Additional System Components

One aspect of the initiative from NVIDIA is to help you build the best possible system in the smallest possible form factor. Intel provided us with a cool looking press kit, which actually includes two CPUs: a Core i5-14600k and a Core i9-14900K. Your can guess which one we will be using for this build (the Core i9 of course). You can read our review of the Core i5-14600K here, and that of the Core i9-14900K here.


We are throwing our GPU on the ASUS ROG STRIX B760-I Gaming WIFI. While one could argue that ASUS also has a Z790-I in its product range, the B760 variant can make do without the additional daughter board, while still providing all the bells and whistles we would need from a potent gaming system. That includes being able to run DDR5 at higher speeds for example.


To ensure good contact pressure and less strain on the motherboard traces that connect the CPU to the memory, we are using the aluminium contact frame from Thermal Grizzly. This provides a way to eliminate any uneven pressure from the AIO mounting, is easy to install, doesn't void any warranties, and does not require de-lidding the CPU. To top things off, we will be using Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut thermal paste. While the pre-applied material on the AIO is perfectly fine, going for a performance paste can shave off a few additional degrees as well.


Speaking of which, we are pairing the i9 with not just 32 GB, but 64 GB of DDR5 in form of the Corsair DOMINATOR TITANIUM RGB 64 GB (2x 32 GB) DDR5 running at a solid 6000 MHz. These are part of Corsair's highest-end line-up sporting heavy heatsinks and built-in elements. We also covered these here, if you want to read the full review.


Naturally, you would need a spacious and fast drive to store your games on. With titles needing well over 100 GB these days, having 2 TB as a gaming enthusiast is pretty much a must. Corsair provides us with their MP600 Elite in that capacity. It managed to place in the top six percent of our tested SSDs and you can read the full review here.


While you could naturally focus on the slimmest, lowest volume case possible in combination with a compact air cooler, attempting such a feat with a Core i9 may not be the best idea. With the Fractal Design Mood capable of an AIO of up to 280 mm size, it just makes sense to go that route in form of the Lumen S28 ARGB V2. While we have not reviewed this on its own, we have been using these AIOs for all our case reviews, so we are quite familiar with these and combining the two Fractal products, we can rest assured the 280 mm AIO will fit.


To power everything, SFF enclosures routinely require SFX-L or even SFX power supplies, as ATX variants simply take up too much room when a compact system size is such a focus. In the past, finding SFX units that check off all the boxes for a high-end gaming system was not that easy, but nowadays, you can get units that rival ATX PSUs not only in capacity but also in spec and efficiency, going past 1000 W. We are using the well regarded SFX Corsair SF750 Platinum unit, which is also fully modular so we can keep things as tidy inside the Mood as possible.