XPS 8930, GPU and CPU Liquid Cooler, PSU, Case Swap, Upgrade

Computer:  Dell XPS 8930

CPU:  i7 8700

CPU Cooler:  UPGRADE: Corsair H60 (2018 Model) Hydro Series AIO Liquid CPU Cooler

Graphic card manufacturer / model number:  UPGRADE: Liquid cooled MSI GeForce GTX 1080 SEA HAWK X 8GB 256-Bit  GDDR5X  PCI Express 3.0 x16  ATX Video Card  

Bios:  1.0.12

Operating System:  Windows 10 Home  v.1803

Power supply:  UPGRADE: Seasonic Focus Plus Gold, SSR-850FX, 850W Compact  Modular Power Supply

Monitor:  Samsung S34E790C - 34-Inch Curved WQHD (3440 x 1440) LED Monitor using Displayport.   

Edit: 06/06/19

Case fan upgrades here
PSU upgrades here
Non-Dell GPU upgrades here




Phanteks case swap summary here
Case swap rather than case mod for more cooling options here and here and here
Motherboard connections for case swap here
Full liquid cooling with waterblock here

 

Tests slim 15mm fans with HWInfo.

Idle CPU Temps 32C. 
Idle fan speeds intake 450-500 RPM
CPU FAN and TOP FAN = motherboard headers 

***Prime 95 v2.66 CPU Torture Test, Small FFT, 12 cycles.  60 minutes:    

CPU temps 66-70C.  Max temp 75C (boost)
Clock speeds 3492 mHz (~10% overclock @ 65W TDP), max 4490 mHz
Voltage stable at 1.022, max was 1.3

Upper Intake Fan (CPU FAN) CPU cooler max RPM 1078
Lower Intake fan (TOP FAN) GPU cooler max RPM 1019
Upper exhaust fan fixed 1500 RPM. 

Prime 95. initial boost of CPU 100% load at 4490 mHz at 110 W / 1.3v.  Then tests at stable ~10% overclock 3492-3589 mHz at ~65W at 1.022 volts, temps 66-70C.

***3d Mark Fire Strike Test for system 1080P, ~ 7min.:

CPU Temps: Max 75C
Clock speeds max 4388 mHz
Voltage max was 1.31

Upper Intake Fan (CPU FAN) CPU cooler max RPM 906
Lower Intake fan (TOP FAN) GPU cooler max RPM 869 
Upper exhaust fan fixed 1500 RPM. 

GPU Temps: Max 79C
GPU Fan speed, 1100 RPM idle, max RPM 2822
GPU Clock max 1961 mHz

So far, CPU temps okay.  But GPU temps high, will check bezel airflow.....

***3d Mark Fire Strike Test 1080P, ~ 7min
(front bezel off to test airflow restriction)

CPU Temps: Max 72C 
Clock speeds max 4388 mHz.
Voltage max 1.31

Upper Intake Fan (CPU FAN) CPU cooler max RPM 853
Lower Intake fan (TOP FAN) GPU cooler max RPM 1183
Upper exhaust fan fixed 1500 RPM. 

GPU Temps: Max 72C
GPU Fan speed, 1100 RPM idle, max RPM 2611
GPU Clock max at 1965  mHz

Changes with front bezel off:

CPU temps dropped by 3C 
GPU temps dropped by 8-10C 

CPU temps acceptable through bezel.  GPU airflow through bezel needs tweaking!

==========
The install:

Tasks for upgrade in new XPS 8930: 
1) Install Corsair H60 (2018 Model) Hydro Series AIO Liquid CPU Cooler 
2) Install lower front intake fan/radiator with liquid cooled MSI Sea Hawk GTX 1080 HYBRID GPU
3) Upgrade PSU to Seasonic Focus Plus Gold, 850W Compact Power Supply

I need to accomplish this keeping in mind the following:
-Run the Corsair CPU cooler pump at constant 100% speed
-Requires fans connected to both 4 pin fan headers (CPU FAN) and (TOP FAN) to avoid startup error.  

==========
Installing Corsair Liquid CPU Cooler:
New 2018 Corsair Hydro Series H60 has 157 x 120 x 27mm radiator and SP120 PWM fan.  Pump has rotating barbs for hose placement to avoid the swinging PSU.  Pump connects to a PSU SATA cable for 100% power and the radiator PWM fan to the CPU FAN motherboard 4 pin header.  Optional tach cable to monitor pump speed and provide a signal to the fan header to prevent startup errors.  Fan specs: SP120 PWM, 1700 RPM, 28.3 dBA, 57.2CFM.

Slim fan for tight location: Noctua NF-A12x15 PWM, 1850 RPM  23.9 dBA  55.44 CFM / 1400 RPM 16.8 dBA  41.67 CFM

The 3 pin version is a good option at fixed speed to noise tolerance for constant airflow.

Review below posted 60C temps with i7 8700K CPU  30 min stress test at stock clocks.

 

https://proclockers.com/reviews/cooling/corsair-hydro-series-h60-120mm-liquid-cooler-review

Nice installation guide here:
https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/corsair-h60-review.html

The XPS 8930 chassis is similar to the Alienware R5/R6/R7, but the Alienware allows for CPU liquid cooling by having an opening to mount the fan/radiator through the top of the chassis, an installation bracket, and a top cover to house the unit.   

With no such space in the XPS 8930, I saw two possible locations a liquid cooler could be installed:  Upper exhaust and front intake.

1) Tried the upper exhaust position first without success with the radiator in the top exhaust fan location. The problem is that the rigid hose fittings protrude into the case 20mm.  The PSU bracket is not able to close. 

I also tried the radiator upside down with the hoses above the motherboard.  But with the radiator lined up with the top exhaust opening, a CPU power connector, capacitor and fan header block the area at the hose fittings. 

2) Next the front upper intake position at the hard drive location. With intake cooling, cool air enters the radiator but warm air exits into the case.  Should not be a problem if CPU temps are ok.

I found that the radiator can install with hoses up or down.  With the radiator upside down, the hoses can spread on either side of the motherboard ATX connector.  

Picture bottom install location:

Flipping the radiator upright, the swinging PSU bracket negates any liquid cooling in that location with the hoses up as the bracket cross bar crushes the hoses when lowered. 

However, I found that by removing the cross bar off the bracket and a small corner off the bracket support leg it would work.    

So I chose having the hoses up as the installation path.

1)  Flatten the wire holders in that location.

2)  Remove the two support legs and the swinging PSU bracket by removing screws at the leg supports and a few at the rear. 

3) Used dremel reinforced cutting wheel to do about 5 minutes worth of cutting, then deburring the cut edges.

Picture dremel cuts. (Additional recommended cut to use 25mm fan here)

 

4)  Then placed the radiator up with the hoses at the front of the chassis. The bottom of the radiator fits between the two screws that hold down the supports of the PSU bracket.

5) Attach the 15mm fan with the model label showing for pull orientation and use 4 - 1” or 1 ¼” 6-32 machine screws to attach the radiator.  NOTE:  The 6-32 screws used for the radiator have a different thread than the 6-32 hex head screws being used in the case.  Big box stores have these screws.

Pic of screws

 

6)  Carefully mark the location of the holes in the radiator and drill four holes to mount the radiator to the front of the chassis. 

How I did this was place the radiator, then use tape on the front of the chassis to mark the sides of the radiator position.

Then put another piece of blue tape across the front of the radiator at the middle of the top holes. 

With the radiator in position inside the chassis and the sides lined up with the tape, look through the rear grill at the blue tape and mark the height of that tape on the front chassis.  Marks represent the height of the radiator holes. 

Mark the height of the holes with another piece of tape across the front of the chassis.

You now have the height of the top holes.

7) Place a fan on the chassis between the two pieces of tape at the sides and line the two top holes with the radiator mark.  Mark all four holes .  Again tape off the case well to make sure you don’t get metal filings anywhere. 

Mount the radiator with fan to the chassis using ¾” 6-32 machine screws.  

9) Installing the pump head:

Clean CPU with alcohol.  You see the 4 mounting holes here

Using th 4 double sided pins, put the lower pins into the mounting holes.  No modifications needed, the unit is set up for the Dell motherboard LGA1151 CPU socket.  Mount the cooler pump by placing the corner attachment brackets on the upper pins and tighten the thumb screws.  You can’t overtighten these, they just won’t turn any further when tight. 

 

10) Connect radiator fan to the 4 pin CPU FAN header. 

11) Attach pump SATA power to the PSU. 

12) With no cross bracket on the PSU swinging bracket, there is room for the pump hoses to flex under the PSU.  There is a smooth rounded edge where the bracket contacts the hoses when closed.  As an additional precaution install braid wrap on the upper part of the hose for protection at that point.

Done!

Picture again from top, note no bar on the PSU bracket and the edge of the lower part of the PSU bracket that will contact the hoses when down.

==========

Installing MSI GTX 1080 Hybrid GPU:  The 151mm high radiator is installed in a sideways position with the hoses in front.  The GPU is 10.5” long leaving little room for both fan and radiator at the lower intake position.

With little space to put a fan on the radiator inside the case, the slim 15mm fan was mounted in front of the chassis and under the front bezel.  The front bezel is over 20 mm deep so the fan is able to still pull air from the bezel front side vents.

Picture front bezel

 

1) The only problem encountered was a large raised hole in the middle of the front of the chassis which interfered with fan placement.  Keep turning the fan to the position centered to the radiator where the fan frame doesn't hit that large bump. 

2)  Check that the side of the radiator is clear of the swinging arm of the PSU bracket.   Important!.

3)  Drill 4 holes, attach the fan to radiator using 4- 1 ¼” 6-32 machine screws. 

 

I also used a10mm foam compressible Phoyba radiator gasket on the radiator due to the 1" wide flange at the rear of the front chassis.

It supports the Alienware R5/6/7 front intake fan bracket that snaps in at this location.  That piece of metal prevents the radiator from sitting flush.  The gasket took up that space.  It has adhesive on one side to attach to the radiator.  

Note: In the picture of the front bezel a large plastic hollow pin sticks up that would hit the fan in that location.  Trim with the dremel cutting wheel.

 

Picture front install, note no bar on the PSU swinging bracket.

 

4) Connect the slim fan on the AIO radiator to the 4 pin header (TOP FAN).   (Noctua NF-A12x15 FLX  1850 RPM  23.9 dBA  55.44 CFM / 1400 RPM 16.8 dBA  41.67 CFM)

Notes

Protect the radiator fins with a piece of cardboard taking the GPU in/out.  They are bent easily by the corner of the GPU.

 

Edit 9/18/18  GPU temps resolved here: (must read prior to installing, grillwork is removed)

Edit 02/23/19  Recommended cuts to use 25mm fan on CPU radiator here and here

Edit 03/15/19  Fixed speed radiator fan CPU temps 55°C range here

 

**This thread edited for accuracy, add'l pics and current information.