Log SMALLEST ATX CASE : CERBERUS-X (Complete build log)

[TheHig]

The direct link is working fine and I was able to read through your findings. Looks like a lot of fun! I have my mobo choices narrowed down to the Prime P you are running , your first hand experience makes for a great recommendation, the MSI Pro P wifi D4, Tuff Gaming D4 or go bigger with the Strix 690 A D4. Really not needed for the 12600k but the rear IO and other features make it tempting. It is a bit overpriced though. Cooler compatibility with the Strix board is a concern too but the C14s is compatible.

My socket 1700 kit for my C14S is a week out on delivery so I probably wont commit for a couple of weeks yet.

 

[MarcParis]

The direct link is working fine and I was able to read through your findings. Looks like a lot of fun! I have my mobo choices narrowed down to the Prime P you are running , your first hand experience makes for a great recommendation, the MSI Pro P wifi D4, Tuff Gaming D4 or go bigger with the Strix 690 A D4. Really not needed for the 12600k but the rear IO and other features make it tempting. It is a bit overpriced though. Cooler compatibility with the Strix board is a concern too but the C14s is compatible.

My socket 1700 kit for my C14S is a week out on delivery so I probably wont commit for a couple of weeks yet.

Asus strix z690-a gaming wifi d4 remains best DDR4 Z690 motherboard, however, I found it, finally too expensive.
On top of that, VRM heatsinks are too big for my taste (Noctua U12A does not fit, C14S is fitting with only top fan for example)

I would say that main issue on Asus Prime Z690-P remains audio quality. Otherwise, VRM are good enough to handle all alder lake CPU (i9 12900K included) and Bios is pretty complete.

At last, I guess I will post again my full review here.

 

[MarcParis]

Here are some news from my build & overclocking setup.
I'm experienced some instabilities, especially in Days Gone that is representing quite a pinnacle overcloking test, as both GPU & CPU are used in demanding way.
Right now Days gone has the crown of most GPU power demanding. It is actually using 350W quite easily.

Thus I experience some game crash, blue screen and hard reboot. Based on my experience, this is not a direct consequence of failing PSU, unable to provide enough power to both GPU & Motherboard.

This is not first signs (already noticed former one with Zen 2 setup). My SX800LTI starts showing those issues after several overheating issues (recylcing hot air from GPU) faced in CL530...

I'll let you know...

 

[TheHig]

Interesting.. You are pushing the limits with overclocking and thirsty components like that 3090. Which I fully support by the way. Tweaking the setup is half the fun after all! I assume you get more stability dialing back some or does the heat soak build up after enough time that the SX800 is overwhelmed regardless? I look forward to seeing what your findings entail.

I ended up with the MSI Pro A wifi D4 on the cheap and I need WIFI since I tend to move things around my house. Of course adding wifi is easy and inexpensive but having it included is convenient. Agree the Strix D4 is too pricey and combined with cooler compatibility makes it a no go personally. Since I'm able to build a complete PC with only purchasing the 12600k and Mobo less $$ seems VERY appealing hence the MSI entry level board.

C14s (LGA 1700 bracket due here this week sometime)
MSI Pro A wifi D4
4x8 GB 3200 c14 Bdie Team Dark Pro
500Gb samsung nvme
1Tb inland nvme
EVGA 3060ti XC gaming. . After almost 12 months in the queue I got the notification email to purchase and couldn't resist.
SF600 gold
Cerb X ( of course)

 

[MarcParis]

Interesting.. You are pushing the limits with overclocking and thirsty components like that 3090. Which I fully support by the way. Tweaking the setup is half the fun after all! I assume you get more stability dialing back some or does the heat soak build up after enough time that the SX800 is overwhelmed regardless? I look forward to seeing what your findings entail.

I ended up with the MSI Pro A wifi D4 on the cheap and I need WIFI since I tend to move things around my house. Of course adding wifi is easy and inexpensive but having it included is convenient. Agree the Strix D4 is too pricey and combined with cooler compatibility makes it a no go personally. Since I'm able to build a complete PC with only purchasing the 12600k and Mobo less $$ seems VERY appealing hence the MSI entry level board.

C14s (LGA 1700 bracket due here this week sometime)
MSI Pro A wifi D4
4x8 GB 3200 c14 Bdie Team Dark Pro
500Gb samsung nvme
1Tb inland nvme
EVGA 3060ti XC gaming. . After almost 12 months in the queue I got the notification email to purchase and couldn't resist.
SF600 gold
Cerb X ( of course)

Same conclusion here..
In fact I'm undervolting RTX 3090FE, was stable on CL530 & S620 with R7 1700X or R7 5800X.

Right now I experienced another system reboot, at stock settings. Those weird anomalies are heading to faulty PSU. Time to assemble my back up SX700-PT, to make sure it's a PSU issue.

 

[MarcParis]

RIP SX800-LTI.
I can confirm my PSU was faulty. SX700 is working like a charm!
It is even better than SX800 as SFX PSU is leaving more free space on RTX 3090 FE passthrough & exhaust fan.

 

[MarcParis]

RIP SX800-LTI.
I can confirm my PSU was faulty. SX700 is working like a charm!
It is even better than SX800 as SFX PSU is leaving more free space on RTX 3090 FE passthrough & exhaust fan.

Obviously PSU was not the only issue.
After further investigations, XMP II profile is not stable.. Hopefully XMP I is stable.
This issue of XMP profile was pretty difficult to isolate but logical afterwards (I experienced Days gone crashing alonen, BSOD, pretty typical issues from unstable RAM)

From now I assume Cerberus-X with Alder lake 12600K overclocked is stable..

 

[MarcParis]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update 22nd December 2021 : Cerberus-X is meeting Alder Lake! Unforeseen issues!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This post was supposed to simply re-edit my initial post on Imgur here.
However since original post I faced 3 unforeseen issues :

• PSU Silverstonetek SX-800 LTI proved to be faulty
• My Asus Strix 7.1 headset broke (left earpiece fixation broke)
• RAM & Motherboard compatibility issues!

So let's start solving those new issues :

• Faulty PSU Silverstonetek SX-800 LTI:
  • Symptom : sudden & unexpected hard shut down while changing framerate (ie from 120 to 240 on screen).
  • Reason : SX-800 LTI was unable to handle current peak from system, most probably from RTX 3090 FE
  • Solution:
    • Step 1 : Replace SX-800 LTI by SX-700PT : Testing PSU stability
    • Step 2 : Step 1 was successful. However SX700 remains too loud (idle or loud, due to RTX 3090FE)). Thus I decided to transfer my Corsair SF750 from S620 to my Cerberus-X. Cherry on the top : SFX PSU is leaving more space for passthrough fan of RTX 3090 FE.
  • 
• Asus Headset Strix 7.1 broke :
  • Symptom : Left earpiece stayed in my hand when it broke. Clamping force is no longer enough
  • Reason : Plastic fixing point (I have this headset since 2016 and enjoyed it a lot!)
  • Solution :
    • Use my other headset Audio Technica ATH-M60x with boom microphone
    • However audio on my Asus Prime Z690-P is simply terrible and not common with my professional laptop
    • After days of thought I tried DAC Sound Blaster G3...and it is simply terrific!
      • My Audio Technica ATH-M60x sounds even better than on my Asus Crosshair VI Hero (realtek 1202+dedicated DAC). It is gettting really close from my Marantz SR 6007 receiver!
      • Sound is clean and you can even setup a specific profile (equalizer) through bluetooth & software
      • Microphone volume wheel is really convenient too as my boom microphone was a bit capricious
      • Basically Sound blaster G3 is almost a no brainer choice!
      • 
      • 
• RAM & Motherboard incompatibility :
  • Symptoms :
    • I experienced really weird software instability while using GSkill FlareX (F4-3200C14D-16GFX) 3200 MTS, 14-14-14-14-34 (B-die) :
      • Basically while RAM Overclocking XMP (1 or 2) profile is just applied, computer is 100% stable (either 12600K is overcloked or not)
      • However if I reboot or start computer, leaving XMP profile on, computer starts to experience software instabilities!
      • I tried also with different RAM timings (16-16-16-16-36), speed (3000MTS) or voltage (up to 1.395v as Asus Prime Z690-P does not accept more)
      • On Asus website, this RAM sticks have to be compatible :
      • 
      • I must admit I never experienced such weird/random issues. It made me think my RAM sticks were faulty!
  • Reason : After 2 weeks of inquiries, GSkill FlareX (F4-3200C14D-16GFX) & Asus Prime Z690-P are not compatible
  • Solution:
    • To confirm my hypothesis I decided to move my Corsair Vengeance LPX 2x16Go (3200MTS, 16-18-18-18-36, B-die too) from Asus Strix B450i (S620) to Asus Prime Z690-P (Cerberus-X)
    • Corsair Vengeance LPX were directly stable on XMP profile! (whereas I never managed to make them work at XMP profile on Asus Strix B450i (I put TCas at 18 instead of 16!))
    • Also, please note G. Skill Flare-X RAM were completely stable on XMP profile on Asus Strix B450i!
    • However, on Intel Burn test v2.54, GSkill Flare-X were faster compared to Corsair Vengeance. Even maximum temperature during IBT 2.54 (Maximum stress test) was reduced from 91-93°C to 85°C!
    • Good news as my setup 100% stable I was able to also overclock E-Cores to 4Ghz. Thus I managed to beat Cinebench R23 with 19054! (CPU reaching 88°c only)
    • 
    • 

I hope those bugs/issues faced & solved could be useful for other users..

As it is Christmas here is another Video, Horizon Zero Dawn :

Link to Imgur Initial review :
https://imgur.com/gallery/GvzVyTc

 

[rfarmer]

Damn @MarcParis I just got my 12600k last week and was blown away by my 17,000 score in Cinebench R23, looks like I need to look into overclocking.

 

[MarcParis]

Damn @MarcParis I just got my 12600k last week and was blown away by my 17,000 score in Cinebench R23, looks like I need to look into overclocking.

Yes 12600k is pretty easy to overclock..
I guess that your 17k reached is using MCE, isn’t it?

 

[TheHig]

Thanks for sharing your experiences Marc. Its super helpful for the community! I ended up picking up the 12700k ($299 at Microcenter) and the Tuf D4 open box for @229! Anyway my Team Dark Pro c14 3200 ram is totally unstable as well in 4x8 configuration. I tried XMP 1 and 2. Manual timings and voltage tweaks. Its fine in my Son's x570 PC so I put it back there. I ended up pulling the 2x16Gb Crucial Ballistix 3600 c16 from my Ryzen itx box and it works perfectly with XMP 2 setting in bios on the TUfF z690. The system is very snappy and gaming etc is terrific. Lastly I ended up using the Noctua U12S Chromax and by adding motherboard stand offs to the pegs on the Cerberus X side panel to provide the extra centimeter needed for clearance. Temps are completely fine on the 12700k at stock settings with this cooler. Lots of fun and Intel is definitely back in the game. I suppose I should update my Cerberus X thread with some Pics as well. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

 

[MarcParis]

Thanks for sharing your experiences Marc. Its super helpful for the community! I ended up picking up the 12700k ($299 at Microcenter) and the Tuf D4 open box for @229! Anyway my Team Dark Pro c14 3200 ram is totally unstable as well in 4x8 configuration. I tried XMP 1 and 2. Manual timings and voltage tweaks. Its fine in my Son's x570 PC so I put it back there. I ended up pulling the 2x16Gb Crucial Ballistix 3600 c16 from my Ryzen itx box and it works perfectly with XMP 2 setting in bios on the TUfF z690. The system is very snappy and gaming etc is terrific. Lastly I ended up using the Noctua U12S Chromax and by adding motherboard stand offs to the pegs on the Cerberus X side panel to provide the extra centimeter needed for clearance. Temps are completely fine on the 12700k at stock settings with this cooler. Lots of fun and Intel is definitely back in the game. I suppose I should update my Cerberus X thread with some Pics as well. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

Glad that my experience was useful too!
It seems DDR4 compatibility issues is real..

Sure, please share some screenshot especially with U12S fit inside Cerberus-X!

 

[Gingeraffe]

Looking to build into a Cerberus-X and your build log has been instrumental in figuring out how to go about that! Coming from a Corsair C70 I wanted to go ITX, but also wanted Alder Lake... but that means either a buggy Gigabyte board or unobtainable DDR5. Thought this case would be a happy medium.

Plan to run 12700k with a NH-C14 (w/ 2 BioniX P140s), DDR4, and a 3060ti (until I get my hands on a 3080). CPU as intake, two 140mm intake on bottom (P14), a 92mm exhaust on rear (F9), and torn between 1 or 2 slim 120mm (P12 slim) on top as exhaust depending on whether I go with a handle. Thoughts on whether the additional top fan would have a notable impact on thermals?

Current parts list (Still sorting through supported RAM):

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/MjsmdD

 

[MarcParis]

Looking to build into a Cerberus-X and your build log has been instrumental in figuring out how to go about that! Coming from a Corsair C70 I wanted to go ITX, but also wanted Alder Lake... but that means either a buggy Gigabyte board or unobtainable DDR5. Thought this case would be a happy medium.

Plan to run 12700k with a NH-C14 (w/ 2 BioniX P140s), DDR4, and a 3060ti (until I get my hands on a 3080). CPU as intake, two 140mm intake on bottom (P14), a 92mm exhaust on rear (F9), and torn between 1 or 2 slim 120mm (P12 slim) on top as exhaust depending on whether I go with a handle. Thoughts on whether the additional top fan would have a notable impact on thermals?

Current parts list (Still sorting through supported RAM):

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/MjsmdD

Cerberus-remains one (if not) of the most polyvalent case.
In 2017, I got my pre version to support Zen release (AM4 mini itx mb were pretty late).

Regarding your setup, my only advice will be to stick to 120mm at bottom. 140mm will be more cumbersome with absolutely no gain versus 120mm.
I tried to put 2 slim fans on top but failed miserably (fan was blocked by ac power extension cord). Handle version was original design and worked like a charm.

At last, if your gpu will have some pass through (like fe card), it is better to keep C14S with one fan only to maximize gpu exhaust.

keep us posted

 

[rfarmer]

Yes 12600k is pretty easy to overclock..
I guess that your 17k reached is using MCE, isn’t it?

This was actually set to Auto, the only thing I had changed in the BIOS was enabled XMP. I recently watched a video on overclocking Alder Lake on Gigabyte boards so have a better idea what is available. When I enabled MCE I got a score of 17294. Cooling seems to be my biggest limitation, I am using a NH-L12 GE and it is fine during normal usage and gaming but gets pushed to it's limits during workloads.

 

[MarcParis]

This was actually set to Auto, the only thing I had changed in the BIOS was enabled XMP. I recently watched a video on overclocking Alder Lake on Gigabyte boards so have a better idea what is available. When I enabled MCE I got a score of 17294. Cooling seems to be my biggest limitation, I am using a NH-L12 GE and it is fine during normal usage and gaming but gets pushed to it's limits during workloads.

For sure cooling will be an issue. While overclocked my i5 12600K is reaching 180w approx...way too much for nh-L12.
So you have chosen Aorus Z690 mini itx board? It was clearly bugged (missing m.2), what about yours?

 

[rfarmer]

For sure cooling will be an issue. While overclocked my i5 12600K is reaching 180w approx...way too much for nh-L12.
So you have chosen Aorus Z690 mini itx board? It was clearly bugged (missing m.2), what about yours?

Mine has been fine so far. Updated BIOS seems to have fixed all the issues.

 

[MarcParis]

Mine has been fine so far. Updated BIOS seems to have fixed all the issues.

Great news! Early feedback were clearly a major concern. Hopefully it was only related to bios.

 

[TheHig]

Marc if you want me to move this LMK.. Not trying to thread jack here! Earlier I mentioned it and finally took some pics.

U12S in Cerberus X using some 6/32 motherboard stand offs to gain clearance for the side panel.

 

[MarcParis]

Marc if you want me to move this LMK.. Not trying to thread jack here! Earlier I mentioned it and finally took some pics.

U12S in Cerberus X using some 6/32 motherboard stand offs to gain clearance for the side panel.

Ahah thanks!!!
Clever mod, similar from my SM550 mod, but using 6-32 motherboard stand-off!
Did you apply it on both panels?
I’m sure you should have great temperatures too!