Member Build Evolution in the last year or 2 (can be more)

[Snef]

Snef’s Water-cooling evolution in the last year (or two)

Hi everyone

Just checked older post I and I saw some builds and compare to newer from the same builder/Modder and sometime its phenomenal how some take experience and some have evolved

I think it’s a good idea to make a post to see all evolution of what we do in the last year or 2

(just one or 2 pics per build)

I start

My background in computer:

I work in IT for more than 20 years

and in 2009, just disgust of my computer, I said to myself, I bought a Dell Alienware, I had no time to spend on my computer and some other personal reason, just want a trouble free solution, I was wrong but the warranty and service was exceptional and anyway, its another story

finally in 2012, the computer passion came back, give my Alienware to my stepmother and buy a lot of hardware to build my own computer

here start my last year evolution

First:

March 3 2012, just finish my air cooling build

And simple Antec case with a Asus deluxe z68 mobo , a i5-2500K and a Sli of asus gtx560ti cuii

Yes, why not, a 2d Surround at same time

Nothing special but everything running very well,

But you know, not able to set Ultra in game, 2d surround with 560ti, not enough power

Second:

April 2 2012

Only one month later and After spending some time in a lot of forum, and saw how the water cooling is no more just green coolant and only a cheap cpu waterblock

Why not, sold my Antec sli setup to a friend and order a LOT of hardware and I jump in water cooling

A Rampage IV extreme, 3930k, 32gb g-skill, 2 x hd7970 and a NZXT 810, (my wife cried when she saw the bill)

Yes I know, only one month later

This is my first water cooling build ever

Third:

June 8 2012

Everything was perfect but, I don’t like temp, I thought the temperature would be lower, very disappointing

Ok need a bigger case and I always like the cube format, start some research and found Caselabs, wow they’re not cheap but why not, order a M8, and change CPU waterblock, I had better temp with the swiftech apogee than the raystorm on a 3930k

Good but, hade some issue with the rampage, need to change everything again

Fourth:

March 17 2013

After some time and some upgrade like Maximus V Formula instead of the rampage, dominator GT, XSPC waterblock

I finally have the build I want (yeah Right)

I made a lot of change

Change the Formula for a Maximus v Extreme want a trifire setup (ahh Crysis 3) and want good temp for a day to day overclock

Now with an intel I7-3770k @4.6Ghz, change pump, res, rad finally change everything and add a pedestal

And install rad in it, this my better temp gain, put rad outside of the case help a lot

fifth:

My wife need a rig, I don’t want wait for my computer when I need it

I try to make a low cost computer, sure, I’m able to do that

A i5-3570k, gigabyte z68 mATX, 8gb corsair white ram, Bitfenix Shinoby white, hd7970, and a single 120 rad for cpu

I’m impressed by temp, sure its not the best but have a litte bit better temp than a best air cooling or a H100

Do you know the first reaction of my wife when she saw her rigs “ah a Star War storm troopers, where is Dark Vader”

I told her “ok, Dark Vader will sell your computer and buy you a little Acer netbook for $300” :lol:

6^th:

My wife start gaming at Call of Duty, tomb raider (old one) and some other game

The issue is, the GPU is still air cooled, and fan make same noise as a F-18 Hornet at full load

Tried to create a fan profile but GPU came to hot and start throttling, no choice, need to water cooled the GPU

But no rad space in a regular Shinobi, told my wife need to upgrade and asked her if she want a white Caselabs SM8

She said “No, I like the touch finish of the Shinobi”, ok go for a white Shinobi XL

7^th:

No choice upgrade

No more project and want to do something special

When I ask my wife if she want a SM8, I saw sabertooth and my intial project was SM8 with a painted sabertooth

But my wife dosnt want the sm8, I kept simple and choose shinobi xl,

This time choose to go with another upgrade for my wife’s rig and make no compromise with her, I choose everything

Snef’s Icy Blue Angel is born

8^th:

And finally Purple Chimera

Ok this one don’t have any story, just need a project to occupied my days and one of my wife’ friend asked me for a rigs

Finnaly she’s not able to buy it, but not an issue, I sold it to another person

Want something small, enough powerful to play all actual game and first, something different from generally build we see on the web

9th, Red Poseidon

July 2013,

I built a Bench test, Why? why not..... loll, no real need for it, but I want build one, finally understand absolutely no need for a permanent build on a test bench

10, Sand of God

September 2013,

for this one, just fall in love with Caselabs S5 case

but want more rad space, I added a pedestal and this duo is veryu close to perfection

again want to achieve something different with the color theme, but to be honest, I never like it enough to keep it on my desk and understand im not a big fan of Horizontal setup

11, Bloody Angel

February 2014

for this one, I want to make no compromise, want my dream gaming builds, but I don't want to choose a way overkill hardware like quad sli

and first, want to build it in my dream case at this moment, the SMA8

another thing, wan it White and Red, whatever if its already made a million of time, another thing, want to try 2 separate loop, one for GPUs and one for CPU

June 2014

That's it for now, and I don't think I will disassemble Bloody angel soon, I simply love it,

I work on a special project right now

Icy Blue Angel II, to replace my wife's computers

another thing, look at evolution of photo quality

with help of a lot of people on this and others forum, my photography skills are way better now

Yes, all of this in little bit than a year, sometime I think is ridiculous but I sit on a couch, take a long breath and think, WHY NOT

[Jobobee]

Wow. Those builds are amazing. Congratulations! I'm trying to make my computer into a B&W styled system, might have to copy some parts of yours.

[TheDigitalRealm]

Snap! I have white painted Z77 Sabertooth too!

[Bagmup]

Secret bragging thread...and it's epic

[Nickolas47]

Blood angel is simply the MOST BEAUTIFUL BUILD i have ever seen in my life

Do you have a build log for it or can you list the specs

Just awe man just awe

[Snef]

Thanks , yes in my signature

[118killbill]

Wow what a journey. Been following your builds and they have been great company on my long business trips! Would love to see some more pics in your build log of when you have to make holes in the case and tools used. Reference pics how about a guide on how to go from smart phone to a photo pimp

Awesome man. Keep doing what your doing.

[zombiepixel]

a-maze-in