Project Storm Shadow (NZXT Noctis 450 Build)

[Magic Puffin]

Damn this is sexy!

[Graffix3001]

Have you ever thought of painting those SSD's? You could just cover the ports with some good (non-crappy) painters tape. It might look pretty cool. Might not. Worth a try imo.

Funny you mention that.  I have had some ideas floating around in my head about this.  Stay tuned.

[Exploded117]

Funny you mention that.  I have had some ideas floating around in my head about this.  Stay tuned.

 

ooh, I am excited.

[Graffix3001]

So I finally ordered the CPU yesterday along with another fan.  I will get everything up and running just using the stock Intel cooler.  I wont be overclocking anything until I get the Corsair H100i GTX cooler,  That will be the last item I order for a little while until I go to a full custom loop.  I want to make sure everything operates as it should and when I determine everything is OK then I will do some more modding to the system.

I'll update when the CPU arrives.

[ELSknutson]

you need to pick your self up some white sleeved extensions

[Graffix3001]

you need to pick your self up some white sleeved extensions

I will end up going with a full custom length single sleeved kit with white and gray sleeving.  This will improve the look a lot.  I will purchase these after the Corsair CPU cooler.

[Graffix3001]

PROJECT STORM SHADOW UPDATE.....

 

So I have the computer up and running now just using the stock Intel cooler.  Everything is working fine except for my 2TB WD Green drive.  It seems to be D.O.A.  I am currently working with WD to get an RMA on it.

So as far as the hard drives here is what I will be doing with them.

I will be disassembling them and painting the covers white.  I still haven't decided which design to go with, either the Cobra Symbol or the Arashikage Symbol.  I'm leaning towards the Arashikage Symbol.  I already have the designs made and will be having decals made out of vinyl for those.  Instead of Plasti-Dip I am probably going to use white paint for the drives.

Also I have tested the Galax HOF card a little bit using Fire Strike in 3DMark.  The clock speed on this card is 1190MHz with a boost clock of 1291MHz.  Usage stock voltage I could only get the card overclocked up to 1442MHz on stock voltage and it was stable.  but more of that kind of stuff is to come down the road.

I'll keep you guys updated on the build as it will still be on going for the next month or so.

[vXhanz]

Wow... this is an awesome build! I LOVED Storm Shadow when I was a kid and GI Joe in general. I really think you should go with the Arashikage symbol though, it's more subtle. 

 

Maybe for the red square on the bottom you could do the Cobra symbol instead of the square? Either of them would look cool though . 

 

I agree that the keyboard should be hydro dipped... the black keys don't look good at all IMO. 

[Drixen]

Holy cow that is definitely white! Looks amazing though.

[Graffix3001]

So i finally got done running the Western Digital Diagnostic tool.  It took 12 hours.  The 2TB drive is bad.  It has bad sectors and it could not be repaired so I have to RMA it.

[Graffix3001]

Here's a small update.......

 

 

I was going to dissasemble the Samsung SSD's to paint the covers and found an article online that said the 3 back screws to remove were torx T5 screws.  I found that not to be the case.  They are actually screws that I have never heard of before.  They are the same ones on the bottom  iphones 6 and 5's.  They are pentalobe screws which are in the shape of a 5 pointed star.  So I had to order a small pentalobe screwdriver set on Ebay which come with 6 different sizes as I'm still not sure what the size is.  So that painting mod will be a little delayed.

In the meantime I plasti-dipped the rear water cooling gromets white that were originally black.  I have seen people paint them before but plasti dip worked really nice since it is a rubber that can flex.  Its such a small and easy thing to do but it makes such a drastic visual change.  Here are a couple shots of that.

 

 

 

 

I will wait to do all of the other grommets whenever I get the custom sleeved cables done.  I will also be painting the pci slot covers white too.

See you guys on the next update.

[Graffix3001]

Its been a while since I have posted an update for Project Storm Shadow as I have put it off for a while.

 

Here is the latest addition.......

 

Deepcool Captain 240 White All in One Cooler

 

 

I added some Bit Phoenix Spectre Pro 120mm fans for push inside of the case and moved the stock Deepcool fans on top of the case*which fits under the removable top) to pull.

 

If you notice in this pic and some of the others below I switched out the black PCI covers that came with this case with the white ones from my HTPC the Fractal Node 605.

 

 

I also forgot to mention that I got a new side panel to replace the one that came with the Noctis.  I got a side panel from an H440.

 

 

The next upgrade that I plan on doing is getting custom single braided cables.  I am trying to go through Sanctum Sleeving for those.I also sold my desk I had in my game room because I am about to purchase a new white desk from Ikea.  I will post an update when that is done.

[Tiger2921]

On 1/29/2016 at 8:51 AM, Graffix3001 said:

Its been a while since I have posted an update for Project Storm Shadow as I have put it off for a while.

 

Here is the latest addition.......

 

Deepcool Captain 240 White All in One Cooler

 

 

I added some Bit Phoenix Spectre Pro 120mm fans for push inside of the case and moved the stock Deepcool fans on top of the case*which fits under the removable top) to pull.

 

If you notice in this pic and some of the others below I switched out the black PCI covers that came with this case with the white ones from my HTPC the Fractal Node 605.

 

 

I also forgot to mention that I got a new side panel to replace the one that came with the Noctis.  I got a side panel from an H440.

 

 

The next upgrade that I plan on doing is getting custom single braided cables.  I am trying to go through Sanctum Sleeving for those.I also sold my desk I had in my game room because I am about to purchase a new white desk from Ikea.  I will post an update when that is done.

Could you possibly give some more info on that yellow LED on the top? Have you managed to disable/disconnect it? If so, please tell us how you did it seeing as this stupid LED ruins many black and white builds.

[Graffix3001]

Tiger2921, I Still haven't attempted to take anything apart as I kind of put the project on hold as I am updating my whole game room.  My initial plan was to get some type of red filter lens and put it over the led but that would ore than likely give me an orange color in the end.  There is no way to mix colors to get one of the primary colors like red that I am trying to get.

I just got the computer hooked back up but still have a few things to do to the room before I get back into finishing the mods on this build.

[victor de souza]

love this case

 

[Tiger2921]

6 hours ago, Graffix3001 said:

Tiger2921, I Still haven't attempted to take anything apart as I kind of put the project on hold as I am updating my whole game room.  My initial plan was to get some type of red filter lens and put it over the led but that would ore than likely give me an orange color in the end.  There is no way to mix colors to get one of the primary colors like red that I am trying to get.

I just got the computer hooked back up but still have a few things to do to the room before I get back into finishing the mods on this build.

Ok, but seeing as you have the card, could you have a fiddle around with GFE and other software to see if you can disable it? This would mean so much to me as I am considering buying the card over the Gigabyte G1. Also, are the LEDs in the black n450 that you transferred to the white n450 true red LEDs, or just white LEDs covered with red film? Are they hard to get to?

 

P.S. Awesome work with the mods, they look insane, well worth the time. (Love the camo )

[Graffix3001]

5 hours ago, Tiger2921 said:

Ok, but seeing as you have the card, could you have a fiddle around with GFE and other software to see if you can disable it? This would mean so much to me as I am considering buying the card over the Gigabyte G1. Also, are the LEDs in the black n450 that you transferred to the white n450 true red LEDs, or just white LEDs covered with red film? Are they hard to get to?

 

P.S. Awesome work with the mods, they look insane, well worth the time. (Love the camo )

OK by GFE, I am assuming you mean GeForce Experience.....  When I tried this after finishing the build I could of swore that it only affected the main LED on the side of the cared that says Hall Of Fame but after trying it just now and disabling it it does turn off both the led on the side and the yellow on on the back of the card as well.  There is no way that I see to separate the two.  The side LED does have a connector that I think you can unplug but I don't think the yellow Hall of Fame LED does.  So right now turning it all off is the only option I see now.

As far as the Noctis LED's on the bottom of the case they are red.  I don't think it is normal LED's with a diffuser over them because it is just spread out too evenly.  They seem to be some type of tape led material, not sure how to really explain it.  Everything was very simple just removing a few screws to change out. 

[Tiger2921]

5 minutes ago, Graffix3001 said:

OK by GFE, I am assuming you mean GeForce Experience.....  When I tried this after finishing the build I could of swore that it only affected the main LED on the side of the cared that says Hall Of Fame but after trying it just now and disabling it it does turn off both the led on the side and the yellow on on the back of the card as well.  There is no way that I see to separate the two.  The side LED does have a connector that I think you can unplug but I don't think the yellow Hall of Fame LED does.  So right now turning it all off is the only option I see now.

As far as the Noctis LED's on the bottom of the case they are red.  I don't think it is normal LED's with a diffuser over them because it is just spread out too evenly.  They seem to be some type of tape led material, not sure how to really explain it.  Everything was very simple just removing a few screws to change out. 

Thanks a ton Graffix3001, looks like I will be going with a white H440 and a Gigabyte 980 Ti G1 Gaming. I really appreciate the help from somebody who has the products first hand ?.

[Tiger2921]

18 hours ago, Graffix3001 said:

OK by GFE, I am assuming you mean GeForce Experience.....  When I tried this after finishing the build I could of swore that it only affected the main LED on the side of the cared that says Hall Of Fame but after trying it just now and disabling it it does turn off both the led on the side and the yellow on on the back of the card as well.  There is no way that I see to separate the two.  The side LED does have a connector that I think you can unplug but I don't think the yellow Hall of Fame LED does.  So right now turning it all off is the only option I see now.

As far as the Noctis LED's on the bottom of the case they are red.  I don't think it is normal LED's with a diffuser over them because it is just spread out too evenly.  They seem to be some type of tape led material, not sure how to really explain it.  Everything was very simple just removing a few screws to change out. 

Thanks graffix, appreciate it man. Ended up ordering the Gigabyte 980 Ti XTREME Gaming that I picked up for only $600!

[DaMainMan]

Quote

 

Have you thought about spraying a light coat of white over the camo on the case to make it for subtle? (To match the Motherboard). I think the case would look alot sleeker that way.