I drive a semi-truck but I also like to game and thats a problem..

[AngryBeaver]

Have you considered looking for or fashioning something to mostly reduce the vibrations? That would be the simplest solution and I know it can be done.

 

https://www.onlogic.com/company/io-hub/6-gotchas-of-vibration-proofing-your-pc/

[greenmax]

10 hours ago, #Banana said:

check this content out. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=optimum+tech+ghoste+s1

 hope this helps .

Optimum tech focuses on small form factor PCs. just dont watercool the gpu so that you have to undervolt to keep it cool.

water cooling  vibration = not good

 

 

9 hours ago, Leviathan Co-Op said:

"What? You should probably check our profile." - Steve F

Why bother, there are more "important" things to do then go check out a profile. More important things like keep commenting on posts.

 

41 minutes ago, AngryBeaver said:

Have you considered looking for or fashioning something to mostly reduce the vibrations? That would be the simplest solution and I know it can be done.

 

https://www.onlogic.com/company/io-hub/6-gotchas-of-vibration-proofing-your-pc/

yes

[Mr. Shenanigans]

I wonder if maybe i need to think out side the box a bit more.....

 

 Check out about the 6:04 mark

Thanks @AngryBeaver

[FakeCIA]

Forklift story has been posted as status update. OP, look into Husky. They're a company that makes roll cages and racks for vehicles. I don't know much about them, but a custom support of some kind could be an option.

[tech.guru]

General Dynamics makes miltary grade laptops. These are not designed for gaming. Most you will find is designed for miltary and police.

 

What i would suggest is a gaming laptop with vechile mount to secure to your truck.

Do not buy one with mechnical drive.

 

Lots of mounts for semi trucks

See, https://www.rammount.com/part/RAM-VB-140-SW1

[divito]

I guess it depends how convenient you want things. Easiest thing is probably a gaming laptop and a nice case, but if you really are going to deck out your rig with a higher end system, then obviously that's not going to work.

If it were me personally, I'd probably build an ITX machine and store it in a Pelican case while driving. Something that primarily sits horizontal, like a Node 202 or similar, that way you're not introducing stress onto the slots from some of the regular orientations. When you're stopped, just take it out, plug in the monitor and peripherals and start playing.

You could try to fashion some fancy mounts and try to keep everything hooked up all the time, but that just increases more points of potential failure.

[Bombastinator]

19 minutes ago, tech.guru said:

General Dynamics makes miltary grade laptops. These are not designed for gaming. Most you will find is designed for miltary and police.

 

What i would suggest is a gaming laptop with vechile mount to secure to your truck.

Do not buy one with mechnical drive.

 

Lots of mounts for semi trucks

See, https://www.rammount.com/part/RAM-VB-140-SW1

There are apparently multiple “ruggedness” levels.  Something rated for vibration would be useful, but dust and water resistance not so much.  There are apparently “semi rugged” systems rated this way.  Dell seems to at least have made some at some point.  Not sure if they still do.  Also Not sure if getting the desktop level of performance mentioned at one point is even possible in a laptop though in which case one is relegated to the gpu extender/AIO cooler/rubber suspension mount stuff mentioned earlier.

[greenmax]

Buy a bunch of bungee cords, make a hammock for the pc, done!

 

Or try some foam, find one with the purrrrfect firmness/softness, then put it on a firmer trampoline.

[thobeq]

https://www.scan.co.uk/3xs/shared/7cd01af8-ef40-48d0-bd87-519107f9851a?utm_source=3xsconfigshare&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=copypaste

Thoughts? is it worth the price?

[Bombastinator]

6 minutes ago, thobeq said:

https://www.scan.co.uk/3xs/shared/7cd01af8-ef40-48d0-bd87-519107f9851a?utm_source=3xsconfigshare&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=copypaste

Thoughts? is it worth the price?

This... is so not something that would go in a big rig, and the question isn’t from the OP.  Weird random thread jack attempt?  I will say this: that machine does not fit what the OP needs imho.

[thobeq]

3 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

This... is so not something that would go in a big rig, and the question isn’t from the OP.  Weird random thread jack attempt?  I will say this: that machine does not fit what the OP needs imho.

sorry im really mega dumb what is a op and imho?

[VadersDad]

I have a CDL and used to drive over the road also.  I know you said you dont want laptops, but i used to have a Nvidia 900 series MSI Titan laptop with desktop 980s SLI'd.  Those things are the real deal, albeit heavy, low battery life and are like ovens.  You can get killer performance from a laptop, you just have to be willing to part with battery life and a s*** ton of money.   And for reference, I have identical desktop specs to you, literally.  And I'm watching it all on an X35 Predator, so i completely understand not wanting performance loss.  Just a personal opinion from someone in your shoes.

[mariushm]

5 minutes ago, thobeq said:

sorry im really mega dumb what is a op and imho?

OP is "Original Poster" and IMHO means  "in my humble opinion"

 

My 2 cents ... get an ITX motherboard. Get a good cooler... if you go with air cooler, go with one with a good retaining mechanism (back plate and 4 screws that screw into the backplate, I'd probably go with a cooler that's flat, not tall, as tall would cause strain on the socket from all the bending and vibrations. 

If you go with water cooler, again pick one with good retainer for the pump. For the radiator, you could easily get longer screws and add some rubber/foam spacers/insulators to act as shock absorbers.

Same for screwing the case... they're standard UNC 6/32 screws, you can buy longer screws... you can add a cm or so of rubber/foam between the case and psu screw locations and you can also add some foam/rubber under the psu so that the psu basically sits on vibration dampening material.

You can use thread locking solution on all screws (see loctite thread locker, once it hardens it makes it really hard for screws to become loose)

You can get a pci-e riser cable so that you won't cause strain on the pci-e slot.

Once you plug the pci-e riser cable, you can use selastic / electronics grade silicon to lock the riser cable to the slot, is if it's hot glue but better than glue.

You can make some supports for the video card from polystirene or some similar material, so that the weight of the card won't rest on the bracket alone

[RonnieOP]

If your willing to turn the settings down you can get a gaming laptop for under a grand.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Acer-Predator-Helios-300-15-6-Gaming-Laptop-i7-9750-2-6GHz-16GB-Ram-256GB-SSD/264482167668

 

Also you could just do a mini itx build. A buddy of mine has a mid range itx build in his rig and has had no issues. You could try some thread locker on the screws or something.

 

The only thing  that really could be a issue even in a big rig is maybe the video card. and if its that big of an issue just use thumbscrews to secure the card when your playing and take it out when your driving. Yea its a few extra steps but we are talking what 2 mins of work when you want to game?

[Bombastinator]

47 minutes ago, thobeq said:

sorry im really mega dumb what is a op and imho?

OP is “original poster” which is the guy who started this thread and apparently wants to keep a gaming rig in a long haul semi truck.

 

”IMHO” is in my humble opinion which means what I think specifically not from a position of authority.

 

theres a whole pile of standard internet acronyms like these.  
 

there are a bunch of different lists of them.  Here’s one random one 

https://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/textmessageabbreviations.asp

[greenmax]

3 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

OP is “original poster” which is the guy who started this thread and apparently wants to keep a gaming rig in a long haul semi truck.

 

”IMHO” is in my humble opinion which means what I think specifically not from a position of authority.

 

theres a whole pile of standard internet acronyms like these.  
 

there are a bunch of different lists of them.  Here’s one random one 

https://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/textmessageabbreviations.asp

Too much work to open another tab, do a search when you can take literally 1 second and post it up on LTT, and someone will always bite.... always!

[Intergalacticbits]

I think you might be asking the wrong people about this problem. I saw once on TV that engineering students do practical lab type classes at college.  Where they solve real world problems, hands on for the experience as part of their education. I'd bet they might love a challenge like your problem. 

 

I'm surprised someone doesn't already have a product for this being how big the trucking industry is today?

 

Barring that I think you might have to go out into your garage with some power tools and trial and error this one yourself lol.

Like some kind of liquid filled bladder that the small table top you mount your desktop to, is soft strapped too. That is then soft strapped to mounts in the truck somewhere? Idk just spit balling.  

 

Who knows dude you could turn this into a serious business if you can come up with a product that is a good solution to the problem?

[greenmax]

8 minutes ago, Intergalacticbits said:

I'm surprised someone doesn't already have a product for this being how big the trucking industry is today?

There are products out there.

Panasonic Toughbook for example for laptops.

Required for a wide range of enviroments from in the truck cab, to out in the field, researchers, biologists, naval vessels, farm equipment..........................

[Bombastinator]

20 minutes ago, Intergalacticbits said:

I think you might be asking the wrong people about this problem. I saw once on TV that engineering students do practical lab type classes at college.  Where they solve real world problems, hands on for the experience as part of their education. I'd bet they might love a challenge like your problem. 

 

I'm surprised someone doesn't already have a product for this being how big the trucking industry is today?

 

Barring that I think you might have to go out into your garage with some power tools and trial and error this one yourself lol.

Like some kind of liquid filled bladder that the small table top you mount your desktop to, is soft strapped too. That is then soft strapped to mounts in the truck somewhere? Idk just spit balling.  

 

Who knows dude you could turn this into a serious business if you can come up with a product that is a good solution to the problem?

Throwing stuff at engineering students is fun in general.  
 

what the community has ftm is @johnny5c who has done some limited research on the subject of carrying high end gaming white box PCs in vehicles.  There’s also desktop replacement gigantor luggable laptops.  Not many of those made anymore though.  Last I remember they were being done for the Japanese market because they wanted high end gaming boxes but didn’t have the space.  Years ago though.

[Kisai]

3 hours ago, Intergalacticbits said:

I'm surprised someone doesn't already have a product for this being how big the trucking industry is today?

I'm sure one exists given this is the third or fourth thread I've seen like this in the last few months.

 

The main principle problem is that any PC in a moving vehicle has to survive the vehicle's braking force, turning inertia and potential accidents. You can NOT have a loose PC, absolutely not, and that goes double for parts inside it. In the event that your Truck or RV has an accident, you don't want the machine becoming a flying object at the back of your head.

 

The best suggestion is always to consider a high-end laptop first, because this solves the power problem, and securing a laptop is easier than a desktop all things considered. Unless you're going to run your vehicle all night to game, on what can only presumably be a crappy internet connection, anything more powerful than a 15" laptop with a low-tier/mid-tier dedicated GPU is probably not going to run without at least 8A of AC power available. A UPS works OK for that, but a UPS is intended to keep a machine from being killed by power issues, where as a laptop already has that solved.  For reference a 17" Dell Precision 7730 laptop requires a 240W PSU to run a Quadro P3000 and a i7-8650H. The model beneath it, the 15" 7530 requires a 180, and the 5530 ultrabook style requires only 130w, but otherwise has the exact same CPU in all three models. The Precision 5530 can also be powered from Dell's USB-C docks without a second power supply, where as the thick 15" and 17" ones require two USB-C PD sources from a WD19DC dock, which itself is powered by a 240W dell AC adapter. So a high end gaming laptop gets you a bit more bang for the power requirements, cause you're not getting that in a desktop at 240w. In fact, if you look, you'll find that the Dell 28F6C is 90W only, so no laptop with a dedicated GPU can run off that. 

 

You can use bungee cords and such to keep a desktop from becoming mobile from forces from driving, but really you're still going to run into power issues. The only primary advantage you can get from an actual desktop is that you can modify the desktop chassis so that it can be permanently fixed to the interior of the truck so it won't go flying and can't be stolen. However it becomes a huge pain to fix anything that has become dislodged. You also have to find a DC to DC power supply if you want to run it off the 12V electrical bus.

 

So the OP basically asked "how do I get the equivalent of my high end gaming pc into an ITX" and the answer is, you don't. Especially if you have no means of protecting the PC from physical vibrations. A high end PC will simply not survive any level of environmental abuse. If this is really the environment in which it has to operate in, what you need is a shock-absorbing box to put the chassis in, and at that point the PC now takes of as much space as a full size desktop. You're better off with a laptop put inside a pelican case. You could also put a desktop into a pelican case, but you will have to remove it from the case to use it, which would be annoying.

 

 

[Purgent]

Laptop is the answer here.  You'll have the durability, mobility, and ability to use it for other things easy as it can be transported and moved at will.

[Ravendarat]

On 2/14/2020 at 11:55 PM, greenmax said:

What about a laptop with an egpu, Alienware I think has that I think.

This is exactly what I was gonna suggest, If you look at the EGPU units the video cards mount vertical into them instead of horizontal, would stand up to vibration MUCH better and then the rest of the components in the laptop would be fine so long as you have a good place to put the actual laptop. Im sure you could make a very acceptable gaming set up with this.