NotAMacPro

CC Ricers

Shrink Ray Wielder
Bronze Supporter
Nov 1, 2015
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That's the sort of stuff this forum is about...shoehorning in systems into relatively small cases. Too bad you couldn't get everything for it.

I still don't rule it out completely. Prodigy case mods may not be as popular as they used to be but I think my idea is original enough. I'll consider it when I'm in a much better financial position (and after I do another SFF build).
 

zillatron

Trash Compacter
Original poster
Dec 5, 2015
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Good news: My Metis has arrived! :D
Bad news: My wife wants to give it to me for Xmas, so no pics until after Santa arrives. :cries:
 

Phuncz

Lord of the Boards
SFFn Staff
May 9, 2015
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Tell your wife that you choosing and buying your own stuff in December, only to have someone take it away and wrap as a "present" isn't Christmassy, but lazy and she should try again, while putting effort in next time. Dem bitches be crazy, bro.
 

zillatron

Trash Compacter
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Dec 5, 2015
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Tell your wife that you choosing and buying your own stuff in December, only to have someone take it away and wrap as a "present" isn't Christmassy, but lazy and she should try again, while putting effort in next time. Dem bitches be crazy, bro.
Oh no, SHE bought it for me... Nothing lazy about it! I got her a GTX 960 :p
 

zillatron

Trash Compacter
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Dec 5, 2015
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That's the cutest thing I've heard in a week! Why not show us the 960 if there's nothing else you've got right now? ;)
:D Will do! Also arrived yesterday was what I'm thinking will become my top intake fan, a Cryorig XF140. So a few pics of that too :)
 

zillatron

Trash Compacter
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Dec 5, 2015
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That's the cutest thing I've heard in a week! Why not show us the 960 if there's nothing else you've got right now? ;)

My wife's Xmas present, MSI GTX 960 100 Million Edition:

Perfect fit for her 'radioactive' themed rig :)



Back on topic, I think this will end up being my top intake fan on the Metis, Cryorig XT140:
 
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iFreilicht

FlexATX Authority
Feb 28, 2015
3,243
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freilite.com
Card is looking sweet!

Is there even space for an Intake fan up there? I mean you have to mod it to mount a fan anyway, but is there enough room for it to be put there in the first place?
 

zillatron

Trash Compacter
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Dec 5, 2015
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Card is looking sweet!

Is there even space for an Intake fan up there? I mean you have to mod it to mount a fan anyway, but is there enough room for it to be put there in the first place?
It really does, great looking card for what it is! It's going to be prefect in a black and green rig :)

There's a removable 3.5" HDD bay inside the top panel, that has enough clearance for a dual-slot video card, the fan is only 13mm thick so without the HDD bay there should be plenty of room.

I'm pretty sure I'll run without it initally to baseline the temps, I have another idea to improve the airflow but it'll be a lot easier with pictures :p
 

zillatron

Trash Compacter
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Dec 5, 2015
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It's here! It's bloody tiny! :eek:

Only a shade longer than the Prodigy is wide:

Some initial little mods: flipped the vented side panel in preparation for some changes to the mobo tray for better ventilation. Not pictured: 3.5" HDD tray gone, included fan gone.

Bad news: My GTX 970 isn't going to fit. Boo.
 

Phuncz

Lord of the Boards
SFFn Staff
May 9, 2015
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I'm looking forward to the build, I like the Metis a lot. It's really good looking in blue too !
 

zillatron

Trash Compacter
Original poster
Dec 5, 2015
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Turns out my GTX 970 will fit. I took the internal USB connectors out, the card runs the full length of the case with about 1mm to spare. *phew*

Next challenge is how to replace the internal cables so the USB ports are still usable...*equips soldering iron*
 

iFreilicht

FlexATX Authority
Feb 28, 2015
3,243
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freilite.com
Lucky you! The Metis seems a bit ill-designed regarding GPU integration, but that makes the modding even more fun, doesn't it? ;)
I hope you'll actually be able to find connectors that fit between the GPU and the top, it seems like space is extremely limited there.
 

zillatron

Trash Compacter
Original poster
Dec 5, 2015
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Lucky you! The Metis seems a bit ill-designed regarding GPU integration, but that makes the modding even more fun, doesn't it? ;)
I hope you'll actually be able to find connectors that fit between the GPU and the top, it seems like space is extremely limited there.

It seems like something like an R9 Nano or a GTX970 mini would be perfect, but like you said - that'd be way too easy :D

Space is extremely limited, limited to the point that the fan shroud will be touching the bottom of the header board. The USB connectors/cables extend off the bottom of the board so perhaps something like these would work.

That said, the board has solder points for PCB mounted USB ports and the existing connectors are actually soldered to the ground points. So snipping the ends of the cables and just soldering the wires straight to the board should work. Plenty of photos of that to come haha :cool:
 
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zillatron

Trash Compacter
Original poster
Dec 5, 2015
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it seems like space is extremely limited there.
Just to illustrate just how limited...this is the board inside the case with the USB and audio ports:

The green PCB houses the power switch, that's actually where the fan shroud will end up butting up against.
The 'yellow' PCB is USB/Audio and is mounted separate to the front panel on some small stand-offs that screw directly into the front panel of the case.

Those cables are shielded, so not flexible enough to route out of the way of the video card - they have to go!

Out of the case:
and...

Note the ready to use spare solder points for a header along the bottom of the board, the mount points and tracks into the header. I'm happy to downgrade these to USB2 if it means I don't need to buy another video card :) Also this will make the whole thing way neater. Points to Raijinek for upgrading the ports to USB3, negative points for unfortunate execution.

Time to hopefully not break things!

Ready for some pcb mount USB receptacles and a header.

Progress. :cool: