Ncase M1 v5 build - Max on air...

[MultiDoc]

As I do not have an M1 physically in front of me, would you please explain more of the above experience?
What do you mean the 'plastic clips' being very fragile and easy to break?
I imagine, the panels are held in place by some kind of push-pins. Do you mean, those clips that receive and hold the push-pins in place? I have read a number of posts of the M1 and this is the first time I read about this issue. More description of this situation please.
BTW, what is 'OCD'?

Yes exactly, the receiving clips i meant. One of them broke in half while i was trying to remove it in order to give more room to install the elephant in the M1 (the 1080Ti OC ). It broke in half in my hand while pushing it out. It's nice that they have included a couple spare clips in the bag with the screws but as i said I already have a spare set of them on order.

Edit:

I managed to upload a few pics of the updated build, here:

 

[MultiDoc]

Yet another update with a couple of pics.


The extra clips from Noctua arrived today so i went ahead and installed the 3rd Redux fan on the CPU cooler. I also went ahead and installed the side filter too. I think I'm almost done with this build and it will serve for the years ahead. Only thing I'm considering adding is a couple of 2.5 HDDs in mirror mode for general file storage.
But in order to do that I'll have to wait for the window panel to arrive first and see if form wins over function or not. If form wins, I'll have to settle for an external solution, but we'll see.

Now all that is left is to fiddle with BIOS settings and custom fan profiles. Anyone has a link or suggestions about Asus's Z370-I BIOS tweaks etc ?

 

[dumplinknet]

Curious to know your cpu temps with the D9L and the 3 fans. Thanks!

 

[Jonny727272]

So many fans! I would love to hear how temps and sound is once you get your profiles set up.

 

[MultiDoc]

I have finalized (for the time being at least) the build.

I set up custom fan profiles (via Asus Fan Expert) for both CPU and GPU. Also changed the Power Scheme in Windows back to "balanced" but with custom options. Now the system is dead silent with normal use, idle temps for CPU and GPU are 44C and 40C respectively, while max temps while stressed (not benching 100%, but "normal" real world stress) are 75C for both. Benchmarking drives temps up to max of 77C and 81C while at all times maintaining either silence or near silent profile which in reality is inaudible. All above temps are with an ambient temp between 19C and 23C.
Overall very happy with the build and the result.

Now I'm waiting for the window kit to come and I have finally received (after looking for weeks) a Panasonic UJ265 ODD that I plan on installing (when I get the slotted top panel too) for general movie viewing/ripping.

In real world use I tried so far (general gaming and flight sims), it runs everything on max with excellent results and I as i said I only notice that the CPU and GPU are indeed stressing from the warm air on my right hand.

Next update when I receive the ODD top panel and the window panel.

P.S: I bought a couple of WiFi antennas that bolt onto the back of the motherboard instead of using the ASUS antenna that came with the board so i can further unclutter the desk. The ASUS antenna was fine but now I have the same (if not better) result with no separate cables and devices on the desk.

 

[Jonny727272]

Congrats on finalizing your build! I have definitely taken a good bit of motivation and inspiration from your build and will be going for the "max air" approach as well. I still only have a GTX 1060, but hell, maybe I'll just get an accelero ii and slap it on the 1060 for total overkill haha.

 

[tinyitx]

Would you please report the CPU and GPU temp for these 3 scenarios:-
(1) Asus 1080Ti Strix OC stock fans
(2) Asus 1080Ti Strix OC stock fans removed and two 120mm fans installed in case bottom as intake
(3) same as (2) above but the two 120mm fans as exhaust

I suppose for scenario (3), it is 77C and 81C (taken from your post #25 above).
How about (1) and (2)?

 

[MultiDoc]

1. The temps were not far off with the stock fans on the GPU, however in order to maintain the temps at acceptable levels the fan speed had to be quite high and therefore the noise was not acceptable (unless you wear headphones i guess), especially since the PC is in the living room and will be acting as HTPC too.
2. did not even try since I had read extensively other users with the same or very similar configuration that intake was worse than exhaust.
3. Indeed as I said earlier, regular temps (updated info after having the system up and running now almost a month) are as follows:

browsing-idle-general use: CPU 40-45C and GPU 39-43C
gaming: CPU up to 70C and GPU 79C
benchmarking max temps (both CPU and GPU benching): CPU 80C and GPU 81C. But this is an extreme scenario and these temps will never be seen unless benching.
As I said, even in most demanding games and settings, both CPU and GPU remain below 70C and most importantly the whole PC is inaudible
of course it took a while to get the fan profiles right in the Asus Fan Expert; especially the spin up and spin down times so that they remain silent.

As a side note, I was initially really concerned when I first setup the rig, cause I was seeing the NVMe temps above 60C with no particular high load, and would usually hover around 62C. But ever since I did the mod on the GPU shroud and fans and also added the 3rd fan on the CPU cooler, the temps on the NVMe also droped. Now it sits at 49-50C on usual desktop use and gets up to 60-62C if I purposely push it with read-writes.

Last but not least, I believe (have no hard data for this, only what I have observed) there is an element of temp saturation in the whole system and the temps. What I mean is that the case itself (along with all other parts of the system) the longer they run and being pushed, the more heat is radiated and there is a point (after hours of course) that the case itself, especially on the rear and lower part of it, is quite hot. In return this means that if for example I am gaming for a few hours, the temps will rise about 1-2C more but the case itself (being metal) absorbs and radiates) a lot of heat too).

Hope my English was good enough to describe what I wanted

@tinyitx let me know if I can help you in any way or if you need more info

 

[brt02]

Now all that is left is to fiddle with BIOS settings and custom fan profiles. Anyone has a link or suggestions about Asus's Z370-I BIOS tweaks etc ?

What BIOS settings are you using so far and what do you want to achieve?

 

[MultiDoc]

There's been a new BIOS released about a week or so ago by Asus (version 0612), but Asus being Asus is more cryptic than ever with their BIOS changelog, therefore since I don't have any problems I didn't update it myself and still use the 0605.
As for settings, I have MSC disabled, sync all cores, LLC at 5 and "best case scenario". If you need any particular setting let me know and I;ll have a look.

 

[brt02]

Yep, I saw that update last week

As far as i can see, the CPU microcode has been updated and now setting a negative offset with an adaptive voltage works.

BIOS settings are the same as mine pretty much, not much else to tweak really....

 

[MultiDoc]

Yep, I saw that update last week

As far as i can see, the CPU microcode has been updated and now setting a negative offset with an adaptive voltage works.

BIOS settings are the same as mine pretty much, not much else to tweak really....

So do you suggest to go ahead and update my Bios ?

 

[brt02]

Only if the above fixes are of any use to you. I've personally had no problems with 0612, everything seems ok.

 

[MultiDoc]

Quick update: swapped the NF-S12 chromax pwm bottom fans (that acted as exhaust for the GPU) yesterday, with the NF-A12x25 pwm ones that Noctua recently released. I must say I am impressed, they perform even better and even more quiet (for the same thermal performance), or same acoustics for better performance. I guess Noctua keeps true to their claims.
(idle/general browsing/desk use temps for the GPU dropped to 32C and for the CPU to 35-39C!)

Last things to finalize is the window kit and the slotted top panel (hopefully soon).

 

[MultiDoc]

Here's a couple of screenshots from the results I got in benchmarking. Very impressed with these Noctuas.

 

[Kenosis]

Did you use thermal paste or thermal pad in the cpu ? Im quite confuse cause i didnt see thermal paste.
And did you only put thermal pad on the heatsink or you did it too in other places?
Im just curious and also confuse.
Btw
Do i need to delid to attained the very nice temp at 70c at max?
Do i need to change the fans in gpu to reach that temp?
Also in psu?
Cause i dont have enough experience about it and it will void the warranty right?.
Your reply is highly appreciated

 

[MultiDoc]

Did you use thermal paste or thermal pad in the cpu ? Im quite confuse cause i didnt see thermal paste.
And did you only put thermal pad on the heatsink or you did it too in other places?
Im just curious and also confuse.
Btw
Do i need to delid to attained the very nice temp at 70c at max?
Do i need to change the fans in gpu to reach that temp?
Also in psu?
Cause i dont have enough experience about it and it will void the warranty right?.
Your reply is highly appreciated

1. Used Noctua thermal paste: NT-H1 for the CPU
2. Thermal pad I used was for the NVMe SSD (under the stock heatsink of the MOBO) in order to help lower the temps if possible so I don't get throttling (I used Thermal Grizzly pads), the 960 runs on average from 46C to 52C
3. Yes, deliding will help a great deal to keep the CPU temps down
4. For the GPU (as documented by many builders/users) replacing the stock shroud and fans and using 2x120mm fans as exhaust is the best combination for temperature performance, so yes i highly recommend it
5. for the SF600 PSU, I replaced the stock fan so I could keep it quiet and save myself the noise of spinning up and down (you will need the Noctua NF-A9x14 PWM but the 2500rpm version to replace the stock fan on the Corsair PSU, Noctua doesn’t sell it on its own, the retail version is lower rpm but more significantly higher starting voltage; while this one being lower means it doesn’t suffer from “clicking” and starting/ maintaining lower rpms, therefore more silent and cooler operation)

Cheers

 

[MultiDoc]

Did some rerouting of the cables and installed the window panel a few days ago, so here are a few pics:
(also my OCD made me cover all unused ports in the rear I/O , it's nicer anyway)

From this:

To this:

And this:

 

[tinyitx]

In the first pic, I think there is a temp sensor right on top of the mid board SSD cover. Right?
You have 2 SSDs. Right? What sort of temp do you have for them, now that it is getting summer time?

 

[rfarmer]

Are you using the rear as intake with the new side panel? Seems like probably the best way to feed cool air to the cooler.