Devil's Canyon Gaming mATX Build (critique)

[figment_]

First, lets get the standard questions out of the way:

1: Purpose: Moderate gaming (non-FPS, generally), general use, software development with some VM usage. PC will be on nearly 24/7 in living room.
2: Budget: Flexible. Aiming to keep upcoming purchases under $1500 USD
3: Country: US
5: Loyalties: No strong brand affinity. Just preferences based on experience.
6: Reusing: GTX 770 Lightning, Creative X-Fi Titanium, Intel Gigabit NIC
7: Overclocking: Mild Overclocking, with an emphasis on keeping voltage low
8: Monitor Size: Planning for 1080p, single monitor only.
9: When: Looking to purchase on/around Black Friday sales.
X: Software: Will be purchasing Windows 8.1 (unsure of which package)

Next, my design goals:

1: I have two systems at all times. One Windows box, one Linux server. Each build spends 3-4 years as Windows, then graduates to 3-4 years as as server (usually with weaker video and extra hard drives as needed)
2: Both current builds are ATX. I'm looking to downsize but keep most capabilities. It seems mITX is too small, because I'm worried about 16GB limitation over the 6 year lifetime, among other things.
3: The system is intended to run mostly constantly in a living room where my wife and I spend the majority of our time. Quiet operation is important. I'm fine with some hum while gaming, but it should be quiet while idle.

Then some abnormal requirements:

1: No power/reset buttons on the top panel. I have cats. They like to walk/sleep on my PCs. They're warm and hum.
2: No primary cooling intake required from the top panel. See above.
3: Filters (or available filters) on all intakes. Hoping for a positive-pressure airflow.
4: No more than 210mm case width (unless the shape gets really weird).

Alright, so here is the build as it is now: (PCPartPicker link)

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($211.98 @ Micro Center)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC12DX_BL 68.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VII GENE Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($209.79 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($149.00 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($199.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($199.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 770 2GB TWIN FROZR Video Card (Purchased For $280.00)
Case: Corsair 350D MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: XFX XTR 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($76.18 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (32/64-bit) ($121.98 @ Newegg)
​

Additional Questions / Uncertainty:

1 x 1GB 840 EVO or 2 x 512MB Crucial MX100?

I would be carving up the space in to a number of partitions anyway (OS, apps, data, etc). Prices flop back and forth. Is there a good performance or management reason to favor one over the other?

Phanteks PH-TC14CS vs Phanteks PH-TC12DX vs Corsair H75?

Assuming I can fit the H75 in the back... and assuming it works well as an exhaust in a positive pressure case... is it better than the Phanteks air solutions? Better, in this case, is basically "quieter, while keeping the CPU under 72C".

Some other CPU Cooler?

I know the Hyper 212 Evo is popular. I am considering it. I liked the Phanteks for having actually good 140mm fans already supplied. For $65, that seemed nice. I'm sure there are other options that people like.

Good fans for case cooling?

The 350D comes with a Corsair AF140. My initial thought is to order another one and run with 2 x 140mm intakes, 1 x 120mm exhaust, and letting the positive flow push the heat from the 770 out every other vent in the back. I'll be using the ASUS mobo fan controls to dynamically set speeds. I have very little experience with the AF140s, so I don' know how well they'll work this way.

Alternatively, I might put a single fan in the top with a filter and a duct to blow toward the CPU, running without any exhaust fan at all (except the CPU fans, which are only a couple inches from the back).

Host of Power Supplies

There are about a dozen power supplies in the 500W area that look good. I've had good experiences with Seasonic. The EVGA superflower 650W could also work. Perhaps I'll see what goes on sale. Anyone want to suggest specific things to look for that might not be obvious?

EDITS:

2014-11-12-1445: Fixed the motherboard. I still had the old ITX choice. Price is about the same, though. Also updated the PSU to a cheaper, hybrid version.
2014-11-12-1517: Changed the single Samsung 840 EVO to a pair of Crucial MX100s.
2014-11-13-1305: Changed the cooler to a Phanteks PH-TC12DX. Cheaper. Smaller. Just as good for my use.

 

[Cerb]

Wait, 2 posts and didn't even need to be told about the sticky?

WWYBYWB? :awe:

As it concerns case width, how hard is that 210mm width limit? I can think of a few uATX cases I like that are right around that, including the one I used for my PC, that is exactly 210mm .

The Corsair 350D you probably don't want. They do not, to my knowledge, make a top panel for it, like their bigger more expensive cases. That's one of the few things I really dislike about it, for a quiet and cat-resistant case (multiple cats, here, so I know how that goes).

--

Motherboard: way too expensive, and MiniITX
Cooler: on the expensive side, and appears to need to be kind of loud to perform well. There are other good air coolers around $50.

Case fans: not the Corsairs. Even when quiet, they have a poor character to the noise, that pierces through other background noise.

PSU: the EVGA 750W G2 should be good, and consider the Corsair RM550 or RM650, along with your chosen Seasonic.

SSD : I like Crucial in case anything goes wrong, and it might need replacement, given it's a several hundred dollar item. Samsung CS and RMA service has been lacking since the very first time I used it. Both should be quite fine, in terms of actual hardware and firmware quality, however.

May add more, later...

 

[Termie]

There are very few cases without top-mounted vents anymore. One that I've built in is the Silverstone PS08. It and its cousin the PS09 are budget cases, and they don't allow big air coolers, but they are incredibly small. Unfortunately, I don't believe the Twin Frozr cooler will fit in them - too tall (the length is OK), and you already have the GTX 770 in hand. Another budget ultra-compact option is the Rosewill Line-M. It doesn't have a top vent, and I think it's wide enough to handle your GTX 770.

If you want a better case, you're going to be out of luck. If the top vent is a serious problem, tape some cardboard or plastic on the inside of the case vent to keep cat hair out, because high-end cases will have a vent - it's a feature most people want, and you seem to want high-end features like filters, etc.

A few other observations:
(1) That platinum PSU is very expensive. Gold is going to be much cheaper. The Superflower EVGA starts at 750W, not 650W, and it's big. May not be a good fit for a small case. Consider XFX XTR line, which comes in 550W and 650W, and is based on Seasonic's mid-range SSR platform. Fully-modular, hybrid fan for silence at idle.

(2) Ultra-high-end mITX boards in (relatively) big cases don't make sense. Furthermore, that is a gamer-focused board that doesn't offer much to a moderate overclocker. The Asus Gryphon is a good mATX motherboard with a 5-year warranty. Would work well for your long-term plans.

(3) Do not go with liquid cooling if silence is your main concern. They are never as quiet as a good air cooler, just more capable of dealing with ultra-high voltage overclocks. Consider a Noctua 120mm or 140mm cooler if silence is your concern and you're willing to spend some money on it.

(4) On the SSDs, if you're already going to be breaking these up into partitions, get the MX100s. I wouldn't trust the EVOs for long-term server use due to TLC NAND anyway.

 

[figment_]

Wait, 2 posts and didn't even need to be told about the sticky?

I've been around a while. Just haven't posted.

As it concerns case width, how hard is that 210mm width limit?

Sadly, it's pretty hard. The space available was physically measured to be 206mm, but I'm going to break out some tools to try to push that to 210mm, hopefully with just a little extra. I may be able to do some more magic to push it further, but I'm uncertain. Do you have something really cool in mind?

The Corsair 350D you probably don't want. They do not, to my knowledge, make a top panel for it.

The plan would be to block it from the inside with foam board or some dense fiber board.

Motherboard: way too expensive, and MiniITX

Fixed. It's still about the same price, but mATX. The reason for the price is that I'm looking for a board with:

• Intel Z97 chipset, for Devil's Canyon overclocking support
• 1 PCIe 3.0 16x slot, plus at least 2 PCIe 2.0 1x slots.
• UEFI fan controls capable of controlling 3 sets of fans via PWF and/or voltage.

Cooler: on the expensive side, and appears to need to be kind of loud to perform well. There are other good air coolers around $50.

Huh. And I kept seeing it near the top of the air cooler performers. Suggest an alternative?

PSU: the EVGA 750W G2 should be good, and consider the Corsair RM550 or RM650, along with your chosen Seasonic.

I've updated the parts to use an XFX XTR. It's a Seasonic build with a hybrid fan. Looks to match the SuperFlower 750W in low-end efficiency and the price of the RM550s.

SSD : I like Crucial in case anything goes wrong...Both should be quite fine, in terms of actual hardware and firmware quality, however.

I have a Crucial in my current Windows box right now. I was leaning toward them, but then the 840 EVO 1TB got a drastic price drop.

 

[figment_]

There are very few cases without top-mounted vents anymore.

I know it.

If you want a better case, you're going to be out of luck. If the top vent is a serious problem, tape some cardboard or plastic on the inside of the case vent to keep cat hair out, because high-end cases will have a vent...

That would be the plan. I'm okay with the vents being there. It's all but impossible to find a case that fits my needs without them. I just don't want to be required to use them.... because then I can choose to block them with foam/fiber board.

(1) That platinum PSU is very expensive. Gold is going to be much cheaper. The Superflower EVGA starts at 750W, not 650W, and it's big. May not be a good fit for a small case. Consider XFX XTR line

Agreed. I've switched the PSU over to an XFX XTR.

Ultra-high-end mITX boards in (relatively) big cases don't make sense.

It was a mistake from a previous PCPP list. It's just the mATX Maximus VII, but at least its the right form factor.

Furthermore, that is a gamer-focused board that doesn't offer much to a moderate overclocker. The Asus Gryphon is a good mATX motherboard with a 5-year warranty.

I keep looking at the Gryphon and then changing it back to the M7G, and I don't take notes on why I change it. I'm looking into it again to see if there's any reason why I shouldn't go with the Gryphon.

On the SSDs, if you're already going to be breaking these up into partitions, get the MX100s. I wouldn't trust the EVOs for long-term server use due to TLC NAND anyway.

...and that's exactly the sort of information I was looking for.

Thank you.

 

[Cerb]

There are very few cases without top-mounted vents anymore. One that I've built in is the Silverstone PS08. It and its cousin the PS09 are budget cases, and they don't allow big air coolers, but they are incredibly small.

The PS07 would be a much better option, and will fit most big coolers. The TJ08-e is easier to keep quiet under load, with the 180mm fan, but hard to make more than whisper quiet at idle, while the PS07 is the reverse, dead simple to quiet at idle. It's 210mm wide.

They do have a top vent, but with an external fine mesh filter, that is more than a match for cat fur, and the PSU can be mounted in a normal bottom-intake orientation. The HDD cage doubles as a video card support, and it has a built in support, at the bottom, for heavy tower coolers.

The biggest downside, IMO, depending on who's doing the building, is that it can be time-consuming, due to how the case is made to fit so much crap well.

I think the PS07 and Define Mini should be in the short list. The Define Mini's top vent is raised, relative to the rest of the top, but can be blocked off from inside (IIRC, that's how it comes out of the box). The Define Mini also has sound absorbing material built in, and more steel.

The Define has top buttons and ports, though .

There's also the Nanoxia Deep Silence 4, but I haven't used it, as wide availability in the US of their cases is a fairly recent thing.

 

[Cerb]

• Intel Z97 chipset, for Devil's Canyon overclocking support
• 1 PCIe 3.0 16x slot, plus at least 2 PCIe 2.0 1x slots.
• UEFI fan controls capable of controlling 3 sets of fans via PWF and/or voltage.

3 sets of fan headers controllable by the same means is what really limits the board selection, and is costly. The $165 Gryphon has it, though. I gave in and used a splitter, myself, but I was looking at ~$150 v. $60, not $130 v. $165 .

 

[Termie]

The PS07 would be a much better option, and will fit most big coolers. The TJ08-e is easier to keep quiet under load, with the 180mm fan, but hard to make more than whisper quiet at idle, while the PS07 is the reverse, dead simple to quiet at idle. It's 210mm wide.

They do have a top vent, but with an external fine mesh filter, that is more than a match for cat fur, and the PSU can be mounted in a normal bottom-intake orientation. The HDD cage doubles as a video card support, and it has a built in support, at the bottom, for heavy tower coolers.
...

The TJ08/PS07 have internal PSU shrouds that make it impossible to mount intake-down, so he'd have to keep the top vent open. The filter is good, but because it leads directly to the PSU, which cannot easily be cleaned out, I'd be hesitant to have a cat sitting on it regularly.

The Gryphon is a winner for the OP - excellent UEFI fan control, fair price for a long-term build. Doesn't include any Windows-based OC tools, but seems the OP is ok with working with the UEFI.

 

[Cerb]

Well, the Deep Silence 4 is 200mm, so it might be a good option, just with the top blocked off. Comes in white, too, if that matters.

 

[Cerb]

The TJ08/PS07 have internal PSU shrouds that make it impossible to mount intake-down

No, it doesn't. You can mount the PSU either way just fine. It has maybe 1/4 on each side that is blocked, so the PSU stays in place before being screwed in, and is otherwise fully open.

P.S. All hail Google Images (or be frightened of it):
http://archive.benchmarkreviews.com...sk=view&id=857&Itemid=61&limit=1&limitstart=2

 

[figment_]

If the AF140's are not worth keeping, then the next candidates for the front intake would be Antec TrueQuiet 140's, Phanteks 140mm PWM, or a 140mm Noctua (which would be the most expensive).

 

[Termie]

Well, the Deep Silence 4 is 200mm, so it might be a good option, just with the top blocked off. Comes in white, too, if that matters.

The DS4 is available at Amazon. It's not a bad choice, but it's a huge case. 19" deep is not my idea of a compact design. But it is narrow enough for the OP.

The Define Mini is actually too wide for the OP's space.

Given what the OP is looking for, the 350D is the best option...but isn't it too wide, also? OP, 206mm is very, very narrow. You're really looking at a handful of cases here.

Just throwing this out there - the Zalman ZM-T1: http://www.amazon.com/Zalman-ATX-Min...ords=zalman+zm

It's ultra-narrow, has a top vent that you can block off, fits video cards up to 10.5", and is generally of good quality. Also incredibly inexpensive.

Rumors have it that Zalman's going bankrupt, though, so you might want to hurry and grab one!

 

[Cerb]

If the TrueQuiet are the newer yellow-cornered ones, they are very good fans. Prices/availability don't seem to be stable, though. When I last went to buy some case fans, they were all either not in stock, or $20+, so I bought Noctuas .

 

[figment_]

The Gryphon is a winner for the OP - excellent UEFI fan control, fair price for a long-term build. Doesn't include any Windows-based OC tools, but seems the OP is ok with working with the UEFI.

Yup. Half of the build's life will be spent as a Linux server. That's why I'm willing to pay extra for UEFI fan control rather than relying on software solutions. While I have the ability to write my own fan controller software for Linux, I'd rather not.

 

[Cerb]

The Define Mini is actually too wide for the OP's space.

So is the PS07, and almost every other nice MicroATX case I can think of, since most are compact in terms of height, or not very good in terms of noise. The 350D and DS4 (available at Newegg, too) look like pretty much it, with the 350D needing the top blocked off as part of building. The thin Zalmans are neat cases, but resonate very easily, and don't block noise sources, like the video card fans, well at all.

 

[figment_]

Well, the Deep Silence 4 is 200mm, so it might be a good option, just with the top blocked off. Comes in white, too, if that matters.

I really like the DS4.

I am really sad that the power power button is right in the middle of the top edge, begging for kitty paws to power down my PC.

And yes, it happens. I have a Lian Li PC-9F right now with an old credit-card taped over the power button (on one side, turning it into a button guard) after having my PC turned off for the second time in one night while I was troubleshooting server issues for work.

I am still considering the outside chance of looking at cases with top-panel controls and simply refusing to connect the power button.

 

[Termie]

So is the PS07, and almost every other nice MicroATX case I can think of, since most are compact in terms of height, or not very good in terms of noise.

You are correct. The OP has some very serious constraints on the build.

Don't know if you guys saw my prior post - the Zalman ZM-T1 is a very interesting option, being the narrowest mATX case I've ever seen at 6.6". Might work for the OP. Available at Amazon, as well as Newegg.

Even avoids top-mounted buttons. Check it out, OP.

I built one up, can answer specific questions if necessary.

 

[figment_]

The Define Mini is actually too wide for the OP's space.

It's just as wide as the 350D, and it was one of the alternatives. However, while I love how quiet my P182 is, it wasn't the best performer for cooling, and I think the case-venting GTX 770 is only going to make that worse.

It's a good choice, but in my opinion (which could be ultimately wrong), I think cooling it is going to be a lot harder than the 350D.

Given what the OP is looking for, the 350D is the best option...but isn't it too wide, also? OP, 206mm is very, very narrow. You're really looking at a handful of cases here.

Six years ago when I bought my desk, 210 was the high end of standard. Now its a "narrow" case. And to be clear, I'm not trying to fit the case into the desk. Rather, I'm trying to fit the case between a desk and a cabinet, which sits next to a wall. The space fits my 206mm P182 (yes, I measured multiple times). I am planning to squeeze/modify the desk legs to fit the 210mm PC-9F into that space. However, I still need/want the ability to fit this new case into the same space in a couple years.

I'll make 210mm cases fit. I'm not sure just how far I'll have to go, but I'll do it.

 

[figment_]

Don't know if you guys saw my prior post - the Zalman ZM-T1 is a very interesting option, being the narrowest mATX case I've ever seen at 6.6".

Oh, I saw it.

It is an interesting option. It would drastically change the build design, and I think the biggest issues would be dealing with the side vents. Normally, those are bad for noise, but with the narrow case, you'd need a top-down CPU cooler and those would be the primary intakes.

Normal modding options apply here: filters, ducting, etc. It could certainly work. I'll do some more looking to see what the full picture would look like.

 

[Cerb]

It's a good choice, but in my opinion (which could be ultimately wrong), I think cooling it is going to be a lot harder than the 350D.

Yes. The P180, as a series, was excellent, but not perfect, and required some tinkering with, as video cards got to be such power hogs, we gave up many HDDs per PC for NASes. Most newer cases will be easier to work in and cool, though the P18x would still be fine if it weren't for the video card.

Six years ago when I bought my desk, 210 was the high end of standard. Now its a "narrow" case. And to be clear, I'm not trying to fit the case into the desk.

I figured as much. What's happened is that, for cooling and looks, the cases are being made wider, to accommodate big tower coolers on the component side, and have room for the all the cabling to fit behind the motherboard tray. Compact cases have generally widened, as a result, and/or gone to unusual desktop-like form factors (see, the SG05, Prodigy, Air 240, et al).

Iff, big if, you can make 211m work, the Define Mini would be my suggestion. It might be a little more work to cool than some others, depending on the details (770 Lightning is not a power sipping card), but it will also reduce a lot of the higher-pitched harshness from the video card's fans, when they have to ramp up, which I think will make up for that, if it does take a little work to do.

 

[Cerb]

Huh. And I kept seeing it near the top of the air cooler performers.

It is, but you're not making a build for that. If keeping the voltage reasonable, and wanting quiet, more space and mass will help more than more surface area and CFM. Overclocked Haswells tend to use less power than some stock Prescotts did, back in the day...

Suggest an alternative?

Depending on case height clearances...
Thermalight HR-02 Rev. A Macho (huge)
Thermalright HR-02 Rev. A Macho 120
Noctua NH-D14 (huge)
Noctua NH-D15 (super huge, may block a PCIe slot)
Noctua NH-U14S (much smaller, but may need to get noisier under load, and kind of expensive for that)
There are more, too, but the Machos and D14 are easier to install and work around than most others of similar size and performance, much less cost, IME.

 

[Charlie98]

The Define Mini has that darned power button right on top... but the Core 1000 doesn't. Core 1000 has a solid top, is 175mm wide, and all the buttons and ports are on the side. It's biggest shortcoming is the HDD capacity... it only holds 2 on a wonky side-mounted plate.

I built a budget PC in it last year, it isn't a showpiece by any means (no wire management to speak of...) but it works well and is fairly sturdy. You can add another fan to the front, cover the open side and bottom port, and realize decent positive pressure. It does not have removable filters, but has mesh you can vacuum out every once in a while.

Here it is in all it's wire-snarled glory...

 

[Termie]

The Define Mini has that darned power button right on top... but the Core 1000 doesn't. Core 1000 has a solid top, is 175mm wide, and all the buttons and ports are on the side. It's biggest shortcoming is the HDD capacity... it only holds 2 on a wonky side-mounted plate.

I built a budget PC in it last year, it isn't a showpiece by any means (no wire management to speak of...) but it works well and is fairly sturdy. You can add another fan to the front, cover the open side and bottom port, and realize decent positive pressure. It does not have removable filters, but has mesh you can vacuum out every once in a while.

Here it is in all it's wire-snarled glory...

Great call here. I had check on the newer Core 1300 and 1500, but of course the innovation both bring to the table is a top vent...the exact thing the OP doesn't want. I didn't think to check the Core 1000, despite that fact that I owned one once...

The thing about the Core 1000 is that the build quality isn't particularly high, but it's in line with the price. Comparable to the Zalman ZM-T1, probably lower than Silverstone PS08 or Rosewill Line-M.

But it's definitely an option the OP should consider. Also look at the Core 1100, which seems to be the direct replacement for the Core 1000. It trades a fully-meshed front panel for a solid front panel, similar to the PS08/PS09 twins.

As a side note, these cases are going to be pretty limiting as to tower coolers - not sure even a 212 Evo would fit in them.

 

[Cerb]

The Define Mini has that darned power button right on top...

Aargh, yes, that again. I wasn't thinking clearly. It's just such a nice case to try to tame the 770 with, that's not too big...

 

[Charlie98]

Aargh, yes, that again. I wasn't thinking clearly. It's just such a nice case to try to tame the 770 with, that's not too big...

Yes, it is. I love the Define Mini... I actually stumbled upon it because of a size requirement I had, much like the OP.

As a side note, these cases are going to be pretty limiting as to tower coolers - not sure even a 212 Evo would fit in them.

No, I don't think a 212 +/Evo would fit. I've considered dropping my old 212+ in there just for fun, but it barely fits my Define Mini, so I know it wouldn't fit the 1000. Maybe something like a Gemini...

The thing about the Core 1000 is that the build quality isn't particularly high, but it's in line with the price.

No, it's not the Define, that's for sure... but it's serviceable, and it meets the OP's size requirements.