Zen Clarity +

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Den-Fi
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Zen Clarity +



This is a re-re-build of my Zen Clarity rig. It started with Wanting a Vega 64, then wanting Vengeance RGB Pro RAM, then using a 2700X I bought a while ago and never installed since I hate taking the glass panels off. Then I wanted to see the benefits of X470. I also hated the C6H and its seemingly unfixable cold boot bug. I wanted to move away from something that needed a beta BIOS monthly to be functionally normal. Could just be that I had a bad one, but that's all over with now. Going with the H150i was an aesthetic decision. I'm sure there's not a huge gap between the H100i V2 and the H150i Pro in terms of keeping Ryzen cool. A 360 rad just looks much better inside the case.

Things I loved about the build:

Not having to tooooootally start from scratch. Routing all the fans and RGB cables was a pain in the butt the first time.
The finished aesthetic. I keep the build red, white, or red & white. Not really into unicorn vomit for anything other than photos.
The lack of dust from the 570X. The previous build was going 24/7 for 9 months (max RPMs on fans since it was inaudible where it was). There wasn't much dust inside the case. The filters had the thinnest layer of dust I've ever seen.

Challenges:

Building backwards. I didn't intend to do a new build, I just kept wanting to replace things since the case was finally open. Fast-forward to now and it's mostly new parts. Done so very out of order since the mobo was the LAST thing.
I didn't read the manual this time around since building with the C6H wasn't all that different. Doing so meant I used the new fan extension header for the Commander Pro. Now I should have known this from the Zenith Extreme, but that header cannot address more than 1 USB device, so I could not get it to read my H150i Pro and I thought the cable was defective. It took too long for me to realize that I should use the other port.
The 570X's USB 3.0 header cable. It's ridiculously thick and difficult to cable manage. Luckily the board is black (unlike the gray of the C6H) so it does not stand out as much.
GPU sag. Even with all the methods employed by various YouTubers, this beefy card still sags a bit.

I might do the Cablemod vertical GPU adapter whenever they get the issue worked out with it and it goes back in stock. Not 100% sure though.

Update 12/2/2018 - The GPU is now vertical using the CableMod vertical mount kit. As for temps, they are within a couple of degrees of the normal mount. There are many misconceptions about having the GPU vertical. It's not the act of making it vertical that creates terrible temps, it's airflow (of lack thereof). There's several inches between the glass and the card with the Cablemod mount.

Replaced CX650M w/ my spare RM1000i so that I could use the cables. Extension would not have fit in the case. I did this for looks only. The CX650M was perfectly fine, though some would have you believe it should have exploded, lol.
Color(s): Black Red
RGB Lighting? Yes
Theme: Brand
Cooling: AIO Cooling
Size: ATX
Type: General Build

Contests

This build participated in 1 contest.

Build Updates

Now with a PowerColor 5700 XT!

Hardware

CPU
$ 189.00
AMD - Ryzen 7 (2700X)
Socket: AM4
Cores: 8
Motherboard
$ 398.86
ASUS - ROG Crosshair VII Hero (Wi-Fi)
Chipset: X470
CPU Socket: AM4
Size: ATX
Memory
$ 54.99
Corsair - Vengeance Pro (3200MHz) (Black/RGB)
Type: DDR4
Capacity: 8 GB
Graphics
$ 291.78
ASUS - ROG Strix
Chip Manufacturer: AMD
Chip: Vega 64
Storage
$ 135.11
Samsung - 960 PRO
Form Factor: M.2
Interface: M.2 (M)
Capacity: 512 GB
Storage
$ 282.00
SanDisk - Ultra II
Form Factor: 2.5 Inch
Interface: SATA 6 Gb/s
Capacity: 960 GB
Storage
$ 199.99
SanDisk - Ultra II
Form Factor: 2.5 Inch
Interface: SATA 6 Gb/s
Capacity: 480 GB
PSU
$ 185.00
Corsair - RM1000i
Wattage: 1000
Form Factor: ATX
Efficiency: 80+ Gold
Case
$ 479.99
Corsair - Crystal 570X
Type: Mid-Tower
Side Panel: Tempered Glass
Case Fan
$ 74.57
Corsair - HD120 (RGB)
Size: 120 mm
CableMod
$ 9.90
CableMod
CableMod
CableMod - Sleeved Cables
Mode: Stock
Sleeve: PRO ModMesh
Color: Blood Red
CableMod
Accessories
$ 74.29
Monitor
$ 1,079.75
LG - 38WK95C-W
Size: 38 Inch
Panel: IPS
Refresh Rate: 75 Hz
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