Project Denzi

The build

I wanted one machine that could cover gaming, day-to-day development, and Unreal Engine work without compromise, and that I'd fully understand top to bottom — not just the parts list, but how the CPU, GPU, memory, and storage actually negotiate with each other through the motherboard's firmware. That understanding turned out to matter more than I expected once the GPU didn't display anything on first boot (see Troubleshooting below). Long-term upgradeability mattered too: PCIe 5.0 storage and a current-generation platform mean I'm not rebuilding this from scratch for the next few years. Build process Full step-by-step notes, including what I checked before installing each part, are in documentation/build-process.md. Short version: 1. Component preparation Unboxed and inspected every part before touching the case — checked physical compatibility (case clearance for the AIO radiator and GPU length) and confirmed BIOS/CPU support before committing to anything. 2. Motherboard assembly Motherboard CPU, memory, and both NVMe drives went into the motherboard on the desk, outside the case, before it was mounted into the chassis — easier to seat everything correctly with full access than reaching around inside the case. 3. CPU cooling Installed the Thermalright WonderVision 360 AIO and mounted the radiator with the case's airflow direction in mind rather than just wherever it physically fit. 4. GPU installation GPU installation Installed and secured the RTX 5080, including its power connector and the PCIe power delivery from the RM1000e. 5. Cable management Cable management Routed power and data cables to keep airflow clear and the interior serviceable later, not just clean for photos. BIOS & system configuration After assembly, I went into BIOS/UEFI before ever installing an OS to confirm the board saw everything correctly: CPU and memory detection, and enabling the memory's rated DDR5-6000 profile NVMe drive detection for both the primary and secondary drives GPU detection over PCIe Boot configuration Fan curves for the AIO and case fans Only after all of that checked out did I install Windows and drivers. Troubleshooting The short version: the RTX 5080 produced no display output on first boot when connected through a PCIe 4.0 riser cable. Full write-up, including how I isolated it, is in documentation/troubleshooting.md. The motherboard and GPU are both PCIe 5.0, but the riser cable is only rated for PCIe 4.0. Left on Auto, the slot tried to negotiate a Gen5 link the riser couldn't carry cleanly, and the signal fluctuated enough that no display ever came through. I fixed it by manually setting that slot to Gen4 in BIOS to match the riser instead of leaving it on Auto. This is the part of the build I actually learned the most from — it forced me to understand how PCIe generation actually gets negotiated between the GPU, the cable, and the motherboard firmware, instead of just plugging parts in and expecting them to agree with each other. Testing & validation I didn't consider the build "done" at first POST. Before trusting it for real use, I ran it through: POST and full hardware detection (CPU, memory, both NVMe drives, GPU) Memory stability testing at the rated DDR5-6000 profile CPU load testing GPU load testing Storage performance testing on both NVMe drives Thermal monitoring under sustained load Driver verification General stability testing under everyday use

What went into it

Spec

Component

Part

CPU

AMD Ryzen 7 9700X

GPU

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 OC

Motherboard

ASUS ROG Strix B850-A

Memory

64GB DDR5-6000

Primary storage

WD Black SN8100 2TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe

Secondary storage

XPG S70 Blade 1TB NVMe

CPU cooling

Thermalright WonderVision 360 (AIO)

Power supply

Corsair RM1000e

Case

Lian Li O11D EVO RGB

Display

LG 34" 3440×1440 240Hz OLED