SENTRY: Console-sized gaming PC case project

The backround: I'm looking for a case that is easy to transport, but sometimes I need to do very intensive computations fast.
I pre-ordered sentry, as it's the most mobile case that I was able to find, now I'm thinking if there's a way to mod it to get better cooling while not sacrificing much of portability.

Has anyone considered placing a bunch of presure optimized NF-F12 outside of the case blowing into the case? They can be easy to attach, remove.

Sure you can do that. Magnets would be simple, clean, and easy to remove. You can attach small strips around the fans with glue/epoxy and it should hold fine. Now I would like to ask, what specs do you plan on putting in the Sentry that would possibly warrant the need for fans on the side? If you have a LGA 115x socket I suggest picking up a LP53. It's a fantastic cooler for its socket size and form factor that Ej24 has tested as well as some folks over in the Dan case thread including dondan.
 
Sure you can do that. Magnets would be simple, clean, and easy to remove. You can attach small strips around the fans with glue/epoxy and it should hold fine. Now I would like to ask, what specs do you plan on putting in the Sentry that would possibly warrant the need for fans on the side? If you have a LGA 115x socket I suggest picking up a LP53. It's a fantastic cooler for its socket size and form factor that Ej24 has tested as well as some folks over in the Dan case thread including dondan.

Currently I have i7 7700k in my desk, but I'm waiting for Ryzen benchmarks to see if 1800X will be a better decision.

If the leaks are true it seems that 1800X would be better for my use-case, even more given that every bit of cooling would help XFR.
 
Looks like I have messed up and used the wrong prime95 version. I retested with a prime95 26.6 and maxed my 4770k at ~75C stock clocks and voltage. --> This is using the LP53 with the stock Fan.

Need to retest with the Noctua 92mm fan.
 
Someone said this a while back, but is it possible to under clock a CPU? I have a 6600k and I don't want to delid it as I would void the warranty. How much performance do I lose? I have a GTX 1070 FE, will underclocking my 6600k bottleneck that?
 
Someone said this a while back, but is it possible to under clock a CPU? I have a 6600k and I don't want to delid it as I would void the warranty. How much performance do I lose? I have a GTX 1070 FE, will underclocking my 6600k bottleneck that?

Given a motherboard that supports setting custom cpu voltage and multipliers, it is possible to reduce power consumption and heat emission by the cpu.

But how much would depend on every particular chip. It's not very uncommon to be able to under-volt cpu slightly without sacrificing any performance.

But I'd propose you to start with getting the best possible cooler.
 
Someone said this a while back, but is it possible to under clock a CPU? I have a 6600k and I don't want to delid it as I would void the warranty. How much performance do I lose? I have a GTX 1070 FE, will underclocking my 6600k bottleneck that?

I have an i7-4790K. Rarely see ridiculous temps with the LP53. Even with the nh-l9i you'll probably be ok. You'll probably be fine without an underclock or undervolt. The cpu should handle temperature spikes up to 90C periodically for moments, with sustained temps of 75C with no trouble. Our obsession with low temps is probably a bit overkill and unwarranted.
 
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So looking over at Frosty Tech's Top 5 Low Profile cooler list, they they have the "Evercool HPL-815" outperforming the NH-L9i, the Scythe Kozuti, and the Zalman CNPS2X. 45 mm tall, and their tests had it beating out the NH-l9i by 7 degrees. $25 on Newegg (sorry for the lack of links, first post here! )Curious to hear any one else's thoughts on it.

Looks like aluminum fins, so probably wont be beating the LP53, and their tests had the fan at 4000RPM so might not be the most quiet, but it is a lot cheaper tan the LP53+Noctua NF-A9x14...
 
So looking over at Frosty Tech's Top 5 Low Profile cooler list, they they have the "Evercool HPL-815" outperforming the NH-L9i, the Scythe Kozuti, and the Zalman CNPS2X. 45 mm tall, and their tests had it beating out the NH-l9i by 7 degrees. $25 on Newegg (sorry for the lack of links, first post here! )Curious to hear any one else's thoughts on it.

Looks like aluminum fins, so probably wont be beating the LP53, and their tests had the fan at 4000RPM so might not be the most quiet, but it is a lot cheaper tan the LP53+Noctua NF-A9x14...

I'll definitely do some reading up on this one. Thanks for the heads up.
 
So looking over at Frosty Tech's Top 5 Low Profile cooler list, they they have the "Evercool HPL-815" outperforming the NH-L9i, the Scythe Kozuti, and the Zalman CNPS2X. 45 mm tall, and their tests had it beating out the NH-l9i by 7 degrees. $25 on Newegg (sorry for the lack of links, first post here! )Curious to hear any one else's thoughts on it.

Looks like aluminum fins, so probably wont be beating the LP53, and their tests had the fan at 4000RPM so might not be the most quiet, but it is a lot cheaper tan the LP53+Noctua NF-A9x14...

Is this Evercool HPL-815 still in distribution? Because I can't find it anywhere and the company looks to have not updated their website since Sandy Bridge era.
 
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I read some reviews on newegg and through a google search most agree the fan needs to be replaced but that it can handle intel k processors and keep acceptable temps better than most low profile coolers. I have been looking at this cooler as well as the id cooling is40 pro with 4 heat pipes as well but seems to be only sold on eBay for this cooler :/
 
Fact, my C7 was an ok cooler, but it didnt run prime95 like anything my R15 now can:D
Hey! Quick question about the R15 since you obviously have had some experience with it. What kind of fan did you put on top of it? and how did you tie it down? Also, what kind of CPU do you have and what are your temps like idle/ under load?
 
has anyone tried mounting the Dynatron R15 (LGA 2011) on a LGA 1150 board/CPU?

Debating if R15 is much better than LP53
 
RosaJ has successfully mounted an R15 after replacing some capacitors on their board with shorter ones.

I attempted to mount an R15 on my z170i pro gaming, but was unsuccessful since the capacitors were just barely too tall to allow proper mounting pressure.

The largest problem with the R15 doesn't seem to be the difference in mounting, but that it has a completely flat base (whereas most 115x coolers have a small square base which lifts the cooler a few extra mm away from the cpu and any capacitors).

According to the specs though, it should be better than the LP53.
 
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What kind of fan did you put on top of it? and how did you tie it down? Also, what kind of CPU do you have and what are your temps like idle/ under load?
I used the C7's fan as it seats perfectly on the R15, it's slightly "snug" but can fall off if in a vertical position(probably, I haven't tried it). I plan on either demeling the sides of the R15 so the C7 will clip onto the cooler. Getting a noctua fan and using zip-ties/copper wire or a 3D printed bracket (Library has one so I've been self teaching atm) still haven't decided as I've been out of the country since I did the mod. I have a 95W i7-2600 non K/locked CPU that went from 98C with C7 to 64C. I've quoted my post on it below so you don't need to search. In the imgur gallery, the third image shows the C7 fan seated on top of the R15.

Creating a new post as the edit got me frustrated.

There is a tl;dr at the bottom.


Apologies for not getting back the edit, had a rough draft but when I went to post nothing showed up and got frustrated. (Probably a problem with using mobile and desktop at the same time)


Anyways the whole process took roughly 2 hrs total. (Prep, de-solder old caps, clean the holes, insert new caps, check for fit, solder new caps, clean, then finally install the new cooler) This process could have been done quicker; however, when I was removing the old caps, the factory solder was very tough to remove and when I went to pull them out the "stem" broke off and blocked the hole creating a pretty flat surface which was hard to remove. The install of the CPU cooler was super easy, it's not final yet as I'd like to get shorter screws in the future and may look into actually bending them in a slight S form, but not anytime soon. With the screws tightened the cooler is one with the mobo, while holding the cooler I gave the mobo a couple jiggles and received no rattle or looseness.


Pictured below shows the diagonal screws along with the new capacitors. I can't get a good photo of the gap between the base of the cooler and the top of the 6mm capacitor, but it's extremely close, not touching but maybe less than a mm.

DzsbtTl.jpg


Here are the before temps of running prime95 with fan at 100%. I had to stop the test after only 3 minutes when the CPU reached 98C as it was getting too hot for comfort. Used the Cryorig C7 CPU cooler.

WdMT8XD.png


Here are the after temps of running prime95 with the same fan at 100%. I stopped the test after 8 minutes as it stayed at 64C for a solid two mins. Used the Dynatron R15 CPU cooler.

M0c6m43.jpg


Too long, didn't read: Replaced mobo caps to fit a new cooler bringing temps from 98C to 64C.

Link to imgur gallery: http://imgur.com/a/lSE8L
 
I keep finding interesting heatsinks for these new 150-165W server processors. Right now I see a lot of buzz on 3D vapor chambers where the working fluid flows directly into the heatpipes rather than conducting through a metal interface - both Cooler Master and HP (Z series coolers) are starting to use this design. Somebody somewhere in the server has to have come up with a solution for high TDP in a 1.5U form factor... right? I bet I could throw some money at a random manufacturing shop on Alibaba to make it happen :p

It's almost like nobody else has tried to jam 130+ W of overclocked TDP into an SFF case before... guess I should just be sensible and settle for the R15 mod or hack in a nice AIO.

EDIT: Kinda wish someone was still making TEC chiller AIOs. Apparently there was a 250W unit that dissipated with a single 120mm fan :O http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/foru...-coolit-freezone-elite-cpu-cooler-review.html
 
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I keep finding interesting heatsinks for these new 150-165W server processors. Right now I see a lot of buzz on 3D vapor chambers where the working fluid flows directly into the heatpipes rather than conducting through a metal interface - both Cooler Master and HP (Z series coolers) are starting to use this design. Somebody somewhere in the server has to have come up with a solution for high TDP in a 1.5U form factor... right? I bet I could throw some money at a random manufacturing shop on Alibaba to make it happen :p

You've got to take into account the fact that both servers and HP/Dell workstations always have a lot of airflow which doesn't really exist in SFF cases. So even if the radiator is rated at 150W TDP for server, this doesn't mean that with one fan on top of it you will get same thermal efficiency.

It's almost like nobody else has tried to jam 130+ W of overclocked TDP into an SFF case before... guess I should just be sensible and settle for the R15 mod or hack in a nice AIO.

I think the biggest problem here is the fact that coolers aren't generally designed for small form factor cases and marketing teams of manufacturers usually state the cooler size as clearance without including the required clearance for the fan to be able to pull the air without starving.

Like for example R&D team start designing for ~50mm clearance and they end up with ~40mm cooler like NH-L9i or AR05 and after that the specs represent it as ~40mm clearance and NOT 50mm as they should.
 
New mini itx cards from MSI. May be able to fit the 4x drive mount or a fan at the end of the gpu bay. Maybe.

MSI Aero Mini itx
Looking at the pictures it appears to be wider than reference so it probably won't fit. The peg connectors will get in the way. I didn't look at the dimensions so I could be wrong.
 
New mini itx cards from MSI. May be able to fit the 4x drive mount or a fan at the end of the gpu bay. Maybe.

MSI Aero Mini itx

Looking at the pictures it appears to be wider than reference so it probably won't fit. The peg connectors will get in the way. I didn't look at the dimensions so I could be wrong.

184 x 144 x 40 mm including the bracket by MSI spec: https://www.msi.com/Graphics-card/GeForce-GTX-1070-AERO-ITX-8G-OC.html#hero-specification

Looks the same like gigabyte's 1070.... except this one will just sqeeze in.
 
I don't think so. 48mm is a stretch like I said before and 2 more mm won't fit. If that's the same nexus as the one that dondan was talking about, then it's 49mm without fan as he noted but it still won't fit. You'd end up with bending the motherboard too much after mounting the cover.
 
I don't think so. 48mm is a stretch like I said before and 2 more mm won't fit. If that's the same nexus as the one that dondan was talking about, then it's 49mm without fan as he noted but it still won't fit. You'd end up with bending the motherboard too much after mounting the cover.

Thanks SaperPL.

Already have an LP53 + Noctua fan.

About to test the C7 + Noctua fan (heard that this will have less noise than a stock C7 fan) -- not sure if this will achieve lower temps with slight noise penalty
 
Thanks SaperPL.

Already have an LP53 + Noctua fan.

About to test the C7 + Noctua fan (heard that this will have less noise than a stock C7 fan) -- not sure if this will achieve lower temps with slight noise penalty
After you finish testing this please post the results here! Would love to see...
 
i have another problem. no monitor below 20 inch in fhd resolution. I tried v56 universal with fhd 17" from my alienware with no succes. poor quality and strange sound from inverter like bzzzz :D samsung galaxy s7 has higher resolution in 5" why manufacturers don't make fhd monitors below 20 inch? i can go compromise to 1600x900 but i don't now are ps4/ps4 work with lower resolution than fhd. what do you think? any clue? :(
 
You've got to take into account the fact that both servers and HP/Dell workstations always have a lot of airflow which doesn't really exist in SFF cases. So even if the radiator is rated at 150W TDP for server, this doesn't mean that with one fan on top of it you will get same thermal efficiency.



I think the biggest problem here is the fact that coolers aren't generally designed for small form factor cases and marketing teams of manufacturers usually state the cooler size as clearance without including the required clearance for the fan to be able to pull the air without starving.

Like for example R&D team start designing for ~50mm clearance and they end up with ~40mm cooler like NH-L9i or AR05 and after that the specs represent it as ~40mm clearance and NOT 50mm as they should.

Yeah, but I'd still kill for a high dissipation SFF cooler. I'd rather wrestle with internal components then compromise on the case (sometimes needed on full size cases as well to add oversized watercooling radiators, tube cutouts, push pull configs, extra drive cages etc). Personally I'm still planning to try and fit dual slim 120s (one will be a PSU fan swap) so I just need a cooler that can actually dump the heat into all that airflow.
 
i have another problem. no monitor below 20 inch in fhd resolution. I tried v56 universal with fhd 17" from my alienware with no succes. poor quality and strange sound from inverter like bzzzz :D samsung galaxy s7 has higher resolution in 5" why manufacturers don't make fhd monitors below 20 inch? i can go compromise to 1600x900 but i don't now are ps4/ps4 work with lower resolution than fhd. what do you think? any clue? :(
If you find any solutions for this let me know. I am also looking for something cheap and decent under 20inch monitor that I can carry in my bag with. My biggest concern is not resolution but rather weather the monitor is thin, small, solid and can resist a minimal amount of shock and preferably that doesn't require outlet but I am fine if it does. So far the only decent monitor I found is the GeChic which has very nice reviews but its too expensive at 350$.
 
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i have another problem. no monitor below 20 inch in fhd resolution. I tried v56 universal with fhd 17" from my alienware with no succes. poor quality and strange sound from inverter like bzzzz :D samsung galaxy s7 has higher resolution in 5" why manufacturers don't make fhd monitors below 20 inch? i can go compromise to 1600x900 but i don't now are ps4/ps4 work with lower resolution than fhd. what do you think? any clue? :(

USB powered, hdmi connection. Seems like it would work for you. But you pay a premium for size.

Edit: Ah ninja'd by Rysen
 
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i have seen gechic but i have same conclusion it is cost too much :) maybe somobody will make indiegogo campaign with 17-19" inch full hd screen with hdmi and/or display port input. challange? :D
 
I'm really curious if the MSI 1070 would fit in the Sentry. I imagine that it would not, but if it would, then this will definitely be the card for my Sentry.
 
Would the nexus (50mm height w/o fan) fit in the sentry Case?

or at least force it to fit? :)

I don't think so. 48mm is a stretch like I said before and 2 more mm won't fit. If that's the same nexus as the one that dondan was talking about, then it's 49mm without fan as he noted but it still won't fit. You'd end up with bending the motherboard too much after mounting the cover.

Diverge Reported 45.5mm if you remove or flip the 2 black pieces that holds the fan

in here:https://hardforum.com/threads/dan-a...in-the-world.1799326/page-223#post-1042822101
low-7000_height.gif


qRQv4ry.jpg

67fabb5143.jpg
 
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A lot of people were asking about how to mount the LP53. See the attachments in the quote for some images of different ways of mounting the fan onto the LP53. User pagold posted the following in the dan's case forum.

Did you modify anything that adds height to the mobo or the heatsink? I have a C7 in my Dan A4 and have no trouble closing the sidepanel. Also a lot of guys on German forums installed C7s and I did not read of any problem..



Just registered to leave my two cents regarding this..
I switched the C7 stock fan for the Noctua A9x14 fan yesterday. After booting the pc I detached the sidepanel again to see if the fan was even spinning because I did not hear it..
Running Prime tests I only noticed a silent whisper. Nothing I would consider bothering and nowhere annoying like C7 stock. Temperatures rose about 3° but I don't have any problem with that.
Having seen/heard this I immediately canceled my orders of the NH-L9i and SST-AR05 as I am happy with both temps and noise of C7 heatsink + A9x14 fan.
Added test results for my Xeon E3-1230 v3 to Shaav's google doc.

About mounting the fan to the heatsink I found some examples on German forums:
zip ties:
View attachment 17084
wire:
View attachment 17085
nails :eek::
View attachment 17083
s-hooks + tension spring:
View attachment 17086
 
I think you didn't seat your C7 properly! I've got a 2600K myself, and with the C7 in the Dan case (with my 2600K @ stock), I only peaked at ~79C
What version of Prim95 did you use? I should have used 26.6, as new versions have been reported to burn up sandy bridge CPUs due to AVX or somethings (someone posted a great explanation somewhere). When I get back to the states I will be doing more tests with both coolers. They will be three 20 minute runs on each cooler taking the minimum, maximum, and avg temps that will be logged every minute. I'll run version 26.6 first and then see about doing my 28.10 version if need be (the version I used when I first installed the R15).

I've incorrectly seated the C7 before by having it oriented the wrong way and had idle temps around 74C. This only happened the one time and I promptly fixed it within minutes. I don't believe that was the root cause of my 98C temps.
 
What version of Prim95 did you use?
Just checked, I have version 28.10. Is our old Sandy Bridge chips even affected by the AVX torture test, I thought it was only AVX instructions on newer chips? Anyway, I ran Prime95 28.10 small FFT test for 20 minutes inside my Dan A4 case and it peaked at 79C, maybe you have a poor 2600, or I have a good 2600k, just surprised to see your max temp so much higher than mine when mine should be higher! :)
 
Just checked, I have version 28.10. Is our old Sandy Bridge chips even affected by the AVX torture test, I thought it was only AVX instructions on newer chips? Anyway, I ran Prime95 28.10 small FFT test for 20 minutes inside my Dan A4 case and it peaked at 79C, maybe you have a poor 2600, or I have a good 2600k, just surprised to see your max temp so much higher than mine when mine should be higher! :)
Weird, then I'm not sure why then, I'll have to put it back on and run the test again. According to intel, stock 2600 and 2600k are both 95W.
 
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