The LOUQE Ghost S1 is the newest and one of the most anticipated small form factor (SFF) cases to hit the market in recent time, with a highly successful Kickstarter campaign the LOUQE Ghost S1 has finally hit the market and users are beginning to post some seriously slick builds with this mini ITX case.
With a lot of PC builders posting benchmarks and thermal stats of their Ghost S1 builds – we are beginning to see exactly which components perform best in this SFF enclosure – such as the best performing CPU cooler, case fans and power supplies being the most important to get right – if you want to get the absolute most performance out of your Ghost S1 build.
The Ghost S1 is one of the most expensive SFF pc cases on the market, and is often built with enthusiast-grade components – the only other market we could rival it against is the Dancase A4-SFX (both featured in our SFF case buying guide). Using a similar internal layout to the A4-SFX, it actually can hold a wider range of CPU coolers due to its wider clearance between the motherboard and enclosure – offering a potential for superior airflow.
In this series of guides where we recommend the best parts for various popular mini-ITX cases, we will show you our recommended PC parts to pair with the Ghost S1 – to help keep those temperatures cool and framerates and overclocks high. Enjoy!
LOUQE Ghost S1 key specifications
| Design |  |
| Max Motherboard size | Mini-ITX |
| Dimensions | 188 x 140 x 322 mm |
| Volume | 8.2L |
| Max CPU cooler height | 66mm |
| Max GPU length | 305mm |
| Max GPU width | 2 slot |
| Max PSU size | SFX-L |
| Price | $245 |
| Retailer | LOUQE |
Recommended Parts for Ghost S1 Builds
| Component | Design | Recommended part | Retailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Cooler |  | Noctua NH-L12 (w/ bottom fan only) |  |
| Power Supply |  | Corsair SF750 Platinum | |
| Case Fan |  | Noctua NH-A12x15 | |
Best CPU Cooler for Ghost S1 – Noctua NH-L12
There are a few great CPU coolers for the Ghost S1 that we would recommend – with the first being the Scythe Big Shuriken 2 – a popular option for many Ghost S1 builders. Secondly, and the one we would recommend over any other air cooler is the Noctua NH-L12 – the most popular and superior CPU cooler for the Ghost S1.
Pictured above the NH-L12 is in a dual fan configuration, but we recommend that the Noctua is paired with a bottom fan only, for optimum cooling performance and clearance within the chassis. This model was actually discontinued by Noctua, which has led to some availability issues, but recently the NH-L12 has been put back into production – and thus once again it shouldn’t be too difficult to get hold of one in 2019.
In a thermal and noise test performed by LOUQE comparing popular compatible CPU coolers with the Ghost S1, they concluded that the Noctua NH-L12 offered the superior cooling performance of all tested coolers when paired with a 25mm thick case fan away from the side wall. This combination provided a super quiet setup and great overall thermals within the Ghost S1.
Other notable CPU coolers that were also shown to pair well with the Ghost S1 include the Scythe Big Shuriken 2 (efficient, quiet) and the ZALMAN CNPS8900 – another stable and barely audible CPU cooler for the Ghost S1.
It is possible to run a AIO liquid cooled setup with the Ghost S1 with the addition of their ‘top hats’ – but we would recommend to stick with the NH-L12 air cooler as it actually provides performance on par with most AIO systems, and super silent operation.
Best power supply for Ghost S1 – Corsair SF750 Platinum
For any guide in our Mini ITX series, there is really only one SFX power supply for any SFF build in 2020 we recommend – the Corsair SF750.
This is hands down the best SFX power supply for SFF builds and is extremely popular amongst mini-ITX builders (our full list of recommended SFX PSUs can be found here), and with good reason. Ask any Ghost S1 builder and you will likely get the same response and praise for the Corsair SF series SFX format power supply.
The Corsair SF750 offers super stable power delivery delivering full power at just 47 degrees, extremely efficient, virtually no audible sound and will be able to handle even the beefiest of components – such as the RTX 2080 Ti or i9-9900K in Ghost S1 builds. A 7-year warranty is backed up by Corsair, too.
We rarely hear of anyone with problems with their SF750 power supply in Ghost S1 builds, and if you want to increase the performance further some SFF builders recommend replacing the stock fan with the Noctua NF-A9x14 in the SF750
If 750W is overkill for your Ghost S1 build and you simply don’t need a power supply with that much wattage, then we recommend looking at the sister models in the series, the Corsair SF450 or SF600 Platinum SFX power supplies. Any model in this series are best in class power supplies for the Ghost S1.
Best case fan for Ghost S1 builds – NH-A12x15
Our favorite 120mm slim case fan, which happens to be one of the absolute best-in-class performance 120mm case fans despite its slim design, is the Noctua NF-A12x15. Sure, the design is marmite and it may not be to everyone’s tastes, but the NF-A12x15 will provide the best performance and ultra-quiet operation if that’s what is important to you in your Ghost S1 build. One user on Reddit has noted a 10-degree drop in temperatures using the NH-L12 paired with the NH-A12x15 in the Ghost S1.
The NF-A12x15 has built-in anti-vibration rubber corner pads to keep operation super silent and built this with solid components (just like the Ghost S1) to make this our favourite 120mm slim case fan on the market – a perfect fit for the Ghost S1.
Summary
| Component | Design | Recommended part | Retailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Cooler | | Noctua NH-L12 (w/ bottom fan only) | |
| Power Supply | | Corsair SF750 Platinum | |
| Case Fan | | Noctua NH-A12x15 | |