Gaming Desktop the size of a 17" laptop

[byubi]

Hi,

 

I'm planning to build a Gaming Desktop that I can carry in my 17" laptop backpack. I'm a little flexible on width and length, but height has to be 5cm max.

 

How I plan to make this happen:

• mini ITX motherboard
• low-profile cpu cooler
• gtx 960 with rear blower, it will be horizontal and I'll use a flexible pci-e extender
• the psu will be disassembled, I will get rid of its case and I will reassemble it inside my build in a more compact way, since psu's have a lot of empty space inside
• a DYI aluminum case

What do you guys think? is this project doable or it's crazy? Are there any builds out there that resemble to what i'm trying to make?

 

Any ideas/concerns are very welcome, thanks

[Electronics Wizardy]

Doable, but you better know what your doing. I wanna see pics.

[Creed1]

3 minutes ago, byubi said:

Hi,

 

I'm planning to build a Gaming Desktop that I can carry in my 17" laptop backpack. I'm a little flexible on width and length, but height has to be 5cm max.

 

How I plan to make this happen:

• mini ITX motherboard
• low-profile cpu cooler
• gtx 960 with rear blower, it will be horizontal and I'll use a flexible pci-e extender
• the psu will be disassembled, I will get rid of its case and I will reassemble it inside my build in a more compact way, since psu's have a lot of empty space inside
• a DYI aluminum case

What do you guys think? is this project doable or it's crazy? Are there any builds out there that resemble to what i'm trying to make?

 

Any ideas/concerns are very welcome, thanks

Sounds like a good idea. Just be careful customizing your PSU. 

[y_unit265]

You better not turn that thing on inside of your backpack  

[mikat]

i would not disassemble the psu, it can be dangerous

and they're already as small as possible and without the casing you'd have no fan unless you also put that on again which makes it the original size

[byubi]

14 minutes ago, mikat said:

i would not disassemble the psu, it can be dangerous

and they're already as small as possible and without the casing you'd have no fan unless you also put that on again which makes it the original size

I'm scared of messing with the PSU too, but even with an SFX PSU (which is the smallest one I know) it's still too big.

 

The fan will be mounted on the aluminum case.

 

Maybe I should put a rubber sheet under it for isolation.

[Coombzy]

35 minutes ago, byubi said:

I'm scared of messing with the PSU too, but even with an SFX PSU (which is the smallest one I know) it's still too big.

 

The fan will be mounted on the aluminum case.

 

Maybe I should put a rubber sheet under it for isolation.

You shouldn't think about touching the inside of a PSU... even professional engineers rarely do.

[Naeaes]

34 minutes ago, byubi said:

I'm scared of messing with the PSU too, but even with an SFX PSU (which is the smallest one I know) it's still too big.

 

The fan will be mounted on the aluminum case.

 

Maybe I should put a rubber sheet under it for isolation.

Just don't go there. The kill-you-with-fire-type high voltage capacitors aside, the casing of the PSU is supposed to be where everything inside grounds to and what's then grounded. Without the case you cut that line to ground and insulating it will even further ensure that should any malfunctions occur, the route to gound will go though your headphones, monitor, modem etc...

 

Instead, put a Pico-PSU inside and use an external PSU. It's smaller too. The only caveat is that they only come in less than 200W so you need to pick your parts accordingly. 

[byubi]

4 minutes ago, Naeaes said:

Just don't go there. The kill-you-with-fire-type high voltage capacitors aside, the casing of the PSU is supposed to be where everything inside grounds to and what's then grounded. Without the case you cut that line to ground and insulating it will even further ensure that should any malfunctions occur, the route to gound will go though your headphones, monitor, modem etc...

 

Instead, put a Pico-PSU inside and use an external PSU. It's smaller too. The only caveat is that they only come in less than 200W so you need to pick your parts accordingly. 

200W won't be enough to run a 960 unfortunately.

 

How about if I dont remove the PSU casing completely? just the top where the fan is mounted and make sides a little shorter? it would still ground right?

[byubi]

@Naeaes I dont know much about electronics, but I think the grounding is done by the yellow wire in this picture:

 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Forward_Converter_ATX_PC_Power_Supply_IMG_1092.jpg

 

so keeping a part of the case can still serve as ground, right?

[Naeaes]

1 hour ago, byubi said:

@Naeaes I dont know much about electronics, but I think the grounding is done by the yellow wire in this picture:

 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Forward_Converter_ATX_PC_Power_Supply_IMG_1092.jpg

 

so keeping a part of the case can still serve as ground, right?

Yes. That's right.