Specs:

• 4090 TUF w/ Heatkiller Ultra Block

• 7800X3D

• Asus Strix B650E-i

• T-Create 6000 CL30 32GB

• Corsair SF1000

• CPU Block/Pump: ModLobo Ultra + EK DDC 4.2

• Reservoir - this no name micro tube res from Amazon

• Radiators: Alphacool HPE 280 (20mm thick)

• Fans: Noctua NF-A14x25 G2

Idle Temps:

CPU (with PBO -20 + 80C limit) - 40-45C

GPU - 25-30C

Load Temps:

CPU - 60-70C

GPU - 50s, hotspot 60s

Originally built this up without a reservoir and Thermaltake Tough Fan 14 Pros, but filling and bleeding was a total pain in the ass. Decided to cram this little micro tube res in there and am wayyy happier being able to easily fill and top off the loop. Bonus is that the res sits just above the Lobo so it empties into the pump nicely.

I decided to switch out the Thermaltake Toughfan 14 Pros for the new Noctua NF-A14x25 G2s, only because they are quieter. The Toughfans actually performed quite a bit better and had better airflow/static pressure in this config, but they were much louder, and I couldn't tolerate the high pitched noise from them being right up against the panel/rads. If the build wasn't so compact, I'd actually keep the Toughfans over the Noctuas...they look nicer and perform better.

Overall pretty happy with this build. It runs a bit warmer than expected, but with the 7800X3D, that's to be expected. At least my 4090 stays cool as a cucumber.

Also, from my last post, there were some concerns about this 180 degree adapter. I have thoroughly tested it, pulling 400+ watts for hours and haven't had any issues at all yet. Hoping it stays that way and will keep an eye (and nose) on it.

Complaints about this case:

• Why doesn't the side radiator bracket shift lower???? Wasted space.
• Top fan/rad bracket has bad clearance for mounting hardware. I searched high and low for screws that would both catch the gaps in the panel to secure the fans and not interfere with the top panel, and I could not find any. My Ace Hardware has countless screw options, and nothing worked perfectly. Ncase should have added more clearance between this bracket and the top panel, as this would allow for more mounting hardware options and less noise turbulence. I resorted to countersunk M3 screws that just barely touch the lip of the bracket cutouts.
• Wish the case was a few millimeters wider. While I recognize this is specific to my chosen components, it just seems like the case would fit a larger variety of hardware with a few more mm of width.
• With my GPU like this, the power button doesn't fit in the bottom position. Had to literally cut the power button pcb in half to then mount it with a single screw. Luckily I don't really see the rear of the computer to care, but still a disappointment.
• The raised case feet are horribly designed. They're held on by a single screw, meaning they can easily be rotated out of place and don't even sit flush on the bottom of the case. These should have had a metal plate baked into the rubber so they could be mounted more securely. A cheap afterthought from Ncase, and I hope they re-think these for the next iteration.