Log Sliger SM550 - Compact & Quiet Gaming HTPC

[MarcParis]

Thanks - unfortunately I don't think my Asrock board will allow DC adjustment of the pump (I was a little forced to go for the Asrock as it was the only one with Optical out). I'm thinking 9v might be sufficient on the pump as I sit about 2/3 meters away - so I might get away with it. I do have an Aquaero LT I might be able to use however.

If I recall, I think Asetek said the pump speed is doubled on some motherboards. 5600 @ 12v = 2800rpm. I run my current maching with a D5 pump at 1900rpm and it's 'ok', so I'm hoping 9v will be somewhat similar...

You are completely right about asetek pump speed report, it’s doubled...I forgot this during my review. Thanks for reminding it to me.
You are also right, Asrock is not handling dc fan.

Sure you can try 9v or aquaero. What is your cpu?

 

[Scottland]

You are completely right about asetek pump speed report, it’s doubled...I forgot this during my review. Thanks for reminding it to me.
You are also right, Asrock is not handling dc fan.

Sure you can try 9v or aquaero. What is your cpu?

R5 3600, haven't decided if I'll overclock it yet I'll see how it goes.

 

[MarcParis]

R5 3600, haven't decided if I'll overclock it yet I'll see how it goes.

With this cpu, Asetek is far from being mandatory..

 

[MarcParis]

I’ve also decided to review air cooler capabilities in SM550.
If I truly want to find a proper alternative Cerberus-X I need to achieve nearly silent idle before and after gaming load.

For this, air coolers are great, but using them in SM550 will allow me to also use sfx-l psu. It’s fan stops spinning as soon as load is cut whereas my sf450 still spins for long, long minutes after load.

I guess this will become an Odyssey..

 

[MarcParis]

First Air cooler contender just arrived today...that means...next week-end will be dedicated to benchmark...

 

[Scottland]

First Air cooler contender just arrived today...that means...next week-end will be dedicated to benchmark...

What coolers are you looking at? Black ridge?

 

[Plaklijm]

awesome build!! but i dont know if someone else already said it but your build in the SM550 with watercooling, isnt it a better idea to put the fans as intake and not exhaust? because now you are cooling your CPU with the hot air that is comming from your GPU, and with intake your CPU gets fresh air, and it helps a little to keep the GPU temps down because there are already fans blowing on it a little? or have you tested it and this is the best setup?

 

[MarcParis]

What coolers are you looking at? Black ridge?

Not black ridge is too restrictive for components to my taste.
I’ve chosen ID cooling IS-60 and Cryorig C7G. Cryorig is only valid for Intel socket setup due to orientation.

awesome build!! but i dont know if someone else already said it but your build in the SM550 with watercooling, isnt it a better idea to put the fans as intake and not exhaust? because now you are cooling your CPU with the hot air that is comming from your GPU, and with intake your CPU gets fresh air, and it helps a little to keep the GPU temps down because there are already fans blowing on it a little? or have you tested it and this is the best setup?

Thanks a lot!
Nope. My main priority remain GPU temperature. With fan placed as exhaust, half of intake is coming from gpu, half from vented panel.
Currently cpu temperature is completely fine during gaming session.

 

[Plaklijm]

Thanks a lot!
Nope. My main priority remain GPU temperature. With fan placed as exhaust, half of intake is coming from gpu, half from vented panel.
Currently cpu temperature is completely fine during gaming session.

aha, so then it isnt a problem at all

 

[MarcParis]

aha, so then it isnt a problem at all

Completely. After keep in mind that I’ve pretty undervolted my core i7 4770k @0.95v for 3.7 ghz. Normally it boots on average at 3.7ghz but at around 1.05/1.10v.

 

[Tashi]

This was a very interesting read. Looking forward to seeing how your CPU air cooling story moves along.

 

[MarcParis]

This was a very interesting read. Looking forward to seeing how your CPU air cooling story moves along.

Thanks a lot!

However for aircooler benchmark, my Trident-X RAM stick are too tall.

I'm in full dilemna.

What I can say from today is that Asus Fan Xpert is working fine ton handle Asetek 645LT pump. (I found minimum is around 56% and pump spinning at 3600rpm, ie 1800rpm). Oddly pump is not noisy while powered by Asus MB compared to my 9v reductor...to be investigated...

 

[MarcParis]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SM550+ : Showcase
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally got required additional washer (4mm diameter) to finalize "allmighty" SM550+ (100% unofficial..).

What is the difference between SM550 and SM550+?
Well :

• "truly" compatible with 2.5 slots GPU (up to 51mm thick)
• Compatible with 57mm cpu cooler

And here is its showcase :

I'm in full dilemma right now, as I truly like both Cerberus-X and SM550+..

 

[Scottland]

What I can say from today is that Asus Fan Xpert is working fine ton handle Asetek 645LT pump. (I found minimum is around 56% and pump spinning at 3600rpm, ie 1800rpm). Oddly pump is not noisy while powered by Asus MB compared to my 9v reductor...to be investigated...

My ASRock board is actually working ok controlling the pump (there's a WC Pump/DC mode for the fan headers). The lowest I've seen it go is about 2500rpm - but tend to have it about 3600 most of the time using custom curve.

 

[MarcParis]

My ASRock board is actually working ok controlling the pump (there's a WC Pump/DC mode for the fan headers). The lowest I've seen it go is about 2500rpm - but tend to have it about 3600 most of the time using custom curve.

Lucky you..
My asrock z97 is only able to handle pwm..

I found similar speed like yours. Definitely 3600/1800 is best sweet spot.

 

[MarcParis]

My ASRock board is actually working ok controlling the pump (there's a WC Pump/DC mode for the fan headers). The lowest I've seen it go is about 2500rpm - but tend to have it about 3600 most of the time using custom curve.

Just checked Asrock b450 itx, and you are right : fan cha 1&2 are compatible dc or pwm...
When I compare Asrock x570 tb3 and b450, I don’t understand Asrock...at all.

 

[TheHig]

I'm in full dilemma right now, as I truly like both Cerberus-X and SM550+..

Ha! I know what you mean. The SM570 was calling my name to downsize from CerbX but so far I have resisted.

Honestly it seems like going all the way down the the SM550 is a better move. The CerbX is already a small ATX case and making move to itx seems like —go small or go home.

Thanks as always for sharing your experiences with the community.

Build looks great ?.

 

[MarcParis]

Ha! I know what you mean. The SM570 was calling my name to downsize from CerbX but so far I have resisted.

Honestly it seems like going all the way down the the SM550 is a better move. The CerbX is already a small ATX case and making move to itx seems like —go small or go home.

Thanks as always for sharing your experiences with the community.

Build looks great ?.

Fully agree with you.
SM570/580 are not appealling to my eyes, compared to Cerberus-X.

Even I found SM560 a bit bulky (pretty large, almost as much as my good old Sugo 07).

But my SM550+ with Asetek 645LT is a dreadful combo..

 

[Scottland]

If this is any help to you, this is what my Asrock software rates the rpm/fan% at:

 

[MarcParis]

If this is any help to you, this is what my Asrock software rates the rpm/fan% at:

Thanks a lot.
In fact as it’s dc pump, % is a bit meaningless..as it’s specific to Asrock