tiagojcp
New member
Hi guys,
This is the history of my rig.
Back in 2011 my brother wanted a desktop pc, so instead of buying the cheapest thing available, he got mine, and that gave me an excuse to buy a new system.
I kept the case, a Cooler Master ATCs 840 (still my favourite case) and bought the following components:
i5 2500k
MSI P67A GD65
4GB Gskill 1600MHz
2x Radeon 6950 (flashed bios to 6970)
Cooler Master Silent Proo 850w
Zalman CNPS 10x
In 2012 I got tired of the Zalmans noise to keep low temps when in load, and bought a Corsair H100. Until February 2013 and after many cosmetic changes to the case and components, my pc looked like this (all pictures taken with Nokia N97, sorry):

After a failed bios update, I replaced the GD65 for an Asus Maximus IV Extreme (dual bios and more space between graphics cards). So until August, this was my pc:

This summer I got REALLY tired of the graphics cards noise. So I had two options: Buy a new one with a silent cooler, or watercool the system.
I have so many older games to play (steam deals and stuff), that I don't need more graphycs power for a couple of years so... watercooling!!!
My rule was - As cheap as possible but with good looks, so this is what I came up with:
Phobya Balancer 250 silver nickel
2x Watercool HEATKILLER® GPU-X³ 69X0
6x Swiftech Helix fan PWM
Phobya CPU-Cooler UC-2 LT Silver
12x 13/10mm (10x1,5mm) compression fitting outer thread 1/4
Phobya DC12-400
2x Phobya G-Changer 360 Ver. 1.2 Black
The case had to be modded in order to fit two 360 rads, but isn't painted because I don't have a wide and dust free and cat free space to do it. So here are some pictures of the final product.


I wanted to put my 3 hdd in the 5.25 bays with some adapters, but I couldn't get then on time, so I used the bottom fan holes to hold them in place with screws and foam tape to reduce the vibration.
I don't have any lights for now. The CPU block as four holes for 3mm leds, so in the future I may try some in white.


I was planning to have the DVD drive as external, because I only use it to rip CDs (to flac) and play Morrowind, but since I found a better place for the HDDs, I've put it in the case. The bay covers are from the CM Storm Stryker.

SDDs love double sided tape.

The desk: WetSandyBeast, Dell U2713hm, Ozone Stryke keyboard (cherry mx black, portuguese layout), Steelseries Diablo III (Sensei) mouse with 8 year old Qck mouse mat, Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HD soundcard and Grundig CRT TV remote.
Hope you liked it, and sorry for the low quality photos. Any questions, please ask.
This is the history of my rig.
Back in 2011 my brother wanted a desktop pc, so instead of buying the cheapest thing available, he got mine, and that gave me an excuse to buy a new system.
I kept the case, a Cooler Master ATCs 840 (still my favourite case) and bought the following components:
i5 2500k
MSI P67A GD65
4GB Gskill 1600MHz
2x Radeon 6950 (flashed bios to 6970)
Cooler Master Silent Proo 850w
Zalman CNPS 10x
In 2012 I got tired of the Zalmans noise to keep low temps when in load, and bought a Corsair H100. Until February 2013 and after many cosmetic changes to the case and components, my pc looked like this (all pictures taken with Nokia N97, sorry):

After a failed bios update, I replaced the GD65 for an Asus Maximus IV Extreme (dual bios and more space between graphics cards). So until August, this was my pc:

This summer I got REALLY tired of the graphics cards noise. So I had two options: Buy a new one with a silent cooler, or watercool the system.
I have so many older games to play (steam deals and stuff), that I don't need more graphycs power for a couple of years so... watercooling!!!
My rule was - As cheap as possible but with good looks, so this is what I came up with:
Phobya Balancer 250 silver nickel
2x Watercool HEATKILLER® GPU-X³ 69X0
6x Swiftech Helix fan PWM
Phobya CPU-Cooler UC-2 LT Silver
12x 13/10mm (10x1,5mm) compression fitting outer thread 1/4
Phobya DC12-400
2x Phobya G-Changer 360 Ver. 1.2 Black
The case had to be modded in order to fit two 360 rads, but isn't painted because I don't have a wide and dust free and cat free space to do it. So here are some pictures of the final product.


I wanted to put my 3 hdd in the 5.25 bays with some adapters, but I couldn't get then on time, so I used the bottom fan holes to hold them in place with screws and foam tape to reduce the vibration.
I don't have any lights for now. The CPU block as four holes for 3mm leds, so in the future I may try some in white.


I was planning to have the DVD drive as external, because I only use it to rip CDs (to flac) and play Morrowind, but since I found a better place for the HDDs, I've put it in the case. The bay covers are from the CM Storm Stryker.

SDDs love double sided tape.

The desk: WetSandyBeast, Dell U2713hm, Ozone Stryke keyboard (cherry mx black, portuguese layout), Steelseries Diablo III (Sensei) mouse with 8 year old Qck mouse mat, Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HD soundcard and Grundig CRT TV remote.
Hope you liked it, and sorry for the low quality photos. Any questions, please ask.