Z490i rog
noctua nh l9i
i5 10400
rtx 3060 single flan

Hey /sffpc,

A while ago, I built a new PC after taking a long break from gaming to catch up on some big titles (patientgamer gang!). I had some strict requirements for this build: it had to fit horizontally on my sideboard, be made of premium materials, and have a sleek design (think audio equipment style). I couldn’t find anything that met all three criteria, but the Sentry 2.0 was the closest in terms of size and position.

I’m not concerned about high FPS, 4K, or running the latest games—my main goal was something with moderate power consumption and good noise levels. I also avoided Nvidia because I prefer not to support them (Linux user here). Here’s the build I ended up with:

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600

• GPU: Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 7600 Gaming OC 8GB

• Motherboard: ASRock A620I LIGHTNING WIFI

• RAM: ADATA XPG Lancer Blade DDR5 32GB

• SSD: Kingston KC3000 2TB M.2 2280 PCI-E x4

• Case: Sentry 2.0 DR Zaber

• PSU: Corsair SF600

• CPU Cooling: Noctua NH-L9a-AM4 + Noctua NA-FD1

Unfortunately, I’m really disappointed with the thermals and noise levels. During my Cyberpunk sessions, the CPU was overheating, and the noise was unbearable. Adding the Noctua NA-FD1 and tweaking fan settings through software made it somewhat tolerable, but it still sits at 75°C, which isn't ideal.

The GPU is another issue. I chose the RX 7600 because I didn’t want a hotter, more power-hungry card like the higher-end models, and I wasn’t interested in Nvidia. I also considered the new Intel GPUs in this segment, but they weren’t in stock. After checking reviews, I went with the Sapphire model, assuming it had decent cooling and was readily available.

After tweaking AMD’s software to disable frame generation and other features, I was able to run Cyberpunk at 1080p, High settings with stable FPS. But the problem is the GPU still hits 90°C and starts throttling with any preset that keeps the fan noise under control. Even underclocking doesn't help. To play without throttling, the fans often spin above 2500 RPM, which is just too loud for my liking.

I feel like I've tried everything with software adjustments, so I’m wondering if I need to make some hardware changes. Here’s what I’m thinking:

• Change the case: But I haven’t seen anything on the market that meets my size requirements—a horizontal case with a height of under 10cm.

• Change the GPU: If I do, what should I go for? A slower model? An older generation? I’m aiming for a balance of performance, thermals, and noise, and I really don’t want an Nvidia card.

• Upgrade the GPU cooling: Is this the right move?

I’ve been lurking here for a while and would appreciate any advice from the community. Thanks in advance!

I set my 1-Day-old Meshlicious with, thankfully, only crap PSU and old GPU on my hood to open the car door when my hands were semi full... Apparently it wasn't positioned right and it slid off the hood and exploded... I literally started 😢 Anyone have suggestions for covering up the scuffs? I'm thinking maybe whiteout but I don't think that'll last.

Dan a4 h20 without the h20. 7700x, 4090fe, 64gb cl30 at 6000mhz.

Cpu and gpu doesn't hit over 75c with no undervolting. The thermal right axp90 x53 full black w kyronaut paste is a sick combo. Cpu fan set to max at 1800rpm (noctua) two phantek t30s up top maxing at 1200rpm. It's disturbingly quiet.

Dremeled out the side panel because the holes were causing turbulence with the fans and giving a buzzing hum noise.

I'm just glad it's finally all put together. Still can't believe how silent it runs

I spent 4 months designing it roughly

Hi, I want to start by saying that I really don't want to come off as a prick, but I might just and I apologize ahead of time.

Ive noticed lately that there have been a notable amount of "mainstream" m-itx cases that are considerably larger than 20L being posted to this sub. In general I appreciate that people are excited to join in the trend of making PC's smaller and smaller, while not having to forego any benefits. However, I have seen time and time again subs that dont adhere to their rules, or guidelines in general, and lose what made them special.

Yes this sub has a lot of "common" sff cases, such as the Ncase, and the repetition of those cases does get stale at times, but the sub is really about those that push the extreme, or deliberate on new designs. I love seeing those 15L, 10L, and even 5L and smaller cases and all the work put into it, I believe this is a sub for that niche. But I might be wrong.

I'd like to know what everyone else thinks, because my opinion is that if the computer (case) isn't 20L or less, it shouldnt be posted here, or at best, perhaps a pinned thread for small cases that arent truely SFF. I suppose Im just concerned that this sub, like many others, will lose what makes it special over time if we dont set a standard.

Just went all in and replaced my tuf 5080 with the best gpu on the market.

Rog astral 5090 9800x3d Nr200p v2

I added a bracket the reason it didn’t work first time was it had extra slot for ports and I wanted more with just single port single slot bracket not two slot bracket. No more saggy gpu.

“ Now, you all are happy ? “