Production Meshlicious Redesign - Vertical, 280AIO mainstream case

Valantar

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 20, 2018
2,201
2,225
I'm still working on a dual rad setup, just don't find the time to finish it. Here is a work in progress pic from the GPU side with the 240 rad fitted using a custom laser cut bracket.
For radiators I'm using an Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper V2 280mm + 2 x Noctua NF-A14 PWM chromax (black) and an Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper V2 240mm + 2 x Noctua NF-A12x15 PWM chromax (black). The pump is an Alphacool Laing DDC310 + EK-XTOP DDC. No reservoir.
If it's worth the hassle? Don't know (yet), but maybe this is the wrong forum to ask such a question 😉

That looks great! How thick is your GPU/water block, and how much clearance do you have with your current setup?
 

illusive

Caliper Novice
Jan 12, 2021
21
23
For me, the reason I didn't do a dual rad build in the Meshlicious is because the 280mm rad is already able to quietly handle anything you can throw at it, which was unlike my previous Formd T1 that struggled in the quiet department with a single 240mm rad and benefitted from the 2nd one (still performs worst in temps and noise in comparison). Just not worth the hassle IMO
Yeah, I'm just a bit concerned about a 3090 in a 280mm + 5900x. Plus, I'd be mining whenever I'm not using my computer. Coming from a dual 360mm O11, I figured I'd try to carry over as much radiator space as possible.

I'm still working on a dual rad setup, just don't find the time to finish it. Here is a work in progress pic from the GPU side with the 240 rad fitted using a custom laser cut bracket.
For radiators I'm using an Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper V2 280mm + 2 x Noctua NF-A14 PWM chromax (black) and an Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper V2 240mm + 2 x Noctua NF-A12x15 PWM chromax (black). The pump is an Alphacool Laing DDC310 + EK-XTOP DDC. No reservoir.
If it's worth the hassle? Don't know (yet), but maybe this is the wrong forum to ask such a question 😉

Woot! Beautiful build, I think you're the first dual rad custom loop person I've seen. Thanks for sharing the STL file too, I've been banging my head against the wall trying to fix my Ender 3v2 so I can print my mock ups. I admittedly haven't gotten to the side radiator brackets but seems like you've done all the work already! I may modify some changes.

It's amazing that you're able to fit a 30mm radiator on the side. What GPU & waterblock are you using? I'm glad I haven't ordered my parts yet, I was still debating on the radiators for the side but figured the safest bet was a TX240 ultra thin.

Thanks for sharing!


I don't yet have a new GPU and for simplicity's sake, I'd add it to my current loop first before adding an extra rad setup
Right, I was thinking that too but I figured if I'm going to switch, might as well go all out and utilize all of the space within the Meshlicious. :)
 

Van0

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Mar 29, 2019
129
166
I'm still working on a dual rad setup, just don't find the time to finish it. Here is a work in progress pic from the GPU side with the 240 rad fitted using a custom laser cut bracket.
For radiators I'm using an Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper V2 280mm + 2 x Noctua NF-A14 PWM chromax (black) and an Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper V2 240mm + 2 x Noctua NF-A12x15 PWM chromax (black). The pump is an Alphacool Laing DDC310 + EK-XTOP DDC. No reservoir.
If it's worth the hassle? Don't know (yet), but maybe this is the wrong forum to ask such a question 😉

that custom bracket looks amazing
 
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Valantar

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 20, 2018
2,201
2,225
@Wahaha360 After doing a build in my meshy, I have a few points of feedback for any future revisions:
- Please make the front panel removable, i.e. replace the rivets at the bottom with screws. Accessing the GPU fastening screws with a radiator installed is impossible, and removing your radiator to remove/install a GPU is ... less than ideal. Unscrewing the GPU support from the motherboard side works as a workaround, but it's hardly ideal.
- Please extend the 140mm fan mounting holes further downwards a bit so that radiators can be installed with the tank/ports up top. My Corsair XR5 280 is just a few mm away from fitting in this direction, which is rather frustrating.

Other than that, I'm really happy with the case. The loop isn't fully bled yet, so I can't report back on thermals, but the case is beautiful, mostly easy to build in, and very good quality. The motherboard tray is a bit flimsy, but it's sturdy once you get the top standoff mounting it to the frame back in place after building.
 

Qu1ckset

Cable-Tie Ninja
Feb 9, 2020
199
217
@Wahaha360 After doing a build in my meshy, I have a few points of feedback for any future revisions:
- Please make the front panel removable, i.e. replace the rivets at the bottom with screws. Accessing the GPU fastening screws with a radiator installed is impossible, and removing your radiator to remove/install a GPU is ... less than ideal. Unscrewing the GPU support from the motherboard side works as a workaround, but it's hardly ideal.
- Please extend the 140mm fan mounting holes further downwards a bit so that radiators can be installed with the tank/ports up top. My Corsair XR5 280 is just a few mm away from fitting in this direction, which is rather frustrating.

Other than that, I'm really happy with the case. The loop isn't fully bled yet, so I can't report back on thermals, but the case is beautiful, mostly easy to build in, and very good quality. The motherboard tray is a bit flimsy, but it's sturdy once you get the top standoff mounting it to the frame back in place after building.
The GPU was the last component I installed as well and then realized oh damn how am I going to screw the gpu in with my rad installed but just ended up using this and installed the screws with ease


 
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Valantar

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 20, 2018
2,201
2,225
The GPU was the last component I installed as well and then realized oh damn how am I going to screw the gpu in with my rad installed but just ended up using this to installed the screws with ease


Looks useful! I don't have one of those though :p depending on the bulk cost bundling one of those might be cheaper than making the front panel removable.
 

kami_sama

Trash Compacter
Dec 15, 2019
49
19
The GPU was the last component I installed as well and then realized oh damn how am I going to screw the gpu in with my rad installed but just ended up using this and installed the screws with ease


I only have one thumbscrew installed, and it's on the last hole. Technically it shouldn't work, but the gpu is a bit wide so it ends up being ok. But it's going to be difficult to do the same with the two inside one.
 

Valantar

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 20, 2018
2,201
2,225
After getting my build up and running ... man, this case is great. Yes, my most direct comparison is a large and poorly ventilated NZXT H200i. But at least I ran it without its extremely restrictive front panel for the past few months. Moving to a 280mm rad from a 240 obviously has an effect as well (though it's thinner at 30mm vs. 38), and the Arctic P14s are clearly better than the Be Quiet Silent Wings 3s. But still ... this system is so quiet. And takes up so little desk space. And thermals are great. I tightened down the Aquanaut's mounting a bit, which I think helped thermals noticeably, but even accounting for that, this looks absolutely excellent. Building wasn't easy, but most of that was due to me overcomplicating things with my water loop. And in 3-slot mode, there is a shocking amount of cable management space behind the PSU.

I haven't run any real stress tests yet, but I'm currently idling at a reported ~40W CPU package power (but HWInfo64 also reports a 230-260% power reporting deviation, so real-world package power is likely closer to 15-17W - thanks for being so straightforward, ASrock!), GPU at ~30W, with the pump at 1200rpm, the top radiator fan at 1100rpm, and the bottom fan stopped. CPU temps are in the mid-40s (Tctl) and mid-to-high 30s (CCD1 Tdie). Ambient temps (according to my desk clock, so not very accurate) is 28°C, water temp is 33° after the radiator (~1.2 degrees warmer after the GPU, before the rad), and I literally can't hear the system. If I came into the room like this I wouldn't be able to tell if the PC was on or not.

Only (temporary) downside: my DP connector is too long (and my old, crappy monitor doesn't support its native 1440p over HDMI), necessitating some improvisation.

I'm waiting on two of ADT-link's new DP 1.4 extensions (panel mount version, I'll either drill holes for them at the back of the case or make a bracket in the cable pass-through to have quasi-proper rear ports) to alleviate that though. Hopefully AliExpress shipping won't be that slow.
 

Brandon86

Trash Compacter
Feb 15, 2017
37
48
Just got my Meshlicious in! In case this hasn't been answered yet, The Arctic Liquid Freezer II 280 DOES FIT. You have to take the fans off to slide the RAD in and then mount the fans back on the Rad, but it fits no problem. Being the thickest AIO I'm aware of at 36mm that's AWESOME! It was the best performing 280 AIO if I remember right.

I will not be going this route, because I want to see if I can get a 45mm RAD stuffed into this thing with some ThermalTake ToughFan 14's. Wish me luck, I'll need it! Full build hopefully done this weekend, if my last few parts needed come in!
 
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Qu1ckset

Cable-Tie Ninja
Feb 9, 2020
199
217
@Wahaha360 I don't know how much you involved with included accessories shipping with the case, but I noticed a couple things from peoples recent builds on here, reddit, and fb.

I have a case from the first batch shipped to the US, Black TG/4.0 Riser and my case came with a right angle HDMI cable and Flat Cable for the USB3 front panel, and I've notice on some of the newer batches you are shipping Down orientation HDMI cables and round USB3 Front panel cables to match the USB-C cables...

Not a complaint, I'm completely happy with my case, was just curious if there was any reasoning to these changes??, i almost think the flat cable was better for cable management but that's just my opinion.


 

Wahaha360

a.k.a W360
Original poster
SFFLAB
NCASE
SSUPD
Feb 23, 2015
2,131
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@Wahaha360 I don't know how much you involved with included accessories shipping with the case, but I noticed a couple things from peoples recent builds on here, reddit, and fb.

I have a case from the first batch shipped to the US, Black TG/4.0 Riser and my case came with a right angle HDMI cable and Flat Cable for the USB3 front panel, and I've notice on some of the newer batches you are shipping Down orientation HDMI cables and round USB3 Front panel cables to match the USB-C cables...

Not a complaint, I'm completely happy with my case, was just curious if there was any reasoning to these changes??, i almost think the flat cable was better for cable management but that's just my opinion.



The HDMI angle change was to ease concerns for multiple monitor cable setup.

The rounded USB cable is due to certification, the flat ones couldn’t pass certification for certain countries, adding the ongoing supply problem, just switched to the common round cable.
 

Qu1ckset

Cable-Tie Ninja
Feb 9, 2020
199
217
The HDMI angle change was to ease concerns for multiple monitor cable setup.

The rounded USB cable is due to certification, the flat ones couldn’t pass certification for certain countries, adding the ongoing supply problem, just switched to the common round cable.
Thanks for the reply and clarification
 

Valantar

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 20, 2018
2,201
2,225
I just ran a thermal stress test on my build, using OCCT's "Power" preset (combined CPU+GPU loads for maximum power draw). Overall I'm happy with it. It's by no means cool running, but ... I'm cooling 133W+275W in a 15l chassis with a single slim 280mm radiator and a kind of sub-par CPU block. Ambient temps measured by my desk clock placed in front of the case were at 27.6°C throughout the run, though that's not likely to be entirely accurate. Overall, the performance makes sense, and I'm happy with it. The CPU crept upwards from ~87°C to ~90°C during the half our of the run, but did not seem to actually throttle despite 90 being the throttle point. Of course this is AVX2, so it's not boosting all that high - 4.2-4.3 reported/ 4.1-ish effective clock steady through the entire run. The GPU fluctuated its clocks and power draw between ~250W and 320W, but averaged out around the 275W point.

All in all, this tells me that I'll never have thermal issues in my normal use of this PC - these ambient temps are kind of crazy, and I'll never be running a constant 100% CPU+GPU load for any significant time - and that the case has excellent ventilation.

I also have to point out just how quiet this is. Even with the fans running at 1600rpm (I need to have a look at that - they should be at 100% PWM and are rated for 1700rpm) and the pump at full speed, the system is still much quieter than the little desk fan I'm using to make this room temperature livable. Gaming with open-backed headphones will definitely not be an issue. And it's a ton quieter than my previous setup.
 
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