[Build Planning] Okashī

PCs & Hardware
1

New Build, Who Dis?

I was going to keep this on the down-low, but my nerves are getting the better of me, and I’d like a sanity check. :sweat_smile:

Brief

  • Budget: $1,000 is the tentative ceiling, though as evidenced by Hoshī, the budget is flexible. Also, I won’t be purchasing everything at once – I probably won’t go for items that are Priority: Low / Very Low for a while, at least, unless the system hiccups and bumps those items up on the priority list.
  • Aim: Humble server (homelab?) in a Fractal Design Ridge. Specific uses: Pi-Hole, NextCloud, Docker, WoW Private Server, Wine.
  • Why: I am being enabled by Den and Tatsu.


Can you believe this woman.

Proposed Parts List

Component Selection Price Priority
CPU AMD Ryzen 5 5600G $119.99 High
CPU Cooler Noctua NH-L9a-AM4 chromax.black
Placeholder: AMD Wraith Stealth		 $54.95 Medium
Motherboard ASRock B550M-ITX/ac
Or: ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX/ax		 $129.99
Or: $179.99		 High
Graphics Card ASRock RX 5600 XT Challenger D $0.00
(Holdover)		 Low
Memory G.Skill Trident Z Neo 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR4-3200 $162.99
(Purchased)		 High
Storage Inland Premium 512 GB M.2 NVMe SSD $0.00
(Holdover)		 Fixed
Power Supply EVGA SuperNOVA 650 GM (B-Stock)
Placeholder: EVGA SuperNOVA 650 GA		 $99.99 High
Case Fractal Design Ridge (Black) $129.99
(Purchased)		 Fixed
Case Fans 2 × NF-A14 PWM chromax.black.swap
3 × NF-A8 PWM chromax.black.swap		 $53.90
$65.85		 Very Low
Operating System Proxmox / Ubuntu VM?
Or: Windows 10 / 11 (Unlicensed)		 $0.00
Grand Total
(Shipping + Taxes Excluded)		 $817.65
Or: $867.65

Potential Savings

  • Micro Center: MC frequently has $20 off CPU + MOBO bundles, though the B550M-ITX/ac isn’t in stock at my local store, and I have no idea whether they’ll restock.

Long Spiel

Feel free to voice any dissenting opinions or alternative choices? I’ll hear ya out, just note that there is a chance I may not adopt the suggestions.

  • Looking for Advice: CPU, Motherboard, PSU
    • USB 2.0-to-USB Key-A Type-E Internal Adapter: LMK if peeps have recommendations (or advise against them)?
  • Pretty Much Set: Graphics Card, RAM, Storage, Case, Case Fans

Proxmox / Ubuntu is another thing on my mind, but I’ll cross that bridge once I’ve got the hardware running.

Tell Me Why

Ain’t nothing but a heaaartache
Tell me why
Ain’t nothing but a mistaaake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say
I want it that way

Selection Priority Justification
AMD Ryzen 5 5600G High - Actually not sure whether 6C / 12T is appropriate or too overkill for a mediocre server / homelab. Den suggested looking at 6-8C G-series APUs, and Google spit out the Ryzen 5 5600G. :derpdorp:
- Took a brief glance at the Ryzen 5 5700G, but I’m thinking it’s not worth the extra $60-ish if I don’t even know how I can take advantage of that extra performance.
Noctua NH-L9a-AM4 chromax.black Medium - The Fractal Design Ridge has a maximum CPU cooler clearance of 70 mm.
- I’m aware that the NH-L12S will fit in the Ridge and performs better than the NH-L9a-AM4, but the heatsink doesn’t come in chromax.black. Sorry, dealbreaker. :weary:
- Priority: Medium, because I think I can temporarily make do with the 5600G’s Wraith Stealth (or even my ol’ 3600X’s Wraith Spire) and the Ridge’s side panel off.
ASRock B550M-ITX/ac

Or: ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX/ax		 High - The B550M-ITX/ac is one of cheapest Mini-ITX motherboards, I think. Has Wi-Fi 5, on-board audio, DisplayPort and HDMI, basic USB connectivity, and uh, does motherboard things. Should be enough?
- The B550M-ITX/ac doesn’t have an internal Type-C header, but I’m thinking of getting a USB 2.0-to-USB Key-A Type-E internal adapter to fix that.
- The B550 Phantom Gaming ITX/ax is only interesting to me because of it’s internal USB Type-C header. I won’t be taking advantage of it’s 2.5 GbE or Wi-Fi 6 (vs. Wi-Fi 5), since I’m limited by my router.
- I intensely dislike the I/O shield for the Phantom Gaming board. Sorry.
- Both boards might need a BIOS update to support Cezanne processors, but I think I can figure something out. Heeey, Amazon?
ASRock RX 5600 XT Challenger D Low - It’s not doing anything productive for me right now, might as well chuck it in the system. :derpdorp:
- Don’t tell my roommates if they start noticing the electricity bill’s spiked. :homerhide:
G.Skill Trident Z Neo 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR4-3200
(F4-3200C16D-64GTZN )		 High - G.Skill lists both motherboards under its QVL for the F4-3200C16D-64GTZN.
- Both motherboards support a maximum of 64 GB. RAM’s been getting cheaper, might as well splurge on 64 GB now, and never think about upgrading again.
Inland Premium 512 GB M.2 NVMe SSD Fixed - It’s at around 80% drive health, sooo I don’t want it in my primary gaming rig. Might as well put the spare NVMe SSD to use here.
- Not doing a NAS (currently) or media hoarding, so 512 GB should be adequate for a while. Bulkiest files would probably be WoW (the game, not the private server), and I only need 16-ish GB for it.
EVGA SuperNOVA 650 GM (B-Stock) High - Used smolNAS for a very ballpark comparison, I think 650 W should be enough. Probably.
- I did look at the SilverStone SX750 Platinum, but Tom’s Hardware’s review of it dissuaded me from it.
Fractal Design Ridge (Black) Fixed - I like. :wubba:
2 × NF-A14 PWM chromax.black.swap
3 × NF-A8 PWM chromax.black.swap		 Very Low - The Fractal Design Ridge actually comes with 2 × Aspect 14 PWM fans (140 mm), which I think should hold over until I feel like burning $120+ on fans and splitters. Erm, unless thermals really become an issue with the Ridge.

Closing Comments

Post (pot) roasts and o(pi)nions if ya got any? :eyes:
May or may not take up advice, that’s up to future 'Chew’s whims. :sweat_smile:

Regardless, thanks for taking the time to read through my spiel?! :laughing:

Just noticed I’ll be putting an RX 5600 XT in a Ryzen 5 5600G system. Niiice.

All according to keikaku.

2

The mobo being sold out isn’t the worst thing in the world since it’s kinda meh anyway. You only have 1 NVMe slot and it has meeeeeeeeeeeh Realtek Gigabit vs dual NVMe capable slots and a VERY good Intel i226-V 2.5GbE NIC. That $50 was put in the right places as far as the cost difference. You could always have a friend buy it, then return it, then you can buy it open box for $50 less. /s

For OS, I suggest Proxmox for the ability to mess up and start over. You could run Windows in a Proxmox VM, though I haven’t played around w/ pass-through for the GPU in Proxmox. Or I have a 512GB in my nonsense drawer I could contribute to the cause so you actually don’t have to choose which OS to go for right away. You could do Windows for running the things you’re comfortable with, then boot into something else to experiment with Linux/Docker. You could do Docker and whatnot in Windows, but Windows is a hot mess for that in more ways than one.

Your choices are solid though.

Do you have an example of ones you were looking at?

3


Hrng, might take another look at the Phantom Gaming ITX and decide before Sat. New shiny new things post soon. :laughing:

Oooh, ye. Will be trying Proxmox / Ubuntu first, and seeing if I can grasp enough of the basics to set up… something. The “Or: Windows 10 /11” was more of a safety net in the event I have severe issues figuring out how to do Linux things, particularly with the WoW server. :derpdorp:

Dual-booting would be ideal.

Sorta like this thingy. :eyes:
I’m aware it’ll gimp the USB Type-C speeds tho.

4

Ok, I sent out it out, hopefully it makes it by Fri/Sat.

Oh yeah, I’ve used one before. It’s uncomfortably tall though, just look out for that since it’s an SFF build.

5

Okashī Update - Preliminary Build
I would like to note that I do not usually move on large purchases (i.e. $500+) this quickly, especially if the items aren’t limited time / limited quantity stock.

The original plan was to ruminate on parts until Saturday, when I was planning take a trip to the local Micro Center. Plans were dashed when Manager-san asked me to work this weekend. I looked up MC’s busy hours, and Saturday evening is considerably more populated compared to any time during the weekday, so I made the trip this evening instead.

Too impatient to wait around for the following weekend, and too adverse to crowds to stand those long waiting lines. Also, now that masks aren’t as strongly encouraged, people seem dreadfully lax about giving others six feet of space.

Long preamble aside…

Assembled a messy hodge-podge of parts, mainly to check for POST and MemTest86:

Component Selection Inventory
CPU AMD Ryzen 5 5600G New Purchase
CPU Cooler AMD Wraith Spire Holdover
Motherboard ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX/ax New Purchase
Graphics Card - -
Memory G.Skill Trident Z Neo 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR4-3200 New Purchase
Storage - -
Power Supply EVGA SuperNOVA 650 GA Holdover
Case - -
Keyboard Den’s NIU Mini :denmode:
Monitor Acer V203W bd 20" Holdover


Preliminary Build - Hardware
Everything fits on a 14" × 17" space, with room to spare. :joy:


Preliminary Build - Assembled + Powered
Only the 24-Pin ATX cable and the 8-Pin EPS cable are attached.
Spent a good minute staring at it, trying to figure out if I was missing anything else.
This is so weird. But it works?!


ASRock Phantom Gaming BIOS - Successful POST
Longest 60 secs of my liiiiiiiiiife.

Motherboard is rocking the latest BIOS (Version L2.61), 'cos I had the MC people update it for me for a smol fee. Wasn’t sure what version it was out of the box, and it needs to be at least Version 2.00 for me to use it with Cezanne processors (e.g. Ryzen 5 5600G).
Like I said, impatient. :weary:


MemTest86 - Running (2 DIMM, XMP Enabled)
MemTest86 is going to be a thing for any new RAM I use from now on.
The freaking Newegg-TEAMGROUP episode scarred me for life.

Guh, it’s past my usual bedtime and I need to take shower and cuddle with my plushies.
Gonna let MemTest86 run overnight, and hopefully I wake up to good news. :crossed_fingers:

Next Day


MemTest86 - PASS
Took longer than I expected (almost 12 hrs?), but the RAM passed with no errors! :pepesaber:
Now to wait for the rest of the parts, then I can start building.

6

Okashī Update - KVM Questions with 2 Machines, Dual Monitors
I need to stop watching this guy’s videos. :weary:

Please don’t be alarmed, I am not jumping on this idea in the immediate future.

Brief / Context


Current Desk Setup

  • A KVM – as I understand it – should let me use the same set of monitors and peripherals between two separate PCs.
  • I currently have two monitors, two keyboards, one wireless mouse, one DAC/AMP, and one USB connection to the UPS. The mouse and DAC/AMP are connected to a small USB hub.
    • In terms of cables, this translates to 2 × DisplayPort 1.4, and 4 × USB cables.
  • I have only watched Level1Techs videos regarding KVMs, and they seem confident that every other KVM on the market has issues. These videos are from 1-5 years ago, so if the KVM market has changed considerably since then and you have recommendations, please let me know.

Level1Techs PAAG-E3122B / PAAG-ET3122B KVM Questions
I have read the Level1Techs KVM FAQ, but please be patient with me as I proceed to ask extremely low level questions. I’ve never touched a KVM before. :sweat_smile:

  • Does the diagram above look, uh, correct in terms of connectivity?
    • Yes, there will be two keyboards connected, always. Unless it presents an actual issue, please ignore my vice. :joy:
  • Can a wireless mouse (Logitech G703 w/USB receiver) be used with L1T KVMs, or does it have to be wired?
  • Will audio pass through the KVM to the DAC/AMP via USB?
  • L1T offers two variants for dual monitor, two PC KVMs: PAAG-E3122B (5 Gigabit) / PAAG-ET3122B (10 Gigabit). My use case is primarily gaming, and low level homelabbing (not a NAS, not media hoarding). Should I be looking at the 5 Gigabit or the 10 Gigabit variant?
  • The L1T KVM FAQ notes that multiple long cable lengths are detrimental for high resolution / high refresh rate viewing: “Two 10-foot copper cables are not going to work.” That… happens to be my exact config. Although, the FAQ also recommends the FIBBR fiber optic DP cables, and notes that: “You can have a 1ft or a 100ft cable with the same results.” If I’m understanding this nuance correctly, does that mean (if I’d like to use the L1T KVM with my current setup) I should replace my current 2 × 10-ft DP 1.4 cables with the FIBBR variants?

Other Things

  • The only other non-L1T KVM I’ve looked at is the PiKVM ('nother Wendell vid), but it seems to be more meant for remote desktop applications, and not equipped for dual monitor DP output anyways, I think…?

TLDR:

  • Does the flowchart-like picture above look correct?
  • Should I be looking at the 5 Gigabit or the 10 Gigabit L1T KVM?
  • Are the fiber optic DP cables worth spending money on, if I need at least 2 × 10-ft DP 1.4 cables?

Again, don’t be alarmed, I am not jumping on this immediately.
Haven’t even built Okashī yet. :rofl:

The L1T KVM alone costs $449 (5 Gigabit) / $520 (10 Gigabit).
Then there’s 2 × 10-ft DP 1.4, 2-4 × shorter DP 1.4, and possibly 2 × USB 3.0 A-to-B (5 Gigabit variant) or 1 × USB-C (10 Gigabit variant) new cables I’d have to buy for the least troublesome experience.

For now, I’ll just keep plugging and unplugging cables, and let my wallet chill for a bit before I start splurging again. :sweat_smile:

7

The picture looks correct and I have already fallen into the Level1 dual monitor KVM (though x4) trap. That said, I also have one of these at a fraction of the cost at the office. With the DisplayPort version not being a ton more. I’d say use the cables you have first, only getting shorter, higher quality ones if needed. I usually just buy the cheaper “8K capable” thing on Amazon and it has not failed me yet.

I pass my audio through with a USB DAC, but have tested the regular audio jack with success. My Logitech wireless stuff has also worked flawlessly. I don’t use storage through the KVM, and I don’t think you would, so 5Gbps is more than fine.

Though if you choose the Linux path, you would be operating headless mostly since you can (and will need to) use most of these things via a web interface or SSH, with the exception of running Windows natively.

8

Can you ping it from your PC? Proxmox is notorious for just kinda… not actually getting an IP. In that case, rather than spending a ton of time troubleshooting, I just nuke it and start again.