My Unspectacular Build & Setup

[Rheinwasser]

Before I start I'd like to mention that this will not be one of these uber-fancy watercooled systems.
Maybe it will be one day, but I doubt it.

This build log will be about me constantly upgrading my pc.
Around two years ago I bought a Pentium-4 PC for €30 and since then I have step by step upgraded all of the parts.
This is the way I will upgrade my PC in the future as well.
All pictures will be taken with my D5100 + Sigma DC 18-125 HSM.
I will try my best, but I am not a pro-photographer and the lighting situation in my room is pretty bad as well and i can't do anything about it either.
I am not a native english speaker so please tell me when I missspell words.

Parts:
CPU: FX-6300 G3258
CPU Cooler: Stock Cooler Antec h2o 920 RaijinTek Triton
Motherboard: 970 Extreme3 R2.0 Sabertooth Z97 Mk. I
Memory: 2x4GB G.Skill Sniper 1866Mhz CL9
Storage: Intel 530 Series 240GB SSD
Video Card: GTX 560 Ti SC
Case: Define R4
Power Supply: 750 G2
Displays: GL2460
Peripherals: R.A.T. 7 / Coolermaster Rapid-I

Updates:
Update #01 A long day of doing a lot of stuff! LEDs & more!
Update #02 Adding cable extensions and a SSD PCI bracket!
Update #03 Received my Sabertooth Z97
Update #04 Installed the Board
Update #05 RaijinTek Triton and some minor tweaks

To-Do-List (I will add your recommendations):
- paint my gpu white with plastidip
- get white cable extensions
- get cable clips for these extensions from icemodz and mdpc
- get a proper solution for drive mounting (probably a pcie bracket)
- get a cpu cooler, haven't decided yet (raijintek triton?)
- get new mainboard and CPU (probably gryphon z97 and g3258)
- need a LGA1150 CPU
- get a psu cover
- cut a window
- cut a window on the back
- plastidip my mainboard?

I will try to answer all of your questions and listen to your recommendations. Your feedback is appreciated!
It would be great if you could follow this thread to receive notifications on new updates!

Thank you all for checking out my build log!
   -Rheinwasser
 


This is how it looks at the moment.

Edited April 11, 2015 by Rheinwasser

[Rheinwasser]

Update #01

 

 

This is my setup. Nothing special.

I forgot to take a picture so I had to take it when all cables were unplugged already.

My PC before doing any cahnges to it.

And no, there is not a triple radiator in the top.

My AIO that I will be giving away.

My power supply. I love this PSU for it's cables and for the semi-passive fan.

I have done way better cable management in the past, but i have kind of stopped doing that since its annoying to rip it apart everytime i change something in my pc.

I will be taking out the harddrivebay for better looks and airflow.

This will be going to my father..

.. but this will remain mine. It is ridiculous that I payed 160€ for this SSD.

I had UV coldlightcathods in the front I will be taking out as well. The effect wasn't that great and they are extremely bulky. I should have made my decision before sleeving them.  <_<

This gets taken out..

.. and this as well. I will sell them, PM me if you are interested.

I did put a NF-F12 in the bottom. It was a tight fit with the modular connectors.

My memory. If anybody is interested in CPU, MB, GPU and RAM PM me as well. I live in germany.

My start button was broken. I guess I pulled on it too hard one day. But it's not too bad, just soldered it on again.

Noctua's replacing the two Fractal fans in the front!

Oh my god, these are so sexy!

I did put the stock cooler on for now, I will be getting a new cooler soon and replacing my mainboard as well.

These are the only fans I am putting in the system for now.

You see it's pretty tight!

Eventhough it is a pretty old card it still looks really good in my opinion!

I will be painting it white with plastidip in the next time i think.

I put the sound dampening foam in for now.

Test-fitting led strips!

Sleeved front panel connectors!

Soldered on 3pin fan connectors on the led strips. Worked great!

5 meters did cost me 10€ on amazon. They took a little long for shipping but in their defense they came from Hongkong.

If you are ok with soldering on connectors yourself get these!

Looks good!

I was tired so I didn't bother doing great cable management since I will be taking it apart again soon.

This is how it looks from the front!

The leds look awesome! Very happy with them!

I noticed too late that this picture is crap. Hope you still get the idea!

Already ordered some stuff, more updates to come!

Please remember to follow this thread!

[AlwaysFSX]

You should spoiler all those pictures... Not all of us here have super fast internet.

 

And wow, I miss the look of EVGA 500 series cards, those were cool.

[Archangel1994]

Ew, kingston V300 SSD. Also ew, Noctua fans. Noctua fans are ugly

[Rheinwasser]

You should spoiler all those pictures... Not all of us here have super fast internet.

 

And wow, I miss the look of EVGA 500 series cards, those were cool.

I am sorry, i thought about that, but on the other hand side I want people to see the pictures..

And yeah they are cool!

 

Ew, kingston V300 SSD. Also ew, Noctua fans. Noctua fans are ugly

haha, that's why its going in my dads pc. i got it for 25€, so i thought that would be a pretty good deal. 

that is exactly why i like them. 

[AlwaysFSX]

Ew, kingston V300 SSD. Also ew, Noctua fans. Noctua fans are ugly

I agree with you on the SSD, but not  the fans.

 

I am sorry, i thought about that, but on the other hand side I want people to see the pictures..

And yeah they are cool!

Well I don't mind opening them to see, but I want each picture load all the way before I look at it, not all of them a few pixels at a time. D:

[Rheinwasser]

-snip-

 

Well I don't mind opening them to see, but I want each picture load all the way before I look at it, not all of them a few pixels at a time. D:

ut some people wouldn't open them maybe..

but thanks for your feedback anyways, i will look what i can do for the next update. :-)

[flibberdipper]

I like it.

[AlwaysFSX]

ut some people wouldn't open them maybe..

but thanks for your feedback anyways, i will look what i can do for the next update. :-)

Just a thought.

 

Makes the page scroll faster if the pictures are spoiler'd because my computer is full of failure. :lol:

[Rheinwasser]

I like it.

What, the pictures being not spoiler'd or the rig? 

[flibberdipper]

What, the pictures being not spoiler'd or the rig? 

The nice rig needs spoilers.

 

Two birds with one stone.

[SAV1OUR]

why are you getting rid of the aio?

[Rheinwasser]

The nice rig needs spoilers.

 

Two birds with one stone.

well, thank you sir!

i will see what i can do for the next update.

but i admit, i was a bit spammy with all of these pictures. 

[Rheinwasser]

why are you getting rid of the aio?

warning: this might not make sense.

 

the cables are not detachable.

i'd like a 240 or 280 rad.

 

i know this is stupid, i can't explain it.

i will probably get a new motherboard first and then think about it again. 

[SAV1OUR]

warning: this might not make sense.

 

the cables are not detachable.

i'd like a 240 or 280 rad.

 

i know this is stupid, i can't explain it.

i will probably get a new motherboard first and then think about it again. 

mmm alright i guess,as for motherboard go with something like a gigabyte 990fx ud3 because its amazing 

[ohJey]

The nice rig needs spoilers.

 

Two birds with one stone.

offtopic, but..1337

[Son of Mike]

I really enjoy these incremental style builds, in part because it's what I do too. Nicely done, keep them coming.

[Rheinwasser]

mmm alright i guess,as for motherboard go with something like a gigabyte 990fx ud3 because its amazing 

yeah i thought about that. if i will stay amd, i will do that for sure unless new stuff gets released in the next time. :-)

 

i might go intel though, mainly because the motherboards available are way better.

the gryphon z97 looks really sharp to me. i love the fan control software and the armor!

in that case i'd get a g3258 now and upgrade to broadwell later. :-)

[Rheinwasser]

I really enjoy these incremental style builds, in part because it's what I do too. Nicely done, keep them coming.

thanks dude!

[Rheinwasser]

Update #2

 

Sorry that is has taken so long!

I am pretty busy with school at the moment.

But i hope that i can post new updates more frequently now.

Spoiler: I ordered a Sabertooth Z97 MK I  :wub:

 

cable-managing the led cables a little bit..

the leds were a little bit bright, i sit right next to them.

this is how i made them a little darker, the colour changed a little bit but it's fine.

stuff going in the build today.

ended up not putting the 140 to 120 adapter in since i didn't install the aio quite yet, i am waiting for my new motherboard.

this is how it looks for now.

the cable grommet didnt match my 24pin connector so i put it around the motherboard tray.

thanks for reading!

please remember to subscribe!

[SAV1OUR]

WELCOME TO THE SABERTOOTH CLUB!  

[Rheinwasser]

WELCOME TO THE SABERTOOTH CLUB!

haha thanks! 

 

i got it because i love the armour, the looks and the fan control.

looking forward to plastidipping it 

[SAV1OUR]

haha thanks! 

 

i got it because i love the armour, the looks and the fan control.

looking forward to plastidipping it 

so far i have found that i don't have to tweak anything fan wise, if you plug both cpu fans it will automatically scale the voltage when it heats up same with the lower ones, when you mount a fan at the bottom of your case and the gpu warms up it gets more voltage etcc etc 

[Rheinwasser]

so far i have found that i don't have to tweak anything fan wise, if you plug both cpu fans it will automatically scale the voltage when it heats up same with the lower ones, when you mount a fan at the bottom of your case and the gpu warms up it gets more voltage etcc etc 

this is exactly what i was looking for. :-)

[Rheinwasser]

Update #03

 

i received my sabertooth z97 mk I. i did get my g3258 as well.

 

disclaimer: this may not be interesting to everybody who uses this board 

 

the packaging kinda looks similar to my old board..

but i am pretty sure the sabertooth is A LOT better.

never seen a foam padded io shield.

probably useless, but it doesnt hurt either.

i installed the smaller fan in the back, i will probably end up turning it off though.

the other fan just looks awkward imo.

i dont like these. i think they should include extension cables instead, this is to bulky.

the could have done a better job on this as well..

#55

horrible case badge.

this actually looks kinda cool.

this is where the second fan is meant to go.

i think this is great. it feels so good!

i am thinking about plasti-dipping parts of the cover.

thanks for reading (or looking at the pictures)!

please remember to follow this thread!