Saturday, November 26, 2016

Initial Build, Case Check

So I've run into an unusual wall where I want more performance out of my laptop (a Sager NP8651)...but I can honestly get a desktop for the same price, with better ergonomics, more performance, and upgradability. Hence, the "laptop replacement desktop" build begins! I figured I'd log the process in case anyone wanted to do something similar. There are a number of LAN builds around, but I haven't seen anyone legitimately carry this thing around day to day.

Things I run:
PTC Creo Parametric
Adobe Premiere Pro
Capture One Pro
Overwatch, Titanfall 2

Tentative Build Summary
Case : Fractal Design Node 202 (subject to change in future)
Motherboard : Gigabyte Z170N Gaming 5
CPU : Intel Core i7 6700K (will be overclocked)
Cooler : Cryorig C7 or Noctua L9i (tentative)
GPU : NVIDIA GTX 1080 Founders Edition
Memory : 2x8GB Corsair Vengeance LP
Storage 1 : 512GB Samsung PM951 (M.2, NVME)
Storage 2 : some sort of 1TB 2.5" drive
Storage 3 : some sort of 1TB 2.5" drive

Peripherals
Mouse : Steelseries Sensei Raw (probable change to a G303 in the future)
Mousepad : Razer Goliathus Speed
Keyboard : CM Quickfire TK
Display : GeChic 1503I (Touch, 15.6" usb powered display supporting raw HDMI input)

Carry
Backpack : LBB Peloton Rolltop
Bike : Modified 08' Trek X01 (SRAM Rival, Ultegra CX FD, 105 Cassette)


Node202 loaded with Sager NP8651
Just enough room above for headphones, mouse,
3D mouse, keyboard? 
Got the case in today, and it fits! A Dan A4-SFX would make my life a lot easier since it would free up the other half of the bag...but that might come down the line.

Couple of issues I'm noting:
1. Need to stack everything on top of the case. This means if I'm running the desktop for the day, I'm dedicating the majority of the bag to the desktop. I run photo equipment from time to time, and while it was possible to do it with the Sager, it's not even remotely possible to do it with the Node202. Can't even do a grocery run or a snacking run either. I'm going to need to decide whether I'm running the desktop or not for the day basically.
2. Wondering whether the keyboard will fit. I'm getting that in next, we'll see if it loads on top. If not, I'll need to sacrifice both a numberpad and navigation keys; the TK has a numberpad with integrated navigation. Or scrap the build altogether.
3. Need to figure out some way to restrain the GPU so it doesn't rip itself off over time.
4. Kind of bigger than I was expecting. Excluding keyboard, I'm looking at triple the size of the laptop I was thinking about (Sager NP9152). I mean, it's still a "tiny" desktop, but not so "tiny" compared to a laptop. Can't exactly overclock or upgrade a laptop though, and when I do game, I can finally run my keyboard in a proper position. That, and touchscreen display! For the same price!

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