Evolv ITX Build In-Progress

[Steve N. Mavronis]

I started building this past weekend because all my parts are in so here's an update and some thoughts.

 

I have everything installed now except the GPU and CPU/Heatsink. I'm waiting until this weekend when I should get a package from Thermalright (direct from Taiwan) for free containing their Skylake CPU support bracket and special backplate washers. I don't technically need them but will install them as a precaution and it is nice that they (and Nan's Gaming Gear) offer support like that.

 

Also I hate possible GPU sag so I'm looking on snapping one or two trimmed down plastic screw anchors into the holes of the PSU shroud (which are about 7/32" in diameter) as support rests between the GPU dual fans. Can't find them in black so I'd either have to 'paint' them with black permanent marker or possibly use red ones which seems more likely.

 

I replaced the front 200mm fan with two Phanteks 140mm fans. I need to get more machine screws for the new front fans. I have two of the stock screws in each fan right now. They need to be 6-32 and 1 1/4" long, instead of the stock 1 3/8" because the 140mm fans are 5mm thinner. Note: the stock fan cable is tie strapped to a bundle of wires under the roof. I had to remove the roof to cut the strap to get the cable free, then I re-strapped the rest of the wiring bundle again.

 

I took my time on cable management in the back. I really had to experiment and think it through. The shrink wrap on the EVGA PSU cables are very stiff so I had to work around them to bend the connectors and cables. I used the large oval grommet hole for the main motherboard power because the closer top hole would have made it stick out too far to bend towards the motherboard connector. The CPU connector was kind of rough to figure out too but I fed the cable through the top hole.

 

I bought that extra Phanteks $7 HDD bracket but decided not to use it. I'm not using the mid-plate anyway since the EVGA 980 Ti Classified has that long LED description running along its length and the work Classified would be hidden. So instead of remounting that HDD bracket elsewhere I'm just using the bottom HDD bay slot and the top slot tray will be the GPU dual 8-pin power cables resting area. I made tie them down loosely to keep them flat not to impede airflow to the GPU.

 

I really like the ASUS Z170i Pro Gaming motherboard and the G.Skill TridentZ DDR4 memory. They're more beautiful in person than I expected. I'll post pictures soon. Here's my final build part configuration and cost.

 

[UnlimitedTMD]

gonna be gud indeed, but consider using paragraphs next time  it`s pretty hard to read this way..

[FloRolf]

TL;DR

but good luck with that heatsink. Maybe you should go for something smaller since the case isnt all that big.

[Steve N. Mavronis]

2 minutes ago, UnlimitedTMD said:

gonna be gud indeed, but consider using paragraphs next time  it`s pretty hard to read this way..

I split my post up into paragraphs. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Steve N. Mavronis]

Just now, FloRolf said:

TL;DR

but good luck with that heatsink. Maybe you should go for something smaller since the case isnt all that big.

The case has 200mm headroom. The cooler will fit its 165mm tall.

[FloRolf]

Just now, Steve N. Mavronis said:

The case has 200mm headroom. The cooler will fit its 165mm tall.

 

yeah i know that

But that cooler is still freaking huge and you will have NO space to work in.

I have the same case, a h100iGTX and very little room even with this. If you want to ever change your Ram, you are fucked

if you want to change the gpu, you are fucked.

There are many ways you'll get fucker over when using this cooler in this case. 

Just an advice,i'd change it.

[Steve N. Mavronis]

Thermalright assured me that the Silver Arrow ITX cooler has 3-5mm wiggle room on their mounting system to adjust enough to clear the first memory slot to use tall RAM on my ASUS Z170i Pro Gaming. Remember it was built for ITX systems and certified to work on ASUS Maximus Impact boards speaking of a tight fit.

 

It's a twin tower cooler luckily. If it was a single tower cooler you wouldn't be able to move it in that direction because of the way the mounting screw down bracket fits across the base turned 90 degrees.

[Steve N. Mavronis]

Some pictures...

 

This weekend I hope to install the Intel i7-6700K CPU and Thermalright Silver Arrow ITX heatsink cooler to finish the hardware part of this build. I will remove the GPU while doing this so I can get my hands in there to position the mounting bracket over the base to screw down even and gently until I feel both screws stop. I'm assuming you don't want much torque. I was playing with the mounting hardware and the bracket that holds down the cooler does have plenty of room to slide over the base to position it not to touch the first TridentZ module. I'd like 1 mm of clearance if possible so I don't scratch the RAM aluminum heat spreader.

 

 

[Steve N. Mavronis]

I redid some of my cabling: 1) Used the farther EVGA G2 split end CPU power connector to avoid bunching up 2 cable sections. 2) Moved the ATX motherboard power cable to the upper grommet which makes more sense.

 

 

One of these days if the EVGA G2 red individually sleeved PSU cable set ever goes on sale I'll be buying it. I guess the stock black PSU cables look okay I suppose for now. 

 

[EDITED] - I hate that big front panel USB 3.1 cable. Are they all like that?

 

I also just realized there was protective film over the 'Pro Gaming' ASUS chipset heatsink so I removed it, LOL.

 

This is the slowest build log sorry. It's my first complete build and I'm taking my time here and there working mainly on the weekends. I'm waiting for a final small 'optional' piece anyway due within a week. At the end of this I'll either crash and burn or it will all be worth it.

 

Edited February 26, 2016 by Steve N. Mavronis