[Build Log] Gnosis Episode 2 - MMO Gaming/Video editing Workstation

[FranBunnyFFXII]

Hi everyone, I'm sure a few people saw my original Gnosis modding project that I posted here and else where on the web. Unfortunately due to some hardware and game compatibility issues Gnosis was dismantled, but it was not forgotten.

 

This time around I am returning to building PCs and re-purposing my ideas and hardware utilized for Gnosis, and creatined 

 

Gnosis Episode 2, my MMORPG and Video editing designed aircooled PC.

Based on the same principles of Gnosis's original design, Gnosis Episode 2 will retain some of its past influnces, but this time in a full fledged designed to spec desktop form factor.

 

 

Build name Origin

Gnosis in Greek is a feminine word meaning "Knowledge." Knowledge is what allows someone to design a PC specifically around the details that they wish to optimize for. Being a feminine word and I myself am female, the name is fitting for the project.

Gnosis Episode 2, is a reference back to Xenosaga Series, which held each installement in an Episodic designation. And as each game built upon what the last had made, and KOSMOS was revamped per episode, Episode 2 in reflection of where the name Gnosis was originally inspired in the first place, seemed rather fitting.

Gnosis is also the name of the Etheral like enemies of the Xenosaga series.

Paying homage to one of my favorite game series of all time.

 

 

Design Aspects

Gnosis Ep2 is designed around 2 core interests, Playing MMORPGs and effective Video editing.

 

A core i7 5820K, hexcore 12 threads provides a CPU designed fantastically for video editing applications.

It also provides access to great overclocking, which is advantageous for MMORPG players.

MMORPGs are heavily limited to non multicore utilizing single thread heavy game engines, and game behaviors that require very high single core performance.

A Haswell-E CPU overclocked provides both fantastic single core performance and plenty of threads for video editing.

 

R9 290X AMD GPU for Eyefinity and OpenCL workstation applications. Fantastic high resolution performance, and game compatibility.

 

5 drives, Tri-Drive Core, 2 dedicated Recording.

The Tri-Drive system I originally created for my laptop. This system involves 2 SSDs and 1 mass storage HDD.

1 SSD is dedicated purely to Windows Boot OS operations, The other SSD is a dedicated Caching drive via Intel Rapid Storage Technologies(Intel SRT). This design is cost effective at creating extremely high capacity, and high speed operation. A dedicated Boot drive keeps OS and general functions off the Caching, and allows the Data drive to be fully cached by Intel SRT. Frequently played games load at SSD speed, but the drive capacity is that of available hard drives.

This design makes it very easy to reinstall the OS if ever needed without ever having personal data altered or touched in anyway.

 

Adding to this design of Speed and high capacity is now 2 new drives, a pair of 3 TB drives in Raid 0.

These drives are dedicated recording devices.

Meant to allow higher write speeds beyond the limitations of a single mass storage device, and maintaining high capacity and cost effectiveness versus attempting to reach comparable capacity with SSDs.

Storage array diagram below.

 

Specs and Parts.

CPU: Intel Core i7 5820K, 6 Cores 12 Threads

Heatsink/TIM: Zalman CNPS 9900MAX LGA2011 135mm Fan dual Tower, Arctic MX-4 Thermal Compound X spread method.

Motherboard: MSI X99S SLI Plus

RAM: Kingston Hyper X FURY 16GB DDR4 2133mhz Quad Channel memory. DIMM 1 3 7 5 Quad Channel Slots.

GPU: VisionTek AMD R9 290X 4GB DDR5, Dual Fan design. (Provided by Alienware.)

PSU: Seasonic M12 II EVO 750Watt Bronze Plus Modular.

Storage Devices: 2x 120GB Kingston SSD Now V300, 1x 4TB 7200RPM Red HGST Hard Drive, 2x 3TB(To be determined). 1 OS Boot, 1 Mass Storage, 1 Caching, 2=1 Dedicated Raid 0 recording device.

Case: NZXT Phantom 530, Modified. 

 

OS: Windows 7 Ultimate

 

Shout out and thanks.

 

A big thank you to Alienware for the 290X. Alienware gave me a 290X for the previous Gnosis build for an exhibit of hardware expansion and possiblities.

Alienware has been a pretty fantastic company to me and I got to meat Frank Azor and other Alienware Staff at PAX Prime. After some chitchat, they decided to help me out. So a big thanks to Alienware for the graphics card, as it was the original push needed for me to start Gnosis Episode 2.

 

Thanks to my friend Jeremy whom works at Intel and got me a deal on an i7 5820K, got it at half the price.

A big thanks to my friend Zack for buying some of the parts for me as well!

 

Pictures and Build Progression

*Some images are from the original Gnosis design.*

 

The parts of Gnosis Episode 2

Hard drives weren't here for testing phase, but everything else needed was. Lets get this show on the road.

 

The Case

 

Drive Bay modification

 

 

The drive bay movement was for efficiency of space reasons. Original Gnosis had it's expansion hard drive storage in the 5.25 bay. So taking after it's previous design and moving a 3 Drive cage into the 5.25 bay is a carry over design aspect for Gnosis Episode 2.

This design opens the case for air flow options and moves the hard drives into cooling air streams.

 

The 5.25 converted Bay has it's own dedicated 120mm fan, on it's own power for higher speed than the USB device can provide.

 

Fan Modification

 

 

 

 

 

Eventually All of these fans will eventually be replaced by Noctua's new Aseries fans which are faster, quieter and better looking IMO. These are all mock up fans for now.

I will replace the Front 200mm Fan with a Noctua if they release a new a series 200mm Fan as well.

 

This USB Powered fan design is a carry over from the original Gnosis build. It has proven to move air at a respectable pace and maintain a quiet noise level. However there is a Fan hub in the case if this system proves to be less desirable in the future.

 

 

Installed the power supply and bench is cleared for Testing phase.

 

 

Boot test passed. All systems go.

 

Overhead view of the parts installed.

 

First Game testing, Guild Wars 2. My Norn looking pretty and showing off what this 290X and i7 can do.

 

 

CPU Overclocking testing

http://valid.canardpc.com/zc64zh

4.5ghz gaming overclock.

 

That's all I have for now. Updates as It goes along.

[ADZ_123_!"£]

Is that a PS2 keyboard?

[FranBunnyFFXII]

Is that a PS2 keyboard?

It's a Unicomp Model M. Which is USB.

[EvilWiffles]

It's a Unicomp Model M. Which is USB.

I'm jelly of that keyboard .

[19mk5ant]

What the dedicated caching ssd all about?

[FranBunnyFFXII]

What the dedicated caching ssd all about?

SSD Caching caches a hard drive with commonly used files and programs so they load and write at SSD speeds.

Linus explains it here: 

[19mk5ant]

SSD Caching caches a hard drive with commonly used files and programs so they load and write at SSD speeds.

Linus explains it here: 

Ah not what i was thinking thanks anyway great vid too!

[Terminashunator]

I've been stalking following your updates on your Facebook page. Looks fantastic. I wish you the best of luck with your build!

[FranBunnyFFXII]

2nd phase update of Gnosis Episode 2

Data Drive

It came in a very robust metalitic bag.

 

This modded placement for the front wall drive cage is actually very difficult to access.

Here's how it works though.

Foward floor air injection fan needs to be removed

Reach from the air access to the drive caddy and pull it's tabs into the access.

Mount the Hard Drive in the caddy.

Angle and move the caddy+drive back into place. (note, it can't fit through the fan access, it has to be transfered into the case via the side door then maneuvered into the fan access until it lines up. 

In it goes. Locks into place due to NZXT tooless caddy and bay design.

Fan replaced onto the acess.

Dust cover replaced.

SSD in the same caddy.

 

Now here's some vanity shots of the internal components as it goes together for proper TIM application.

 

Zalman CNPS 9900MAX, a very pretty Shroudless CPU cooler that's definitely a nice choice for gaming with an overclocked CPU. It keeps this i7 5820K at 4.5ghz OC  around 65~>70C during gaming.

 

16GB Quad Channel DDR4 2133mhz HyperX FURY by Kingston.

 

Contiuning with the Shroudless appearance, I removed the 290X's shroud. The shroud didn't affect cooling at all.

 

Internals of Gnosis Episode 2, assembled inside the case, booted, tested and operational.

Wallpaper of Windows 7 OS Tan Nanami Madobe building a PC on the monitor.

Internal power strip. I am not sure exactly where to route the power cables, but it sits there in that position very nicely.

 

Vanity pics

 

Back on the desk for Data migration and waiting 2 more 3TB Drives for Raid0 configuration.

[FranBunnyFFXII]

Made a small change to the fan design

USB hub instead of a power strip. Expands my options to add another 140mm air injection fan to the side panel.

[JRS2K]

That's a pretty crazy looking CPU cooler!

I love it!

[FranBunnyFFXII]

That's a pretty crazy looking CPU cooler!

I love it!

It's definitely a cooler I really loved the moment I saw it.

It's not as good as I thought it would be, but it handles CPU gaming overclocks very well, and it handles slightly above stock overclocks for video editing fairly well.

I really like it. 

I could be improved upon by Zalman to make it perform better. Don't think they will but it's capable for an air tower to handle light/moderate overclocking. 

[FranBunnyFFXII]

Overclocking benchmarks. Stable 4.3ghz daily OC, great 290X overclock, just above a stock TriX OC.

RAID0 hard drives are on their way, ordered today.

Next up, noctua fans. In the future...

[FranBunnyFFXII]

Raid 0 hard drive installation and cable management clean up.

Question Do I have to censor a wallpaper that has artwork that shows nipples in it?(Artistic, Non pornographic)

Messing with screen resolutions

Tomb Raider 2013

Gnosis Episode 2 is done for now until I can get the new Noctua 120mm and 140mm Aseries fans that they announced at computex. Q4 Release date.