MangaPC my re-entry into desktop PC gaming

So I finally decided to build another desktop PC after selling all of my old parts to get a gaming laptop last year, as I wanted to have something to play games on and also do college work on (I study computer games development), so I bought some parts online and ended up with this at first:







But then I decided that I wanted to get a better case and ended up buying myself a nice second hand(ish) corsair air 540

so after it arrived I took it out of the box






So obviously I set about putting the parts inside the case. I don't have pics of the process of putting the parts in the case, so I only have finished pics just now. Here's the back side:




And here's the front side:






Specs are:

• CPU - i7 920 D0 currently at stock due to the cooler
• Motherboard - EVGA x58 SLI3
• RAM - 6GB OCZ Reaper 1866mhz
• GPU - Zotac reference GTX 570
• PSU - BeQuiet! 630w modular
• Hard drive - Just a generic 7200rpm 500gb HDD just now (this will be upgraded)

Yes I do have a Blu-ray drive, I'm gonna leave it in at first in order to decide if I want to keep it in or not.

What I plan to do:

• Add at least another 570 or upgrade the graphics to a better single card
• Watercool the CPU
• Watercool the graphics card(s)
• Replace the HDD with all SSDs as I crave silence

I plan on having two rads in the watercooling loop, one being a 360mm and the other one being a 280mm/240mm rad.

I also plan on running the CPU and graphics card(s) in parallel with each other, as in my mind I can create a cleaner loop this way.

The colour scheme for this build will probably either be black and orange or black and purple.

I've still to think of ideas as to how I'll incorporate an anime/manga theme into the project, but I really want to do it somehow.

Looks really nice and tidy.
Shame about the big hole in the roof, BUT, as you said you plan on going underwater so that will be rectified.
Really nice

oh I forgot to say about that, I have the panels on, I just forgot to put them on for that pic

KiiYzOo said:

oh I forgot to say about that, I have the panels on, I just forgot to put them on for that pic

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Another case that's on my "to do" list lol.
Nice and tidy look indeed but that was to expect since all the wire mess is located at the back, lucky you hehe.

If i may give some advice / what i would upgrade for you current setup:
- get better case fans since stock fans of ANY case brand are a joke really
- get a new GPU with a good dual fan cooler on it like a asus directCU 2
- get a H100(i) watercooler for the CPU to allow overclocking and keep nice temps.
You will be surprised how much less heat a H100(i) alone will create compared to a CPU aircooler.

Doing just that will make ur rig cool n' quiet just as you would like it ^_^
Not saying you can't do a custom water loop, but money-wise it might be something you want to try out.

Jezz, whod be selling a second hand air 540, sure its only out a few months!

Thanks xeno

TBH, the stock fans are actually pretty nice, although I plan on getting some new ones possibly some of the new corsair led ones

I'll just have to decide on the cooling side of things when I have money, but I am currently thinking full watercooling


The case was a return with a couple of things broken/missing, they weren't very major though, so I'm happy with it

I would want to watercool a 290 and your i7 920 in your case. Unless the software you use strictly prefers Nvidia.

Looks alot better than the fist one grats on a nice case. If I had the extra $$ laying about I'd snag one for a future build.

Conchubair said:

Jezz, whod be selling a second hand air 540, sure its only out a few months!

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I said the same thing when I scored my Enthoo Primo second hand

NeverBackDown said:

I would want to watercool a 290 and your i7 920 in your case. Unless the software you use strictly prefers Nvidia.

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Well as far as I know, none of the software that I use prefers nvidia so I'd either get a GTX 770 or a 290 or just go sli

I just tend to lean towards nvidia myself

KiiYzOo said:

Well as far as I know, none of the software that I use prefers nvidia so I'd either get a GTX 770 or a 290 or just go sli

I just tend to lean towards nvidia myself

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Well a 770 vs a 290 isn't much of a fair fight. The 290 easily wins.
Xfire 290s underwater vs 770 SLI underwater makes it even worse for the 770.

If the software prefers OpenGL over CL then Nvidia is the leader in that respect. If it prefers OpenCL AMD literally shits on Nvidia even with a 7870(beats a titan if i recall)

NeverBackDown said:

Well a 770 vs a 290 isn't much of a fair fight. The 290 easily wins.
Xfire 290s underwater vs 770 SLI underwater makes it even worse for the 770.

If the software prefers OpenGL over CL then Nvidia is the leader in that respect. If it prefers OpenCL AMD literally shits on Nvidia even with a 7870(beats a titan if i recall)

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By sli I meant sli 570s, and I know the 290 would win against the 770, but there's also a price difference, albeit not a huge one