SKYREACH 4 MINI (S4M)

CubanLegend

Steely-Eyed NVFlash Man
Dec 23, 2016
834
1,011
smallformfactor.net
Cuban legend has the Asus Rog Strict z370i Mobo with the LP53 and Noctua a9x14 fan and I believe he says the copper pipe barely interfaces with the first ram slot.

My question is: is it okay to remove the heat spreader off one of the ram card? Will i notice a performance drop from the unprotected ram? Will I decrease the lifespan of the ram? Any other issues or future issues from removing the heat spreader?
Hi! I have the z270i, but its got the same space tolerances as far as I know... and yes teh copper heatpipe BEARELY touches the heatspreader...

You can leave the RAM heat spreader ON and you'll be fine, the LP53's copper heatpipe will BARELY touch/tilt the RAM a little bit, with no issue. You should have no performance issue removing the heatspreader though as it's mostly aesthetic anyway, but I dont see why you'd need to, I DID remove mine initially, but then I put it back on in the end. :)
 

butters1874

Minimal Tinkerer
Feb 12, 2018
4
1
Thank you. I was really surprise as I dont see anyone mentioning this issue around here till I saw your post about this. I am using a zotac mini 1080 though.
Thank you. I was really surprise as I dont see anyone mentioning this issue around here till I saw your post about this. I am using a zotac mini 1080 though.

Finally got the brick from Dell, playing Call of Duty 14 for half an hour, no restart. Thank you @Josh | NFC
 
  • Like
Reactions: Josh | NFC

CubanLegend

Steely-Eyed NVFlash Man
Dec 23, 2016
834
1,011
smallformfactor.net
Sidenote post:
Finally got the brick from Dell, playing Call of Duty 14 for half an hour, no restart. Thank you @Josh | NFC
14!? What the... It's been TEN Call of Duty's since COD4...?! wow I'm old... And COD4 that was the last one I played, I heard the rest sucked, so I'm probably no missing much anyways... XD

Carry on!!... :)

So where are the pics of the ALL-black S4M's did peeps get their all-black side panels yet?
 

kulbida

Average Stuffer
Jan 8, 2018
63
50
So where are the pics of the ALL-black S4M's did peeps get their all-black side panels yet?

Here is an all black one. Images 4-8.

Decided to 'work' from home today so I could watch the Superbowl overnight and pick up a parcel...


Silver case with carbon fibre 2D bezel and mini feet
Black case with Zebrawood 3D bezel and black on/off switch

Waiting on power supplies etc. before building... can't wait!

Thanks Josh!
 

Josh | NFC

Not From Concentrate
Original poster
NFC Systems
Jun 12, 2015
1,869
4,468
www.nfc-systems.com
Cuban legend has the Asus Rog Strict z370i Mobo with the LP53 and Noctua a9x14 fan and I believe he says the copper pipe barely interfaces with the first ram slot.

My question is: is it okay to remove the heat spreader off one of the ram card? Will i notice a performance drop from the unprotected ram? Will I decrease the lifespan of the ram? Any other issues or future issues from removing the heat spreader?

If you can get the spreader off it will have NO ill effect and might even help the ram keep cooler to be honest. Heat spreaders look cool but they don't do any favors for cooling. I used to help design them (the looks/stying) for a company and it was there I learned how useless they really are. I'm sure there are some exceptions...
 

dumplinknet

Airflow Optimizer
Jan 26, 2018
364
168
If you can get the spreader off it will have NO ill effect and might even help the ram keep cooler to be honest. Heat spreaders look cool but they don't do any favors for cooling. I used to help design them (the looks/stying) for a company and it was there I learned how useless they really are. I'm sure there are some exceptions...
Really Josh? Because if they really are that useless, I will remove mines off my ddr4 Corsair Vengeance. Yes?
I don't care about looks at all.
An honest question.
 
Last edited:

brt02

Cable-Tie Ninja
Jan 3, 2018
224
234
If you can get the spreader off it will have NO ill effect and might even help the ram keep cooler to be honest. Heat spreaders look cool but they don't do any favors for cooling. I used to help design them (the looks/stying) for a company and it was there I learned how useless they really are. I'm sure there are some exceptions...

Are they the ram on your website? They look really good, shame about the cooling (or lack of).

hmmm... nice! I'd personally have put the carbon fiber front on the all-black sides. :) but that's just me

I liked the contrast between the bezel and the side panels, though I haven't actually tried the original black bezel with the black side panels, let alone the CF one. Might try that and see what it looks like. I'll upload pictures if I do.

Should be building by the end of the week, trying to decide between 2666,3000 and 3200mhz. I'm aware that higher clocked RAM = higher CPU temperatures and I'm going to be using an 8700K (so not much in the way of thermal headroom).

Also contemplating getting blind drunk and buying a GPU, hopefully I'll wake up tomorrow and will have forgotten about what I've had to pay for it.
 

CubanLegend

Steely-Eyed NVFlash Man
Dec 23, 2016
834
1,011
smallformfactor.net
Are they the ram on your website? They look really good, shame about the cooling (or lack of).



I liked the contrast between the bezel and the side panels, though I haven't actually tried the original black bezel with the black side panels, let alone the CF one. Might try that and see what it looks like. I'll upload pictures if I do.

Should be building by the end of the week, trying to decide between 2666,3000 and 3200mhz. I'm aware that higher clocked RAM = higher CPU temperatures and I'm going to be using an 8700K (so not much in the way of thermal headroom).

Also contemplating getting blind drunk and buying a GPU, hopefully I'll wake up tomorrow and will have forgotten about what I've had to pay for it.
RAM speed = higher CPU temps? what? never EVER heard of that before. Dude my delidded 7700k has Corsair Vengeance LPX 4000MHz 2x8 Dimms on my z270i, no temp issues AT ALL...

GO FOR THE 4000+MHz kits! You'll be surprised how some games now and some games in the future may benefit from the increased frequency alone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: brt02

brt02

Cable-Tie Ninja
Jan 3, 2018
224
234
There are forum posts all over the place about how turning XMP on pushes CPU temps up.

Maybe it's just a case of not using XMP and adjusting clocks, timings and voltages manually.

I'll have a look into 4000MHz RAM it's about £40 more expensive which isn't as bad as I thought it would be.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CubanLegend

rfarmer

Spatial Philosopher
Jul 7, 2017
2,668
2,792
Are they the ram on your website? They look really good, shame about the cooling (or lack of).
Also contemplating getting blind drunk and buying a GPU, hopefully I'll wake up tomorrow and will have forgotten about what I've had to pay for it.

lol, yeah that is about the only way I would buy a GPU in the current market. Good luck. :thumb:
 

Josh | NFC

Not From Concentrate
Original poster
NFC Systems
Jun 12, 2015
1,869
4,468
www.nfc-systems.com
Are they the ram on your website? They look really good, shame about the cooling (or lack of).

it.

I've done alot of RAM. Too many designs to count. I should really take off the design part of my website. The idea was a long time ago to put up pictures of released products but alot of companies don't want you doing that so now that section of my site just looks pathetic. XD

Cuban really does know what he is talking about and I go to him for advice on tuning often. But I would say that in *my* experience, faster XMP settings sometimes can indeed make your CPU work harder. Sometimes you need more VCCIO if you don't get golden silicon too which will make things work harder. I think it really just depends on your hardware.
 

Elerek

Cable-Tie Ninja
Jul 17, 2017
228
165
I've done alot of RAM. Too many designs to count. I should really take off the design part of my website. The idea was a long time ago to put up pictures of released products but alot of companies don't want you doing that so now that section of my site just looks pathetic. XD
Just tell them that you have quite a following of your own and they'll get more sales if people know you designed the product ;)
 

CubanLegend

Steely-Eyed NVFlash Man
Dec 23, 2016
834
1,011
smallformfactor.net
I've done alot of RAM. Too many designs to count. I should really take off the design part of my website. The idea was a long time ago to put up pictures of released products but alot of companies don't want you doing that so now that section of my site just looks pathetic. XD

Cuban really does know what he is talking about and I go to him for advice on tuning often. But I would say that in *my* experience, faster XMP settings sometimes can indeed make your CPU work harder. Sometimes you need more VCCIO if you don't get golden silicon too which will make things work harder. I think it really just depends on your hardware.
Thanks! But josh is right, you may have to tune your voltages like VCCIO if you dont have good silicon. I remember that I actually lowered my temps a bit by using some nicely tuned BIOs mods from @ceski here https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/s4-mini-classic-s4m-c.96/page-209#post-68531 and here https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/s4-mini-classic-s4m-c.96/page-209#post-68579

In my case my 7700k is on an all-core 4.5Hz setting in the BIOS (note while also undervolted with a -.050mv offset, stable, YAY!!) , and its temps were never in the low 30's, always low high 30s and low 40s. BUT once I turned Intel's speedstep ON, and C-states ON, it downclocks itself to as low as like 800MHz when its sitting idle or 1600-2.5GHz when its just web browsing, temps can go as low as 35-36c, thats INSIDE THE S4M-C with side panels ON, it's beautiful. a full 6-7c below the low 40s ill otherwise get at the desktop or web browsing. (note the ambient temp of said room is 72F or 22.2C)

And when I applied the BIOS mods by @ceski the temps went down slightly even more, by like 2-3c if i remember correctly yup

And note I always keep XMP on and the LPX modules I got have that 4000MHz XMP profile so they stay solid at that rate without problems... MAYBE it's time i do a round of CPU temp testing on my 7700k, to see if XMP4000, vs whatevere the stock speed is, makes a temp difference? :D OOOOH IM EXCITED TO TRY THIS
 
Last edited:

brt02

Cable-Tie Ninja
Jan 3, 2018
224
234
Thanks for the advice and links.

Most of the stuff should be with me tomorrow except for the Thermolab LP53, delid tool and GPU (haven't actually ordered the GPU yet).
 

Phuncz

Lord of the Boards
SFFn Staff
May 9, 2015
5,938
4,951
Sidenote post:
14!? What the... It's been TEN Call of Duty's since COD4...?! wow I'm old... And COD4 that was the last one I played, I heard the rest sucked, so I'm probably no missing much anyways... XD
The COD:WW2 (14th COD) I've bought is the first one after Black Ops (7th COD), I can't say it has changed much gameplay-wise since COD:MW (4th COD). But it's very different in gameplay from the other WW2-era COD games, COD 1 to 3.
 

Rorec

Chassis Packer
Jan 31, 2018
15
20
Update on my build... Still awaiting the HDPlex/Power Button and short cables. But decided to turn this into my primary rig and ended up using the Cerberus for our production rig. I got the Gigabyte Aorus Gaming Box which came with a GTX-1080. The fan itself is scraping the case, any recommendations for after market GPU coolers that fit the enclosure?
 

kulbida

Average Stuffer
Jan 8, 2018
63
50
Update on my build... Still awaiting the HDPlex/Power Button and short cables. But decided to turn this into my primary rig and ended up using the Cerberus for our production rig. I got the Gigabyte Aorus Gaming Box which came with a GTX-1080. The fan itself is scraping the case, any recommendations for after market GPU coolers that fit the enclosure?
You could remove the shroud and fan from the GPU and use slim Scythe/Noctua fans on the SkyBracket.
 
Last edited:

Elerek

Cable-Tie Ninja
Jul 17, 2017
228
165
Got my mini in the mail today! I don't think my evga 1070 sc quite fits though... ;)

It'll be a while before I can finish this build, trying to wait for ryzen 2 and gtx 2080.
I'll probably cave and get a 1080 or 1080 ti before then if they ever come in stock again. The zotac mini cards took ~8 months after the launch of the 10 series to come out and I'm not willing to wait that long for a zotac 2080 mini...
 
  • Like
Reactions: ECHO