Log NCASE M1 - semi passive / fanless build - how to remove GPU sag with SFX-L PSU

RedLlN3

Minimal Tinkerer
Original poster
New User
May 28, 2020
3
3
Work in progress of a semi-passive NCASE M1, pics and build log here.

My goal is to have it dead silent while working, but fans kick in /rev up under load while gaming.

Right now it idles around 55 deg C with the single Arctic F12 fan for CPU intake, but heats up to 90 deg C when playing CSGO or CODMW, so I will definitely add more fans.

I'm waiting on a NoFan CR80-EH cooler that I ordered to be delivered, not sure how well it will fit with cpu intake/exhaust fans. We'll see.

I also plan to replace the stock GPU cooler with either a Prolimatech MK-26 Black or Raijintek Morpheus II, both of which I have at my disposal, but I still need to determine which slim fans (120mm or 140mm) I will run on the bottom of the case for GPU.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kooki

Kooki

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Mar 30, 2016
129
56
How fast/noisy does the system get when it heats up?
Does the fan run at 100% rpm when the CPU hits 90C?

Also, is there any special reason for positioning the PSU at the front instead at the side?

Waiting for updates when your CR80 arrives!
Although I'm skepticalabout it making a significant diffenrece.
 

RedLlN3

Minimal Tinkerer
Original poster
New User
May 28, 2020
3
3
How fast/noisy does the system get when it heats up?
Does the fan run at 100% rpm when the CPU hits 90C?

Also, is there any special reason for positioning the PSU at the front instead at the side?

Waiting for updates when your CR80 arrives!
Although I'm skepticalabout it making a significant diffenrece.

With current setup (using only one CPU fan besides GPU fans) it is really loud under full GPU load mainly due to the stock fans included in the EVGA 2080 Ti SC (~4500 RPM at 100%). The ARCTIC F12 120mm fan pointed at the CPU heatsink for intake does run at 100% (around 1200 RPM) under full CPU load but it's nowhere near as loud compared to the GPU fans. I bought the ARCTIC F12 a couple years back in view of the conclusion of this 120mm PWM Roundup on overclockers.com (before the Noctua NH-A12 was released). I plan to eventually install all Noctua fans for intake/exhaust to improve air flow.

Regarding the positioning of the PSU, as shown in the 12th pic and the 16th pic of the build log, if the PSU is mounted at the side, the mobo power cable will protrude towards the graphics card too much, and as a result, the graphics card won't fit without GPU sag. So the front PSU position allows an SFX-L PSU (130mm in length vs 100 mm SFX) to fit with a full size graphics card in the NCASE M1.

The CR80-EH arrived today, will install when I have time and then update. I'm hoping it will make a difference considering that CR80-EH is rated at 80W TDP vs the Arctic Alpine Passive's 47W rating. CR80-EH is advertised as being pure copper/aluminum (300g) where as the Alpine Passive is aluminum (508g). According to this video CR80-EH outperforms Alpine Passive 12 but it will be interesting to see how they compare in a SFF setting such as the NCASE M1 where airflow is restricted.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kooki

Kooki

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Mar 30, 2016
129
56
I'm stupid. I didn't see the 12th and 16th picture because I missed the "Load 12 more images" in the imgur link.
Everything was well explained there, sorry.

Have you stress testes the whole system to see if the PSU won't shut itself off because of heat?
I'm just wondering if the single fan also gives it enough breathing air.
 

RedLlN3

Minimal Tinkerer
Original poster
New User
May 28, 2020
3
3
Have you stress testes the whole system to see if the PSU won't shut itself off because of heat?
I'm just wondering if the single fan also gives it enough breathing air.

The Nightjar 450 PSU is the component in my system that I'm least worried about in terms of overheating as it is apparently well designed to run passively (see, for example, this reddit post and the Kitguru review linked therein explaining how efficient it is).

However, my system was doing automatic restarts during CSGO (I suspected due to insufficient power delivery) so I'm guessing that the Nightjar 450 couldn't handle 9900K and EVGA 2080 Ti SC under full load with my motherboard (Asus Strix 390-i) at stock speeds/voltages. So I undervolted the 9900K and undervolted the 2080 Ti using the values for GPU and CPU suggested by Optimum Tech. So far I am able to get full system stability (without automatic shutdown/reboots/BSOD) running Unigen Heaven 4.0/CSGO/CODMW/Warzone just by only undervolting the RTX 2080 Ti which significantly reduced power consumption and GPU thermals. However, I was getting BSOD when undervolting the 9900K, so I reverted the 9900K back to automatic/stock voltages (because I needed stability in order to do my work from home). I haven't had time yet to figure out optimal undervolting settings for my 9900K and/or there's something I'm not doing right.

I installed the CR-80EH last night as shown in build pics here. The CR-80EH will not fit in the Asus Strix 390-i motherboard, unless the metal I/O shroud (which functions as a heatsink for the VRM modules and also shields EMI) is removed and low profile memory is used. I'm sad that I have to forgo my Corsair Dominator Special Editions (CL14, 3200 MHz) in order to get the CR-80EH to fit so I bought these Samsung ICs (also CL14) and removed their heatspreaders (they actually have better timings than the Dominator SEs).

I thought that I could achieve decent thermals with the NCASE (v6.1) which has a moderate amount of ventilation holes and thought that a negative pressure setup would work well (without the the dust filters). But with stock/automatic 9900K voltages/frequencies I'm still getting 90+ deg C for CPU under load in CODMW (even with case panels removed) which is unacceptable. I'm able to get OK thermals (~70 deg C) in CSGO and Unigen Heaven 4.0 which is acceptable to me, but I think CODMW puts the heaviest practical gaming stress test that I need to pass. Also, the slim fans (which only fit with CR-80EH) run way too loud under load for my taste (especially the Noctua 92mm A9x14 -not sure if my A9x14 is a dud). Honestly I'm not sure whether I was achieving better thermals with the Alpine Passive or the CR-80EH.

So my attempts at running a 9900K inside an NCASE M1 with a semi-passive heatsink have yet failed. I'm considering deliding my 9900K.
Or I might just cave and just settle with an NH-C14S and call it quits...

Will update my next step which is to replace GPU cooler after I finally decide on CPU heatsink.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kooki