This SILENT PC is Crazy Fast! - Monsterlabo The First Review
0 up · 0 down · 0 ratings
Promos
Get an unrestricted 30-day free trial of FreshBooks at freshbooks.com Sign up for Private Internet Access VPN at lmg.gg Our review of MonsterLabo's "The First" passively cooled PC case. Buy MonsterLabo's the First: On their site: lmg.gg Buy AMD Ryzen 2700x: On Amazon: lmg.gg On Newegg: lmg.gg Buy ASUS RTX 2070s: On Amazon: lmg.gg On Newegg: lmg.gg Buy ASUS X470 Motherboards: On Amazon: lmg.gg On Newegg: lmg.gg Buy Corsair Power Supplies: On Amazon: lmg.gg On Newegg: lmg.gg Buy Samsung NVMe SSDs: On Amazon: lmg.gg On Newegg: lmg.gg Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com Our Affiliates, Referral Programs, and Sponsors: linustechtips.com Get Private Internet Access today at geni.us Linus Tech Tips merchandise at lttstore.com Linus Tech Tips posters at crowdmade.com Our Test Benches on Amazon: amazon.com Our production gear: geni.us Twitter - twitter.com Facebook - @LinusTech Instagram - @linustech Twitch - twitch.tv Intro Screen Music Credit: Title: Laszlo - Supernova Video Link: youtube.com iTunes Download Link: itunes.apple.com Artist Link: soundcloud.com Outro Screen Music Credit: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High youtube.com
This video presents MonsterLabo's first product, The First, a passively cooled PC case designed to chill high-end components with no active fans. The host starts by framing the project as a radical departure from traditional cooling, showing a matte black or white satin finish and a minimalistic top panel with dual USB 3.0 ports and a power button that tends to stick. After removing the outer shells, the team reveals a massive heatsink structure with multiple heat pipes, noting that each of the CPU and GPU has six heat pipes arranged to maximize thermal transfer. They face immediate assembly challenges, including missing manual instructions and an awkward mounting approach, which forces them to consult a series of assembly videos rather than a traditional manual. The video then documents practical hurdles like mounting a VRM heatsink on a RTX 2070, the need to bend heat pipes, and special considerations for an AM4 motherboard using two brackets in tandem. Overall, the segment underscores that while the concept is ambitious, building around this case demands careful planning and a tolerant mindset for trial and error. As they proceed to boot and test, the host explains that passive cooling does not reach the same low temperatures as fan assisted builds, but the performance is surprisingly strong given the absence of active cooling. Temperature measurements show the 2700x hitting mid-80s Celsius under load when fans are removed, and adding a low-noise 140mm fan drops temperatures further while keeping noise near inaudible levels. They note that despite the passive TDP rating of 215 watts, real-world use rarely pushes both CPU and GPU to their absolute limits simultaneously, allowing a higher-end configuration to perform well. The video highlights audible coil whine from the GPU as a key drawback, which becomes more noticeable without a fan buffer, suggesting that for many users a conventional cooling setup may be preferable if silence is paramount. The host concludes with mixed feelings: the design is visually striking and conceptually fascinating, but the price and practical quirks leave some reservations, making it a compelling but not universally recommended build. The discussion also touches on the aggressive aesthetic and the sense that this remains a niche, high-concept solution for enthusiasts who prioritize form and novelty as much as function, rather than a straightforward upgrade path for most rigs.
Topics · hardware review · pc hardware · passive cooling · case modding · computer cooling · tech innovation · ltt