Adrian (a.delete@this.acm.org) on August 16, 2019 12:12 am wrote:
> Jouni Osmala (fname.sname.delete@this.aalto.fi) on August 15, 2019 5:58 am wrote:
> > Adrian (a.delete@this.acm.org) on August 15, 2019 3:47 am wrote:
> >
> > > In conclusion, while for small computers I also always attempt to use only fanless computers,
> > > for large computers I do not believe that it is worthwhile to accept the much larger
> > > size & weight that is required for a fanless computer at any given TDP.
> >
> >
> > I disagree about the size but not about the weight, which is mostly dependent on personal fitness. I
> > measured the extra volume my cramped midtower case made by nexus takes to insulate better for noise.
> > Convection heatsink of that size can emit 25W per degree of difference between ambient and the heatsink.
> > Assuming ambient around 20C, you can emit atleast 750W with reasonable temperatures for the components.
> > This assumes fanless system design, not trying to put fanless individual components inside the case,
> > but use heatpipes to transfer the heat to the case side panel which operates as heatsink.
> > Compulab airtop3 has high enough total power in a very small form factor that scaling
> > its gpu 160w heatsink to 250w and upgrading CPU heatsink to that wouldn't make it particularly
> > large design. Here's its comparison to other small form factor PC:s.
> > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35OyZzCvG0g&t=1m22s
>
>
>
> Where I live there is no doubt about climate warming, so I must assume ambient
> of 40C, as such temperatures became not infrequent during summers.

Gee. I got movable air conditioning unit because 25C heatwave was so terrible. And yes it is noisy but I only operate it when temperature would be worse problem than its noise.

> However, for now, Compulab Airtop is a unique fanless case on the market. All the other
> available fanless cases, including those shown at the link provided by you in your previous
> post, are much larger for a given TDP than a case with active cooling.


Well those fractal design cases people recommend for air cooled quiet high power threadripper take significantly more floor space than the passively cooled threadripper system from my link. The case is taller, but who cares it still would fit well underdesk.

> Also, if I would be willing to spend enough time, I could make in my home a case equivalent
> to or better than any other fanless case that I have ever seen, except Airtop, by
> cutting, milling and assembling extruded aluminum or copper profiles.

That is my main point also. There should be better fanless cases commercially available, since they are possible to make. That German boutique vendor that I linked for threadripper, probably thought the same and did it but he just thinks that people would just make terrible mess if he sold it as a kit. Every other part seems to be standard except cooling solution. And cooling solution based on pictures could be tweaked to fit other systems.
The downside is that components that you would really want to reuse limit the power consumption and he seems to have designed it with 240W CPU+240W GPU limit by the heatpipe size and number of locations where it can be attached to the side panel. Unfortunately latest threadrippers and 2080 ti both have 250W TDP . The difference is small enough that it probably doesn't matter and causes just tiny increase in temperature.
I love what that german computer made in concept, but would prefer slight increase in potential cooling capacity for CPU and GPU, and bigger power supply.