Skip to main content
PC Gamer PC Gamer THE GLOBAL AUTHORITY ON PC GAMES
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
  • Games
  • Hardware
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Guides
  • Video
  • Forum
  • More
    • PC Gaming Show
    • Software
    • Movies & TV
    • Coupons
    • Magazine
    • Newsletter
    • Community guidelines
    • Affiliate links
    • Meet the team
    • About PC Gamer
PC Gamer Magazine Subscription
PC Gamer Magazine Subscription
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe to the world's #1 PC gaming mag
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$32.49
View
Popular
  • PC Gaming Show
  • Summer Game Fest
  • Dune: Awakening
  • Elden Ring: Nightreign

Recommended reading

A still from a YouTube video showing a giant sheet of fabric being zipped up by a self-propelled zipper
Hardware The world's largest zip maker has made a giant self-propelled zip and I reckon it's a potential glimpse of the trousers of the future
Ashtf DIY PDA
Hardware I never thought I'd want a '90s PDA but this little DIY project has totally changed my mind
Xbox Games Showcase 2025 logo
Games All the announcements from the 2025 Xbox Games Showcase
Blippo+ character Poly Pixel pulls a funny face with glancing away from the camera
Sim Blippo+ is an uncanny, Hypnospace Outlaw-style game where you must flick through an alien off-cable TV network full of 'cloned opera stars and spooky raconteurs'
PC Gaming Show 2025 logo
Events & Conferences Every game, trailer, and announcement in the PC Gaming Show 2025
A chemist in a hazmat suit near a workbench
Sim Schedule 1's latest update adds a jukebox, because drugs without music is just kind of a drag, man
Silverstone FLP02 retro PC case on display at Computex trade show
PC Cases This retro PC case has a big red button and a turnkey and it hits me square in the chest with nostalgia
  1. Hardware
  2. PC Cases

Build of the week: Project XnineNINE

Features
By James Davenport published 16 May 2016

Da ba dee, da ba dye, da ba dee, da ba dye.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Page 1 of 19
Page 1 of 19

Page 2 of 19
Page 2 of 19

Page 3 of 19
Page 3 of 19

Page 4 of 19
Page 4 of 19

Page 5 of 19
Page 5 of 19

Page 6 of 19
Page 6 of 19

Page 7 of 19
Page 7 of 19

Page 8 of 19
Page 8 of 19

Page 9 of 19
Page 9 of 19

Page 10 of 19
Page 10 of 19

Page 11 of 19
Page 11 of 19

Page 12 of 19
Page 12 of 19

Page 13 of 19
Page 13 of 19

Page 14 of 19
Page 14 of 19

Page 15 of 19
Page 15 of 19

Page 16 of 19
Page 16 of 19

Page 17 of 19
Page 17 of 19

Page 18 of 19
Page 18 of 19

Page 19 of 19
Page 19 of 19
James Davenport
James Davenport
Social Links Navigation

James is stuck in an endless loop, playing the Dark Souls games on repeat until Elden Ring and Silksong set him free. He's a truffle pig for indie horror and weird FPS games too, seeking out games that actively hurt to play. Otherwise he's wandering Austin, identifying mushrooms and doodling grackles. 

Every Monday, Build of the week highlights a unique rig from the web's most dedicated PC building communities.

Blue. It’s a color. Air. It’s that good breathing stuff. Computers. They’re computers. Combine the three and you get Project XnineNINE, a custom build from Malik Customs that maximizes minimalism. It’s an open face build harboring some serious components in a clean utilitarian pose. Were the XnineNINE mounted on a wall, I’d be looking for an artist’s statement.

No open face build gets away without looking a little chunky—bearing it all has that effect, but thanks to the smart use of color, the blues distract from the components’ visual noise and provide a stark contrast to the black framing. It’s a lovely combo that draws the eye towards the build’s best features. That is some beautiful cooling work. Doesn't it just make you want to sing?

Related articles
  • The world's largest zip maker has made a giant self-propelled zip and I reckon it's a potential glimpse of the trousers of the future
  • I never thought I'd want a '90s PDA but this little DIY project has totally changed my mind
  • This retro PC case has a big red button and a turnkey and it hits me square in the chest with nostalgia

For more pictures and information on XnineNINE, head over to Malik Customs website or their Facebook page. 

 Project XnineNINE components: 

  • CPU: Intel 5960X
  • Mobo: Asus X99-A/3.1 USB
  • Sound: Asus Xonar Essence STX II 7.1
  • RAM: HyperX Savage 64GB DDR4 2800Mhz
  • SSD: HyperX Predator 240GB
  • HDD: WD RED WD60EFRX 6 TB
  • GPU: Inno3D GTX 980 Ti
  • Chassis: Thermaltake Core P5
  • Cables: Cablemod Custom Set Silver/Blue

Cooling components:

  • EK-Vardar F2-120
  • EK-CoolStream PE 480
  • EK-FB ASUS X99 Monoblock - Nickel
  • EK-FC Titan X - Nickel
  • EK-FC Titan X Backplate - Nickel
  • EK-XRES 140 Revo D5 PWM (incl. pump)
  • EK-RES X3 - TUBE 250
  • EK-Ekoolant EVO UV BLUE
  • EK-ACF Fitting 12/16mm - Blue
  •  EK-ACF Fitting 12/16mm - Silver
  • TUBE PrimoChill PrimoFlex™ Advanced
Read more
A still from a YouTube video showing a giant sheet of fabric being zipped up by a self-propelled zipper
The world's largest zip maker has made a giant self-propelled zip and I reckon it's a potential glimpse of the trousers of the future
Ashtf DIY PDA
I never thought I'd want a '90s PDA but this little DIY project has totally changed my mind
Xbox Games Showcase 2025 logo
All the announcements from the 2025 Xbox Games Showcase
Blippo+ character Poly Pixel pulls a funny face with glancing away from the camera
Blippo+ is an uncanny, Hypnospace Outlaw-style game where you must flick through an alien off-cable TV network full of 'cloned opera stars and spooky raconteurs'
PC Gaming Show 2025 logo
Every game, trailer, and announcement in the PC Gaming Show 2025
A chemist in a hazmat suit near a workbench
Schedule 1's latest update adds a jukebox, because drugs without music is just kind of a drag, man
Latest in PC Cases
A three screen setup is seen on a desk. These screens are encased in an off-white shell designed to look retro and bring to mind classic CRT housing.
Redditor handcrafts retrofuturistic set up that wouldn't look out of place on the set of Alien, with precisely zero 3D printing involved
The Asus Prime AP202 PC case on a blue gradient background with PC components inside
Trick venting solutions look like the hot new thing in PC case design and this low-vented Asus model has me more than a little intrigued
A gaming PC sat on a desk with purple RGB lighting on the fans and light bar enabled.
Phanteks Eclipse G400A review
A plain looking, ergonomic office chair concealing a gaming PC underneath the seat.
Is it a chair? Is it a PC? Actually, this stealth PC build is both—and probably very toasty
Tryx's Computex 2025 booth, showcasing various new PC cases and coolers.
A fabric-covered PC case was not on my Computex 2025 bingo card but I'm surprisingly into it
A Havn BF 360 case on display at Computex 2025, Taipei.
I've seen every PC case that Computex has to offer and this new Havn chassis is my top pick thanks to its abnormally large fans, front grille and airflow optimisation
Latest in Features
illustration of rally car making jump with blue sky and golden gate bridge in background.
Real-life rally racing is dying and triple-A rally games are dead, but the sport's gotten a second life thanks to these excellent indie racers
Halo Infinite Mark V armor
The FPS genre is addicted to sprinting and clambering, but Halo just proved we're better off without them
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers made me grapple with the parry vs. dodge conundrum
Absolum key art showing a grey-blue character with white hair swinging a sword over their shoulder, another masked character is visible in the background with fists raised
Absolum isn't just the best demo on Steam, it's one of my favorite things I've played in 2025
Xenopurge old school computer interface
This strategy roguelike is like trying to fight off an alien invasion with a bunch of PCs from the late 1970s
Cloudflare headquarters in San Francisco
'225,000,000,000 attacks per day': Computer users and gamers are significantly more at risk of cybercrime than at any other time in the past
  1. Annapro carrying case, GameSir Nova Lite controller, SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds, and Asus ROG Falchion RX Low Profile keyboard on a blue background with PC Gamer Recommended logo
    1
    Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads
  2. 2
    Best graphics card for laptops in 2025: the mobile GPUs I'd want in my next gaming laptop
  3. 3
    Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most
  4. 4
    Best 14-inch gaming laptop in 2025: The top compact gaming laptops I've held in these hands
  5. 5
    Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I've tested
  1. Alienware 34 AW3425DW
    1
    Alienware 34 AW3425DW review
  2. 2
    Nintendo Switch 2 review: the latest gaming handheld, from a PC Gamer's perspective
  3. 3
    The Alters review: A masterclass in high tension gaming
  4. 4
    AndaSeat Novis gaming chair review
  5. 5
    8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller Review

PC Gamer is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...