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building a pc as compact as possible.

frostybirb
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1 hour ago, frostybirb said:

I absolutely love compact pc builds, but they are never compact enough for me and I've been trying to figure out ways to make an even smaller build. Recently though when I saw the LTT video featuring the Comino RM. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbf4800fkfQ&t=736s) 

I saw how the graphics cards were sandwiched together and it go me thinking about if that were to be done with a CPU and GPU instead. to make the build even more compact it would be a case with an acrylic distro plate side panel and the front face would be a 240mm radiator in the front with the Front panel IO actually being on the top and a mesh back with a single smaller fan to help vent the passive heat build up from the SSD, ram, etc. obviously this would have to be a fully custom build but i think it has potential. It may not be the prettiest or easiest to build in case but obviously the whole design could be adjusted to have absolutely uncompromised performance in the smallest possible foot print. Thoughts please?

It sounds to me like You want to save yourself a water block and some hoses by placing the cpu and gpu opposite each other on each side of a single water block. 
 

This whole thing is super non standard.  It breaks the heck out of form factor and would likely work with only one specific motherboard and one specific card.

 

things I can think of off hand that would have to be considered:

-the pcie cable:  

not sure which way the card would go.  Riser cable might need to be super long and extra funky.

-the gpu card/motherboard sandwich:

A gpu pcb is not unlike a motherboard pcb in that it has various bits on it that each need theor own levels of cooling, and a gpu card wouldn’t be all that much smaller than an itx motherboard.  30xx cards are unusually short so I can’t say there would be no room, but itx boards tend to have tall bits so they can fit everything on the board. They tend to look like bowls with things rising up on all sides around the cpu.  That sandwiched cpu/gpu possibly full coverage double VRM cpu/gpu water block might need to be awful thick to clear things.  Water blocks tend to be complicated as far as where flow goes to actually get water across the micro fins and to the various other parts as well on a full coverage block so where each bit of cooling is needed on each board would be need to be thought about.  If no full coverage airflow would have to be considered.  Also attachment.  Where do the screws go?  This sounds like a lot of time in a CAD program working out how the fancy double water block works, and might require revisions after testing.

 

UPDATE: had a thought: if you can get a cpu block and a gpu block that are actually flat on top you could just connect them, or you’re willing to make a third block that acts as an adaptor between a separate cpu block and gpu block you could use stock stuff  and only worry about attachment of the gpu (and airflow) the connection fittings could be a bugbear.

I absolutely love compact pc builds, but they are never compact enough for me and I've been trying to figure out ways to make an even smaller build. Recently though when I saw the LTT video featuring the Comino RM. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbf4800fkfQ&t=736s) 

I saw how the graphics cards were sandwiched together and it go me thinking about if that were to be done with a CPU and GPU instead. to make the build even more compact it would be a case with an acrylic distro plate side panel and the front face would be a 240mm radiator in the front with the Front panel IO actually being on the top and a mesh back with a single smaller fan to help vent the passive heat build up from the SSD, ram, etc. obviously this would have to be a fully custom build but i think it has potential. It may not be the prettiest or easiest to build in case but obviously the whole design could be adjusted to have absolutely uncompromised performance in the smallest possible foot print. Thoughts please?

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24 minutes ago, frostybirb said:

I absolutely love compact pc builds, but they are never compact enough for me and I've been trying to figure out ways to make an even smaller build.

Maybe a Raspeberry Pi because regulaur pc mobos only come in certain sizes, but you could use igpu and make it slim or use external gpu

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there was a build on here(i think) where someone built a pc inside of a psu. if i find it, i will link it.

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With regards to your idea, a lot of SFF cases these days are even smaller than a 240mm radiator. Check out Linus's Velka 3 build for example-- that case is barely larger than an ITX motherboard.

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1 hour ago, frostybirb said:

I absolutely love compact pc builds, but they are never compact enough for me and I've been trying to figure out ways to make an even smaller build. Recently though when I saw the LTT video featuring the Comino RM. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbf4800fkfQ&t=736s) 

I saw how the graphics cards were sandwiched together and it go me thinking about if that were to be done with a CPU and GPU instead. to make the build even more compact it would be a case with an acrylic distro plate side panel and the front face would be a 240mm radiator in the front with the Front panel IO actually being on the top and a mesh back with a single smaller fan to help vent the passive heat build up from the SSD, ram, etc. obviously this would have to be a fully custom build but i think it has potential. It may not be the prettiest or easiest to build in case but obviously the whole design could be adjusted to have absolutely uncompromised performance in the smallest possible foot print. Thoughts please?

It sounds to me like You want to save yourself a water block and some hoses by placing the cpu and gpu opposite each other on each side of a single water block. 
 

This whole thing is super non standard.  It breaks the heck out of form factor and would likely work with only one specific motherboard and one specific card.

 

things I can think of off hand that would have to be considered:

-the pcie cable:  

not sure which way the card would go.  Riser cable might need to be super long and extra funky.

-the gpu card/motherboard sandwich:

A gpu pcb is not unlike a motherboard pcb in that it has various bits on it that each need theor own levels of cooling, and a gpu card wouldn’t be all that much smaller than an itx motherboard.  30xx cards are unusually short so I can’t say there would be no room, but itx boards tend to have tall bits so they can fit everything on the board. They tend to look like bowls with things rising up on all sides around the cpu.  That sandwiched cpu/gpu possibly full coverage double VRM cpu/gpu water block might need to be awful thick to clear things.  Water blocks tend to be complicated as far as where flow goes to actually get water across the micro fins and to the various other parts as well on a full coverage block so where each bit of cooling is needed on each board would be need to be thought about.  If no full coverage airflow would have to be considered.  Also attachment.  Where do the screws go?  This sounds like a lot of time in a CAD program working out how the fancy double water block works, and might require revisions after testing.

 

UPDATE: had a thought: if you can get a cpu block and a gpu block that are actually flat on top you could just connect them, or you’re willing to make a third block that acts as an adaptor between a separate cpu block and gpu block you could use stock stuff  and only worry about attachment of the gpu (and airflow) the connection fittings could be a bugbear.

Edited by Bombastinator

Not a pro, not even very good.  I’m just old and have time currently.  Assuming I know a lot about computers can be a mistake.

 

Life is like a bowl of chocolates: there are all these little crinkly paper cups everywhere.

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The DanCase is seriously too big for you? I don't think you can physically make something smaller.

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On 10/31/2020 at 9:46 PM, dizmo said:

The DanCase is seriously too big for you? I don't think you can physically make something smaller.

Yes the dan case is too big!!! I want a full blown pc in the absolutely smallest foot print possible!

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3 minutes ago, frostybirb said:

Yes the dan case is too big!!! I want a full blown pc in the absolutely smallest foot print possible!

I'm pretty sure without considerable sacrifices, that is the DanCase.

CPU: Ryzen 9 5900 Cooler: EVGA CLC280 Motherboard: Gigabyte B550i Pro AX RAM: Kingston Hyper X 32GB 3200mhz

Storage: WD 750 SE 500GB, WD 730 SE 1TB GPU: EVGA RTX 3070 Ti PSU: Corsair SF750 Case: Streacom DA2

Monitor: LG 27GL83B Mouse: Razer Basilisk V2 Keyboard: G.Skill KM780 Cherry MX Red Speakers: Mackie CR5BT

 

MiniPC - Sold for $100 Profit

Spoiler

CPU: Intel i3 4160 Cooler: Integrated Motherboard: Integrated

RAM: G.Skill RipJaws 16GB DDR3 Storage: Transcend MSA370 128GB GPU: Intel 4400 Graphics

PSU: Integrated Case: Shuttle XPC Slim

Monitor: LG 29WK500 Mouse: G.Skill MX780 Keyboard: G.Skill KM780 Cherry MX Red

 

Budget Rig 1 - Sold For $750 Profit

Spoiler

CPU: Intel i5 7600k Cooler: CryOrig H7 Motherboard: MSI Z270 M5

RAM: Crucial LPX 16GB DDR4 Storage: Intel S3510 800GB GPU: Nvidia GTX 980

PSU: Corsair CX650M Case: EVGA DG73

Monitor: LG 29WK500 Mouse: G.Skill MX780 Keyboard: G.Skill KM780 Cherry MX Red

 

OG Gaming Rig - Gone

Spoiler

 

CPU: Intel i5 4690k Cooler: Corsair H100i V2 Motherboard: MSI Z97i AC ITX

RAM: Crucial Ballistix 16GB DDR3 Storage: Kingston Fury 240GB GPU: Asus Strix GTX 970

PSU: Thermaltake TR2 Case: Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ITX

Monitor: Dell P2214H x2 Mouse: Logitech MX Master Keyboard: G.Skill KM780 Cherry MX Red

 

 

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On 10/31/2020 at 9:23 PM, Bombastinator said:

It sounds to me like You want to save yourself a water block and some hoses by placing the cpu and gpu opposite each other on each side of a single water block. 
 

This whole thing is super non standard.  It breaks the heck out of form factor and would likely work with only one specific motherboard and one specific card.

 

things I can think of off hand that would have to be considered:

-the pcie cable:  

not sure which way the card would go.  Riser cable might need to be super long and extra funky.

-the gpu card/motherboard sandwich:

A gpu pcb is not unlike a motherboard pcb in that it has various bits on it that each need theor own levels of cooling, and a gpu card wouldn’t be all that much smaller than an itx motherboard.  30xx cards are unusually short so I can’t say there would be no room, but itx boards tend to have tall bits so they can fit everything on the board. They tend to look like bowls with things rising up on all sides around the cpu.  That sandwiched cpu/gpu possibly full coverage double VRM cpu/gpu water block might need to be awful thick to clear things.  Water blocks tend to be complicated as far as where flow goes to actually get water across the micro fins and to the various other parts as well on a full coverage block so where each bit of cooling is needed on each board would be need to be thought about.  If no full coverage airflow would have to be considered.  Also attachment.  Where do the screws go?  This sounds like a lot of time in a CAD program working out how the fancy double water block works, and might require revisions after testing.

 

UPDATE: had a thought: if you can get a cpu block and a gpu block that are actually flat on top you could just connect them, or you’re willing to make a third block that acts as an adaptor between a separate cpu block and gpu block you could use stock stuff  and only worry about attachment of the gpu (and airflow) the connection fittings could be a bugbear.

This is a lot of good points that I didn't think of at all!!! Thank you so much. And yes it would be a lot of work in a 3d design software. Personally I really enjoy inventor for things like that. Honestly I was thinking of a custom adapter that would replace the top part of a cpu cooling block that would then be capable of adapting to basically any water block. The basic goal would be to make it only about as wide as a sff power supply. That would be a dramatic reduction in total volume.

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6 minutes ago, frostybirb said:

This is a lot of good points that I didn't think of at all!!! Thank you so much. And yes it would be a lot of work in a 3d design software. Personally I really enjoy inventor for things like that. Honestly I was thinking of a custom adapter that would replace the top part of a cpu cooling block that would then be capable of adapting to basically any water block. The basic goal would be to make it only about as wide as a sff power supply. That would be a dramatic reduction in total volume.

Gonna need a CNC too.  And you’re gonna have to do more than one, because something is going to not work or fit right.  There will be revisions.  There always are.  The “any water block” I particularly doubt.  You’ll be lucky if you can find one cpu and one gpu block that will work.  It’s the water connections that would make it especially custom and a real pita. 

Edited by Bombastinator

Not a pro, not even very good.  I’m just old and have time currently.  Assuming I know a lot about computers can be a mistake.

 

Life is like a bowl of chocolates: there are all these little crinkly paper cups everywhere.

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5 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

Gonna need a CNC too.  And you’re gonna have to do more than one, because something is going to not work or fit right.  There will be revisions.  There always are.  The “any water block” I particularly doubt.  You’ll be lucky if you can find one cpu and one gpu block that will work.  It’s the water connections that would make it especially custom and a real pita. 

I'm well aware lol. I've been studying engineering and I'm gonna be going back to college for it. I'm well aware that it's gonna be a ton of work. The first thing my teacher taught me is how the first one is always wrong

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15 minutes ago, dizmo said:

I'm pretty sure without considerable sacrifices, that is the DanCase.

No, I think it could be water cooled, even smaller, and even the dancase has limits to what you could theoretically put in it.

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19 minutes ago, frostybirb said:

No, I think it could be water cooled, even smaller, and even the dancase has limits to what you could theoretically put in it.

You can use an AIO in the DanCase. If you're not using an AIO, you need to factor in pump, reservoir, etc. Which adds a lot of components you'd have to squeeze in. If the DanCase is already limited, as you said....how do you plan to fit that into a smaller case?

CPU: Ryzen 9 5900 Cooler: EVGA CLC280 Motherboard: Gigabyte B550i Pro AX RAM: Kingston Hyper X 32GB 3200mhz

Storage: WD 750 SE 500GB, WD 730 SE 1TB GPU: EVGA RTX 3070 Ti PSU: Corsair SF750 Case: Streacom DA2

Monitor: LG 27GL83B Mouse: Razer Basilisk V2 Keyboard: G.Skill KM780 Cherry MX Red Speakers: Mackie CR5BT

 

MiniPC - Sold for $100 Profit

Spoiler

CPU: Intel i3 4160 Cooler: Integrated Motherboard: Integrated

RAM: G.Skill RipJaws 16GB DDR3 Storage: Transcend MSA370 128GB GPU: Intel 4400 Graphics

PSU: Integrated Case: Shuttle XPC Slim

Monitor: LG 29WK500 Mouse: G.Skill MX780 Keyboard: G.Skill KM780 Cherry MX Red

 

Budget Rig 1 - Sold For $750 Profit

Spoiler

CPU: Intel i5 7600k Cooler: CryOrig H7 Motherboard: MSI Z270 M5

RAM: Crucial LPX 16GB DDR4 Storage: Intel S3510 800GB GPU: Nvidia GTX 980

PSU: Corsair CX650M Case: EVGA DG73

Monitor: LG 29WK500 Mouse: G.Skill MX780 Keyboard: G.Skill KM780 Cherry MX Red

 

OG Gaming Rig - Gone

Spoiler

 

CPU: Intel i5 4690k Cooler: Corsair H100i V2 Motherboard: MSI Z97i AC ITX

RAM: Crucial Ballistix 16GB DDR3 Storage: Kingston Fury 240GB GPU: Asus Strix GTX 970

PSU: Thermaltake TR2 Case: Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ITX

Monitor: Dell P2214H x2 Mouse: Logitech MX Master Keyboard: G.Skill KM780 Cherry MX Red

 

 

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17 hours ago, dizmo said:

You can use an AIO in the DanCase. If you're not using an AIO, you need to factor in pump, reservoir, etc. Which adds a lot of components you'd have to squeeze in. If the DanCase is already limited, as you said....how do you plan to fit that into a smaller case?

One of the side panels would be made out of acrylic to act as a reservoir with a d5 pump attached to it like some of the really nice reservoirs that jayztwocents has shown off as options in his builds. Essentially the side the acrylic reservoir is the side panel, and the radiator would be the front panel and I'd come up with something to cover up the back.

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1 hour ago, frostybirb said:

One of the side panels would be made out of acrylic to act as a reservoir with a d5 pump attached to it like some of the really nice reservoirs that jayztwocents has shown off as options in his builds. Essentially the side the acrylic reservoir is the side panel, and the radiator would be the front panel and I'd come up with something to cover up the back.

So something that isn't the cleanest, and likely still the size if not larger than the DanCase. You can't get around the size needed for the PSU, motherboard and the radiator.

CPU: Ryzen 9 5900 Cooler: EVGA CLC280 Motherboard: Gigabyte B550i Pro AX RAM: Kingston Hyper X 32GB 3200mhz

Storage: WD 750 SE 500GB, WD 730 SE 1TB GPU: EVGA RTX 3070 Ti PSU: Corsair SF750 Case: Streacom DA2

Monitor: LG 27GL83B Mouse: Razer Basilisk V2 Keyboard: G.Skill KM780 Cherry MX Red Speakers: Mackie CR5BT

 

MiniPC - Sold for $100 Profit

Spoiler

CPU: Intel i3 4160 Cooler: Integrated Motherboard: Integrated

RAM: G.Skill RipJaws 16GB DDR3 Storage: Transcend MSA370 128GB GPU: Intel 4400 Graphics

PSU: Integrated Case: Shuttle XPC Slim

Monitor: LG 29WK500 Mouse: G.Skill MX780 Keyboard: G.Skill KM780 Cherry MX Red

 

Budget Rig 1 - Sold For $750 Profit

Spoiler

CPU: Intel i5 7600k Cooler: CryOrig H7 Motherboard: MSI Z270 M5

RAM: Crucial LPX 16GB DDR4 Storage: Intel S3510 800GB GPU: Nvidia GTX 980

PSU: Corsair CX650M Case: EVGA DG73

Monitor: LG 29WK500 Mouse: G.Skill MX780 Keyboard: G.Skill KM780 Cherry MX Red

 

OG Gaming Rig - Gone

Spoiler

 

CPU: Intel i5 4690k Cooler: Corsair H100i V2 Motherboard: MSI Z97i AC ITX

RAM: Crucial Ballistix 16GB DDR3 Storage: Kingston Fury 240GB GPU: Asus Strix GTX 970

PSU: Thermaltake TR2 Case: Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ITX

Monitor: Dell P2214H x2 Mouse: Logitech MX Master Keyboard: G.Skill KM780 Cherry MX Red

 

 

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