Thinking of getting into building a new PC system.

Chako · **Reply #120 on:** April 17, 2020, 07:32:55 PM

I have looked at those while building the system. Over here they run 60 to 80 dollars a cable. I was tempted.

I am still toying with this GPU bracket...

https://www.amazon.ca/Standing-Graphics-Holder-Brace-Support/dp/B07TN9QLV3/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=gpu%2Bsupport%2Bbracket%2B4%2Bpin&qid=1587144706&sr=8-5&th=1

Thinking of sending something custom for them to do...but am holding off till all this COVID 19 shipping thing is over.

Chako · **Reply #121 on:** April 26, 2020, 02:40:09 PM

Well this is quite fun. I bought a Thermaltake BlacX Duet HD docking station when building this new system. This morning, I went upstairs and removed my hard drives from one of my older computer and am now installing all my 2007/2008 images that I didn't have on my newer build. Going to take a long time, but well worth it. I will now have most of my photos together on the 4Tb drive.

Chako · **Reply #122 on:** May 25, 2020, 06:54:19 PM

Ok. There is a Thermaltake mod page with a bunch of items you can print from a 3D printer to upgrade, and improve the Thermaltake P3 case. I was able to print a pair of fan brackets that fit over the tempered glass shield that would direct air downwards. I figure having some air blowing down on the motherboard mosfets can be only a good thing considering I am using liquid cooling and the P3 is an open air case. Once I was able to print a set, i went looking on Amazon for a suitable fan. I came across a upHere PF360CF case fan that is basically 3 120mm fans together wired to 1-4 pin header. Now that would be kinda cool instead of having just the one fan blowing around my CPU socket. I found the fan came in rainbow colour which fits my case lighting perfectly. Last night, I printed another set and am glad I did, because having just the 2 would not have provided enough support I think. I also got a kick of the brand name upHere. Literally my intentions for this addition...to place it upHere.

.

IMG_8509A by Chako, on Flickr

IMG_8513A by Chako, on Flickr

That red PLA was the perfect choice for the case colour. There was a free spot on the DeepCool fan expansion box. It was a good spot to park it as I can do better cable management here than over the motherboard.

The more I look at the result, the more I like it.

Chako · **Reply #123 on:** June 05, 2020, 06:19:39 PM

Just got an MSI Optix G27C5 monitor. I am digging the curved display, and because it is a gaming dedicated monitor, my games are a lot smoother on it as well compared to my old HP monitor.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/msi-optix-g27c5-gaming-monitor-165hz

Chako · **Reply #124 on:** June 05, 2020, 08:48:21 PM

And the photograph...

IMG_8554A by Chako, on Flickr

SteveC · **Reply #125 on:** June 06, 2020, 02:01:20 PM

Nice !

Whoey · **Reply #126 on:** June 06, 2020, 04:41:48 PM

I was just watching this:

Dude has an A10 Flight sim build on the go, and added a 3rd projector to get a 270º view

Chako · **Reply #127 on:** June 06, 2020, 07:33:25 PM

That is cool.

Pricey though. 4K just for the cockpit part.

Whoey · **Reply #128 on:** June 06, 2020, 07:46:04 PM

If I had the room...

also, might be fun for stuff like mechwarrior too... so many options.

I've been starting to look at those ultra wide curved monitors for a while now... maybe once I'm not so nomadic. For now the laptop will do just fine!

Chako · **Reply #129 on:** June 06, 2020, 11:29:59 PM

I only have room for a 27" the way my desk is made. i know those 49" look really nice, if on the side of pricey.

Whoey · **Reply #130 on:** June 07, 2020, 11:19:03 AM

I was thinking the 34 range to be honest, my desk barely fits the 24 flat I have now, a lot of stuff like printer and NASes would have to move just for a 34 let alone anything bigger.

Chako · **Reply #131 on:** June 07, 2020, 01:59:56 PM

I had a 25" Asus monitor that sort of gave up the ghost. One day it refused to turn on. Put that in storage and used my spare 24" HP monitor from upstairs. I wanted a newer curved monitor. I calculated my max size was 27" seeing that newer monitors hardly have a bezel. Oddly enough...Asus appears to be working again when I tried it recently.

Chako · **Reply #132 on:** June 10, 2020, 09:06:35 PM

I found out today that games eat up a 500 Gb SSD drive. I was forced to uninstall a few games from Steam to make room for a new one. I think I will be looking for a 1GB drive down the road..

So far, my E drive contains the following:

3D Marks
Black Mesa (Just installed)
Borderlands 3
Command & Conquer Remastered Collection
Doom Eternal (not tried yet)
Fallout 76 (not tried yet)
Minion Masters
Monster Train
Slay the Spire
WarHammer 40000 Inquisitor - Martyr
WarHammer 40000 Inquisitor - Prophecy
Zero-K

With other titles removed, I now have 129Gb left on the drive.

Whoey · **Reply #133 on:** June 10, 2020, 10:01:58 PM

I've got GTA V (epic games giveaway a few weeks back)
Starcraft 2
Star Wars the old republic
Neverwinter
Cities Skylines
7 Days to die
LEGO star wars complete saga

TBH, mostly only playing cities skylines. barely fired up the rest, but intended to

Chako · **Reply #134 on:** July 16, 2020, 05:00:21 AM

Ok...I just found out that I can have the 9 LEDs under the MSI motherboard to change colour with the temperature of the CPU. Green under a certain temperature, then blue, and red for the hottest temperature. That is done under MSI's RGB Mystic Light program. Kinda cool, and it works great.

Don Pablo · **Reply #135 on:** August 06, 2020, 01:12:00 PM

Quote from: Chako on February 28, 2020, 12:28:54 PM

Not sure. I do not play either lol,

I recall buying 3D Mark back in 2016. Just updated the appropriate newer test called Time Spy and ran the new system through it. Thinking I would like to run the older system through the same test. Either way, this new build received a 3D mark using the 64bit version of Time spy of 6338. A graphics score of 6182, and a CPU score of 7402. When I checked the results online, 3D Mark stated that my system is better than 55% of all results. Not bad for a not top end build. What I do know is that this system is a lot better than my older 2013 computer system.

It also looks great on a wall.

Quote from: Whoey on February 28, 2020, 08:59:26 PM

laptop scores 3553, 3434 graphics, 4427 CPU.

no where near the same league, but portable.

My laptop is 438 in Time Spy 1.2, graphics 389 and CPU score 1575

Thanks for the heads up about Time Spy, I'm going to need it later.

Chako · **Reply #136 on:** August 06, 2020, 02:50:53 PM

Upgrading or buying new?

Don Pablo · **Reply #137 on:** August 06, 2020, 06:36:56 PM

New.

Sneak peek while I finish trying to wrangle ATX parts into a mini ITX case.

Chako · **Reply #138 on:** August 06, 2020, 10:40:19 PM

Nice. What are the specs on you new build?

Don Pablo · **Reply #139 on:** August 06, 2020, 11:58:36 PM

I made a list of the entire setup.

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/4wYtvW
Already had the PS/2 keyboard and old 1080p monitor.

The case is very nice, it's just that it's itty bitty and designed for a low profile CPU cooler + ATX PSU, OR full size stock cooler paired with small form factor PSU.
I have the full size stock cooler and a ATX PSU.

Had to chop down the stock cooler rim and remove the PSU fan grille to produce enough clearance for the CPU fan to even be able to spin.

I still need to round up some pics.
But temps are OK now.

50-60 Celsius when idle, 70 or so when playing a moderately demanding game like Fortnite on 1080p high settings (no lag!

).

SteveC · **Reply #140 on:** August 07, 2020, 12:10:06 AM

Way to Pablo your new build !

Don Pablo · **Reply #141 on:** August 07, 2020, 12:30:10 AM

Oh smurf, I didn't think of it that way.

Here's a quick before/after of the CPU fan chopping:

And the reason for the chopping:

The grille of the PSU fan was laying on the CPU cooler. And the PSU mounting point was another few mm lower.

Even the big chopping wasn't enough, afterwards the PSU grille was placing the weight on the CPU cooler fan hub. So the CPU fan couldn't even spin.

Cue the 70°C IDLE temps.

So I had to remove the PSU grille, and now it awl fits, fan-to-fan with a few mm of clearance. Still practically silent...

Chako · **Reply #142 on:** August 07, 2020, 04:15:26 AM

Nice work.

Don Pablo · **Reply #143 on:** August 08, 2020, 01:11:04 PM

Relocated the SSD, so I took the oportunity to take some pics.
https://imgur.com/a/2hlc0yW
An incredible nest of wires, but the 140mm fan is strong and silent!

As you can see, there is no grille on the PSU fan, and the cut-down CPU fan is blowing straight into it. A bit of a nasty hack, but should work ok.

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I didn't set out to make an anti-RGB batman PC, but that's what it ended up being.

I hope the lack of RGB doesn't decrease my fps too much.

Chako · **Reply #144 on:** August 09, 2020, 12:00:12 AM

Not sure. I hear that red makes things go faster.

Whoey · **Reply #145 on:** August 09, 2020, 10:06:05 AM

Rgb is pretty and all but...

Don Pablo · **Reply #146 on:** August 09, 2020, 11:42:15 AM

I am truly amazed that was a real SSD sold in shops.

Chako · **Reply #147 on:** August 09, 2020, 12:00:12 PM

Wow. No issues with my XPG S40G Spectrix thus far. Surprised that LED is giving off so much heat. I knew there was a good reason to go with a Thermaltake P3 case.

Don Pablo · **Reply #148 on:** August 15, 2020, 11:27:24 PM

So, I discovered that the CPU fan and PSU were counteracting each other.

94°C when stress testing was obviously... less than optimal.

Same heatsink, new fan.
Just a generic 80mm fan (original was 92mm with 80mm mounting holes) blowing in the opposite direction, into the PSU.
74°C when stress testing now.

20°C lower just by having a fan that isn't fighting the PSU.

Don Pablo · **Reply #149 on:** August 26, 2020, 04:42:06 PM

I think I'm done... I replaced the CPU cooler fan again, this time with a nice quiet Noctua.
Then I underclocked the CPU to reduce heat. 6% less performance in exchange for 15 less degree Cs.

Then I modded the case to make it stand on its side, so it looks like a cute mini-tower instead of a microwave.

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I think it looks nice, in a quiet sort of way.

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Thinking of getting into building a new PC system.

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