ASUS Xtreme Design competition-

[kgtiger]

Well done Zad, you have really put a lot into a little box, bit of a shame the ram heat sink needed to be cut to size.
As to the photo/image I was unable to see before, it was the AutoTune feature screen shot. I can see it now.
Good luck with the comp, let us know how you go with it.

[zads]

...I think he did a great job, well done mate.

Thanks!
It is my first full custom case-design/build,
my first watercooling system,
and my first attempt at actual acrylic fabrication,
so I'm quite pleased that it has all come together nicely

Well done Zad, you have really put a lot into a little box, bit of a shame the ram heat sink needed to be cut to size.
As to the photo/image I was unable to see before, it was the AutoTune feature screen shot. I can see it now.
Good luck with the comp, let us know how you go with it.

Thanks kgtiger, I don't mind cutting the ram heatsink- they really aren't needed on DDR3 technology if you are running on Nehalem-level voltages (~1.65V).
And with the Core i5/i7 processor IMC, you don't need more RAM voltage for high speeds anyway,
unless maybe if you are doing a suicidal/WR overclock or something..?
Now I just need a good story if I ever have to return it for RMA/warranty replacement...

everything fits inside and probably works fine, but excuse me to say: it won't be a MDPC

Josk1, well a couple clarifications here:
1. What I meant to say that it is built, but it is still unfinished.
"White dwarf" still needs paint, the primary-level sponsors' stickers on it, wiring cleanup/shortening, spotlight LEDs, etc,.
Also, the front fan grilles will become a single piece mesh filter to keep out some dust and make it look better.
This is also why I haven't posted it in the Computer Cases forum- because its still a work in progress

2. I didn't build this to be an artistic case design,
from the beginning it was all about custom packaging and keeping a small footprint without sacrificing performance capability.
The car corollary is that I'm trying to build a Lotus sports car, not a monster truck.

3. I wanted to build something different and on my own design from the start, instead of modding an existing case.
I think you said it best yourself on your own gallery:

...but everyone does that!! and I don't like to have the same thing than others! that's supposed to be the first idea when you mod, isn't it?? ...

[zads]

Paint:
Added some gloss black spray paint for the front face area (which you will see in a Home theater environment),
pardon the tape still on there that's being used for masking...
looks like reflective 'piano black':


Her you can see the effect of putting gloss paint behind acrylic (painting the inside):
Notice how the paint in the foreground is glossy piano black,
in the background you can see the actual gloss black paint on the inside isn't as glossy,
but the clear acrylic adds a ton of depth and gloss to some cheapo Pep Boys automotive spray paint:



Wire management
Before
This system has 8x 128GB SSDs in it, so the power and signal cabling can get kind of out of hand-
the Antec stock SATA modular connectors used 3x cables and power connectors on the PSU to feed all 8 SSD drives:


After
Added some badly needed wire management;
Swapped the longer SATA cables (maybe 18" long) for some short 8" SATA cables,
Created a single modular PSU connector from the Antec modular connectors,
feeds 8 SATA power connectors that are perfectly spaced so that they actually hold the SSDs together without any wire slack between them:


Front face look after painting:
I put a piece of paper in front of the fans to mask the LED fans,
simulating (light-wise) how it will look after I put the black mesh foam filter in there;
It should have a back glow behind the filter, as well as some light seepage around the clear edges out of the bottom and top of the case.
It will keep the case from being too bright in your face,
while letting you know there's something powerful lurking in there:

[zads]

I did some idle power consumption tests using the ASUS Softwares,
using the Kill-a-watt power consumption meter (measures at the plug)


Baseline power consumption:
143 Watts

After adding EPU-6
(reduces Bclk and CPU voltage slightly more than Intel Speedstep):
137 Watts

After turning T.Probe to power savings mode
(uses 8 VRMs/voltage regulators under idle conditions, 32 VRMs under full load conditions):
133 Watts

After installing Smart Doctor v5.49, allows EPU-6 to control the video card power as well:
130 Watts

That's about a 9% decrease in idle power consumption,
just from ASUS software tuning using the Xtreme Hybrid Design technologies.

[zads]

Amazing how a 65" HDTV can still make a new 50" Plasma look small...