NFC S4 Mini #85 - Desert Night (6700T + GTX 1060)

[flacman]

Hello fellow SFF enthusiasts...

Background
Essentially a desktop PC you can take on-board a plane with your roller bag.

Status: stable

Spec Dump:
Case: NFC S4 Mini Desert Night #85
PSU: HDPLEX DC-160W + 330W 19.5V Adapter
CPU: Intel Core i7 6700T
HSF: Noctua NH-L9i
MOBO: Gigabyte H170N-WiFi
RAM: Crucial 16 GB DDR4-2133
VGA: EVGA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB (80% Power, -100 MHz Core/Memory)
SSD: Samsung 950 PRO 512 GB​

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Build Log
Installing the Motherboard

EVGA 1060 SC

Completed Build

​

Performance Benchmarks (rerun)

Deleting my old PicoPSU based benchmarks. Will re-run some games and measure power draw/FPS later...

 

[Xyit]

Really helpful info for anyone in the future planning on building in an s4. Thanks

 

[flacman]

Really helpful info for anyone in the future planning on building in an s4. Thanks

Glad I could be of service. My mini should be delivered this week - so expect an update late next week

I'm quite happy with the combination of components, I have a 2600K + 980 Ti for my main ATX tower -- based on the benchmarks so far the S4 might just replace it completely!

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

The 35w i7 are awesome. Planning to couple mine with an EVGA GTX1060 SC too.

 

[NRG]

I bought a 6600T paired with a EVGA 1060 SC 3GB, Wonder if I'll have a significantly less power draw opposed to you?

Would love to see some pics too!

 

[flacman]

I bought a 6600T paired with a EVGA 1060 SC 3GB, Wonder if I'll have a significantly less power draw opposed to you?

Would love to see some pics too!

I probably wouldn't say significantly lower power draw, but marginally lower (subject to your own load testing) given you have lower CUDA cores (and with some PrecisionX adjustments, you could lower the watts a bit more).

And yes -- pics will be coming, once I get to see Josh's handiwork in all its glory

 

[MODZERO]

Excited to see this one! My S4 Mini build is in the works, the chassis is off getting a BMW paint job whilst I'm waiting on hardware from sponsors. I've gone the i7 6700T+1060 route too, impressed by those power draw figures! Yours is sure to be a micro monster!

J.

 

[flacman]

Added some build pics -- all the shots are from my Fuji, the last scrappy one is from my iPhone, also keeping in mind I was assembling this at midnight....after I'd just gotten home from an international flight. Yipee!

 

[MODZERO]

Looking good! would you be so kind as to share a photo with the chassis cover off, showing the GPU side, I've opted for the Gigabyte GTX1060 ITX OC it's heatsink rises higher then the PCI slot bracket. I'm just trying to eyeball if i'll have any issues.

J.

 

[flacman]

The EVGA has some wiggle room - was able to install the card without removing the power connector.

As for additional pics, back in the airport lounge right now so it'll have to wait!

I did have issues bending the riser card though...the GPU pushes out a bit at the rear - but only slightlyas it doesnt make contact with the chassis.

 

[flacman]

Another long due update -- the 1060 SC even power limited to 80% on PrecisionX still ends up resetting my power brick.

Will be looking to replace the 1060 with a 1050 Ti.

 

[iFreilicht]

power limited to 80% on PrecisionX

I wonder how well that power limiting actually works. You don't have any way of testing that, do you?

 

[Saltvann]

Have you tried flashing the bios with the non-sc version?

I have a gtx 1060 reference clocked and a i7 3770 with both HT and turbo disabled and from the wall I am pulling 175W max more like 150-165W with the gpu power limited to 75% (90W). So I am positive I can see a difference to power draw when the power limit is set lower. How much I am not sure. I do not have XT160W and power brick yet but my current psu is about 90% at this load, this mean DC power draw should be about 155-160W range.

Unfortunately until I receive the XT160 and power brick I will not be able to do any hands-on testing unfortunately. But you might try flashing the bios to see if it changes anything.

 

[flacman]

Have you tried flashing the bios with the non-sc version?

...

Unfortunately until I receive the XT160 and power brick I will not be able to do any hands-on testing unfortunately. But you might try flashing the bios to see if it changes anything.

Have people done this successfully before? I have a mate who actually wants to buy my 1060 SC, so preferably would not want to brick the card. Are you playing games at 1440p?

@iFreilicht It's all guesswork.... In the build's defence, I have only had reset issues whilst playing Battlefield 1 - no other game makes the system draw incredible amounts of power.

 

[Saltvann]

I have flashed a 1060 SC with no problem with the non-sc 1060 bios. It should take about 5 minutes. I have a 1440p monitor on my main rig and have used it there. However the power figures I gave you is from another computer also with a gtx 1060 but on 1080p. I will PM you the details on how to do the bios flashing if you are willing to try!

 

[zhl146]

I have experience using the 1060 SC with the 160XT and adaptec brick. I was running witcher 3 and other games at ultra 4K and I was pulling 185 from the wall at maximum with spikes up to about 192. When I would power limit to 80% it would drop to about 150-160.

 

[flacman]

I've flashed to the non-SC BIOS. Will give the box a hammering on BF1 @ 1440p Ultra and see how long it lasts.

 

[rsjo]

I've flashed to the non-SC BIOS. Will give the box a hammering on BF1 @ 1440p Ultra and see how long it lasts.

Please let us know how those testings went.

Looking at this review - http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews...9-7.html?_ga=1.2947062.711190965.1468399838#5 - it seems like keeping the 1060 at @1500Mhz would not make it go above ~62-65w which seems to be perfect for this kind of setup with an i7-6700T.
With PrecisionX at the 80% power draw mark, have you observed how much the GPU and CPU is actually pulling from the 12V rail? I dont know how well the 160-XT fares but looking at the manual it seems like their recommended maximum is ~96W (12v, 8amp) with the peak being ~180w.
Im considering this build exactly as you have it for a 1080p@60fps build for titles like Tomb Raider, GoW4, Hitman etc. but im beginning to doubt if thats achievable at a total system draw at ~175w.

 

[flacman]

Please let us know how those testings went.

Im considering this build exactly as you have it for a 1080p@60fps build for titles like Tomb Raider, GoW4, Hitman etc. but im beginning to doubt if thats achievable at a total system draw at ~175w.

I can't be very scientific/exact with my observations as I did use it without the power meter attached for my BF1 game runs (no PrecisionX power throttling either, i.e 100% target) - but the rig remained stable, not resetting once during many hours of gameplay, this may change the next time I test it (overseas for work again).

Even with the SC BIOS, I always felt BF1 pushed the system hard, other titles didn't stress the rig as hard. I own Rise of the Tomb Raider, so I may give that a whirl next time I'm home.

 

[flacman]

Quick-test: Rise of the Tomb Raider Prologue+Syria - 60-80fps, 130-160W, average 150W.