4K Gaming PC – Small and Powerful

4K Gaming PC

The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 SLI-ing gaming tool is only 30x30x10cm, with 4K, intel Core 17-toting, and dual SSD-booting.  However, there is a problem – the case costs more than the components inside it ($US3500).  It has been built for an Australian. He is a hardcore PC enthusiast and also an engineer, and is a prototype that could be the smallest example of a 4k gaming PC.

It was a Canadian company, Protocase, that created this prototype and shared the build on Reddit and Twitter.  Although it holds one of Intel’s most powerful CPU (Core i7-6700k and 90 watt TDP) and two Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 graphics cards, it is more compact than two pizza boxes.

Parts of 4K Gaming PC

All parts of this PC are impressive:

• the CPU is air-cooled by the Noctua L9i,
• it is made on the micro-ATX form factor,
• the PC uses the Asus Maximus VIII Gene motherboard,
• it uses 32GB of RAM (Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4),
• speed is increased by using a Samsung 950 Pro M.2 SSD, and
• storage is increased through the use of a large Sandisk Ultra II 2.5 inch SSD.

Small but powerful

In a small machine it is the graphics cards that are the most problematic.  The GTX 1080s are specially mounted on PCI-Express risers and positioned at the back of the motherboard.  In this position there are special air intakes through a side panel which is made from clear acrylic.  Fresh air is drawn in through three fans positioned at the front.  After the small case, the power supply (700 Watts) is the next most customised piece.  The CPU and the GPUs can utilise cold air from the outside.  Described as being elegant and functional, and as small as possible, the design effectively maintains the operating temperature even though its components are large users of power, and it can manage a large load.

The case was built for Lukasz Dyjakon, an IT consultant in Australia, and as well as being functional there is a certain beauty to it as well.  The total cost of the case was $CAD4025, which was more than the $CAD3500 spent on the internal components.  The company, Protocase, have announced that Dyjakon plans to investigate the possibility of, and interest in, a model that could be mass-produced for the mass market.

Protocase report that most designers of custom PCs and other devices appreciate that as the computer becomes more powerful, it tends to increase the size because of the requirement for cooling.  The design has ensured that the 2 components that emit the greatest heat (CPU and graphics cards) are separate and can be cooled directly from outside – the CPU access fresh air from the right side, while the graphics cards access air from the left.

In fact, it is almost the same as the setup being used at Gizmodo, its performance has no flaws.  When used for 4k and VR gaming.  Overclocking is not a problem.  It can be taken on an air flight as carry-on baggage.  Even if you can’t plug it into the airline’s in-flight monitor, you will be able to use it at your destination.

 

source: gizmodo.com.au