Updated build (Help me choose the name)

Kryptonite79 · March 16, 2018

Hello guys!

I just wanted to share my build with you, because I thought it would be a shame to have fun making a nice computer and nobody can see it ! I'm not an expert, it's not my first build but I only had a few, so don't have that much experience. It all started last year when I originaly put up that build in my InWin 301. At that time it was ok but then I decided to upgrade my cooling solution to a H100i V2 by Corsair. It was a pain in the *ss just to put it in the case, and the airflow was restricted a lot, so the rad wasn't doing a nice job. I decided I needed a case upgrade, one that could fit all my components with sufficient airflow. I had an hard time finding the case because there was always something to annoy me (No clear side panel, not enough clearance, bad airflow, etc). I also need to mention that I think I do have big components for mATX, wich was hard to find a small case with that much clearance. After one or two weeks searching, I finnaly remembered Cooler Master was releasing new series mATX case. I was lucky, I remembered that the same week it launched. So I bought the Q300L and decided to swap all my build in it.

Parts list :

Motherboard : Asus ROG Strix Z270G Gaming mATX

CPU : Intel Core i5-6600k Overclocked to 4.6Ghz

CPU Cooler : Corsair H100i v2 AIO

RAM : 16Gb G.Skill TridentZ RGB DDR4-3000

Storage : 525gb Crucial MX300 SATA SSD + 1Tb Seagate Barracuda 7200rpm HDD

GPU : Asus ROG Strix Geforce GTX 1070

Case : Cooler Master Q300L

OS : Windows 10 Home

Unfortunately, I forgot to take picture along the way, so I only do have before and after photos, anyways I'm not a professionnal photo guy. First, I checked the two cases side by side. The footprint of these cases is about the same.

The major difference betwen the two cases is that the CM has the PSU at the bottom while the InWin has the PSU on top. Other than that, the CM was built with airflow in mind, that's why it is perforated all around and the dust filter are making the design of the case. The InWin doesn't have airflow at the front of the case, only from the bottom and a bit on the back panel, but when all cables are tied on the back, there is not a lot of air that's coming through.

It finally took me a couple of hours to make things looks like what I wanted, making the best cable management I'm able to do, etc. I'm pretty happy with this new case, for 60$CAD free shipped to my door, it is a very good budget mATX case. It certainly lacks some high end feature, but this isn't and high-end case so it is understandable.

Final build :

And then, when AURA do its job :

video-1521181938.mp4

Thanks for reading this far, I hope you appreciated, feel free to give me your opinion, the goods and the bad, or any advice to help me do better the next time Feel free to ask any question regarding the build or the component, I'll do my bets to answer ! Have a nice day

*Sorry for the typos, English is my 2nd language, I do my best.

** Sorry for the picture quality, all the pics were taken with my cellphone. I'm not a professionnal so I don't have profesionnal gear.