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Meet The Tiki: Core i7-3770K And GeForce GTX 680 In A Mini-ITX Box?

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  • Gtx
  • Intel i7
  • Geforce
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Anonymous
August 3, 2012 3:46:03 AM

Falcon Northwest sent us a mini-ITX-based platform worthy of enthusiast lust. We asked the company's president, Kelt Reeves, to walk us through the process of designing a tiny desktop packing more performance than most power user-oriented rigs.

Meet The Tiki: Core i7-3770K And GeForce GTX 680 In A Mini-ITX Box? : Read more

More about : meet tiki core 3770k geforce gtx 680 mini itx box

August 3, 2012 5:13:08 AM

I usually do not bother with these 30+ page click stories. They are a pain in the arse.
But.. that story just was too interesting, almost like a crime novel...
Just one more click and I stop.... ok, jut ONE more.

Anyway, it was interesting to see the painful birth of what seems to be a very interesting product; also I don't even want to guess how much $$$ we are talking all things considered.

Still, very interesting and impressive. Would love to see THG do a test, especially the noise part would interest me. I HATE noise and am willing to pay xtra for $ilence :-)

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35
August 3, 2012 5:45:23 AM

http://build.falcon-nw.com/

I posted a really nice and long comment that magically got erased.. Basically, it is around 2500 USD for (what I assume) is the shown model (i7, 2 128GB SSDs + HDD, GTX 680 2GB) but for a nice system (i5, 1 256GB SSD, GTX 670) it is 2045 USD.
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August 3, 2012 6:29:13 AM

Quote:
Tiki is our first product that literally could not be built by anyone but an enthusiast.

From reading your article I most definitely agree with you. Quite an amazing build.

And if you still need to get rid of some fans and heatsinks I'd be more than happy to take a few off your hands :D 
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13
August 3, 2012 6:31:04 AM

Robert Pankiwhttp://build.falcon-nw.com/I posted a really nice and long comment that magically got erased.. Basically, it is around 2500 USD for (what I assume) is the shown model (i7, 2 128GB SSDs + HDD, GTX 680 2GB) but for a nice system (i5, 1 256GB SSD, GTX 670) it is 2045 USD.


All things considered, that extra $500 (I'm thinking it's more assuming they get their parts at OEM rates) isn't THAT bad.
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9
August 3, 2012 6:31:21 AM

Wow! Just WOW! This is awesome. This is a top of the line build but barely the size of an XBox. Amazing.
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18
August 3, 2012 6:31:54 AM

Toms please do a bench on this thing... Please Please Please... and Mr Falcon CEO Kudos to you, now give the damed machine to Toms and let them Bench it. :) 
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August 3, 2012 6:46:36 AM

Very interesting, both the article and the end result product. Would love to see some benchmarks when it is released.
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August 3, 2012 6:50:47 AM

I like your work man! Very nice :) 
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August 3, 2012 7:22:37 AM

I love a small, quiet pc, but the biggest problem is not the actual size. The main aesthetic problem is that a pc setup will still include a monitor and plenty of wires, a keyboard and a mouse. Having a pc in a small livingroom tends to "take over" the space and make it seem a bit like an office.

That's why I like to game on a laptop, even though I get less graphics performance, the kit can always be folded up and put in the cupboard when I have guests over and need the dining table.
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August 3, 2012 7:57:00 AM

This is a thing of beauty
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7
August 3, 2012 8:00:58 AM

menigmandI love a small, quiet pc, but the biggest problem is not the actual size. The main aesthetic problem is that a pc setup will still include a monitor and plenty of wires, a keyboard and a mouse. Having a pc in a small livingroom tends to "take over" the space and make it seem a bit like an office. That's why I like to game on a laptop, even though I get less graphics performance, the kit can always be folded up and put in the cupboard when I have guests over and need the dining table.



incorporate the thing in your media center/TV rack, connect it to your 50in LED TV or HD projector "run the cable through the walls if using projector" in the future displays with 4k/8k capabilities . and use wireless keyboards and mice, and or use a wireless gaming controller, game from the couch.. its a gaming PC not a work PC..
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12
August 3, 2012 8:13:02 AM

Quite amazing to fit such performance in such small case. Expected price premium to be in Alienware range after reading the part about granite, but the price looks very reasonable.
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3
August 3, 2012 8:50:23 AM

Even though I love me some tower cases I can appreciate this build. Well done and a good read.
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August 3, 2012 8:59:22 AM

Good things comes indeed in small packages.
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August 3, 2012 9:13:33 AM

dakkonincorporate the thing in your media center/TV rack, connect it to your 50in LED TV or HD projector "run the cable through the walls if using projector" in the future displays with 4k/8k capabilities . and use wireless keyboards and mice, and or use a wireless gaming controller, game from the couch.. its a gaming PC not a work PC..


Yes I thought about this solution, but mouse/keyboard gaming doesn't work so well from the couch..
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August 3, 2012 9:14:58 AM

Oh, and if you have a media centre/tv rack, no need for a small case either, just hide it in the rack under the tv.
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2
August 3, 2012 9:55:24 AM

NAG3LTQuite amazing to fit such performance in such small case. Expected price premium to be in Alienware range after reading the part about granite, but the price looks very reasonable.

Falcon Northwest is so far above Alienware, they do not deserve to be in the same sentence. Noob.
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August 3, 2012 10:52:19 AM

yobobjmI may be way off here, but isn't a 450w PSU (which is the only one that comes with the tiki) a little to little to power an i7, a gtx 680, 2 ssds, and a hard drive?

I did the math, and it would be passable as long as the PSU has really good rails and no overclocking involved.
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August 3, 2012 12:28:24 PM

A really awesome system - is there any possibility to get it as a barebone system?
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August 3, 2012 1:11:25 PM

External PSU. It would potentially allow a 690 or 7990 packed in that little case. All you need to do is feed it refrigerated air...
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August 3, 2012 1:36:55 PM

I don't know if I would place my PSU that close to the HDD. And personally, I would ditch the optical drive. Haven't burned a disc since 2007, ever since I bought a 500 GB external HDD.
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August 3, 2012 1:49:33 PM

Wonderful, nother Falcon Northwest product that 99% of the PC gaming community is NOT going to buy BECAUSE IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE!! No one in their right mind is going to pay the crazy premium just to have a small form factor PC. I would rather spend $2,700 on an Alienware M18X with dual GTX680Ms that would beat the crap out of this system's performance and would come with it's own 18.4" 1920x1080 screen!
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August 3, 2012 2:03:16 PM

That was an awesome article Toms!

One thought though for the case design... Once they decided to do water cooling then why not fold the GPU behind the mobo with a WC block on it and the CPU, then turn the bottom of the case into a giant water block with a large silent fan on the side blowing through the case?
The idea being that then the mobo and GPU would be on the top of the case with one side having access to upgrade the CPU and ram, and the other side having access to change out the GPU. The GPU would be single wide and could almost go back-to-back with the mobo tray, and even with the ram height it would still be well within the 4" wide restraints and possibly thinner.
The bottom of the case (which the case may be able to be shortened a little as well) would be the radiator which would be heavy.... nearly as heavy as a slab of granite I would think. This would help the system stand on end, while allowing for 2 side-by-side 120mm fans on the rad blowing in from one side of the case and out the other. It would be a little more expensive, but I doubt that boutique enthusiasts would mind the extra few $$ to have a truly silent extreme build in such a small package.

Anywho, still an amazing piece of engineering, and the final product looks sweet!
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August 3, 2012 2:14:04 PM

menigmandI love a small, quiet pc, but the biggest problem is not the actual size. The main aesthetic problem is that a pc setup will still include a monitor and plenty of wires, a keyboard and a mouse. Having a pc in a small livingroom tends to "take over" the space and make it seem a bit like an office. That's why I like to game on a laptop, even though I get less graphics performance, the kit can always be folded up and put in the cupboard when I have guests over and need the dining table.


The only wires that need to be hooked up to this thing is HDMI for audio and video output, and power.

Put the tower beside the TV so that all your wires are hidden behind the entertainment system, and the keys and mice can hide in the coffee table if you don't want them out.

Internet is wireless, keys and mouse are wireless, game pads and joysticks are wireless, and while you CAN hook up a ton of other periphrials they are entirely optional. If your HTPC or gameingPC takes over your living room any more than a cable box or game console does then you are doing something wrong.
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August 3, 2012 2:21:20 PM

menigmandOh, and if you have a media centre/tv rack, no need for a small case either, just hide it in the rack under the tv.


Well use a wireless mouse and keyboard.
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August 3, 2012 2:23:41 PM

Imagine this asa PS4
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August 3, 2012 2:27:25 PM

menigmandI love a small, quiet pc, but the biggest problem is not the actual size. The main aesthetic problem is that a pc setup will still include a monitor and plenty of wires, a keyboard and a mouse. Having a pc in a small livingroom tends to "take over" the space and make it seem a bit like an office. That's why I like to game on a laptop, even though I get less graphics performance, the kit can always be folded up and put in the cupboard when I have guests over and need the dining table.

dakkonincorporate the thing in your media center/TV rack, connect it to your 50in LED TV or HD projector "run the cable through the walls if using projector" in the future displays with 4k/8k capabilities . and use wireless keyboards and mice, and or use a wireless gaming controller, game from the couch.. its a gaming PC not a work PC..


INDEED - enter my M18x R2.

I still get i7 Xtreme, Crossfire, and other than the supply (from which you'll not stray far), I have only a mouse and met to clutter the place up. When friends visit, it's packed away in the time it takes to close the screen, pop the mouse on top, and put on the shelf.
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August 3, 2012 2:36:15 PM

I hope the editors are paying attention here with this article. If editors feel that doing a diatribe on assembling a box with wires and fans is not interesting to its readers, then write those articles as an adventure, a process, failures and successes, as in this article and you will ALWAYS have readers interested. It's not a story about a box with wires and fans, it's a story about a guy and his quest. Maximum PC magazine is awesome in their editor's excellent articles, but to put the personal experience into the focus really enrichens the reading experience. All I can say is Tom's Hardware, THANK YOU for this article! A million thanks! Mike in Wichita
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8
August 3, 2012 2:52:13 PM

Nice write-up. From preproduction to production it's a nice and interesting story. I'd like to see more stories like this in the future, if manufacturers will allow you.
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4
August 3, 2012 2:58:30 PM

Fabulous job, makes me want to actually spend money having these guys build a rig for me!

Great information too, as I have a project coming up involving cramming such components into a small, existing container. Thanks Tomshardware and thanks Falcon!

;) 
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August 3, 2012 3:45:08 PM

"Falcon PCs are not plastic."

And this is why I love them as a company.
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August 3, 2012 3:58:55 PM

MichaelShuckI hope the editors are paying attention here with this article. If editors feel that doing a diatribe on assembling a box with wires and fans is not interesting to its readers, then write those articles as an adventure, a process, failures and successes, as in this article and you will ALWAYS have readers interested. It's not a story about a box with wires and fans, it's a story about a guy and his quest. Maximum PC magazine is awesome in their editor's excellent articles, but to put the personal experience into the focus really enrichens the reading experience. All I can say is Tom's Hardware, THANK YOU for this article! A million thanks! Mike in Wichita


Very true.

Fede from Argentina
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August 3, 2012 4:04:35 PM

I've long admired Falcon Northwest's machines - and the Tiki looks like one amazing, tiny beast of a system. I'm amazed they can cram all that into such a small frame. Like a computer super model. :lol: 
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August 3, 2012 4:05:59 PM

Great story! I really liked the cad drawings and photos of the early prototypes.
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August 3, 2012 5:07:10 PM

So...let me know if you have trouble finding uses for those fans.
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August 3, 2012 5:19:35 PM

Wow! That was a really interesting read. I hope they do push more for moving away from the ancient ATX form factor. It would be amazing if something like this caught on...although, realistically, it should be 14.5"x14.5"x4.5" so that it's less of a nightmare for typical builds.

With the way your parts were used, I think only the PSU and thin (and unnecessary) DVD are non-standard parts anyways...even if the fan and RAM selections have to be specific.
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August 3, 2012 5:50:10 PM

I have been wondering why no case manufacturers have released a case yet intended for a build like this (I have searched multiple times). The 90 degree rotated GPU combined with mini-ITX seems to make a lot of sense.
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August 3, 2012 6:18:21 PM

twelch82I have been wondering why no case manufacturers have released a case yet intended for a build like this (I have searched multiple times). The 90 degree rotated GPU combined with mini-ITX seems to make a lot of sense.


You mean like this: http://www.logicsupply.com/products/c137b
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August 3, 2012 6:58:28 PM

Great Read
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August 3, 2012 7:47:53 PM

I too, found the read very interesting and could not stop. Very challenging project. My only concern is aesthetic, and it is the large white backlite logo. To fit better into a home entertainment center I'd rather see a smaller version of the logo, without the rectangle, and perhaps a raised gold plated badge in an upper corner.
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August 3, 2012 8:16:59 PM

Great read. Well done! Took some serious time and dedication (and money I'm sure) but it is incredibly cool.
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August 3, 2012 8:38:46 PM

dennisburkeI too, found the read very interesting and could not stop. Very challenging project. My only concern is aesthetic, and it is the large white backlite logo. To fit better into a home entertainment center I'd rather see a smaller version of the logo, without the rectangle, and perhaps a raised gold plated badge in an upper corner.


For entertainment center use, it'd be better if it were set up for a horizontal orientation, with the bluray drive in the front instead of on the end.

I don't know how much bigger that would have made it, but I don't have room in my entertainment center to fit that thing vertically plus room for inserting and removing discs.

This seems more like a slimline desktop. Not even really a LAN box with that granite base.
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August 3, 2012 9:02:44 PM

There is a ship called Cygnus in Disney's "The Black Hole".
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August 3, 2012 9:46:44 PM

This is nothing new. You can build a similar box through newegg.
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August 3, 2012 9:47:17 PM

menigmandI love a small, quiet pc, but the biggest problem is not the actual size. The main aesthetic problem is that a pc setup will still include a monitor and plenty of wires, a keyboard and a mouse. Having a pc in a small livingroom tends to "take over" the space and make it seem a bit like an office. That's why I like to game on a laptop, even though I get less graphics performance, the kit can always be folded up and put in the cupboard when I have guests over and need the dining table.


Cord management can help you there.
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August 4, 2012 12:16:48 AM

Incredible idea. The only downside is that this system has very little room for beefier PSUs. It's a system designed around the GTX680. If a future card is longer by even 1", It's a no-go.

Still, a very good effort.
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August 4, 2012 12:29:35 AM

cobra5000Falcon Northwest is so far above Alienware, they do not deserve to be in the same sentence. Noob.

I have to agree with you. I spec'd out a computer from Alienware, all the bells and whistles, did the same thing on Falcon Northwest. Falcon was cheaper by around $500, and it's water cooled! Falcon Northwest has been around a lot longer than Alienware. I think they were 1 of the first companies to start offering custom performance oriented gaming systems back in the days of the 3DFX Voodoo 1, so early to mid 90's. Their systems arent flashy, but the do offer custom pain jobs on their cases. Toms has reviewed their computers before and they've consistently recieved high marks. I actually read up on the Tiki on the Falcon NW site before I saw the story here. It's a rather nice and very capable system for it's size.

I don't agree with the noob part though.
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August 4, 2012 12:48:44 AM

gratz you got me hooked up over the 37 pages! awesome history, in venezuela we got some good factories that cuts granite, and it must be cheaper to do it here than in europe, you should try us! maybe that way you can sell tikis cheaper in here :D 
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August 4, 2012 4:24:01 AM

Cool article, shitty case.
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