CHH ID: sugarbear
Sharing a compact white MATX gaming PC build, most of the hardware is white, and the case is quite compact, only about 15L, comparable to an ITX case.
The configuration includes an Intel 12th Gen i5 Core processor, with a domestic B660 motherboard from Colorful, meeting general productivity needs;
The graphics card is an RTX 3060 Ti, mainly used for gaming at 2K resolution;
The case is a compact model from Cooler Master, ensuring the PC has a petite form factor;
Now let’s take a look at the appearance and RGB effects of this build:
Key Configuration Overview:
| CPU |
Intel i5 12400 |
| Motherboard |
Colorful CVN B660M GAMING PRO V20 |
| Memory |
Apacer NOX Goddess DDR4 8G *2 White |
| SSD |
Galaxy Starry X4 1TB SSD |
| Graphics Card |
Galaxy GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Starry OC |
| Cooling |
Thermalright AK120 MINI WHITE |
| Power Supply |
Great Wall TF750 White Limited Edition |
| Case |
Cooler Master C26PLUS |
| Fans |
Thermalright TL-C12015W-S *4 |
Hardware Selection Introduction
▼ Colorful CVN B660M GAMING PRO V20 motherboard, includes 3 SATA data cables, M.2 screws, an RGB adapter cable, USB, power switch, reset, and indicator light header. Also comes with a standard manual, warranty card, and driver CD.
▼ The motherboard continues the family design style. Standard MATX size, measuring 245×245mm. It adopts a large area of silver-white frost cooling armor, covering the MOSFETs, some inductors, two M.2 SSD interfaces, and the chipset, giving a cool feeling.
▼ The left side of the cooler is printed with “66”, representing the B660 chipset. The 12th Gen Core LGA1700 CPU socket has changed from a square to a rectangular shape, and the opening direction is completely opposite.
▼ The CPU power connector is designed with 8+4 pin.
▼ The IO section uses an integrated backplate, the USB section includes 4 x 2.0, 2 x 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (not 2×2); one LAN port is 2.5G, with chip number S1023L57, which is Intel’s I225V network card; video interfaces include 1 HDMI and 1 DP, with a PS8803 chip from Parade; audio interfaces have 6 x 3.5mm ports; additionally, there is a BIOS update button without U, making BIOS upgrades more convenient.
▼ Four DDR4 memory slots, single-sided latch design, supports up to 128GB memory capacity, with the highest frequency officially rated at DDR4 4266. The power supply adopts an RT8120A single-phase controller, with a 2 up 2 down MOSFET design. Additionally, there is a row of LED lights on the left side of the motherboard, which has RGB lighting effects when powered.
▼ The PCH heatsink will show different colors depending on the angle of the light.
▼ In terms of expandability, it provides one PCIe 5.0 x16 graphics card slot, armored for protection, plus one PCI-E 3.0 x4 and one PCI-E x1 slot. Two M.2 SSD interfaces support three sizes: 2242/2260/2280, and both support PCIe 4.0 x4.
▼ Both M.2 SSD installation slots are equipped with heatsinks, the second SSD heatsink is secured by screws on one side and inserted into the chipset heatsink on the other side.
▼ Due to chipset limitations, B660 generally has 4 SATA (6Gbps) interfaces.
▼ The back of the motherboard: the PCIe 5.0 x16 slot does not have through-hole solder points, which is due to the use of SMT soldering technology. The memory is DDR4, so through-hole solder points on the back of the memory slots can still be seen.
▼ The power supply cooling is an aluminum block, designed with VRM, which can ensure the cooling of the MOSFETs and inductors, and the inside of the integrated I/O backplate has a sponge-like material to provide cushioning.
▼ Let’s take a look at the power supply situation and the chips used.
▼ The PWM master control is RT3628AE, which can control up to 8+1 phase PWM signals. There are a total of 16 inductors, of which 15 are paired with Alpha & Omega’s integrated DrMOS, with each phase capable of handling up to 55A of current. According to the usual configuration, one phase must be for VGT (integrated graphics), and no multi-phase chips were found, so 14 phases exceed the PWM master control’s power supply range, thus 7 phases are paralleled for 14-phase (synchronous phase) VCORE (core) power supply. Additionally, there is one phase that uses a separate PWM and a 1 up 2 down design for the MOSFET, which is the brand new VCCAUX power supply part. It also uses F.C.C ferrite inductors and 10K black gold solid capacitors.
▼ The sound card has an audio chip protective cover, so the chip is not visible. The previous B560 audio chip was ALC897, and it is unknown whether this generation B660 will have an upgrade. Additionally, it includes three nichicon audio capacitors.
▼ A HT32F52352, a Holtek 32-bit microcontroller, serves as a low-power controller for lighting control; there are 2 sets of 5V 3Pin ARGB headers and 1 set of 12V 4Pin RGB headers at the bottom of the motherboard, and another 12V 4Pin RGB header at the top right corner. After connecting RGB devices, lighting effects can be controlled using iGame Center software.
▼ The CPU selected is 12400, which is an integrated graphics CPU that meets transcoding needs (the integrated graphics is UHD730).
▼ The Apacer NOX Goddess white version uses a white aluminum alloy material for the armor, with a slightly frosted feel on the surface. Since non-K processors cannot adjust SA voltage, choosing the 3200MHz version is more appropriate, though I have the 3600MHz version I bought earlier, which can still be used in gear 2 mode.
▼ The top light guide strip expands outward at both ends, increasing the lighting area.
▼ The top of the light guide strip has Apacer’s logo, and the side has NOX’s logo, supporting control of RGB lighting effects from four major motherboard manufacturers.
▼ Due to the expansion at both ends of the top, it is necessary to pay special attention to compatibility issues when pairing with compact cases (mainly with cooling radiators).
▼ The Galaxy Starry X4 is an entry-level PCIe4.0 SSD, with blue packaging featuring the Galaxy’s two-dimensional cartoon character, but the packaging is very tight and difficult to open! Additionally, this SSD offers a three-year warranty and supports personal warranty services.
▼ The purchased capacity is 1TB, designed with a standard M.2 2280 size, and comes with a heatsink (thickness 9.1mm), with the central logo of the Starry series and various triangular facets around it, creating a somewhat naked-eye 3D visual effect.
▼ By removing the four screws on the side, it can be seen that the SSD is designed on one side, with the main control chip being Phison’s PS5019-E19T, focusing on cost performance and low power consumption. The storage chip is marked as IABHG94AYA, which should be Micron’s 3D NAND TLC, consisting of two chips to form the 1TB capacity.
▼ The graphics card opens the outer packaging, besides the RTX 3060 Ti Starry OC body, there is also a graphics card support, a RGB lighting synchronization connection cable, as well as warranty cards and instruction manuals. The warranty is three years and supports personal repairs.
▼ The dimensions of the graphics card are 316*132*60 mm, and the front is covered with a transparent acrylic shell with a pure white background, resembling a crystal shell, allowing for DIY patterns on the top cover and backplate to personalize the graphics card.
▼ Three 11-blade 90mm fans, the blades are frosted, with RGB lighting effects, and designed with three breaks, providing not only aerodynamic advantages but also creating circular lighting effects during rotation, enhancing the RGB lighting charm.
▼ The side has the “BOOMSTAR” logo, with irregularly cut acrylic covering, combined with RGB lighting effects to create a prism refractive effect. The power connector is a dual 8-pin wrapped in metal, and next to the power supply, there is an RGB motherboard synchronization interface. After connecting, the motherboard controls the entire system’s lighting effects for perfect linkage (only supports 12V RGB, does not support 5V ARGB).
▼ The thickness of the graphics card is just over 2 slots, and at the front, you can see four 6mm nickel-plated composite heat pipes. The PCB metal back has a hollow design, forming a through-type cooling system.
▼ The full metal backplate has white lines and the Starry logo as decoration, which will better match a white case.
▼ Video output interfaces: equipped with 3 DP interfaces and 1 HDMI interface.
▼ The Thermalright AK120 MINI is a 135mm tall 5-heat pipe tower CPU cooler that solves the installation demands of tower coolers in small cases. It is compatible with LGA115X/12XX/2011/2066 and AMD AM4 platforms, and comes with TF7 high-performance thermal paste.
▼ The dimensions are 120mm x 71mm x 135mm, and the heat pipes and fins use a穿fin process, with the white version’s cooling fins and heat pipes treated with whitening.
▼ The serrated details on the fins adopt a grinding R chamfer, and the treatment is good, with no sharp edges.
▼ The left and right sides use a large area of扣（folded）fin reinforcement.
▼ The base adopts a mirror welding copper base design and is nickel-plated, with almost no visible gaps or residual solder on the heat pipes and base.
▼ The power supply is the Great Wall TF750 White Limited Edition, a SFX power supply rated at 750W, with an 80PLUS Gold certification and a 7-year warranty. It is positioned lower than the black platinum TF850/750, of course, the price is also more favorable.
▼ The Cooler Master C26PLUS Arctic White version.
▼ The C26PLUS (right) measures 342X165X269mm, while the C26 (left) measures 315X155X265mm. Compared to the C26, the length, width, and height have all increased, but mainly the length has increased significantly, reaching the same length as the C34, greatly improving compatibility with graphics cards, but the case volume has also increased from ~13 liters to ~15 liters. Perhaps the manufacturer’s preference for even numbers is why it wasn’t named C27 (the number after C represents height).
▼ The style of the case remains the same, with a dual-layer design, the outer shell covered with a layer of 2mm aluminum alloy, and the interior with a 1.2mm steel skeleton. The AIR version has a 5-sided hollow design for better heat dissipation. The IO is at the front, besides the power button, there is also a USB 3.0 TYPE A and TYPE C interface (10g). Additionally, the entire case has undergone whitening treatment.
▼ Compatible with MATX and ITX specifications, after increasing the volume, it can support a 140mm tower cooler and a 335mm graphics card (the C26 can only support a 130mm tower cooler and a 310mm graphics card). The installed optional support bracket can install a 280 radiator on the side; if installing an ITX motherboard, a 120 radiator can be installed in the front. If the graphics card length is 270mm, an ATX power supply can be installed; otherwise, only an SFX power supply (or a 130mm ATX power supply) can be installed. Additionally, there are two installation positions for 3.5-inch hard drives.
▼ The Cooler Master C series cases do not have backline space, so it is recommended to remove all the shells before installing hardware, making it easier to manage cables from different angles.
▼ A 92mm TL-B9W white fan, using S-FDB bearings, with a speed of 2500rpm, airflow of 54CFM, and noise of 23DBA; wind pressure of 2.24mmH2O. This fan has updated the balancing point glue process and has a 6-year warranty.
▼ Four ultra-thin (15mm thick) 12cm fans: TL-C12015W-S, with 11 blades, featuring ARGB lighting effects, also using S-FDB bearings, with a speed of 1500RPM, wind pressure of 1.24mmH2O, airflow of 52CFM, and noise of 24.1dBA. The official introduction states an industrial-grade lifespan of 20000 hours, with a 3-year warranty.
▼ All corners have silicone soft pads that can be removed; the power supply specification is 12v & 0.13A, powered by a 4-pin PWM temperature control, and the RGB interface is also designed with one male and one female ARGB interface.
Installation Details
▼ It is said that this generation of CPUs is prone to bending, so for safety, I chose a Super Flower 12th generation bending correction base.
▼ During installation, the original factory buckle must be removed with the included simple screwdriver.
▼ The AK120 MINI does not come with LGA 1700 back buckles, additional buckle packs (LGA 17XX SS2) are needed to use Intel’s 12th generation CPUs.
▼ One of the design concepts of the AK120 MINI is that it will not conflict with the memory, even if the memory is inserted on the innermost side, there will be no problem.
▼ Graphics cards longer than 30cm are still easy to tilt, but in small cases like the C26PLUS, graphics card supports are generally not inserted. Finally, I solved this problem using Jonsbo’s VC-20 mini graphics card support.
▼ It uses a retractable screw design, providing a support range of 26~50mm, with a magnetic base, making it very suitable for such small cases.
▼ Installation complete
Performance Testing
Room temperature ~27 degrees
▼ 10 minutes of FPU stress testing, average temperature of 62.5℃ for 6 cores, the Xiaomi smart socket shows the total input power of 160w.
▼ Furmark stress test, parameters set to 1080p resolution, after 10 minutes, the frequency dropped to 1545MHz, temperature stabilized at 69.5℃, GPU-Z shows the graphics card power consumption of 240w, the Xiaomi smart socket measured the total input power of 320W.
▼ Now let’s conduct a brutal dual-stress mode, running FPU + Furmark simultaneously, after 10 minutes, the graphics card temperature is 69.5℃, basically unchanged, and the graphics card fan speed also remains unchanged, indicating that the graphics card at the bottom has not been affected. For the CPU, the average temperature of the 6 cores is around 72℃, as the heat from the graphics card accumulates on the CPU cooler, the temperature increase is noticeable, but the AK120 MINI can still handle this level. Additionally, the Xiaomi smart socket measured the total input power of 405w at this time.
▼ Finally, the 600 series motherboards from Colorful have made significant improvements over the previous generation, achieving a decent level of aesthetics, while the BIOS has reached a usable standard, and as a B660 motherboard that does not require overclocking, there is nothing to worry about. If you pursue a purer white color scheme, you can choose the FROZEN version, but the price will be higher.
RTX 3060 Ti Starry OC can be said to be a good choice for white graphics cards besides HOF, the white version of NOX Goddess memory also performs well, and all the fans are white as well. The aesthetics are unified, and the performance is not weak.
The Cooler Master C26PLUS has a volume of 15L, a compact size, and a significant improvement in compatibility compared to the C26, and it can also accommodate a 135mm AK120 MINI tower cooler.
Finally, the price of this entire build is around 8k~9k, spending a little more for aesthetics and an SFX power supply, whether you can accept it depends on personal needs.
