Rackmount Gaming Machine

[Eric The Tech Guru]

Hey all!

So coming this fall, I'll (hopefully) be headed off to university, hopefully somewhere in California, and I'd like to bring a version of my current gaming rig with me to my dorm, wherever I end up.

​I'm planning on picking up an Acer Predator X34 closer to June so the price can fall a tiny bit before I pick it up, but I was wondering more about how I plan on renovating my current rig.

 

I'm currently in a Corsair Air 540 with these parts:

 

Album: http://imgur.com/a/xG2Wf

 

Motherboard: Gigabyte Z170X Gaming7

RAM: 16GB of 2400MHZ DDR4 RAM

Storage: 2x Western Digital Caviar Green 3TB (for media), 1x 1TB Samsung 850 Evo (SATA), 1x 250GB Samsung 850 Evo (SATA), 1x 500GB Samsung 850 Evo (M.2).

GPUs: 2x Nvidia GTX 980Ti (Reference Style Cards)

PSU: Corsair HX 850i

CPU: Intel Core i7 6700k Skylake

Cooler: Corsair H100i AIO Liquid Cooler

Fans: 2x Noctua 120mm LTT editions (1 extra still in package), 3x Noctua 140mm LTT editions

Case: Corsair Air 540

 

 

My plan is to move into a 4U Rackmount case, as I plan on having an 18U cabinet or something like that in my dorm room.

I've been browsing around a few sites (I'm in London, so restricted to UK shipping options) and found a few potential cases, but I want to make sure there's ample airflow without having to crank up some tiny high RPM fans that are going to make the room super noisy.

I've got the fans I'd like to use with the case, though I realize with a 4U case is at most like 170mm tall, so squeezing in 140mm fans might be tough, but here are a few cases I've found.

Case #1

Case #1

 

So What I'm wondering is if anyone else here has done a rackmount build before with the goal of it being somewhat quiet and not thermally dying. I'm going to have a few other rackmount servers in the 18u rack probably, so it may be a challenge, but if I put it at the bottom of the rack, the other servers and switches shouldn't cause it too much trouble. If the noise is an inevitable issue, I'll probably get a rack cabinet with sound proofing and try some unique configuration to keep the PC cool, but it's going to be an interesting project.

 

Does anyone have any advice or any cases they'd recommend to use for a build like this?

 

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks!

 

- Eric

 

 

[Enderman]

a rack server cabinet in your dorm room??

how huge is your dorm room?

why do you need 18U

[conspiravision]

why the fuck do you have a rack cabinet in your dorm?  If you have a regular cabinet and plan on using that as your server cabinet don't that is a terrible idea.

[Eric The Tech Guru]

a rack server cabinet in your dorm room??

how huge is your dorm room?

why do you need 18U

Well, I like to keep a lot of my media local and I'm planning on running my own internal network at school and just using an ethernet in the wall with a DNSMASQ for internet.

I don't /need/ 18U, but I want something that'll accommodate maybe a 2-4u media server a 1-2u router and a 1-2u switch.

 

 

why the fuck do you have a rack cabinet in your dorm?  If you have a regular cabinet and plan on using that as your server cabinet don't that is a terrible idea.

Well, I was looking at something like this - http://www.tripplite.com/server-rack-enclosure-cabinet-extra-depth-18u~SR18UB/

They don't take up that much space, and it'll be worth it if it eliminates the footprint of my Air 540.

[Enderman]

Well, I like to keep a lot of my media local and I'm planning on running my own internal network at school and just using an ethernet in the wall with a DNSMASQ for internet.

I don't /need/ 18U, but I want something that'll accommodate maybe a 2-4u media server a 1-2u router and a 1-2u switch.

 

 

Well, I was looking at something like this - http://www.tripplite.com/server-rack-enclosure-cabinet-extra-depth-18u~SR18UB/

They don't take up that much space, and it'll be worth it if it eliminates the footprint of my Air 540.

 

I hope you realize how loud server rackmount hardware is before sticking it in the place you sleep

[conspiravision]

The air540 is way smaller than that.  And server cabinets are expensive as shit.  I'd stick with using your 540 to be honest, no point in having a cabinet. 

[Eric The Tech Guru]

-snip-

Was also considering - http://www.tripplite.com/server-rack-enclosure-cabinet-extra-depth-12u~SR12UB/

[Eric The Tech Guru]

The air540 is way smaller than that.  And server cabinets are expensive as shit.  I'd stick with using your 540 to be honest, no point in having a cabinet. 

Price isn't really an issue for me right now.

If I can keep the cost of moving my pc into a rackmount case and purchasing a cabinet under say $600, I'd be fine with it.

[Eric The Tech Guru]

I hope you realize how loud server rackmount hardware is before sticking it in the place you sleep

I know how loud it is, I run an old Cisco ASA 5520 in my room currently.

[mluton]

I'd just get a rackmount tray

[Sam Z Man]

Price isn't really an issue for me right now.

If I can keep the cost of moving my pc into a rackmount case and purchasing a cabinet under say $600, I'd be fine with it.

Your going to university, price will be a definite issue.

[Eric The Tech Guru]

Your going to university, price will be a definite issue.

I currently work 30-50 hours a week at a full time job on top of school and it more than pays the bills.

I'll have plenty to spend at college considering my only costs will be cost of living.

[conspiravision]

I advise against the server cabinet idea.  A.) it will be too big/expensive/useless.  B.)It will look really weird. C.)to get proper airflow is going to be difficult, rack servers aren't built to be put into an area that doesn't offer much exhaust. 

[nofxz]

server theory is that you have a hot side and cold side to the unit. The cold being provided by large ac units then exhausted to the hot. I doubt you will be able to make the case function correctly as you wont be creating the right conditions for function. I understand wanting to move your items into one center location but if you tinker with your computer then you have to put the rack close to where you work. I would consider getting the IKEA end table that is I believe about 10U height and put your various switching equipment on that.

[Ykno]

sorry to start a old thread but i was just googling for a new case and saw this thread i have a full gaming machine in a 4u server case installed in a 47u rack in my office with other servers ups's and router/firewalls instaleld works fine no temp issues

 

i havnt chnaged anything in room or added special A/C nothing no ac just bog standard room with a server rack lol idles at 20 and gaming temps is like 45 max i think i don t think i ever seen it in 50's even under stress testing i think it only just reached 50 then.

 

when i finally finsih my office im uploading a office tour to my build log to show how its setup,

 

altho im thinking of moving my server rack in to the loft for better noice control as the 1u servers in my rack running my file server and router are loud!