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Gaming rig rebuild, sadly not featuring the 5950x....yet.

Bartacus

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Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Messages
961
Location
Ottawa, Canuckistan
Dec. 22nd, 2020, 7:15PM EST: I get a text. The 5950x CPU I ordered 6 weeks ago has landed. It is a Christmas miracle! The Canada Computers guy notices the CPU doesn't look right through the box window, it's kinda crooked. We think nothing of it.

Dec. 22nd, 2020, 8:00PM EST: I open the box for the first time, and realize all is not well. It appears that the internal clamshell packaging looked half-open, as it pops apart as soon as I take it out of the box. My new $1200 CPU gets launched up into the air like it was spring-loaded, and I nearly crap my pants a full 20-30 years before this is acceptable! I managed to almost catch it, and it hits my palm, then lands on my thigh. Thankfully it didn't land on my desk or the floor. I decide to check the CPU to be sure it's fine, and that's when I crap my pants for the 2nd time. It is not fine, not fine at all. It is in fact MANGLED. MULTIPLE rows of bent pins, and there's no way my fat hand or thigh could cause that.

Dec. 23rd, 2020, 12:30PM EST: I take the CPU back to Canada Computers and talk to the guy who sold it to me. He had noticed the clamshell was actually crooked inside the bigger box when the CPU was delivered. He told his manager this, and I tell them exactly what happened, the whole truth, CPU goes flying, etc. When they see the damage, they realize there's no way I could have caused this accidentally. So I get a full refund, since there are no replacements to be had due to shortages. The only silver lining is that the tech guy says it's nothing, he figures he can EASILY unbend all these pins. None of them are crushed, just leaning. If they can resuscitate it, they'll sell it back to me at the original price, since AMD has increased ALL their CPU prices after launch. Nice.

Now after waiting weeks for that CPU, and STILL waiting for a new GPU, I decided I was going to move forward with my gaming rig rebuild, even if it's using the same hardware for now. My gaming rig is sitting in a case that no single GPU system should be in, a gargantuan Case Labs Magnum M8, with pedestal. So I'm relocating it into my Lian-Li Dynamic O11 XL (love this case so much I own 2 of em). If the new CPU gets fixed, it goes into this rig later. If a new GPU lands, and I can get a Heatkiller block for it, it will go in this rig too.

The rig is as follows (currently):

Gigabyte Aorus Master X570
Ryzen 9 3900X / Optimus CPU block
32Gb G.Skill Trident Neo RGB 3600 CL16 (16GB x 2)
Zotac 2080ti / Watercool Heatkiller GPU block
1TB Corsair MP600 PCIE4
2TB Corsair MP600 PCIE4
1TB Intel 600p old thing PCIE3
Corsair 850W PSU

So the starting point is this monstrosity:


Right before tear down:


The new case, awaiting guts:


Now as much as I love the Dynamic O11 XL, it does have one semi-flaw (and I'm being picky). That flaw being it's tough to plumb a GOOD drain into a loop in this thing. By GOOD, I mean one that will drain as much fluid as possible in one go without an old man having to risk hurting his back by tilting the case everywhere. So I decided to try to fix that, by doing something I NEVER do: drill a big hole in the case.

The step bit popped out, because when guys like me use tools, we're a danger to ourselves and everyone around us:


Now why drill that hole you might think? Well because in this new build, I will be using Alphacool crossflow XT45 radiators. These radiators have one *awesome* little quirk that other rads don't have, they have ports on BOTH sides. So they are very flexible. In this case, they will allow me to place the drain BELOW the bottom radiator, which is the entire point of this exercise. Well that and to give my case a pen0r:


Nicely hidden away:


Here I was doing some mock-up and loop planning with the EK fittings I had planned to use, but aborted cause these things are too fat, and are a pain. But they look nice:


Doing some layout testing, since I'm using crossflow rads on top and bottom. I wanted to make sure the ports were lined up as best as I could get them for simple tube runs:


Switched to Darkside angled fittings + old purple EK hard tube fittings, EK Quantum Torque fittings were just too damn bulky:


New flow meter / temp sensor looks sweet:


More to come soon!
 

Jokester

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Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Messages
975
Location
North Shore
I guess that is why memory express has the policy to open all AMD CPUs in front of customers before handing them off. sounds like it should be sorted out for you though (y)
 

GeezerGamer

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Joined
Dec 29, 2019
Messages
1,319
Location
Not far from Toronto, not far enough!
It sucks that happened and I'd be a mess had that happened to me!!!!
For me personally and at that price point I'd want new and in pristine condition!
What GPU are you waiting on?
Looking forward to seeing how your build progresses.
 

Bartacus

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Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Messages
961
Location
Ottawa, Canuckistan
It sucks that happened and I'd be a mess had that happened to me!!!!
For me personally and at that price point I'd want new and in pristine condition!
What GPU are you waiting on?
Looking forward to seeing how your build progresses.
I put money down on the lowest end EVGA XC3 variant 3080. My *ideal* GPU is the 6900XT though, since my building the all-AMD killer rig has been my dream for years now. Gonna have to wait for that one though, but I'd also grab a 6800XT too if it were available.

As for the CPU, no point in being upset about it, it's out of my hands. I won't get all pissy and demanding like a millenial at the local Canada Computers, it isn't their fault. They've been fantastic. You can't demand a replacement that doesn't exist since there's no stock, so I'll be perfectly happy if they can un-bend the pins. They've agreed to maintain my original purchase price too, so that's a bonus to compensate for AMDs little price hike. Stuff happens, doesn't bother me at all. It's not like I'm suffering with 3 custom loops containing 4 GPUs, LOL!

Merry Christmas gents!
 

Bartacus

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Messages
961
Location
Ottawa, Canuckistan
So the gaming rig is up and running in it's 'smaller' new case. Unfortunately, in order to build this rig, I had to cannibalize my Threadripper system, also in a Dynamic O11 XL. I needed the Heatkiller D5 reservoir / pump combo. The Threadripper rig will move back into the Case Labs unit that the gaming rig just came out of. It will get much more radiator space there.

Adios amigo, until the Case Labs rebuild anyways!


Due to the complete lack of drain, the drainage method is just to rip the tube apart over a bucket, LOL! This rig looked pretty, but due to the tube runs and crappy drain, was a TERROR to empty.


I also decided to pass on hard tube for now, and stuck to 3/8 5/8 EK purple fittings and black soft tube. I'm going to be rebuilding this if I get the 5950x back, and possibly a new GPU, so hard tube didn't make sense. And there were two spots were running hard tube would be painful, like this one:


Stealth bomber look, matches the back Heatkiller back plate and Optimus CPU block nicely.


The cabling is a complete nightmare, LOL! Price you pay for RGB fans.


It lives again!


I am totally digging this new Aquacomputer Next thingy:


Apparently zee Germans think little of Canadian distilled water and Daz Protector:


I set it up to glow blue until the coolant temp hits 25C, then turn to yellow, and eventually turn red at 45C, although I can't see how that will ever happen:


All buttoned up for now, and the wait for new hardware begins.
 

Valkyrie

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Joined
Dec 3, 2012
Messages
1,270
Location
Chilliwack...Gone...Gone...Gone!
The Germans love your water Bartacus and it will be interesting to see how long it stays at 0% on their relative conductivity scale...:)

Chances are very good for the 5950X if there were no flattened pins. Should be a beast.
 

Bartacus

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Messages
961
Location
Ottawa, Canuckistan
I've been on a purple kick, but when I updated RGB Fusion, it reset me to Gigabyte Orange colors, and my awful lack of photography skills don't do this justice, orange looks *really* good in person!!



Got matching wallpaper to go with the orange look. 🙃

 

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