Microcool Banchetto 101 Tech-Bench (Page 8)

Fit and Finish

Finalizing the wiring, I noticed something fishy about the power switches wire and how it was laying. I removed the switch from the motherboard tray to find that it was missing a screw and at this point is dysfunctional, as I don't have any this tiny to replace it. Oh well, I can use the reset button to power it up. If something like this was to happen to you, I am sure Microcool will be more than happy to rectify this.

A full ATX motherboard fits the tray nicely. The issue I had was setting the support rods in place. I did find putting the thumbscrew in the end of it really helps to get them into place. From here I just have to press the rubber feet on top of the pins I pulled them from earlier. Be mindful of your wires as you may need to feed them through the holes as you set the tray in place.

I liked the fact that even though the name should go forward on the motherboard tray, due to no I/O ports I mounted my motherboard in reverse so I can have access to them. With everything wired and plumbed, the Banchetto 101 keeps it tidy when it is completely exposed to the world.

There isn't a whole lot of room to hide wires, mainly due to the rear mounted radiator. A modular PSU would be a real problem solver and keep wiring down so more air can flow through the Banchetto and into the radiator.

You can see how nice the two holes in the radiator tray come into play. I used 3/8" tubing for this build and there is a bit of room left for bigger tubing. I do love how simple it keeps it and leaves it clean and unfettered.

As you can see, the 3/8" tubing bent pretty well, but to the pump I had to worry about a kink that kept trying to appear. If you were to choose ½" tube, or if you use a different pump assembly than my 655 with the Acetal top from EK, you may want to ponder some angled fittings to keep tight corners from kinking your tubing.

Whichever way you set the motherboard tray, you are going to end up with a similar look sitting atop your table. Overall I am pleased with the cleanliness of this clear chassis. There is just enough anodized aluminum to keep things hidden and out of view and still allows for a flow inside the chassis under the motherboard. At the top I have placed on the additional fan bracket. With it in place you can see how it would add well placed cooling to the area surrounding the CPU, including the memory.

Last updated: Nov 21, 2019 at 09:45 pm CST