Stalled Winter One -- 15.6L SFF case, 3090 Support, 3-slot GPUs, dual 280mm radiators, CFD Optimized Design

ChorizoNinja

Average Stuffer
Jan 12, 2020
82
101
Gallery

Here is my build, quite impressed with the results regarding noise vs temperature, I will probably post something more tomorrow.

Just as help for other people, have in hand at least one or two Koolance 90 degree low profile fittings if you decide to go with the pump bracket, will make your life much easier.

The pump + reservoir is the 1 U from alphacool, which fits under the GPU allowing for future upgrades that could be longer in size, and makes bleeding the system much easier.

And in case someone wants to have pci 4.0, I installed a Linkup 18 cm dual reverse V7 and works without any issue, just make the bend around the spine as tight as possible. I must say that probably the solution for the batch 2 is much better, but this will prevent me from having a lot of headaches with bios updates / changes.

It is much quieter than the Ghost S1 watercooled, and the pitch of the fans, being 14 cm, is a little bit better than the Noctua a12x25. Regarding temps, with a custom load with CTR using 8 threads (1CCD) which creates the most heat as it creates the load with more heat density using avx2, I saw the temps rising to 73 degrees, 1.325 V bios, 1.3V after llc which is super good at 4.75 / 4.8 Ghz

For the 3090, with an undervolt to 1920 Mhz at 0.875v, the card doesn't go above 55 degrees in cyberpunk 2077, and memory stays at 70 degrees, which is amazing for not having active cooling on the backplate, the negative pressure takes care of that rather well, like the back m2 temperature (never saw it that low, in the 35 range on idle).

While mining ETH, to check VRAM temps, the modules stayed under 81 degreen with 21500mhz effective speed, which yes, is hot, but I saw 3090 under water going to 100 doing the same thing. Surprisingly that is only 10 degrees hotter than with the active backplate from ek, so that speaks a lot for the case.
 
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WinterCharm

Master of Cramming
Original poster
Jan 19, 2019
428
1,941
Is there any way to get the black top panel with silver case like one of the pictures on the website?
Not at this time.

More color options and color customization have been the biggest ask from people. And we hear that feedback, but don't have a way to offer it unless we have higher order volume. That's just how it will have to be for now... when order volumes go up we can work on adding more options :)
 
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WinterCharm

Master of Cramming
Original poster
Jan 19, 2019
428
1,941
Gallery

Here is my build, quite impressed with the results regarding noise vs temperature, I will probably post something more tomorrow.

Just as help for other people, have in hand at least one or two Koolance 90 degree low profile fittings if you decide to go with the pump bracket, will make your life much easier.

The pump + reservoir is the 1 U from alphacool, which fits under the GPU allowing for future upgrades that could be longer in size, and makes bleeding the system much easier.

And in case someone wants to have pci 4.0, I installed a Linkup 18 cm dual reverse V7 and works without any issue, just make the bend around the spine as tight as possible. I must say that probably the solution for the batch 2 is much better, but this will prevent me from having a lot of headaches with bios updates / changes.

It is much quieter than the Ghost S1 watercooled, and the pitch of the fans, being 14 cm, is a little bit better than the Noctua a12x25. Regarding temps, with a custom load with CTR using 8 threads (1CCD) which creates the most heat as it creates the load with more heat density using avx2, I saw the temps rising to 73 degrees, 1.325 V bios, 1.3V after llc which is super good at 4.75 / 4.8 Ghz

For the 3090, with an undervolt to 1920 Mhz at 0.875v, the card doesn't go above 55 degrees in cyberpunk 2077, and memory stays at 70 degrees, which is amazing for not having active cooling on the backplate, the negative pressure takes care of that rather well, like the back m2 temperature (never saw it that low, in the 35 range on idle).

While mining ETH, to check VRAM temps, the modules stayed under 81 degreen with 21500mhz effective speed, which yes, is hot, but I saw 3090 under water going to 100 doing the same thing. Surprisingly that is only 10 degrees hotter than with the active backplate from ek, so that speaks a lot for the case.

Excellent writeup, and great points of reference / comparison. It's nice to see all the effort spent on improving airflow and reducing noise experienced by a user on the other end.
 

frio

Cable Smoosher
Apr 26, 2021
9
25
Anyone got a recommendation for slim 140mm fans? Just discovered the waterblock for my GPU is ~2mm too tall (maybe 3mm), and given this is my first WC build + it's out of stock + global shipping is stuffed, I'm not too keen to attempt sanding it at this point.
 

DoctorGrims

Chassis Packer
Oct 17, 2020
17
38
@WinterCharm I think you mentioned in your update that the Batch 2 sales have been extended to June 14th, but I don't think that has been updated on the website itself. Not sure if you meant to do that later after Optimum Tech's review.
 
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August

SFF Lingo Aficionado
SFFn Staff
Silver Supporter
Jun 19, 2019
124
207
gusmiller.com
Okay! After a period of consternation, I've got my Winter One custom loop all buttoned up.

This is now my fourth SFF project, and third with this hardware—which is admittedly a bit dated at this point. I backed the Kickstarter while living with the NR200, and had previously (well, originally) used the Streacom DA2.

Having built up a working understanding of water cooling, this felt like a step in the right direction—away from chronic fussing and premature optimization, and toward a future-proof enclosure and cooling solution.

Winter One is a highly opinionated case—Fouzan and Raayan posit that some ways of building and cooling a computer are better than others. And this is their proof.

If they were going to these lengths to give us something special, I figured it was time I tried a few new things, too… so I finally got around to rewiring my Apogee Drive II; making a set of custom Corsair Type 4 cables; and finding ways of reducing cable clutter wherever possible.

Here's where I landed:


Thanks for the opportunity to build with you!

Edit: Parts list! (It's old.)
  • Intel 7700K
  • GTX 1070FE with stripped-down XSPC Razor block
  • 16GB Corsair Vengeance DDR4
  • M.2 SATA SSD (Yikes)
  • Corsair SF450 with custom-made silver-plated cables
  • Aquacomputer Quadro
  • 4 × Noctua iPPC-2000 PWM fans, rewired in pairs
  • Swiftech Apogee Drive II
  • Corsair XR5 280mm radiator × 2
  • 3/8-5/8" EK ZMT, and some Alphacool "EPDM"
  • Swiftech 3/8" barb fittings and hose clamps (not messing around here)
  • Swiftech Lok-Seal quick-disconnect for filling + draining
Doing some benchmarking, now. ✌
 
Last edited:

WinterCharm

Master of Cramming
Original poster
Jan 19, 2019
428
1,941
Anyone got a recommendation for slim 140mm fans? Just discovered the waterblock for my GPU is ~2mm too tall (maybe 3mm), and given this is my first WC build + it's out of stock + global shipping is stuffed, I'm not too keen to attempt sanding it at this point.
Noctua is working on one, but if you need something in the immediate future, check out Thermalright's TY14013R http://thermalright.com/product/ty-14013r/ -- it's one option that I know of that's rated pretty well, and generates a decent bit of static pressure.

There's also the Prolimatech Ultra Vortex 14 - http://www.prolimatech.com/en/products/detail.asp?id=1906&subid=1909 which I have heard good things about.

Noctua is working on a next generation 140mm slim fan, that's supposed to release this year, but the dates are unclear.
 

August

SFF Lingo Aficionado
SFFn Staff
Silver Supporter
Jun 19, 2019
124
207
gusmiller.com
Excellent, thanks so much :).
There's a bit better selection of 120mm slim fans, so you could get a couple of these and cut the mounting standoffs down to that thickness… or maybe even let them be, as the likelihood of collision is a lot less than a complete fan + frame!
 

rfarmer

Spatial Philosopher
Jul 7, 2017
2,668
2,792
Noctua is working on one, but if you need something in the immediate future, check out Thermalright's TY14013R http://thermalright.com/product/ty-14013r/ -- it's one option that I know of that's rated pretty well, and generates a decent bit of static pressure.

There's also the Prolimatech Ultra Vortex 14 - http://www.prolimatech.com/en/products/detail.asp?id=1906&subid=1909 which I have heard good things about.

Noctua is working on a next generation 140mm slim fan, that's supposed to release this year, but the dates are unclear.
The Prolimatech is a decent fan but one thing to note is it uses 120mm mounting.
 

WinterCharm

Master of Cramming
Original poster
Jan 19, 2019
428
1,941
Okay! After a period of consternation, I've got my Winter One custom loop all buttoned up.

This is now my fourth SFF project, and third with this hardware—which is admittedly a bit dated at this point. I backed the Kickstarter while living with the NR200, and had previously (well, originally) used the Streacom DA2.

Having built up a working understanding of water cooling, this felt like a step in the right direction—away from chronic fussing and premature optimization, and toward a future-proof enclosure and cooling solution.

Winter One is a highly opinionated case—Fouzan and Raayan posit that some ways of building and cooling a computer are better than others. And this is their proof.

If they were going to these lengths to give us something special, I figured it was time I tried a few new things, too… so I finally got around to rewiring my Apogee Drive II; making a set of custom Corsair Type 4 cables; and finding ways of reducing cable clutter wherever possible.

Here's where I landed:


Thanks for the opportunity to build with you!

Beautiful album, and awesome shots. When you get a chance, I'd love to see you post thermals here <3

@WinterCharm I think you mentioned in your update that the Batch 2 sales have been extended to June 14th, but I don't think that has been updated on the website itself. Not sure if you meant to do that later after Optimum Tech's review.
Thanks for catching that. It's been updated.

Building in the case was really simple, however cable management was tougher than in other cases due to the lack of places to tuck cables behind. But with a bunch of strips it worked out nice in the end.
The slots in the spine are designed to loop velcro strips and zip ties into, in order to help manage cables. The reason we didn't do large grills and plates over the fans is to avoid blocking airflow.
 

ChorizoNinja

Average Stuffer
Jan 12, 2020
82
101
Noctua is working on one, but if you need something in the immediate future, check out Thermalright's TY14013R http://thermalright.com/product/ty-14013r/ -- it's one option that I know of that's rated pretty well, and generates a decent bit of static pressure.

There's also the Prolimatech Ultra Vortex 14 - http://www.prolimatech.com/en/products/detail.asp?id=1906&subid=1909 which I have heard good things about.

Noctua is working on a next generation 140mm slim fan, that's supposed to release this year, but the dates are unclear.
I had the thermalright and the artic p14, and the sound of the artic is much pleasant, plus, you buy all 4 of them for the price of one thermalright (and they have integrated splitters ;) ). They are fluid bearing fans but, as this will be horizontal all their lifespan, it is not a problem.
 

robojim

Airflow Optimizer
Jun 18, 2020
254
222
Okay! After a period of consternation, I've got my Winter One custom loop all buttoned up.

This is now my fourth SFF project, and third with this hardware—which is admittedly a bit dated at this point. I backed the Kickstarter while living with the NR200, and had previously (well, originally) used the Streacom DA2.

Having built up a working understanding of water cooling, this felt like a step in the right direction—away from chronic fussing and premature optimization, and toward a future-proof enclosure and cooling solution.

Winter One is a highly opinionated case—Fouzan and Raayan posit that some ways of building and cooling a computer are better than others. And this is their proof.

If they were going to these lengths to give us something special, I figured it was time I tried a few new things, too… so I finally got around to rewiring my Apogee Drive II; making a set of custom Corsair Type 4 cables; and finding ways of reducing cable clutter wherever possible.

Here's where I landed:


Thanks for the opportunity to build with you!
Gorgeous build. Your experience in building water cooling loops shines through. Not to mention making your own cables makes things far cleaner.
 
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DrHudacris

King of Cable Management
Jul 20, 2019
918
1,720
I had the thermalright and the artic p14, and the sound of the artic is much pleasant, plus, you buy all 4 of them for the price of one thermalright (and they have integrated splitters ;) ). They are fluid bearing fans but, as this will be horizontal all their lifespan, it is not a problem.
I think the quoted statement is referring to slim 140mm fans. Does Arctic make a slim P14? I know they have the slim 120.
 

Varsidhe

What's an ITX?
New User
May 27, 2021
1
1
@WinterCharm I understand that the Semi-Passive Kit is far off from finishing development, and everything is subject to change. You've also mentioned you intend the design to work with both perforated and solid side panels, and that different designs you have tested work better with different panels (so who knows which will perform better).

If you feel confident in giving an answer at this stage, I had an acoustics question. Do you anticipate that the solid side panels will have quiter operation than perforated panels with the SPK? From someone who is un-educated on this subject, I would assume that most of the noise dampening from the solid panels comes from blocking off the CPU/GPU fans, which would not be present with a SPK. However, I can (again, being uneducated) see how perhaps turbulence in the case, or even through the perforations, might be dampened from solid panels.
Also, please forgive my curiosity, but have there been any developments on the SPK, and do you expect perforated panels to offer better performance as they do now? This question is especially not one I expect an answer to ^_^

Thank you for your extensive research! I look forward to supporting this project.
 
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WinterCharm

Master of Cramming
Original poster
Jan 19, 2019
428
1,941
@WinterCharm , any update on the missing case parts?
We did a full inventory, found which part quantities were missing, and used that to identify the missing shipment. Our MP’s have filed claims with the shipping carrier.

At the same time, we're not going to wait for the claims process (it can take a while) and have decided on re-running the missing parts alongside the last batch of QC rejects. I'll update with timelines as soon as I hear back from our manufacturing partners.


@WinterCharm I understand that the Semi-Passive Kit is far off from finishing development, and everything is subject to change. You've also mentioned you intend the design to work with both perforated and solid side panels, and that different designs you have tested work better with different panels (so who knows which will perform better).

If you feel confident in giving an answer at this stage, I had an acoustics question. Do you anticipate that the solid side panels will have quiter operation than perforated panels with the SPK? From someone who is un-educated on this subject, I would assume that most of the noise dampening from the solid panels comes from blocking off the CPU/GPU fans, which would not be present with a SPK. However, I can (again, being uneducated) see how perhaps turbulence in the case, or even through the perforations, might be dampened from solid panels.
Also, please forgive my curiosity, but have there been any developments on the SPK, and do you expect perforated panels to offer better performance as they do now? This question is especially not one I expect an answer to ^_^

Thank you for your extensive research! I look forward to supporting this project.

Yes at the end of the day, solid panels are going to be a few dBa quieter than Perf panels in almost any situation, including the use of something like an SPK. Part of this is that the tunnel configuration achieves higher airflow speeds for a given fan RPM than the side Inlet / all exhaust configuration.

For passive sinks like the SPK this makes a big difference