Aurora R11, interchangeable chassis, 2.5/3.5 HD bays

Affirmative @jebediahrunquist 

99% identical case to my R8 on the inside, the outside is just the panels:

Start her up and check fans 

Thanks for the replies.  Going with an SSD and then 2 - 3.5" drives so hopefully won't be too bad.

You'll have to lift the wires running under the MOBO, so the hdd cage pushes all the way in.

Yea, the wire for the led / power button is in the way, but you can just lift it up with a finger, it takes a second or two.

You'd add a lot of heat to the chassis though, and restrict airflow in this tiny SFF case with the three 3.5" drives.

I suggest ... Try nothing up-top as it blocks the cooling.

Move the 3.5inch cage to bottom. You can run a 3.5inch HDD and a 2.5inch SATA-3/600 SSD on the bottom.

Plus, you have the (up to 2tb) M.2/NVMe SSD (but 1tb is more reasonable ... money-wise). That will hold all Windows, all Apps, and all your main games.

If you need another 3.5in spinner HDD for backups or whatever ... run it external on USB-3.0.

Retail HDD or in Orico 3.5in USB-3.0 w/UASP enclosure.

2 questions, will this also apply to a r12 and where can I purchase another 3.5 bay.  I already have a 2tb 3.5 drive I want to put there, and later maybe add a 2.5 ssd, but I have a 3.5  that is full of files I need, and don't want to have to but a ssd right now just for those files. 

Hi there JMBBEARD, I have an R11 and, like you, would like to swap out the 2 x 2.5" enclosures for 2 x 3.5" enclosures. I used the 3.5" enclosure that currently holds a 2 TB disk and it fitted perfectly in one of the bay. Did you manage to buy the 3.5" enclosures and, if so, where did you get them from ? All the best, Ed