Readers Drives - Mini Marvel

Posted at: Thursday 3rd April 2008

Tom Didymus needed a portable PC that didn't constrict his plans, so he forgot about laptops and built a modded, overclocked and water-cooled micro-ATX system.

While studying for my A-levels in 2007, I realised that I'd probably need a new PC to take to university - ideally one that would be powerful enough to run 3D apps such as Maya, as well as the latest games. Unfortunately, the PC would also need to be fairly portable due to the distance that I'd be travelling. This left me with a dilemma, as I needed a compact yet powerful computer. An expensive gaming laptop might have been suitable but, as I was hoping it wouldn't be necessary to replace my PC completely while I was still at university, I wanted to allow some scope for future upgrades. As an avid reader of Custom PC, I also wanted to try my hand at some modding.

The solution to these problems was to use a micro-ATX board and case. The first stage was to find a micro-ATX case that could accommodate a large graphics card and provide good airflow to the components. Airflow, as it turns out, is lacking in the vast majority of micro-ATX cases, as most are aimed at low-spec, media centre PCs. However, my choice, the SilverStone TJ-08, is designed for a faster computer. With 120mm fans at the front and back of the case, even high-end components are kept cool, and the case can accommodate a full-sized PSU.

In order for my micro-ATX PC to be as powerful as a full-sized machine, I needed to be able to push my components as fast as possible. Overclocking is notoriously unrewarding with micro-ATX motherboards, so it was critical to choose the right board. I settled on the Asus P5K-VM after reading many reviews stating how good it is at overclocking.

While the stock air cooling supplied by the TJ-08 is fine, I wanted to really push this PC, so I decided to make the jump to water-cooling. I chose a Swiftech H2O-80 kit specially intended for micro-ATX setups. Ideally, I'd have liked a completely separate second loop for the graphics card, but this was impossible due to the size of the case. Instead, I added a second radiator to the loop to help keep temperatures as low as possible. I also added a large Noctua NC-U6 heatsink to the Northbridge to help keep it cool.

The first stage of the build was to strip out the case and prepare it for modification. I removed many of the internal parts, including the 2.5in drive bays and internal fans. Then out came the Dremel, an invaluable tool for any mod. I used it to cut a side window, with the plastic held in place by extremely strong double-sided tape. I also cut holes in the case for the water-cooling setup, as one of the radiators is mounted on the outside of the case. For the front intake fan, I used car body filler to fill the space where the 3.5in bays had been. When this was dry, I sanded the surface with wet and dry glasspaper until it was flush with the case. I then used a holesaw to carefully cut a hole for the new intake fan; this was quite difficult, as half of the intake hole was the original case and made from solid aluminium, while the other half comprised car body filler.