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So after a long and epic saga involving the worst winter weather in decades, Intel design errors, manufacturer recalls, order cancellations and finally getting all the parts and putting them together, I have my new build up and running!
Initially I wanted to go mini-ITX but the lack of good Sandy Bridge mini-ITX boards swayed me to micro-ATX instead, where after some research I decided upon the Silverstone GD05 mATX HTPC case, Core i5 2500K, ASUS P8P67-M Pro, and going SLI with a pair of GTX 285s I already had.
Since I was reusing all my drives, I was able to just keep my current Win7 install and just install the new drivers for the motherboard and reinstall the NVIDIA drivers and it's like nothing changed, except the hardware! Eventually I will do another clean install but not at this point as everything seems to be stable.
Overclocking will be next, but for now, here is my GD05 mini-review:
I read a couple of reviews about the GD05 and decided it was the one.
Working inside the case is a bit of a hassle at first, but once you learn its temperament it isn't so bad. The main thing I learned is that you really need to install the processor and HSF with the board outside of the case first. There is just no room for a normal person's hands and fingers around the CPU socket area inside this case. Also, don't bother with right-angle SATA data connectors (except for the optical drive) -- again there is just no room for them, likely because the case is only 5.5" tall, and the 2.5" and one of the 3.5" drives are actually mounted upside down.
The spot for the second 3.5" drive is a little odd. This is the one that's mounted upside down. The SATA cables actually go over the video cards and thus need to be unplugged before removing them. You also have to cut out a bit of the rubber seal they included here, to make room for the SATA cables, although this isn't as bad as it sounds. Apparently the seal is to improve airflow for the drives.
As mentioned in most of the reviews, a modular power supply is a must with this case so you aren't overwhelemed with cables you aren't using and more importantly, so the drive cage can be easily removed by unplugging the one power cable from the power supply instead of the multiple power cables from the drives. I did end up using a SATA power extension for the optical drive because the spacing of the modular cable wasn't quite right to reach both the ODD and the 2nd 3.5" drive.
Getting the lid back on the case with all those PCI-E cables is a bit tricky, you have to really mash those cables flat, and then use the lid itself to keep them flat when putting it on. I was going to use some 90 degree PCI-E power extensions but there is no need. Just takes a bit of elbow grease and care to get all those cables to lay down in the ~10mm of space you have to work with between the top of the graphics cards and where the lid wants to be.
Other than that the case is actually quite workable, with included cable ties and tie-down holes, and plenty of space to stow excess cable lengths next to the PSU and in front of the motherboard.
My one other complaint with the case is pretty minor, but they really should have included thumb screws for the top cover! I can't complain too much, because at $90 this case is really well put together and not that expensive, so I can forgive them for the lack of toolless entry, plus you can always get your own thumbscrews for a pittance.
This case is amazingly quiet. I cannot hear it at all from atop its shelf 3 feet away. Temperatures seem to be good and its got enough room for two dual slot 11" video cards (they recommend the rear-exhaust type), a full-size PSU, 2 3.5" and 1 2.5" drive as well as an optical drive. You can even replace the second 3.5" drive with a 5th expansion slot, although if using a PCI/PCI-Express card here you would need some sort of riser.
On to the pics:
Complete and sitting on my desk's top shelf
2x120mm fans keeping things cool and quiet
Rear connections, using my old Shuttle's thumbscrews 
Lid off, top view
Lots of cables!
GPUs and ODD cage removed
Another angle
Upside down PSU, rubber seal and second 3.5" drive
2.5" and 3.5" drives in there, somewhere...
IO shield and rear vents. Room for an additional 2 80mm fans here.
Initially I wanted to go mini-ITX but the lack of good Sandy Bridge mini-ITX boards swayed me to micro-ATX instead, where after some research I decided upon the Silverstone GD05 mATX HTPC case, Core i5 2500K, ASUS P8P67-M Pro, and going SLI with a pair of GTX 285s I already had.
Since I was reusing all my drives, I was able to just keep my current Win7 install and just install the new drivers for the motherboard and reinstall the NVIDIA drivers and it's like nothing changed, except the hardware! Eventually I will do another clean install but not at this point as everything seems to be stable.
Overclocking will be next, but for now, here is my GD05 mini-review:
I read a couple of reviews about the GD05 and decided it was the one.
Working inside the case is a bit of a hassle at first, but once you learn its temperament it isn't so bad. The main thing I learned is that you really need to install the processor and HSF with the board outside of the case first. There is just no room for a normal person's hands and fingers around the CPU socket area inside this case. Also, don't bother with right-angle SATA data connectors (except for the optical drive) -- again there is just no room for them, likely because the case is only 5.5" tall, and the 2.5" and one of the 3.5" drives are actually mounted upside down.
The spot for the second 3.5" drive is a little odd. This is the one that's mounted upside down. The SATA cables actually go over the video cards and thus need to be unplugged before removing them. You also have to cut out a bit of the rubber seal they included here, to make room for the SATA cables, although this isn't as bad as it sounds. Apparently the seal is to improve airflow for the drives.
As mentioned in most of the reviews, a modular power supply is a must with this case so you aren't overwhelemed with cables you aren't using and more importantly, so the drive cage can be easily removed by unplugging the one power cable from the power supply instead of the multiple power cables from the drives. I did end up using a SATA power extension for the optical drive because the spacing of the modular cable wasn't quite right to reach both the ODD and the 2nd 3.5" drive.
Getting the lid back on the case with all those PCI-E cables is a bit tricky, you have to really mash those cables flat, and then use the lid itself to keep them flat when putting it on. I was going to use some 90 degree PCI-E power extensions but there is no need. Just takes a bit of elbow grease and care to get all those cables to lay down in the ~10mm of space you have to work with between the top of the graphics cards and where the lid wants to be.
Other than that the case is actually quite workable, with included cable ties and tie-down holes, and plenty of space to stow excess cable lengths next to the PSU and in front of the motherboard.
My one other complaint with the case is pretty minor, but they really should have included thumb screws for the top cover! I can't complain too much, because at $90 this case is really well put together and not that expensive, so I can forgive them for the lack of toolless entry, plus you can always get your own thumbscrews for a pittance.
This case is amazingly quiet. I cannot hear it at all from atop its shelf 3 feet away. Temperatures seem to be good and its got enough room for two dual slot 11" video cards (they recommend the rear-exhaust type), a full-size PSU, 2 3.5" and 1 2.5" drive as well as an optical drive. You can even replace the second 3.5" drive with a 5th expansion slot, although if using a PCI/PCI-Express card here you would need some sort of riser.
On to the pics:
Complete and sitting on my desk's top shelf
2x120mm fans keeping things cool and quiet
Rear connections, using my old Shuttle's thumbscrews 
Lid off, top view
Lots of cables!
GPUs and ODD cage removed
Another angle
Upside down PSU, rubber seal and second 3.5" drive
2.5" and 3.5" drives in there, somewhere...
IO shield and rear vents. Room for an additional 2 80mm fans here.
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