[Build log] Elementary school (4th grade) uber-gaming system.

A 4th grade student will be building this gaming system in the new year.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($223.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($41.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z97M Pro4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($91.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Trident X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2400 Memory ($51.88 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($81.49 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($45.88 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB SSC ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($317.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Thermaltake Core V21 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($58.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($43.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($89.88 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1047.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-12-30 16:25 EST-0500

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As usual all photos get copied here so you don't have to wade through the whole swamp. :)

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Case with Motherboard, PSU, CPU, HDD, SSD, in about an hour's work.

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From the bottom with some cable management. It's great that the bottom panel is removable on the V21.

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and from the top. Bit we forgot to pit in the Fan baseplate, so out it all came :(

The CPU cooler is the CRYORIG H7. I prefer coolers like the RAIJINTEK Pallas or Noctua NH D15S where the CPU cooler can be removed from the CPU without having to remove the whole motherboard.

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Well packaged and good looking. Spare fan clips for a second fan.

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Thermal paste. Comes with cooler and looks a lot like Noctua OEM.

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More details of the mounting. The X brace is on the bottom of the radiator.

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Installed! :)

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Clearance with Trident X memory installed.
 
A slow day today (photos await approval). As you can see above, we put the motherboard back in, but I forgot to put the cooler backplate on.


We installed the H7 which looks like it will be a great cooler, but it was a bear to install because I lacked a screwdriver long enough to unscrew the fastener for the X bracket, and had to use leverage and brute force and ignorance, but we got it and the RAM in, plus a few cables plugged in.

21kjgvs.jpg


From the bottom with some cable management. It's great that the bottom panel is removable on the V21.

v668n5.jpg


and from the top. Bit we forgot to pit in the Fan baseplate, so out it all came :(

The CPU cooler is the CRYORIG H7. I prefer coolers like the RAIJINTEK Pallas or Noctua NH D15S where the CPU cooler can be removed from the CPU without having to remove the whole motherboard.

2vlw2di.jpg


Well packaged and good looking. Spare fan clips for a second fan.

kcf29x.jpg


Thermal paste. Comes with cooler and looks a lot like Noctua OEM.

2dw6kw4.jpg


More details of the mounting. The X brace is on the bottom of the radiator.

o91e6h.jpg


Installed! :)

2rgl4ee.jpg


Clearance with Trident X memory installed.