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Corsair 250D: My first ever PC build

AlRayes_BRN
By AlRayes_BRN
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Hello Guys!

I wanted to share with you my experience with the newly launched mini-itx case by Corsair, Obsidian Series: 250D

I'll skip the talking now and go straight to the parts, pros, cons and what not do order with this amazing case.

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Parts:
Case/Chassis: Corsair Obisidian Series 250D mini-itx case
Processor: Intel i7 4770k
Processor Cooler: Corsair Hydro Series H100i
Memory: G.Skill Trident X 16GB 2400Mhz
Motherboad: AUS Maximus VI Impact mini-itx Motherboard
Storage:: Samsung Evo 840 250GB SSD for OS, Samsung Evo 840 750GB SSD for Games and WD Caviar Black 1TB for Backups and Multimedia
Graphics Card: EVGA GTX 780 Ti Superclocked with ACX Cooler (Core Clock: 1006Mhz, Boost Clock: 1072Mhz) Part number: 03G-P4-2884-KR
Power Supply: Corsair 850RM
Optical Drive: LG 24x DVD Writer/Reader
Processor Cooler Fans: 2x Cooler Master JetFlo 120mm Red LED Fans
Front Fan: Cooler Master MegaFlow 200mm Fan *DID NOT FIT with H100i installed/DID NOT FIT without H100i installed*
Keyboard: Razer Blackwidow Ultimate 2013
Mouse: Razer Naga 2014 Left Handed Mouse
Operating System: Windows 8.1 Pro 64bit
Others: CouchMaster Pro *5 stars from me* and Silverstone 3.94" PWM Fan Splitter Cable

Working with the Corsair 250D:
For a first time ever build, it was an amazing experience! The only problem I faced is the small space I had to manage the cables and installing the H100i. I had to go back to the manual to make sure how to install the H100i after installing it wrong couple of times.

Time for my first build: 7 Hours + 1 Hours of OS and drivers installation = 8 Hours

Parts NOT to order with the Corsair 250D:
PSU: Don't even think of getting the RM850 for this case, the flat cable design and the 90 degrees angle connectors for the SSDs/HDDs are pain in the a**!!! very hard to bend, no cable management can be done and very hard to install the cables on the SSDs/HDDs because of the 90 degrees angle connectors. My cables are in a huge mess now and kind of blocking the intake fan air, air is still going through though.

Front Intake Fan: Don't try installing a 200mm fan with the H100i because it won't fit. the Cooler master MegaFlow 200mm had extra edges that hit the Optical drive clip points and cant be installed (even if the optical drive is not installed).

IMG_20140311_WA0006.jpg

IMG_20140311_WA0008.jpg

My Airflow Setup:
- 1x 140mm front intake fan @ 1100 RPM
- 2x 120mm side intake fans on the H100i @ 1300 RPM (used Silverstone 3.94" PWM Fan Splitter Cable to connect fans to the CPU Fan header)
- FanXpert 2 is used
- Dust filters removed from both sides (left and right)
- No exhausts, the small case should help exhausting the air passively and positively through the back

Overclocking:
Processor: from 3.5Ghz to 4.3Ghz at 1.275 volts (I think I have a bad chip, can't do 4.4Ghz at 1.300 volts)

GPU: Power Target 106%, Temp Target 90C, GPU Clock Offset 75Mhz & Mem Clock Offset 300Mhz on EVGA Precision X (Let me know if you have any recommendations)

Temperatures:
Ambient Temperature: 21C - 23C

CPU at Idle: 22C - 30C*
GPU at Idle: 21C - 26C*
Motherboard at Idle: 21C - 26C*

* Depending on how many hours the PC is idling

CPU at Max load (RealBench): 69C
GPU at Max load (RealBench): 85C

CPU at Normal usage/Gaming: 44C
GPU at Normal usage/Gaming: 75C - 85C
Motherboard at Normal usage/Gaming: 45C

RMA:
I think my H100i has issues, sometimes the LED blinks red and there is a buzzing sound coming out of the pump but the temperatures are normal between 25C - 34C. Im still using it because most of the times this issue don't appear.

Final Thoughts:
- This is the best gaming case i've seen in a while, low temperatures and excellent airflow especially for the GPU, the side fans help air go in and hit the back of the GPU to cooler it and the side grill helps exhausting the GPU air our easily.

- The SSD/HDD trays located in an excellent place.

- You can have a good cable management if you use the right cables, DO NOT use flat cables!

- I own a Playstation 4 and when the news came out about the Steamboxes I was immediately interested, changing your hardware and playing games at max graphics while having the shape of a console really got my hyped. The only problem about the small form box size is temperatures, so that's why I decided to go with the mini-itx form.

- Dual graphics cards (ex: GTX 790/ 290x x2) should come soon and it will be a perfect addition to a mini-itx PC (if it fits)

- I read about a lot of mini-itx cases for 2 weeks before ordering the Corsair 250D, it's one of the best on the market for airflow/temperatures and you can fit top end hardware easily like I did

Please let me know if you need to know anything else! :)

I'd appreciate your comments regarding overclocking the CPU and GPU

Thank You!!

"If Everton were playing at the bottom of the garden, I'd pull the curtains." - Bill Shankly

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Results looks nice. Having a nice compact case does seem appealing.... Nice job OP!

Like watching Anime? Consider joining the unofficial LTT Anime Club Heaven Society~ ^.^

 

 

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OMG SOMEONE BOUGHT THE COUCHMASTER PRO!

 

 

and appropriate since this is your first build that you have the word virgin in the background with that bag in the one photo lol  :)

Too many ****ing games!  Back log 4 life! :S

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nice build! i can relate to trying to build in small cases, what cable management? lol ;p

hellooooooooo

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OMG SOMEONE BOUGHT THE COUCHMASTER PRO!

and appropriate since this is your first build that you have the word virgin in the background with that bag in the one photo lol :)

Hahaha yeah I love playing games on my 50" tv and to be honest I dont have a space in my room for a table and a monitor

I searched a lot for a good couch keyboard and mouse table and found the couch master .. the build quality is just amazing .. might post a topic about it with few pictures next week! It made my life easier lol

And the virgin bag .. hahahahaha I noticed it after posting and I wasnt bothered to edit it hahaha

"If Everton were playing at the bottom of the garden, I'd pull the curtains." - Bill Shankly

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Looks really nice. I hope this pulls you in to more building, now I just can't stop lol.

What did you take the pics with? They looks really good.

Oh man you're right .. I cant stop reading about hardware now!

I took the pictures with a samsung galaxy note 3

"If Everton were playing at the bottom of the garden, I'd pull the curtains." - Bill Shankly

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lol

Thanks. That phone takes some nice pics. My S4 is... sub par.

The s5 should be availabe in 2 weeks

"If Everton were playing at the bottom of the garden, I'd pull the curtains." - Bill Shankly

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Decent build, I like it.  zvery clean and small the 250D is.

Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof.

As I get older I get angrier more cynical, meaner. I feel some warning posts coming. I feel a ban coming. I was warned.

CPU-i5 2400 GPU-Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 OC Mobo-H67MA-D2H-B3 Ram-G.Skill Ripjaws 8gb 1333mhz Case-Fractal Define R4 PSU-Corsair CX750 Storage-Samsung EVO 250gb, 1tb WD Black,Hitachi 1tb Other stuff-Corsair K90, M90 Cooling-3x 140mm Fractal fans Sound-Sennheiser HD438 headphones
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Hope you enjoy your build OP and glad you found a little humour in what I first mentioned.  

As for gaming on larger screens (you mention playing on a 50") I prefer that too and in the past had a 32" Toshiba LCD 720p tv on my computer stand to use for pc gaming and now I have a 40" Samsung LCD 1080p tv on my computer stand to use for pc gaming. Definitely prefer the bigger screen I do.

In regards to playing at a distance which it sounds like you might do there is no way I could handle the change in depth perception or whatever if I played on my couch using the COUCHMASTER with the tv so far away.  I do currently have a pc of gaming quality hooked up to my 51" Samsung Plasma 1080p tv in the family room but the intent is to move the computer stand that is for it beside the tv and place the LED monitor we have for that pc on that computer stand and just play games on the monitor and when watching movies switch over to the tv.  As for console gaming I also still will go sit on the ground at the age of 41 right in front of the tv vs sitting on the couch playing games.  I just can't game far away from tvs.

I see you had mentioned you got a CoolerMaster MegaFlow 200 mm fan but could not use it.  I love these fans.  They were worth every penny I paid for them.

Anyway happy gaming with the new system.

Too many ****ing games!  Back log 4 life! :S

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That looks really cute man. It's a mini power house! 

Come and join the awesome Official LTT Star Citizen Org at LTT Conglomerat,  GTA 5 LTT Crew at LTT Conglomarate


PC Specs - 4770k - OC 4.5GHz  - GTX 780 SC - 16GB HyperX - NZXT H440 White - Corsair H100i - Corsair AX750 - Samsung Evo 250GB - 2 x PA238Q - ATH-M50 - 

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I like that case quite a bit, I want to do a mini-itx build someday, looks like lots of fun.

 

Goodjob OP

Stuff:  i7 7700k @ (dat nibba succ) | ASRock Z170M OC Formula | G.Skill TridentZ 3600 c16 | EKWB 1080 @ 2100 mhz  |  Acer X34 Predator | R4 | EVGA 1000 P2 | 1080mm Radiator Custom Loop | HD800 + Audio-GD NFB-11 | 850 Evo 1TB | 840 Pro 256GB | 3TB WD Blue | 2TB Barracuda

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Very nice for an ITX build! :)

|OscillosC Build|+ Raspberry Pi [NAS] + Another G5 + Personal + HTPC: Asus Z87-A - Intel Core i5 4670K @ 4.5ghz 1.15v - Noctua NH-D14 - Gigabyte Radeon HD7870 OC @ 1170mhz core- Kingston HyperX 8gb 1600mhz CL9 - Samsung 840 PRO 128Gb SSD for Windows- Kingston V300 120gb for Ubuntu- WD Caviar Black 1Tb For games and programs - WD Caviar Green 2Tb For videos, photos, music, and backups- Seasonic P660 XP2 Platinum - Windows 8.1 PRO - Ubuntu 14.04 - Modded Bitfenix Ghost

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Thanks guys,

 

I think I'm going to sell my build and get a new one .. thinking of the carbide 540 with two GTX 780 Ti's .. a third one might be added in a month or two ..

 

The reason why im going to sell it is because of Nvidia Latest announcement, the GTX Titan Z. $3,000 for a GPU is insane, had opes for the 790 but don't think it'll come anytime soon

"If Everton were playing at the bottom of the garden, I'd pull the curtains." - Bill Shankly

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Sick build!

Forgive me El Guapo. I know that I, Jefe, do not have your superior intellect and education...

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