README.md
A recent PC build for homelabbing, virtualization & gaming. A modest ATX mid-size tower build, with an intel LGA1700 socket mb. I built it in less than 48 hours.
Upgrade path: in 3-5 years upgrade to an Intel 13th gen i7 or i9 CPU along with a new gpu if needed. I may have to replace power supply for one with more watts, depending on how much power the new cpu and gpu require.
1) Hardware Components:
12th gen Intel core i5-12400 cpu
nvidia geforce RTX 3070ti
corsair rgb 120mm x1 fan
EVGA Super Nova 750 watt, 80 Plus Gold rating
Cooler Master Hyper 212 cpu heat sink air cooler
Corsair Vengeance RGB pro 32gb (2x16gb) DDR4 RAM
Corsair 4000D Airflow tempered glass case, mid-tower atx form factor
MSI z690 Edge Wifi DDR4 Gaming Motherboard
Noctua nf-p12 redux 120mm case fan x1
corsair SP140 RGB pro, 2x 140mm fans
Samsung 970 EVO SSD 2TB NVMe M.2 slot
Noctua thermal paste for CPU heat sink
hyper X alloy origins mechanical keyboard
Windows 11 OS
GPU in photo replaced with an nvidia 3070ti.
- Started build
- Started with case. Removed both default 120mm default fans. Installed 2x 140mm fans in front-side panel for air intake. Installed 2x 120mm exhaust fans: one on the back-side and one on top. Nice air path through chassis.
- The 4000D case has great airflow on all sides of the chassis. The top has a magnetic filter screen that you can keep or remove (I remove it when PC is on because I have top exhaust fan, put it back on when PC is off to keep unnecessary dust out). Stores nicely underneath tower.
- Researched all the right header pins on mb to confirm all components were matched to correct headers. I wanted a WiFi enabled mb because my apartment is small and router is close by. Good WiFi performance with it and no need for me to have any direct ethernet connection right now. MB has many slots and features.
7)Unpacked mb, read instructions to make sure I didn't miss anything. Inserted the intel cpu, applied thermal paste in a 5-dot pattern, mounted heat sink. (I forgot to take photos of paste)
My cpu temp has been running nice, low temperatures when under load, so everything should be working as intended.)
- Screwed heatsink onto motherboard after applying paste.
- Attached the clip-on 120mm fan to the side of the heat sink, intaking air from case and blowing through the metal fins, exhausting the air directly into the airflow path of the rear case fan. With the clip-on fan attached to the heatsink, I can use 3 of 4 RAM slots. If I ever need the 4th RAM slot closest to the cpu, I'll need to remove the heatsink fan, which would be probably be fine given the good airflow already.
- Installed the GPU (although I later replaced with a different one, as well as more cable management to clean up case interior). Properly connected all power cables to power supply that resides in lower case compartment. Booted up power and UEFI/BIOS to check integrity.
- Cable Management. This case like many others recently have nice side enclosed panel to direct cable/cord flow to the side compartment, minimizing how many wires are clogging up the interior motherboard space.
13)Replaced rear default black fan with a rgb 120mm fan.
- Installing nvidia 3070ti. Solid mid level current gpu with plenty of graphics power for what I need.
- Customized my fans curve in UEFI. Minimized fan speeds as much as possible during idle/low usage. Goal is to make fans last as long as possible and decrease noise. The fans run around 600rpms when cpu is idle and range up to 1200rpm when under load. Creating balanced airflow from intake to exhaust, I customized curves to make sure there was a slightly higher intake than exhaust if anything. Nice and balanaced. Avoiding negative airflow.
- Build finished. The manufacturers make home PCs so easy to install these days, they almost build themselves. Definitely simpler building than when I was a young kid. Now I can virtualize and begin homelabbing IT support software tools. PC has extra ports, compartments, storage area for drives, mb slots for more RAM, more M.2 slots. Build went smoothly. Now on to the next project! Here are extra color combinations with RGB. But sometimes little or no RGB is best... (Thanks for reading and visiting my new github) | PC was build in March 2023
