Concept Project Simplicity

[Phuncz]

Oh good lord, that looks amazing even when it's larger ! One of my favourite threads on the forum !

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

Sorry for the lack of input, but I've been busy modeling things in Sketchup. Here is another possible layout, a little bigger than the pico-PSU based one, with SFX-L power supply and ITX dual slot GPU support.

The idea is still to have a slide in chassis, but in this case it will slide from the top ... outter sheel to be design this week end though. The bottom fans are two 140mm ones and the CPU heatsink is a Noctua NH-D9L (92mm fan to be modeled).

 

[Regack]

Sorry for the lack of input, but I've been busy modeling things in Sketchup. Here is another possible layout, a little bigger than the pico-PSU based one, with SFX-L power supply and ITX dual slot GPU support.

The idea is still to have a slide in chassis, but in this case it will slide from the top ... outter sheel to be design this week end though. The bottom fans are two 140mm ones and the CPU heatsink is a Noctua NH-D9L (92mm fan to be modeled).

I see you've put all your models to good use - I personally like to avoid the PSU boards that use a power brick. I would rather have the case be bigger but use a more standard SFX/SFX-L or flex atx. I've tried the pico-psu+brick and it just shifts the space elsewhere and annoys me.

In the end, I really liked this layout best:

 

[Phuncz]

Sorry for the lack of input, but I've been busy modeling things in Sketchup. Here is another possible layout, a little bigger than the pico-PSU based one, with SFX-L power supply and ITX dual slot GPU support.

The idea is still to have a slide in chassis, but in this case it will slide from the top ... outter sheel to be design this week end though. The bottom fans are two 140mm ones and the CPU heatsink is a Noctua NH-D9L (92mm fan to be modeled).

I like the idea but I'd personally turn it over, so it's upside-down. This way, you have all the ports (and thus cables) on the bottom so you're able to hide them. And the fans would then be on the top, allowing a less restricted airflow. But you'd be directing the heat from the PSU and GPU towards to bottom. Although I have no issues with this setup in my Ncase M1.

 

[iFreilicht]

I'm with Phuncz on this, but in general I really like layouts like this for their clean look from all directions. It would look good with a picoPSU as well, though. You might also think about making it a teeny tiny bit wider to make sure other ITX GPUs with PEG connectors on the top fit as well. Except you specifically want to use the nano, then you could make it narrower to save space

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

I see you've put all your models to good use - I personally like to avoid the PSU boards that use a power brick. I would rather have the case be bigger but use a more standard SFX/SFX-L or flex atx. I've tried the pico-psu+brick and it just shifts the space elsewhere and annoys me.

In the end, I really liked this layout best:

Spoiler: Image snip snip

I tend to agree with this, and this is why you haven't seen any updates in days. To be totaly honest, I'd love to see the death of the ATX power supply as it is now, especially the out dated 24 pins ATX connector. It's time to move to 12V only motherboards, like it's already done on several server boards. PSU would then have to provide a single voltage, reducing size and increasing efficiency.

I like the idea but I'd personally turn it over, so it's upside-down. This way, you have all the ports (and thus cables) on the bottom so you're able to hide them. And the fans would then be on the top, allowing a less restricted airflow. But you'd be directing the heat from the PSU and GPU towards to bottom. Although I have no issues with this setup in my Ncase M1.

Been tempting by this, but since heated air moves upward, I'll have to use the fans as exhaust, right ? I'm working on the top panel cover, to hide and route the cables for a clean look. Not a huge fan of noodle like wires, so I'll definitaly find something .

I'm with Phuncz on this, but in general I really like layouts like this for their clean look from all directions. It would look good with a picoPSU as well, though. You might also think about making it a teeny tiny bit wider to make sure other ITX GPUs with PEG connectors on the top fit as well. Except you specifically want to use the nano, then you could make it narrower to save space

Not settled on the GPU side yet, guess that having top PEG connetors compatibility is a nice feature. Again, I'd like to keep the fans blowing at the GPU and CPU. This is something I'm using on my current case and it is very efficient, providing fresh air directly where it is needed. Since the Nano is opend back, like my GTX770, it should keep eveything cool.

Below are my actual idle temps (i5-4570, GTX770):

 

[jtd871]

but since heated air moves upward, I'll have to use the fans as exhaust, right ?

This is a fallacy. The air will move wherever the fans push it - provided that there is sufficient fresh airflow at the inlet. The static pressure of the fans easily overcome natural convection - especially when the internal volume of the case is very small compared to the volume of air moved by the fans.

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

First of all, sorry for all the deleted images. Did a huge cleaning in my Imgur storage. I think I'll make a new thread a little later to start a new with something better organized.

I'm currently working on silly Workstation project of mine. This is based around the components below:

• Owned:

• Asus Z87 Gryphon + Armor kit
• Intel core i5-4570
• 4x 4GB Kingston HyperX Fury black
• Sandisk Extreme II 240GB
• 2x Noctua NF-S12A PWM

• Require purchase:

• Noctua NH-D9L
• HD-Plex 250W Hifi
• 1x or 2x Firepro S7000

The center piece of this design is the passive Firepro S7000. My favorite etailer has 2 of them listed among the winter sales with already 60% off of them. Rebates will continue to increase to reach 90% 'til mid february.

I'm betting everything on luck and the fact that it is a niche product. So hopefully I'll be the only one interested in buying them. I also asked for a sponsorship from them in case I'm out of luck. It costs nothing and is well worth a try .

Here is the layout I have in mind:

 

[iFreilicht]

I like the minimalist output of that card! Will you make shrouds to direct a bit more airflow through the passive heatsinks or do you reckon it will be enough as-is?

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

The card requires only 10 CFM, as of AMD datasheet. Sad news though, the sponsoring didn't work, but I had not much hope. Lets see if winter sales provide more luck...

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

Sadly winter sales didn't help either. Reached 90%, 125 euros Firepro S7000P, but got snipped and it got sold before I clicked on "Validate your cart".

My workstation upgrade will wait a little then. Might be the more reasonable solution with Polaris and Pascal around the corner. With my other project running, I'll barely have time to focus on any thing else lol.

 

[jtd871]

I hate bid snipers...

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

It was fixed price, but once it reached the -90% ... the Firepros S7000, S9000 and S10000 all got sold at the same moment. Probably a studio or a company both then all.

Now I really don't know what to do. Either wait for Polaris/Pascal or get a current gen GPU. I do not game a lot at the moment but I have a fuck tone of stress to evacuate before I implode. I also have this game project of mine and we now are a team of two . The Intel HD4600 iGPU won't do it for long.

I'll talk to the missus to get an estimation of a GPU budget. I'd like to avoid the GTX970 and its odd memory.

Idealy I'd like a single slot GPU like the Quadro M4000 or the Firepro W7100, but short on cash for those two.

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

• Motherboard: Up to mATX
• Cooling: ... 2x 120mm front fans
• Expansion: . Full length PCIe add-in card
• PSU: ....... HDPlex 250W DC-DC
• Dimension: . 140mm x 390mm x 260mm (Width x Depth x Height)
• Materials: . Alumiunm + lamellar wood

 

[QinX]

Why did you remove all the images?

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

Did too much cleaning. Little advise: "Never make destructive cleaning when depressed. Never !". Also, I sold the GTX770 and I'm running off the Intel HD4600 iGPU.

I'll keep with that lamellar wood front and remake the whole lineup, starting with the single 180mm ITX chassis. But at the moment, my workstation need a new dress as I'm using it for a serious project (µtopia).

 

[Phuncz]

I like that last design a lot, although I would have probably chosen another copperish metal instead of wood. Even though I like wood.

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

I do need an advise concerning my workstation. I currently have an i5-4570 and I'm offered an i7-4765T for 200€. This is a 35W 4C/8T 2.0GHz (3.0GHz turbo).

Do you think this is worth buying ? I only do writing, coding and small digital art (drawing and onion skin animation).

The idea would be to design the slimest case possible to house this. I could also well the i5, thus making the switch almost costless.

 

[QinX]

If you are looking for silence/lower cooling requirements then it could be worth it.

I've compared my old 4670 vs my 4785T, almost the same comparison you are making but +200MHz
you lose a little single threaded performance, but almost equal multithreaded. Though at a reduced TDP.

[Quickie Build] QinX' SinguTV HTPC

Cinebench R15
i5-4670: Multi 496/Single 138/Ratio 3.59x
i7-4785T: Multi 519/Single 107/Ratio 4.86x

Edit:
If you can make a 1 to 1 swap without paying extra, i'd say do it.

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

Thanks for all those precious informations. I'm in fact looking for silence and lower cooling requirements as well as lower power consumption. I'd love to run it from a DC-DC souce, like the HDPlex 160W.

Also, I've had a 2D game engine in mind for quite a few years now and I'd like to have it run smoothly on humble setup. I think a low power CPU and iGPU is the best setup for that.