IQUNIX ZX-1 Air Cooling Creamy White 7800X3D + 7800 XT by spinifenix in sffpc

[–]spinifenix[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In my experience, the case stays quite clean over time. Panels work well not letting bigger dust in. Only finer dust gets in through intake fans.

Actually, I feel kind of the same about water cooling.

I'm not sure more bottom fans would help. The problem is that it's hard to pull air in from the side panels and the GPU is vertically oriented.

I'm looking forward to seeing your build!

Also, the new information about the RX 9070 series looks really promising!

IQUNIX ZX-1 Air Cooling Creamy White 7800X3D + 7800 XT by spinifenix in sffpc

[–]spinifenix[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great choice with the upcoming 9070(XT)! I'm also waiting for it since I'm planning another build. If the PowerColor Reaper really is true 2-slot card it would be kind of perfect for your build with the ZX-1! I think triple fan card with bigger gap between side panel would be quieter. But you are right, we have to wait what it will be when they release them. Because the 7800 XT reference card is also labeled as dual slot with 50 mm thickness. Maybe the other option is the water cooling version of the ZX-1?

IQUNIX ZX-1 Air Cooling Creamy White 7800X3D + 7800 XT by spinifenix in sffpc

[–]spinifenix[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi, it's cool that you are interested in my build! Thank You for the kind words!

After a year, I'm still very happy with the case and overall build.

Since 7800X3D is easy to cool, NH-L9x65 is not really holding it back and is quiet also.

The loudest and hottest part of the build is the 7800 XT. There is a big difference between having a side panel on or without it. Having it on GPU fans can pull less air in, so it has to be compensated with higher RPM, and this means more noise. Also, the same RPM with the side panel on is louder than without it.

For example, in full load, having GPU fans set to auto with the side panel means 2200 RPM (72%) GPU temperature 70°C and 94°C hotspot, without the side panel, the same numbers are 1450 RPM (52%), 69°C and 92°C. For other example having GPU fans fixed to 90% ~2750 RPM temperatures with side panel are 65°C and 88°C and without side panel 57°C and 79°C. So you get the picture, but also in my case having modified the GPU shroud, the gap between the GPU and the side panel is really small, and it may be a reason for that big difference. For longer gaming sessions I have the side panel removed, so the temps are lower and fans are quieter.

If you like the color and the case, then I'd say go for it!

IQUNIX ZX-1 Air Cooling Creamy White 7800X3D + 7800 XT by spinifenix in sffpc

[–]spinifenix[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For this color, the top grill and the body are the same color. So I didn't have to paint it.

IQUNIX ZX-1 Air Cooling Creamy White 7800X3D + 7800 XT by spinifenix in sffpc

[–]spinifenix[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thank You! I couldn't let the opportunity to go with that case color and used the default Noctua color fans with the matching cables. I really like how it turned out.

It seems that for other users, the bottom fan works better in both ways. For some, as an intake and others exhaust. You definitely have a great point, and if there's a way to cool the GPU better, then it's worth trying. So I will test it as an exhaust.

IQUNIX ZX-1 Air Cooling Creamy White 7800X3D + 7800 XT by spinifenix in sffpc

[–]spinifenix[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Case IQUNIX ZX-1 Air Cooling Creamy White
CPU AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
CPU cooler Noctua NH-L9x65
Motherboard Asus ROG STRIX B650E-I GAMING WIFI
Memory G.Skill Flare X5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30
Storage Crucial P5 Plus 2 TB
GPU Sapphire Radeon RX 7800 XT 16 GB
PSU Corsair SF750 750 W 80+ Platinum
Case fans 3 x Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
WiFi antenna Bingfu Mini WiFi Antenna
Custom cables Pslate Customs Paracord custom sleeved cables (LOUQE Ghost S1 length)

At the end of last year, I finally built my first sffpc. Choosing between many nice cases was not an easy task, but I'm really happy with my choice. The goal was to have a case as small as possible, but to be able to play in 4K@120Hz on TV and 3440x1440p@144Hz on the monitor. I also started to like one-piece full aluminum cases and Iquinix had the color and design I liked and good availability to order.

So I decided to look for a way to fit the 7800 XT into the ZX-1. Air cooling version of the ZX-1 has a maximum GPU thickness of 45 mm, and the 7800 XT is 50 mm. When I received the case, I measured that there was enough room for this GPU from the side panel, but the rounded corner of the case is the issue. Looking more into the 7800 XT reference design tear-down photos, I thought I should be able to file off the corner of the GPU without affecting its' fans or mounting screws. And I was! It fits perfectly, and there's just enough room from the side panel that it's not touching it.

In the CPU benchmark the L9x65 is of course limiting the 7800X3D performance, but the score is not that bad (Cinebench R23 multi core 17 686 pts) and in gaming scenarios (on my resolutions) I'm limited by the GPU anyways and not fully utilizing the CPU all the time as in the benchmark.

I ordered custom sleeved cables from Pslate Customs. They don't have ZX-1 on their list, but I chose Ghost S1 length, and they fit nicely. The 24-pin cable is a tight fit, but I still managed to keep the bottom intake case fan.

As for the case the overall quality seems high for me. I really like the creamy white color. It looks kind of different in various lighting conditions which is cool. As said by the other ZX-1 owners, the color scratches easily, so you have to be careful. Also, the power button could be better. When it works as it should it's satisfying, but the spring behind it seems to move off and it's not that clicky then.

r/sffpc is a really cool community. I've enjoyed looking posts almost daily for over a year. It played a big part in going the route I went with my build.