rynomuncher

Built my rig at the end of last year in the Evolv M-ATX and absolutely love it! I can't get enough of Evolv builds so looking forward to seeing this one!

I had excatly the same feeling, couldnt get enough Evolv builds and decided to build one by myself.

Hi guys! Just wanted to share my completed build for 2016! (I forgot to take pictures during... sorry).
 
I started this build in August last year after my old build couldn't quite keep up with my new Acer XB270HU (and I wanted M.2 support). When I first got the Acer I thought, "I can live with 60fps in most games..." Boy was I wrong; 90fps is pretty much my minimum now.  
I put my previous PC together in early 2012 just in time for Sandy Bridge. It was my first PC where (almost) all of the parts were brand new!
 
My 2012 PC:
Intel Core i7 2600K at 4.5Ghz and 1.30V
- Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo (everyone has to own at least one) Gigabyte Z68XP-UD3R 2X Zotac GTX 260 216 Core in SLI ($40 AUD from ebay just to tide me over until Kepler came out) --> Gigabyte GTX 670 Windforce --> Gigabyte GTX 780 Windforce 4X4GB Corsair Vengeance LP at 1600Mhz Corsair Force 3 60GB --> Samsung 840 Pro 128GB 2X Seagate Barracuda 1TB Antec TruePower 750w Windows 7 Cooler Master CM 690 II Advanced It served me well but we all know the longer you own a computer the more small problems you have with it. The first BIOS chip on the motherboard died about a year into me owning it, the case would constantly be stuffed with dust (I live in a dusty area), the USB 3.0 ports would refuse to run at anywhere near 3.0 speeds and most of all it all ran HOT - not really helped by a sub-par CPU cooler and me overclocking the snot out of the 780! I had a lot of fun with this PC and it taught me heaps about what I wanted in my new build.
 
My new build needed to be mostly more of the same but I wanted to try and fit more enthusiast parts into a smaller enclosure. With the Evolv being announced at the end of 2014 I knew I wanted this case. Many seem to think it looks 'ugly' or 'bulky' but I love the size, shape and feel of the case. It was easy to build in and is super easy to clean. At CES 2015 the Acer XB270HU was also announced and that was basically the point I knew I wanted a new PC. I also wanted to give CLC a go too and use two separate CLCs
 
2015/16 Upgrade:
Intel Core i7 6700K at 4.4Ghz and 1.35V (for now, I haven't had much time to toy around with it)
- Corsair H100i GTX Asus Maximus VIII Gene Gigabyte GTX 980 G1
- NZXT Kraken G10 and Corsair H55 2X8GB Corsair Vengeance LPX at 2133Mhz (for now) Samsung SM951 256GB as boot Samsung 850 EVO 500GB as game drive Crucial M550 512GB as secondary game drive Seagate Barracuda 3TB for movies etc (I know they're not particularly reliable but it's hardly used) Corsair RM650 Windows 10 Pro Phanteks Enthoo Evolv M-ATX Peripherals:
Acer XB270HU Leopold FC500R Steelseries Sensei RAW Samsung... something or other 23inch "Skype/TS only" monitor Audio-Technica ATH-PG1 And now some pictures of the finished product!
 

 
I have to admit that I didn't really think about any sort of colour scheme for the build... but I don't think it turned out bad.
 

 
My fairly poor cable management. Thanks Phanteks for only including one SSD bracket...
 

 
As you can see I managed to keep the G1 backplate while being able to use the Kraken G10! The height of the G10 bracket is pretty much equal to the height of the G1 backplate. Additionally, the nuts used to secure the bolts on the top of the card fit perfectly into place where the original screws went.
 

 
I'm pretty impressed with the photos I can take with my Note5 too. I'm 100% a photo noob and using the pro mode I think I got some fairly ok results.
 

 

 

 
I really love the build quality of the case; the panel gaps are almost perfect.
 

 
The final product (You can also see my disused Logitech X-540; I just don't need loudspeakers anymore!)
 
Thanks for reading through this long ramble. I am sorry if the formatting or anything else isn't correct. Please let me know if anything needs a fix!
 

Hi guys! Just wanted to share my completed build for 2016! (I forgot to take pictures during... sorry).
 
I started this build in August last year after my old build couldn't quite keep up with my new Acer XB270HU (and I wanted M.2 support). When I first got the Acer I thought, "I can live with 60fps in most games..." Boy was I wrong; 90fps is pretty much my minimum now.  
I put my previous PC together in early 2012 just in time for Sandy Bridge. It was my first PC where (almost) all of the parts were brand new!
 
My 2012 PC:
Intel Core i7 2600K at 4.5Ghz and 1.30V
- Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo (everyone has to own at least one) Gigabyte Z68XP-UD3R 2X Zotac GTX 260 216 Core in SLI ($40 AUD from ebay just to tide me over until Kepler came out) --> Gigabyte GTX 670 Windforce --> Gigabyte GTX 780 Windforce 4X4GB Corsair Vengeance LP at 1600Mhz Corsair Force 3 60GB --> Samsung 840 Pro 128GB 2X Seagate Barracuda 1TB Antec TruePower 750w Windows 7 Cooler Master CM 690 II Advanced It served me well but we all know the longer you own a computer the more small problems you have with it. The first BIOS chip on the motherboard died about a year into me owning it, the case would constantly be stuffed with dust (I live in a dusty area), the USB 3.0 ports would refuse to run at anywhere near 3.0 speeds and most of all it all ran HOT - not really helped by a sub-par CPU cooler and me overclocking the snot out of the 780! I had a lot of fun with this PC and it taught me heaps about what I wanted in my new build.
 
My new build needed to be mostly more of the same but I wanted to try and fit more enthusiast parts into a smaller enclosure. With the Evolv being announced at the end of 2014 I knew I wanted this case. Many seem to think it looks 'ugly' or 'bulky' but I love the size, shape and feel of the case. It was easy to build in and is super easy to clean. At CES 2015 the Acer XB270HU was also announced and that was basically the point I knew I wanted a new PC. I also wanted to give CLC a go too and use two separate CLCs
 
2015/16 Upgrade:
Intel Core i7 6700K at 4.4Ghz and 1.35V (for now, I haven't had much time to toy around with it)
- Corsair H100i GTX Asus Maximus VIII Gene Gigabyte GTX 980 G1
- NZXT Kraken G10 and Corsair H55 2X8GB Corsair Vengeance LPX at 2133Mhz (for now) Samsung SM951 256GB as boot Samsung 850 EVO 500GB as game drive Crucial M550 512GB as secondary game drive Seagate Barracuda 3TB for movies etc (I know they're not particularly reliable but it's hardly used) Corsair RM650 Windows 10 Pro Phanteks Enthoo Evolv M-ATX Peripherals:
Acer XB270HU Leopold FC500R Steelseries Sensei RAW Samsung... something or other 23inch "Skype/TS only" monitor Audio-Technica ATH-PG1 And now some pictures of the finished product!
 

 
I have to admit that I didn't really think about any sort of colour scheme for the build... but I don't think it turned out bad.
 

 
My fairly poor cable management. Thanks Phanteks for only including one SSD bracket...
 

 
As you can see I managed to keep the G1 backplate while being able to use the Kraken G10! The height of the G10 bracket is pretty much equal to the height of the G1 backplate. Additionally, the nuts used to secure the bolts on the top of the card fit perfectly into place where the original screws went.
 

 
I'm pretty impressed with the photos I can take with my Note5 too. I'm 100% a photo noob and using the pro mode I think I got some fairly ok results.
 

 

 

 
I really love the build quality of the case; the panel gaps are almost perfect.
 

 
The final product (You can also see my disused Logitech X-540; I just don't need loudspeakers anymore!)
 
Thanks for reading through this long ramble. I am sorry if the formatting or anything else isn't correct. Please let me know if anything needs a fix!
 

Unfortunately a 980Ti is $1000+ AUD compared to $750 for a 980 so the performance difference isn't justified for me. This card is more of a hold-over until Pascal is released and then I will assess my options!

C... can we see the apogee before the build plz?

Another 980ti to add to the list of those unavailable in Australia for the next month or so.

TBH - when you take a step back and look at all the prototype pictures if the Nova, its surprising how much hardware can be crammed into such a small form factor. 
 
Credit for NCase for starting the community driven uber small case trend. But in all honesty mATX is the sweet spot for size/expandability , and I am grateful that Aibohphobia & PlayfulPhoenix have decided to build an mATX case based on the M1 ethos.
 
I'm excitedly awaiting this case, so I can build my first Hackintosh in it.

"Lian-Li Industrial Co. Ltd, today announces the brushed aluminum PC-Q26 mini-ITX chassis. Ideal for users who want to build their own NAS as well as system integrators, with its support of up to ten 3.5" drives, the PC-Q26 packs a lot of storage in a compact package."



 
"The PC-Q26 has pop-off side panels for simplified installations, upgrades and maintenance. Hard drives, 3.5" and 2.5", can be tool-lessly mounted with thumbscrews with rubber suspensions. Additionally, the expansion slots are secured by a single thumbscrew. Three front 120mm fans bring cool air into the chassis through side ventilation. Filters with magnets prevent dust and debris from entering the PC-Q26. A top 120mmm exhaust fan with a removable filter pulls hot, hardware damaging air out of the chassis."
 
Highlights of the PC-Q26
Brushed aluminum chassis Quite small?: (w)200mm x (h)395mm x (d)410mm Supports expansion cards up to 190mm (7.4") and CPU coolers up to 150mm (5.9"). Power supplies up to 190mm (7.4") sit elevated off the case floor on rubberized rails. Supports Mini-ITX motherboards Ideal for NAS and system integrators Fingerprint magnet Holds eleven hard drives: ten 3.5" and one 2.5" drives Hot-Swap backplanes for two 3.5" bays included (more available) 2x front USB 3.0 and HD Audio No reset switch Hard to clean Pop-off side panels!!! All for $189 US and that doesn't even include the Windex or wipes!
 
This is one for Luke and Linus I think!
 
In all seriousness though, it looks a bit gimped by the internal layout and I don't really think people would want a case built entirely from brushed aluminum... Right? But, like they suggest, it could make a nice living room PC or NAS I suppose. I feel as though people wanting a NAS-type case would not be looking for something that invites finger grease when you would most likely be making regular modifications - am I right in thinking this? Companies need to realise that brushed everything (unless it's plastic) doesn't look good.
 
Sources:
http://www.techpowerup.com/206577/lian-li-announces-the-brushed-aluminum-pc-q26-mini-itx-chassis.html http://www.lian-li.com/en/dt_portfolio/pc-q26/ Also, sorry if this isn't posted correctly! This is my first proper post and I'm kind of nervous that it may be wrong. Hopefully the pics turned out alright. I'll look into it though! Thanks.

Brushed Aluminum looks good, but it looks bad when touched.

Beast cooling and awesome looks wins it for me!