- Joined
- Mar 24, 2004
- Location
- Seattle, WA, USA
I just picked up an Epox "Mini Me" barebone system from newegg ( http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16856153004#DetailSpecs ). A few of my first impressions of things not covered by the product description:
1. First thing that I noticed is that it's pretty. Brushed aluminum and crome accents.
2. When I tried to take of the cover... it didn't want to come off. The case isn't super-high quality. I also had to re-align the 3.5" bay to fit the bracket when I put it back in.
3. HDD tray slides on to 3.5" bay wich bolts to the case with vibration isolation mounts (that only work if you squeeze the case to re-align them when putting the 3.5" tray back in). So the vibration isolation mounts are kinda pointless as they don't prevent the HDD tray from rattling.
4. The AGP port is very close to the side of the case. There is a manual addenum which warns you about this and states the clearance for the GPU HSF to be <2cm. Unless the case or HSF is modded to accomidate this (a hole in the side of the case could be easily lined up with the fan) I plan on sticking with passive cooling as I think a fan would likely suffocate, provide insufficent airflow, overheat, and then die (likely taking the GFX card with it) if put in this slot.
5. It comes with a little pocket screwdriver thing. Kinda nifty.
6. The HSF has no specs listed. It contacts both the CPU and NB chipset. It has two fans in a push-pull configuration on either side of a shroud over the copper and aluminum fins and heatpipes and is duscted to exhaust out the back of the case. It has a copper core for the CPU, but switches to aluminum for the NB which is not allocated any heatpipes either. It doesn't make full contact with the NB. It is very quiet. Both fans have thermal sensors. But my Barton 2800+ was reported at 53c with the NB reporting 52c after a few minutes of idle with the case open wich is a little warmer then what I would like. You must use a thermal pad for the NB. I used the stock Thermal pad and thermal chewing-gum type stuff that comes on the HSF. It does ship with a little container of generic white thermal grease as well though. I will probably undervolt and slightly underclock the CPU and RAM to make it run cooler. (this is about what I had expected I would have to do)
Conclusion: it's ok, but not for a high-end gaming rig. It has decent ingetrated gfx and every port you could possibly want to hook it up to a tv and/or sterio. My g/f will use it for her gaming rig for a few months, then I'll take her GFX card out, put a low-end sempron in it and put it in the media room for movies and music. It's biggest weakness appears to be the HSF at this point. Higher-RPM fans may be all that is needed to fix it though.
Has anyone else had any experience with this case and/or mobo?
update: Lowered ram voltage to 2.5v and CPU voltage to 1.5v and FSB/RAM frequency to 160mhz and temp has stabalized at 49c CPU core 50c NB idle. Any suggestions?
1. First thing that I noticed is that it's pretty. Brushed aluminum and crome accents.
2. When I tried to take of the cover... it didn't want to come off. The case isn't super-high quality. I also had to re-align the 3.5" bay to fit the bracket when I put it back in.
3. HDD tray slides on to 3.5" bay wich bolts to the case with vibration isolation mounts (that only work if you squeeze the case to re-align them when putting the 3.5" tray back in). So the vibration isolation mounts are kinda pointless as they don't prevent the HDD tray from rattling.
4. The AGP port is very close to the side of the case. There is a manual addenum which warns you about this and states the clearance for the GPU HSF to be <2cm. Unless the case or HSF is modded to accomidate this (a hole in the side of the case could be easily lined up with the fan) I plan on sticking with passive cooling as I think a fan would likely suffocate, provide insufficent airflow, overheat, and then die (likely taking the GFX card with it) if put in this slot.
5. It comes with a little pocket screwdriver thing. Kinda nifty.
6. The HSF has no specs listed. It contacts both the CPU and NB chipset. It has two fans in a push-pull configuration on either side of a shroud over the copper and aluminum fins and heatpipes and is duscted to exhaust out the back of the case. It has a copper core for the CPU, but switches to aluminum for the NB which is not allocated any heatpipes either. It doesn't make full contact with the NB. It is very quiet. Both fans have thermal sensors. But my Barton 2800+ was reported at 53c with the NB reporting 52c after a few minutes of idle with the case open wich is a little warmer then what I would like. You must use a thermal pad for the NB. I used the stock Thermal pad and thermal chewing-gum type stuff that comes on the HSF. It does ship with a little container of generic white thermal grease as well though. I will probably undervolt and slightly underclock the CPU and RAM to make it run cooler. (this is about what I had expected I would have to do)
Conclusion: it's ok, but not for a high-end gaming rig. It has decent ingetrated gfx and every port you could possibly want to hook it up to a tv and/or sterio. My g/f will use it for her gaming rig for a few months, then I'll take her GFX card out, put a low-end sempron in it and put it in the media room for movies and music. It's biggest weakness appears to be the HSF at this point. Higher-RPM fans may be all that is needed to fix it though.
Has anyone else had any experience with this case and/or mobo?
update: Lowered ram voltage to 2.5v and CPU voltage to 1.5v and FSB/RAM frequency to 160mhz and temp has stabalized at 49c CPU core 50c NB idle. Any suggestions?
