Envy - Caselabs SMH10

Cxizent

New member
Hey guys, what's up?

So I've had ideas kicking around in my head long since six months ago, and I've started cobbling some parts together, so I figure now is probably a good time to start a project log.

If you'll bear with me, I'd like to wax lyrical about my thought process for a bit, and talk about my previous rigs and where I'm at now.

My first rig was a heap of garbage that I bought piecemeal from computer fairs around my city. It was an AM2 socket, IDE cable nightmare in the most plastic case you could imagine, and I all but literally threw the hardware in. I thought it was the coolest:rolleyes:

A while after that, I built my current rig (please don't look it up in the rig gallery :(), this time from mostly online retailers, with a few bits salvaged from my first one. I'd learned a few things from my first build - fans and airflow mattered, aesthetics played a part, I needed a window, and green LEDs = good.

Which brings me to a few months ago when I found OC3D. I'd had vague ideas of what I wanted my next rig to be for a while, but nothing concrete. It was to be in a Cosmos II, because Coolermaster amirite. It was to have all Koolance watercooling, because bay/res combos are totally rad.

Poring over the project logs, the rig galleries, and TTL's videos really opened my eyes as far as rig design went. Without wanting to sound gushy, I really have learned a lot about how far rig design can be taken, and how anal you can get about details :lol:

So it caused me to pause and think. I changed my mind about a lot of things, a lot of times, and eventually came to the concept that I have now.

Both my previous rigs were called "ph34r", because when you're fourteen that is just the coolest shit ever. I wasn't sure what to name this next foray into building, the latest in my line of green machines - I wanted to keep a trend going if at all possible, and I wanted something snappy that fit with my green colour scheme.

My fellow forumgoers, this is Envy.

Now, enough of my chinwagging!

Components:
M/B: Gigabyte G1 Sniper
CPU: Haswell i7 4770k
RAM: 16 GB Corsair Dominator Platinum 1866
GPU: 2x GTX 780
SSD: 2x Samsung EVO 500 GB, RAID 0
PSU: Seasonic Platinum 860W (going to be sleeved in MDPC toxic green)
Case: Caselabs SMH10, Standard ATX, windowed back panel.

Watercooling:
Radiators: 1x Hardware Labs SR-1 480mm, 1x Alphacool NexXxos Monsta Full Copper 360mm
CPU Waterblock: Leaning towards the Koolance 380i, but haven't fully committed yet (like a few things, actually :()
GPU Waterblocks: 2x Swiftech Komodo NV GTX 780 waterblock
M/B Block: EK have a block in the pipeline for the Sniper 5, which is actually one of the things that pushed me over the edge in going for this board. So, waiting on that!
Pumps: 2x Alphacool D5 vario (Dual loops! I've always wanted to do this :D)
Pump tops: 2x Alphacool HF D5 TOP Black Acetal G1/4
Reservoirs: 2x Alphacool Alphacool Cape Corp Coolplex Pro 25 LT
Tubing: Primochill rigid acrylic 1/2" OD
Fittings: Primochill rigid ghost anodized black (not sure if actually anodized, but anyway...)
Fans: 120mm Corsair SP Quiet Editions
Flow Indicators: PrimoChill Vortex Black POM Flow Indicator Clear
Coolant: One loop will be running Mayhems pastel green, the other will be running Mayhems black.


Time for some Case photos!

Straight up huge box

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Seriously guys what the hell I only have so much table

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Oh boy oh boy oh boy

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Never in my wildest dreams did I anticipate being sent a nutrunner, too.

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I must have checked that I didn't miss any screws like twenty times

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I don't think I'll be using the drive cages, but I was still super impressed with them

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I thought it was cool how they put vibration dampening on the mechanical drive cage, but not the SSD cage

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Power angle showing off the radiator mounts

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I has feets

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Does this make me a case building pro now?:cool:

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Thanks for checking it out! Next up: radiators and fans and test fitting (Oh my!)

 
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wow, that's a nice looking piece of case right there...

What'd that set you back total delivered?

I got to looking at the caselabs site the other night and the more I look the more I want to open my damn wallet :'(
 
wow, that's a nice looking piece of case right there...

What'd that set you back total delivered?

I got to looking at the caselabs site the other night and the more I look the more I want to open my damn wallet :'(


Heaps more than I should have spent :) all up it was $770USD delivered to Aus. I was fretting a bit the moment after the transaction went through, but honestly the moment I opened the box all doubt left my mind. The case is phenomenal, and the service is absolutely flawless. Would thoroughly recommend!
 
Wow yeah the wallet is staying shut for the time-being.. lol

Look forward to the rest of the build!
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Radiators and Fans and Test fitting (oh my!)

Well, over the past few days I've been tinkering about and trying to make sure that everything comes together nicely when the time comes to start mounting things. Unfortunately I can't get a hold of the Primochill silicon bending tube in Australia at the moment, so this weekend I way well go out to Bunnings or something and see if I can't find some comparable fuel line.

Anyway, some more happy snaps for you, starting with a goodie box!

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And this one full of fans and one really giant bubble wrap bubble!

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Now, my plan was to get the white ring from the Corsair SPs (and the lonely AF) and spray them green. You would not believe the difficulty I had tracking down green spray paint, good grief. Went through wholesalers, paint stores, suppliers, hardware stores, until finally I found a can in the perfect colour at an independent art supply store! So, you know, support local business :p

Unfortunately, after all that, the bloody stupid can was a dud and didn't fire :cussing: so I'm waiting a week until their next order comes in. Still, here's a happy snap.

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The family all gathered for a group shot! I wasn't intending to get the PWM model, but it turned out to be cheaper buying in bulk than the three pin kind. Probably not going to use them on any kind of controller or PWM header, but still, I have that option now.

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Primochill vortex! I saw one of these being used in
Akira 749's Ergo Proxy build, and knew I had to have them. I drew a fair bit of inspiration from his build, you guys should check it out:
http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/foru...-ergo-proxy-water-cooled-case-labs-smh10.html

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The two of them, showing off all the options I have, port-wise. Probably not going to be running an LED in these, although an LED holding plug was provided.

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Gosh these fittings are sexy :D

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Seriously!

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The two reservoirs I'll be employing! I would have liked to have used the XSPC photons, but they were just too wide for what I wanted. That being said, I'm certainly not disappointed in these ones! I'll have to paint over the copper plugs at some stage.

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Case with both radiators test fit (don't mind the blue rings :p)

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Monsta rad takes up a bit of space. Again, I'll have to cover/paint/remove that copper sticker on the side. On top of that, it's not straight :(. Not sure whether to paint it green, actually. I think it could be quite striking.

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Width comparison between the reservoir mounting bracket and the flow meter. There's a tiny bit in it, but not much! These will look sweet with the reservoirs :D

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Apologies for the picture quality here, the camera was freaking out at all the black. This is my basic idea for how the reses and the meters will be mounted; I'm fairly sure that I'll be fine have a flow meter between the res and the pump on the right, but I'll really test that out before everything gets finalised. At this stage, the black coolant will be on the left, and green on the right; I reckon that will help spread the colour throughout the case, and break it up a bit from the motherboard area.

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Using my AF to see how much room will be behind the SR-1 :p didn't want to run back upstairs and open the last four SP boxes. Oodles of room down here.

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The basic idea I'm working with is that each res will have a tube drop straight down through the midplate, and the two pumps will be stationed down in this compartment. Each pump will (eventually) then send a tube up behind the tray the reservoirs are mounted on, seeing as there's so much damn room here. I think it will help add interest to the rear of the tray, especially seeing as I have a windowed back panel!

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Well, that's it for now! Now I just have to sit back and wait for more orders to arrive. Once the pumps arrive with the PSU, I'll put in my order with MDPC-X for some sleeve, then I'll have something to keep my hands from being idle for a while :p

Thanks for looking!
 
Wohoo, SMH10 build!
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Haha, and don't be too ashamed of your earlier efforts, I once used gold spray paint on
some fans back in the day. Yeah... :rolleyes:

but honestly the moment I opened the box all doubt left my mind.

Same here, I was almost giddy when I was opening that box (almost, I don't get giddy, I only
get a bit less reserved :lol: ).

Wow yeah the wallet is staying shut for the time-being.. lol

Nononono, you must join us in the light! :lol:


And good to see Ergo Proxy here. I really like that build, too.
 
Hey Cxizent , Nice looking case and build so far.
From what you described this will be a very nice system , and a bit expensive too.
But you can't go wrong with a CaseLabs case.
It will be nice to see how you personalize and finish this build.
 
Nononono, you must join us in the light! :lol:

Believe me I'd love to but I can't fund the shipping costs on one of these. It's making me think above going back to my since-retired Lian-li case though.. that I will admit.
 
Believe me I'd love to but I can't fund the shipping costs on one of these. It's making me think above going back to my since-retired Lian-li case though.. that I will admit.

Don't they have subsidized shipping when you buy a new case now? But yeah, shipping to
Switzerland was USD 150, I doubt it's going to be cheap even with their subsidy program.

But the heart wants what the heart wants. The wallet can do nothing but bleed until it's empty. :lol:
 
Don't they have subsidized shipping when you buy a new case now? But yeah, shipping to
Switzerland was USD 150, I doubt it's going to be cheap even with their subsidy program.

But the heart wants what the heart wants. The wallet can do nothing but bleed until it's empty. :lol:

Dude if my mrs ever sees what you've posted here today, I'll be sure to tell her that's the reason I will own a 4th empty case :P

I hate you right now. (not really)

What's this subsidy thing you're talking about that's making me want one even bloody more.
 
Dude if my mrs ever sees what you've posted here today, I'll be sure to tell her that's the reason I will own a 4th empty case :P

I hate you right now. (not really)

What's this subsidy thing you're talking about that's making me want one even bloody more.

Ah the Mrs., everlasting voice of reason (well, I'm hoping, at least, somebody needs
to be :lol: ).
I only have one empty case at the moment (a disassembled Lian Li PC-343B ).

As for the subsidized shipping, I'll just quote an excerpt from their announcement
on that one:

[...]

For example: a fully loaded STH10 can be shipped to most of Europe for under $60.00 (flat-packed).

Rates apply to new case purchases only - pedestals and parts orders do not qualify. Most accessories ship for no extra charge if ordered with a case, so bundle up for even more savings.

[...]

Specific countries included in this promotion: Austria, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom

This program may be terminated at any time without prior notice.

That's 90 bucks less than I paid, I could have bought a nice piece of copper with
that money... :rolleyes:
 
Oh that's cool.. but still, stop it!! :(

I believe my li li is a PCG70B.. very tempted to retrieve and repurpose it.. As much as I like the switch, it's just not in the same league of build quality...
 
Oh that's cool.. but still, stop it!! :(

I believe my li li is a PCG70B.. very tempted to retrieve and repurpose it.. As much as I like the switch, it's just not in the same league of build quality...

Yup, Caselabs are something else in that regard. Although despite the PC-343B being
rather flimsy, the big tower for my dad's work PC (don't know which model) is actually
pretty solid as well. Not CL solid, but solid.

im getting this tattoo'd, possibly the greatest and the most accurate as well as emotional thing i've ever read/seen/heard in my life :lol:

Haha, I aim to please. :D
 
Looks good, will keep an eye on the thread!

Thanks! Hopefully I don't disappoint :p it'll be a bit of a learning process.

I love any and all Case Labs products, especially monsters like this one. I'm in too!

I know, right?! I was SO sold on the Coolermaster Cosmos II, but the more that I looked, the less it held up. I was really nervous that the SMH10 wouldn't be Coolermaster build quality, but holy shit, CaseLabs are on a whole nother level. Monster really is the right word for it!
 
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