Build Log - Corsair Obsidian 900D

[smilodon]

How the hell did you get the reservoir screwed to the chassis, you must have four arms? I've seen this behemoth and it's looks more impressive in real life than it does in the pics. I'm still not sure if it will fit through the dining room door :-)

[Tutonic]

Lovely bit of kit TL - nice build.

[TeaLeaf]

Finally finished the cabling today.   I now have 12 SATA cables plugged into the motherboard and ready for use, although I will only be using 3 to begin with.    

I also added a NZXT Internal USB Expansion card which has been placed in the bottom of the case next to the pump.    I found I needed more internal USB headers, so it was a perfect answer.   This means that all of the front case USB sockets (4 x USB2 & 2 x USB3) are active (using 3 internal USB headers) and the card allows room for a permanent Corsair Link Commander (temperature dependent control of cooling fans) USB connection and a USB connection for my PSU so that any firmware updates will not require messing about and unplugging something else.

The bonus from the NZXT card was that it also gives me 2 x external USB sockets on the inside of my case, so I can leave a USB stick or two plugged in permanently (like a USB Bluetooth which I use to connect to my solar monitoring hardware) and also initially the USB stick from which I will install Windows 8.1.   Yes folks, a double whammy, not only Windows 8, but I can confirm that there are no optical drives in this build!

Temperature sensors are mostly positioned now, I can have up to 12 on the Corsair Cooling Nodes, but I think I am only going to use 4-6 max. Once the sensors are finalised then the sides and lid will go back onto the case and that will mean Windows install day! :thumbsup:

Anyway, as it was getting slightly dark here's a (slightly blury due to handlheld long exposure) photo to show the lighting.   I'm loving the graphics cards!   :biggrin:   There are a couple of dark areas in which I want a bit more glow, so I'll be plugging in a couple more red leds over the next day or so.   Also notice the LED screen in the bottom right, which displays the coolant temperature - currently a cool 23.3^oC!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2408[/ATTACH]

[TeaLeaf]

Windows 8 installed on the new rig and I am posting here from it.

The delid of the i4770K worked really well, I'm seeing core temps of 29-30^oC across all four cores.   This is over 20 degrees cooler than the norm, so I am delighted with the result.    Typical i4770K idles at about 51-53 degrees from what I have read around the net.

Currently installing software (oh god the time this takes) and then will play with rmaping up the speed a bit once I know I have everything installed and working.

[TeaLeaf]

Just took a break from an hour's full resolution gaming:

Core temps:
40-42-41-42 degrees centigrade

Graphics core temps:
28 degrees centigrade
29 degrees centigrade

Coolant:
27.7 degrees centigrade


I'm pretty chuffed with those numbers :biggrin:

[albert]

Just read through your build story TL, very nice indeed. I assume we'll see it at the LAN maybe with a corrupt version of Windows 8.1, I know I'll be upgrading

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2

[TeaLeaf]

I assume we'll see it at the LAN maybe with a corrupt version of Windows 8.1, I know I'll be upgrading

I'm afraid not Albert, it weighs an absolute ton (it took 2 people to carry it upstairs once it was built) so there's no way I'm going to try to get it into a car!

[kregoron]

Just read through your build story TL, very nice indeed. I assume we'll see it at the LAN maybe with a corrupt version of Windows 8.1, I know I'll be upgrading

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2

Currently running 8.1RTM, its brilliant


Same temps as ive gotten after the delid, makes it actually a decent overclocking CPU all of a sudden

[TeaLeaf]

Not started the overclock yet on mine.   I want to finish transferring all of my software over, then take a stable image, then start doing the OC stuff.   I'll post some before and after numbers when I get to that stage.   What clocks & volts are you running Kreg?

[DannagE]

What are you using to read temps? Would be interested to see the difference to my cooler.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4

[TeaLeaf]

A couple of different packages: Asus tools (Asus mobo), Core Temp (free download), Corsair Link Commander (it's a Corsair cooling monitor although I have not yet fully configured it), EVGA Precision X (they're EVGA gfx cards).   There's some cross-over, but software and physical sensors all seem to be agreeing.

[DannagE]

Thanks TL. The Asus AI suite is showing my 4770k at 27'C at idle all day. Will do some testing with the others tomorrow to see what it does. For now BF3

Nice build btw

[kregoron]

Not started the overclock yet on mine.   I want to finish transferring all of my software over, then take a stable image, then start doing the OC stuff.   I'll post some before and after numbers when I get to that stage.   What clocks & volts are you running Kreg?

sorry for the delay, still tuning with the clock.
Currently running 4.5ghz with 1.3volt, gets a little tricky past this point, as a i might need a little more voltage.

[Whitey]

I recently did a new build as well: 4770k @ 4.4 on standard voltages with Corsair H100i cooler and it sits between 26 and 30 degrees when not gaming and I've never seen it above 40 when gaming. I didn't do the de-lid so I can only assume Intel did a better job with later chips.

[kregoron]

I recently did a new build as well: 4770k @ 4.4 on standard voltages with Corsair H100i cooler and it sits between 26 and 30 degrees when not gaming and I've never seen it above 40 when gaming. I didn't do the de-lid so I can only assume Intel did a better job with later chips.

I was able to do 4.4ghz @ stock voltages too, tho the power steppings seemed to react a little weird. So bumped up the voltage a tad..
Attempting to run 4.7 @ 1.3v now, which seem stable so far in prime.

There are quite surprisingly big differences on the batches, Costa Rica batches usually struggle to climb above 4.2 - 4.4, with decent voltages and low temps, where the malaysian does a bit better.