What just happened? One of the better small form factor cases on the market has been discontinued. Ncase, makers of the M1 SFF chassis, recently posted a notice on its website stating they've decided not to order another batch of M1 Classic cases. As such, the product has effectively reached its end of life after an eight year run.

The M1 was conceived way back in 2012 by two HardOCP forum members. User Wahaha360 liked SilverStone's SG03 SFF chassis, but wanted something made entirely of aluminum. With no solution on the market, the user reached out to Necere who helped design the dream chassis.

Remarkably, they were able to see the project through completion, which included a successful Indiegogo campaign as well as manufacturing by Lian Li. The entire process has been archived over in the Hard Forum should you want to follow the story.

In its farewell message, Ncase said evolving component requirements and shifts in the market have made the M1 a less compelling option in recent times. Indeed, video cards are way larger these days than they used to be, and with space already at a premium, compatibility suffered.

Notably, this isn't the end of Ncase, but rather an opportunity for something new. The team said they do have new products in development, but they aren't yet ready to commit to production or provide a time estimate. For now, the Ncase website will remain live for informational purposes.

Image credit: aurel