SpyLabs JOAT - Building a Fully Silent Fanless PC

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This custom computer included the following components:

Case: SpyLabs JOAT
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
Motherboard: ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX/ax
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC14PE - Black
Memory: TeamGroup T-Force Vulcan Z 2 x 8 GB 3600 MHz
Storage 1: Samsung 980 Pro 500 GB NVMe
Graphics Card: PNY Nvidia Quadro P2200
GPU Cooler: Raijintek Morpheus II Core Edition
Power Supply: SilverStone Nightjar NJ450-SXL

After a half hour stress test with a 75 watt CPU load, the maximum CPU temperature was 89.0 C, with a 17.7 C ambient temperature.

After a half hour stress test with a 62 watt GPU load, the maximum GPU temperature was 81.2 C, with a 17.9 C ambient temperature.

I’ve been looking for a small form factor PC case that would work well with passive CPU and GPU coolers for years now. The trouble is, most of the small form factor cases available are designed around all-in-one liquid coolers, or low-profile CPU coolers. I never found one that would work well with a proper air cooler, of at least 160 mm, until November of 2020. I spotted this on the Small Form Factor PC Reddit. It was more or less exactly what I was looking for, plenty of ventilation for passive airflow and just enough space for a 160 mm air cooler. There are a few similar alternatives, like those found on Taobao, the Sliger S620, and SilverStone’s new Sugo 14 and 15 cases, but none of these really caught my eye like this case I saw on Reddit. SilverStone’s Sugo 15 does look like a nice alternative though. A first batch of the SpyLabs Jack of All Trades, known by its acronym JOAT, was launched in November. It is made of six aluminum panels that are held together by eight aluminum corner joints. It comes with a power button, AC power passthrough cable, and an optional USB Type C front panel cable, and/or clear acrylic panels for the side and bottom of the case. I chose the Type C cable, but not the acrylic panels since they would somewhat compromise CPU and GPU cooling. The case is 14.9 liters in volume and just about 3 pounds heavy. The panels will flex a bit if pressed, but when it is assembled it is quite strong, so I wouldn’t worry about picking it up and moving it around. The large cutouts in the panels allow for an almost open-air cooling effect, while having just enough protection from falling objects or moving limbs. SpyLabs is currently working on a new batch of cases for release, with minor changes to improve it when used in a vertical orientation.

Unfortunately, the AC power passthrough cable that comes with the case has a bulky C14 connector that interferes with a large CPU cooler if you try to fit it to the case. I was able to replace the C14 connector and connect the wires at a 90-degree downward angle to avoid this issue, but that is a big inconvenience. The alternative is to simply leave the power connector hanging outside the case. To me this is a major downside of the case that I would like to see improved on future versions.

There is space in front of the power supply to mount one, or possibly two 2.5 inch SSDs. When I first installed the graphics card with the large Raijintek cooler, there was some sag due to the weight. I mitigated this with two very thick thermal pads placed underneath the GPU cooler.

To test the performance of this system I ran Passmark’s Performance Test. Overall, the system received 4.5 stars out of 5. The CPU received 4.5 stars, 2D graphics received 4.5 stars, 3D graphics received 3.5 stars, memory received 4 stars, and the drive received 5 stars. This system performed in the top 6% of all results, and very similarly to a system I recently build with the VERY large and heavy Turemetal UP10 case, although that case can handle some higher power components, as I’ll be testing soon. Subscribe to see me push the limits of that case.

In conclusion, the SpyLabs Jack of All Trades is a great small form factor case for passive cooling with a large CPU air cooler and an aftermarket GPU cooler. It’s about the closest you’ll get to the natural ventilation an open-air system, with the protection from damage that is not possible with an open-air system. With the right CPU and GPU coolers, you can adequately cool up to about 75 watts from the CPU and GPU, 100% passively.

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Видео SpyLabs JOAT - Building a Fully Silent Fanless PC канала Fully Silent PCs