Jonsbo N5 without blackplane

[Enquiries]

Hello! Can the Jonsbo N5 can be used without the backplanes? I want this case but would prefer to direct connect drives to MB/HBA and PSU so I can freely mix and match SATA and SAS drives as I upgrade storage since recertified drives fluctuate in price and I want the ability purchase whichever is cheaper at the time.

[ed]

Yes, you can use the Jonsbo N5 without the backplanes. The backplanes are not electrically required for the case to function. They are just a convenience layer that provides power and SATA passthrough.

If you remove them, the case becomes a standard chassis with drive cages. You can then:

• connect each drive directly to your motherboard or HBA using individual SATA or mini SAS cables
• power each drive directly from the PSU with SATA power connectors
• freely mix SATA and SAS drives without worrying about the Jonsbo backplane’s SATA only limitation

A few practical notes:

• The drive cages stay usable even without the PCB backplanes
• Make sure your PSU has enough SATA power leads or use quality splitters
• If using SAS drives, connect them to a proper HBA (LSI 9207, 9211, 9300 series) set to IT mode
• Airflow stays the same since the fans do not rely on the backplanes

Many builders using SAS or mixed drives actually remove the N5 backplanes for exactly the same reason as you.