So Alex, tell me a little bit about yourself and how you started modding?

I’m Alex, a PC modder from London and founder of Praetex Design. I’ve only been modding PCs since 2013, having built my first one in late 2011. I had always been fascinated by the scene, however, having grown up reading the likes of Bit-Tech’s featured mods and monthly competitions.

I was always fascinated with the idea of building a computer and then turning it into something more than just a machine. When I was growing up, the concept seemed so alien and unapproachable to me, which I think only added to the mystique of the hobby. After jumping on the DIY PC train, I quickly realised that I wanted to add some more exotic cooling to my rig. At the time it was a ludicrously noisy thing, sporting two GTX 590s and an i7 3930k, long rendering sessions left a lot to be desired. Switching to watercooling was my first real foray into the world of PC modding, although it was still only a very basic attempt.

My first big jump came with what I think of my first proper project, named Azure. Despite watercooling my hardware previously, it still wasn’t delivering the performance I desired. I decided to try pushing the boat out a little and doubled the cooling area, whilst also opting for, what was at the time novel, acrylic tubing. This project is what allowed me to compete later in Bit-Tech’s Design a NUC competition, which ultimately paved the road for what I’m doing today.