Corsair 4000D Airflow Build Log with Pics (from A First Time PC Builder!)

[flymousechiu]

Bored while my motherboard is being RMA-ed... due to a stupid bug with sleeping (see end of post). Decided to document my build process here:

 

Use cases: 

• Hybrid Windows/Linus web development through WSL (requires high thread-count CPU with hefty memory)
• Light gaming (1440p @ 144Hz, requires low-medium tier GPU)

Nice-to-haves:

• Removable filtered intake (cat planning)
• 3.5" HDD support (would like to record my gameplay with Shadowplay while minimizing SSD writes)

Components:

• CPU: i9-13900k
• GPU: Nvidia 1070 (recycled from old Acer prebuilt)
• Motherboard: MSI MAG z790 Tomahawk (DDR5)
• Memory: Corsair Vengence 16GB x 2 @ 5600MHz
• Storage: Samsung 980 Pro (1TB)
• PSU: EVGA 850W GQ (recycled)
• Case: Corsair 4000D Airflow
• CPU Cooling: Corsair H150i 360mm AiO
• OS: Windows 11 Pro (OEM CD)

Subtotal: $1500 excluding GPU, PSU.

 

Additional components:

• Secondary Storage: SK Hynix (256GB) (M.2 SATA SSD for old data, recycled)
• Secondary Storage: Samsung 870 Evo (1TB) (2.5" SATA SSD, recycled)
• Secondary Storage: Toshiba (1TB) (3.5" SATA HDD, recycled)

Build photos:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build comments:

• Building process a lot easier than initially thought
• Cable management a lot harder than initially thought
• Biggest roadblock during build: 3.5" bay does not leave enough room to insert power supply. Have to install PSU before reinstalling 3.5" bay, which leaves inner screw unreachable. Have to use a folded strip of paper to get the screw into position, screw through holes on the roof of the PSU shroud, then tear the screw from the paper. Whole process to install 1 screw took about 2 hours. In hindsight, the 1 single screw isn't probably that important, but it feels really wrong to leave it.
• It is virtually impossible to add any piece of modular wire into the PSU in the future.
• Corsair really need to think of a better way to house their own RGB controller in their own case. Daisy-chaining the fan wires is also a good idea (think they are already showing that off at CompuTex 2023).

Final build:

 

 

Post-build tuning and comments:

• Undervolted CPU by 0.09V: Now consumes 280W running Cinebench r23 as opposed to 320W. Was surprised how big a difference it made.
• Undervolted GPU through Afterburner curve and reapplied thermal grease: GPU is still thermal throttling. Don't think there's anything I can do about it until I upgrade my 6+year-old 1070. One day it will happen.
• After about a month, developed a problem where PC can't wake up from sleep normally. Eventually have to get my motherboard RMA-ed:

[SorryBella]

15 hours ago, flymousechiu said:

Final build

Oh my god is that a Cintiq? So cool.

[flymousechiu]

5 hours ago, SorryClaire said:

Oh my god is that a Cintiq? So cool.

Yep, it's a Cintiq 16. I've been trying to do a bit of illustration for fun.