Roast my build

[mid_gen]

My dalliance with Mac has been fun, but I need a game dev machine again

Keen to make a nice little itx build, and specced this up. Never done one before and am not really up with the complexities of a modern build so let me know if there's anything wrong here.

I want the intel chip for the QuickSync media encoders. System is primarily for coding and video editing with gaming a lower priority, which is why I've gone for this CPU. Seems good value.

My basket at OcUK:

• 1 x Fractal Design Terra Mini-ITX Case - Jade (SKU: CA-0B0-FD) = £174.95
• 1 x MSI B860I Edge TI WIFI (LGA 1851) DDR5 ITX Motherboard (SKU: MOT-MSI-05938) = £199.99
• 1 x Intel Core Ultra 7 265K (Arrow Lake) Socket LGA 1851 Processor - Retail (SKU: PRO-INT-03111) = £289.99
• 1 x Noctua NH-L12S Low Profile CPU Cooler - 120mm (SKU: HS-03G-NC) = £59.99
• 1 x CORSAIR SF Series SF850 Fully Modular 80 PLUS Platinum SFX Power Supply (SKU: POW-CRS-02469) = £174.95
• 1 x PNY XLR8 Gaming EPIC-X 64GB (2x32GB) DDR5 PC5-48000C30 6000MHz Dual Channel Kit (SKU: MEM-PNY-04562) = £229.99
• 1 x Zotac GeForce RTX 5080 Solid Core 16GB GDDR7 PCI-Express Graphics Card (SKU: GRA-ZTC-04544) = £959.99
• 1 x NVIDIA - Borderlands 4 Standard Edition & the Gilded Glory Pack DLC (SKU: DIG-NVI-06102) = £0.00

Total: £2,101.84 (includes delivery: £11.98)​

I use a 6k monitor so I'll be DLSSing the hell out of it, or running at 2:1 pixel mapping around 1440p.

 

[mid_gen]

Actually....the SFF cards going to be necessary for the Terra? I can live with a 5070ti as I can use both it's and the Quicksync media engines simultaneously.

My basket at OcUK:

• 1 x Fractal Design Terra Mini-ITX Case - Jade (SKU: CA-0B0-FD) = £174.95
• 1 x MSI B860I Edge TI WIFI (LGA 1851) DDR5 ITX Motherboard (SKU: MOT-MSI-05938) = £199.99
• 1 x Intel Core Ultra 7 265K (Arrow Lake) Socket LGA 1851 Processor - Retail (SKU: PRO-INT-03111) = £289.99
• 1 x Noctua NH-L12S Low Profile CPU Cooler - 120mm (SKU: HS-03G-NC) = £59.99
• 1 x CORSAIR SF Series SF850 Fully Modular 80 PLUS Platinum SFX Power Supply (SKU: POW-CRS-02469) = £174.95
• 1 x PNY XLR8 Gaming EPIC-X 64GB (2x32GB) DDR5 PC5-48000C30 6000MHz Dual Channel Kit (SKU: MEM-PNY-04562) = £229.99
• 1 x NVIDIA - Borderlands 4 Standard Edition & the Gilded Glory Pack DLC (SKU: DIG-NVI-06102) = £0.00
• 1 x Zotac GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Solid SFF 16GB GDDR7 Graphics Card (SKU: GRA-ZTC-04898) = £719.99

Total: £1,861.84 (includes delivery: £11.98)​

 

[mid_gen]

Well, ordered now, although I went with the SF1000 psu as there was a b-stock one available, in case I want to upgrade the GPU down the line.

For now I’ve bought a 5070 FE. Maybe upgrade to a 24gb 5080 super if and when they appear.

 

[deviation]

Surely that CPU heatsink isn't going to what what you want? I thought Intels always ran really hot, and hotter than AMD? Along with a MITX, that's going to be a bit warm in there?

 

[ODuffer]

So the build will roast itself? (sorry!)

 

[deviation]

So the build will roast itself? (sorry!)

 

[mid_gen]

Surely that CPU heatsink isn't going to what what you want? I thought Intels always ran really hot, and hotter than AMD? Along with a MITX, that's going to be a bit warm in there?

So the build will roast itself? (sorry!)

Needs must in an ITX build. It's definitely going to run warm compared to my old gigantic full ATX system, with a huge D15 cooler, but should be fine.

I've ordered a 120mm Noctua to exhaust out the bottom of the case as well.

I don't actually game much, more used for video editing and game dev which is mostly fairly light loads, with short periods of intense use.

 

[deviation]

Needs must in an ITX build. It's definitely going to run warm compared to my old gigantic full ATX system, with a huge D15 cooler, but should be fine.

I've ordered a 120mm Noctua to exhaust out the bottom of the case as well.

I don't actually game much, more used for video editing and game dev which is mostly fairly light loads, with short periods of intense use.

Forgive me, I haven't checked, by I'm guessing by your reply, that this case is one of those that only favour AIO's and don't provide proper CPU HSF clearance? As many I've seen do, bar the ones with the rotated GPU mountings that remove the standard mounting option - is it one of those?
Did you actually need it to be MITX versus MATX then? As there's many cases that can do both around the size of yours, that don't compromise on CPU HSF clearance.

Will the video editing be offloaded onto the GPU more then, versus cooking the CPU?

Either way, it looks like a nice lil build dude

 

[mid_gen]

Forgive me, I haven't checked, by I'm guessing by your reply, that this case is one of those that only favour AIO's and don't provide proper CPU HSF clearance? As many I've seen do, bar the ones with the rotated GPU mountings that remove the standard mounting option - is it one of those?
Did you actually need it to be MITX versus MATX then? As there's many cases that can do both around the size of yours, that don't compromise on CPU HSF clearance.

Will the video editing be offloaded onto the GPU more then, versus cooking the CPU?

Either way, it looks like a nice lil build dude

You can't get an AIO in the Fractal Terra (no space for a radiator), your only option is a low profile air cooler.

I did look at mATX, but they still look massive compared to ITX, and with my current office setup it'll sit quite nicely on the desk.

Video editing is mainly GPU, I don't use heavy visual effects though, so it's mostly the media engines doing the work (the Intel Quicksync engines on the 265k + the Nvidia engines).

 

[deviation]

You can't get an AIO in the Fractal Terra (no space for a radiator), your only option is a low profile air cooler.

I did look at mATX, but they still look massive compared to ITX, and with my current office setup it'll sit quite nicely on the desk.

Video editing is mainly GPU, I don't use heavy visual effects though, so it's mostly the media engines doing the work (the Intel Quicksync engines on the 265k + the Nvidia engines).

Ah damn, that'd be a hard nope for me, considering most cases of that size can do both MITX/MATX along with a proper cooler. Just off the top of my head, the NR200P was a great example - not all versions but IIRC the V1 could do a 155MM HSF and a reasonable GPU?

Either way dude, it's a nice build, as long as it doesn't sound like a fighter jet taking off a carrier, I'm sure you'll love it

 

[Tetras]

Surely that CPU heatsink isn't going to what what you want? I thought Intels always ran really hot, and hotter than AMD? Along with a MITX, that's going to be a bit warm in there?

The Core Ultra CPUs are pretty cool running, though I do have the same concern, that's a flimsy heatsink for a 265K. Could always set the power down though, which should help.

The higher-end 13th-14th gen CPUs get hot just because of the top-end power usage, they're not inherently hot, whereas AMDs are the other way around, low power usage, but tend to be hot anyhow.

 

[deviation]

The Core Ultra CPUs are pretty cool running, though I do have the same concern, that's a flimsy heatsink for a 265K. Could always set the power down though, which should help.

The higher-end 13th-14th gen CPUs get hot just because of the top-end power usage, they're not inherently hot, whereas AMDs are the other way around, low power usage, but tend to be hot anyhow.

Oh my bad, I stand corrected Was it just everything before them i7/i9 wise? My memory is just a blur of people moaning about thermal throttling even using massive AIO's, and issues with them failing this year

AMD was obviously feeling left out, that's why they invented the 5800X/X3D, to bring the fire to the fight - I'll get my coat

 

[Tetras]

My memory is just a blur of people moaning about thermal throttling even using massive AIO's, and issues with them failing this year

Yeah, that was mainly the high-end CPUs, like the 14900K. When run power unlimited they can insta-throttle even with the best cooling. When gaming they're usually under ~200ish, which can still be tricky for air coolers.

I think a lot of the trouble comes from old Intel users (from the quad core era, 1st-7th gen), who expect it to run like say.. a 2600K or 3770K, but a 14900K is a completely different beast and more comparable to giant server CPUs of the time.

8th-10th gen is not too bad, but OCed (or running at high clocks) they can use a lot of power and run hot again, especially since e.g. the 10th gen CPUs can have up to 10 cores.

11th gen was backported to 14nm and has higher than average power use, though it was still the highest-end CPUs that most of the reporting focused on.

AMD was obviously feeling left out, that's why they invented the 5800X/X3D, to bring the fire to the fight - I'll get my coat

The 5800X was the hottest CPU of that AMD gen (maybe this too, not sure), just 'cos of the high clocks combined with a single die. If they'd made it 4x4 instead of 8x0 it would have been cooler, but also slower, so..

 

[deviation]

Yeah, that was mainly the high-end CPUs, like the 14900K. When run power unlimited they can insta-throttle even with the best cooling. When gaming they're usually under ~200ish, which can still be tricky for air coolers.

I think a lot of the trouble comes from old Intel users (from the quad core era, 1st-7th gen), who expect it to run like say.. a 2600K or 3770K, but a 14900K is a completely different beast and more comparable to giant server CPUs of the time.

8th-10th gen is not too bad, but OCed (or running at high clocks) they can use a lot of power and run hot again, especially since e.g. the 10th gen CPUs can have up to 10 cores.

11th gen was backported to 14nm and has higher than average power use, though it was still the highest-end CPUs that most of the reporting focused on.


The 5800X was the hottest CPU of that AMD gen (maybe this too, not sure), just 'cos of the high clocks combined with a single die. If they'd made it 4x4 instead of 8x0 it would have been cooler, but also slower, so..

Ahhh, that makes sense then! I saw videos of even the best 420 AIO's still not saving them from throttling, and reaching 90C, to which I was gobsmacked, but then, Intel...

I loved my Q6600, from 2.4GHz to 3.8GHz on air, without breaking a sweat, fully P95 and games etc stable. The GOAT of my CPU history, and 1 of all time IMHO! Oh how times have changed!

After that all I've red is rubbish about P and E cores, just give us all P cores? And then things regarding only boosting for X time, sorry what My AMD's don't do that? They just hold the rated GHz and stay pinned - the mind boggles

Yeah I remember that, I was shocked considering the models before it, and the fact a 5700X can easily match the performance real world even stock, let alone with a little PBO etc magic, even running at 120W or whatever, it doesn't get as hot as a 5800X.
Then I saw everyone saying it was pretty much mandatory to do a -20 or -25 on a 5800X3D.

 

[mid_gen]

Well....****. This build isn't going to work.

The Noctua cooler won't fit the motherboard. There's a gigantic metal lump by the backplate on the motherboard which means it can't fit with the fan underneath the cooler in any orientation. I did fine one orientation where it will fit with the fan mounted on top, but then the cooler is such that it won't fit in the case.

What's the deal with returns when this happens? I'm **** out of luck for not knowing this beforehand or what?

Now to dismantle everything

 

[mid_gen]

Ordered a Noctua NH-L9x65, arriving tomorrow. Might be undervolting this build to manage temps. Just as well I saw sense and didn't go for the 5090 over the 5070

The Fractal Terra is lovely. And the SF1000 PSU is amazingly dinky for a 1kw thing! Ah well, build time tomorrow instead.

 

[Tetras]

What's the deal with returns when this happens? I'm **** out of luck for not knowing this beforehand or what?

It would depend on the shop, but I'd assume they would deduct something if they inspect it, because it shouldn't be resold as new now.

For reference, Noctua have compatibility charts for most coolers on their website, though there's not many entries for the latest ITX boards.

For both of those coolers, they suggest you have no/little turbo headroom with that CPU.

 

[Gray2233]

Take a look at the Lian Li A3, it's M-ATX with plenty of space inside but relatively small as M-ATX's go.

Very similar in design/look to the Fractal Design Terra too.

 

[deviation]

Well....****. This build isn't going to work.

The Noctua cooler won't fit the motherboard. There's a gigantic metal lump by the backplate on the motherboard which means it can't fit with the fan underneath the cooler in any orientation. I did fine one orientation where it will fit with the fan mounted on top, but then the cooler is such that it won't fit in the case.

What's the deal with returns when this happens? I'm **** out of luck for not knowing this beforehand or what?

Now to dismantle everything

Ordered a Noctua NH-L9x65, arriving tomorrow. Might be undervolting this build to manage temps. Just as well I saw sense and didn't go for the 5090 over the 5070

The Fractal Terra is lovely. And the SF1000 PSU is amazingly dinky for a 1kw thing! Ah well, build time tomorrow instead.

I didn't want to jinx you, but yeah, I think that case is a jinx mate, you're going to have a nightmare like I worried, or have to faff about undervolting and it not 'just working'. I'd considering mine and @Gray2233 suggestion to change to a MATX friendly case of the same size, but with a proper HSF clearance, then you can just get the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 for pennies and do whatever you like, and in near silence

Take a look at the Lian Li A3, it's M-ATX with plenty of space inside but relatively small as M-ATX's go.

Very similar in design/look to the Fractal Design Terra too.

Yep, there's plenty of MATX/MITX capable cases the same size that support proper motherboards and HSF's.

 

[mid_gen]

It would depend on the shop, but I'd assume they would deduct something if they inspect it, because it shouldn't be resold as new now.

For reference, Noctua have compatibility charts for most coolers on their website, though there's not many entries for the latest ITX boards.

For both of those coolers, they suggest you have no/little turbo headroom with that CPU.

No compatibility for this new 1851 motherboard I can find. I’m pretty sure the L9x65 will fit fine.

I’m not super bothered about peak performance so happy to undervolt or reduce power limits if necessary. Tbh it will be rare the CPU is that stressed anyway is I have a 6k display which is going to bottleneck the GPU hard when gaming.