S4 MINI Classic (S4M-C)

CubanLegend

Steely-Eyed NVFlash Man
Dec 23, 2016
834
1,011
smallformfactor.net
So now that I finally paid for every part of my build and have the final prices. I plugged them and all custom parts and acessories into my PCPartPicker build here: https://pcpartpicker.com/user/CubanLegend/saved/NQ9K8d

here is it quoted for space:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor (Purchased For $350.00)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-L9i 33.8 CFM CPU Cooler (Purchased For $39.95)
CPU Cooler Fan (Notcua NH-L9i): SY1012SL12H-PWM (Purchased For $10.00)
Thermal Compound: Noctua NT-H1 3.5g Thermal Paste (Purchased For $6.00)
Motherboard: Asus ROG STRIX Z270i GAMING Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard (Purchased For $180.00)
Memory: [URL='https://pcpartpicker.com/list/#view_custom_part']CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-4000 (Model CMK16GX4M2B4000C19R)[/URL] (Purchased For $193.00)
Storage: Intel 600p Series 256GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive (Purchased For $92.00)
Storage: Seagate BarraCuda 5TB 2.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive (Purchased For $179.00)
Storage: Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSHD 2TB SATA 6.0Gb/s 2.5" Notebooks / Laptops Internal Hard Drive ST2000LX001 (Purchased For $114.99)
Video Card: Zotac GTX 1080 MINI 8GB (ZT-P10800H-10P) (Purchased For $720.00)
Case: NFC S4 Mini (Mini-ITX 4.3L) Chassis (+PCI-Ex Riser +Custom Vandal Switch +HDPLEX Wire mod) (Purchased For $313.00)
Power Supply: Dell 330W DA330PM111 AC Adapter charger (Purchased For $104.00)
Power Brick: HDPLEX 300W Hi-Fi DC-ATX Power Supply (Purchased For $85.00)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit (Purchased For $25.00)

Delid Parts:
Other: Rockit 88 - Intel CPU Delid Tool (Purchased For $30.00)
Other: Re-Lid Kit for the Rockit 88 Delid Tool - 1150 Version (Purchased For $16.00)
CPU Delid TIM: Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra 0.15g Thermal Paste (Purchased For $13.00)
CPU Delid Cleaner: ARCTIC SILVER CAN-60ML ARCTICLEAN 1 & 2 60ML SET (Purchased For $6.00)
CPU Delid Sealant: Permatex 81158 Black Silicone Adhesive Sealant, 3 oz. Tube (Purchased For $6.00)

Extra Parts/Accessories:
2nd CPU Cooler: Zalman CNPS2X CPU Cooler (Purchased For $26.00)
Case Fan (GPU bracket): SY1212SL12H-PWM (Purchased For $10.00)
Extra Case Fan: Rosewill RASF-141213 54.5 CFM 120mm Fan (Purchased For $13.00)
Extra Case Fan: Rosewill RASF-141213 54.5 CFM 120mm Fan (Purchased For $13.00)
GPU Fan Adapter: Gelid CA-PWM-02 PWM Fan Adapter Sleeved Cable Cord for VGA Cards Cooler Fan (Purchased For $7.00)
GPU Fan Adapter: 4-Pin Mini GPU Connector Extension Cable (10cm) (Purchased For $14.00)
Case GPU Hole Cover: CaseLabs Flex-Bay Cover, Single Bay, Ventilated, Black (Purchased For $18.00)

Assembly Parts:
Tape:
Duck Brand 299006 3/4-Inch by 60 Feet Utility Vinyl Electrical Tape with Single Roll, Black (Purchased For $4.50)
Tape: LCDGlue - 12mm Clear Double Sided Adhesive PET Tape - Red Backing - Very High Bond (Purchased For $12.00)
Tape: Gaffer Tape (Premium Grade - Black) - 2 Inch X 30 Yards (Purchased For $17.00)
Black Vinyl Spray: VHT SP942 Vinyl Dye Black Satin Can - 11 oz. (Purchased For $13.00)

Total:
$2630.44
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-02-06 20:32 EST-0500

All in all, all the parts and accessories I ended up buying plus the price premiums I paid on a few parts for buying them early, added up to a little bit more than I expected to pay originally... but for a build that I plan to keep for 10 years... Let's hope it's enough!
(also linked to it and added the build to my sig) =) I will start the Build thread once I get the last parts back from Josh and I start building it. =D
 
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1461748123

Master of Cramming
Nov 5, 2016
489
1,068
Btw guys, I can confirm that GSkill Trident Z memory will work with the S4:

Please ignore my messy table & room :p
 

1461748123

Master of Cramming
Nov 5, 2016
489
1,068
How you liking your little engine that could? (Tt Engine 27)
I would say I'm okay with it, but I definitely won't suggest it to anyone that will be using a S4 mini.
Not that it isn't good, it kept my 6700 under 70 Celcius under full load without any problem, but at this price point, a Nh-L9i will be a much better choice.
I mean, the only positive thing when compare to the Nh-L9i is that it look wayyyyyy coooler. Thats a big thumbs up XD
 

Kmpkt

Innovation through Miniaturization
KMPKT
Feb 1, 2016
3,382
5,936
I think Engine 27 is good for T-series chips and that's about it. Kinda keen to see if the Engine 37 can manage significantly better when it is released. Copper base and larger fan/heatsink should make a pretty substantial difference.
 
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ricochet

SFF AFFLICTED
Oct 20, 2016
547
345
I think Engine 27 is good for T-series chips and that's about it. Kinda keen to see if the Engine 37 can manage significantly better when it is released. Copper base and larger fan/heatsink should make a pretty substantial difference.

Concur, definitely a low TDP cooler that is very pleasant at low speeds... I would easily add Pentium to that list along with T-Series chips.
 

Josh | NFC

Not From Concentrate
Original poster
NFC Systems
Jun 12, 2015
1,869
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I think Engine 27 is good for T-series chips and that's about it. Kinda keen to see if the Engine 37 can manage significantly better when it is released. Copper base and larger fan/heatsink should make a pretty substantial difference.

Mebe.

Even if it dramatically improved and was a better performer than the NHl9i, it is still really loud. I'm not sure if taller and heavier is going to make it quieter.

It is SUPER sexy looking though!
 
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Kmpkt

Innovation through Miniaturization
KMPKT
Feb 1, 2016
3,382
5,936
I'm thinking of swapping to the 100mm Scythe on the L9I since I can't stand the puke beige and burgundy look. Anyone here tried this combo yet?
 
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Zero

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Jan 27, 2017
120
262
So now that I finally paid for every part of my build and have the final prices. I plugged them and all custom parts and acessories into my PCPartPicker build here: https://pcpartpicker.com/user/CubanLegend/saved/NQ9K8d

If you're posting your build, you must want a critique >:-)

I'll post for the benefit of anyone else trying to get parts like that at the moment:

Monoprice sells the i7 7700k directly on eBay for $309.99 if you want to save $40 there.

NewEgg has the 1080 Mini for $609, if you're military or vet you can get a free year of NewEgg Premier for free shipping/returns.

Not that it matters much in the grand scheme of your $2500+ build, but you don't need to buy the separate tube of NT-H1; the Noctua cooler includes a tube and it has enough for like 10 applications.

Also kind of weird to get an SSD, and HDD, and then a Hybrid drive, I assume you had some lying around since they're mismatched. The setup I built for a friend was to do an M.2 SSD like that, then get two HDD and put them in a Raid 1. Finally you schedule full-disk backups of the SSD to be archived on the Raid 1. What this means is each night your SSD backs up to the two hard drives, which are both mirrors of each other, so if one drive fails the other still has your backups (and of course you can put any other large files like games you're not playing, etc.)

Mebe.

Even if it dramatically improved and was a better performer than the NHl9i, it is still really loud. I'm not sure if taller and heavier is going to make it quieter.

It is SUPER sexy looking though!

Yeah I'm kind of straight pissed at the guys who made that. Sandia Labs is a taxpayer-funded federal lab that developed the technology, and they have to license it to anyone in the public/private sector who asks nicely, so this company Coolchip nabs it, shops it around for something like 4 years, first to Coolermaster, then finally to Thermaltake, and the final product is a bastardized version. The original cooler was supposed to use an air gap bearing; like a needle over a hard drive platter, the spinning would create a pocket of air. What I think they ultimately did was just make a normal heatsink with a fan made out of aluminum and a very thin gap between the fan and the base plate, but it is supported by the bearings like a normal setup. The fan conducts more heat than plastic fins, but the total package is neither quieter nor cooler than any competing product, unlike their initial claims. Insult to injury, it's $50 bucks for that snake oil.
 

ricochet

SFF AFFLICTED
Oct 20, 2016
547
345
Yeah I'm kind of straight pissed at the guys who made that. Sandia Labs is a taxpayer-funded federal lab that developed the technology, and they have to license it to anyone in the public/private sector who asks nicely, so this company Coolchip nabs it, shops it around for something like 4 years, first to Coolermaster, then finally to Thermaltake, and the final product is a bastardized version. The original cooler was supposed to use an air gap bearing; like a needle over a hard drive platter, the spinning would create a pocket of air. What I think they ultimately did was just make a normal heatsink with a fan made out of aluminum and a very thin gap between the fan and the base plate, but it is supported by the bearings like a normal setup. The fan conducts more heat than plastic fins, but the total package is neither quieter nor cooler than any competing product, unlike their initial claims. Insult to injury, it's $50 bucks for that snake oil.
With all due respect. Again, with lower TDP chips the Engine 27 isn't that noisy and cools very well if the the rpms are kept under 3500. In fact, I honestly have found it to be more quiet than my Cryorig C7 and it cools slightly better... all in an improved SFF. Where is the "snake oil" in an extremely low-profile, all metal product that is recommended for lower TDP chips? Though I do agree with you wholeheartedly that Sandia had a much better technology and product developed... maybe it just wasn't possible to manufacture and mass produce it economically yet???
 

Kmpkt

Innovation through Miniaturization
KMPKT
Feb 1, 2016
3,382
5,936
Thermaltake has traditionally done a pretty shit job of making quality goods - at least in my experience they're always a cut below. I can't help but think if a better company (like Coolermaster) had picked up the rights from Coolchip that we would have seen a quieter product with better heat dissipation that was a true reflection of the Sandia cooler. Others might disagree with me, but they're kind of a second tier producer IMO.
 
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Curiosity

Too busy figuring out if I can to think if I shoul
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jeshikat

Jessica. Wayward SFF.n Founder
Silver Supporter
Feb 22, 2015
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What I think they ultimately did was just make a normal heatsink with a fan made out of aluminum and a very thin gap between the fan and the base plate, but it is supported by the bearings like a normal setup.

The regular bearings are necessary. Otherwise a slight bump to the case could cause the fan to crash into the baseplate and then bad things would happen.
 
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CubanLegend

Steely-Eyed NVFlash Man
Dec 23, 2016
834
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smallformfactor.net
So @Josh | NFC I noticed that Half-Life theme on the side panel of an S-4 Mini in one of your last 2 videos, how did you get it on there? Did you use plastidip? I'd like to do that to my S4 mini once I have it. One side with the HL logo and the other with the Aperture Science logo. (Or maybe the Steam logo instead, idk).
If you're posting your build, you must want a critique >:-)

I'll post for the benefit of anyone else trying to get parts like that at the moment:

Monoprice sells the i7 7700k directly on eBay for $309.99 if you want to save $40 there.

NewEgg has the 1080 Mini for $609, if you're military or vet you can get a free year of NewEgg Premier for free shipping/returns.

Not that it matters much in the grand scheme of your $2500+ build, but you don't need to buy the separate tube of NT-H1; the Noctua cooler includes a tube and it has enough for like 10 applications.

Also kind of weird to get an SSD, and HDD, and then a Hybrid drive, I assume you had some lying around since they're mismatched. The setup I built for a friend was to do an M.2 SSD like that, then get two HDD and put them in a Raid 1. Finally you schedule full-disk backups of the SSD to be archived on the Raid 1. What this means is each night your SSD backs up to the two hard drives, which are both mirrors of each other, so if one drive fails the other still has your backups (and of course you can put any other large files like games you're not playing, etc.)
Yes critique would be welcome. :) Thanks for the heads up on the NT-H1 thermal compound, I didn't know it was included in the NH-L9i. Godo heads up on the 7700K and 1080mini for future buyers too.

And yes my HDD config, I'm using the M.2 SSD on my OS, the SSHD for my Steam Library, and the 5TB for all my media backups that I'll carry around with me.
 

Josh | NFC

Not From Concentrate
Original poster
NFC Systems
Jun 12, 2015
1,869
4,468
www.nfc-systems.com
Hey Cuban, are you planning on using your 2.5" drives externally? I really recommend it for your build. The 1070 is so hot I wouldn't use a drive to cover it, but instead recommend putting a slim fan over the backside. And you have a 1080, soooooooooo

For anyone that is interested this cheap dual bay dock is USB 3.1 and works pretty good. The offline cloning feature isn't super useful because of the size limitations but it is a very convenient way to store media drives. I have it hidden inside my desk too so it's not like it is ugly. :)
 
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CubanLegend

Steely-Eyed NVFlash Man
Dec 23, 2016
834
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smallformfactor.net
Hey Cuban, are you planning on using your 2.5" drives externally? I really recommend it for your build. The 1070 is so hot I wouldn't use a drive to cover it, but instead recommend putting a slim fan over the backside. And you have a 1080, soooooooooo

For anyone that is interested this cheap dual bay dock is USB 3.1 and works pretty good. The offline cloning feature isn't super useful because of the size limitations but it is a very convenient way to store media drives. I have it hidden inside my desk too so it's not like it is ugly. :)
Hmmm... yeah I was planning on having the 2 HDDs on the SSD bracket on the back of the 1080. XD I've already got an external dock that I can use for when I'm at home, but when I'm going around on the run, I'd like to have them in the SSD bracket inside the S4-mini. Isn't there any other way to mount the SSD bracket inside the S4-mini when there's a 1080mini already in there heating up that side? Like over the motherboard? Or over the PCIe ribbon?

BTW what do you recommend for me to spray a logo onto my S4mini side panel like the one you have with the Half-life logo? I'm thinking orange plastidip.