almost no insulation and any kind of noise comes out of the mesh grid unfiltered.
Final Thoughts
A PC case is typically just a nice box for you to put all your parts in, with a few standardized mounting brackets, sufficient air ingress and egress for cooling, and maybe a USB port or two. But this year manufacturers seem to be stepping up their innovation, if only because PC-building customers are desperate for something new. The latest example is the POC ONE from InWin, a Mini-ITX case that you literally assemble yourself. The InWin POC ONE comes into play, with the One Piece case featuring aluminium panels that are pre-linked using straps that allow them to take shape with ease. The main upper and lower fixing supports of the casing. InWin is encouraging creativity and dexterity skills for PC builders of all ages with their iBuildiShare series of cases. The InWin POC ONE was able to win us over from the start. Typically, PC cases are shipped fully assembled. However, this means that the transport costs are in an unfavorable ratio to the product value, especially for cheap models. The InWin POC ONE, on the other hand, is delivered in individual parts and assembled by the user himself. The concept is reminiscent of the products of a well-known Swedish furniture store. An interactive 3D guide is also available via the iBuildiShare app for smartphones and tablets, allowing young and old to assemble the case quickly and easily. InWin's marketing emphasizes the fun of tinkering when assembling the "origami case" and doesn't forget to emphasize the ecological advantages. It's certainly not perfect, but it's very well thought out and, above all, really, really well made. But rest assured, once you’ve meticulously followed the instructions, complete with full 3D illustrations, you’ll have an ITX-compatible PC case ready to accept all your parts. A surprisingly capable case, thanks to an isolated and extended graphics card chamber, it can handle GPUs up to 3.5 slots wide and 33.5 cm long. The connection between the mainboard and the graphics card is established using the supplied PCIe 4.0 riser cable. It accommodates a Mini-ITX system with an ATX power supply unit that is up to 16 cm long. The CPU cooler can be a maximum of 14 cm high. A few decent Air CPU coolers are also available for air-cooled systems up to 14cm high. The case incudes one Jupiter AJ120 RGB 120mm fan and only one 2.5-inch hard drive bay but given many ITX motherboards include two M.2 slots (one often hidden on the back), that should suffice for most setups. As for the case interface, there is one USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C port, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, and one audio port on the front panel. If you unshape the side aluminum panels that are pre-linked using straps, you have very good access to the individual components despite the small size of the case. This structure makes the hardware assembly almost surprisingly user-friendly. Already known for its quick setup, the latest version is now quicker to install. The cable management is tough on a case of this size. With particularly compact Mini-ITX cases, cooling the components is a challenge. This is all the more true when a powerful high-end system is to be put together. The POC ONE should offer a solution with its very airy structure. InWin have done an impressive job here, providing plenty of airflow that spans the whole chassis. The temperatures in the POC ONE are equally excellent for the CPU and GPU. The independent zones along with the almost open layout are a bliss for the hardware. The other side of the coin is the background noise caused by the open structure. Although the fan/s can turn a bit slower due to the good temperatures, it remains much more noticeable under load. Also there is no real dust protection. The usage of mesh panels on almost every side does not only allow the components to breathe freely, but it also allows for every LED to be seen in case this is something you're looking for. We do absolutely appreciate the clean and tall design that InWin offers with their POC ONE case.
With its upright standing design in its clean-looking silver color, it definitely fits into most workspaces without any trouble. The silver color combined with the round-cut ventilation holes has a good texture. The case is well built.
The overall quality of the POC ONE case is quite high. However, the list price of €229.99, gives me pause. Still, if desk space is at a premium the POC ONE offers a very polished experience and it has an understated aesthetic that I like quite a bit. The entire review is as objective as possible, but this time we talk about emotions. Therefore we give our "Special Recognition" Award. You'll be able to get the POC ONE in black or silver with matte acrylic panels. I’m very happy to recommend this case to anyone looking for a attractive model with small footprint build, but not wanting to sacrifice performance.