Cases to support large radiators?

Okay so I'm sort of new to water cooling.

I'm currently water cooling on this box, but it's a ****ty kit, and a fanless one at that (zalman reserator v2).

It doesn't cool well at all, in fact my friend with the same computer parts but air cooling gets much lower temperatures than I do.

So with the next computer I build, I want to go for some water cooling that I choose the parts myself, like a Danger Den setup.

So I was looking at radiators, which seem to me to be one of the biggest things in how well the system can cool, and I'd really like to get a really big one, like the GTX360 or even 480.

However, when I was looking at computer cases, I couldn't find a computer case that had 4 120mm fan slots next to each other... I couldn't even find one with 3 120mm fan slots next to each other!

Can someone help show me some computer cases that have a bunch of 120mm fan slots next to each other so I can get a large radiator?

Also, is a large radiator like this the best thing to go with? Or should I instead go with two separate 120mmX2 raditors, one for the cpu and one for the gfx?

Thanks for the help guys.

I too have yet to see the case with 4 120mm fan ports in a row necessary for a big radiator like that. Doesn't mean it isn't out there, but man that's big. What most of us do is get creative with a dremmel tool... The tops of wider cases tend to be forefit on many a rig

Well, you are going to be very hard pressed to find a case that can take one...short of hanging it outside of the case. Your best bet is to find one that will fit it...and cut the case yourself. That is what I did. It was alot of fun and really cool to show off

If you want a 3x120mm one...the Armor is VERY good there, easily fitting everything internal

My build "log" (pictures) are here of my Armor and watercooling:

http://s55.photobucket.com/albums/g121/thideras/Computer mods/

What are you going to be cooling? My 3x120 handled a core2 @ 3.6 and a 8800GTS highly overclocked with MUCH room to spare.

BTW: to the forums!!!

Ty for the welcome.

Well, my current system is already really good, so I won't be upgrading right away, but the bad cooling on this system makes it really not run at its full potential, so I'm probably going to try to upgrade sometime in this next year if I get the money.

So I'd be going for top of the line stuff, 45nm intel core 2 extreme (quad) processor, whichever is highest at the time, and probably a 9800 assuming it's the highest at the time (probably will be). I might SLi two 9800s.

But the thing is, my current rig runs the following temps:
Idle: CPU:125-130F GPU: 150-160F
While Playing CSS: CPU:140-160F GPU: 160-170F
While Playing Crysis: CPU: 160F GPU: 190F
While Playing CoD4: CPU: 160F GPU: 180F

Maybe I'm mistaken, but those seem like absolutely horrible temperatures to me, especially since I'm not even OC'ing on this rig since the cooling is so bad.

I'm running an Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 and an nVidia 8800 GTX, and 4GB of DDR2 800Mhz RAM.

I really shouldn't be getting FPS drops in CSS... it's really frustrating.

a big case like this?
http://webpages.charter.net/niku_sama/case/

The Silverstone TJ-07 will easily fit a 3 x 120 rad and is long enough to take a 4 x 120 as well (but the fans might not line up with the side panel mesh).

-orb- said:

I'm running an Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 and an nVidia 8800 GTX, and 4GB of DDR2 800Mhz RAM.

I really shouldn't be getting FPS drops in CSS... it's really frustrating.

Click to expand...

Correct, there is something else wrong. What FPS do you get in CSS?

That powerful of a computer should have no issues with that game. My core2 and my old 7900GTX ran that at 90-120fps no problem (1680*1050, max everything, bloom off).

My rig has a 7300GS and even I don't get FPS drops

ARMOR FTW!

There are a couple of options for big radiator cases

1. The Lian-Li PC-G70 is what I'm currently modding to fit a 3x120 into the top. It's quite roomy.

2. The Mountain Mods UFO series are big box cases big enough to fit a 3x120 without modding and probably big enough to fit a 480 ( if it's square...don't think it will fit a straight one without modding ).

Unfortunately, both options are on the very high end of the spectrum in terms of price, between 250-350 depending on where you get them and what options ( windows, casters, fans, etc ) you select. Hope that helps,
Drew

Thanks Drew, that UFO looks like exactly what I was looking for.

Can't hold a 480, but it can sure hold a 360!

want a badass case?
*** NEW *** Lian Li PC-343B Modular Black Aluminum Cube Case - Extreme Water Cooled Edition