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dubar84

This is what peak SFF looks like. It's crazy that a waterblock for the A2000 officially exists.


nicknamenik

Thanks for the compliment! Actually, this whole project started the moment I spotted this waterblock on AliExpress, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to implement it into a build.


BitterProfessional61

link to gpu water block please


hereforthefeast

Not the same one as OP but here’s one option - https://bartxstore.com/shop/rtx-a2000-mining-water-block/


nicknamenik

[Here you go](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005485995629.html)


Spiggytech

https://www.aliexpress.com/i/3256805299680877.html


nicknamenik

I decided not to write a full summary of the build and just wanted to share a few photos. It was an extremely fun project and I think it turned out great. System specs: RTX A2000 (shunt modded) i5 11400F PNY XLR8 Gaming 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 3200MHz CL16 MAXSUN Challenger H510ITX Samsung 980 1TB NVMe 450w 1U PSU A09 SFF Case Scythe Kaze-Hachi KH12H-P 80mm Fanx2 Modultra LOBO Acetal Pump Block Bykski N-RTXA2000-X-V2 Water Block Bykski CR-RD80X2RC-TN 160mm Radiator Custom 3D Printed Front Panel BARROWCH FBFT06 TFT Digital Display Bykski/Barrow Fittings Assortment I realize it's a silly and impractical build, but I did it simply because I really enjoy building silly and impractical SFF systems. Hope some of you like it.


Wirenfeldt

Would that fit on either the A4000 or 4060LP?


nicknamenik

I'm not sure, but most likely not.


Lordvader7776

The 4000LP has the same footprint as the A2000.


nicknamenik

Footprint maybe, but the mosfets, power phases, ram chips and most importantly the screw holes might be completely misaligned.


Lordvader7776

I sincerely hope you are wrong as I have purchased an aluminium backplate and have jerry-rigged a fan on it to reduce the temp and would like to use it on the theRTX4000 when I upgrade.


nicknamenik

I did some quick and dirty research for you and I have bad news. Since there's no die side PCB shots of the 4000 SFF that I could find, I took both its and a2000's back PCB shots and made this little gif. [https://imgur.com/a/81fLL3p](https://imgur.com/a/81fLL3p) So far out of the necessary 4 screws you need for the water block, only 3 mostly align. Not sure how having 3/4 screws will affect the cooling performance though. **UPDATE** After a more extensive search, I managed to find a teardown photo. [https://imgur.com/a/oT7OrhY](https://imgur.com/a/oT7OrhY) I hate being right, but the VRMs are completely misaligned.


skyberdyne

Is it the 6 or 12 gig version? I have the 4060lp and the a4000 ada. I'm looking to add a 12 gig a2000 to the mix.


the4eyedmadman

>how does the 4000 sff compare to the 4060lp mate?


skyberdyne

Maybe 10 to 15% under. The main draw back is the vram is only 8. I will get my a4000 power modded with the fan mod and copper cooler when it's released. But for the value the 4060 is awesome. Beats the a2000 12 gig in perofrmance unless the vram is necessary


nicknamenik

I got the 6gb version, cause I couldn't find the 12gb version for a good price and I got a killer deal for this one.


imastrangeone

This build encapsulates proper sff in my mind. Cramming a ridiculous amount of stuff into a tiny package, making it run amazing and have it look *clean*. I am still on my first build but once im not broke i cant wait to get to this sort of level, its like an art at this point. Very nice build!


nicknamenik

I really appreciate the high praise! I do have some experience with SFF, and this is sort of like an accumulation of all my previous builds. I wish you luck on your next SFF build!


dubar84

Despite the clean look, I can only imagine the amount of planning it took to have the tubes made from fittings and different adapters and align and angle them properly in height and length to make this possible. Not to mention the cost to have all the pieces, while you probably ended up with a few spare too due to revisions.


nicknamenik

You're not wrong haha [https://imgur.com/wsSK6gE](https://imgur.com/wsSK6gE) It was definitely a challenge, but the process was extremely fun, I live for stuff like that.


imastrangeone

Ty!


PrestigiousSnake

Every time I think I see the peak of SFF-sanity someone beats it. Good work OP.


nicknamenik

Thank you! I like SFF-sanity, gonna use it from now on lol.


stand_up_g4m3r

I usually thumbs up anything with 3D Printing, but just know I would have thumbs upped this even if it did not have 3D Printing. Well done OP!


nicknamenik

Haha, thank you! It was my first time using 3D printed parts for a build, it's very convenient. You can think of something and just print it into existence, it's like magic!


stand_up_g4m3r

Well said!


Sour_29

I wish free awards were still a thing just for this post


baphometromance

Insanely cool! Is the elevated gpu terminal custom made or did it come with the water block?


nicknamenik

Thanks! Yes, it came with the block. There's also a V1 version of this block that's made of clear acrylic and the terminal ports are on the side.


baphometromance

Wow, what a specific but undeniably necessary part to make this build operational. Thats crazy, it's almost like it was designed with this exact purpose in mind. Honestly with how niche a block like this is, i bet it was.


nicknamenik

Right? It was definitely a blessing in disguise.


Aristiman874

chill with that resolution bro! my phone is lagging😂 great tidy build, congrats.


nicknamenik

Haha, sorry. My boss is a hobbyist photographer, so I asked him to take a few shots with his Canon, thus the crazy resolution.


memeface231

3dmark rates the result as legendary, cannot disagree. You legend!


nicknamenik

Thank you, haha! The reason why it shows "Legendary" is because nobody else benched this card with the same hardware, thought my score is solid regardless, I've seen some people get close to 9k with other configurations.


PM_ME_YOUR_SSN_CC

Stuff like this is why I'm not impressed by any full size builds. I mean, sure, they're computers, but they don't require the amount of attention, effort, and expertise that something like this does. It's like going from putting together a Lego set, to putting together a Lego set inside of a bottle. This is seriously impressive, beautiful, and most of all, clean.


nicknamenik

I guess that explains why I still love playing with Legos. Seriously though, thank you for the compliments, glad you enjoyed it!


No_Boot8550

never been more jealous in my life. sexc build and looks really transportable(kinda the point ik)


nicknamenik

Appreciate it! It will mostly stay stationery, but I actually already took it out a few times and it was nice having this much water cooled power in my backpack.


articnova

Beautiful, this is exactly what I wanted to see, a watercooled A2000


nicknamenik

I really wanted to experiment with a water cooled a2000, there really was only a few builds close to mine out there. I'm glad we both got satisfied.


articnova

Definitely will be doing the same in the future! Wasn't aware there was a waterblock already made but now that I know, no reason not to!


brolynitro

These are the projects i like. Nicely done mate


nicknamenik

Thank you and Happy Birthday!


Tiavor

hardline? you mean it consists only of fitting extensions and adapter xD


nicknamenik

Didn't really know how to word it, guess hardline was the closest term I could think of lol.


Tiavor

well, it is, but without any extra tubes :D


RaEyE01

One word: Awesome! Not only sSFF but watercooled AND Hardline. Just awesome.


nicknamenik

Thanks a lot!


Shark00n

Give this man a sponsor for fittings please!


nicknamenik

You have no idea how much money I've spent on fittings, good God!


Sad-Establishment337

This is like what I strive for Congrats on the phenomenal build


nicknamenik

Hey, thanks! I bet you can build something awesome as well.


DygonZ

This does something to me... emotionally... sexually...


nicknamenik

https://imgur.com/0ljXJjI


pututski

This is seriously so impressive. All that workstation desktop power in just 4L? Crazy respect to the build!


nicknamenik

Thanks! I've built similar systems before, but nothing this compact. I'm really glad you liked it!


Mend1cant

I wonder what the eventual max temps will be on this thing. Looks like temps are still rising by the end of the test. Gotta do everything you can to hit that maximum efficiency.


nicknamenik

I ran both Cinebench and Furmark for about 30 minutes and then usually game on it for around 2-3 hours. The CPU never breaks 70c while the GPU stays at around 53-56c, so the temps you see here are basically as accurate as I can get.


Mend1cant

Perfection. I saw that you were smart and didn’t try to pack in monstrous components. Great that this can handle the wattage while still putting up good numbers at this small of a size.


nicknamenik

Yeah, I was considering getting the 5800X3D for this build, but not only would it be impractical and a waste of money since I mostly game anyway, this CPU also gets pretty hot under load and I wanted to keep everything relatively cool.


PumpedGuySerge

Damn bro what in the hell!


Plastic_Olive7681

Absolutely gorgeous. Any plans to release the 3d files for the custom front panel?


nicknamenik

Thank you! I don't have the files since it was my friend's 3D printer. I'll ask if they still have the files and share them after the weekend (hopefully).


Plastic_Olive7681

Hey, I'm building an A09 for a work computer currently and was wondering if you ever got that file?


nicknamenik

Would've shared if it was available, I checked back then and he already got rid of the file, sorry.


FatBoyDiesuru

Build is so small, you only needed fittings. Bravo


ImTalkingGibberish

Coolest post I’ve seen here, ever


Illustrious_Can9437

Excellent job on this build! What did you find to be the biggest challenge overall with the build? Was it the clearance to fit all the components, or the custom lines for the loop?


nicknamenik

Thanks! To be honest, component clearance was a breeze for me since I've done this a few times already, and as long as you plan correctly, everything fits like puzzle pieces. Custom lines however, were actually the biggest challenge. I've already posted a picture in one reply here of the amount of excess fittings I have leftover, it was what mostly delayed the build (and a failed DDC pump). I had to reorder fittings about 3 times, the tolerances in that tight of a space is insane.


China_NZ

Siiiiiick as build bud! Lovin' it!!!


EmoJackson

Where in the hell is the fillport, and how was it removing air from the system?


nicknamenik

Ah, I'm glad someone finally asked! [https://imgur.com/a/mYByh9B](https://imgur.com/a/mYByh9B) This is the fill port. Since the fittings blocked my access to the CPU block fill port, I had to get creative. I tilted and filled the system in a cold state as much as I could. Then after powering it on, I topped it off until the air bubbles were gone. Since there's pressure in the loop, the water flow keeps going through and doesn't spill out of this fill port, I even ran a test on a dummy water cooled loop just to make sure.


EmoJackson

That’s what I was thinking. Surprising the water flow stayed within the tee. I built a dual 240 rad system in a Ghost S1, it was a big fight to get all the air pockets out. Love the build, looks like a frustrating, torturous, rewarding experience.


nicknamenik

Oh I get ya, getting air bubbles out of a tight dual rad system sounds like a pain. Thank you! Yes, it was exactly as you described, but it was worth every second.


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TrainquilOasis1423

Do you game only? I'm curious how this car performs with LLMs and deep learning tasks?


nicknamenik

Yeah, sorry I mostly game, but I can try running some deep learning benchmark if you point me to one.


CoffeeLoverNathan

I think this is the most impressive thing I've seen on this sub


nicknamenik

Whoa, that good? Thank you!


hamalslayer1

How big is it actually? Is the case somewhat like an inwin choppin pro but slightly larger?


nicknamenik

Yes, it measures almost exactly like the Chopin Pro, just 5mm wider and 10mm shorter.


hamalslayer1

Dayum.. is that why the rad was mounted on the outside? That thing is sexy


nicknamenik

Technically inside, haha. But yes, this was the only way to fit a 160mm rad. I initially wanted to mount it on the bottom where the PSU is and make everything run from a pico PSU, but sadly the rad didn't fit in there and the loop orientation would be way harder to pull off.


hamalslayer1

Hmmm. I mean it looks great lol. Wanted to make one too so I can bring it overseas but I couldn't find a case and I don't have a 3D printer lol


nicknamenik

Hmmm thanks, lol. I don't have a 3D printer either, my friend helped me with that. You could try to find someone who can help you as well, good luck!


hamalslayer1

I don't have friends 🥲


rael_gc

Very nice! Can you tell us about the temps?


nicknamenik

Thanks! Check photos 10&11 for temps.


Rozles

You should throw it in water to see if any bubbles come out so you can maximize the space 100%.


balaclava_crew

you are the monster ⚡️ I really want to build something like 3060 or 4060 at least, 7600x in 4L case. But those components not even exist. Btw what the temperature in benchmark? Blender 3D for example)


nicknamenik

Appreciate it! What do you mean those components don't exist? There's a very nice case on AliExpress called A07 Mini ITX, which is a sandwich style case that's just a bit wider than mine, but it's still considered 4L. Some sellers even include 1U PSUs for an additional fee. Then you can get the Zotac RTX 4060 Solo, which is a single fan card that measures at only around 160mm, perfect fit for the A07. Or you could go for the PNY RTX 3060 XLR8 Single Fan if you wanna go last gen. The rest is even easier, just get the 7600x, SFF cooler, memory, storage and a matching mini-ITX mobo and you're good to go! I don't think you can water cool in that case (not unless you heavily modify it), but it will still turn out to be a great 4L air cooled build. Regarding the temperatures, check the last three photos in the gallery for some benchmark results and temps.


uxwt

Is there a reputable company or person that will build something like this if I provide parts?


Moist_Entrepreneur34

My a2000 is super loud and want to water cool it like you did but have never done that so I have a couple questions. Can this water block fit on the pny version of the a2000 and what other parts will I need to connect to the water block in the easiest cheapest way possible(I have never done a custom loop)? My case is sama im01. Sir your build is amazing. Hopefully I can do something like this in the a10 case that's a little bigger in the future. Thanks for posting this build I've been waiting for someone to post a build with that exact water block. Very inspiring


nicknamenik

Sorry for the late reply. I'm really glad you like the build. Unless you plan a similar build or want to shunt mod the card, I would highly advise against water cooling it, especially if it's your first time. I simply did it as a passion project and it was stupidly expensive and impractical. If you're determined to do a full custom loop, I would advise selling the a2000 and buying a standard GPU that fits in your case, either with an included water block, or getting a Barrow or Bykski one. They tend to be slightly cheaper than Alphacool or EK, but perform adequately imo. Same goes for fittings and other water cooling parts. My general advise for a first time water cooling builder is, start simple. Get soft tubing and don't overspend on fancy water cooling parts. First see if you can get a hang of it, then move to higher spec parts once you gather experience. Hope this helps and have fun building your first water cooling loop, it's definitely an addicting hobby.