The Components. With the main components delivered, I went and bought the case, a 1000W PSU and a couple of extra cooling fans last weekend. So this week has been spend building the Beast. I'll be making a video that chronicles the build when I have time, but in the meantime here is a photo-diary highlighting some of the key events and issues. It's got to be pretty grunty so I've gone for an Intel i7 processor, the GTX 980 graphics card, an SSD drive and 16Gb of RAM all mounted on an
ASUS Sabertooth Z97 motherboard.
M/B Cooling Fans. The first step is to set up the motherboard. This is best done before it's mounted into the case. The Z97 comes with what ASUS calls a Tuf case that protects key components from dust and accidental damage. It also comes with a couple of extra cooling fans that blow cooling air underneath this Tuf cover, but these need to be installed by the buyer.
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| 40mm cooling fan mounted on the I/O ports |
What the Forums Say! There is some debate on various forums whether these fans are needed, but in my view it is best to install them as this can only help with cooling - some people are suggesting the fans are noisy, but having carried out a test start on my machine there was nothing untoward. Also as this will be driving Flight Sim there's going to be jet noise anyway so an extra fan or two making a bit of noise won't make much difference ;-)
Following the Instructions. Following the instructions that come with the motherboard makes installation pretty straight forward. The only area where I was a little uncertain was the connection of the case cooling fans (explained later). I also wasn't too certain about the placing of the thermistor sensors (again, more later). Don't forget to use an earthing mat and wrist strap to discharge any static charge.
Installing the Processor. The processor is also best installed before you mount the motherboard in the case - space becomes a bit more restricted once the motherboard is installed. This is pretty straightforward. There is a blank on the head of the processor bay which the instructions say
MUST NOT be removed until after the processor is installed - not really sure why other then to protect the mounting position. To install, lift the spring lever and carefully place the processor onto it's mount. Look carefully at both the processor and the mount beforehand to check which way round it goes. Depending on the processor you are using, you will find either one corner blanked or in the case of the Intel i7 there are two notches positioned on the side of the chip that correspond with two ridges on the mount. Once in position carefully lower the spring clip and lock it in position. As you do so the blank will pop off.
RAM. I'm initially installing 16Gb of Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB which comes in 2 sticks of 8Gb. The instructions specify that these are installed into specific ports. The number of sticks being put in determines the ports that they go into. I found it easiest to install the RAM before installing the motherboard, but in reality it doesn't matter which way round you do it - the only thing to remember is that once the motherboard is installed, access and light becomes more restricted.
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| CPU Cooling Fan and the RAM |
Cooling Fans. As there is a possibility that I might be overclocking this beast I decided that I would add a couple of additional fans to the case and a larger cooling fan for the processor. I originally tried mounting the case fans to extract air out the top, but having put the the motherboard in (next paragraph) there just wasn't enough space for everything. I took one out from the top and placed it in the base to suck cool air in. (note: because of the size of the CPU fan I installed this after I had installed the motherboard - again, a matter of preference).
Installing the Motherboard. When you're ready, prepare case by taking off the side panel(s). These are usually held in place with a couple of small screws at the back and then once removed, the panels can be slide back a couple of centimeters and lifted off. Inside the case you should find a box or bag with all the screws and accessories needed to install the motherboard and drives. Make sure to connect the earthing cable and the check the stand-offs match the screw holes on your motherboard.
Before you install the motherboard remember to clip in the backing plate for the I/O ports. Carefully place the motherboard into position by partly rotating it placing the I/Os in place first and then lowering onto the standoffs so that the screw holes line up. Screw the motherboard in place by first putting one screw in but not tightening it and then screw the rest in taking care not to over tighten them.
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| Motherboard without the I/O cover in place |
Installing the Rest. Once the motherboard is in place, it just a matter of following the instructions to install the rest of the components and connect the various leads. As well as the instruction booklet for each part and the motherboard booklet, there are also numerous YouTube videos that you can follow - my recommendation is to not just look at one, but check out several in order to get the full picture. The components include the SSD, the DVD R/W drive and finally the GeForce GTX 980 Graphics card. All of this was straight forward and relatively simple. The only areas that proved a challenge - not forgetting that this is the first PC I'm building from scratch - was the connection points for the numerous fans and the power connections for the graphics card - the instructions were a little vague and so needed extra research, but in the end again, was relatively straight forward.
Tidying Up the Case. Having got everything in place and wired up, the next thing is to tidy up the wiring making sure it's kept clear of sensitive parts. The good thing with the Sabertooth motherboard is it has holes for you to feed the cabling through to the back to keep it out of the way. Grouping the cables together and strategic use of ties works well. This is what the final installation looks like.
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| The front................ |
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| ..............and the back |
Installing the Processor. The processor is also best installed before you mount the motherboard in the case - space becomes a bit more restricted once the motherboard is installed. This is pretty straightforward. There is a blank on the head of the processor bay which the instructions say MUST NOT be removed until after the processor is installed - not really sure why other then to protect the mounting position. To install, lift the spring lever and carefully place the processor onto it's mount. Look carefully at both the processor and the mount beforehand to check which way round it goes. Depending on the processor you are using, you will find either one corner blanked or in the case of the Intel i7 there are two notches positioned on the side of the chip that correspond with two ridges on the mount. Once in position carefully lower the spring clip and lock it in position. As you do so the blank will pop off.
