Stealthy and Dark - Be Quiet Dark Base & Alphacool build

talisman81 · May 11, 2021

Budget (including currency): €3000+

Country: Denmark

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: python, excel and the occasional game

Other details (existing parts lists, whether any peripherals are needed, what you're upgrading from, when you're going to buy, what resolution and refresh rate you want to play at, etc):

Last time i build a pc it was an aircooled pentium in an Aopen tower, little more than 20 years ago when i was living with my parents, drinking beers and studying.

Since then i have been crunching accounting spreadsheets for the man on corporate laptops for the past decades - don't know how this trip down "pc" memory lane started -

but its been a hell of a lot more fun than building ikea furniture for my kids rooms, which i have done a lot of lately.

In December (May now) i started ordering the first bit and pieces, initially i planned on making my own case with room for the massive 4 x 200mm radiator from alphacool - then later i fell in love with the master cooler gulf mod theme - but eventually thought it through, and i would have to build something that the wife woulnd't be "to" disgusted by (TO MUCH RGB WAS DEF A NO GO), and i couldn't really take out the (family) time to make something unique.

so after intensive research i decided to go with a be quiet case Dark Base 700 - mainly because its supposedly silent, and about as stylish and clean as clumbsy consumer midtower cabinets comes.

however inspired by the many youtube videos on watercooling i HAD to try it. its been fun doing research on the subject, and finding the bits and pieces that (hopefully) would fit.

so here it is, almost done, of cause it will be placed on the floor out of sight ~ married.

Under the hood its:

Asus Strix 570Xe

Asus 3060 12GB OC - i am not a big gamer and had ordered a 3070 in december, but had to buy this one just to get my hands on a graphics card.

4 x 32GB 3200Mzh G.Skill

1 x TB SSD m.2 WD (the fast one)

1200W Be quiet Straight Power 11 Platinum (would have settled for a 1000W - but due to stock shortage had to buy this one)

Resevoir - EK-RES X3 150 - initially i would have gone for an alphacool, alas stock shortage and EK also makes nice quality i think

Pump - Alphacool Eispumpe VPP755 - G1/4 inner thread including Eisdecke D5 - Acetal V.3

Top Rad

Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper 360mm radiator

3 x be quiet! Lüfter Silent Wings 3 - 120mm PWM H

Front Rad

Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper 360mm radiator

3 x be quiet! Lüfter Silent Wings 3 - 140mm PWM H

(had to squeeze the fans in, in the front a little bit - but very silent and works perfect)

CPU block

Alphacool NexXxoS XP³ Light - Acetal -

Fittings

Alphacool Eiszapfen 16/10mm compression fitting G1/4 - chrome sixpack

I bought three packages + a Y connector and some other that i didnt end up using.

Drain pipe

Alphacool 2-way ball valve G1/4 - Chrome

Tube

Alphacool tube AlphaTube TPV 16/10 - Black Matte 3,3m (10ft) Retailbox
for some reason the black tube wasn't as tight as the clear one, so for safety reasons i used the clear - which i luckally also ordered.

Alphacool tubing AlphaTube HF 16/10 (3/8"ID) - Ultra Clear 1m (3,3ft) Retailbox

Flowmeter

Barrow SLFV1-RGB Acrylic Water Flow Meter LRC2.0(5v 3pin) Lighting System Multiple Blade Colors

i also got a GPU block for the 3070 card that never became available, its just lying in my drawer laughing at me - and aparently watercooling a 3060 isnt a thing - i can't find a block anywhere ;o(

Barrow 3070 GPU Water Cooling Block For ASUS RTX3070 Graphics Card , Full Cover A-RGB Cooler, BS-ASS3070-PA BS-ADS3070-PA