ZOTAC ZBOX MAGNUS One i7-10700 RTX 3070 Mini PC

[flitze87]

thank you very much luke

 

i am trying to figure out if i can use the old backplate.

maybe if i hammer the thread bolts out of it.

 

the noctua arrived today but i think i will also order the g200p.

if i am lucky i can handcraft something with an "custom" backplate.

 

otherwise the noctua is designed for use without backplate and so it should work without.

 

btw:

Wouldn't it be a good move to swap the system fans for Noctuas?

 

 

[LukeD_NC]

It would be a good move for Zotac but im afraid it will increase their price significantly. 

 

Also, here's an idea for the Noctua cooler if you dont want to apply too much pressure:

Put one or two metal washers between the Noctua screw and the back of the motherboard.

This should make the threads shorter on the CPU side and apply less pressure. 

[flitze87]

 

first of all, I would like to say thank you again.
It is always important that someone starts to play with such modifications.

 

I have now installed the noctua and used the supplied cooling paste.
the backplate you can probably not use because of its shape even if you take out the thread but I'm still not quite sure in conclusion.

 

about the assembly:
it was quite easy, except for the fact that I had to disassemble everything.
the first thing i noticed was that the bracket for the mainboard, so to say the partition in the case, the middle bar, already had a slight bend.
so mainboard out, backplat off, clean, apply and new cooler on it.
I did not tighten the screws too tightly in the first step and tested them.
there was no major bending.

 

then the tests:
I noticed that the jet-like fan thrusts that were otherwise very noticeable were minimized. however, the max temperatures in coretemp were slightly higher and the score in 3d mark was slightly lower.
but i now have noise that the pc makes. maybe before but because of the stock cooler i didn't notice it, i don't know.

everything reopened and repositioned and retightened.
then I have the cpu cooler further tightened because the screws of the noctua have a limit and in other assembly videos was to see that people tighten the completely.

 

said and done. and what can I say.
temps are better and the 3d mark score is almost the same as with stock cooler.
but i still have noise from the pc when i scroll or it loads.
for comparison you can imagine that it sounds like you have a hdd connected which communicates loading acoustically to the outside

am just unsure if it was like that before and i could overhear it because of the old fan.
or if what I hear is the new fan with its up and down throttling.

its not the loud but noticable.

after I have tightened it I imagine it has become a little less.
on the other hand i am worried that it was too tight from the start.

(Translated with deepl and it make it even worse  )

 

cpu max 84°

board power draw 223,2w

new cooler in 3d mark

 

 

old stock cooler in 3d mark

[LukeD_NC]

Post removed. Bios didn't work on 11th gen chips

 

 

 

[LukeD_NC]

Removed bios post

[Eric Van]

I've been following this thread while I've been waiting for my Magnus One to arrive. I ordered the Cooler Master MasterAir G200P and Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut Thermal Grease (non-conductive) to try and keep the system noise down. I used the computer (stock) for maybe and hour before Long story short, I installed the after-market cooler and when I turned the computer on it immediately started smoking and popping. I turned it of and pulled the power as fast as I could but clearly, damage was done. I opened the case and found a small (capacitor?) that had disconnected from the motherboard. I also found that the stickers on the RAM sticks had melted. There wasn't any bulging on the sticks themselves or anywhere else on the motherboard. I triple-checked everything I did and made sure there wasn't any metal-on-metal with the new heatsink. 

 

I know it's fried and I'm going to have to pay out-of-pocket to repair it. My question is, what went wrong? I've builds many times and never experienced anything like it. How could replacing the CPU cooler effect the RAM? I though maybe the motherboard was warped but I didn't overly tighten anything and it all looks normal. 

 

Appreciate any thoughts as I drink away my sadness.

[LukeD_NC]

@Eric Van oh man, I'm sorry to hear this. The only explanation could be that the G200P shorted something (but it shouldn't have). Alternatively if things were overtightened and some components detached from the motherboard could have cause issues.

I overtightened my Noctua cooler and the system wouldn't boot. No smoke or anything like that, just no boot. Once I loosened the screws, she came back to life immediately.

Can you share photos of the damage ?

[Eric Van]

4 minutes ago, LukeD_NC said:

@Eric Van oh man, I'm sorry to hear this. The only explanation could be that the G200P shorted something (but it shouldn't have). Alternatively if things were overtightened and some components detached from the motherboard could have cause issues.

I overtightened my Noctua cooler and the system wouldn't boot. No smoke or anything like that, just no boot. Once I loosened the screws, she came back to life immediately.

Can you share photos of the damage ?

Here's pictures. I was thinking along the same lines but still, the CPU fan causing the RAM to smolder? It's so strange. I'm not a novice and I'm sure I didn't over-tighten anything. 

60259B02-A55F-4CDA-A4FD-6AF9A8E0A8E0.heic 1B608382-FD6D-4884-8CBD-E9BBC41348F2_1_201_a.heic B95846D5-30EF-4501-A370-9FEA58E817EE_1_201_a.heic 07FAB90D-D48B-4EAF-B995-47837D9D1BCD_1_201_a.heic

[LukeD_NC]

That actually looks like the inductor may have gone faulty. If that's on the path to the RAM then they would get an unstable current and hence possibly fry. You can order a Magic 1R0 from digit-key and try resoldering although there looks like there's 1 more component there on the motherboard that blew. 

It really could be and endless series of broken components at this point. But I would try replacing them one by one if youre good with an iron.

[Eric Van]

12 hours ago, LukeD_NC said:

That actually looks like the inductor may have gone faulty. If that's on the path to the RAM then they would get an unstable current and hence possibly fry. You can order a Magic 1R0 from digit-key and try resoldering although there looks like there's 1 more component there on the motherboard that blew. 

It really could be and endless series of broken components at this point. But I would try replacing them one by one if youre good with an iron.

Really appreciate your help. It's been a while since I've pulled out my soldering iron and I'm not willing to trust that long-term. I'm more convinced it's a faulty mobo and it wasn't anything I did wrong. We'll see how understanding Amazon is!

[karsaorlong21]

I just ordered it. Is it possible to install aio for cpu in it?

[Chaitanya kc]

Can anyone tell me how to increase cpu performance for cpu bound games like valorant,cs  for xtu settings and good fan curves for stock cooler ?

 

[Crongs]

Hey guys! :)

 

I got my Magnus almost 3 days ago. I switched the "boxed" cooler with the Noctua. Is there any chance of a 11gen "mod" bios ? Any possibilty to undervolt the 10700 ? ( I tried with the Intel XTU utility but no luck so far ).

 

My next mod idea is to switch the top fans with Noctuas or Scythe Kaze Flex 92 ( i don´t know if the Scythe would fit ).

 

 

Thanks in advance! :)

[LukeD_NC]

@Crongs - I tried modding the bios to include 11th gen support as the chipset on the motherboard theoretically can support it. However, I've had no luck. The modded bios I made works only with 10th gen CPU's. I dont have the time right now to problem determine it.

I dropped the CPU down to a 10600 and its a much better fit than the 10700. Huge decrease in power draw and in games its unnoticeable. 

[Crongs]

@LukeD_NC - Thanks for your fast reply. Hmhm... Sad story. I hope that there will be a 11gen. mod bios or official bios.i was thinking about switching to a 10600k ( for more options like voltage / multiplier ) -> Why are there no options to change any voltage of the 10700... really strange. 

 

I love the Magnus, but there are so many possibilites to change something / mod something.

[LukeD_NC]

Try using Intel XTU utility to put a cap on power consumption. That should work

[Crongs]

Thank you. I will try it with XTU again -> But i think swapping out the CPU is the best choice

[karsaorlong21]

Anyone tried AXP 90, Cryorig c7g or any other graphene coated coolers for cpu? I have to import them so I cannot easily test and return.

[LukeD_NC]

16 hours ago, Crongs said:

Thank you. I will try it with XTU again -> But i think swapping out the CPU is the best choice

@Crongs - go for the non-K version. There's not much point going to 10600K. Its still too high TDP

[LukeD_NC]

15 hours ago, karsaorlong21 said:

Anyone tried AXP 90, Cryorig c7g or any other graphene coated coolers for cpu? I have to import them so I cannot easily test and return.

@karsaorlong21 - they won't work. Max height for CPU cooler is 37mm. (40mm is pushing it)

[Crongs]

@LukeD_NC: If you choose the K version you are able to undervolt / manage multipliers ( in turbo range ) -> In germany they are similar in price 

I think the K version is the better choice then ?

 

 

I bought the Cryorig C7G, but missed the fact, that it is to high... Probably it would fit with with a side panel mod ? :D... It would be a lot easier if you are able to buy the panels as stand alone ( So you can swap them out in warranty cases... )

[LukeD_NC]

@Crongs the K version is probably better resell value but you will need to make manual tweaks and cap the Max TDP to 95W in XTU.

If you want something that you dont need to change or modify with software, that will work out of the box, just get the non-K version.

[Crongs]

@LukeD_NCThank you. I try to stay with the 10700 for a while. I will switch it later ( prob. there will be a 11gen Bios ),

 

I wrote a message to the zotac support ( modding sidepanels ) -> They don´t sell the side panels seperatly... So it´s really hard to mod the side pandel to fit a "bigger" CPU cooler in it.

[Preshit_zu]

12 hours ago, Crongs said:

@LukeD_NCThank you. I try to stay with the 10700 for a while. I will switch it later ( prob. there will be a 11gen Bios ),

 

I wrote a message to the zotac support ( modding sidepanels ) -> They don´t sell the side panels seperatly... So it´s really hard to mod the side pandel to fit a "bigger" CPU cooler in it.

 can we use the asetek 645lt ? it might fit in there

[Crongs]

@Preshit_zuI don´t think that it would fit without any modification of the side panels -> space between top fans and mainboard is about 16 - 17mm -> so there is no way for a radiator. It would be a lot easier if you could buy a second pair of side panels :P....