Project Minivalidus an X99 NCASE Build.

[d33g33]

 

 

Hi guys,

So this is my first project with an actual "project name" I don't think Old Goat qualifies as that's just what I started to call it halfway through. Its been something i'm really, really, REALLY excited about. I have a lot of ideas that I haven't seen done before, like ugh I'm just excited OK

Mini - Miniture, Tiny, Small
Validus - Strong, Worthy, Powerful

PROJECT AIM:
To create something small, powerful, custom paint and programmed lighting.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
01. The case reveal
02. Unboxing the NCASE
03. The GPU has arrived
04. CPU's, Motherboards and memory. Oh my!
05. Ducky Legend Lighting
06. Testbench and all components
07. Time lapse of the test build
08. Delidding and Lapping the CPU
09. Painting the heatsinks
10. New SSD - The need for speed!
11. DDR4!

12. Intel 5820k and ASRock X99E-ITX/ac and building into the NCASE!

 

PARTS:
Case: NCASE M1
GPU: Asus Strix GTX980
CPU: Intel 4790k Intel 5820k
Motherboard: Asus Z97i-Plus ASRock X99E-ITX/ac
Mem: 16gb Corsair Dominator Platinum 1866mhz Crucial Ballistix Sport 2x8gb 2400mhz DDR4
PSU: Silverstone SX600-G
Storage: Cruicial M550 512gb M.2 Disk Samsung SM951 256gb M.2 Disk
Cooling: Corsair H100i Fractal Design Kelvin S24 Expanded - Alphacool Radiators, waterblocks and fittings

Note:
This build will most likely be quite slow, don't expect much updates until the new year so mostly there will just be some very nice teasers up until the momentum starts. I'm also hoping for a part to become available but i haven't heard any rumors as yet, but the project isn't dependent on it so that's OK if it doesn't.
 

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:

and

and

[d33g33]

So for the Pre-Teaser. I ordered this on the 8th of August and it JUST got delivered to my work today however I was out of the office so couldn't pick it up.

 

Any guesses?

 

OMGSOEXCITEDNOSPACES

 

[MisterZero]

imma be following this!

Name sounds interresting

[Firearm2112]

Followed. Can't wait to see the log. 

[alby800]

Looks interesting, followed

[d33g33]

Sorry guys I wanted to hold off for some better photo's but here is a teaser for the case.

 

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh the anticipation what could it be!?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand NCASE woo!

 

 

There isn't much you can do with this case but i'll let slip that it will be a LGA2011 It will be like the Old Goat Shuttle project, but supercharged!

[Laputacake]

Nice

[d33g33]

Good news! and bad news and sad news

 

Good news and sad news are the same thing. Someone has purchased the R4. While it's good and gives me funds to get MiniValidus completed, it makes me sad as it was a long build that i'm very proud of, it will be sad to see it go.

 

The bad news is I cannot get a Shuttle FX79 motherboard ANYWHERE which means this little monster will not be a LGA2011 hex core which I was hoping for.

 

Most likely, I will wait for Broadwell as its due early in the year, I will also be watching to see what happens with the new 900 series, mostly interested to see if there is a dual GPU card that I can run with a 600w PSU. Time will tell

 

At least now I can start collecting some goodies, I also have some custom work I can get done now as well that I know the projects direction.

 

Thanks for tuning in.

 

DeeG

[Magic Puffin]

M1. Yes! Subscribed Don't disappoint me now, you better finish this build

[Chris Stout]

I hope to one day have this beautiful (marvel of engineering) case as well.   

[d33g33]

M1. Yes! Subscribed Don't disappoint me now, you better finish this build

 

 

I hope to one day have this beautiful (marvel of engineering) case as well.   

 

Thanks guys,

 

yes I feel very lucky to get my hands on one so long after they had all sold.

 

Im not sure if I should go 4790 and 980 right now or wait, I really want to wait...

[Brandogg255]

im waiting for Broadwell and upgrade my GTX 770 to a GTX 1070

[d33g33]

 

OK guys, so I have an update!

 

I guess first I need to address some components to this build, unfortunately my ambitious nature is my own worst enemy and I struggled to pin down what this projects purpose would actually be. I went to the extreme of designing a bottom component to go X99 and SLI, and talking with a company in the US about manufacturing a custom PCIe riser/splitter with a PLX chip so I could run SLI on mITX, however, sanity has prevailed.

 

The plan how now been set, it wont be watercool, it wont be X99 but it will still be a high end (likely 4790k, with GTX980) system with some neat customization. This PC's purpose will be to sit in a common area, 99% of its use will be browsing the web, with very light gaming (the wife loves "The Sims") and she has a grasp of GameStream as well.

 

So I'm sorry for those expecting a completely mental system in this NCASE, it's not going to fall that way anymore but, some custom paint, custom cables and laser cutting will still be on the cards. Current hardware for this full build is @ $4200AUD without the custom work, eeeeeeeeeeeek.

 

So with that out of the way, lets have some photo's.

 

As im moving house I set  very ghetto photo background and since i've sold the R4 I don't have anything to edit the photo's on so apologies for any sub par funk.

 

The Box! - Super simple, literally the only thing on the box is "M1 NCASE" there are no other markings. 1 corner took a hit during freight but the contents were fine.

 

 

 

Unboxed, Box and case side-by-side.

 

And the case unboxed with goodies. A heap of mounting gear, 4 fan filters, fan grills and ATX PSU adapter place

 

Front profile.

 

Side profile

 

Rear - The 3 PCI slots means I could have potentially fit a Titan Z in here, for a week or so I was considering it as well!

 

The panels have the lovely push pin lock mechs that I really like

 

Side panels, front panel, roof panel and front panel stripped down, so naked!

 

Roof panel

 

Front panel

 

NCASE

 

NCASE V2.0 - V3.0 is coming out any day now, its has some very minor changes but if you're interested, keep an eye out on ncases.com for pre-orders.

 

Rear IO/PCI and tubing holes

 

And the most significant thing about this case its its teeny tiny size. Its literally a shoebox... (iPhone 5C for comparison, I didn't have any bananas handy at the time)

 

Finally my super ghetto setup, couple of lights and 2x pieces of paper.

 

Thanks for stopping by and having a look at my project, parts should start to trickle in now and sleeving kit is on its way already.

Please feel free to give any constructive feedback!

 

Cheers,

DeeG

[d33g33]

hey guys so justa  little update and some more pictures.
 
GPU arrived! A mate of mine was on his way back from USA so I managed to get him to wrangle this into his luggage so I didn't have to pay shipping. $579 USD instead of $860 AUD, it's crazy some of our prices...
 
CPU, mem and SSD should also arrive any day now.
 
here's a quick look at the GPU, An Asus Strix GTX980. Apparently there are some issues around getting the Strix GTX970 into the NCASE but the GTX980 is a bit thinner in the right places.
 
The Box!
 

 

 

 

 
Open says me!

 
I really hate the 'eyes' that they put on the fans but nothing that cant be fixed.

 

 
Included backplate *cough* EVGA *cough*

 
The correct display output config

 

 
Black PCB, Tick! I was thinking how nice this would look if they did the same black nickel plating that BeQuiet! do on some of their heatsinks

 

 
Really looking forward to starting this build over the Christmas break and seeing what it can do on air, then it will get a teardown and mods and then we will can see what it will do when its running a bit.. cooooooler...
 
Thanks for stopping by!
DeeG

[Norman_the_Owl]

Well, i guess this is a suitable enough replacement for the shuttle...  :unsure:

[d33g33]

Well, i guess this is a suitable enough replacement for the shuttle...  :unsure:

Yeah maybe but it doesn't have the same character, not yet anyway. I was really disapointed Old Goat wasn't a success, thinking back I should have tried harder to get it going, tried another power supply at least. Old Goat was actually replaced with StreamMachine http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/190433-wip-stream-machine/ which has been working fine but I wish I got the RVZ01 case instead, the ML07 is the same layout but not as nicely finished I feel. StreamMachine will be getting a new CPU cooler and custom length cables over the Christmas break as well and the HyperSpin guide will also get finished.

[GhostWindGamer]

This is going to be very nice

[d33g33]

So I bought a Ducky Legend, and then I thought i'd look at some reviews and there are NONE, weird.

 

This isn't mine, I got a black keyboard but cool burst affects.

 

[OhhTee]

What a beautiful case, will look forward to this build log.

[HellaflushMcSwaggins]

So I bought a Ducky Legend, and then I thought i'd look at some reviews and there are NONE, weird.

 

This isn't mine, I got a black keyboard but cool burst affects.

 

But does it have that fancy lighting?

[Norman_the_Owl]

So I bought a Ducky Legend, and then I thought i'd look at some reviews and there are NONE, weird.

 

This isn't mine, I got a black keyboard but cool burst affects.

 

Nice, I'm getting a ducky mini for my birthday in a week or so.

It's strange that both have barely been noticed

[d33g33]

But does it have that fancy lighting?

Yesssssssssssssssssss

[MisterZero]

Yesssssssssssssssssss

I have a Shine 3 and I must say, I don't think you can go wrong with a Ducky

[d33g33]

I have a Shine 3 and I must say, I don't think you can go wrong with a Ducky

I have a Ducky 9008G2 at work, most enjoyable keyboard i've used to date.

 

I had a Corsair K95 and I hated it. Very pretty to look at but the keycaps felt like they were too high? it was weird, and I didn't like the soft press of the MX Reds, I replaced that with a Logitech G710+ which had MX Browns. Very nice keyboard but they had some futuristic font on the keycaps, very minor but I always wished it wasn't like that, the nail in the G710+'s coffin was the orange surround around the Macro keys.

 

Now a Ducky Legend

 

I have all of the core components for this build now, case, cpu, motherboard, mem, gpu, ssd, cooler etc I just need to take some photos and then get my test bench back together and then the first mods will begin.

 

Potato pics, here's my work 9008G2 as well

 

[JarJarBanksy]

I have a Ducky 9008G2 at work, most enjoyable keyboard i've used to date.

 

I had a Corsair K95 and I hated it. Very pretty to look at but the keycaps felt like they were too high? it was weird, and I didn't like the soft press of the MX Reds, I replaced that with a Logitech G710+ which had MX Browns. Very nice keyboard but they had some futuristic font on the keycaps, very minor but I always wished it wasn't like that, the nail in the G710+'s coffin was the orange surround around the Macro keys.

 

Now a Ducky Legend

 

I have all of the core components for this build now, case, cpu, motherboard, mem, gpu, ssd, cooler etc I just need to take some photos and then get my test bench back together and then the first mods will begin.

 

Potato pics, here's my work 9008G2 as well

You seem to like ducky very much. You should complete the set by getting a rubber ducky for your battlestations. One for work, one for home.