SKYREACH 4 MINI (S4M)

LegendsofMace

Average Stuffer
Oct 7, 2018
62
28



My cleaned up brickless build

I had a spare hour so shortened some cables. Pretty tidy even if I say so myself.
Nice, this is the kind of build i'd like to do! Where'd you get the Inno3d 2070? I'm in the U.S.
 

ahmad313

What's an ITX?
Dec 23, 2019
1
1
Hello everyone,
i find the S4 mini to be the perfect replacement for a laptop, at least in my case.
I'm trying to put together a build and after doing some research i'm still confused on CPU choices. I would appreciate your input:

Case: S4 mini
Board: ASUS ROG Strix Z390-I (i love this board and would prefer not to change it)
CPU: initial choice i7-9700 (65W) - in Josh's BOM: i7-9700K (can the Noctua really cool a 95W?) - i see many people going for the Ryzen 3700X (is it really worth changing the board for it ? ) - i do a lot of virtualization and have multiple IDE's open at once on my PC, so i really want a strong CPU but i want it to be cool also.
GPU: 1660ti / 1070 mini Zotac (i currently have 1060gtx micro chip in laptop and is fairly enough for me, i am an occasional gamer) would these two fit without modding ? (brickless)
Power: HDPLEX 400W + AC-DC for brickless setup
Cooler: NH l9i
...the rest is peanuts

please give me your input on the CPU + cooler , i am unable to make a final decision :) also any input on the GPU is most welcome.
Thanks a lot
 
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guniens

Average Stuffer
Nov 28, 2019
82
18
Hi
I'm interested in skyreach 4 mini and 2070 super mini configuration.
Is it possible to do a brickless build without any modding to the gpu?
Thanks in advance.
 
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rokabeka

network packet manipulator
Jul 9, 2016
248
268
CPU: initial choice i7-9700 (65W) - in Josh's BOM: i7-9700K (can the Noctua really cool a 95W?) - i see many people going for the Ryzen 3700X (is it really worth changing the board for it ? ) - i do a lot of virtualization and have multiple IDE's open at once on my PC, so i really want a strong CPU but i want it to be cool also.
please give me your input on the CPU + cooler , i am unable to make a final decision :) also any input on the GPU is most welcome.
Thanks a lot

hello,

unless your virtualization runs pinned to cores and not oversubscribed and still the performance you get not enough then you are not really benefiting of 9700->9700K or 3700->3700X upgrade. the choice depends on the workload.
if you need to run e.g. 10+ vCPUs then choosing ryzen might be a better solution. virtualization support however is more mature on intel while you might be running into strange situations with AMD. if you really need to squeze out the last bits of performance then in case of AMD you need to take CCX's into consideration, too (meaning that one VM should be running within the same CCX).

for multiple IDE's and fast compilation you might want to have fast disk and lots of memory but I am sure you are already aware of it :)

the noctua silently cools 65W (ryzen 7 1700 in my case), but Noctua itself recommends with limitations some 91W CPUs but not all of them. if Josh suggests to use 9700k then go for it :) as the S4M is considered as a really well ventillated case. but here on the forum you might also find some experience, it might really depend how long you typically toss full load on your CPU.

(so, for me the AMD dream machine would be a ryzen 3900 pro, 12cores/24threads still with 65W :D)
 

SFFnewb

Caliper Novice
Jun 25, 2018
21
6
Anyone having issues with S4M shutting down when placed under graphical load? Every time I start a game the fans kick on and the computer shuts down. The Dell brick light goes out and then comes back on. Should I consider running a external PSU? This is the second time this has happened. Larry sent me a updated 400 and it worked for about six months and now having the same issues. I am not a computer expert but I really like this form factor and would welcome any advice.
 
Last edited:

kNUCkles

Chassis Packer
Aug 19, 2019
13
5
Anyone having issues with S4M shutting down when placed under graphical load? Every time I start a game the fans kick on and the computer shuts down. The Dell brick light goes out and then comes back on. Should I consider running a external PSU? This is the second time this has happened. Gury sent me a updated 400 and it worked for about six months and now having the same issues. I am not a computer expert but I really like this form factor and would welcome any advice.

It sounds like your brick can't serve enough current for the gaming load. A power meter would tell you how much it's trying to pull just before it cuts out.

If you really like your Mini (as I do) consider a HDPLEX 400w AC-DC unit as your new brick. It's pricey and the AC wires are awkward externally, but it serves up the juice. I have mine slung up out of sight beneath the desktop.
 

SFFnewb

Caliper Novice
Jun 25, 2018
21
6
It sounds like your brick can't serve enough current for the gaming load. A power meter would tell you how much it's trying to pull just before it cuts out.

If you really like your Mini (as I do) consider a HDPLEX 400w AC-DC unit as your new brick. It's pricey and the AC wires are awkward externally, but it serves up the juice. I have mine slung up out of sight beneath the desktop.

I have the HDPLEX 400DC ATX inside the case. Is there another add on that Larry has?
 

seppola

Trash Compacter
Jan 1, 2020
34
13
had a louqe s1 setup some time ago, sold it as I wasnt using it that much. But the itch to game is back. Would be fun to build something even more smaller than the previous setup (<8L), had my eyes on the DAN case, but this is barely smaller, then noticed this case at 5L.

What I have in mind is a Asrock X570 + ryzen 3600 + RTX 2070 together with a HDplex 400W AC/DC PSU, however, though not impossible, I would rather not to grind the PSU to make it fit. Questions on the PSU:
  1. Is it still a must to thin it out to fit a RTX 2070
  2. Will there be a new revision of the PSU that uses thinner casing?

I read that the skyreach mini is vesa mount compatible. Is there a stand where you can mount both a ~24-27inch screen and the skyreach?
  • Maybe a back to back monitor stand would work....
 
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hat1324

Cable-Tie Ninja
Dec 28, 2015
146
100
had a louqe s1 setup some time ago, sold it as I wasnt using it that much. But the itch to game is back. Would be fun to build something even more smaller than the previous setup (<8L), had my eyes on the DAN case, but this is barely smaller, then noticed this case at 5L.

What I have in mind is a Asrock X570 + ryzen 3600 + RTX 2070 together with a HDplex 400W AC/DC PSU, however, though not impossible, I would rather not to grind the PSU to make it fit. Questions on the PSU:
  1. Is it still a must to thin it out to fit a RTX 2070
  2. Will there be a new revision of the PSU that uses thinner casing?

I read that the skyreach mini is vesa mount compatible. Is there a stand where you can mount both a ~24-27inch screen and the skyreach?
  • Maybe a back to back monitor stand would work....
All that comes to mind is buying 2xGAEMS rail monitor stand and putting both vesa mounts on one stand :)
 

Josh | NFC

Not From Concentrate
Original poster
NFC Systems
Jun 12, 2015
1,869
4,466
www.nfc-systems.com
had a louqe s1 setup some time ago, sold it as I wasnt using it that much. But the itch to game is back. Would be fun to build something even more smaller than the previous setup (<8L), had my eyes on the DAN case, but this is barely smaller, then noticed this case at 5L.

What I have in mind is a Asrock X570 + ryzen 3600 + RTX 2070 together with a HDplex 400W AC/DC PSU, however, though not impossible, I would rather not to grind the PSU to make it fit. Questions on the PSU:
  1. Is it still a must to thin it out to fit a RTX 2070
  2. Will there be a new revision of the PSU that uses thinner casing?

I read that the skyreach mini is vesa mount compatible. Is there a stand where you can mount both a ~24-27inch screen and the skyreach?
  • Maybe a back to back monitor stand would work....

The new HDPLEX 400 AC fits in the front of the chassis with no mods. It does require a rather long and ugly 24 pin cable as you will need to put the DC component where the AC unit usually would go.

Peace
 
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Analogue Blacksheep

King of Cable Management
Dec 2, 2018
831
688
Any idea if you could do a brickless build with the PowerColor RX 5700 ITX without any modding?

There is a an 8-pin connector on the top of card on the opposite side away from the bracket.
 

TheHig

King of Cable Management
Oct 13, 2016
951
1,171
@Josh | NFC Apologies if this has been covered previously in the thread as I have been out of the S4 loop for a bit.

Are there going to be any more Skyreach production runs? I haven't seen it for sale in some time. Looking to pick up another this year if possible.

Thanks!
 
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Josh | NFC

Not From Concentrate
Original poster
NFC Systems
Jun 12, 2015
1,869
4,466
www.nfc-systems.com
I plan on it, but I am having some problems that might make them be put off for a while.

I have some inventory left that I will be selling once I can ship again, around February 14th. Then it would be summertime at best before I could sell another run.

Peace
 

xeroriser

Efficiency Noob
New User
Nov 30, 2017
6
0
Is there a way to fit a panel mount C6 in the old revision of the mini without modding the case? I'm trying to do a brickless 1080 build but I've heard that C8 is unsafe because of ungrounded power.