The Cougar 2018 Build Log

The Cougar 2018 Build Log
Thanks for checking out the build log. Let me know what performance numbers you are interested. Want one yourself? All the parts are listed below!
AMD Ryzen 5 2400G
www.amazon.com/AMD-Ryzen-Proc...
Gigabyte GA-AB350N-Gaming Wifi
www.amazon.com/GIGABYTE-GA-AB...
T-Force Vulkan 3000Mhz DDR4
www.amazon.com/Team-T-Force-V...
ADATA SX7000 512Gb NVME SSD
www.amazon.com/ADATA-SX7000-5...
Thermaltake Smart 600W Power Supply
www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Co...
Cougar QBX Mini ITX Case
www.amazon.com/Cougar-gaming-...

[@arydeoliveira4579]

nice work

[@feekes]

Let me know what you think and what performance numbers you would like to see. Thanks for watching!

[@00BlackPanther88]

Nice build, but for only itx + apu I would use a smaler case. For this system I suggest a SFX psu (modular), if you want to upgrade it later with a full size GPU. I´m in love with the QBX =)

[@feekes]

It is a great looking case, and this system does have a full size GPU in it now and a new home. KZbinr "Clever Dragon" has it with a Sapphire Nitro+.

[@yevoidstar]

Very nice video. It's a shame that it's so expensive to build an entry level computer now. DDR4 pricing is still a huge problem even when buying an APU (and Ryzen prefers faster memory). AMD's new APU's are still a godsend though.

[@feekes]

Void Star I can't wait till normal memory prices on DDR4, be nice to not have half of the system price be tangled up in it. Thanks for the comment!

[@air_]

I’m from the future and it isn’t as much as a problem anymore!

[@s1s1l1sko]

Lmao the music sounds like bees buzzing but a great video non the less

[@qwaken4145]

nice vid 👍

[@feekes]

qwaken thank ya much! Been super busy to post more, cannot wait to post the new projects.

[@ErnestJay88]

Put RX 580 or GTX 1060 6GB and you get a great 1080p budget gaming machine

[@feekes]

It actually went away with a Sapphire nitro rx 580. Should be living a good life in a new home now.

[@MRshrir1985]

i see during the video you routed the 24pin and 8pin through the back, then i see the cables were packed in the front, did you change it ?? was there not enough space at the back for them when you wanted to close the case ?

[@feekes]

Alon Shemesh unfortunately not. I was routing then behind there temporarily to look at something else. Not a whole lot of room back there. 4 pin CPU power will fit however.

[@MRshrir1985]

im going to be using a AB350N (you can google it to see a pic) everything is on top except 8pin cpu which is middle ,next to io shield, so the 24pin, usb, sata cables all have to be connected on the top of the board, i see this as a problem trying to route any cables from the back of the case because, the cables need to be bent inorder to be connected .... anyway .... tomorrow i am building this pc with the cougar xbc case, we'll see how it goes, i know its gonna be messy , thanks for your swift response .

[@iosephusdoctor]

Very nice. I'm thinking about a same build with different rams. Luckily you use the stock cooler too, so i have a question. Can you please gather some temperatures, especially in long gaming sessions? I don't want to remove the side panels, hope it's cool also in closed form.

[@feekes]

Jocek I'm bring it with me to work tomorrow and have it loop through some benchmarks to get dinner long run temps. Keep in mind the side panel havln have a fan mounted on it, so may be cooler with it on.

[@iosephusdoctor]

Thanks! Anyway, i found a more recent cougar case, same specs and dimensions, but it has grills on every side, i think i choose that.

[@diezavlog9864]

As long as i know. Your power supply format is not compatible with qbx. How can you do that ?

[@feekes]

I reversed the plug by removing the two screws and rotating it, then screwing it back. Worked well.

[@diezavlog9864]

@@feekes maybe also you don't use any graphic card, so you have enough space down there. Min 3:10

[@feekes]

@@diezavlog9864 actually I gave the system away with a sapphire rx 480 in it.

[@SuperStar-lz2pw]

When you slid the top back to expose the CD drive, it scratched it up. That sux if they made it so close that just moving it scratches the case.

[@feekes]

Its extremely tight, you can see just how hard I have to pull to move it. Not a great design choice, but I'll bet it was made with the intent that no one would actually put a slim slot loading drive in there.

[@SuperStar-lz2pw]

If you dont use the "flip down cage" to put some HD in, is there somewhere else where there is space to put one? I was looking at this Case and doing a mod by putting an acrylic window. Of course I cant have it blocked by the "drive cage". Than you

[@feekes]

The owner of this machine is not using the cage, and in most of the pictures i did not feature it. It's really not necessary if you have a motherboard with a m.2 slot for sata/nvme storage. Pair that with the fact that there is a single 2.5" drive bay in front of the slim slot load, it works out. As with all mini-itx systems, they are about compromise, this case does allow for a full length pcie graphics card, so at least there is no compromise there. I would like to see how your project goes if you finish with the window. I'll bet that would look good.

[@user-gd1yu5gx2l]

Wait, it fits an atx psu ???

[@DocApizz]

i have some question first i have PSU with 150mm long atx in website itsonly accomodate 140mm can i bending the slot for psu for fitting ?, second i have 240 mm rad but i want to use 3,5 inch HDD which it cant cause it blocked by radiator can i put the HDD below VGA or PSU ? maybe ijust use tape for holding HDD hehe

[@feekes]

Unfortunately how the bracket is built on top to accommodate the power supply extension cable and support the frame I think the 140mm is truly a max. Sounds like you are needing to put a lot of gear into a small chassis, take a look at NZXT's offerings like the h200i. It will fit a 240 mm Radiator but the 3.5 in drive is a tough one with the rad.

[@DocApizz]

feekes ya but h200i the price is to expensive here, ya i will try to mod and i still have 2.5inch hdd and maybe i will choose air cooling cause my aio hose not to much flexible to move there possible to leak thanks bro

[@feekes]

DocApizz I'll see what other case I can find in an affordable option. So you need 240mm rad and 3.5 inch disk. What else ?

[@DocApizz]

feekes the case already bought its on the way from the seller hehe this my mistake not to research the detail and i thought i can mod to fitting psu the case

[@feekes]

Let me know how it goes, I'm curious if you can make it work.

[@RunningCordoroy]

Hey man, great video. I'm thinking about a build with this case. Did you have any issues with the PSU?

[@feekes]

Just make sure the power plug faces the correct direction or you will have to reposition the plug. Not a huge deal, just something to be aware of.

[@Renvaar1989]

@@feekes I still haven't figured out which direction that is... EVERY power supply I've looked at seems to be the one the case 'doesn't support'.

[@jakem834]

@@Renvaar1989 You don’t need to worry too much. If you’re not going to insert an optical drive, it doesn’t matter on the PSU cable. The reason they say it doesn’t support certain PSU cables is because the cable blocks the path of the disk. Not a problem if you leave out the optical drive 👍🏻👍🏻

[@misscattrap]

I know this is late and you may not reply but I have a few questions for you. Sorry for it being long but I cant really ahorten it much without removing useful details. My first is is it worth getting a 120mm AIO (e.g Corsair H60) over a smaller Noctua Tower for a Ryzen 7 1800X, im asking as a small AIO dosnt improve performance much but does improve looks substantially. Following from that point, I really want to mod the case to change the colour, as I really like the design but the colours are pretty bland and dark. Wondering what colours you would think would go well with it, for reference RAM and mother board accent will be red but the RAM could be black if you think it would work better (also will be getting an RGB strip). Thanks :)

[@feekes]

From a looks perspective, i'll have to agree with you on the aio will look nicer. Noctua will preform better, but we all understand that they are not the prettiest coolers. The 120mm will fit quite alright in this case, there is mounting for a up to a 240mm directly above the motherboard mounting area. If it were myself, and I had not purchased an 1800x yet, I would get the 1700 ($199 at newegg last week) with the wraith spire and just overclock to the 1800x speeds. Haven't ran into a Ryzen that could not hit 3.9Ghz, even below 1.35v. I generally run them at 1.275 volts and reach 3.8Ghz with great stability, and less voltage always equates to less heat on the CPU. If you have the 1800x already, Don't fret, it's a great chip! But with all the mesh, and the need to still cool the VRMs and whatnot on the motherboard, I would choose an air cooler. It is still a tight space and air flow is key. I always love a red and black themed case. The side panel may be hard to paint with all the mesh, but with some good krylon plastic paint, the plastic areas of the case should paint nicely. Depending on your access to tools, and you wanted to do something to the mesh panels, a vinyl decal would break up the monotony on the mesh sides and not effect the air flow too much. Another benefit of using a wraith spire, if you are going with some RGB led strips, it has RGB integration. You could tie it into the same RGB controller giving you some ease in consistency. If you get going in your project, come back and link some pictures. I'm sure more than me would love to check it out.

[@misscattrap]

feekes My only reason that I was sterring clear of a 1700 was because yhe wraith spire is only a small cooler (in comparison to an AIO or Noctua cooler) meaning it will ru louder and hotter. Also with the VRMs do they really get that hot? With an AIO and the radiator at the top it will be an open area meaning the airflow should be good, providing i use the side panel with the bays (im unsure as I may make a custom clear panel, although airflow will decrease) Finally the hardest part for me is what should parts should be black and red and I just cant decide. Do you have any ideas? (Also with modding would i need to strip the paint, some do some dont) Thanks

[@feekes]

SO long as you have the surface clean, and paint in many thin layers, the paint will stick. A lot of people make the mistake of painting thick layers thinking it will protect the item better, when in actuality thin layers bond better. You should bring up the parts in something like Photoshop or paint.net to see how it would look in certain colors. If you make each component a separate layer you can adjust the hue on just it to test out all sorts of colors. You are correct on the 1700 and wraith, it will run hotter and louder. On the vrms, so long as your not doing a huge overclock, as long as there is airflow in the case, they should be just fine.

[@misscattrap]

feekes ok thanks for all of that, i shall do what you said and test out colour schemes. Im also not planning to overclock anytime soon (as its all ready great) expect to see the video in a month or too, depends how much time I have.

[@misscattrap]

feekes ok not wanting to bother you but no articles aay you can mount an AIO up top and noone from what I can find has actually done it. Since you have the case for refrence would a 120mm radiator and fan actually fit there without blocking anything on the motherboard? Im wodering as if I cant put the radiator uptop ill probably use the Noctua fan as tbe radiator would be at the side blocking the view (wheee my custom clear panel will go) Thanks ALOT :3

[@RojasTKD7]

"Entry level position in the PC gaming world"? Heck my QBX is running a 9900K with an all core 5GHz OC, cold by a 280 AIO (drilled my own mounting holes). It's currently sporting a GTX 1080, that is soon to be upgraded to a 2080 Ti. I even modded it to install my Vive wireless adapter. This case is capable of hosting a breast system.👍

[@feekes]

I really enjoyed building in this case. I'm sure I will again, price seems to have gone up since I used it in this video but still affordable.

[@RojasTKD7]

feekes yeah got mine from Newegg for $49.99 with free shipping about a month back. They came back in stock recently and I bought another for future use. This time a had to pay $8.99 for shipping. Still better price than anywhere else. Glad I have one awaiting for a future build. One for my wireless Vive and one for my Samsung Odyseey+. Soooo much better than having to carry my desktop around to VR with friends and family.

[@FuriousWasabi]

what psu do you use?

[@rhinogreen9004]

I know you won’t reply but will a windforce 970 triple fan gpu fit in this case? I’m downscaling my pc so I can transport it.

[@feekes]

A tripple fan solution might be a bit much. The Sapphire Nitro+ was just about all she had as far as room. I'll see if I can find the exact mm length.

[@feekes]

350mm, that's 13.7 inches. It might fit, all depends on the PSU depth and if it protrudes down into the GPU location. Good luck with it!

[@artemiohernandez07]

Does this model requires an external CD-ROM or there is some space for it to install one?

[@feekes]

Jon Hdez there is space for a slim slot loading only. Right where the top cover pulls back.

[@artemiohernandez07]

feekes Thank you for the information Feekes, I will go ahead and buy one because I have this model and didn’t know if I was able to install a CD-ROM on it or not. Once again thank you.

[@MrMxguyver]

Nice Video Can put ryzen 2700x stock fan?

[@feekes]

Stock fan will work just fine, even with a mild overclock.

[@ajc0372]

What are the thermals like using this case?.

[@feekes]

Before it went to a new home, it was running mid 60's. Case has lots of venting and support for many fans and even AIO coolers. You can get them lower, but being it was within normal operating ranges, I did not feel the need. Thanks for the comment.

[@Noppenspieler]

Do I need some fans in the bottom for the GPU?

[@feekes]

daniel not with a non overclocked card. If you are going to put something along the lines of a Vega, or anything with a blower style cooler, it could help tremendously. Third-party coolers milage will vary, but for reference a 1080 and a rx480 have both ran fine.

[@thestorminmormin1442]

Do you think a GTX 1070 Founders Edition will stay cool just fine without bottom fans?

[@imoutyall2141]

How much did it cost all together?

[@feekes]

I'm out y'all fortunately I had the SSD and the power supply already purchased and on the shelf, so $540. DDR4 memory is by far the most expensive part right now at $250. Keep that in mind if you go out to build, just watch for sales.

[@vnd3y629]

Could you build an Graphic Card in?

[@feekes]

ANĐ3Y absolutely! Yesterday put in a Sapphire nitro+ with room to spare. It is an amazing case for small builds.

[@8subscribers412]

I want to build one of these to play fortnite, and for low cost but idk how or what to use so that it performs well with good FPS

[@feekes]

1080p medium settings you should expect to see an average in the mid 40's. Perfectly playable, but dropping it to 720 and you can get upwards to 80fps. Fantastic write up on your exact scenario at tech spot. Check it out at www.techspot.com/review/1574-amd-ryzen-5-2400g-and-ryzen-3-2200g/page6.html I linked you to the 6th page where it has the Fortnite results.

[@8subscribers412]

Feekes, would getting a better graphics card, improve FPS, and also , does this build fit into a cougar bqx case

[@feekes]

Vapor absolutely. A full size GPU will fit in here, but if you are going to start with an addin GPU, I would suggest moving to a 2600 if cost permits.

[@8subscribers412]

Veekes, what cpu would be the less that 100$ and preforms good and what graphics card along with it would provide good 1080p gaming

[@feekes]

Going to be tough to find anything to beat that on the AMD camp for gaming and be below 100 dollars. On the Intel side you will have to drop in core count to get into that price point. If its a 100 dollars for the CPU, then I whole heartily recommend the Ryzen 2200G. If you have a few more to spend on it, the 2400G will give you SMT (Hyper-Threading). If you are diligent and are willing to check ebay and craigslist you can get a better deal on a slightly used Ryzen. I saw new the other day a 1700 (8 cores 16 threads) going for $199 at newegg. For a GPU on the lesser end of price for 1080p gaming I would recommend the Nvidia 1050ti. It has 4gb of memory and is priced decently. If you have a little more to throw in as far as price, a RX580 is a fantastic card that will give you some more umpf when it comes to graphic fidelity. looking at ~180 for the 1050ti and ~275 for the RX580.

[@H31MU7]

How does it play New Vegas? :D

[@feekes]

H31MU7 noted! I'll put that on the list to test, but being its an older game it should be able to rock it at 1080 60. I'm interested to see that one myself, it's the BEST fallout.

[@feekes]

So having some issues with getting on screen FPS counters to work in this game, but it is a solid 60 at max settings in 1080. Impressed. With fortnite i am getting ~50 steady with medium settings no AA. Overall not too bad for an IGP

[@H31MU7]

Not bad at all! I still think the 2200G is the pick of the bunch for value though :o

[@feekes]

H31MU7 most definitely.

[@albertf3182]

Can i insert a 1050ti or 1060 In here?

[@feekes]

Absolutely! The case will facilitate a full length GPU. I had a Sapphire Nitro+ RX 480 in there for testing.

[@albertf3182]

feekes is there a huge difference if i used Ryzen 5 1600x?

[@feekes]

John Albert Flores there can be a drastic difference in certain applications that require more cache. The 2400g has half the cache of those without graphics. That and the two extra cores will help in highly threaded task and synthetics like cinebench. If you are adding in a GPU there is no reason to purchase an APU over a 1600/2600 processor.

[@RojasTKD7]

Absolutely, have a GTX 1080 in mine and will be upgrading to a 2080 Ti real soon.

[@TILL_OFARIM]

600w?!?! Wtf that's way tooooooooooo much

[@feekes]

Kim Jong-un agree completely!!! But I had it on hand so it netted a 0 cost.

[@feekes]

Kim Jong-un Wait, did I just agree with a dictator lol.

[@TILL_OFARIM]

Well that escalate quickly

[@feekes]

Kim Jong-un love it, so long as we don't get into who's power supply is bigger right.

[@jel93088]

you can never go to big

[@Web3mpire]

lol 2:50 scratch case

[@feekes]

That is a draw back for this case, the top panel is really tight. If you look at my hand you can see just how hard I have to pull. Crazy.

[@mister007dofus]

Play on 0.75 Speed...

[@kiyokodyele]

this made me cringe. 1. no gpu. well, the apu is acceptable but for this case? 2. no fans. 3. no odd but u did not lock the slide door for odd. 4. you used apu. that creates more temperature and u used stock cooler on it. LoL. like wtf?

[@feekes]

Sorry it made you cringe, but this was an ultra budget test. Also, this was the same week these APU units were released, their idea was to not have a discrete GPU. I used the stock cooler to save on money, and it did ok. Would I over clock the CPU and GPU on it, not by any means. May make you feel better, but I gave it away with a nitro+ rx 580 8gb, so it went on to live a good life.

[@RojasTKD7]

@@feekes good for you. I'm sure you message someone very happy!