Description

For a while now, I've been wanting to A) Build a PC for my girlfriend, since she likes to play games with me and I just think it's a really cool gift, and B) Build a mini ITX PC. When I told her about the idea and started showing her case options, she started saying how she thought a case that looks like a storm trooper would be cool. I've always loved Phanteks cases, and the EVOLV Mini had the perfect look to it. I then looked around on Etsy for storm trooper vinyl decals, and found a couple that would be pretty awesome. The front one was much bigger than I was expecting but it actually fit PERFECTLY with the shape of the case! I love that I was able to get a Riing fan facing the window panel, it's a nice touch.

As far as components go, I mostly wanted to go toward the budget end of things while still providing her a PC that will run most games at 60 fps. I used the 950 in my PC for a while and it's actually quite a little beast! I'll be updating with temperatures and letting yall know how it runs in general, but as of right now I'm thrilled with the outcome, and so is she! :)

Feel free to ask questions in the comments, and give it a +1 if you like it!

EDIT: THANKS FOR ALL THE UPVOTES! YOU GUYS ROCK!

Comments

  • 36 months ago
  • 41 points

+1. If you're lucky enough to have a nerd girlfriend you have to make her happy.

  • 36 months ago
  • 9 points

Couldn't have said it better myself!

  • 36 months ago
  • 0 points

So true

  • 36 months ago
  • 35 points

I bet that PC can't hit anything it shoots at.

All jokes aside, great PC +1

  • 36 months ago
  • 11 points

Incredible. Just ****** incredible. It looks like a $2000 build.

+1.

  • 36 months ago
  • 3 points

Thanks a ton! That means a lot!

  • 36 months ago
  • 9 points

Another amazing build, I'm so glad to see people breaking the typical ideologies that "A PC build has to be $10000 or something to look amazing." Because a little bit of elbow grease can go a long way.

Great job on the case, the DIY work, and also making your girlfriend (hopefully) happy ;P

1+

Waiting for the feature as well

  • 36 months ago
  • 4 points
This storm trooper looks amazing! I'm glad your girlfriend is very happy with this. You are awesome to help make this build and therefor I love it. +1
That case fan, used as a CPU cooler. It appears to be extremely snuggled to the GTX 950's backplate. Anyway to not have it touch the backplate? I have this GPU too which I agree it is an awesome budget graphics card.
  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

I'm in no way trying to be rude, but will it affect the video card by having that fan touch it? I don't recall anything like that being an issue.

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point
I do not think you are rude. I am somewhat concern. Usually, two things come to my mind.
1) It appears to be pushing against the GPU which could somewhat stress it and prefer that nothing touches the GPU. 2) Depending what game is played, since a backplate is additional support for alignment but also acts as a GPU's heatsink which can get warm and usually it is best to not have wires or anything on it.
Though, so far I had tested this GPU on DOOM and Rainbow Six Siege which seem to range around 50~60 Celsius with fans ON early after 4 hours of use. Regardless, a video with a blackplate can get warm when used but again it's only some minor concerns, nothing too dramatic.
  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

I agree, everything is very snug, and I'm going to keep an eye on things to make sure it's not an issue. Fortunately, the fan is only making contact with the backplate, which isn't an electrical component, and I think it will be okay.

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point
I'm not concern of electrical. The backplate acts as a heatsink and additional support to keep it aligned for a graphics card. As long the games are not too heat-tasking than OK. As you said, keep an eye on it and down the road, find a different fan for it that is not snuggled.
  • 36 months ago
  • 3 points

I don't usually comment, but this is great!

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

Thank you!

  • 36 months ago
  • 3 points

For the price it looks amazing :) +1

  • 36 months ago
  • 3 points

Next featured Build?

+1

  • 36 months ago
  • 2 points

Could you make me one? I'll be your... errr... friend, I guess. Nah, just kidding. +1 for the Star Wars decals and it being amazing.

  • 36 months ago
  • 2 points

Such a cool case, and the build on a budget makes it even better. +1 cheers on the nerd girlfriend by the way :D

  • 36 months ago
  • 2 points

i love this build

i got those Funko Pop figures of them stormtrooper

http://popvinyls.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/75stormtroopershield-1.png

Traitor!!!

  • 36 months ago
  • 2 points

Let's get this thing to 90 upvotes!

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  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

Over 9000

  • 36 months ago
  • 2 points

Absolutely flawless! Have been thinking of doing a similar build (i3 and RX 470) for my girlfriend in the future. Same case, no decals. Though that Riing fan look really neat! I may just nick that idea ;-)

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

Good luck! Building for someone else is very gratifying.

  • 36 months ago
  • 2 points

My god that looks amazing! +1 Using a glowing ring fan for the CPU cooler is probably one of the neatest setups I've ever seen.

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

Thanks! Having everything in there so snug was a little terrifying but I love the look of it!

  • 36 months ago
  • 2 points

How is this not featured??

  • 36 months ago
  • 2 points

MORE UPVOTES!!!

I was gonna say cowbell...

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

Not expensive enough I guess. :/ But yall have given me plenty of appreciation already, so I really can't complain. :)

  • 36 months ago
  • 2 points

That's awesome! very nicely done!

  • 35 months ago
  • 2 points

Awesome mITX build, love the stormtrooper theme! :-) Great gift man.

  • 34 months ago
  • 2 points

Question: How do I build a girlfriend? Nice pc btw bruh.

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

Very cool man!

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

Looks very good! Love the theme! Are they just stickers? And I would love to see some more lights to show off the rest of the computer! Just an idea!

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

Hey thanks! More lights could definitely be in the works, though the riing fans look pretty good in person (the pics don't do justice). The stickers are like really nice vinyl decals like you would put on a car, so they're very sturdy.

  • 36 months ago
  • 0 points

i Love It! Check out my itx build in that same case but black! Great Case but I've never seen the white one nice until this

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

Looks great! I can see how more illumination could be really awesome. May have to look into some LED strips.

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

Benchmarks please? It would be interesting to see how these parts work together.

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

What benchmarks would you like? I may be able to run some today.

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

Sleek build. +1 Where did you find those case decals?

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

Etsy.com has lots of individual sellers of decals in all colors and sizes. :)

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

+1 creativity and good looks!

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

Very nice, OCD-pleasing build. I just now very fond of the trooper on the side panel, it's quite not as subtile as the helmet outline on the front. Think the empirial crest would have been a better motive for that place.

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

NZXT hue+ would look great in that case ( if there is space)

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

Yeah the most limiting factor in this build is the number of pwm headers. Only one aside from the main cpu header. :( I'm definitely looking into more lighting though!

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

I had a similar limitation in my ITX build. You may want to check this out https://www.nzxt.com/products/iu01-usb-expansion

I managed to get in a Hue+, Grid+ and AIO cooler in my case.

Also could you share where you got those decals? They are awesome. I have a white case also that might benefit from some.

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

Etsy.com has a ton of individual sellers that make the vinyl decals. Pretty much just go there and search for whatever you'd like, there's probably something! And thank you, I'll check that out!

  • 36 months ago
  • 1 point

Good man, your girlfriend is a lucky girl

  • 35 months ago
  • 1 point

That is a cute build and a great story. :D

  • 35 months ago
  • 1 point

Where is the text on the side of your SuperNOVA G2 PSU? Did you cover it up somehow?

  • 35 months ago
  • 2 points

We peeled the sticker off. Kyle from AwesomesauceNetwork on Youtube always suggests to take the sticker off if it conflicts with the color theme, and the yellow on the sticker definitely stuck out from the rest of the black and white. My girlfriend sat there scraping it off for about 30 minutes I think while I was putting other stuff together lol.

  • 32 months ago
  • 1 point

looks dope! +1

  • 31 months ago
  • 1 point

+1 I love it!!!

  • 28 months ago
  • 1 point

That cable management though

  • 24 months ago
  • 1 point

I get this warning:

Some AMD A88X chipset motherboards may need a BIOS update prior to using Kaveri CPUs. Upgrading the BIOS may require a different CPU that is supported by older BIOS revisions.

What do I do?

  • 24 months ago
  • 1 point

Did you have to flash the bios for the 860k or was it already done for you and ready to go?

  • 24 months ago
  • 1 point

Personally I think the CPU is the real bad side. Not that its a bad CPU as it is an absolute beast at price to performance ratio and also being an quad core, it however does not leave any upgradeability as the FM2+/FM2 socket is actually quite old. It would be good to get an i3 7100 or an Pentium G4560 in there as you might want to upgrade this PC later on.

Overall awesome build! I hope you guys enjoy it!

+1

  • 23 months ago
  • 1 point

Its amazing to see how people manage to make great PC's on tight budgets. ITS AWESOME +1. Also, dude you got a girlfriend who watches star wars, shes a keeper, GIVE HER WHAT SHE WANTS

  • 21 months ago
  • 1 point

athlon?? couldve gone with an i5 m8

  • 13 months ago
  • 1 point

Hey, could you send me link for decals? My friend loves starwars and keeps asking me to get him a pc and I want to build this exact pc!

  • 9 months ago
  • 1 point

you should build your room like as Storm Trooper theme

  • 6 months ago
  • 1 point

Hello, I have never built a PC before in my life and am an avid WoW player who is feed up with low FPS on my 6 year old laptop that overheats and was wondering how well this build would run World of Warcraft?

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