Build first, then mod or mod first, then build?

ok well when my parts come in am i suppose to just put everything together first, then do my mods later?

im getting the raidmax scorpio 868 case and im doing these slight mods

changing the side tri color fan to a blue led fan (awsome mod lol)

cutting those two cheese grater things that block the two back fans and putting some brand new grills on them

putting a 120mm LED fan in the front

so am i suppose to assemble everything first to make sure everything works? or should i go ahead and do the mods first? because i dont want to assemble the pc, then take it apart the next day (lol i have all the time in the world)

would it be better to do the mods first? so i dont have to go through the hassle of building, taking apart, and reassembling? or should i check if the parts work first?

because what if i have a defective psu? if i do the mods and try everything out and the psu is bad, can i get a new one? would i have to send back the whole case or just the psu? (since the psu came with the case) if i do then they wouldnt take it because the case would be all cut and stuff

You can always bench test everything without putting it all in your case. After you are sure everything works, then start cutting away.

does benchtest mean to just leave them out on the table or watever then test em, before putting them in the case?

if the psu goes bad, could i still get that refunded by newegg without having to send in the case?

Do the mods first. It'll save you having to take everything apart again. As to benchtesting, yes, you can lay everything out on a table and try it. Best way to find out about areturn of the PSU is to ask Newegg.

Yeah, I'd mod first too. Taking your computer apart again and again is annoying, especially when you get all of your cables organized. Take a look in the Modding Xaser III thread (although it's almost a forum by itself) and see what other mods you could do while your computer is taken apart. Some ideas are..

1) Removing all of the fan grills, especially the intakes at the front. Alt. mod is to glue pantyhose to the inside of your plastic bezel to eliminate dust being blown into your case from the intake fans.

2) Cutting holes in the mobo back plate ( the plate the mobo screws into), find the areas that you can safely cut out ( don't cut out screw holes that you'll be using :roll eyes for example) and cut out holes for cooling as well as cable organization. These holes help quite a bit in putting your cables out of sight and can drop your board temp a good amount... to get the board temp drop, you'll need to cut a fan hole in your back side panel ( a 92mm fan works the best for this, quiet and high cfm's) and mount a fan on either the outside of the panel or on the inside if it will fit.

3) Sleeving the cables on your PSU, helps airflow in your case and looks great.

4) Adding a blow hole to the top of your case, lowers your case temps a good amount... and low case temps make for low cpu temps.

I'll see if I can think of anything else, hope it helps. If you already knew about these mods... oh well :\

ya im gonna cut out the back grills and replace them with some that i ordered from newegg and im gonna cut a hole in the front case spot for a 120mm fan!!!

i dont really wanna bench test them since im afraid i will end up get static stuff on it, and im afraid to mod first because i can end up with a bad psu and then i wouldnt be able to return it hmmmmmmm, but i dont wanna take everything apart again