Greetings. I'm so grateful for this dedicated and helpful community. I have spent a considerable amount of time studying videos and forums (for ideal airflow, temps, configurations, components, etc.) and tediously designing and measuring a potential build for rotoscope animation + video editing + rendering. I'm seeking your informed opinion on this build, and it may inspire or help others too, as there are contained therein some unique configurations and innovative SFF components that are worthy of consideration, imo. Here are the components:
Case: Cerberus X (inner dimensions 359.92mm x 163.67mm x 330.17mm)
CPU: Intel Core i9-10850K (practically the same as the i9-10900K, only 100MHz slower, some claim it runs cooler and is more energy efficient)
Mobo: Asus ProART Z490-CREATOR 10G ATX
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 FE (242mm x 112mm) (small but powerful, I'm super curious to see benchmarks after this launches)
RAM: Crucial Ballistix 3600 MHz DDR4 64GB (32GBx2) CL16 (most affordable 3600MHz CL16 RAM I could find, though I wonder if 3200MHz CL16 RAM would perform similarly)
PSU: Corsair SF750 (SFX 100mm x 63mm x 125mm) (most powerful SFX PSU I could find, and I'll probably get custom MDPC-X cables)
Storage: 1. Samsung 970 EVO Plus 500GB M.2 NVMe SSD (OS/Applications)
2. Samsung 970 Pro 512 GB M.2 NVMe SSD (Disc Cache)
3. Samsung 860 Evo 1 TB 2.5" SSD (Project Files)
Water Cooler: 1. (Config. #1) Be Quiet! Pure Loop 240mm (2x120mm fans) (277mm x 120mm x 52mm) (curious to see reviews after it launches)
2. (Config. #2) Black Ice Nemesis M184 GTX (2x92mm fans) (213mm x 93mm x 54mm) + Barrow CPU Pump Block (72mm high w/ low profile fittings)
Fans: Noctua various sizes - 92mm, 120mm, 140mm
Please see attached photo of crude schematics for 2 potential configurations: In addition to the 3 intake fans pushing airflow out the top 2 exhaust fans, my rationale is that all heat-generating components intake cooler external ambient air, then expel warmed air immediately out of the case wherever possible. I've never tested thermals for water cooler placement and intake vs. exhaust, but it makes more sense to me to have an intake water cooler above the GPU (in this case, mounted on the side hinge door) whereupon the internal radiated warmer air would be directed to the top + rear exhaust fans, instead of having the water cooler below (whether from bottom or front of case) whereupon the GPU would intake the radiated warmed air and add even more heat to the GPU (which would be bad, yes?). Furthermore, if I alternatively had the radiator exhaust (still above the GPU), then the radiator fans would intake the GPU warmed air from below and add even more heat to the radiator loop. However, I am open to orienting the radiator as exhaust if the thermals prove better, of course.
Config. #1 thoughts:
1. I am not sure if the SF750 PSU can be mounted securely on bottom-rear and then exhaust out the PCIe slots of the Cerberus X, but it would require perhaps additional brackets.
2. Ideally, I would like a bottom-rear intake fan right underneath the rear 3070 intake fan, but that's the compromise for placing the PSU there instead. I was considering maybe a duct attachment to the mid-bottom intake fan that would direct the air to the rear 3070 intake fan, though the PSU cables may interfere, and it may function fine overall without a duct.
3. I really like the idea of a front-top intake fan pushing the internal radiator warmed air to the exhaust fans and away from the CPU, VRM, and RAM.
4. Component clearance might be an overall issue, but I think it may fit well.
Config. #2 thoughts:
1. IMPORTANT: Along with the 3 intake fans + 2 exhaust fans, would the 184mm (2 x 92mm fans) radiator be enough to effectively cool an i9-10850K? With the PSU mounted front-top, only a smaller 184mm radiator would fit on the side hinge door.
2. Would the Barrow CPU pump block be enough to effectively pump and cool the 184mm radiator? It's rather an ingenious pump + waterblock + reservoir combo, despite the smaller res. Here is a review: . I could use a Barrow CPU pump block + 240mm radiator in Config. #1 as well.
3. Again, component clearance might be an overall issue, but I think it may fit well.
There are likely more options to consider (i.e. more comprehensive custom water loop, dual top fans sacrificing the Cerberus handle mount, etc.), but this is a healthy start. Looking forward to read and consider all your informed opinions and thoughts!
Case: Cerberus X (inner dimensions 359.92mm x 163.67mm x 330.17mm)
CPU: Intel Core i9-10850K (practically the same as the i9-10900K, only 100MHz slower, some claim it runs cooler and is more energy efficient)
Mobo: Asus ProART Z490-CREATOR 10G ATX
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 FE (242mm x 112mm) (small but powerful, I'm super curious to see benchmarks after this launches)
RAM: Crucial Ballistix 3600 MHz DDR4 64GB (32GBx2) CL16 (most affordable 3600MHz CL16 RAM I could find, though I wonder if 3200MHz CL16 RAM would perform similarly)
PSU: Corsair SF750 (SFX 100mm x 63mm x 125mm) (most powerful SFX PSU I could find, and I'll probably get custom MDPC-X cables)
Storage: 1. Samsung 970 EVO Plus 500GB M.2 NVMe SSD (OS/Applications)
2. Samsung 970 Pro 512 GB M.2 NVMe SSD (Disc Cache)
3. Samsung 860 Evo 1 TB 2.5" SSD (Project Files)
Water Cooler: 1. (Config. #1) Be Quiet! Pure Loop 240mm (2x120mm fans) (277mm x 120mm x 52mm) (curious to see reviews after it launches)
2. (Config. #2) Black Ice Nemesis M184 GTX (2x92mm fans) (213mm x 93mm x 54mm) + Barrow CPU Pump Block (72mm high w/ low profile fittings)
Fans: Noctua various sizes - 92mm, 120mm, 140mm
Please see attached photo of crude schematics for 2 potential configurations: In addition to the 3 intake fans pushing airflow out the top 2 exhaust fans, my rationale is that all heat-generating components intake cooler external ambient air, then expel warmed air immediately out of the case wherever possible. I've never tested thermals for water cooler placement and intake vs. exhaust, but it makes more sense to me to have an intake water cooler above the GPU (in this case, mounted on the side hinge door) whereupon the internal radiated warmer air would be directed to the top + rear exhaust fans, instead of having the water cooler below (whether from bottom or front of case) whereupon the GPU would intake the radiated warmed air and add even more heat to the GPU (which would be bad, yes?). Furthermore, if I alternatively had the radiator exhaust (still above the GPU), then the radiator fans would intake the GPU warmed air from below and add even more heat to the radiator loop. However, I am open to orienting the radiator as exhaust if the thermals prove better, of course.
Config. #1 thoughts:
1. I am not sure if the SF750 PSU can be mounted securely on bottom-rear and then exhaust out the PCIe slots of the Cerberus X, but it would require perhaps additional brackets.
2. Ideally, I would like a bottom-rear intake fan right underneath the rear 3070 intake fan, but that's the compromise for placing the PSU there instead. I was considering maybe a duct attachment to the mid-bottom intake fan that would direct the air to the rear 3070 intake fan, though the PSU cables may interfere, and it may function fine overall without a duct.
3. I really like the idea of a front-top intake fan pushing the internal radiator warmed air to the exhaust fans and away from the CPU, VRM, and RAM.
4. Component clearance might be an overall issue, but I think it may fit well.
Config. #2 thoughts:
1. IMPORTANT: Along with the 3 intake fans + 2 exhaust fans, would the 184mm (2 x 92mm fans) radiator be enough to effectively cool an i9-10850K? With the PSU mounted front-top, only a smaller 184mm radiator would fit on the side hinge door.
2. Would the Barrow CPU pump block be enough to effectively pump and cool the 184mm radiator? It's rather an ingenious pump + waterblock + reservoir combo, despite the smaller res. Here is a review: . I could use a Barrow CPU pump block + 240mm radiator in Config. #1 as well.
3. Again, component clearance might be an overall issue, but I think it may fit well.
There are likely more options to consider (i.e. more comprehensive custom water loop, dual top fans sacrificing the Cerberus handle mount, etc.), but this is a healthy start. Looking forward to read and consider all your informed opinions and thoughts!