Smallest "full" gaming machine

[MarcWolfe]

If you're like me, you don't want an excessive full-size tower and you prefer cases like the Fractal Design Node 202. Do you wish you could find, or even fabricate a smaller case with support for a 3.5" HDD, a 2.5" SSD, and full size GPUs like a Titan, or a custom board 1080? Below are pictures of a 3D model from sketchup. If you want to make it, go for it. Ask me questions if you need more details.

There's also 2 pictures for a water cooled version with an R9 Nano, but no 3.5" HDD; it's the same size.

I just grabbed models from the sketchup "warehouse" and arranged the parts how I wished. Unfortunately I don't remeber the original creators of each parts.

[manikyath]

 

this is technically a full gaming system.

[MarcWolfe]

3 hours ago, manikyath said:

 

this is technically a full gaming system.

I've seen that. It's not quite as good as my idea.

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, MarcWolfe said:

I've seen that. It's not quite as good as my idea.

you'd be better off sticking to the "standard layout" tho, the gpu below the motherboard is losing you more space than you gain. move the mobo down, put the gpu in the slot where it belongs, use the space above the gpu next to the mobo for your storage devices, or a standard power supply and put your drives wherever there's place left.

[MoonlightSylv]

9 minutes ago, MarcWolfe said:

-SNIP-

How would GPU cooling work? I'd assume it'd be REALLY hot.

[MarcWolfe]

3 hours ago, manikyath said:

you'd be better off sticking to the "standard layout" tho, the gpu below the motherboard is losing you more space than you gain. move the mobo down, put the gpu in the slot where it belongs, use the space above the gpu next to the mobo for your storage devices, or a standard power supply and put your drives wherever there's place left.

I've gone through those ideas. It doesn't work as well. If you think you cane fit the same stuff into a smaller case, get sketchup (it's free)and share your model.

[dizmo]

2 minutes ago, MarcWolfe said:

I've seen that. It's not quite as good as my idea.

Haha ehhhh I dno that's pretty debatable.

How do you plan to connect the GPU? Have you thought about airflow at all? That card looks like it'll be pretty starved. If you're building a small form factor PC why not dump the HDD entirely?

How are you cooling it?

 

I think the M1 does it best. There's also another case similar to it but even smaller.

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, ShadowTechXTS said:

How would GPU cooling work? I'd assume it'd be REALLY hot.

blower coolers have tons of static pressure, but still, the super dodgy layout isnt worth it if it's not smaller than a standard layout that allows you to mush the graphics card into a vent.

[manikyath]

2 minutes ago, MarcWolfe said:

I've gone through those ideas. It doesn't work as well. If you think you cane fit the same stuff into a smaller case, get sketchup (it's free)and share your model.

give me 10 minutes, and the measurements of your concept.

EDIT: sketchup is complaining about a license again, hold on -.-

[MoonlightSylv]

1 minute ago, manikyath said:

blower coolers have tons of static pressure, but still, the super dodgy layout isnt worth it if it's not smaller than a standard layout that allows you to mush the graphics card into a vent.

Non-reference coolers would be a lot harder...

[MarcWolfe]

225x88x300mm

 

[MarcWolfe]

3 hours ago, dizmo said:

Haha ehhhh I dno that's pretty debatable.

How do you plan to connect the GPU? Have you thought about airflow at all? That card looks like it'll be pretty starved. If you're building a small form factor PC why not dump the HDD entirely?

How are you cooling it?

 

I think the M1 does it best. There's also another case similar to it but even smaller.

PCIe riser cable. Google it.

 

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, MarcWolfe said:

PCIe riser cable. Google it.

 

you're only adding unnecessary bulk, once sketchup decides to work again i'll show you -.-

[MarcWolfe]

A riser cable is "bulk"? lol Go ahead impress me.

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, MarcWolfe said:

A riser cable is "bulk"? lol Go ahead impress me.

it is unnecessary bulk if it's longer than it needs to be, which it is doomed to be if you're not gonna make your own.

[MarcWolfe]

3 hours ago, manikyath said:

it is unnecessary bulk if it's longer than it needs to be, which it is doomed to be if you're not gonna make your own.

They come in all sizes.

 

[manikyath]

21 minutes ago, MarcWolfe said:

They come in all sizes.

 

280x210x135.

 

result: its volume is larger because of the extra height, but you lose length and width, you gain propper gpu cooling, the cpu is a bit stuffy right now, but with some more clever design than mashing parts into a box that should be fixable (1u cooler with direct feed from outside air perhaps?) oh, and it fits two ahrd drives and two SSDs, you dont have to worry about ram height, cable management is easier, and it is a more simple internal layout (resutling in a cheaper to produce, lighter, and eventually durable case.)

[dizmo]

53 minutes ago, MarcWolfe said:

PCIe riser cable. Google it.

 

Ok so one thing down. Way to ignore the rest.

[manikyath]

should probably add that what we're doing is pretty redundant.

[MarcWolfe]

3 hours ago, manikyath said:

280x210x135.

 

result: its volume is larger because of the extra height, but you lose length and width, you gain propper gpu cooling, the cpu is a bit stuffy right now, but with some more clever design than mashing parts into a box that should be fixable (1u cooler with direct feed from outside air perhaps?) oh, and it fits two ahrd drives and two SSDs, you dont have to worry about ram height, cable management is easier, and it is a more simple internal layout (resutling in a cheaper to produce, lighter, and eventually durable case.)

Thats not smaller or lighter. GPU cooling hasn't changed, so your's isn't better. GPU cooling on mine is fine; in case you haven't noticed, i left a little extra space in the front for a couple small fans and there is plenty of space between the GPU intake and the HDD. What the hell do you think happens when people cram cards beside each other in SLI or crossfire? They get more limited on airflow than what i drew up. CPU cooling in mine is also better; the cooler can take air from the outside of the case since there isn't an obstruction like a PSU above it. 99% of people can't use more than the 8 Tb of space currently available on 3.5" HHDs. Most people can get by without a 3.5" HDD at all; that's why it's an option.

[MarcWolfe]

3 hours ago, manikyath said:

should probably add that what we're doing is pretty redundant.

Making something that is better ISN'T redundant.

[MarcWolfe]

3 hours ago, dizmo said:

Ok so one thing down. Way to ignore the rest.

The rest is fine. Height of the end product could change slightly; i don't have a bunch of coolers to measure height of. In a pinch i would say fuck it and use a dynotron 1U cooler and deal with the noise.

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, MarcWolfe said:

Thats not smaller or lighter. GPU cooling hasn't changed, so your's isn't better. GPU cooling on mine is fine; in case you haven't noticed, i left a little extra space in the front for a couple small fans and there is plenty of space between the GPU intake and the HDD. What the hell do you think happens when people cram cards beside each other in SLI or crossfire? They get more limited on airflow than what i drew up. CPU cooling in mine is also better; the cooler can take air from the outside of the case since there isn't an obstruction like a PSU above it. 99% of people can't use more than the 8 Tb of space currently available on 3.5" HHDs. Most people can get by without a 3.5" HDD at all; that's why it's an option.

- the gpu gets fresh outside air, you cannot get any better than this

- my design has room for fans all over the place, the size for cpu cooler available is plenty as well putting a psu over (half) the cooler has less impact than you think as well.

- have you seen what an 8TB hard drive costs?

- you ignore my cable management and layout arguments

 

if you're so certain that you found the new jesus of computer layouts, go to your hardware store for materials, prototype it together, and take your conclusions.

[MarcWolfe]

3 hours ago, manikyath said:

- the gpu gets fresh outside air, you cannot get any better than this

- my design has room for fans all over the place, the size for cpu cooler available is plenty as well putting a psu over (half) the cooler has less impact than you think as well.

- have you seen what an 8TB hard drive costs?

- you ignore my cable management and layout arguments

 

if you're so certain that you found the new jesus of computer layouts, go to your hardware store for materials, prototype it together, and take your conclusions.

About $200. It's not like 8 1Tb drives are cheaper. There's plenty of room for cables of proper length. Mine gets fresh air too; how do you not see that? You don't need fans all over the place; that's excessive, not efficient.

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, MarcWolfe said:

About $200. It's not like 8 1Tb drives are cheaper. There's plenty of room for cables of proper length. Mine gets fresh air too; how do you not see that? You don't need fans all over the place; that's excessive, not efficient.

i reiterate:

Quote

if you're so certain that you found the new jesus of computer layouts, go to your hardware store for materials, prototype it together, and take your conclusions.

i'm not here to blow smoke up your ass and give you the answer you want, i'm here to give you the answer you need.