Production Lazer3D LZ7 - Quiet Gaming Cube PC Case

Nosuchthing

Trash Compacter
Feb 27, 2017
51
53
Since intake fans are the current topic. I haven't seen many LZ7 builds with a slim 120 Noctua fan and I was planning on going that route, what are people's experience with that over the other 140 slim fan options?

I use the Cryorig XT140 right now and while I haven't used any other options I am on my third iteration of the XT140. I had a variety of issues from the fan clicking to it making a distinct chopping sound, despite there being no wires in contact. Overclockers were great with returns though, pretty much just asked a few details then sent out a new one once mine was returned. When the PC is running full tilt the only fans I can hear are the CPU and the GPU fan. It's possible that the XT140 gets louder at increased temperatures, but I can't hear it over my GTX 970.

That and I noticed a definite increase in temperatures when the fan was not in use, both at idle and under load.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Weredawg and K888D

videojamez

Efficiency Noob
May 12, 2019
5
13
Mine shipped! If DHL is to be believed, the case will make it's way from the UK to beautiful New Jersey in 2 or 3 days, which is kind of awesome. In preparing myself for the build, I've noticed that a lot of YouTubers who use the stock PSU cables (the ones that come with the Corsair sfx units, specifically) have a hard time managing them. Sometimes this leads to a bulge in the top of the case because they can't shove the cables down enough. I have shorter CableMod cables on order, but they'll take a while. In the mean time, anybody have any tips for organizing cables to avoid that bulge?

Also, it seems like you can mount the noctua NH L12s in two different orientations. At least on AMD boards. Any idea whether one is better than the other for thermals? I'm thinking that aligning the fin stack so that the intake fan is able to push air through the small channels would be best, but I'm not sure. My mobo is the ASUS X470-I so I don't think there will be any functional limitations necessitating I orient the L12s one way or the other.

Thanks again guys. You've all been super helpful and I've only been on this forum for a few days.
 
  • Like
Reactions: K888D

K888D

SFF Guru
Original poster
Lazer3D
Feb 23, 2016
1,483
2,970
www.lazer3d.com
Also, it seems like you can mount the noctua NH L12s in two different orientations. At least on AMD boards. Any idea whether one is better than the other for thermals? I'm thinking that aligning the fin stack so that the intake fan is able to push air through the small channels would be best, but I'm not sure. My mobo is the ASUS X470-I so I don't think there will be any functional limitations necessitating I orient the L12s one way or the other.
If your motherboard allows it, you should mount the L12S with the fins running parallel with the airflow from the case side fan, this allows the case fan airflow to aid the CPU cooling.

anybody have any tips for organizing cables to avoid that bulge?

Use a bunch of cable ties / zip ties. Layout the cables through the case where you want them and then identify cables using the same routes that can be bunched together, then use cable ties to really pull them together into a tight bunch. Where you have excess cable you can double back the cables and then compress them with cable ties. You should end up with something like this (this used full length Corsair SF450 cables):

 

DeToxin

Efficiency Noob
Apr 4, 2019
5
0
I'm pretty sure the Asrock Z390 Phantom Gaming itx/ac is NOT compatible with the NH-L12S in a LZ7, it doesn't matter which CPU you use, the MoBo heatsink will get in the way of the Noctua cooler's NF-A12x15 fan in low profile mode. I suspect the reason Noctua list it as compatible is if you install it in high clearance mode, i.e. with the fan on top of the cooler heatsink. That's okay for larger cases, but you won't be able to install the SFX PSU in a LZ7 with a NH-L12S in high clearance mode (c.f. the 1st photo in my album).

If you want to stick with the NH-L12S (which is probably the best air cooler to fit in a LZ7?), the simple solution is to get a scythe 120x120x12mm PWM fan (it comes with different RPMs so check which one you want before buying) to replace the Noctua one that came with the NH-L12S - you won't need extra mounting as it works perfectly with the L12S's stock fan mount. Alternatively, you can get a scythe BIG Shuriken 2 (Rev.b? anyway, it's one of the BIG Shurikens, or something similar), I'm not sure which one gets you better thermals: NH-L12S with 12mm scythe fan, or the Shuriken, but both should serve your 9600k well.

As a side note, the heatpipes of the NH-L12S was not a concern, however you can only install it in one direction i.e. with heatpipes pointing towards the case fan. RAM compatibility is not an issue of concern with the Vengeance LPX or HyperX Fury.
Have you done any stress testing to check thermals?
I'm currently running the asus z370-i mobo with an nh-L12s and considering upgrading to the z390 itx phantom + shuriken fan that you have. knowing the sort of thermal performance to expect and at what frequencies/voltages you are running would be super helpful!
 

c00kie

Cable Smoosher
May 8, 2019
8
5
Today was supposed to be THE DAY I ASSEMBLE MY LZ7. Sadly, I misread the NH-L12S specs and I do not have enough clearance for my 40mm RAM sticks...I bought the FlareX 3200 CL14 as high speeds and low latency are highly recommended for Ryzen CPUs. Looks like @Tek Everything used Corsair's LPX sticks (3000 CL15) with the NH-L12S but that was an Intel build. Has anyone tried this RAM with Ryzen? Or has other low-profile recommendations?

Now that I've read the Noctua specs more carefully, I see it has a max clearance of 35mm in low-profile mode. Thanks in advance for any tips.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tek Everything

videojamez

Efficiency Noob
May 12, 2019
5
13





Here are some pictures I took when I was building mine out. even the Corsair lpx came VERY close to being too large for my Asus rog x470 board with my 2700x and the L12s in low profile mode. That said, it seems to be making sufficient contact and temps are good, even with a decent oc.
 

Litian

Efficiency Noob
Feb 5, 2019
7
17
Have you done any stress testing to check thermals?
I'm currently running the asus z370-i mobo with an nh-L12s and considering upgrading to the z390 itx phantom + shuriken fan that you have. knowing the sort of thermal performance to expect and at what frequencies/voltages you are running would be super helpful!

Sorry if this comes too late, I hope this information is still helpful, and I'd love to know how your setup fares comparing to mine.

I did some simple and not-so-rigorous testing with the two coolers I had in hand - I got the new Big Shuriken 3 as soon as it's available in my region - with my 8700k and ASRock Z390. I'll start with comparing the two coolers, then try to answer your questions regarding thermals. In short, the new Scythe low profile cooler has excellent compatibility and will fit with almost all Z390 ITX boards with the stock fan (and so it fits within the LZ7), while allowing unlimited RAM clearance. However, the build quality is pretty poor comparing to the L12S (mine had several heatsink fins slightly bent out of the box), and it is struggling to keep up with the L12S' performance even with the latter having a 12mm slim Scythe fan in my tests.

I had my 8700k @4.7GHz all core at 1.23v running AIDA64 AVX (hitting 95+ pretty quick for both coolers), non-AVX (85 degree for 5min for the Noctua with a slim fan, slightly higher for the Shuriken), and Cinebench R20 (didn't record any data lol), with chassis fan hooked up with CPU temp and all fans running on performance mode (around 1700 RPM under gaming load for the Shuriken's 15mm fan and the L12S' 12mm slim fan, 1200 RPM for the chassis fan). No matter the chassis/cooler fan configurations - I tried all the combinations I could think of with both coolers in terms of pushing/pulling - the L12S did ever slightly better or about the same as the Shuriken in all the tests.


This is surprising as many other reviews have shown the new Shuriken to be at least comparable to the L12S. Of course, considering how poorly I controlled my variables, it might very well be a problem with my testing method instead of the cooler. Other than this, my totally uneducated guess is that the new Shuriken is so low-profile it blocks the lateral airflow (see pictures above). Anyways, you should expect pretty good thermal performance with the L12S even with a slim fan, the only problem being the slim fan can run pretty loud under load. The actual thermal performance would of course depend on how much you overclock it and how good your CPU is, but 4.7GHz or even 4.8GHz (if you can somehow fit the NF-A12x15 in) should be totally fine for daily use.

Now comes the dumb part - I'm sure you have enough common sense to NOT try this yourself - I managed to snap off the heatpipe that connects the two-part VRM heatsink, and only putting back the part over the m.2 slot (which is necessary if you want to install the m.2 drive at all). I can now install the L12S with the stock fan, and the thermals are now superb. I was running the 8700k stable all core 4.8GHz at only 1.18v ('Lucky me!', I thought too soon, see below), and it never runs past 57 degree even during extended gaming sessions, averaging at only 55 most of the time. I was able to past extended stress tests and benchmarks with this voltage/clock combination, and also a slight OC on my 16G Vengeance LPX from 3200 to 3333 @1.35V, same timings.

That is, until I shorted my motherboard, CPU and PSU by wiring the power button wrong (yes, this was my first ever PC build). I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with me breaking the VRM heatsink... Or am I? It definitely had nothing to do with undervolting. Putting this aside, the L12S provides excellent cooling for even an 8700k inside the LZ7, and for more powerful CPUs I'd pick it over the new Shuriken even with compatibility issues and the slight price premium.

A harder to implement but probably the best alternative is, as @K888D suggested, to sand 2mm off the VRM heatsink on the ASRock board if you have the tools. A simpler alternative is to get the Gigabyte Z390 I Aorus Pro Wifi instead (which is what I got to replace the ASRock I killed), which AFAIK is the only 'good' Z390 itx board with VRM heatsinks low enough to allow the stock L12S. I'm not doing any heavy overclocking or extensive tweaking so the difference in daily use comparing to the ASRock is minimal to me (other than the fact that the Gigabyte bios is horrendous).


As a side note, I tried out GPU undervolting after seeing what Optimum Tech's done with his 2080Ti (also mentioned by @K888D). In short, it's absolutely worth it: my Gigabyte 2070 mini now runs 1920Mhz at 0.9v (dropping down to 1905MHz above 60 degree; or it can run 1890MHz at only 0.881v, but the temp/noise reduction I got from further reducing voltage and clock speed is diminishing after this point), and my GPU peak at 66 degree in Heaven and hover around 61 degree when gaming - a ~5 degree drop from the stock settings (@1.125v 1905MHz boost). I'd highly recommend people with a mini card to try this out.
 

c00kie

Cable Smoosher
May 8, 2019
8
5
Here are some pictures I took when I was building mine out. even the Corsair lpx came VERY close to being too large for my Asus rog x470 board with my 2700x and the L12s in low profile mode. That said, it seems to be making sufficient contact and temps are good, even with a decent oc.
Thanks for these. I have ordered a set of Corsair LPX sticks - this time not as B2B so I'll have the option of returning them if they do not fit. An alternative would be to take the heatspreaders off my FlareX sticks and cut/file off at least 5mm so they fit. But I have never removed heatspreaders before so rather reluctant to do that. The one thing youtube vids clearly show is that it's delicate business and you can damage components pretty easily.
 
  • Like
Reactions: videojamez

videojamez

Efficiency Noob
May 12, 2019
5
13
Just upgraded with some custom cables from CableMod. They actually came pretty quickly but I'm not all that impressed. They're better than the stock cables that came with the PSU, and the colors and flexibility are great, but they look pretty messy. Maybe I should have paid for the cable Combs? At the end of the day they do make it easier to work in the case.







 

Brude27

Master of Cramming
Jun 21, 2018
384
878
Has anyone tried the Zalman CNSP8900 Quiet cooler in the LZ7? I just ordered my LZ7 yesterday, and have that cooler lying around having never been used. I had initially ordered it for my batch 2 Ghost, but cancelled out of my disdain for that company's business practices and the horrible QC from batch 1. I was saving it for the day that Louqe got their shit together, but that day still appears far in the future. It was a top performing cooler in the Ghost, though... and looks like it should fit nicely in the LZ7. If no one has tested it yet, I'll gladly post results once I get my system put together.
 
  • Like
Reactions: K888D

K888D

SFF Guru
Original poster
Lazer3D
Feb 23, 2016
1,483
2,970
www.lazer3d.com
Has anyone tried the Zalman CNSP8900 Quiet cooler in the LZ7? I just ordered my LZ7 yesterday, and have that cooler lying around having never been used. I had initially ordered it for my batch 2 Ghost, but cancelled out of my disdain for that company's business practices and the horrible QC from batch 1. I was saving it for the day that Louqe got their shit together, but that day still appears far in the future. It was a top performing cooler in the Ghost, though... and looks like it should fit nicely in the LZ7. If no one has tested it yet, I'll gladly post results once I get my system put together.
Thanks for the support!

Someone on PCPartpicker posted a build using this cooler, they were very pleased with the results:

 
  • Like
Reactions: Brude27

Brude27

Master of Cramming
Jun 21, 2018
384
878
Wow I failed hard not seeing that build... Thanks for the link! I'm looking very forward to building in this case!
 
  • Like
Reactions: K888D

aycxbz

Case Bender
May 29, 2019
2
2
Hi,

I'm considering a build with i7-8700 (no K), RTX 2060, SF450 with Noctua L12S and a 120mm fan, and was wondering if having the normal top panel + dust filters for both of the side panels would be enough to keep the system reasonably cool and quiet for general use/light gaming. I would consider either having the XL-vent top panel or a fan guard for one of the side panels (cpu side) if this would help with the overall temperature, but I'm also trying to minimize any potential for dust build up if possible.

Just trying to see what would strike a good balance of controlling dust, temperature, and noise with the build I'm considering..
 
  • Like
Reactions: K888D

K888D

SFF Guru
Original poster
Lazer3D
Feb 23, 2016
1,483
2,970
www.lazer3d.com
Hi,

I'm considering a build with i7-8700 (no K), RTX 2060, SF450 with Noctua L12S and a 120mm fan, and was wondering if having the normal top panel + dust filters for both of the side panels would be enough to keep the system reasonably cool and quiet for general use/light gaming. I would consider either having the XL-vent top panel or a fan guard for one of the side panels (cpu side) if this would help with the overall temperature, but I'm also trying to minimize any potential for dust build up if possible.

Just trying to see what would strike a good balance of controlling dust, temperature, and noise with the build I'm considering..
Welcome to the forum!

The Top XL-Vent panel was introduced to give extra mounting options for those who want to use DC-DC power supplies allowing you to mount a 120mm AIO or extra 140mm fan to the top panel when not using an SFX PSU. It's been interesting to see that many users prefer the aesthetics of the XL venting pattern even when using an SFX power supply.

However, if your using an SFX PSU and noise and dust are a concern for you, then I would recommend you stick to the standard top panel. There are a few reasons for this, first is if your PC is switched off dust can settle in from above if you live in a dust environment. Secondly, the standard panel will do a better job of blocking noise from the main CPU compartment. Thirdly, the case is designed for air to enter through the right side (side fan) and exhaust on the left side around the GPU, this constant flow of air from right to left prevents heat re-circulation and helps to improve thermals and therefore noise during prolonged heavy load sessions, when using the XL-Vent Top Panel this "wind tunnel" effect is reduced and you may see more heat re-circulation from the GPU back into the CPU chamber.

Hope that helps.
 
  • Like
Reactions: aycxbz and Weredawg

Weredawg

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Apr 5, 2017
119
162
... It's been interesting to see that many users prefer the aesthetics of the XL venting pattern even when using an SFX power supply.

However, if your using an SFX PSU and noise and dust are a concern for you, then I would recommend you stick to the standard top panel. There are a few reasons for this, first is if your PC is switched off dust can settle in from above if you live in a dust environment. Secondly, the standard panel will do a better job of blocking noise from the main CPU compartment. Thirdly, the case is designed for air to enter through the right side (side fan) and exhaust on the left side around the GPU, this constant flow of air from right to left prevents heat re-circulation and helps to improve thermals and therefore noise during prolonged heavy load sessions, when using the XL-Vent Top Panel this "wind tunnel" effect is reduced and you may see more heat re-circulation from the GPU back into the CPU chamber...

Wow that's all good to know. I myself was set on picking the XL venting pattern but now I'll go with the standard top instead, thanks for the info!
 
  • Like
Reactions: K888D

masteraleph

SFF Lingo Aficionado
May 28, 2017
91
64
Does the standard top actually result in cooler temperatures? I'd always presumed that the standard NH-L12S + SFX + XL-Vent was cooler than with the standard top (and I feel like that's the general impression from most people- maybe because Tek Everything did the 5ghz 8700k build with that setup?).
 

K888D

SFF Guru
Original poster
Lazer3D
Feb 23, 2016
1,483
2,970
www.lazer3d.com
Does the standard top actually result in cooler temperatures? I'd always presumed that the standard NH-L12S + SFX + XL-Vent was cooler than with the standard top (and I feel like that's the general impression from most people- maybe because Tek Everything did the 5ghz 8700k build with that setup?).
It's not something I have actually tested to give definitive results, but I would expect that with the Top XL-Vent some of the airflow from the case fan will be exhausting out the top of the case before it reaches the right side of the case and therefore reducing the "flushing" effect through the case. With less airflow heading toward the GPU then more of the GPU exhaust heat can move back into the CPU chamber rather than being pushed straight out the case.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Weredawg

masteraleph

SFF Lingo Aficionado
May 28, 2017
91
64
It's not something I have actually tested to give definitive results, but I would expect that with the Top XL-Vent some of the airflow from the case fan will be exhausting out the top of the case before it reaches the right side of the case and therefore reducing the "flushing" effect through the case. With less airflow heading toward the GPU then more of the GPU exhaust heat can move back into the CPU chamber rather than being pushed straight out the case.

Also makes me wonder now what the effect would be of putting a little narrow weatherstripping (or I guess 3d printing some sort of shroud) around the GPU, and whether that would help or hurt.
 

aycxbz

Case Bender
May 29, 2019
2
2
Welcome to the forum!

The Top XL-Vent panel was introduced to give extra mounting options for those who want to use DC-DC power supplies allowing you to mount a 120mm AIO or extra 140mm fan to the top panel when not using an SFX PSU. It's been interesting to see that many users prefer the aesthetics of the XL venting pattern even when using an SFX power supply.

However, if your using an SFX PSU and noise and dust are a concern for you, then I would recommend you stick to the standard top panel. There are a few reasons for this, first is if your PC is switched off dust can settle in from above if you live in a dust environment. Secondly, the standard panel will do a better job of blocking noise from the main CPU compartment. Thirdly, the case is designed for air to enter through the right side (side fan) and exhaust on the left side around the GPU, this constant flow of air from right to left prevents heat re-circulation and helps to improve thermals and therefore noise during prolonged heavy load sessions, when using the XL-Vent Top Panel this "wind tunnel" effect is reduced and you may see more heat re-circulation from the GPU back into the CPU chamber.

Hope that helps.

Thanks so much! That was very helpful.
 
  • Like
Reactions: K888D

mrttyg

Minimal Tinkerer
Jun 14, 2019
3
2
Hello,

New to the forums. Built my first sff pc recently in an sg13 and thought I would try moving into something a bit smaller. I like the design of the lz7, but I just need some advice on options I would have for cpu cooling. Here is my system:

Ryzen 2700 with stock wraith spire
Asus ROG Strix B450-I
Gigabyte RTX 2070 mini
G.Skill Flare X 2x8GB DDR4-3200
ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 1TB M.2 SSD
Corsair SF 600 Platinum

The stock amd cooler has been doing its job well enough, but it looks like it's slightly too tall for the lz7 with sfx PSU installed. The main issue with most of the coolers I have seen recommended here is the RAM clearance. The kit I have stands about 40mm tall according to reviews I have seen, which I believe makes it too tall for the big shuriken 2 and nh-l12s. I would like to avoid having to get new memory if possible.

The big shuriken 3 shouldn't interfere with RAM but at 69mm tall it looks like it would just barely fit under the power supply and I would be concerned about the top fan being to close to the psu and not getting enough airflow.

Noctua nh-l9x65 is 65mm tall which would also put it really close to the psu.

The original nh-l12 would probably work with the 92mm fan at the bottom, most pictures I have seen show the bottom fan sitting next to the memory giving the memory extra clearance. The l12 is discontinued though and I haven't been able to find it anywhere for a decent price. Maybe I could get the l12s and just replace the 120mm fan with a 92mm at the bottom?

Cryorig c7 cu would probably work but doesn't seem to be in stock anywhere right now.

Noctua nh-l9a should work, but with lower performance than other options. Probably not much different than the stock cooler I'm using right now as far as cooling performance, but would like to find something better if possible.

Any other options I should look into? Other issues I might run into trying to fit my system in this case? Any advice would be much appreciated.