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Project: UniKaorn Farts

davido_labido

davido_labido

davido_labido

Soldato
Joined
17 Sep 2012
Posts
4,277
Location
Derby
Well, it has been a while folks! As a few of you know, I started to work for bit-tech so all the builds I did last year were either for content for the website or I didn't have time to do a proper build log. Now, I have left my job there and I work for Alphacool instead as the UK and US rep!

As such, my builds are my own again, so I can do proper build logs!

The first build:

https://preview.~ibb.co~/cwUTmd/Banner.jpg

Yes, that is correct. RGB. I am not a huge fan of RGB, but as everything is RGB at the moment I thought I would embrace it. Afterall, I have done things in the past that included RGB lighting, but I usually just set all the colours to one and leave it at that.

So, First things first.

Hardware pron:

A huge thanks goes out to Cooler Master for this project, seriously, I was just chilling out one day having some food and I got a message asking if I fancied doing a build. Cooler Master sorted out pretty much everything (bar a processor). They offered their cooling too, but obviously, I want to use Alphacool as I am now staff. Once again, a huge thank you guys!

This is what turned up:

https://preview.~ibb.co~/jqZuRd/16.jpg

So, let's go through some of it... First of all, the ASUS stuff! Now, as some of you may know, ASUS are one of my favourite sponsors, they help me out a lot and I meet the team a few times a year at events and they're always top folks. However, for this build, ASUS Taiwan dealt with the motherboard and one of the 1070s who I have never met! (I was meant to, but I ended up in hospital whilst in Taiwan!!)

The motherboard is the ROG Strix Z370-F Gaming. This is the first Z370 board I have had and it is rather tasty.

https://preview.~ibb.co~/hRYhCJ/3.jpg

As always, the Strix board is quite aggressive and has some nice details, I like the hidden m.2 slot for instance.

https://preview.~ibb.co~/hYUNCJ/4.jpg

I was surprised there weren't more USB ports on the back of the board, but I have a 12 port and an 8 port powered USB hub anyway, so that doesn't matter to me! :D

https://preview.~ibb.co~/m6JM6d/5.jpg

mmmmmmmm.... socket.

https://preview.~ibb.co~/jDtomd/6.jpg

As mentioned, ASUS TW sent me 1 x 1070 Strix for this build.... "but there are 2", I hear you cry. Yes... remember when I said ASUS are babes? they sent me one a while back for another build and as always, I repurpose everything that I can :D

https://preview.~ibb.co~/fEXsCJ/7.jpg

I was really struggling to find a processor for this build. Until very recently I would only have a few pounds a month to myself to spend and most of that would go on paint, tools and other items so a new processor was going to be a big hit for me. I did think about doing the build without a processor, but whilst talking to my guys at ASUS, they mentioned they had an 8700k that I could have! Mental.

https://preview.~ibb.co~/d6Sg6d/10.jpg

So, that is the motherboard, GPUs and CPU sorted - I think this is going to be a beast!

https://preview.~ibb.co~/eVng6d/9.jpg

For the SSD and the RAM, Cooler Master managed to get Apacer on board with me, this is the first time I have used Apacer for a build so a huge thanks for supporting me!

https://preview.~ibb.co~/ggXERd/11.jpg

As always, I am as honest as possible and I am not sure about the aesthetics of this memory, but, that is why I mod things! I will make them something I like. If everything was perfect, there would be no point in modding it!

https://preview.~ibb.co~/iYq16d/12.jpg

Once I had popped the ram into the slots, it does look a lot more pleasing to me - What do you folks think?

https://preview.~ibb.co~/dQyomd/13.jpg

I really do like the SSD however, like, I NEED this pattern somehow. I might have to change the panther to a Unicorn though just to fit in with the theme :D

https://preview.~ibb.co~/gXm8md/15.jpg

Now, let's get onto the case! I was asked if I wanted an H500P or the Cosmos C700P. Now, I REALLY like the cosmos, but I know a lot of my modding friends are working on them, so I thought I would go for this one instead.

https://preview.~ibb.co~/gkfnCJ/14.jpg

ooooh, I made a gif!

gif.gif


So, this is the case! when I took these pictures, I had no idea what I was going to do with this, in fact, I still don't really, but I certainly have a theme now!

https://preview.~ibb.co~/nGLFzy/17.jpg

These vents are not going to be black once I have finished with them.

https://preview.~ibb.co~/eHQb6d/18.jpg

In fact, the whole case needs to change colour... and I am not sure about this layout for me either!

https://preview.~ibb.co~/fJXjsJ/19.jpg

The PSU cover is great... but... I doubt I will keep the PSU here...

https://preview.~ibb.co~/nehOmd/20.jpg

A lot of people love this case because of the huuuuuuuuge fans. Well, I don't think I will be keeping them! Sorry!! I am a big fan <- fan... get it? Of 120mm fans so I will be using those.

https://preview.~ibb.co~/nyrzRd/21.jpg

So, I want to RGB all of the things. I don't particularly like RGB, so I thought I would go all in for it and make my PC look like a unicorn farting rainbows.

https://preview.~ibb.co~/eoBNey/22.jpg

Obviously, I am going to be using Alphacool for the liquid cooling, but I will go through the parts I have chosen for this build at a later date.... but I think I have plenty of fittings!

https://preview.~ibb.co~/gpnTKy/23.jpg

So, the first task? stripping down the case - how far can a case be stripped? well... very.

https://preview.~ibb.co~/cXMusJ/a8.jpg

This is where I am going to leave it for now, I have ideas. you can see a rather big clue as to what the idea is here ;)

https://preview.~ibb.co~/imT7CJ/a12.jpg

For now though, I am going to leave you with this... Yes, I did buy this costume thing just for this build.

https://preview.~ibb.co~/mNzfXJ/IMG_1245.jpg
 
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Looking forward to this.

Have the same motherboard, the lack of USB was the first thing I thought of when I looked at the IO!
 
FL630 said:
Looking forward to this.

Have the same motherboard, the lack of USB was the first thing I thought of when I looked at the IO!
Click to expand...

Yeah, the board isn't too expensive however and there are more on the higher tier boards. In all honesty, I have noticed a lot of manufacturers have reduced the number of USB ports on motherboards, I have no idea why! Hopefully, USB C becomes more popular and then they take up less space :D
 
Is there something deeply wrong with me for checking for updates, and find myself just looking at the onesie picture :confused:
 
Oooou, I have been really busy this last week so I haven't managed to keep on top of this thread!

orbitalwalsh said:
@davido_labido
when does OCUK start stocking gear like their Caseking counterparts ? :D
Click to expand...

(sorry I missed this post first time around!) Some parts are already trickling in!! If there is anything in particular you would like to see, let us know! I am sure @Robbie_G will do his best to get them in stock ;)

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/search?sSearch=alphacool

LePhuronn said:
Have at it, son. Get those farts going!
Click to expand...

*Fthhwaaaaaawert*

Brizzles said:
Is there something deeply wrong with me for checking for updates, and find myself just looking at the onesie picture :confused:
Click to expand...

I think you are the only one doing it right tbh.

Aneskimo said:
Mr Labido that onsie ;) oh look forward to updates bud
Click to expand...

I know right, I am seeeeeeeexy!
 
davido_labido said:
Oooou, I have been really busy this last week so I haven't managed to keep on top of this thread!

(sorry I missed this post first time around!) Some parts are already trickling in!! If there is anything in particular you would like to see, let us know! I am sure @Robbie_G will do his best to get them in stock ;)

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/search?sSearch=alphacool
Click to expand...

Ad Hoc GPU blocks - stuff that "main stream" miss would be cool , and eisbaer 420 since there is no other 3x140mm AIO on the market here :D
 
Whilst the weather was still rubbish, I decided to at least start on the waterblocks.

image.jpg




Alphacool NexXxoS GPX blocks this time, for my next build, I will be using the new Alphacool blocks, they're rather sexy!

image.jpg


One thing I do like about these blocks is how the bags are colour coded, it makes it so much easier to know which pads go where on the instructions.

image.jpg


First thing I did was just a quick test fit of the card. Always worth doing if you're going to mod a block!

Fits perfectly! Yay!

image.jpg


Have some (anti) peel porn ;) :p



image.jpg

We're going to be giving these blocks a quick blast with some paint, nothing too crazy, but still, I want to make sure that I mask off the areas that I need to.

image.jpg


Obviously, anything that touches the card I want to keep paint free. I won't be spraying the underside of the block, but when it gets sprayed some will inevitably get on it so as a precaution I taped the contact plates.

image.jpg


A quick coat of primer and a quick coat of white and I am done! Hopefully, they will dry in this horrible weather... seriously, this year sucks for me so far! I can't do anything outside!!!

image.jpg


The next job is to de-rivet the whole case. Quite a few of you are on my facebook (search davido_labido) so you will have seen the completed article, but here is the process!

27983090_10155596989257669_7285689251962301186_o.jpg


first I took the lid off, I want to invert the case, so everything needs to be flipped.

image.jpg


I still want to floor to be the floor, this does mean I am actually making the case less useful for liquid cooling at the moment. The reason being is that the rad space at the top will be fouled by the PSU now. I might put a rad on the bottom though, I will see how it pans out.



So many rivets! This was around 50% of the way through the case...

image.jpg


As it had started to rain/snow/sleet/drop hellfire outside again, I had to resort to using sheers to cut the case in places where I needed to remove things.

image.jpg


My cutters are rubbish... it wasn't really worth doing, but it allowed me to test fit how the case would be!

a10.jpg


early in the morning the following day, there was a little bit of sun! Wooooohooooo! time to do some work outside
a17.jpg


First things first, clean up that horrible edge that the sheers made.

a14.jpg


Then rivet the case all back together to make sure inverting it doesn't make it too unusable.

a13.jpg


Yay! It worked!

Hmmmm, I am going to have to make a bracket to hold the PSU I think!

a12.jpg


Also, some of the edges don't really go together properly, not a problem, I will make some makeshift brackets for now and then if they can be seen when I finish, I will make some nicer ones.

a15.jpg


It all fits together! Yay. Well, time to drill out all the rivets again.... I want to change the colour of the case!

That is where I am going to leave it for today! Now a question for you....



... I have 3 blocks which one should I use in this build? The build will be white and multi-coloured basically.



clear satin with RGB ring?

image.jpg


Clear with RGB ring?

image.jpg


Black XPX but with a white casing

image.jpg


Let me know folks!
 
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My initial thought is satin with RGB because I'm sick to death of seeing everybody try to light clear acrylic and just get blotchy hotspots where the LEDs sit. At least the satin will diffuse properly. But then on the clear CPU blocks the LEDs do catch all the edges and channels so it kinda works.
 
LePhuronn said:
My initial thought is satin with RGB because I'm sick to death of seeing everybody try to light clear acrylic and just get blotchy hotspots where the LEDs sit. At least the satin will diffuse properly. But then on the clear CPU blocks the LEDs do catch all the edges and channels so it kinda works.
Click to expand...



Tbh, the way the RGB ring sits on the blocks, the lighting is very even over the whole thing:I just can't decide which I like the best.

orbitalwalsh said:
Not keeping Strix backplate for RGB ? Not to hard with longer m3s in the right places :)
Click to expand...

I was actually thinking of doing this... (and still might) but the main thing is the backplate won't be seen as I have flipped the case, so they will be underneath :/
 
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