<aside> 💖 FAQ: What's the case in your post? It's a Nouvolo Steck, custom powder coated in Seafoam Pearl.
Shop Nouvolo PCs! Use Coupon Code mintlodica for 5% off.
</aside>
When my 2015 MacBook Pro from my tech jobs of yesteryears stopped being able to hold a video call and a note taking app, I looked into a computer upgrade. Custom PCs intrigued me. As leader working in Mechanical Keyboards, I figured it would be a fruitful endeavor to investigate this adjacent world of customization.
When considering options, I wrote a list of Non-goals and Goals. My friends who were experts in building PCs helped source parts. I fell in love with the Mini ITX form factor (shocker!) and the idea I could custom powder coat the case to my desired color.
The build without lights on.
Front.
Side Angle.
Back.
Mini ITX build by @mintlodica.
Mini ITX build by Mintlodica, pictured with her keyboard ft. DSA Magic Girl (her keycaps design ;).
You can also save the parts list on PC Part Picker.
Compatibility. It is especially important for SFFPCs (Small Form Factor PCs) that all the parts fit in the case. No space left unaccounted for. For example, The CPU I had came with a fan! But that fan I only used to test the parts and had purchased a different CPU Cooler that would fit in my case.
Said fan that ships with the CPU.
Trial & Error. That said, I ended up taking apart my PC 4 times.
First, I managed to build it backwards! I flipped where the PSU and CPU should've sat for my build. Because everything is created to be modular and play well with as many other brands on the market, this is easy to do.
The second time, I had to debug why my CPU was throwing an error. I could not say for sure it was dog hair, but I'm pretty sure it was dog hair because it worked after I pulled out and plugged it back in.
The third time, my custom cables had arrived and I started to fit them in. It was only through trial and error I discovered, the specific Silverstone PSU had its ports upside down from the norm. Luckily, the customer service at pslate was excellent. Got it sorted.
Fourth time was the charm.
Trying to get it all in there.
Doc. I put a screenshot of another Notion doc into a Notion blog post. :thinkies: A few screenshots from the Notion document I created to plan for this build.
This helped with choices between several viable options.
Looking outwards to other builds!
The author has a favorite color, you'll never guess what it is.
The extras in my case, aside from the Magic Girl matched custom cables, is a Saiko Soda Leafeon, a gashapon win from my 2019 Japan trip. (You can probably find these on eBay.) Then, there are two crystals from my witching days in the Bay Area. Paxton Gate is a delightful shop.