So, a few weeks ago, I had to sell the desktop in my sig to pay for car repairs. Ever since, I've had this gaming PC shaped hole in my heart. The problem is, I have a very limited budget, and $450 does not usually produce a very fast gaming build. So, I decided I would try to create as fast of a gamer as possible for $450, even if it meant some salvaging and sacrifices.
A secondary goal of mine was also to make an extremely small build, one that would not be considerably larger than my PS3. To do that, I figured I would have to drop to a low profile, low performance card like an AMD 6670 or 7750. I didn't find that acceptable, and as such, decided to be creative.
The case I have settled on is the Foxconn RM2-H2, which is a barebones Mini-ITX case which comes with an Intel H67 motherboard and PSU.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16856119065
For RAM, I selected a cheap set of PNY 2x4GB DDR3 1600.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820178382
For the components I plan to put in the build, I need a beefier PSU, so I selected a Raidmax 530W Modular PSU.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817152028
For the HDD, I have both a 500GB 3.5" and 2.5" drive laying around, I will use whichever one fits my space needs better.
These components bring to subtotal of my build to $147, leaving me with $303 to buy the CPU and GPU.
For the CPU, I found a great local deal on a Core i3-2100 for $65 with the heatsink and boxing. This leaves me with $238 to spend on my GPU.
For the GPU, I am going slightly overkill. I found another deal locally on a Sapphire 7950 OC Edition, for $230. This brings my total to $442, exactly on budget.
However, as nice as the prices on all of these components are, it seems impossible to fit into the Foxconn case! For crying out loud, the case has only a single slot and is half height! This is where the modding comes in.
I will be removing the PSU from the case. With the PSU removed, I will use a PCI-E riser to mount the GPU sideways where the PSU would have been.
This, however, leaves the PSU with no where to go. As I am not using an ODD, nor the HDD mounts in the case, I will remove those from the interior, freeing space for the PSU. I will drill holes in the case above the PSU for ventilation and holes elsewhere in the case for securing the PSU.
This leaves space in the bottom right of the machine for the HDD. I will drill holes to mount it as well.
With some specialty tools at my workplace, this should all be doable. My drawings suggest there is enough space in the case for all components to fit if arranged correctly.
Wish me luck, updates to the project will be posted in the following posts along with pics!
A secondary goal of mine was also to make an extremely small build, one that would not be considerably larger than my PS3. To do that, I figured I would have to drop to a low profile, low performance card like an AMD 6670 or 7750. I didn't find that acceptable, and as such, decided to be creative.
The case I have settled on is the Foxconn RM2-H2, which is a barebones Mini-ITX case which comes with an Intel H67 motherboard and PSU.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16856119065
For RAM, I selected a cheap set of PNY 2x4GB DDR3 1600.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820178382
For the components I plan to put in the build, I need a beefier PSU, so I selected a Raidmax 530W Modular PSU.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817152028
For the HDD, I have both a 500GB 3.5" and 2.5" drive laying around, I will use whichever one fits my space needs better.
These components bring to subtotal of my build to $147, leaving me with $303 to buy the CPU and GPU.
For the CPU, I found a great local deal on a Core i3-2100 for $65 with the heatsink and boxing. This leaves me with $238 to spend on my GPU.
For the GPU, I am going slightly overkill. I found another deal locally on a Sapphire 7950 OC Edition, for $230. This brings my total to $442, exactly on budget.
However, as nice as the prices on all of these components are, it seems impossible to fit into the Foxconn case! For crying out loud, the case has only a single slot and is half height! This is where the modding comes in.
I will be removing the PSU from the case. With the PSU removed, I will use a PCI-E riser to mount the GPU sideways where the PSU would have been.
This, however, leaves the PSU with no where to go. As I am not using an ODD, nor the HDD mounts in the case, I will remove those from the interior, freeing space for the PSU. I will drill holes in the case above the PSU for ventilation and holes elsewhere in the case for securing the PSU.
This leaves space in the bottom right of the machine for the HDD. I will drill holes to mount it as well.
With some specialty tools at my workplace, this should all be doable. My drawings suggest there is enough space in the case for all components to fit if arranged correctly.
Wish me luck, updates to the project will be posted in the following posts along with pics!