Project Ryzen in a Box

Community DIY Corner
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Introduction
I want a secondary machine in case the main battle station ever has a severe hickup or does not feel like working.
I also want a machine that can be moved easily. And while at it, I don´t want to take two walks when setting up at a LAN-Party. The final goal is to make a portable machine with integrated monitor and room to store mouse and keyboard while not in use.
IIRC, someone on here made this beauty (if the maker is you, I got some questions further down in this OP):
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Initial thoughts
The first plan was to buy and customise an aluminium tool case.
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There are several problems with this approach as a box big enough to fit a monitor are big enough to fit two computers.

As lots of prototypes at my uni are made from aluminium extrusions, I abandoned the alu-box idea.

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20x20mm alu extrusion, super cheap for what it is.

The Plan*
Build a case that fits a 24 inch monitor. Luckily there are locking joints so I do not have to come up with a system to hold the lid open.

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As there are loads of accesories for the alu-profiles, I can get handles, feet, corner connectors angles and nuts for the slots. Total cost for the alu-frame is arround 150€ (high end case).
Then there will be some 1mm alu sheets to turn the frame into a case. Holes for fans and “front panel” will be cut using the waterjet at my uni.

Front panel will be done with these:
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And they will all get covers
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I am not going to list all the parts and little bits, but it adds up to just under 400€

Then there are some other bits including keyboard and screen, screws, fan grills and whatever adding up to another 250€

The computer
As I have to keep it relativly cheap, the plan is to go with this setup:
(I am open to suggestions here, keep in mind it needs to stay low profile)

Part Price Note
Ryzen5 2600X 205€
ASRock B450M Pro4 76€ Needs to be mATX due to limited space
Noctua NH-L12S 50€
WD Blue 500GB 80€ M.2 Drive (reduce cable clutter)
G.Skill Value 2400 60€ 2x4GB, may upgrade later
Sapphire RX580 8GB 230€ Might go for an RX 570 8GB
SeaSonic M12-II 520W 60€ Need a modular PSU to keep cable clutter down
PCIe-Riser 29€
BeQuiet PureWings2 PWM 4x 8€ Will use 4 (requires fan splitter)
TOTAL: ~800€

as mindfactory link

Total project cost will be arround 1300€, 550 of wich go into the case.

Complete part list:

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Questions and open problems

  • The GPU will be fans-up (as in the picture of the suitcase machine), I need to screw it in place somehow. If anyone has specs on mounting hole position or ideas on how to support the other end, I need all the advice I can get.
  • I would like a monitor with FreeSync over HDMI. The Samsung one I listed is light weight and has freesync, however I only have 33mm clearance between case and monitor. So a monitor with right-angled power connector (or downward facing ports) would be nice.
  • The motherboard tray will be one meant as a replacement part for test benches (made by DimasTech). If anyone has better ideas, let me know.
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@kewldude007 made that first pic, I believe. For his custom GPU mounting bracket.

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correct

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Just a thought, but you could potentially jerry rig a 17-inch laptop display that supports adaptive sync with an eDP to HDMI adapter (if it’ll work like that? HDMI version matters?).

Then you could have the whole thing powered by one of the Dell 330W AC adapters, which can plug into the case and split off to the display adapter board, and a DC-DC PSU for the machine (like the one used in the NFC S4 Mini).

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I hate to be a buzzkill but I would really recommend a laptop. The carcass of that system lives in my closet.

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I have a laptop. I hate laptops.

The advantage of the alu-frame design is that I can take the computer out, unscrew everything and stuff it in a box. Or leave it as is and pile stuff on top.

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have at it then.

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This is shit for anything that needs high strength to weight ratio.

I’d recommend finding something better.

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Integrity should be plenty. Weight is 440g per meter, so just under 4kg for the whole case.

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I’ve worked with this stuff before. You’ll regret it.

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Either bring forth some breathtaking tale of “sgtawesomesauce
vs the evil aluminium extrusion” or put this thread to “muted”.

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After doing some cost-optimization and switching functionally equal parts with cheaper versions and doing some updates to my price list.
1286.35€ total.

I think I will get the frame pieces together in january, then get the parts I have to take measurements on.

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I have put some more work into planning out the case.

RyzenBoxV1
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Next thing that needs to be figured out is how to mount the GPU…

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Not sure how I missed this. Pretty cool!

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Holidays are over, so I can order some parts. Yay!

First up: Acryl sheet, 3mm thick, laser cut to size.

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I know we’re in different countries, but how much is that acrylic costing? Or are you getting it cut through your university?

I need to replace some glass on a case project of mine, but I haven’t priced out the replacement panels yet.

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With the cutouts, they are at 35€

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The I/O arrived:

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Apparantly, my spec-sheet-fu is too low, the covering flap things will need a very little bit of love with a file to fit over the I/O ports…

And I forgot to order the 3.5mm jack to open wire cable, so I have to order that aswell…

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Monitor arrived.
Samsung S24F350FHUXEN, VGA and HDMI in, supports FreeSync via HDMI

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May remove the stand hinge as by this tutorial.

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Another batch of bits arrived.
Most importantly the motherboard tray and power button, lets me take some measurements instead of having to guess sizes.

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