Preparing for a build in Lian Li PC-Q10

[LongJan]

Usage: World of Warcraft 1440p, online poker, photo editing (Lightroom/Gimp), browsing and the usual stuff...

ASUS Z170I Pro Gaming with I5-6600. CPU-cooler is no problem, even a Noctua NH-U12S (Scythe Kotetsu is not available) will probably fit, but I think the smaller U9S will be better looking through that window and still be inaudible.

The big question is suitable combination PSU / GPU. The picture below is from SPCR review of this case on which I have done some rough measurements.



Corsair SF450 + MSI GTX 950 Gaming (27cm) will fit for sure
Corsair RM550x + Asus GTX750TI (20cm) will also fit for sure
Corsair RM550x + MSI GTX 950 Gaming maybe... nah... wouldn't bet on it

GTX750TI is enough for my current usage but I already own the GTX950 and maybe some day I want to hand over this thing to somebody that do more gaming so it would be nice with space for a 27cm GPU. I am tempted to give the small Corsair SF450 a try, but this graf from Toms scares me a bit...



Though this one from the swedish site Sweclockers looks better

A jump from 0 to 1000 rpm at less than 50W load seems a bit strange. Must be because they are testing in a hotbox. Sweclockers do their tests in open air. In my case I will have negative air-pressure (fans back and top) and a constant flow of fresh air through the PSU. Hopefully PSU fan will never start. But if/then it does it will start suck perhaps not hot but still warm air from inside, so maybe I should turn PSU-fan the other way around, making PSU an intake in all situations.

[edh]

You might want to take a look at the system in my signature. It's a similar config (same motherboard) in something even smaller. Are you absolutely set on the Lian Li?

a Noctua NH-U12S (Scythe Kotetsu is not available) will probably fit, but I think the smaller U9S will be better looking through that window and still be inaudible.

If you have space for a big tower cooler, use it. I don't think entirely inaudible would be possible with a 92mm cooler as you will start getting higher fan speeds. I know aesthetics are a personal thing but I'd think the U9S would look a bit weedy in there. That motherboard does work well with a Scythe Ninja 4 if you can get one - the rear fan will almost perfectly line up with the rear of the CPU cooler. You can mod the mounting hardware a bit if you want to move it even closer.

I'm not sure a 270mm graphics card is so suited for building in a MiniITX case. Even if your sums do add up, getting it in there with all of it's cabling may not be ideal. As you are considering getting a new card anyway instead of the existing card you have, there are plenty of 170mm long mid range cards nowadays. There are even GTX 1070 cards that are this size. Compromising the rest of the system to especially put in a bigger card may give headaches.

[CA_Steve]

but this graf from Toms scares me a bit...

The ambient temp in that graph is 36 to 45C....look at the next graph down with 28 to 30C ambient. By lowering the ambient, the 25dB point shifts from ~175W to over 300W. More in line with SWEclockers. That said, there's no placement in the PC-Q10 that allows the intake fan access to outside air...it either faces the mobo or the closed case wall.

Also, WoW Legion can increase the gfx load if you want improved features/textures. I'm running the Beta with a GTX 760 (same performance as the GTX 950) at 1080p and had to turn a few details down from Ultra to maintain 60fps. Maybe you've already tested this with the pre-patch.

[edh]

That said, there's no placement that allows the intake fan access to outside air...it either faces the mobo or the closed case wall.

This is a good point actually. Worse still if you have the rear fan acting as an exhaust you will get it fighting against the PSU fan, not great for cooling. You could reverse the rear case fan to be an intake or you could use a passive PSU so that air gradually is drawn through it from the top to the CPU cooler.

[Abula]

Also, WoW Legion can increase the gfx load if you want improved features/textures. I'm running the Beta with a GTX 760 (same performance as the GTX 950) at 1080p and had to turn a few details down from Ultra to maintain 60fps. Maybe you've already tested this with the pre-patch.

I say its time for MSI GTX1060 Gaming to enter Steve Legion adventure, 1st of September coincidence.... i see providence, thats the one.... my friend.

[phobus]

Has anyone tried rotating the CPU cooler so that it pushes air toward the top of the case, rather than the back? With the vented top panel on this case, I think it could work well. You could leave the PSU fan pointing toward the motherboard and it wouldn't be fighting the CPU cooler for air so much.

[CA_Steve]

I say its time for MSI GTX1060 Gaming to enter Steve Legion adventure, 1st of September coincidence.... i see providence, thats the one.... my friend.

Apparently, Abula's 2016 resolution is to pester me to buy a new gfx card.

[LongJan]

You might want to take a look at the system in my signature.

I have seen your Metis. It's very nice, but I want more airflow for the GFX card and I am no drill/dremel man.
No, I am not set on Lian Li. I could do with Fractal 500. However this time I feel for something special.. idk.. nice looking..

I don't think entirely inaudible would be possible with a 92mm cooler

It depends on how much load you put on it. In my current system I have a 65W I5 cooled by the tiny Noctua NH-L9i and after 2 1/2 years I still haven't heard it.

That said, there's no placement in the PC-Q10 that allows the intake fan access to outside air...it either faces the mobo or the closed case wall.

My bad english i am afraid. What I tried to say was that I will have both back and top case fans acting as exhaust and if I go for the SF450 I will open it up and reverse it's fan.
That way the PSU will always act as an intake, either the fan is idling or spinning.

Or I could reuse an old Seasonic X-460 fanless I have laying around but that one is also 160mm.

Yes, Legion seems to be fine with my GTX950 (turned down shadows a bit) but I think the GTX750 is out. Feels kind of stupid to buy a new worse card.

I say its time for MSI GTX1060 Gaming...

Or can we hope for a GTX1050 75W (two cables gone with m.2 and then yet another)?