Chibi PC 1.0 - Everything I Always Wanted But Never Needed

[TheProfosist]

This OP will be copied a bit from my Build Planning Thread because I really dont see a reason not to. Also please dont expect this to be as detailed as the one on my desktop as that takes time I currently dont have and this build just seemed to fly together no really giving me a change to take intricate pictures.

This build just kinda sort of fell together and im rather glad that it did. Just before Thanksgiving I had to pick up a friend and ended up being near a MicroCenter. Earlier that week I had seen a deal posted on the forum that you could get a i7-4770K for $199 until Novemeber 21st at MicroCenter. It just happened to be the 21st when I was there so I popped in to pick one up. While I was having a salesman get the processor out of the locked cabinet he brought up some deals that I could get deals on other stuff since I was buying a CPU. I was rather surprised at this since the CPU was at a price point where I thought they couldnt be making money on it. I decided to take him up on the motherboard offer since its was $30 off and they had one of the two Z87 ITX Boards I was interested in at the same price as Newegg. So I left the store with more than expected a Intel i7-4770K and a ASUS Maximus VI Impact wondering if they actually managed to make any money on the sale, especially if the salesman was paid any sort of commission.

I choose a ITX board because it is one form factor that I have never built but have always wanted to mainly because I never had any real reason to. Also a small portable but powerful PC could really come in handy for me now and in the future. Because of the reasoning behind getting the motherboard I decided that the rest of the parts should be the same, parts that I have always wanted to try but they never really fit into a build enough to do so. I really hope many of you see some parts, tricks, mods, and ideas that you have never seen done before in this build.

Lastly I would like to point out that normally I would not advocate getting a i7-4770K and this build does not change that fact. The only reason that it is in this build is the price I got it at and the fact that there are no 2011 ITX boards. A ITX build is probably the one place where I would suggest a i7-4770K but only if you needed the hyper threading. A good example of this would be what I plan to use it for, a mobile gaming/editing/capture rig.

If there is anything else you want to know about the build or something you think I should add in the log please let me know. I will read all input and answer all questions as best I can, your input is appreciated!

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Parts List

Update #00: I need help?

Update #01: Sleep where?

Update #02: You used that?

Update #03: LEDz!

Update #04: A hotswap in a ITX?

Update #05: A mod here, a mod there, a mod where?

Update #06: What, cable management in a ITX? o_O

Update #07: It Lives!

Update #08: At last, feet!

Update #09: And the build comes back apart <.<

Update #10: A shiny new pair of shoes.

Update #11: And... Another RMA :-[

Update #12: Whats next? RAID 10 that's what!

[TheProfosist]

Parts List:

CPU: Intel i7-4770K - Micro Center

Motherboard: ASUS Maximus VI Impact - Micro Center

RAM: Corsair Dominator Platinum 16gb (2x8gb) DDR3 1866mhz Cas 9 - Corsair - Already had for "reasons"...

GPU: MSI Nvidia GeForce GTX 760 GAMING ITX - Newegg - And ASUS still doesnt have their ITX 760 out...

SSD: Intel 530 Series 180GB M.2 (SSDSCKGW180A401) - Newegg - So hard to find!

WiFi+BT : Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 (7260HMW) - Newegg - Should have already been included >.>

HDD:

• 2x Western Digital Scorpio Black 750GB (WD7500BPKT) - Newegg - Already had previously
• 2x Western Digital Scorpio Black 750GB (WD7500BPKX) - Newegg - Shell Shocker!!!

PSU: SeaSonic Platinum-520w Fanless (SS-520FL) - Newegg - OMG, No Fan!

Case: Lian-Li PC-TU200B Black Aluminum Mini-ITX Tower - Newegg - My own personal Nuclear Football.

HDD Hotswap Bay: ICY DOCK ToughArmor 4x2.5" SATA HDD/SSD Hot Swap Mobile Rack (MB994SP-4SB-1) - Newegg - Full Metal!

CPU Cooler: Thermaltake WATER 2.0 Pro AIO Cooler - Newegg - 48.8mm Thick Goodness!

Fans:

• 2x Scythe Gentle Typhoon High Speed 3000rpm (D1225C12B7AP-29) - FrozenCPU - Wanted 5400rpm but no beans
• Prolimatech 140mm Ultra Sleek Vortex Fan (PRO-USV14) - FrozenCPU - A perfect fit
• 2x Sunon MagLev 40mm 5800rpm Vapo bearing Fan - FrozenCPU - More control than on or off.

Fan Accessories:

• Bitspower Low Profile 140mm To 120mm Fan Adapter (BP-FA140120-BK) - FrozenCPU
• Phobya Shroud & Decoupling Gasket 120mm - FrozenCPU
• Nexus BeamAir 120mm - Amazon
• Generic 120mm Black Fan Grill - FrozenCPU - Didnt match picture for the better.
• 2x Akasa PWM Extension Fan Cable 300mm (AK-CBFA01-30) - FrozenCPU - Taming the "Gentle" Typhoons
• Phobya Fan Y Cable Splitter 3-Pin to 4x 3-Pin UV Red - Frozen CPU - Powering the Pretty

Case Accessories:

• 4x Phobya FlexLight High Density 36 Count LED Light Strip 30cm Red (83124) - FrozenCPU - Manufacturer Defect - 3x RMA
• MNPCTech Pro Line Billet Aluminum Case Feet Diamond Knurl Black - FrozenCPU - Backordered >:-[
• MNPCTech Pro Line Billet Aluminum Case Feet Diamond Knurl Silver - FrozenCPU - had to settled on these but it turned out for the better.

Peripherals: PLANTRONICS GameCom Commander OEM - Newegg - Shell Shocker?

If you want to know more about the parts like why I choose something or where/how its being used please ask and I will give you the best explanation I can.

Links are from the places I bought the items not necessarily the best or cheapest place for you to do so. Please seek them out at your favorite retailers.

[TheProfosist]

Update: #01

===========

I ended up getting all of my remaining parts a day early so even though I had woken up at 4am I decided to start building. Below is what I ended up with when I quit at 2am exhausted. I only got this far because everything seemed to pop into place as I had planned after measuring things out to the mm. You may be thinking "If you did that wouldnt you expect it to fit?". My answer to that is, with my recent experiences (especially with my desktop), NO. As even though I plan, putting things where the designer of the cases didnt intend almost never goes 100% to plan.

Please remember to to receive continued updates automatically!

[wittyresponse]

Your building on a carpet! 

[wng_kingsley7]

Static ZAP ZAP ZAP Chicken fried processor

[wng_kingsley7]

Just saying I believe the reason why there are no MITX motherboards for Socket 2011 is because no one would rock about with a single 16x pcie slot when it supports dual 16x and then it obviously subtracts down to 16x, 8x, 8x triple.

 

Anyway its a very nice computer keep up the good work intel response member

[Thecrazyswede]

Just saying I believe the reason why there are no MITX motherboards for Socket 2011 is because no one would rock about with a single 16x pcie slot when it supports dual 16x and then it obviously subtracts down to 16x, 8x, 8x triple.

 

Anyway its a very nice computer keep up the good work intel response member

 

No room for the octa channel memory as well

[wng_kingsley7]

No room for the octa channel memory as well

You sir are a genius...I forgot just saying 2011 doesn't need all 8 dimms as long as there are 4 dimm slots

[Theo]

Your building on a carpet! 

 

 

Static ZAP ZAP ZAP Chicken fried processor

Ive built all my pc's on carpet.

No problem ever, and my knees didnt hurt since carpets are comfy 

[TheProfosist]

Your building on a carpet! 

First of all that's not carpet its a floor rug and Second of all I didnt build it there I only took a picture there because I was tired and didnt want to set the PC up for proper pictures (note the first picture). The reason why it was on the floor is that the only lens I have for my camera is a 40mm and its a crop frame camera (Canon T3i/600D) so I have to be a fair distance away to get even something that small full in the frame properly (not the first picture again).

Just saying I believe the reason why there are no MITX motherboards for Socket 2011 is because no one would rock about with a single 16x pcie slot when it supports dual 16x and then it obviously subtracts down to 16x, 8x, 8x triple.

 

Anyway its a very nice computer keep up the good work intel response member

Yes I know but there were X58 shuttle PCs, I think @LinusTech was even using one as his mobile editing rig at CES last year. And maybe you could find some way to have a riser or something that say had 32 lanes on it and split it so you could have like a RAID card and capture card pertaining their low profile. I dont know just a crazy idea...

No room for the octa channel memory as well

It only has quad channel so you only need 4 slots, actually many of the initial X79 boards only had 4 slots so you had to dig around a bit if that was one of your requirements. Many people got the intel boards because of that and the were "bare" and cheap thing is there wernt all that stable and had their own little idiosyncrasies.

Ive built all my pc's on carpet.

No problem ever, and my knees didnt hurt since carpets are comfy

I have when I was starting out but for me bending over like that gets considerably uncomfortable besides that its not really all that safe unless your using a antistatic mat and strap.

[wng_kingsley7]

Not sure if a PCIE riser card supports splitting into 2 seperate slots and then it would defeat the fact of small MITX cases being used.

[Thecrazyswede]

It only has quad channel so you only need 4 slots, actually many of the initial X79 boards only had 4 slots so you had to dig around a bit if that was one of your requirements. Many people got the intel boards because of that and the were "bare" and cheap thing is there wernt all that stable and had their own little idiosyncrasies.

 

 

 

Fair enough

[TheProfosist]

Not sure if a PCIE riser card supports splitting into 2 seperate slots and then it would defeat the fact of small MITX cases being used.

It would have to be a new special one and yes I know it kinda would but hey like I said "crazy idea".

[wng_kingsley7]

It would have to be a new special one and yes I know it kinda would but hey like I said "crazy idea".

It's a good idea trade mark it

[TheProfosist]

It's a good idea trade mark it

Lol, it would be patent and I would if I actually designed something and it wasnt just an idea. I would also be quite surprised if it wasnt patented already, especially for server stuff.

[wng_kingsley7]

Lol, it would be patent and I would if I actually designed something and it wasnt just an idea. I would also be quite surprised if it wasnt patented already, especially for server stuff.

Exactly Apple patent it rule the world

[TheProfosist]

The Parts List has been mostly filled out. Ill be working on making it prettier shortly.

[Homicidium]

Awesome build, dude! 

This little cube seems to pack quite a punch!  

[FranktheDinosaur]

I love SFF beasts! :wub:

How well is that rad holding? It seems like its mounted by the fan?

I have a Lian Li V353 and there is not enough room for a decent air cooler/air flow, so I was wondering how it turned out by mounting an AIO to the front.

[TheProfosist]

Awesome build, dude! 

This little cube seems to pack quite a punch!

I really hope so but I have a feeling 1 760 may struggle with 1440p a bit.

[TheProfosist]

I love SFF beasts! :wub:

How well is that rad holding? It seems like its mounted by the fan?

I have a Lian Li V353 and there is not enough room for a decent air cooler/air flow, so I was wondering how it turned out by mounting an AIO to the front.

The rad is actually attached to a 140mm to 120mm bracket and that is attached to the front of the case using the cases mounting system which is some longer fan screws surrounded by grommets that a 140mm proprietary filter snaps into. You kinda put it in and slide it to the right and the case pinches the rubber and holds it in place. I personally thought there was no way that that was going to be enough to hold the rad and two fans in place properly and was prepared to figure out some way to support the other end with tye wraps. Thing is its super sold like almost no give so there is no need to do so and I must say I was quite surprised.

[Tr3vor]

You know, carpet most likey won't destroy components. I can't count how many times I've altered or taken PCs apart on the floor. I'd say at least 5-7 times per PC and I have 7 or so desktop PCs. Me and my cousin built his PC sitting on the carpet.

Never had a component fail... well except for a 486sx, but that was my fault for inserting it the wrong way into the socket.

 

Besides that, That is one nice computer. That was very good planning, everything looks like it just barely fits in there.

[TheProfosist]

You know, carpet most likey won't destroy components. I can't count how many times I've altered or taken PCs apart on the floor. I'd say at least 5-7 times per PC and I have 7 or so desktop PCs. Me and my cousin built his PC sitting on the carpet.

Never had a component fail... well except for a 486sx, but that was my fault for inserting it the wrong way into the socket.

 

Besides that, That is one nice computer. That was very good planning, everything looks like it just barely fits in there.

There is actually quite a bit of room still currently but well see once I get the PSU in and all the cables in the right places. And I dont know if I could have pulled this off as easily as I did without have the case come first and taking the measurements that I did.

[wittyresponse]

First of all that's not carpet its a floor rug and Second of all I didnt build it there I only took a picture there because I was tired and didnt want to set the PC up for proper pictures (note the first picture). The reason why it was on the floor is that the only lens I have for my camera is a 40mm and its a crop frame camera (Canon T3i/600D) so I have to be a fair distance away to get even something that small full in the frame properly (not the first picture again).

Yes I know but there were X58 shuttle PCs, I think @LinusTech was even using one as his mobile editing rig at CES last year. And maybe you could find some way to have a riser or something that say had 32 lanes on it and split it so you could have like a RAID card and capture card pertaining their low profile. I dont know just a crazy idea...

It only has quad channel so you only need 4 slots, actually many of the initial X79 boards only had 4 slots so you had to dig around a bit if that was one of your requirements. Many people got the intel boards because of that and the were "bare" and cheap thing is there wernt all that stable and had their own little idiosyncrasies.

I have when I was starting out but for me bending over like that gets considerably uncomfortable besides that its not really all that safe unless your using a antistati

All is well then 

[TheProfosist]

All is well then 

lol