Build Report

Sorry I haven't been around to follow up on the post, been busy with finals, but I've been happy to say that this project has so far been a success!

Build Log
Final specs:
Case: Fractal Design Node 202
MOBO: Asus Z170I Pro Gaming
CPU: Intel Core i7 6700K (intended to run mostly ~stock settings)
TIM: Arctic Cooling MX-4
Cooler: Cryorig C7
GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1080 Founders Edition
PSU: Corsair SF600
RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 3000Mhz C15
SSD: Samsung 850 Evo 1TB M.2

Case fans: 2x Noctua NF-S12A

Display: GeChic 1503i
Keyboard: CM Storm Quickfire TK Red
Mouse: Logitech G303
Mousepad: Razer Goliathus Speed L

Pack: LBB Peloton Backpack (all the above fits inside along with cables)

Parts ready to accept build

I made a build log video, but the quality came out pretty crappy, so I'll just sum up the main weird bits here:

1. The backplate for the Cryorig C7 may not be compatible with your motherboard. You might want to be prepared with a dremel. They do supply washers if the backplate is not compatible, but I noticed that after I modded the backplate myself.

Main issues were that Asus put a few MOSFET's under the board that directly interfered with it, and the plate actually contacted the edge of the motherboard cutout on the Node 202 (didn't actually fit underneath the main panel itself with the standoff height).

Backplate halfway through modding process. Note cutout for MOSFETs, and the overlap on the backplate with the cutout (this impedes installation, did more dremeling after this).

2. The Node 202 fan filter is strangely designed. You have to pop both side panels off to get at the "magnetic" filters on the GPU and PSU side. Granted, you only need to take off four screws (the bottom cover is snap-fit on), but still odd.

3. The GPU fan filters have a tendency to contact the fan blades. You can shimmy around the filter to try to dodge the blades, or do what I did and insert two fan grilles in between the fan and the filter to solve the issue. You might be able to just forgo the filter altogether for some of Silverstone's grille/filter combos, but that would be harder to clean.

View of fan filter and grilles. Grilles are installed "outside" of case shell

(ie they intrude on the normally flat surface of the fan filter.

4. Installing two fans means you have to take off the plastic wedge that supports the GPU. I debated on what to do about this for awhile...and found that the best solution was probably just wedging some foam in there. There just isn't enough clearance to get a small support bracket in there (about 2mm of clearance above and below GPU).

Final Build Internals

5. Build was relatively straightforward, but getting the PSU cables routed somewhat nicely is quite difficult. The 24 pin ATX connector in particular is scary to get into position on the PSU side.
Also I'm not exactly sure how, but this thing gets dusty quickly even with two fans pulling air into the case. I suppose the CPU fan isn't helping since there is a good amount of clearance underneath the CPU fan area.

So far, this has definitely been the fastest thing I've ever run. Now to bring over my data drive from the laptop and figure out what I'm going to run on the days I don't need this battlestation.

Display came in, and O-Rings for the keyboard

Display came in, and I'm pretty happy with how it's performing. It's a GeChic 1503i, and I was admittedly a bit afraid of getting it given how "exotic" this brand is. The panel is surprisingly good, on par with the IPS display in the Sager NP8651, so I'll be happy to do some mild photo video editing work on this screen in the future.
It's also touch, has backup speakers, and uses USB C for power! Plus direct HDMI and VGA support.

1503I next to NP8651

I did also get o-rings for the CM Storm TK, and while they definitely do dull the clack of the keyboard bottoming out, I'm getting some false key reads, which is a bit worrying. Not around the WASD area actually, just for regular typing. I'm hitting the keys a little harder than usual now, but it's a bit unnerving. Given that I will be roaming with this rig though, I think I'm going to keep the rings in.

Keyboard fits! Fire everything!

Keyboard came in on Tuesday, and it does actually package, so the entire build is a go!

It's a CM Storm Quickfire TK, and it just barely fits. Still has a number pad to boot, which was a must. Cherry Red switches are still pretty darn loud due to the bottoming out though, I'll get some o-rings in to fix that.

On another note, since this build is officially a go, I can finally open this box and do this:

Other notes is changing up to a 1TB 850 Evo ssd. I realized that storage is inevitably always an issue for me, and that this mITX build would make that harder than ever, so I'm just gonna cram in an obnoxiously large boot drive I can from the get go. Logitech G303 also came in, so this will be a nice reset to the build.

No desktop yet, but I can finally set my self up good and proper for FPS'ing: