J7SC_Orion

...same here. On the other hand, I never had any issues with EK Nickel flaking. Also, EK is quite specific about what cleaners and fluids not to use. Finally, a 3090 owner with a new Bykski block showed some Nickel flaking after only a short use time...actually had the shape of a finger tip imprint. In short, it's all a bit of a crap-shoot EDIT: ...push/pull fans for the little desk build are mounted and ready to go (well, the rest of the PC is not mounted yet,but soon...)

..."Some say" that I went out of focus for this pic on purpose ? --given the mess I'm making, that's probably a good thing... 4x rads mounted with a total of 24x Arctic P series pwm in push/pull...will be using 4x fan hubs for the actual spinnerama

...Congrats ! I get to do the EK GPU block for the Strix later today ?...btw, didn't you have an Alphacool block (broken stand-off on arrival) for this GPU/build ? If so, will you switch GPU blocks later ? Or did the EK Cube transmit 'resistance is futile' ?

...slippery slope, that - caution. My most recent 'real' case for a new build was the TT Core P5 (love it), but heavily modded for E-ATX, 5x 360x60 rads, 4x D5s etc. Since then, I moved straight to abominations with my new builds, no more cases or test benches even as a pre-mod starting point ? ...btw, love those Heatkiller blocks !

...looking forward to your pics ! Yeah, the Phanteks CPU block seems nice and the few reviews I could find about it were quite positive re. quality and temps...main thing is that the metal part covers the whole IHS. I did check Optimus but they had no stock, also I'm not sure about their delivery logistics to Canada, with all that is going on these days... EDIT: ....finished soaking and cleaning 25 or so previously-used compression fittings, now on to the 2x Swiftech rev2 mini-rez_s

As I already shared before, that colour combo you currently have 'just works' ? ...is your update / new build with the rigid tubing along similar colour theme lines ? ...it's Sunday, so just doing mostly fun bits on my new project...didn't even make a mess with the thermal paste (which I've been known to do) - but the GPU block presents another opportunity for that tomorrow ?

Yeah, Phanteks does seem to do a good job with presentation - the AM4 block I just got was packed and presented very well

...is this your first rigid-tubing project ? I've done copper tubing before, but never a build with the tubing you linked above... ...one of these days ?

On to the fans...the two smaller Hardwarelabs BlackIce GTX M160 pack quite a punch (thick, w/20 fpi)...I had them for eons but they're getting 8x Arctic P8 pwm (up to 2000 rpm) in push/pull...these are the revised P8 and are the counterpart to the P12s destined for the two big 480 rads in push/pull. It's fun using older but proven w-cooling peripherals and rejuvenating them.

I have several EK GPU and CPU blocks (for years). Most are copper though, but the few that are Nickel-plated are 'so far, so good...'. That doesn't mean EK is my fav water-cooling vendor (Watercool Heatkiller is) and I inspected this new EK Strix block very carefully. No Heatkiller block for the Strix...and Aquacomputer's site was also sold out and non-committal about new stock dates... ...then I was going to get a Bykski GPU Strix block, but there's someone at a 3090 forum who had some Nickel flaking issues after just a few months...Alphacool - couldn't find one, and the there's @ENTERPRISE 's recent delivery experience. Basically, it is a crap shoot right now...custom GPU blocks are as hard to get as Ampere cards themselves, and the overarching theme of Covid-19 and its impact on supply chains (never mind the human tragedies) has disrupted a lot of processes.

...all the parts trickled in (some quicker than others) and I started the prep work for the dual-loop (3950X, Strix 3090 OC)...everything cleaned and flushed; allen head srews and fittings checked and tightened, initial leak tests done...much left to do though

^^Gorgeous pic ! ...finished tuning the RTX 3090 setup

...

I wonder about this, too. While I lucked out and ran across a 3090 at MSRP, it really was luck / right-time-right place. I do check prices and availability of Ryzen CPUs , AMD 6kXT and Nvidia RTX 3k in both Europe and N. America at least once a week...and most of the stuff is just not available or outrageously priced. I doubt 3080 Tis will write a different story, at least over the next few months...

...case stability ? What case ? I don't use 'cases' any more, I'm too extreme (shouldn't have listened to Frank Zappa...). These days, I prefer to do open builds with massive airflow via plenty of push/pull fans set to whoosh speed instead of full speed; also helps to keep it clear of dust ? ...24 Arctic fans for dual loop for 3950X and Strix 3090 OC ? ...last real 'case' I built a project with was last fall when I found a brand-new CM Stryker (~ 2013) in our store room; still had the protective plastic on the acrylic window...mounted an Asus X79-E WS with some other older peripherals also from the store room and got myself a nice hybrid for 1080p retro-gaming + NIC

...oh that's nice - full build log, please !

...just have enough free time to indulge my a.) FS 2020 and b.) Cyberpunk 2077...loving 4K Ultra everything ...gorgeous day today (real weather), coming in over Whistler from the Pemberton Valley ...where am I, and why am I here ?

banned Pook happy sequence Step 1 HTPC: Ryzen 5 Pro 4650G | 32GB DDR4-3200 CL16 SODIMM @ 3533 CL16 | Vega 7 | Sandisk Ultra II 480GB | Kingston A2000 500GB | StarTech 5 GbE NIC Step 2

salty coz his tears of joy over his new Ryzen / bant

...found another (my 4th) value pack of 5x Arctic P12 pwm pst; and some steel strapping for 'the project' ?

...that and they'll also buy even more of the 3090s / 3080s

...well, busiest day of the year at work while folks are trying to deliver stuff, got it all now, though...but won't start the dual loop until the weekend at the earliest

Nice. Which Optimus did you order - foundation ?

^^well, not sure how that will make your computer(s) faster, but surely more scary ? ergo, a security system enhancement ?! ...this piece just arrived 5 min ago (replacement for the one that got lost in shipping)...only need one more item to arrive (scheduled for later today / fittings) and I got all the parts for a new dual-loop...all I need then is a bit of free time...

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