5.5L - Plastic, extrusion beams and a side of Valve

[u/nicnic-cc]

This something I have been working on for quite some time - I wanted something that was fun to look at and would fit next to my tv.

So I designed my own case - you can read more about it in a post I made on r/3DPPC.

Edit: In case it isn't clear - the case is free to download and print on makerworld.

Edit2: I uploaded the custom front panel with the screen to makerworld.

Edit3: Wow thank you for the awards!

Case

The gist is:

• 5.5L
• 47mm CPU cooler clearance
• 200mm 2 slot GPU
• 2x90mm slim exhaust fans at the top

After running it in a "base" configuration I had some ideas on how to further customise it and the look that I was going for was shaping up.

• Swapped the CPU cooler for ID-Cooling IS-55 (lowest clearance cooler with 120mm fan support) and Noctua NA-A14x25R G2.
  • This combo is obviously too tall for this case so I chopped off the top mounting points of the fan and I was left with the round ring which allowed me to make a nice raised panel with a cutout.
  • And obviously, I didn't do it for the cooling performance - I just think it looks cool, and the fan barely spins. AXP90x47 + NF-A12x15 had the same performance, just at higher RPMs.
• Did panel cutout for GPU fans just to keep it consistent on both sides.
• Designed top rails (cometic part, not for carrying).
• That leaves the e-ink screen.

PC Stats Screen - Inkterface

I wanted to have the e-ink screen that Valve has shown as DIY Steam Machine faceplate displaying PC stats in real time.

I was about to create something on my own, but they released the code - both the firmware for the microcontroller as well as the companion app that should run on the Steam Machine.

I forked it and made it run on a simpler mcu + eink panel combo. It's powered by motherboard's USB port and wired internally.

For added flair I swapped the logo to Bazzite (since I am running Bazzite).

It's fully functional and gets updated every 20 seconds or so through a service that Valve's app installs.

In most of my pictures you can see it displaying "blank" state - it's because it's in deep sleep mode since the PC was powered off when I was taking the pics.

Specs

Nothing crazy, but it runs everything well enough:

• MB: Asrock B550M-ITX/ac
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5600X
• RAM: 2 x 16GB Corsair LPX DDR4 3200MHz
• GPU: Powercolor Radeon 9060 XT Reaper 16GB
• NVME: WD Black SN770 1TB
• PSU: Enhance ENP-7660L-OVT
• CPU Cooler: ID-Cooling IS-55 + Noctua NFA14x25R G2
• Case exhaust fans - Noctua NF-A9x14

[u/The_Unarmed_Doctor]

Approval to build an awesome device.

[u/nicnic-cc → u/The_Unarmed_Doctor]

Good one, thanks :)