Yang's New SFF build, well kinda...1st build in 3 yrs

[Yang88She]

Well it will be in a Qmicra v2, as soon as they are available, but for the time being I'm using a very old trusty mid-tower

This is my first build in over 3 yrs. I've been using laptops due to moving and the need for mobility, but now that I am more grounded I figure this would be a great time to re-learn how to build a desktop (yes I am a very very rusty...picture to follow! )

This is my first attempt @ building a SFF, this rig will predominately be used for movie watching, photoshop, internet surfing, game playing etc etc.

I chose to go w/ a SFF, b/c I will be lugging this thing from my parents house, back to my house (1 1/2 hr. drive one way), due to gas prices, I stay @ my folks place since I work closer to their house and I go up on weekend to my wife and son.

specs:

Case: Qmicra v2 SFF
MB: Asus P5E HDMI
CPU: Q9450
CPU Cooler: Zalman 9700NT
GPU: EVGA 280 GTX FtW
Memory: 4 x 2GB G.Skill PC8000
PSU: Corsair 620HX
HDD: Intermal 2 x 1TB Samsung F1
HDD: External 300gb Maxtor External, 500gb Hitachi External, 1TB Hitachi External
Sound: HT Omega Claro 7.1
Optical: 2 x SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD
Case Cooling: 3 120mm Green LED SilentX fans

Well for the time being I am using a very very old generic aluminum Mid-tower, until the Qmicra v2 are finished getting built (hopefully this weekend, crosses fingers)

Pictures of the Goods:



Recycling Boxes:



The teeny tiny mb:



So yeah, anybody see what I did wrong?
1. Putting on the HSF took me longer than I care to admit, and after I screwed the mb into the case, did I realize that I put the HSF on backwards



The beautiful FtW!!



Um wtfbbqc0pt3r? I have a very large air bubble inside the sticker (not that it will affect performance, but not what I expected after spending beaucoup on a FtW...oh well, not that people will be able to see it when it's my case anyway



My very small room (it was the room I grew up in haha)
-going to install XP Pro for now, gotta see if I can free up 2 more sata connections b/c the 280 gtx is one massive card and literally covers the sata connections
-Hopefully some 90 degree angled Sata cables, I can connect my other optical and other HDD
-I hope to run Vista 64 SP1 when I get my new case and get my sata cable situation figured out



Close up of the "dirty guts," not too worried about wire management at this time, since this case is not "it's" permanent home



Here's my sorry excuse for a temporary home for my "lovely" parts...oh well it's only temporary



I hope to have my Qmicra v2 Case by next week, so I can give my components a nice spacious SFF case.

Will post more pictures once I get my case and clean everything up!

Thanks!

Be on the look out for LiL Yang's "rebuild!!!"

[Zeedead]

damn nice computer!
well i mean the insides.... lol
question... why'd you go for a so so processor, and a top-line graphics card? i mean the 280 is TWICE the price of that quadcore? just curious, and congrates on the computer, it's a BEAST!
cheers zmo!

[Gantua]

Let me get ths straight ... you put your gear into a case that you intend on changing very shortly? Why risk an errant static discharge installing all of this stuff 2x? I would have waited... but, damn nice setup nonetheless.

[jdeegz]

i want a job and endless money too...

[Tao]

Nice rig! I used that very Zalman cooler in my recent build and it's ginormous.

I went with an 8800GTS, also from evga, and the sticker on mine is also a little warped. I didn't notice until after I reopened the case two weeks after the build.

Good stuff.

[Craig]

awesome stuff dude! Like Gant said, I would watch thermals in that case. Today's high end gear likes air tight cases with massive amounts of fresh air flow.

Please benchmark that 280 for us!

[Yang88She]

Well I didn't think going ultra high end on the processor was very necessary.

1. I'm upgrading from a C2D mobile processor
2. I can over clock (please refer to my old old old watercooling thread)
3. I'm more than happy w/ a mid-range quad for my needs

running the risk of static? by installing x 2?

I've taking my rigs apart countless times, please refer to this link

Yang88she’s Area 51 5550 Official Watercooling Review/Recommendations - NotebookForums.com

Also I sold my 9750, which covered almost the entire build

[Aznsharpshooter5]

Whooooa that is awesome! How much did all that cost?

[joe]

very, very nice yang...and I second craig, I'd love to see some results of the 280 from an actual gamer, instead of the benchmarks from the test labs...

[VincentVega]

Yeah, good work Dude. Me, though, I'm considering the next Intel chip... so hawt.