Project: FRB

Dirk Diggler

Dirk Diggler

Dirk Diggler

Soldato
Joined
6 Jan 2013
Posts
22,170
Location
Rollergirl
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MM Sale Thread: https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?p=29145685#post29145685


Having spent another full day of to and fro and justifying a purchase to myself, I've finally realised the obvious: I'll never be content with what I have. As soon as the latest one is built, I need a new project to be pottering on with. It's a never ending process, and in Scotland this is known as the Forth Rail Bridge Effect :p

As I progress, I'll usually find parts have become surplus to requirements and I'll sell them on. I always sell in the MM as I prefer to see well looked after kit go back to the OCUK community. I prefer to buy new kit for warranty reasons, but I've been known to pick up a bargain or two in the MM also. See the link under the bridge if you want to buy any of my "no longer required" kit. Please do not discuss items for sale in this project log thread

Current objective: Get the secondary system put together and plan how to apply the next coat of paint - A full custom loop for the main system that I may build in a Parvum S2.0 or maybe a different case.


More to follow... :cool:
 
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First move is to get the second system up and running, then get some plans made. This system is used in my conservatory for general TV/Movies and also doubles up as a gaming system for my son. He's a PS4 boy :( but he enjoys use of my Steam library and has been known to add a few titles of his own ;). No monitor here, it's all getting hooked up to a 40" LCD TV.

Most goodies have arrived to allow me to get the secondary system built. Just waiting for the case from Ocuk and a Corsair H80i that I picked up in the MM. I also got the CPU/Mobo/RAM bundle & GPU in the MM.

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £1,014.73
(includes shipping: £0.00)
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CPU/MOBO/RAM : https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?p=29620221#post29620221
H80i : https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?p=29609767#post29609767
970 G1 Gaming : https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?p=29618380#post29618380
 
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This build is almost identical to mine... except I've opted for the Phanteks Enthoo Pro Mid Tower in white instead of the Parvum case :D

Chances are though yours will be built long before mine as I'm buying components a month at a time to keep costs down ;)
 
Noakesy85 said:
This build is almost identical to mine... except I've opted for the Phanteks Enthoo Pro Mid Tower in white instead of the Parvum case :D

Chances are though yours will be built long before mine as I'm buying components a month at a time to keep costs down ;)
Click to expand...

I need to keep it as small as possible as it's being positioned on a shelf under the TV (wall mounted).

I do like the Phanteks case and am considering it for my main build, but first impressions are it's just a bit big to be sat on the desk.

Enjoy your build.
 
Update : Initial build and some testing (and some headaches).


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At this point, I need to disregard Parvum's instructions as they show a panel being fitted that doesn't exist. I've also noticed another couple of anomolies with screw sizes etc, so might as well just work it out and crack on IKEA style. :D



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At this point, I realised that there would be no secondary top panel which also means those zinc screws are visible. They will have to be changed for black.


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With back panel fitted with one bolt, I now need to install the motherboard and GPU before I go any further. This is because of the unique support design for the GPU.


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A little picture of the motherboard with a packet of Haribo in there to give an idea of scale, it's tiny!

Excuse the rusty old dryer for a workbench. :o


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Towering over the mobo, this thing is huge and will surely keep things nice and cool...


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A little snobbery here, using a Noctua industrial in place of the supplied fan.


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And it's all for nothing, as the cooler is too large. :( I wish I had checked before pasting and bolting up.

The product page for the case says max height 160mm and the page for the cooler says it is 158mm high. Tight, but it should have worked out. It turns out that 160mm is a typo on the OCUK website, and Parvum have it listed as max height of 150mm.

So, Intel stock cooler it is. :eek:


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You can see the fixing method for the GPU, and TBH I think it's pretty poor considering the size and weight of modern GPU's.


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Managed to squeeze in a cheeky 4TB mech drive as a temporary measure while I source some decent sized SSD's. I reckon you could fit 4 SSD's on the little shelf at the top where the OS drive is hanging at the minute.


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Something really strange happened when I installed that front fan (left hand side). It made an unbearable racket, a really loud hum. After changing fans out and getting the same result, I finally switched it from intake to extract and the sound was gone. I really didn't see that one coming.

I also changed the little 80mm BeQuiet fan from extract to intake and fitted a little dust filter betweem the fan and the case (you can just see the filter if you look closely).

Next job for me will definitely be some cable braiding, those stock PSU cables are horrid, as is the red plugs. What are SuperFlower thinking about with them?


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And in it's natural habitat, ready for some gaming. :cool:


Next on the list is to braid some cables, and work out how to get the CPU cooled properly before I overclock it.
 
Stress testing now complete. I never run Prime95 or similar unrealistic programs. It's like driving your car 60mph for 24hours in 1st gear, it might tell you the engine is robust but what's the point?

I ran Handbrake for half an hour to test the CPU temperature, and I ran 20 loops of Firestrike Extreme to test the GPU temps. As the CPU is at stock BIOS settings due to the lack of decent cooling, I'm not too concerned about stability only temperature.

One thing that strikes me here is just how capable this system is at stock settings. Sometimes we spend a heap of cash when "out the box" is every bit as good for the intended use. Obviously, I'm not going to leave this system as it is... I'm just making the point. :D

It's cool, quiet and very capable. A good foundation to build on.


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Handbrake for 30 mins



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Firestrike for 20 loops at Extreme



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GPU stats from Firestrike run.
http://i.imgur.com/XyUtWaD.png


Now, for some cable braiding research to see if we can make things a little prettier. :p
 
There is something about small Parvum builds that I really love, even though I've never done one myself.

There's deffinetely a lot of skill required in building great looking systems of this reletively small size - and these are spot on.

Great job and looking forward to seeing more pictures when its finished.
 
Having researched the braiding aspect, I think I'll have to rule it out.

  • The majority of the cable will be hidden in the PSU compartment.
  • The case is so small that by the time the water cooling components are installed, any cable in the front will be barely noticed.
  • The Superflower 8 pin PCI-E only have 6 cores, with some loop links and resistors attached.

Rather than invest the considerable time, I'm going to install some extensions instead.

Now to plan the waterworks, and that's going to be tight too... But worth the challenge (I hope).
 
Laputacake said:
That poor GPU. Surely you must be able to attach it to the case somehow or at least allow less wiggle room with the current "mounting" system.
Click to expand...

I think I'll need to rely on some hard pipe to keep it supported ;)

EDIT: Having researched 13mm hard pipe, the materials and required tools are very difficult to come by. It seems most builds are done with 16mm pipe, but there's no way I could achieve the required bends in such a restricted space.

Con: I'll have to abandon the custom loop for the time being and either fit a decent heatsink or maybe a H80i. I can revisit this when it's time to downgrade one of the 980ti from the main rig. A custom loop in such a small case is a challenge I definitely want to take on at some point.

Pro: The main rig has no such restrictions on tube dimensions, so planning can begin for that loop just as soon as I get the little build finished. :cool:
 
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480GB SSD has been sourced from MM (£50)
https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?p=29670463#post29670463

A tower cooler that actually fits is being sourced which will hopefully allow for a modest overclock to the i5 (£33) - 145mm tall, so should make it by 5mm this time. :eek:
http://www.cryorig.com/h7.php

Parts list for the aesthetics as follows:

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £62.80
(includes shipping: £8.70)
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