I designed my perfect gaming PC, then threw it away - 1U PCs for My New House Part 2
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Visit squarespace.com and use offer code LTT for 10% off Don't just browse the web – build it. Apply for free today using the link covalence.io and take your first step toward a career in software development with Covalence. Linus' home LAN PCs just got a lot smaller. But not SFF smaller. We're talking 1U server rack small. But downsizing has introduced some complications.... Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com Buy an AsRock Rack Z690D4ID-2/G5/X550 Deep Mini-ITX Motherboard: lmg.gg Buy an Icron ICR-EL5363 KVM Extender: geni.us Buy an Alphacool 12936 Eisblock XPX Pro 1U CPU Water Block: geni.us Buy an ASUS Prime B550M-A Motherboard: geni.us Buy an .innodisk. EGPL-T101 M.2 to 10GbE LAN Module: geni.us Buy a Sabrent Rocket 2Tb NVMe M.2 SSD: geni.us Buy a Silverstone ES03-WiFi V2 Remote Computer Power Switch: lmg.gg Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group. ► GET MERCH: lttstore.com ► GET EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ON FLOATPLANE: lmg.gg ► SPONSORS, AFFILIATES, AND PARTNERS: lmg.gg ► EQUIPMENT WE USE TO FILM LTT: lmg.gg ► OUR WAN PODCAST GEAR: lmg.gg FOLLOW US --------------------------------------------------- Twitter: twitter.com Facebook: @LinusTech Instagram: @linustech TikTok: @linustech Twitch: twitch.tv MUSIC CREDIT --------------------------------------------------- Intro: Laszlo - Supernova Video Link: youtube.com iTunes Download Link: itunes.apple.com Artist Link: soundcloud.com Outro: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High Video Link: youtube.com Listen on Spotify: spoti.fi Artist Link: youtube.com Intro animation by MBarek Abdelwassaa @mbarek_abdel Monitor And Keyboard by vadimmihalkevich / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mechanical RGB Keyboard by BigBrotherECE / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mouse Gamer free Model By Oscar Creativo / CC BY 4.0 geni.us CHAPTERS --------------------------------------------------- 0:00 Intro 1:17 The Situation 2:43 The Build 10:29 The Leak 12:02 The First Boot 14:20 The Rack Install 17:09 Moments of Truth
The video starts by recalling a nine month old plan to design a perfect rack-mounted gaming PC in a slim 1U chassis. The host emphasizes that the system would deliver top performance while using custom water cooling to keep it dead silent and to keep heat out of the living space. A bold claim is made about offloading heat to an external outlet, supposedly into a pool, as part of an ambitious cooling strategy. Then the reality check arrives: the price proves to be prohibitively high, with quotes around $1,700 per case. The team shifts gears to a cheaper, more approachable path, aiming for a functional 1U setup that fits the LAN center footprint without breaking the bank. The segment blends engineering enthusiasm with budget constraints and tees up a practical, if imperfect, jank-filled build path. The speaker then teases a sponsor and pivots toward assembling an almost ideal 1U chassis using off-the-shelf parts and clever hacks rather than a fully custom solution, signaling the era of “Linus Tech Tips” resourcefulness over expensive perfection.
Topics · technology · hardware · DIY · gaming
Questions answered
- What prompted the move from a fully custom premium 1U design to a cheaper off-the-shelf solution?
- Budget constraints pushed the team away from expensive custom cases toward a more affordable, functional 1U build using off-the-shelf components.
- What cooling approach is being used in the 1U rack project and how is heat managed?
- External water cooling fittings and planned plumbing aim to move heat out of the room, with a concept of dumping heat through pipes to an exterior area, though early builds reveal iterative cooling hacks and ongoing reliability checks.
- Will the system power on reliably after the modifications and leaks observed during testing?
- Initial power-on attempts faced stability and leak-related challenges, but the team continues troubleshooting, reinforcing the goal of achieving a working, compact 1U rack with a remote power solution.