Fanless VESA Mount Mini-ITX Build

[crashtech]

I've been wanting to build a mini-ITX system for a long time now, but now that I am getting more serious about actually buying the stuff, it looks like the kind of case that I want is still not widely available. The Akasa Euler seems to be one of the only cases of its kind, and it looks like Frozen CPU is the only outfit that has it at this time. Before I rashly pull the trigger on it, is there any other DIY case out there that offers totally fanless operation in a VESA mountable package?
Tentative parts list:

Akasa Euler case

Gigabyte GA-H77TN mobo

3570K (underclocked)

Mushkin Atlas 240GB mSATA SSD

Kingston 2x4GB SODIMM PC3-12800


This is the dream build for my wife's desktop. No moving parts, no maintenance, and absolutely silent. The more I think about it the more I want to get it done, preferably before the end of the year.

Also, there is one 1150 board rated for use with that Akasa case, but it is really expensive. I would actually like to build a Haswell system but it really seems to blow the budget for very little real-world gain.

I figure the 3570K might be good for something in the future, more so than a low power CPU. Testing will indicate what can be gotten away with in whatever chassis gets selected.

 

[cbn]

If you like thin mini-itx there is always the Akasa Galileo:

http://www.akasa.com.tw/update.php?...e=Chassis&type_sub=Mini ITX&model=AK-ITX09-BK

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/akgaulfathmi.html?gclid=CKiLq-agrLsCFRSVfgodMjMAuw

 

[TheStu]

Why a 3570K?

I actually have that mobo... it's... interesting. I have had trouble getting consistent boots with the mSATA SSD.

 

[crashtech]

Why a 3570K?

I actually have that mobo... it's... interesting. I have had trouble getting consistent boots with the mSATA SSD.

I specified the 3570K because it should be both over and under-clockable with the suitable motherboard. But I mistakenly thought the H77 chipset conferred this ability. I either need to find a suitable Thin-ITX mobo that will allow multiplier adjustment (preferred) OR, buy a dedicated low power CPU like a 3470T...

 

[TheStu]

I specified the 3570K because it should be both over and under-clockable with the suitable motherboard. But I mistakenly thought the H77 chipset conferred this ability. I either need to find a suitable Thin-ITX mobo that will allow multiplier adjustment (preferred) OR, buy a dedicated low power CPU like a 3470T...

There are only about 3 thin-mini-itx boards on the market to begin with, and none of them have any sort of any-clocking ability. I think my h77tn is using a freaking AMI BIOS, but i'm not sure about the newer Haswell ones (yet, i should be ordering one soon)

 

[crashtech]

There are a couple Q77 thin-ITX units out there. I've seen information suggesting that Q77allows for multiplier adjustment on K series CPUs. I suppose I might have to ask if that is true in the motherboard forum. I really don't want to use a cut-down overpriced CPU. I'd much rather set the MHz myself and see how hot it gets. My guess is a quad core running between 2.8-3GHz will stay within the thermal envelope of the chassis 99.9% of the time in normal use, depending on ambient temps.

 

[DaveSimmons]

This was sandy bridge, but when SilentPCReview tested i3 regular vs. i3-T they both idled at roughly the same power draw. It was only peak use where there was a real difference. So getting a low-clocked regular i3 or i5 instead of a T might work too.

 

[crashtech]

Yeah, you are likely correct, but I would sure like to have the ability to alter the clockspeed to suit the situation, and it's worth some money to me to have that ability. Basically it helps ensure the success of the build. Still need to research the Q77 question, not much real-world experience out there with it.

 

[TheStu]

There are a couple Q77 thin-ITX units out there. I've seen information suggesting that Q77allows for multiplier adjustment on K series CPUs. I suppose I might have to ask if that is true in the motherboard forum. I really don't want to use a cut-down overpriced CPU. I'd much rather set the MHz myself and see how hot it gets. My guess is a quad core running between 2.8-3GHz will stay within the thermal envelope of the chassis 99.9% of the time in normal use, depending on ambient temps.

I had forgotten about the Q-boards, mostly because I was just trying to get in and out for cheaper. I also went with the i3 (3225 I think it), but it's just a tertiary system for me.

 

[crashtech]

I had forgotten about the Q-boards, mostly because I was just trying to get in and out for cheaper. I also went with the i3 (3225 I think it), but it's just a tertiary system for me.

Do you have any information on whether the boards with Q77 allow multiplier adjustments? I saw some information on Intel's site that indicated Q77 supports this, but of course it would have to be implemented in the BIOS. I'm afraid to ask the manufacturer, usually the people I am able to contact know little and say no to questions like this as a reflex cya action.

 

[EliteRetard]

Why not make it easy on yourself and just get an Antec ISK 110 or something?
Pick any MOBO you want and get a passive cooler. Big open side and VESA mountable.

 

[EliteRetard]

Actually I wonder if some of those passive GPU coolers could be made to work.
Like the Prolimatech MK-13 that was rated for 100+ watts.

Those mounting legs can be swapped out, perhaps you could find/make what you need.

There are other official options too, like an NH-C14/L12 fanless or one of those zalman orb coolers perhaps. Lots of ways to do things.

 

[crashtech]

Why not make it easy on yourself and just get an Antec ISK 110 or something?
Pick any MOBO you want and get a passive cooler. Big open side and VESA mountable.

That's a good idea, but it seemed to me that the Euler would have better heat dissipation than a passive sink inside an ISK110. It seems that the only passives I have seen that can do the job were very tall, like for a 5U enclosure kind of tall.

Oh, I see you added to the discussion.. Hmmm

 

[EliteRetard]

That's a good idea, but it seemed to me that the Euler would have better heat dissipation than a passive sink inside an ISK110. It seems that the only passives I have seen that can do the job were very tall, like for a 5U enclosure kind of tall.

Oh, I see you added to the discussion.. Hmmm

You would end up with something like this:

And that entire side panel is mesh.

 

[EliteRetard]

Here's an ISK300:

Bigger stock PSU (150w vs 90w), and no power brick
But this would require mods

 

[crashtech]

I guess I will mod if I have to, but honestly the sealed case has a lot of appeal to me. If the Q77 route turns out to be a dead end, I may yet do something like you suggest. Do you know what heat sink is pictured there?

 

[EliteRetard]

The one in the ISK 110 is a GeminII without the fan.
Tight fit, but it should work without mods (may vary depending on MOBO/standoff height).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835103177

Another version:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835103046

The one in the ISK 300 is a Shuriken 2 without a fan:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835185174

The side panel is not vented and I don't think the ISK 300 is VESA mountable so this is a mod project.

Here's some other maybes:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835185063
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835118126
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835106103
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835185062
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835185129

Probably a few more I missed (started to lose track of which I posted lol)

 

[EliteRetard]

Just an option, adding a single silent fan can make a big difference.

Like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Scythe-Stream-.../dp/B00479BPIG

http://www.amazon.com/setting-Anti-Stall-Bearing-NF-S12A-ULN/dp/B00BEZWPTO

Real world measurement less than 20dba at max speed.

 

[SithSolo1]

You could use something like this for the side panels of the ISK units if going with a passive heatsink: http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l3/g47...an_Accessories-Modders_Mesh_Panels-Page1.html

You'l have to dust it occasionally but it will be less exposed.

 

[EliteRetard]

You could use something like this for the side panels of the ISK units if going with a passive heatsink: http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l3/g47...an_Accessories-Modders_Mesh_Panels-Page1.html

You'l have to dust it occasionally but it will be less exposed.

Well the ISK 110 already comes as mesh:

But the ISK 300 does not, so modding it with mesh would be necessary.

 

[crashtech]

I really appreciate the contributions so far. Have any of you experienced a total fixation on a particular idea? That is how I am right now about the thought of a completely solid-state system. No fans, no spinning platters. This is how I want computing in the 21st century to look like.

At this point I am wondering if it might be best to bite the bullet and grab an Asus Q87T and a 4130T.

 

[EliteRetard]

I really appreciate the contributions so far. Have any of you experienced a total fixation on a particular idea? That is how I am right now about the thought of a completely solid-state system. No fans, no spinning platters. This is how I want computing in the 21st century to look like.

At this point I am wondering if it might be best to bite the bullet and grab an Asus Q87T and a 4130T.

Nothing wrong with that, but the industry isn't quite there yet. Gotta make a sacrifice somewhere. Your original plan is cutting features and costs more. My suggestion may be cheaper but it's not as simple and nice, and may not work as well (or require more research/effort to get it there).

I keep wishing they made a slightly bigger quad core NUC (w/ laptop chip).

 

[crashtech]

Her system right now is a retired Supermicro X7DCA-L, a Xeon E5440, 8GB RAM, and a Radeon 6670. It keeps up with everything she does, but it is in a gigantor case that gets really dirty inside, and the mobo has an issue where sometimes the fans come on full blast when waking from sleep. I think almost any 1155 or 1150 dual core with HT or higher will be a substantial upgrade in lightly threaded loads, and since the only games she has been playing are Facebook apps, the video is not really an issue.

From what I can tell, the industry is ready to meet this need. I am ready to find out if that's true.

 

[crashtech]

So I went ahead and somewhat impulsively decided to buy:

ECS H87H3-TI(V1.0) LGA 1150 Intel H87 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Thin Mini-ITX Intel Motherboard

G.SKILL 8GB (2 x 4GB) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory Model F3-1600C9D-8GSL

Intel Core i3-4130T Haswell 2.9GHz LGA 1150 35W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4400 BX80646I34130T

I think I have a power supply to get it going, and I'll run this junk through its paces while continuing to consider what case to put it in. Also I want to consider the SSD issue some more, seems that mSATA might not be that great of bang for the buck, and even the Euler has room for a 2.5" drive.

 

[TheStu]

So I went ahead and somewhat impulsively decided to buy:

ECS H87H3-TI(V1.0) LGA 1150 Intel H87 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Thin Mini-ITX Intel Motherboard

G.SKILL 8GB (2 x 4GB) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory Model F3-1600C9D-8GSL

Intel Core i3-4130T Haswell 2.9GHz LGA 1150 35W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4400 BX80646I34130T

I think I have a power supply to get it going, and I'll run this junk through its paces while continuing to consider what case to put it in. Also I want to consider the SSD issue some more, seems that mSATA might not be that great of bang for the buck, and even the Euler has room for a 2.5" drive.

It depends on what mSATA you get. For example, the M500s from Crucial are usually about the same price between the 2.5" and the mSATA models, but they aren't usually the absolutely cheapest option out there.