SENTRY: Console-sized gaming PC case project

So i have been putting my rig through the ringer. In the past 5 days I have added at least 10-12 hrs a day gaming on it.
New reports with hardware under gaming loads for extended periods.

GPU-EVGA 1080TI sc2 - temp target set at 80c. runs between 78c and 80c. minor throttling on frequency. 1765-1965

CPU-Ryzen 5-1600 stock - temps hit 79c. using the adhesive thermal stripping to direct air in only and attatched 2 40mm fans if you have seen my previous post. Also the cpu/gpu compartments are sealed off. (io shield ON) going to test this without soon and might also check into 3d printing a different method other than the weather stripping and sealing off around the fans.

M.2 mx300 - hits 69c after longer saturation periods. not concerned bc this is well below what i am comfortable with.

my thoughts, I would like to tame the cpu temps better. I am looking into custom 3d prints for air channels. and i may also see about the lp53. I am also interested in seeing the noctua full copper heatsink finally come available. GPU i am not concerned with as its staying at or below target temp. I may make a custom shroud and ditch the stock shroud. something that only pulls air from the side with a couple 40m fans at the top of case exhausting air. the sf600 is working flawlessly not temp issues and it does not spin up very often so its practically silent.

I set about 2-3 feet from my pc and noise is not too bad at all. the best I can compare it to is having a PS3 setting next to you while gaming. You know its there but its not so bad that its the only thing you notice. with that said I use a soundbar while gaming most of the time and I personally do not notice it.

If anyone has any questions please feel free to ask. I am trying to share my experience with the sentry as much as possible.

P.S. I use my computer to game, light web browsing, and video streaming.
 
Fwiw concerning the allen wrench, I did not use the included one when building my sentry. So I can't comment on the quality of one of the early batches sent out. I used a hex bit from the iFixit tool kit which I purchased a few years ago. I highly recommend it. I've purchased similar multi-bit screwdriver kits from no-name Chinese manufacturers and they always strip. Even the tiniest bits in the iFixit kit have yet to strip or warp. I highly recommend it if anyone is concerned about stripping their screws on sentry. It will serve you well in all your modding endeavors.
 
Fwiw concerning the allen wrench, I did not use the included one when building my sentry. So I can't comment on the quality of one of the early batches sent out. I used a hex bit from the iFixit tool kit which I purchased a few years ago. I highly recommend it. I've purchased similar multi-bit screwdriver kits from no-name Chinese manufacturers and they always strip. Even the tiniest bits in the iFixit kit have yet to strip or warp. I highly recommend it if anyone is concerned about stripping their screws on sentry. It will serve you well in all your modding endeavors.

This is exactly what I used. Got the pocket driver kit on sale a while back and it worked perfectly on my Sentry.
 
Just received my sentry today in Texas. Mine was the 3rd shipment, black color and was first shipped on 6/9/2017. I still have not gotten an update on the shipping since 6/12/2017 and the guy from the shipping company dropped it at my front door without even knocking. Good thing I caught it before I left home otherwise it would've been sitting outside for a while. The packaging was in good shape and I'm pretty satisfied how well the case is protected. Now to wait for GPU prices to drop a bit from the mining hype.
 
Just received my sentry today in Texas. Mine was the 3rd shipment, black color and was first shipped on 6/9/2017. I still have not gotten an update on the shipping since 6/12/2017 and the guy from the shipping company dropped it at my front door without even knocking. Good thing I caught it before I left home otherwise it would've been sitting outside for a while. The packaging was in good shape and I'm pretty satisfied how well the case is protected. Now to wait for GPU prices to drop a bit from the mining hype.
I just received mine in Texas from 3rd shipment as well! Packaging was in good condition outer box had a few dings but the actual sentry box was fine.
 
Fwiw concerning the allen wrench, I did not use the included one when building my sentry. So I can't comment on the quality of one of the early batches sent out. I used a hex bit from the iFixit tool kit which I purchased a few years ago. I highly recommend it. I've purchased similar multi-bit screwdriver kits from no-name Chinese manufacturers and they always strip. Even the tiniest bits in the iFixit kit have yet to strip or warp. I highly recommend it if anyone is concerned about stripping their screws on sentry. It will serve you well in all your modding endeavors.
This is what I have, as well. I did see other cheaper options on Amazon but but reviews claimed that the metal bits stripped easily.
 
This is what I have, as well. I did see other cheaper options on Amazon but but reviews claimed that the metal bits stripped easily.

Yeah I went through several cheaper ones off Amazon before I went with iFixit. It's more expensive but you get what you pay for.
 
Everything has arrived. Time to tear apart my Sentry PC, delid and rebuild.

Planned on adding a third 2.5in SSD in the gpu bay, except I don't have any more SATA power cables :facepalm:

If anyone has put a 2.5in drive under the gpu, can you comment on temps?


hIWAnoZ.jpg

excuse the dust on the sentry pc :whistle:

Edit: I should stress, delidding is NOT necessary in Sentry. I just can't stop tinkering.
 
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Nice feet! Where'd ya get them?

They are Lian Li SD-02A feet from Amazon
Required adding some washers to fit the holes in Sentry. Also had to cut off a plastic nub on the feet to get them to sit flat under Sentry. If you decide to get them you'll see what I mean.
 
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Picked up my case from the post office today (US). It went out for delivery Thursday, but I hadn't been home to get it. This was the second black shipment, which I think might have been the third shipment overall.

Case looks great, and the packaging is very well thought out too.
 
Hey everyone, still waiting for my case to arrive. I'm in 500s and tracking hasn't updated in a while.
Picked up my case from the post office today (US). It went out for delivery Thursday, but I hadn't been home to get it. This was the second black shipment, which I think might have been the third shipment overall.

Case looks great, and the packaging is very well thought out too.

What is your order ID? Trying to figure out how long I have before my case arrives in Houston. I'm Order ID: 545, no tracking update for a while.


But this is not why I'm here!
Has anyone done a Ryzen build in one of these? If so I'm trying to figure out which mobo and psu I should get. I plan on starting SMALL and getting a Ryzen 3 1200 and OC'ing it, also trying to decide what GPU I want. I am going to be going full AMD so I'm looking at the rx460 or rx550.

Anyone have any insight into AM4 mobo's and cpu coolers that fit? I don't think the Wraith Stealth will fits, afaik it's about 54mm tall :/
 
Delidding and rebuild complete!

Did a practice run on my Pentium G3258 that isn't being used anyway. Even after numerous soakings in alcohol theres still some lingering factory paste as you can see. Also, cotton swabs leave a ton of lint behind so be sure to use compressed gas or air to blow it away.
9RYWHUw.jpg

I put liquid electrical tape over the SMDs on the CPU substrate. Better safe than sorry. Initially is was worried because it goes on thick but when the solvent evaporates and it cures it shrinks up a lot.
Idle temps on the G3258 dropped a good bit. I didn't bother stress testing it because I don't have any Before delid measurements really.

With my new found confidence in delidding, I moved on to the i7-4790K.
The process went smoothly, the die is gigantic compared to the pentium. The stock paste was incredibly thin and even, it wasn't so much a paste but rather a rubbery solid. Though it's worth noting, the TIM under the IHS is not the same as the silicone thermal compound we're used to putting under heatsinks, it's meant to last for a decade or more. Also there's way more capacitors on the substrate of the 4790K. So I had to apply two coats of liquid electrical tape to sufficiently cover all of them. I let it cure for a few hours.
I put the lid back on with silicone adhesive and clamped it overnight using the relid tool in the Rockit Cool 88 delid tool. I used Thermal Grizzly Cryonaut thermal compound between the CPU IHS and the LP53 heat sink.

RESULTS

My i7-4790K (88W TDP) is at stock clocks, so 4ghz base and 4.4ghz all core turbo. I do have a slight undervolt of -0.04V so it maxes out at 1.16V vcore.

I ran the PassMark Performance Test V9 before and after at 20C ambient and saw a 10C drop in max temps from 87C to 77C. Synthetics always generate more heat and are unrealistic, but easily repeatable.
Before delidding my i7-4790K almost never went over 75C except in particularly cpu demanding games, and was more often around 68-70C because most games don't utilized the i7 beyond ~50%.
However, when I tested with a game that stresses the CPU, such as GTA V in a busy city area for about 20mins (one of the more cpu punishing games I have found), my max temps were only about 3-5C lower at 70-72C vs 75-77C before delid.


While this seems strange at first, you have to think about what delidding does to lower temps. It allows the heat produced by the cpu to pass more efficiently to the heatsink. It's not like the CPU is producing any less heat. So I think what happens during longer gaming sessions versus short synthetic tests is the heatsink becomes heat-soaked. Between the small volume of the case and the propensity of copper to absorb heat (from the cpu, or warm exhaust in the case) I think we're at a point of diminishing returns. The heatsink reaches equilibrium with heat input from the cpu and it's ability to output that heat to the air.

CPU fan RPM was about 200rpm lower after delidding, so theres that. I wouldn't have noticed if I didn't check. Also some of the temperature spikes I used to see during normal bursty workloads have smoothed out. But it was never bad before.

It is possible I didn't put enough Conductonaut liquid metal on, but everything I've seen in videos and forums suggests less is better. I have a feeling if it wasn't enough I'd be seeing crazy temps like 90C.

Verdict

Delidding is of little to no benefit in Sentry!
For most users interested in games for a couple hours at a time, it just doesn't make sense because the heatsink becomes saturated with heat. Unless you plan to use a notoriously hot CPU like a 7700K or 7600K, even then you may be better served by a minor undervolt while leaving clock speed intact. Also bear in mind delidding voids any warranty on your Intel CPU.
I was willing to try because my system is over 3 years old so it wouldn't be devastating if something went wrong. I'd just move to Ryzen if it was a total failure.
 
Hey everyone, still waiting for my case to arrive. I'm in 500s and tracking hasn't updated in a while.


What is your order ID? Trying to figure out how long I have before my case arrives in Houston. I'm Order ID: 545, no tracking update for a while.


But this is not why I'm here!
Has anyone done a Ryzen build in one of these? If so I'm trying to figure out which mobo and psu I should get. I plan on starting SMALL and getting a Ryzen 3 1200 and OC'ing it, also trying to decide what GPU I want. I am going to be going full AMD so I'm looking at the rx460 or rx550.

Anyone have any insight into AM4 mobo's and cpu coolers that fit? I don't think the Wraith Stealth will fits, afaik it's about 54mm tall :/


I would strongly suggest going for the R5 1400. It's only ~$50 more and will probably be better at stock than even an OC'ed R3 1200. But if you have a firm budget the R3 will be fine.
As for CPU cooler, the Noctua NH-L9a (or NH-L9i with AM4 mounting kit) should be fine for a R3 1200 (or any non-X Ryzen CPU). Just be sure to use a quality thermal compound like Noctua NT-H1 (included with noctua cpu coolers) or Thermal Grizzly Cryonaut (not Conductonaut!) for best results.

Don't get a RX550 if you plan on gaming at all. Get a RX560 with 2GB of VRAM. It's way better from a performance/dollar standpoint. Its only $15 more in most cases for probably almost double the performance. I would say don't bother with the 4GB model as the GPU will be overwhelmed long before it uses 3 or 4GB of VRAM.

As for motherboard, the Gigabyte AB350N-Gaming-WiFi or the AsRock AB350 Gaming-ITX/AC, both have WiFi and overclocking.

And for PSU, one of the highest rated is the Corsair SF450 and SF600. You could definitely be fine with the 450W model. Jonny Guru found these Corsair PSU's to be some of the best ever tested, period.
They're 80plus Gold certified but achieved Platinum levels of stability and efficiency.
 
I would strongly suggest going for the R5 1400. It's only ~$50 more and will probably be better at stock than even an OC'ed R3 1200. But if you have a firm budget the R3 will be fine.
As for CPU cooler, the Noctua NH-L9a (or NH-L9i with AM4 mounting kit) should be fine for a R3 1200 (or any non-X Ryzen CPU). Just be sure to use a quality thermal compound like Noctua NT-H1 (included with noctua cpu coolers) or Thermal Grizzly Cryonaut (not Conductonaut!) for best results.

Don't get a RX550 if you plan on gaming at all. Get a RX560 with 2GB of VRAM. It's way better from a performance/dollar standpoint. Its only $15 more in most cases for probably almost double the performance. I would say don't bother with the 4GB model as the GPU will be overwhelmed long before it uses 3 or 4GB of VRAM.

As for motherboard, the Gigabyte AB350N-Gaming-WiFi or the AsRock AB350 Gaming-ITX/AC, both have WiFi and overclocking.

And for PSU, one of the highest rated is the Corsair SF450 and SF600. You could definitely be fine with the 450W model. Jonny Guru found these Corsair PSU's to be some of the best ever tested, period.
They're 80plus Gold certified but achieved Platinum levels of stability and efficiency.


Thanks for the super fast response. That's the mobo I'm looking at, especially since it has wifi built in and OC'ing.
I'm sticking with the R3 1200 and overclocking it. Over the next couple years I'll be upgrading the system(new gpu/cpu/more ram etc).

After a lot of research it looks like 460/560 with 2gb is about the same as the 4gb models. Gonna wait until my case here to start ordering everything, but I think a 2gb rx 460 will be enough for now.
I only play Dota2, CS:GO and card games(Gwent/HS) usually. So my gaming needs aren't much right now.

I keep seeing that Ryzen likes having a lot of ram, I planned on just getting a single 8gb stick so I can get another 8gb later. Should I just go straight for 16gb?

This whole build has been a small dream of mine since I backed the Sentry. Keeping my budget small now but since it's AM4 I can always upgrade(Thank you AMD)!
 
prseup3a828myx9rhjgf.png

Sentry manufacturing process - weekly update



6th transport cases are already fully assembled and are waiting for filling customs documents. This week they will be sent and we will start manufacturing process of Sentry units for the last (7th) transport. It will consist mostly of Long Run orders which (as we wrote before) were also added to this First Batch.

Below some photos of 6th transport cases waiting to be shipped :


gnodelalsnh6k7og6weu.jpg


xyncgkaejealohncho1z.jpg


ytvs4nqijhrwx2tulf8j.jpg


nelwlcpotr8pylgqbuko.jpg


Next, 7th transport will be the biggest one and will consist of ~200 cases. We didn't want to split it, because some people would have to wait longer, so we decided we will send everything in one shipment. In a few days we will start locking your address information for this transport, so please check if you filled everything right.
 
Thanks for the super fast response. That's the mobo I'm looking at, especially since it has wifi built in and OC'ing.
I'm sticking with the R3 1200 and overclocking it. Over the next couple years I'll be upgrading the system(new gpu/cpu/more ram etc).

After a lot of research it looks like 460/560 with 2gb is about the same as the 4gb models. Gonna wait until my case here to start ordering everything, but I think a 2gb rx 460 will be enough for now.
I only play Dota2, CS:GO and card games(Gwent/HS) usually. So my gaming needs aren't much right now.

I keep seeing that Ryzen likes having a lot of ram, I planned on just getting a single 8gb stick so I can get another 8gb later. Should I just go straight for 16gb?

This whole build has been a small dream of mine since I backed the Sentry. Keeping my budget small now but since it's AM4 I can always upgrade(Thank you AMD)!

For ryzen you want Faster (3200mhz), low latency (Cas number around 14 or 15) ram. Dual channel is always better than single channel. But given current memory prices being almost double what they were a year and a half ago I'd say go with a single high quality 8gb stick and get another later.
 
prseup3a828myx9rhjgf.png


Sentry manufacturing process - weekly update



6th transport cases are already fully assembled and are waiting for filling customs documents. This week they will be sent and we will start manufacturing process of Sentry units for the last (7th) transport. It will consist mostly of Long Run orders which (as we wrote before) were also added to this First Batch.

Below some photos of 6th transport cases waiting to be shipped :


gnodelalsnh6k7og6weu.jpg


xyncgkaejealohncho1z.jpg


ytvs4nqijhrwx2tulf8j.jpg


nelwlcpotr8pylgqbuko.jpg


Next, 7th transport will be the biggest one and will consist of ~200 cases. We didn't want to split it, because some people would have to wait longer, so we decided we will send everything in one shipment. In a few days we will start locking your address information for this transport, so please check if you filled everything right.
I thought 150 cases were being done per week? 6 transports thus far times 150 cases should be 900 out of the 922 cases ordered? Correct me if I'm wrong
 
Delidding and rebuild complete!

Did a practice run on my Pentium G3258 that isn't being used anyway. Even after numerous soakings in alcohol theres still some lingering factory paste as you can see. Also, cotton swabs leave a ton of lint behind so be sure to use compressed gas or air to blow it away.
9RYWHUw.jpg

I put liquid electrical tape over the SMDs on the CPU substrate. Better safe than sorry. Initially is was worried because it goes on thick but when the solvent evaporates and it cures it shrinks up a lot.
Idle temps on the G3258 dropped a good bit. I didn't bother stress testing it because I don't have any Before delid measurements really.

With my new found confidence in delidding, I moved on to the i7-4790K.
The process went smoothly, the die is gigantic compared to the pentium. The stock paste was incredibly thin and even, it wasn't so much a paste but rather a rubbery solid. Though it's worth noting, the TIM under the IHS is not the same as the silicone thermal compound we're used to putting under heatsinks, it's meant to last for a decade or more. Also there's way more capacitors on the substrate of the 4790K. So I had to apply two coats of liquid electrical tape to sufficiently cover all of them. I let it cure for a few hours.
I put the lid back on with silicone adhesive and clamped it overnight using the relid tool in the Rockit Cool 88 delid tool. I used Thermal Grizzly Cryonaut thermal compound between the CPU IHS and the LP53 heat sink.

RESULTS

My i7-4790K (88W TDP) is at stock clocks, so 4ghz base and 4.4ghz all core turbo. I do have a slight undervolt of -0.04V so it maxes out at 1.16V vcore.

I ran the PassMark Performance Test V9 before and after at 20C ambient and saw a 10C drop in max temps from 87C to 77C. Synthetics always generate more heat and are unrealistic, but easily repeatable.
Before delidding my i7-4790K almost never went over 75C except in particularly cpu demanding games, and was more often around 68-70C because most games don't utilized the i7 beyond ~50%.
However, when I tested with a game that stresses the CPU, such as GTA V in a busy city area for about 20mins (one of the more cpu punishing games I have found), my max temps were only about 3-5C lower at 70-72C vs 75-77C before delid.


While this seems strange at first, you have to think about what delidding does to lower temps. It allows the heat produced by the cpu to pass more efficiently to the heatsink. It's not like the CPU is producing any less heat. So I think what happens during longer gaming sessions versus short synthetic tests is the heatsink becomes heat-soaked. Between the small volume of the case and the propensity of copper to absorb heat (from the cpu, or warm exhaust in the case) I think we're at a point of diminishing returns. The heatsink reaches equilibrium with heat input from the cpu and it's ability to output that heat to the air.

CPU fan RPM was about 200rpm lower after delidding, so theres that. I wouldn't have noticed if I didn't check. Also some of the temperature spikes I used to see during normal bursty workloads have smoothed out. But it was never bad before.

It is possible I didn't put enough Conductonaut liquid metal on, but everything I've seen in videos and forums suggests less is better. I have a feeling if it wasn't enough I'd be seeing crazy temps like 90C.

Verdict

Delidding is of little to no benefit in Sentry!
For most users interested in games for a couple hours at a time, it just doesn't make sense because the heatsink becomes saturated with heat. Unless you plan to use a notoriously hot CPU like a 7700K or 7600K, even then you may be better served by a minor undervolt while leaving clock speed intact. Also bear in mind delidding voids any warranty on your Intel CPU.
I was willing to try because my system is over 3 years old so it wouldn't be devastating if something went wrong. I'd just move to Ryzen if it was a total failure.

Can you send me all of your specs and what programme you've used? Im on a 4790k with lp53 aswell and want to have something to compare with when I try delidding. ;-)
 
What is your order ID? Trying to figure out how long I have before my case arrives in Houston. I'm Order ID: 545, no tracking update for a while.

My order (black case, second black shipment, northeast US) was ID 342. Tracking was 'stuck' for about 4-5 weeks between their country and the US.
 
And for PSU, one of the highest rated is the Corsair SF450 and SF600. You could definitely be fine with the 450W model. Jonny Guru found these Corsair PSU's to be some of the best ever tested, period.
They're 80plus Gold certified but achieved Platinum levels of stability and efficiency.

I also tested the PSU with professional equipment and I can confirm that its performance is amazing!
Low noise, fast transient responses with almost no overshoot, high efficiency (way more than Gold) and good build quality.
 
My case arrived at my PO Box in Houston, shipping out today or tomorrow!
And I just finished up my build: https://pcpartpicker.com/user/reifnotreef/saved/DPkkLk

I know some parts aren't the best but I plan on upgrading over time. Went with a super solid mobo and psu. Everything else is planned to be modularly upgradable(ram/gpu etc).
Super excited and can't wait for everything to get here!
 
Delidding and rebuild complete!

Did a practice run on my Pentium G3258 that isn't being used anyway. Even after numerous soakings in alcohol theres still some lingering factory paste as you can see. Also, cotton swabs leave a ton of lint behind so be sure to use compressed gas or air to blow it away.
9RYWHUw.jpg

I put liquid electrical tape over the SMDs on the CPU substrate. Better safe than sorry. Initially is was worried because it goes on thick but when the solvent evaporates and it cures it shrinks up a lot.
Idle temps on the G3258 dropped a good bit. I didn't bother stress testing it because I don't have any Before delid measurements really.

With my new found confidence in delidding, I moved on to the i7-4790K.
The process went smoothly, the die is gigantic compared to the pentium. The stock paste was incredibly thin and even, it wasn't so much a paste but rather a rubbery solid. Though it's worth noting, the TIM under the IHS is not the same as the silicone thermal compound we're used to putting under heatsinks, it's meant to last for a decade or more. Also there's way more capacitors on the substrate of the 4790K. So I had to apply two coats of liquid electrical tape to sufficiently cover all of them. I let it cure for a few hours.
I put the lid back on with silicone adhesive and clamped it overnight using the relid tool in the Rockit Cool 88 delid tool. I used Thermal Grizzly Cryonaut thermal compound between the CPU IHS and the LP53 heat sink.

RESULTS

My i7-4790K (88W TDP) is at stock clocks, so 4ghz base and 4.4ghz all core turbo. I do have a slight undervolt of -0.04V so it maxes out at 1.16V vcore.

I ran the PassMark Performance Test V9 before and after at 20C ambient and saw a 10C drop in max temps from 87C to 77C. Synthetics always generate more heat and are unrealistic, but easily repeatable.
Before delidding my i7-4790K almost never went over 75C except in particularly cpu demanding games, and was more often around 68-70C because most games don't utilized the i7 beyond ~50%.
However, when I tested with a game that stresses the CPU, such as GTA V in a busy city area for about 20mins (one of the more cpu punishing games I have found), my max temps were only about 3-5C lower at 70-72C vs 75-77C before delid.


While this seems strange at first, you have to think about what delidding does to lower temps. It allows the heat produced by the cpu to pass more efficiently to the heatsink. It's not like the CPU is producing any less heat. So I think what happens during longer gaming sessions versus short synthetic tests is the heatsink becomes heat-soaked. Between the small volume of the case and the propensity of copper to absorb heat (from the cpu, or warm exhaust in the case) I think we're at a point of diminishing returns. The heatsink reaches equilibrium with heat input from the cpu and it's ability to output that heat to the air.

CPU fan RPM was about 200rpm lower after delidding, so theres that. I wouldn't have noticed if I didn't check. Also some of the temperature spikes I used to see during normal bursty workloads have smoothed out. But it was never bad before.

It is possible I didn't put enough Conductonaut liquid metal on, but everything I've seen in videos and forums suggests less is better. I have a feeling if it wasn't enough I'd be seeing crazy temps like 90C.

Verdict

Delidding is of little to no benefit in Sentry!
For most users interested in games for a couple hours at a time, it just doesn't make sense because the heatsink becomes saturated with heat. Unless you plan to use a notoriously hot CPU like a 7700K or 7600K, even then you may be better served by a minor undervolt while leaving clock speed intact. Also bear in mind delidding voids any warranty on your Intel CPU.
I was willing to try because my system is over 3 years old so it wouldn't be devastating if something went wrong. I'd just move to Ryzen if it was a total failure.

Did you also put the liquid metal on the IHS or just on the DIE? Did you clean off all of the rubber between the PCB and the IHS? Even more important than the quality of the TIM is the distance between the DIE and the IHS. That is why one should also just use very little slicone. Also one shouldnt use vinegar based silicone, it is harmful to the PCB. That being said: the biggest differences should be at higher temperatures. And the better the heat transfer between DIE and cooler is, the smaller the delta T, the more efficient air cooling gets. Did you use a constant fan speed for the test or a curve?
 
Did you also put the liquid metal on the IHS or just on the DIE? Did you clean off all of the rubber between the PCB and the IHS? Even more important than the quality of the TIM is the distance between the DIE and the IHS. That is why one should also just use very little slicone. Also one shouldnt use vinegar based silicone, it is harmful to the PCB. That being said: the biggest differences should be at higher temperatures. And the better the heat transfer between DIE and cooler is, the smaller the delta T, the more efficient air cooling gets. Did you use a constant fan speed for the test or a curve?

I removed all adhesive and TIM. I used several organic solvents to to remove every trace of residue from the die and ihs. I applied liquid metal to the die mostly and then a thin application to the approximate die area on the underside of the ihs. So the two should be making good contact. I applied the silicone adhesive with a 28 gage syringe. That's really tiny. I used a clamp overnight with quite a bit of pressure until the silicone adhesive cured. I used Thermal Grizzly Cryonaut between the ihs and lp53, according to several reviews its one of the best tims available. I left fan curve on 1.25x PWM setting in the bios so it will be the same rpm at a given temperature before and after delid. Short synthetic tests like Passmark had 10C better temps. The improvements in Delta-T isn't very good with prolonged loads though because I think the heatsink becomes saturated. There is less spikey temperatures now but once you keep it loaded for a while it's probably only 5C better. A heatsink works in both directions, as it is able to absorb more heat from the cpu, it gives that to the air which can then in turn transfer it back to the heatsink. Copper is extremely conductive and becomes saturated in a small case. Delidding works well when you have a liquid cooler or a big air cooler like a noctua NH-D15 that can absorb an excess amount of heat.
 
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What's the tallest HDD that can fit in the spots next to the mobo and the psu? I'm trying to fit the largest capacity possible.
 
What's the tallest HDD that can fit in the spots next to the mobo and the psu? I'm trying to fit the largest capacity possible.

I'd say 9mm thick 2.5in drives. I think there are some 2tb Seagate drives in that form factor. They may even by hybrid sshd's. Or if money is no object then there's the 4tb Samsung 850 Evo 2.5in SSD. Maybe Zombi or Saper can provide precise measurements. But just looking at my open case right now I don't see how a 12mm or thicker drive would work.
 
Yeah I've got the hybrid 2tb drive. Mostly got it for the 5yr warranty, tbh, which is impressive. Seagate recently released a 5tb 15mm 2.5" drive but that's compared to these other 2.5" ones being 7mm. 3tb, 4tb, and 5tb is 15mm, FYI.
 
A 5 year warranty is impressive. If you're interested in real longevity, HGST makes the longest lasting drives. Check out Backblaze hardware report. Hgst is usually the best, but quality has been slipping since the moment western digital acquired them. Unfortunately, AFAIK Hgst doesn't make capacities over 1.5tb in 2.5in. I have a bunch of their 1tb 7k1000 2.5in drives. They're great, haven't had a failure in many years of use.
 
I'd say 9mm thick 2.5in drives. I think there are some 2tb Seagate drives in that form factor. They may even by hybrid sshd's. Or if money is no object then there's the 4tb Samsung 850 Evo 2.5in SSD. Maybe Zombi or Saper can provide precise measurements. But just looking at my open case right now I don't see how a 12mm or thicker drive would work.

Yeah, I'd like to see some exact measurements to help decide what to put in.

Yeah I've got the hybrid 2tb drive. Mostly got it for the 5yr warranty, tbh, which is impressive. Seagate recently released a 5tb 15mm 2.5" drive but that's compared to these other 2.5" ones being 7mm. 3tb, 4tb, and 5tb is 15mm, FYI.

I was looking at the 5TB versions, but I'm afraid they probably won't fit.
 
I removed all adhesive and TIM. I used several organic solvents to to remove every trace of residue from the die and ihs. I applied liquid metal to the die mostly and then a thin application to the approximate die area on the underside of the ihs. So the two should be making good contact. I applied the silicone adhesive with a 28 gage syringe. That's really tiny. I used a clamp overnight with quite a bit of pressure until the silicone adhesive cured. I used Thermal Grizzly Cryonaut between the ihs and lp53, according to several reviews its one of the best tims available. I left fan curve on 1.25x PWM setting in the bios so it will be the same rpm at a given temperature before and after delid. Short synthetic tests like Passmark had 10C better temps. The improvements in Delta-T isn't very good with prolonged loads though because I think the heatsink becomes saturated. There is less spikey temperatures now but once you keep it loaded for a while it's probably only 5C better. A heatsink works in both directions, as it is able to absorb more heat from the cpu, it gives that to the air which can then in turn transfer it back to the heatsink. Copper is extremely conductive and becomes saturated in a small case. Delidding works well when you have a liquid cooler or a big air cooler like a noctua NH-D15 that can absorb an excess amount of heat.

That sounds quite reasonable. Maybe it is the Sentry then. In the Node 202 I finally decided to hang a 120 mm fan, (Noiseblocker NB-eLoop B12-PS, 120mm) atop the LP53, this really did do alot. It is quieter than the Noctua and it maybe the case that it helps dissipating the heat with the wider stream of air. Also this stream of air reaches most of the motherboard, something I find really necessary.

I always had a delta of around 15 K compared to the original TIM. Maybe a thin 120 mm fan could achive similar results in the Sentry. On the other hand I feel that in a tight enclosure 5 K are already nothing to sneeze at. Just compate it to the stock cooler, the L9i and finally the LP53 with the A9x14 and the delid. At some point you were destined to reach a point of deminishing returns. But as you mentioned yourself: the tinkering has some value on its own. You are in the US, right? Here in Germany it is really easy to find someone, who does the delidding, LM treatment, redlidding, bechmarking for you. Since Germany is not that big shipment is fast and cheap. Combined with price of less than 35 Euro for a new LP53, it is okay. As I mentioned I got mine combined with a A9x14 for 30 Euros shipped. So in total you might be able to get your LP53 with a proper fan and the delid including shipment for less than 60 Euro. And this in total will lower the temps to an extend.

EDIT: Maybe put the L9i on again and rebench your results of your LP53 vs L9i test. Taht would really be interesting how the L9i performs now.
 
That sounds quite reasonable. Maybe it is the Sentry then. In the Node 202 I finally decided to hang a 120 mm fan, (Noiseblocker NB-eLoop B12-PS, 120mm) atop the LP53, this really did do alot. It is quieter than the Noctua and it maybe the case that it helps dissipating the heat with the wider stream of air. Also this stream of air reaches most of the motherboard, something I find really necessary.

I always had a delta of around 15 K compared to the original TIM. Maybe a thin 120 mm fan could achive similar results in the Sentry. On the other hand I feel that in a tight enclosure 5 K are already nothing to sneeze at. Just compate it to the stock cooler, the L9i and finally the LP53 with the A9x14 and the delid. At some point you were destined to reach a point of deminishing returns. But as you mentioned yourself: the tinkering has some value on its own. You are in the US, right? Here in Germany it is really easy to find someone, who does the delidding, LM treatment, redlidding, bechmarking for you. Since Germany is not that big shipment is fast and cheap. Combined with price of less than 35 Euro for a new LP53, it is okay. As I mentioned I got mine combined with a A9x14 for 30 Euros shipped. So in total you might be able to get your LP53 with a proper fan and the delid including shipment for less than 60 Euro. And this in total will lower the temps to an extend.

EDIT: Maybe put the L9i on again and rebench your results of your LP53 vs L9i test. Taht would really be interesting how the L9i performs now.

That's not a bad idea on the nh-l9i vs lp53. Maybe if I have time this coming weekend I'll see how the nh-l9i performs now.
 
I was thinking, now that I've assembled and disassembled my Sentry PC about a dozen times, if there is ever a Sentry V2.0, it would be nice to have a removable motherboard tray/cover in the bottom of the case for easy access to m.2 and cpu cooler mounting screws on the back of the motherboard. I know it would be difficult with the case exterior itself being structural rather than a thin steel sheet over a frame like most cases. And it would require careful planning and design on the side of aesthetics for those that use the case in the vertical orientation. But nonetheless I think a removable motherboard backplate could greatly enhance the end user serviceability of their pc once it's installed in the case. Zombi, Saper, is this plausible for a future Sentry refresh? (in a hypothetical world where there is a sentry V2 of course ;))
 
I was thinking, now that I've assembled and disassembled my Sentry PC about a dozen times, if there is ever a Sentry V2.0, it would be nice to have a removable motherboard tray/cover in the bottom of the case for easy access to m.2 and cpu cooler mounting screws on the back of the motherboard. I know it would be difficult with the case exterior itself being structural rather than a thin steel sheet over a frame like most cases. And it would require careful planning and design on the side of aesthetics for those that use the case in the vertical orientation. But nonetheless I think a removable motherboard backplate could greatly enhance the end user serviceability of their pc once it's installed in the case. Zombi, Saper, is this plausible for a future Sentry refresh? (in a hypothetical world where there is a sentry V2 of course ;))

I was thinking about the same when we were doing those cooler tests during campaign, but making this stealthy would be a pain to design and manufacture. We could try making those access panels part of the aesthetic, but it would end up looking less classy than how it looks now.

Also from layout perspective we would have to figure out the best position for threaded bushings so we won't possibly interfere with any components mounted on the bottom of the board and that is also quite hard part. Otherwise it would mean rising the motherboard and reducing the max height of the cooler and memory modules.
 
Will you work on a V2 in general? Do you have enough feedback and notes that it itches you to go back to the drawing board?
 
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