Reactor Microserver ITX

[YellowDragon]

I wanted to create an ultralow power server setup on a budget, however i didn't just want another black box server that sits in a corner, I decided that I wanted something that stands out a bit yet be as compact as possible, the goal was a was a server with a decent chunk of ram that could run some webservices and a game server or two. It didn't need to be an almighty power house or have load of drives, it just had to sip power and be semi-cheap.

 

So the theme I went with was UV green with the build theme be "nuclear reactor), something that looked like those age old acrylic cases of the past.

 

Specs:

CPU: AMD 5350 AM1 APU

RAM: 8gb Mushkin 2133Mhz

MoBo: Asrock Am1h-itx

HDD: WD Raptor 150g (found in an old storage bin still in the shrink wrap)

Case: Mountain Mods Microcosm

PSU:..............................19v laptop adapter

OS Windows Server 2012 R2 (dreamspark is nice)

 

 

The main parts, I went with the Asrock Am1H itx as it was one of the better Am1 platform boards and it had the feature of using a laptop power adapter to power the system, eliminating the need for a traditional power supply or pico psu, it was a bit pricy for AM1 but with the laptop adaapter feature it saves a bit of money in the PSU department, cost for the board was $52. I went with the 5350 as it was the fastest chip on the am1 platform and it was only $51 so why not. The actual power supply is an Insignia 90w laptop power brick, at a cost of $16 its far cheaper then any standard psu. The cougar green led fan i had lying in a box so it was a nice cost of "free".

 

 

 

 

 

Now here is a blast from the past a WD Raptor 150g 10k rpm drive. I found this drive after cleaning out my dad's garage, suprisingly this drive has never left the box in all these years and it is still in its original shrink wrap, I remember these things being the cream of the crop when i was building my first pc.....dont know why my dad never used it. But this helps as it keeps the builds price down as I also got this for free.

 

Now the good stuff, for the case I ordered a UV green Microcosm case from mountain mods, this little case is so tiny that there is no internal space for a powersupply, pico psu only (partially why i went for the asrock board).

 

Now by placing the ram next to the case parts you can see where the theme is going, the ram I splurged a bit to fit the theme $60 for an 8gb kit.

 

This case is like building a lego set

 

Case all put together

 

 

Mobo shot, man that stock heatsink is tiny, bonus next to my old trusty 8800gt, my first graphics card that I bought with my own money....it ran for many happy years but now the integrated graphics on even this apu are superior. Now it servers as my cup coaster since its a nice thin single slot.

 

 

Had a buddy of mine laster cut some uv green acrylic into a 120mm fan grill, a nice nuclear radiation logo

 

 

Looks quite nice mounted on the case:

 

All put together, the ram sticks make me think of nuclear fuel rods for some reason

 

The server next to my main rig......which is also itx formfactor (Dframe mini case), however its no contest this little box is tiny.

 

LET THERE BE LIGHT

 

The case was by far the most expensive part of the build, but I think it was worth every penny, $90.

Bringing the grand total to $269

 

 

[CameronDSetty]

I dig it.

[ZacDaMan72]

That is awesome but I think the only flaw is the cable management, but that is really what happens when you get a fully transparent case

[unijab]

How did you do the power supply?

[YellowDragon]

How did you do the power supply?

 

One of these, the motherboard has a 19v DC jack on the back of it, so a standard laptop power adapter is more then sufficient, Theoretical max power draw fro this entire system is 50w, keeps the size down and they are easy to find

25w TDP CPU

15w HDD

10w System