Log mATX SFF, research / prep work + intermediate build (Mesh-mATX)

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

I always wondered if this would work: low-profile GPU in 3 slot mode WITHOUT riser.

And yeah, in theory? Could work ... (side panel is blocking it, but maybe add a 90° angled DP adapter?)

...

mockup mATX fitting test with my 3700X spare B450 board.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

The spare board is also being used to prepare for the final move, ie. how the AIO is gonna fit, and if its gonna fit on the right side instead of the left side of the GPU side of the case.

So far, its looking good

If I had a 200 or 180 mm AIO, I could probably go with a top-mounted GPU

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

More progress has been made. Here is the answer to the question: Is it possible to route the tubes of a 240 AIO through the bottom opening of the MB tray, IF we're using an mATX Mainboard?

The answer is: Yes - IF the tubes are flexible enough - eg. rules out the Silverstone Vida - AND you're using an SFX PSU; NOT SFX-L (!!!).

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Latest update: Finished installation of the 240 AIO with tubes running below the mb tray. Everything prepared for the final move from the AP201 to the Meshroom S.

It's gonna be an APU build as already hinted, albeit I won't exclude the option/test of installing the 4060 LP side-by-side later on.

A bunch of pictures of the installed radiator plus better pictures from the tube routing:

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Update: just ordered the MSI MAG B850M Mortar Wifi. Going to build my future workstation in the Meshi. Should both help save a lot of desk space, as well as get me a properly working system, while I'm still tinkering with the S396 mod.

For the S396, its ...either the current workstation with the 13700k is going to put into it (using the Asrock Z690 PG/ITX board) or I'm gonna use the Asrock B650E + 7950X again, albeit I might switch to a different MB; not 100% yet.

BTT: Board should arrive around the weekend, everything else has already been prepared, and the only thing left is the promised Arctic fan range tests. First I'm going to do a baseline test whether push or pull is the better option, using the P12 Max. After that, I'm going to test ALL the fans, albeit the S12038 might only work in 4 Slot mode - or with pull.

To recap: 65 mm was the tested maximum depth for the default 3 slot mode in the Meshlicious; it might be a few mm more in the Meshroom S, albeit it feels still like a very tight fit.

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Board has arrived. And then I remembered that RAM prices are skyrocketing, better to get that 64 GB with GOOD timings now, even if it hurts.

AND HURTING IT DOES. 120 Euro higher than what I've had to pay like 3 months ago! My stomach hurts
Those 64 GB cost me MORE than my first 64 GB did 3 1/2 years ago. It should be the opposite!

Also, RAM arrived just now, too:
Kingston FURY Beast schwarz UDIMM 64GB Kit, DDR5-6000, CL30-36-36

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Re: How to mount the (radiator) fans - I'm going to try out one base line test with the fans in pull, and another one in push. My guess is, if I go with push, the m2 drive on the back might benefit more, because I dont think a large heatsink is gonna fit thanks to the size restrictions. But with pull, fans should be easier replace-able.

Also I'm probably gonna try some fan ducting for the GPU to avoid heat recycling .. and if lucky, maybe I can get the heatsink "behave", as in: Adding a few more fans to the upper half of the GPU side panel, in addition to the slim top exhaust. Size-wise these probably would be 60 mm fans, which is gonna be nice, so those Noctua NF-A6x15 finally gonna see some action

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Ok, looks like that you only can use VERY specific 240 AIOs. The Thermalright Frozen Edge 240 is sadly not compatible with ATX / mATX mode. It needs probably a strongly elongated radiator, which seems to be .. actually not the case for MOST regular AIOs. With a custom loop one might be much more lucky, but thats not the goal here.

So .. we gonna go down the outbound AIO route. Space should be sufficient to mount the AIO on the outside of the front panel, as if this was a regular ITX build. If things go wrong, I still got those 120 to 140 adapter / air ducts.

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Only grief with this kind of method: Mounting the S12038 is gonna be a total PITA - except if I can find some solid decent 40 mm radiator screws.

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Guess what time it is?

*drumroll*

The Time of the Four-Slot(h) Mode!

But wait, wait .. doesnt SFX PSU not fit with ATX / mATX?
No worries, dude, I got you covered: The Rise of the HDPlex GaN 500! (or if that fails: Flex-ATX to the rescue!)

Put the case in 4-slut mode, now even a GPU overhang is a non-issue. Lets see if that holds true with the rest, like, radiator overhang + GPU in "itx mode".

cu. w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Heavy sigh - to not start screaming and shouting in Klingon: Everything should fit, but doesnt, because SSUPD. All that GPU bracket stuff is utter garbage, and the idea of NON-removable radiator mounting brackets didnt excite with the original Meshi either .. now I've tried my best to reign my instincts in and NOT instantly grab the Dremel, the diamond cutting wheel and just ...yaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Instead, I ordered the fancy extender bracket. THAT ISNT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE IN EUROPE.
But as I already have swallowed the puke that I barfed into my mouth last week, when having to pay about 200% more for the new RAM kit, I thought I just wont go there again and .. and ordered the bracket from Amazon Global. Ie. the US. Supposed to arrive at the end of this month

Also, it only was available in white, but this build already looks like a clown car, so why bother? I might be spray painting some of the panels with acrylic paint anyway.

But just so I wont be steaming fumes of anger till then, I ordered another case .. yeah, right

Its cheap AF, but it allows for an mATX board, CPU cooler height of up to 138 mm AND an ATX PSU (which I dont own, expect for the workstation). Also, acrylic side panel? Lets give this one a try and cut it some slack - literally. Just cutting fancy holes into the side panel, OR a nice big one, and then throw together another improvised radiator mount - et voila! Side mounted AIO WITHOUT hundreds of euro wasted. Also drill a few holes in the front, so that the PSU can breath. All gain, no pain, cause the case only cost about 32 Euro!

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

I somewhat figured out a way to go with "regular" 3 slot mode. Its not nice. And it will basically prevent me from testing different fans on the radiator, too.

At least I dont need to test with the P12 Max anymore, I've remembered I did that already - in the A4-H2O

So until end of November, no lengthy fan tests. Maybe at best somehow finish the build, figuring out how to "mount" the GPU safely - if all fails, there always are zip ties - get the Riser situation figured out, and if I'm very lucky, get the front panel closed .. and then, hooray! Proper testing, proper GPU mounting, all at the end of November / start of Decembre

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Bracket just arrived. Amazon seems to be rather clueless about their own tracking.

Installed it instantly. Here's the exact numbers. Whoever thinks its 18L clearly did fail school (yep, read that number more than often):

27.4×16.6×36.3 cm = 16.5 L (16.510692 to be exact)

Random image dump as follows

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

On that note: Back to the Mortar mainboard - just, that its now a black one, but both the GPU and the AIO are in white. Oh, and obviously so is the extension bracket

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

As I've accidently destroyed the GPU .. lock .. thingy - whatever its called, is it retention clip / bracket? - of the riser cable I had, I've ordered a new one. Just arrived (like 10 minutes ago). Amazon pretty busy already, and its just end of November.

This one is a bit more flexible than the one I had before, and thus, should hopefully be less prone to "oh I exploded the GPU retention bracket" accidents. If this fails - length-wise - I just have to go with the 30 cm "older style" I still got.

There is the official SSUPD riser ordered, but Caseking seems to be a bit challenged / swamped with orders these days, too, so probably not gonna arrive till some time next week, together with the Meshroom D. Idealo suggested "delivery from Monday 1st", so its probably gonna be Tuesday or Wednesday. Not gonna cry over spilled milk, so to speak, and also, its not tremendously urgent.

I've rebuilt things as manuals and videos and posts of others suggested, and hope to be able to start using this as my actual workstation soon - at best, starting next week. Picture dump to follow

cu, w0lf.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Now I've destroyed another two riser GPU retention clips. One from the 30 cm "basic" PCIe 4.0 I got like 2 years ago, and the one from the only recently ordered Thermaltake Riser. Actually its less painful with the latter one, because thats a "cheaper" but easier replace-able slide version, vs. the one of the other which is a "press-able" version, that broke right off.

Oh yeah, and I tried multiple positions for the bloody GPU riser "holder". These simply dont seem to be conform with ANY common riser cable - and I got quite a bunchload of them. So finally I tried the Thermaltake, which has both 90° turned connectors, so not necessarly "good". But it does work to some extend with the "default" GPU position, only that the routing of the cable itself is a PITA. Oh, and thats when I had to stop as the next "breaking apart" accident happened.

But in theory, it should work - except I might give this whole "oh, in our exact world this totally gonna work" (while ignoring standard-sized dual-slot, 120 mm wide GPUs, apparently) the finger, because I've ordered the Meshroom D last week, and Caseking just sent me the respective tracking IDs. Yeah, busy times, its beginning to look a lot like fish men, everyone goeth bonkers, and DHL is probably completely booked out, too.


On another thought: Maybe the mainboard tray or the accessories are jumbled up or factory broken - who knows. Nevertheless I had MUCH less issues with the original Meshlicious. Hell, current frustration level competes with the A4-H2O, but I didnt

Gonna probably use this one in the original way I planned it, ie. turn it into a NAS. Yes, mATX, no fancy big GPU, just a LP or single slot one, and then AIO. Also, obviously some HDDs (probably Raid 1E) with an SSD caching option (1 TB SSD Cache + boot drive). Might even try air cooling, depending what CPU I'm using (the i5-13500 shouldnt bat an eye, it was happy with the AXP-X67 in the S400, too).

cu, w0lf.