Just because case specs say "360mm of gpu clearance", that does not mean "comfortably" or "you won't have to disassemble everything around it".

I mean, if there was more room, it would be indicated with a higher number.

45

"cable management"

15

I made my graphics card watercooled because I couldn't fit it in my case with the bigass extra long heatsink. It's complicated. I used a universal gpu water block, some small heatsinks for the mosfets and vram and thermal glue to hold the heatsinks on but I fucked up because that fucking glue is like 75% as strong as epoxy. Now that I have an actual proper gpu waterblock, I can't install it because of this shit. I guess the takeaway from this is to not do dumb stuff like I did, so at least you didn't do that.

11

Please buy a bigger case😂

7

This is the way.

I’ve usually used a big case so that I don’t need to worry about practical things like this.

Building a computer in a tiny case would be an interesting challenge, but it wouldn’t be very practical or fun in the long term. Designing and building could be fun, but once it’s time to upgrade anything, it’s also the time to sell the whole box and let someone else deal with it.

2
- From what I see or just my personal preference, itx cases seems to be more focused on asthetics than functionality. I do like the looks of it and would like to switch to some open itx builds at some point but idk if it's worth it with all the drawbacks.
  
  2

I bought a case with enough GPU clearance, without realising the radiator for a liquid cooling kit I got was much thicker than standard (Arctic Freezer II), so I had to get a new case for that.

It's good practise to measure everything with measuring tape, I reckon.

7

I just bought a 420mm AF II and plopped it on top of my case. Problem solved.

1
- My first case didn't even give that option lol. Was a rather odd design. I'm using a Corsair case now and decided to front mount, with fans at the top for exhaust. My room gets a bit hot, probably from all the weed, so when I'm gaming it helps exhaust the air from the GPU.
  
  1

I'd be very nervous about those PSU cables right below the fan...

4

Nah there's plenty of room, I have a feeling the CPU cooler fans are pointing the wrong way though. Like you can just see the back 'brace' part of the left fan.

Edit: Oh that top case fan is exhausting air before it's really done anything too. OP the air comes out where the brace bits are, try and keep the air moving in one direction, e.g. intakes near the front, exhaust near the back.

10
- Took me a second to see it on the CPU cooler but yeah, looks like they flipped it around, probably due to insufficient RAM clearance, without reorienting the fans.
  
  3
- Also, ideally you want positive pressure inside the case. Like two fans pushing air in and just one pulling air out. This helps with dust build up.
  
  2
- In this instance, the CPU fans are pulling rather than pushing, and yeah it's because of memory clearance.
  
  Surprisingly, temps of the parts aren't that bad. Under load the CPU tops out at about 70c, and the gpu only goes up to 65c while ray tracing and the whole bit.
  
  Still, if money were no object, I'd like to have the Silverstone Sugo 17 shoebox style case when it becomes available.
  
  1
Those cables won't make any difference to temperature, they're not even that close or clumped up

https://youtu.be/YDCMMf-_ASE?si=FQzig0J3DQrY5WDt

They don't look likely to get buzzed either

8

haha the GPU I've had before having to RMA it was like this. had about 2mms of space between it and my fans

2

Apparently it was a total area calculation

1