Production Nouvolo Steck - SFF 8.7-11.2L ITX PC Case, supports liquid cooling

LexImatx

Trash Compacter
Mar 31, 2019
46
21
What are you using to make the cuts? I wouldnt mind doing that to the rad holder but I know itll be a hackjob if i try
Something like a Dremel would probably be ideal for this. Cutting disk attachment to make the cut and a grinding stone attachment to tidy it up.
 

brownelvis

Trash Compacter
Jun 5, 2019
41
12




Got my Steck running, didn't have much time to do much than the basic build and install Windows.

Ryzen 5 3600x
MSI B450i Gaming Plus AC
EVGA GTX 1080 SC
2 x 8GB Corsair Vengeance 3000 MHz
Corsair SF450 Gold
Scythe Big Shuriken 3
128GB XPG SX8000 M.2

I bought the 3600x right after release before seeing any performance comparisons between it and the 3600, if I had known they would perform that close I would have saved the $50. Decided to save some money and get the B450 rather than the X570, the MSI is a nice board. I picked up a Athlon 200GE off ebay to update the BIOS, worked fine and the 3600x is running great.

I have a set of @pslate custom cables ordered, until then I am using a set that I had previously used in my Ncase which are way to long for the Steck. Once I get the new cables I will also be installing a Crucial 960GB 2.5 SSD below the PSU.

Haven't had a chance to install any games or run any benchmarks yet. I am amazed that my idle temps are only 26C, everyone else I have seen running the new Ryzen are getting really high idle temps.

Build went together really well, everything works as it should.


which bios are you running? I'm getting a ton of pcie whea errors using b450i gaming plus with a 3600, and still have tons of crashes and instability.

Also curious if you compared the wraith spire to the BS3, i just swapped them over last night and i had to up my fan curve just to get the same performance, it is much quieter though
 

rfarmer

Spatial Philosopher
Jul 7, 2017
2,588
2,702
which bios are you running? I'm getting a ton of pcie whea errors using b450i gaming plus with a 3600, and still have tons of crashes and instability.

Also curious if you compared the wraith spire to the BS3, i just swapped them over last night and i had to up my fan curve just to get the same performance, it is much quieter though

BIOS 7A40vA7, the one released on July 10. Haven't had any errors on my end.

My Spire cooler is still in the box, never even tried it. Do you mean the Spire is quieter than the BS3 or the other way around?
 

brownelvis

Trash Compacter
Jun 5, 2019
41
12
BIOS 7A40vA7, the one released on July 10. Haven't had any errors on my end.

My Spire cooler is still in the box, never even tried it. Do you mean the Spire is quieter than the BS3 or the other way around?

I actually had to remove the 3600 and go back to the 2600x for the time being because my system was unusable, it would just randomly reboot in the middle of doing anything.

So far the BS3 is much quieter than the Spire for roughly equivalent cooling performance. I'm ok with that, but i just thought with that much bigger of a heatsink/fan I'd get maybe a few degrees difference, pretty impressive for the spire cooler though. I used the included Scythe thermal paste, I might remove it to see if I made proper contact and try again with noctua paste to see if that makes a difference
 

rfarmer

Spatial Philosopher
Jul 7, 2017
2,588
2,702
I actually had to remove the 3600 and go back to the 2600x for the time being because my system was unusable, it would just randomly reboot in the middle of doing anything.

So far the BS3 is much quieter than the Spire for roughly equivalent cooling performance. I'm ok with that, but i just thought with that much bigger of a heatsink/fan I'd get maybe a few degrees difference, pretty impressive for the spire cooler though. I used the included Scythe thermal paste, I might remove it to see if I made proper contact and try again with noctua paste to see if that makes a difference

I found out the reason for my really good idle temps. Partly it was because the side panel was off, the other reason was because I accidentally plugged the fan into the system header which didn't have a curve set and the fan was running at 1350 rpm constantly. With the side panel on and a fan curve which starts at about 600 rpm idle temps are up to 35 - 40C, which still seem really high to me but I know are common with the Ryzen. I also found that with the side panel on fan speeds of over 1000 rpm cause turbulence, if I keep it under 1000 rpm it is quiet.

I haven't done any benchmarking but I played several hours of Shadow of the Tomb Raider and max temp was 70C with the average being 60 - 65C, 70C for the GPU at 56% fan speed. This is the most intense thing I will do with this computer and those temps are just fine with me.
 

brownelvis

Trash Compacter
Jun 5, 2019
41
12
Disregard my comments about the BS3 cooling equivalent to the wraith spire....turns out I forgot to take the plastic backing off the coldplate before mounting it. im shocked at both my idiocy and how well the BS3 performed regardless lol
 

Hodl

Efficiency Noob
Jul 31, 2019
5
4
Hello all,

I just received my Steck and I have a few questions. Is it normal that there is hexagon imprints on the case in each spot they added standoffs including the front of the case? Is your power button really lose and wiggles around a fair amount? I have a single slot video card is their suppose to be some sort of cover for the second slot?

Thank you.
 

KriZ

Cable Smoosher
Jul 26, 2019
11
10
Not sure what you mean with those hexagons, IO don't see hexagons anywhere on my case. Power button wiggles a little when you touch it, but I didn't really notice it as "really loose", feels normal to me. i don't think there is a cover included, but maybe you can take a cover from an old case and try if it fits? Not sure.
 

KriZ

Cable Smoosher
Jul 26, 2019
11
10
This bag will fit Steck.

I bought it from here.

You can probably find it on Aliexpress.

I nearly bought the same one, but then I noticed you removed the feet. You think it will still fit with the feet attached? I suppose not. ?


On that note: do you guys think the feet are useful, apart from the design aspect? I don't have a fan at the bottom so not sure if that clearance is really that important for airflow?

Did anyone try to mount very slim fans between the feet? 12mm slim ones? Bad idea?
 
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Hodl

Efficiency Noob
Jul 31, 2019
5
4
Not sure what you mean with those hexagons, IO don't see hexagons anywhere on my case. Power button wiggles a little when you touch it, but I didn't really notice it as "really loose", feels normal to me. i don't think there is a cover included, but maybe you can take a cover from an old case and try if it fits? Not sure.

That definitely answers my question, you’d definitely notice the hexagons if you had them. I’ll take some photos when I get a chance.
 

Hodl

Efficiency Noob
Jul 31, 2019
5
4

Here is what I'm talking about. Plus a couple little spots on the button is missing paint, that's not a dirty lens.
 

LexImatx

Trash Compacter
Mar 31, 2019
46
21

Here is what I'm talking about. Plus a couple little spots on the button is missing paint, that's not a dirty lens.
My case has those same hexagons on it, but mine are nowhere near as obvious (maybe because I've got the black version).
The power button also rocks slightly, but not to the point it feels loose.
Possibly a defective power button?
 
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Hodl

Efficiency Noob
Jul 31, 2019
5
4
My case has those same hexagons on it, but mine are nowhere near as obvious (maybe because I've got the black version).
The power button also rocks slightly, but not to the point it feels loose.
Possibly a defective power button?

Rocking slightly is a better description that is how mine feels.

According to them my Hexagons fall within their manufacturing specs. Apparently it’s common in cases made this way. I personally have never seen it in my 25 years of owning PC’s on the outside of the case especially the front. Oh well lesson learnt I’ll never buy a crowd funded item ever again unless they have a stellar track record. Time to break out the J-B weld and make it look the way it should have to begin with.
 

Nouvolo

Creator
Silver Supporter
Sep 8, 2018
759
1,711
www.nouvolo.com
Update on my case. After taking new photos at a greater distance Nouvolo has offered to send a replacement for the front when they receive new stock. Definitely happy with that solution.
We always try our best to provide a good experience to our buyers. As mentioned before, I am an enthusiast just like all of you, and it bothers me just as much if any of you are not happy with the product. We will always try to fix any issues within our limits.