My first SFF build! I’ve had this half-decent PC for a few years but never really put it to good use owing to its enormous footprint meaning it was never practical to put on my desk. I wanted to get into PC gaming and wanted something smaller, so I’ve re-homed some of its guts into a new box!
Specs:
- Gigabyte H170N, i7-6700
- Thermalright AXP-90
- 32GB Hyperex Fury (2x 16)
- Saphire Pulse RX6400
- Seasonic SSP-300SUB
- Goodisory A09
By re-using my existing memory, motherboard and CPU, I’m only about $500AUD into this, mostly sunk into the GPU and PSU. The case was very cheap but I’m impressed with the quality for the price. The same can be said about the low profile CPU cooler.
Assembly was a bit tricky - I had to remove the front I/O, then the Motherboard went in with its memory, front panel audio and power wires already connected, as well as its end of the PSU cables and its rear I/O shield. Once in place the front I/O, PSU and GPU were worked in around it.
It was clear the power supply cables would never fit, but I managed to de-pin all the SATA and MOLEX leads from the loom with some staples, leaving only the 20+4 pin motherboard and 4+4 pin CPU plugs. This means the remaining wires, while still a bit longer than they needed to be, could be bundled up in a corner.
I’d read reviews of the SSP-300SUB before purchasing it and many had complained it was too loud, but I didn’t think it would bother me. How wrong I was! After a bit more cable gymnastics I was able to squeeze a 60mm Noctua fan in the front corner to blow cool air over the PSU and keep its fan from having to spin up except under very high load. Before this, something as simple as refreshing a website would cause the PSU fan to spin up to 100% for half a second or so, which was quite annoying.
This setup is capable of 1080p gaming on high settings with framerates between 60-300fps depending on the game, and that’s more than good enough for me. I know if I had a PCIE 4.0 motherboard and riser cable I’d be better off, but if it ever becomes a problem at least I know what I have to upgrade next.
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That’s a cute little case! I hope the setup continues to work well for you into the future! 😊
Thanks! I’m coming from a third gen i5 laptop which was my previous daily driver, so this thing is worlds apart and I’m sure it will last me a few years yet!
That’s beautiful
How is the CPU temperature? I noticed the CPU fan intake is roughly 30% blocked by the GPU, which is bound to create heat on its own.
Edit: oof, this is for gaming? I strongly suspect you will have thermal issues.
So far I haven’t had an issue, but I’m not a super hardcore gamer. With the case shut, CPU temps don’t go above 60°C and the GPU tends to stabilise in the high 70s. All things considered I think that’s not bad.
