KoolanceGamer680
New member
CaseLabs Merlin SM8 Build: Black Mamba
I just rebuilt my system in a CaseLabs Merlin SM8. I also added a far more robust water cooling system than I was using previously. The pump I was using before was a Koolance RP985 bay mounted pump/res combo which was a huge mistake. Not only was the unit hard to fill and bleed, it emitted an extremely annoying humming noise even when ran at low speed. The Koolance PMP450S I am using now runs almost completely silent, pumps 10LPM more and looks much better than the RP985.
I was previously using a Corsair 650D case which I really liked, however, I quickly reached its limitations and decided to go with something slightly larger.
I chose CaseLabs primarily for the flexibility and expandability. I also really like the "industrial" look of their cases as I wanted something with the same clean lines and modern look of the Corsair 650D. I have always liked CaseLabs cases but found that there cases were a bit to large for my taste, that is until the Merlin SM8 came about. I really can't say enough good things about this company, they really have enthusiasts and water-cooling in mind when they design these cases.
My system specs are as follows:
Intel 2600k @ 4.7GHz
x2 GTX 680 SuperClocks @3105Mhz (SLI)
Asus P8Z77-V MOBO
Corsair FORCE SSD
Corsair HX850
Corsair Dominator 2133Mhz 16GB
Corsair Link Lighting Kit
Intel 300 Series 60GB SSD
Western Digital 1TB HDD
Creative Fata1ity Sound Card
My water cooling loop is as follows:
PMP450S @ 12v (17LPM) > BitsPower RAM Block > Koolance CPU block > XSPC AX480 > Koolance VGA + VGA (SLI)(Parallel config) > AX240 > 770ml reservoir
TEMPS: The ambient temp in my office is generally 25°C / 77°F.
The video cards running on full load will not break 40°C no matter what I do and the Intel 2600K runs between 55°C - 60°C. This was a significant drop in temperature from my previous configuration. The cards were usually at about 50°C and the CPU was between 65°C - 70°C.
THE PICS:
CaseLabs Merlin SM8 with a clear XL window. CaseLabs accidentally sent me a frosted window by mistake but quickly resolved the issue. I'm not sure why someone would want a frosted side panel window but to each his own I suppose.
Overview of the entire watercooling system. I was going for a very clean look with no overlapping tubes. I was able to achieve this by using a lot of compression fittings and BitsPower extensions.
The reservoir is 80mm OD by 200mm and holds 770ml of coolant. The entire system gulped down nearly 1400ml of coolant by the end. I really like the look of the cylindrical pump/res combo over the bay mounted pump/res combo.
I am using Corsair SP120 for the radiators, however, I generally run them at a low RPM to keep the noise low. The front fans are Cougar Hydro Dynamic Bearing Fans which I also run at a low RPM. The Akasa 6-channel fan controller controls all 9 fans on 3 channels.
Close up of my EVGA GTX 680 SuperClocked GPU's with Koolance blocks and backplates running in a parallel configuration. I decided to go with parallel for both better flow and aesthetics.
I love these video cards. They're easy to over clock, run cool, don't use much power and I am yet to have any issues with SLI. Also, Adaptive Vsync works perfectly and yet is seldom discussed.
The FlexBay system that CaseLabs has developed is genius. Enough said. You pay a little more up front for their cases but having the ability to bolt on additional space or completely change the layout and configuration is something no other company offers as far as I know.
Close up of my blue BitFenix Alchemy PCI-e extension cables. These are really well made and fairly priced sleeved extensions. It took a little bit of time to get these positioned like this but I think it really payed off in the end.
I spent a lot of time on the cable management in this build. I feel that I did a good job considering the amount of components that are behind the motherboard tray. I plan to sleeve every single cable on the PSU once my paracord arrives.
Finally the setup. I am currently only using a 1920x1200 25in Samsung monitor that is a few years old. Its a great monitor that has served me well. I am waiting for the 2560x1600 30in monitors to come down in price a bit.
Thanks for checking out the Black Mamba CaseLabs build. Special thanks to Koolance, CaseLabs, Corsair and EVGA for making such high quality products..
