[Build Log] Orange...something-something.

[Cicada]

Hey guys, newbie here to the forums, just want to start a build log for my new build.

 

I usually don't keep up with the latest and greatest until I build a new computer, and for the last few weeks i've been doing some research and have decided on (most of) the parts for my new build. The last time I did this was probably early 2009, which is the computer I'm still using today -- i7 920, Gigabyte mobo, 12GB, 120GB Sandforce SSD, GTX460 SLI.

 

Recently my work has been more demanding (Lightroom/Photoshop and AfterEffects/Premiere), and 'ol faithful is on its last legs, so I've decided to build something new. I tend to go overboard when I build something new, because I normally don't upgrade very much, and if history is any indication, they tend to last me about 5 or 6 years before I feel like I need to upgrade or build something new.

 

I decided to go with an orange/black/grey theme, since that's what my company's colors are (non-pc related)

 

Parts list:

 

Case:

• Phantek Enthoo Evolv ATX (Anthracite Grey)

CPU:

• Intel i7 5960X

Motherboard:

• Asus Rampage V Extreme U3.1

RAM:

• 32GB Corsair Vengeance LPX 2800 MHz

GPU:

• Asus STRIX GeForce GTX 980Ti 6GB

PSU:

• Corsair AX860
• Cablemods Orange Cables

Storage

• Intel 750 PCIe NVMe 400GB
• Samsung 950 Pro M.2 NVMe 512GB
• 2x 500GB Samsung 850 EVO in RAID0
  • I'll be turning my old computer into a NAS and putting long-term storage there.

Cooling:

• EK 360 Extreme Kit
  • Going with this kit as a lazy route because I'm currently burned out on research, and each component seems to be good. I plan to do hardline tubing, so I'm likely ditching the fittings and tubing, but everything else will be okay. Could use some suggestions for fittings and maybe some guidance with the loop.
• EK Intel 750 SSD Block
• EK (or Bitspower?) Asus Strix Block & Backplate
• EK SE-240 (2nd Radiator)
• Fans: Thermaltake Riing (Orange)
• EK Pastel Orange Coolant Dye

 

Updates:

10/28/15 - Case Acquired

10/28/15 - CPU and SSD Arrived!

10/28/15 - Motherboard Acquired

10/30/15 - Watercooling

10/31/15 - More Parts; RAM, GPU, PSU

11/1/15 - Test Fitting & Loop Planning

11/3/15 - More Goodies!  - SSDs, Cooling Components, Fans, Cables & Bend Kit

11/9/2015 - A Little Cosmetic Surgery

[Fictionvl]

Oooo dis going to be gooooood

[Cicada]

10/28/2015 - Case Acquired

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cicada]

10/28/2015 - CPU and SSD

 

 

 

 

[Cicada]

10/28/2015 - Motherboard Arrived!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tearass]

Welcome to the forum, hope you enjoy the community!

 

Photos are spectacular, and I'm excited for anything built in an Evolv.

 

Followed for updates!

[Cicada]

Welcome to the forum, hope you enjoy the community!

 

Photos are spectacular, and I'm excited for anything built in an Evolv.

 

Followed for updates!

 

Thanks! I'm excited about the new build. Long overdue.

[Cicada]

I can understand why you went with the evolv atx, just a stunning chassis

 

The S-Frame was also on my list, but I just can't justify an $800 case

[Jetfighter808]

Why the 5960x? Just for bragging rights?

[DieHörnær]

Hola Cicada!

 

My fellow Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ATX brethren, welcome to Club Aluminium! [Do you stroke it, I do]. I have been finishing up my hardline wc build in this case for the last month or so, so I've got a fair amount of experience working in all the spaces and can help you out so you dont make my mistakes, so if you would like to ask anything please do.

 

If you need some inspiration here are all the best Evolv ATX build logs that I've found so far, there aren't too many...atm:

 

- [seems to be stalled]

- http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18675240 [World of Warships theme!]

- http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18673018 [blue & Orange, stalled for the last month or so - painting issues it would seem]

- https://au.pcpartpicker.com/builds/#e=827 [some general builds in the case - good for pics and components in place]

- [Good test wc build in the case at the end of the review]

- [second video goes through watercooling options and is the only review I have found that even considers whether you can put fans above the radiator bracket, you can't out of the box but with a little filling/cutting its easy]

 

Man two new ATX builds in one day, frothin. --> http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/452895-project-log-reinforced-tuf-themed-z170-980ti/

 

Subbed + dayum those photos be pro!

 

Edit because Links be playing peak a boo.

[Cicada]

Why the 5960x? Just for bragging rights?

 

I actually don't game at all (or very, VERY little, thus the single video card) -- I'm a photographer and videographer, so most of my work is done in AE, Premiere Pro, Photoshop and Lightroom. Maybe a little overkill, but again, I don't really tend to upgrade or even build myself a new computer very often, so I may as well go all out.

[Cicada]

Hola Cicada!

 

My fellow Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ATX brethren, welcome to Club Aluminium! [Do you stroke it, I do]. I have been finishing up my hardline wc build in this case for the last month or so, so I've got a fair amount of experience working in all the spaces and can help you out so you dont make my mistakes, so if you would like to ask anything please do.

 

If you need some inspiration here are all the best Evolv ATX build logs that I've found so far, there aren't too many...atm:

 

- [seems to be stalled]

- http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18675240 [World of Warships theme!]

- http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18673018 [blue & Orange, stalled for the last month or so - painting issues it would seem]

- https://au.pcpartpicker.com/builds/#e=827 [some general builds in the case - good for pics and components in place]

- [Good test wc build in the case at the end of the review]

- [second video goes through watercooling options and is the only review I have found that even considers whether you can put fans above the radiator bracket, you can't out of the box but with a little filling/cutting its easy]

 

Man two new ATX builds in one day, frothin. --> http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/452895-project-log-reinforced-tuf-themed-z170-980ti/

 

Subbed + dayum those photos be pro!

 

Edit because Links be playing peak a boo.

 

Awesome -- the links help a lot to get a feel for the layout.

 

I'm guesstimating and it looks like EVERYTHING will be a tight fit because the case is rather small, and my parts are oversized (eATX motherboard, and the Strix is humongous).

[Cicada]

Hola Cicada!

 

My fellow Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ATX brethren, welcome to Club Aluminium! [Do you stroke it, I do]. I have been finishing up my hardline wc build in this case for the last month or so, so I've got a fair amount of experience working in all the spaces and can help you out so you dont make my mistakes, so if you would like to ask anything please do.

 

any caveats or nuggets of wisdom you can share? I got the EK kit in today (waiting on GPU block and other misc. parts) and I'm planning the loop, but looking and just mock-fitting everything in the case, it's going to be really tight because of the wider motherboard and the gargantuan Strix GPU. I may have to mount the res horizontally, and ditch the idea of watercooling the SSD. Seems pointless anyway.

[MadManMarsBar]

Why not this motherboard ?

 

[Tearass]

any caveats or nuggets of wisdom you can share? I got the EK kit in today (waiting on GPU block and other misc. parts) and I'm planning the loop, but looking and just mock-fitting everything in the case, it's going to be really tight because of the wider motherboard and the gargantual Strix GPU. I may have to mount the res horizontally, and ditch the idea of watercooling the SSD. Seems pointless anyway.

 

Wouldn't the SSD cooling be purely aesthetic seeing as the window stretches over to that SSD mount on the bottom right? Might not make sense from a performance standpoint, seeing as it won't really improve anything, but it could look cool. But it also depends if you've got clearance from the side-panel window. 

[Cicada]

Wouldn't the SSD cooling be purely aesthetic seeing as the window stretches over to that SSD mount on the bottom right? Might not make sense from a performance standpoint, seeing as it won't really improve anything, but it could look cool. But it also depends if you've got clearance from the side-panel window. 

 

I was talking more about cooling the PCIe SSD. It's wholly unnecesary, and in mock-fitting stuff and diagram'ing it out in photoshop, with the way i'll have to mount the res, it'll be covered, anyway. Saves me $100 from having to get a block for it

[Cicada]

Why not this motherboard ?

 

gigabyte_x99_soc_champion_3.png

 

That's a good looking board. I hadn't actually looked at the gigabyte boards (Oddly enough, I love gigabyte boards and dislike Asus boards ever since I had to RMA the Original Maximus Formula 4 times in order to get one that worked -- havent bought anything Asus since 2007) -- Looks like I want a little more connectivity than the "Champion" so I may consider the SOC-Force. I already have the board though, and am kinda attached to it, even though red/black is sorely played out, imo.

[DieHörnær]

Awesome -- the links help a lot to get a feel for the layout.

 

I'm guesstimating and it looks like EVERYTHING will be a tight fit because the case is rather small, and my parts are oversized (eATX motherboard, and the Strix is humongous).

 

any caveats or nuggets of wisdom you can share? I got the EK kit in today (waiting on GPU block and other misc. parts) and I'm planning the loop, but looking and just mock-fitting everything in the case, it's going to be really tight because of the wider motherboard and the gargantuan Strix GPU. I may have to mount the res horizontally, and ditch the idea of watercooling the SSD. Seems pointless anyway.

 

Yea things are a bit tight in some areas. It all depends where you plan on mounting your pump and reservoir, along with what thickness you choose for the radiators, I can hear you saying well duh, so for example I choose to mount my EK X3 250 reservoir [250mm high, 60mm wide] underneath my gpu as I don't think I will want to SLI in the future and if so I'll deal with it then. There is enough room to mount it between the end of the GPU and the front-mounted rad but it was a bit too close for my liking and makes things look a bit cramped. If you mount it underneath the GPU there should be enough room for the SSD maybe. You will have to mount the res closer to the window if that makes sense or on the rear 140mm fan exhaust.

 

Also with the top-mounted radiator I was a tad worried about it covering the motherboard from the side-window's view because of the rad thickness + 25mm of fan thickness as you can't mount the fans in the roof cavity from stock. You can with a bit of trimming [mebe I should make a modding guide in the modding thread?] and so even with a 30mm thick rad up top you loose sight of the top of the mobo with the fans mounted [why phanteks WHY? Its so simple to fix....Enthoo Evolv ATX V2 2016!!!] 

 

Also with the pump down the bottom the bracket that they give you is made for some kind of Dutch 2-bit pump, in that the mounting holes that they give you to screw in mounting screws rarely line up with the pump's mounting holes [i'm using an EK D5 Vario X-Top and only one screw hole lines up, its not really a big deal and might only be my pump, solvable with a drill]. This could easily be avoided with a pump-reservoir combo.

 

Here's a picture of my layout if you're all confused [One day I will learn to use my camera-phone, blasphemy the utterance of these two words together say yee!] :

 

 

Also It is possible to mount a slimline dvd-drive behind the mobo tray, just need to cut some steel and not mind reaching behind the case, don't judge me I like having the CDs for mah music. BTW I know you stroke it.

[MadManMarsBar]

That's a good looking board. I hadn't actually looked at the gigabyte boards (Oddly enough, I love gigabyte boards and dislike Asus boards ever since I had to RMA the Original Maximus Formula 4 times in order to get one that worked -- havent bought anything Asus since 2007) -- Looks like I want a little more connectivity than the "Champion" so I may consider the SOC-Force. I already have the board though, and am kinda attached to it, even though red/black is sorely played out, imo.

 

Yeah when i saw an orange build i immediately thought of gigabyte lol

 

i my self am planning to do a black and orage upgrade to so with my black and orange Be Quiet Silent base 800 , i will most likely go 5820k + an orange gigabyte mobo

 

and yeah i know what you mean about more connectivity  

 

regardless of what you do , i will be following the build

[Cicada]

Yea things are a bit tight in some areas. It all depends where you plan on mounting your pump and reservoir, along with what thickness you choose for the radiators, I can hear you saying well duh, so for example I choose to mount my EK X3 250 reservoir [250mm high, 60mm wide] underneath my gpu as I don't think I will want to SLI in the future and if so I'll deal with it then. There is enough room to mount it between the end of the GPU and the front-mounted rad but it was a bit too close for my liking and makes things look a bit cramped. If you mount it underneath the GPU there should be enough room for the SSD maybe. You will have to mount the res closer to the window if that makes sense or on the rear 140mm fan exhaust.

 

Also with the top-mounted radiator I was a tad worried about it covering the motherboard from the side-window's view because of the rad thickness + 25mm of fan thickness as you can't mount the fans in the roof cavity from stock. You can with a bit of trimming [mebe I should make a modding guide in the modding thread?] and so even with a 30mm thick rad up top you loose sight of the top of the mobo with the fans mounted [why phanteks WHY? Its so simple to fix....Enthoo Evolv ATX V2 2016!!!] 

 

Also with the pump down the bottom the bracket that they give you is made for some kind of Dutch 2-bit pump, in that the mounting holes that they give you to screw in mounting screws rarely line up with the pump's mounting holes [i'm using an EK D5 Vario X-Top and only one screw hole lines up, its not really a big deal and might only be my pump, solvable with a drill]. This could easily be avoided with a pump-reservoir combo.

 

Here's a picture of my layout if you're all confused [One day I will learn to use my camera-phone, blasphemy the utterance of these two words together say yee!] :

 

 

Also It is possible to mount a slimline dvd-drive behind the mobo tray, just need to cut some steel and not mind reaching behind the case, don't judge me I like having the CDs for mah music. BTW I know you stroke it.

 

I'm not seeing the photo Just got my kit (still waiting on gpu block and 2nd rad) and planning out the loop right now -- the rad won't fit anywhere else other than where you mentioned (close to the window, and horizontally) -- the GPU is too wide for it to fit in the case's radiator mount under the 140mm fan.

 

the front radiator is thick, so that makes things difficult too. I wouldnt be opposed to a bit of dremel'ing to make the top radiator + fans to allow better visibility -- maybe i'll take a look at that.

 

 

and i stroke it....sometimes, i even flick it.

[DieHörnær]

I'm not seeing the photo Just got my kit (still waiting on gpu block and 2nd rad) and planning out the loop right now -- the rad won't fit anywhere else other than where you mentioned (close to the window, and horizontally) -- the GPU is too wide for it to fit in the case's radiator mount under the 140mm fan.

 

the front radiator is thick, so that makes things difficult too. I wouldnt be opposed to a bit of dremel'ing to make the top radiator + fans to allow better visibility -- maybe i'll take a look at that.

 

Woops, should be there now.

 

Yea don't forget draining and filling, with the res where you have it simply tipping the case onto its front face will make it easy to fill, and maybe you can place a valve fitting or plug on one of the pump's outlets at the lowest point of the loop. Or just flip the case on the back and drain from the top port on the res. The space between the pump and the front rad is quite small, I have a 45mm thick rad plus 25mm of fans on the inside in my pic and its quite close, but doable. 

 

In my pic my top rad is 30mm thick and the fans are placed in the above cavity, it still comes down to cover a smidge of the mobo but if the fans had to be on the inside area of the case as intended then it would cover quite a bit of the mobo especially with a thicker rad. Cutting the roof to fit the fans in is quite simple, its steel so don't be a fool like me and think you can do it with pliers and a file. The dremmel works best. The pain is the radiator has to mount onto the slide in rad-holder on the closest side to the case window - this causes issues when looking to screw the fans into the radiator from the roof - but dremel to the rescue! 

 

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/477097-phanteks-enthoo-evolv-atx-top-fan-cavity-mod/

[KJaboski]

Want to see how all this hardware looks in this awesome case. Subbed

[Cicada]

10/30/2015 - Watercooling Kit

 

Picked up the EK X360 Kit yesterday -- I'll be using most of this kit (pretty much everything except fittings and tubing, though I may use some for draining) for the loop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cicada]

10/31/2015 - More Parts; RAM, PSU, GPU

 

 

I haven't been able to get my hands on an OC Strix, but I figure I'll be WC'ing and OC'ing it anyway, so it should be just fine. I rarely game, so it doesn't matter as much to me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cicada]

Those photos

Thank you I do lots of product shots and portraits as a side gig. My day job is a DBA for a university.

 

Admittedly, these are pretty lazy shots, though -- glad you guys are enjoying 'em.