PROJECT, From XL-To XS Prodigy M-ATX

[hyperst]

Project XSMATX

Basically going from my big Fractal XL to a Bitfenix prodigy/white version and reusing what I can and trying to fit it in this smallish case.

Must say, Bitfenix and have done an amazing job on the case for such a small price, much more like a £100+ case, not a £59.99 on TWO, thanks OC's

I will be using my ASUS Gene V motherboard with a soon to be delidded i7 3770k, a single GTX 480, did consider using SLI like I have been doing but budget meant I had to sell some stuff to fund this, so one had to go, but I will still be water cooling this little beast to my best potential.

A full break down of parts that I want to use in this case,

ASUS Gene V Motherboard M-ATX
Intel i7 3770K
POV GTX 480
2x OCZ Agility 3's Replaced with Samsung 128GB 830
500Gb mechanical drive for storage
16GB of G-Skill ram Replaced with 8GB of Samsung green
EK FC full cover plexi/copper block and EK backplate for the 480
EK Water Blocks EK-Supremacy - Nickel/Plexi
EK Water Blocks EK-CoolStream RAD XT 240
Alphacool NexXxoS UT60 Full Copper 240mm Double Radiator
Laing D5 with EK-D5 X-RES 100 CSQ - Acetal
Going to go with Bitspower Matt black fittings I think.
Going all EK fittings if at all possible.

Colour them I want to go with will be, white, Green and black/black carbon fibre vinyl on some areas blue,black

I also have a donor Lian-Li PC-P50 Armorsuit case that's put itself up for some parts modification and it should help keep cost's down a little.

A few pics to start off with

The new case

The donor

Now I just got to mix it all up

 

[hyperst]

I was going to do a dual loop it will fit somehow, depending on temps I get, I might still go dual loop in it but I think the 2x240mm rads will cope pretty well with 3770k at 4.5 and a gtx 480 to about 850mhz.

 

[hyperst]

Thats why he will chop up the Lian-Li if I am not mistaken.

Yeah correct in a way, the lian-li will help a lot but yes the prodigy will need some mods done to it to fit an M-ATX board, but I want to keep my MGV so it has to be done one way or another, 1 more inch all round in the prodigy would have made it 100% suitable for M-ATX boards, but I like a little bit of modding so it will be fun.

 

[hyperst]

While I have been waiting to start this, I have had a quick mess about with SketchUp

Here is what I hope it will turn out like, not sure on the colour of the radiator grills or the top piece from the lian-li case or even the front of the case because I think I am going to use an aluminium panel in black as the front of the case, so it may well be both rad grills in white.

 

[hyperst]

Here is what initial layout inside should look like

looks like it should all fit in

 

[hyperst]

Is this too much colour or just so wrong it's funny?

The more I look at it the more I want to do it

Or a plainer version?

What do you think guys?

 

[hyperst]

Im working on the same at the moment with my Prodigy and getting a mATX board with WC in there, will start a log soon myself, best of luck with your build bud, will be watching with interest

Thanks, this week I am hoping to actually get the mother board tray in place and all fitted as good as I can, it's going to be a tight fit and every mm is going to count that's for sure in this little case, love the case though, it's just so easy to work with and plenty of modding options to it.

 

[hyperst]

Dont forget the power button abs usb plate on the right side pannel. It interfered in my build.
It can be swaped to the left side tho

Ah, that will be removed and not used at all probably, was thinking of putting the left panel on the right side of case to give some air flow from the holes that are in it and blanking of the rear 120/140 fan holes but don't think that will be enough with 4 fans all trying to get some air flow might have to drill the holes out a bit bigger if it's possible.

 

[hyperst]

I plan to make a front panel out of brushed aluminium from the lian-li case, I will attach the switch to the front and the usb 3.0 ports, I want a small panel attached to the front panel for them, similar to the Xigmatek Gigas Micro switch panel

 

[hyperst]

Some pics of what I have been doing so far, sorry about the quality, waiting for a new camera

The front panel in place and in shape, it's brushed black aluminium from the Lian-li, need to make a cutout in it for the front 240mm rad

The top rad is in place and all finished off in it's final position, maybe changing the grill or painting the grill

The inside with 2 fans attached to the rad in the roof, front is cut away to allow the front rad to be fitted to the new front panel

Lastly my 480 plexi block, as a bit of an experiment I have started to sand it to give it a frosted look, needs some more work with a rougher grade I think

Next to do is work on the motherboard tray and rear panel of the case to get it all in, got to order some more cutting discs for that as I have about 3 left

 

[hyperst]

Well this is taking longer than I thought it would, my fault for setting up the board on it's box and still being able to use it.

Got some done this week though and have got the motherboard in the case fitted so it's full steam ahead from now on, no new pictures as it's fairly messy until I can sort out the wiring, psu is in and have decided to have the res outside the case, not sure how this will turn out looks wise but to get any kind of tidiness to the wiring I needed the space inside, plus the return pipe to the res would have been extremely awkward to make it work, luckily I like the look of the res.

Completely chickened out of deliding the 3770k, just couldn't do it from fear, I tried but gave up almost instant , there's just no way I could risk £250 for 10c.

Pictures of it's current state soon.

 

[hyperst]

Some pictures of current state, it's usable now, just some stuff to finish up like fitting the ssd and hdd, lighting, and quiten the 2 fans connected to the cpu fan headers as AI Suite cannot control them (didn't see that coming) even with the supplied resitor they run at 1730rpm, which is way loud

 

[hyperst]

that looks proper smart! one of the best prodigy builds ive seen yet!

Thanks, glad you like it, going to be doing the window in the side panel this week and get another fan grill, might do the fan grills white, sort out some covers for the wiring that is stuffed down the side of the psu and fit the ssd and hd

 

[hyperst]

Sweet build Hyperst. Looks very nice and those bitfenix cases make the builds look seriously special. Great job

Thanks

Not sure i am a fan of the Outside front fans and the res... I tend to think it should all be internal.

Good job though, looks nice

If only there was an extra inch to the front of the case, everything could have gone inside, I just needed the space to be able to plug stuff in and out and this seemed the best way for now

This build is looking great Whilst the prodigy is a nice looking case, I do really think it should have been a M-ATX case to start with... It's too big for only mini itx motherboards in my opinion.

Agree, if Bitfenix put in a motherboard tray like I have, it would be quite easy for M-ATX and especially an air cooled rig.

Hard drives are now inside

 

[hyperst]

Yeah, mayhems blueberry pastel is the coolant.

 

[hyperst]

The only modding done (to get the M-ATX board in) was to the back panel and grinding the itx standoffs away from the actual case.

It was then a case of using a donor motherboard from the lian-li case and cutting it up along with the i/o area from the lian-li case and pop riveting them into position.

 

[hyperst]

Well the ITX boards are powerful enough for sure anyway, it's a good little case, for the price I don't think it can be beat

 

[hyperst]

hi Hyperst..

where in lincolnshire are you?

hmm, you not going to come round and rob me are you?

That's beautiful! Amazing job

thanks a lot

Looking good matey. One question though have yo not got any fans on exhaust ? They all look to be blowing air into the case

The two in the top are exhaust, was thinking of putting one more blowing into the back of the case once I get the side panel done, got to make a cutout for a window to finish it off first though, at least that way I know it will be positive pressure