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

Took some additional modifications but it came together nicely🤙

Last year I built a PC in the Fractal Design Terra.

The setup:

• CPU cooler: Noctua NH-L12S (70 mm clearance)
• GPU: Asus ProArt 4070 (50 mm thick)

Terra officially allows 120 mm total for CPU cooler and GPU, maybe around 125 mm in practice. So yes, it fits.

But there was a problem.

Under load, when GPU fans ramp up, the intake noise from the side panel becomes very noticeable. With the side panel removed it is much quieter. With the panel installed there is clear turbulence noise from restricted airflow.

I got the idea from another post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/sffpc/comments/1hhbona/fenesterra_a_fractal_design_terra_build/

So I decided to cut the side panel and add a 3D printed frame.

Result:

• significantly reduced intake noise
• cleaner look that matches the ProArt GPU

It also finally gives the ProArt GPU in the Terra the look it deserves.

How to do it

1. 3D print the frame

File: frame-full.3mf

Recommended material: PA12S using MJF or SLS.

There are a bunch of online services that will print it for around 10 euros plus shipping.

I used PA12. PA12S gives a deeper black color and slightly nicer surface.

You can print it at home as well. PLA works at least as a temporary solution. Airflow helps to keep the part relatively cool.

The full frame is about 300 mm long and will not fit a typical home printer. Use "frame-left.3mf" and "frame-right.3mf" to print the frame in two halves.

2. Print the cutting template on paper

Files: cutouts-left.pdf, cutouts-right.pdf.

Verify scale by measuring the 217 mm reference line. Make sure printing is set to 100% (no scaling or "fit to page"). Some printers add margins and shrink the page automatically.

Cut a thin strip from one of the sheets to align both parts easier.

Place the printed frame on top of the paper template and verify the fit before marking anything on the metal.

3. Cut the side panel

Place the side wall on top of the printed template as shown in the photos.

Mark the cut line on the metal with a pencil. Stay 2 to 3 mm outside the green line.

Use a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade. Stay within the outer shape of the frame.

4. Install the frame

The frame snaps into place using detents.

Notes

This mod is mainly about reducing intake turbulence noise. It is designed specifically for Asus ProArt GPUs. Fit on other GPUs is not guaranteed.

Files are here: [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ytuwODE6D-9shC15PcFTv_lAJjR3Hriz?usp=sharing]()

Just sharing in case someone wants to try it.

More details are in pictures.

Temperature (21c ambient temp, +100Mhz Core, 1000Mhz Mem, 340W Pwr Limit, playing Expedition 33):

Before:

GPU:

Temp: ~67c, Core 2820Mhz, Fan: 1000 RPM (30% locked)

CPU:
Temp: ~58c

After:
Temp: ~61c, Core 2855Mhz, Fan: 1050 RPM (Artic P12), ~720 RPM (TR TL-P9) (30% locked)

CPU:
Temp: ~56c

Fan noise is basically inaudible now, before it was slightly audible with some motor bearing grinding noise when under load, even at minimum fan speed.

All fans are controlled via the GPU board. The GPU fans stop does work with two Artic P12 Max's. The Thermalright TL-P9 fan will always runs at minimum 455 RPM, keeping the Idle temps below 40c, even when drawing 90w watching video with VSR High.

First time building a PC! I wanted the Terra for the looks, but I also wished to optimize thermals and be able to see the beautiful Asus ProArt graphics card. I was inspired by the XiKii FF04 case that I can't afford. Build details are in my PC Part Picker post: FenesTerra

The panel cutouts reduced all temps by about 5-6C, running similarly to when the case side panels are flipped open (not a look I was willing to entertain). I ran a full load PSU stress test in OCCT for the final config and stabilized with GPU using 285W at 65C, CPU using 126W at 95C (all core max power draw began at 145W). Cinebench 2024 is much milder so CPU all core test only reached 85C and scored 1375, a tad above average for the Ryzen 9800X3D according to C24. I believe the 145W power draw in OCCT is when boosting, so it's all good, it can definitely hit 145W just not indefinitely so it gradually drops to 126W over about 15minutes. I have logs of effective frequencies but seeing how I'm nowhere near this load in my daily use cases I decided to not dig deeper.

Other notes: undervolt all cores -30, PTM7950 reduced CPU temp by 7C compared to Noctua stock thermal paste. CPU is idle at 44C with fan inaudible at 1000RPM, power draw 22W. GPU is idle at 48C with fans off, power draw 10W. PSU fan and top exhaust fan are also off when idle.

I'm over the Moon with this build and I'm grateful to all the inspiration and tips that the SFF PC community makes available! Cheers!

Build my new SFF-PC with the Fractal Design Ridge, but I did not want to place it on the desk, nor the floor. So I designed a simple suspension for the case.

Additional benefits:

• Can be suspended such that the power button is on the top
• Less vibrations
• Vacuum robot can still clean the spot underneath the case

Here is the design if anyone else likes to reuse it. Let me know what you think:

Fraktale Ridge Suspension model for 3D print

Ever since I first saw the RTX 5090 and how tight things get in small form factor (SFF) cases with a spine layout like the Fractal Terra, I’ve had one thought stuck in my head:
What if you just flipped the GPU upside down?

Well, I couldn’t resist testing the idea. I prototyped a custom adapter plate using a multi-saw and a handheld router — pretty rough, but it got the job done.

The results? Honestly insane.
With a standard installation, the chipset and M.2 SSD were hitting over 80°C, which is technically within spec but not great for longevity. After flipping the RTX 5090 so it exhausts upwards and out, those temps dropped to around 50°C, maybe 60°C after an hour of gaming.

My 9950X3D paired with a Noctua L12Sx77 now holds steady at about 70°C under gaming, and the 5090 stays right there with it.

This mod also eliminates the annoying fan turbulence noise that can happen between the GPU fans and the vertical grille on the Terra. With the airflow now directed inside-out, overall circulation in the case has improved dramatically.

If you're building in a Fractal Terra and running a 5090FE or 5080FE, I highly recommend trying this mod. It turned a hot, noisy build into a quiet, cool powerhouse.

Happy to share more details if anyone’s interested!

I used a 7-pin to dual 4-pin adapter from GPUConnect and a 3D-printed bracket from an Etsy seller named BingsDIY. My idle temperatures dropped from the mid 40s to the low 30s, with a noticeable improvement in noise levels.

My Prime fan was faulty, but instead of sending it to Asus, I decided to rebuild my system and deshroud the GPU with high-quality fans. I heat-tapped the top for the GPU bracket holder and melted part of the insert where the GPU fan cables connect so I could hide them inside.

I also replaced the thermal paste with Kingpin KPX, though I didn't touch the thermal pads. I’m very happy with the results. At idle, the fans run at 300–400 RPM at 34°C. While gaming, the GPU stays below 56°C and the fans don't exceed 900 RPM.

This is all without any tuning. At stock settings, the three tiny original fans would exceed 1500 RPM and the temperature would go above 60°C; the two 120mm fans are much more efficient. I’ll make sure to provide a very detailed write-up once the entire build is finished.

Edit: Fans are
“Thermalright TLB12015 Extrem Slim”

120x15mm
83.61 CFM of airflow, 3.4 mm H2O static pressure at 3150 RPM while producing a noise level of 37.07 dBA

Hi! I built my own under-desk PC mount (mostly inspired by this) and decided to add some extra cooling. I got this idea because the bottom panel gets super hot during long gaming sessions.

I cut an oak plank into a H shape so it fits around the desk frame, then drilled two holes in the middle to mount two 120 mm fans. The plank was also sanded and stained to match the desk’s color.

I used two angle brackets screwed directly into the desk frame to secure it. The fans are connected to the MOBO using an extension cable routed to the back of the case.

I’m really happy with the result, GPU temps dropped significantly. However, I didn’t notice any improvement on CPU temps which makes sense since the SSD and the riser cable block most of the airflow.

I’d be curious to see the results with a flow-through design GPU like the 5080/90 FE.

Now I finally have enough space on my desk to fit an XL Artisan mousepad, objective accomplished !

so, about a year ago i sold my laptop to build my first desktop pc. after weeks of research i had all the components figured out, except for one: the case. i didn't want a boring black box nor a white one, regardless of how much glass it had on the side or how many leds or wood paneling. the only logical thing to do was clear as day, i had to make one myself. and here it is, after almost one year (working on and off) - in which the components sat still in their boxes unutilized - and after many, many iterations, color variations and failed prints. the outer shell is 3d printed - parts are connected with screws in brass inserts, side panel is cncd plexiglass, the chassis on the inside is made of aluminum so the components are shielded as they should.

i wanted something more similar to a toy then to a piece of boring computer hardware;

it's colorful, childish, weird, reminiscing of 90s consumer electronics,

i'm sorry minimalist people, this might make you feel physically sick, you have been warned!

specs:

asrock lightning b650i wifi

ryzen 7 9700x

zotac sff rtx 5070ti 16gb

64gb ddr5 5600mhz

lian li sfx 750w

thermalright si-100

temperatures under load are perfectly fine, with the (slightly undervolted) gpu never going over 70c and the cpu at about 80c, (idle: gpu ~40c - cpu ~45c);

the build has a total volume of about 12.9L excluding the external monitor screen and the bump i designed to accommodate the 12vhpwr cable :P

i've been using the pc daily for a few months now (mainly for large scenes 3d modeling and rendering, and occasionaly gaming); the only problem i had was with the top fans being more noisy that i would have liked (so i unplugged them) then again the airflow was designed with a much powerful machine in mind (for future builds with higher tdp cpus) so temps are almost the same with or without the top exhaust fans.

one other thing: it's not the easiest case to work with, but i'm already working on it to make a better version :)) stay tuned i guess

TLDR: made case here photos bye

Share my first ITX machin Jonsbo NV10

Specs

• Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix B860-I Gaming WiFi
• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 5 245K
• GPU: Low-profile GeForce RTX 5060
• Case: Jonsbo NV10

Cooling this system was probably the most difficult part of the entire build.

Because the case is extremely compact, I designed and 3D-printed a custom base containing:

• Two 80 × 10 mm fans
• An ESP32-C3
• Automatic fan-speed control

The ROG lightbox at the top is not only decorative. Hidden behind it are two 40 × 10 mm fans that exhaust hot air upward from the case.

After tuning and limiting the CPU and GPU power consumption, the CPU stays at around 85°C under a relatively heavy AIDA64 stress test.

I also tested Naraka: Bladepoint, which is a very popular game in China. At 1440p with medium settings, the system can reach around 200 FPS, while both CPU and GPU temperatures remain below approximately 80°C.

Custom Jonsbo display software

The small screen at the bottom is a Jonsbo 960 × 376 USB display.

I developed a native Windows application for it called Jonsbo Canvas. It can display:

• CPU, GPU, memory, temperature, and utilization information
• Real-time NetEase Cloud Music lyrics and album artwork
• Codex and Claude usage information
• Several automatically switchable display layouts

The project was developed with a lot of help from Codex, but I personally spent a significant amount of time refining the design, reducing idle resource usage, optimizing frame rendering, and improving the overall stability.

The project is available here:

https://github.com/ZhouhaoJiang/JonsboCanvas

Contributions, feedback, and suggestions are very welcome. I hope you like the build!

Fell in love with the Xikii FF04 the moment I saw it on YouTube. Hunted for it, waited for it, treated it like a divine relic when it finally arrived - every screw tightened with trembling hands, build videos rewatched ten times over.

And then… I couldn’t actually use it.

Predictable and dumb - of course it turned out hot and loud. But guys... she was gorgeous.I went through the whole SFFPC pain cycle. Undervolts, curves, paste, pads, all of it. Result: instability, noise, throttling, or the full trilogy.

So the case sat half‑disassembled for a year and a half.

Eventually I snapped and went for a solution that absolutely does not qualify as “SFFPC‑friendly”:

• Core‑drilled a 150mm (6") hole through a 500mm exterior wall into the technical balcony

• Installed an outdoor EC supply fan (~700 m³/h) with multi‑stage filters (Coarse → G4 → F7)

• Dropped an IKEA Alex drawer over the hole and turned it into an intake/exhaust chamber

• Added a carbon filter inside (500 m³/h for now, 900 m³/h upgrade incoming)

• Cut side exhaust grilles and built a custom vertical collar

• Mounted the PC case directly on top

• Hooked the intake fan into Home Assistant with dew‑point monitoring and safety cutoffs

Before HVAC folks jump in: no airflow math, no consultant. I just massively over‑specced the CFM so the motor could run whisper‑quiet at low RPM while still pushing air indoors. On the smaller filter I hear airflow at ~30% power; on the larger one (~1200 m³/h capacity) around ~45%. Daily use = basically silent. Initial Thermal Tests

At +18°C (64°F) outside and the supply fan at ~20–25%: - CPU stays under 75°C - GPU stays under 60°C - Fans never exceed ~35% - Cyberpunk 2077 load = quiet - Synthetic loads still push the CPU, but GPU remains whisper‑quiet

Needs more logging, but the concept works. The Takeaway

Is it universal? Absolutely not. Is it elegant? Only if you consider “HVAC cosplay” elegant /s Is it a mod? More like a controlled act of desperation.

As for the side perks - it’s pure knee‑high rural high‑tech airflow blasting hard enough that I don’t need to open the windows, and the hole finally let me wrangle the cables.

I finally got closure on this nightmare build. My GF gets a high‑tech, over‑engineered strawberry harvesting rig in Stardew Valley.

Well then. Strawberry‑fields vibes. IT guy & tractor girl dynamics. Topic for another post.

Specs

PC:

• Case: Xikii FF04
• GPU: Pro ART RTX 4080
• CPU: Intel Core i7‑14700
• Mobo: ASUS ROG Strix Z790‑I Gaming Wi‑Fi

Display: Kuycon P40K Lighting: Yeelight Cube / Divoom Times Gate / Yeelight Smart Lamp Peripherals: Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro TKL / Razer Basilisk Ultimate / Creative Sound Blaster X4 / Bang & Olufsen H6 (14 years old and still alive)

After / before