Need help building a new rig

Offspring2099 · 02-18-08, 04:34 PM

Hello,

I haven’t built a system for myself in a few years. I’m running an Athlon 3200 right now, pretty embarrassing. One of the things I want from the new setup is for it to be quite. Not dead silence, but not a noisy one either. Here are some of my future specs so far. Please feel free to comment, I would much rather be told that I’m doing something wrong then pay for it later.

CPU: e6850 or e8400
- I really want the e8400, but are there any boards out there now that will work, with stock bios? I don’t have an older CPU to flash it myself.

MOBO: ASUS MAXIMUS FORMULA LGA 775 Intel X38 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131227
- If this board will support e8400 out of the box, I want to get it.

CASE: Thermaltake Armor Series VA8003BWS Black Full Tower Case w/ 25CM Fan - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811133021
- I’m pretty much set on this case, I know its pretty big, but I’m willing to trade that off for quite and better cooling.

RAM: OCZ Platinum 2GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227178
- Not sure about ram, would 4gigs make a big difference?

PSU: I need help here. I’ll be honest, I haven’t done much research on psu for this rig, if you have a suggestion….

CPU COOLING: Thermalright Ultra-120
- Do I even need to “rig” a 120mm fan to it, using the unconventional methods? I’ve seen ppl slap a fan on it, using wires to secure it in place. If that works well, I guess I’ll do it too.

3D CARD: Not sure yet, probably 8800 series

HD: Not sure yet, probably Seagate 750gig.

Thanks in advance.

Monty_Python · 02-18-08, 07:10 PM

Offspring,

Nice setup, of course I like it since its very similiar to my setup, you'll love the Maximus Formula board.

As for the fans on the 120-E...no, have an Antec 900 case and just have the 120-E mounted with no fans, in my case the top 200mm and back 120 provide plenty of air flow. You can always add the fans if temps are not to your liking.

Evilsizer · 02-18-08, 07:29 PM

8800GT or if you need to spend less the 9600GT when it hits in a few weeks.

psu: corsair HX520/HX620 or the TX650 or TX750.

Shiggity · 02-18-08, 08:14 PM

- How important is gaming / good graphics to you, which games do you play atm? (For video card suggestions)

- For hard-drives, how much space do you need?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148288 is a solid one for storage.

- The Asus Maximus supports the E8400 right out of the box, but the problem with the E8400 CPU's is that they are flaky sometimes on reporting correct temperatures. A bios update in the future will probably fix this, I suggest getting a floppy drive and some blank floppies. Flashing a bios yourself isn't that bad.

- The ram you picked out is good, but it's optimal running voltage is 2.3V (very high for ram). I suggest getting some improved cooling for this ram if you plan on overclocking.

- PSU - I support Evilsizer's suggestion of the HX520 / HX620. They are really awesome powersupplies and they are modular.

- Fans - You'll want to pickup ~3-4 quality 120mm fans for your heatsink and just for general use / modding. (you'll be glad you bought a couple extra fans later)

- Thermal Compound - MX2 and AS5 are the most popular / best atm.

Then peripherals are up to you (sound, keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, etc)

poMONKey · 02-18-08, 08:29 PM

Sounds good all around ... I'm in the process of getting my sh*t together after 6 years to build a new rig ( as you can see by my fully outdated sig ).

Have you thought about water cooling that bad larry? Its surly quiet and more than efficient. You can just stop at cooling the cpu and forget about the gpu and nb if you want.

Air just isnt controllable like water ... and after 6 years of water cooling my cpu and gpu, I have had no problems or leaks ( even after dropping my rig off the front of my car onto the road whilst reaching for my coffee on the roof ... dur! )

Just my 2 cents ... that nasty lil cpu deserves some TLC ;]

Shiggity · 02-18-08, 08:31 PM

Arg made a mistake post, if a mod sees this delete pls

jason4207 · 02-18-08, 10:04 PM

CPU: e6850 or e8400
- I really want the e8400, but are there any boards out there now that will work, with stock bios? I don’t have an older CPU to flash it myself.

e8400. The e6850 is overpriced, but the e8400 is hard to find now and prices are jacked up. I'd wait till the demand slows down a bit. If unable to wait, I'd go for the Q6600, but that's just me.

MOBO: ASUS MAXIMUS FORMULA LGA 775 Intel X38 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131227
- If this board will support e8400 out of the box, I want to get it.

Personally, I'd go w/ the P35 Foxconn MARS, and maybe wait for the Foxconn Black OPs.

CASE: Thermaltake Armor Series VA8003BWS Black Full Tower Case w/ 25CM Fan - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811133021
- I’m pretty much set on this case, I know its pretty big, but I’m willing to trade that off for quite and better cooling.

Check out the Armor+! I have the Armor w/ the 25cm fan, and you're going to have to move the fan to the outside, or take a dremel to it to get it to fit w/ the TRU120E. I don't think the Armor+ has this problem. The Armor+ looks to answer all my issues w/ the Armor.

RAM: OCZ Platinum 2GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227178
- Not sure about ram, would 4gigs make a big difference?

If I were you I'd just start out w/ 2GB. Add 2GB later on if you like. It'll be easier to adapt your system after you've played w/ it for a while. If you jump right in w/ 4GB that can complicate things a bit. 4GB won't make anything faster unless you're using more than 2GB at any given time...hard to do. VISTA can take advantage of additional RAM, though, w/ it's pre-fetch feature. I still like D9's, and I think the Team Extreme (non-dark) are a good bet.

PSU: I need help here. I’ll be honest, I haven’t done much research on psu for this rig, if you have a suggestion….

Corsair 520/620 or something from here.

CPU COOLING: Thermalright Ultra-120
- Do I even need to “rig” a 120mm fan to it, using the unconventional methods? I’ve seen ppl slap a fan on it, using wires to secure it in place. If that works well, I guess I’ll do it too.

No need to 'rig' anything. The HS comes w/ fan clips...yes they look like wires. I like the 115CFM 120x38 Panaflo, but it can be loud w/o a fan controller. A Sunbeam Rheobus (I think they have a new one out too) can quiet the fan(s) nicely. This way you can run it quiet, but still crank it up for benchmarks and stressing.

3D CARD: Not sure yet, probably 8800 series

8800GTS-512

HD: Not sure yet, probably Seagate 750gig.

If you can do it I'd say go w/ (2) 500GB 32MB cache Seagates instead. You'll have more options as far as RAID, and still have lots of storage w/ excellent performance.

That's what I'd get, anyway.

forceman · 02-18-08, 10:18 PM

RAM is so cheap now I'd pick up 4GB of RAM right off the bat, 2 x 2 sticks will run just fine in either a P35 or an X38 board.

Offspring2099 · 02-18-08, 10:57 PM

Thanks for the reply fellas.

Monty_Python,
How are you liking the PSU at the bottom of the case in Antec 900. This is actually another case I was looking at.

Shiggity,
Gaming is important. I want a terabyte, so maybe 2 500s? I'm already at 250 gigs on my current system that I will need to carry over.

poMONKey,
I've been mulling over water cooling, but I'm already hitting $1300. I'll think about it. How much do you think would it cost to cool her?

jason4207,
Thanks for the heads up on the Armor side fan with 120-E install.

I really appreciate everyone's input. I'll be looking over it, checking the prices and will try to make a better decision.

jason4207 · 02-19-08, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Offspring2099

jason4207,
Thanks for the heads up on the Armor side fan with 120-E install.

I really appreciate everyone's input. I'll be looking over it, checking the prices and will try to make a better decision.

Did you look at my link for the Armor+?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811133056

Offspring2099 · 02-19-08, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jason4207

Did you look at my link for the Armor+?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811133056

Yes, it's gonna be either that or Asus 900.

How is Armor+ better then Armor? Is the 250mm fan in a better position? Or is the case wider?

Also if I go with Armor+, and choose to use 120-E to cool the CPU, is one fans on the front will be sufficient? Is it possible to put in another fan in the middle/front, or should I just put fans on 120-E?

jason4207 · 02-19-08, 02:46 PM

The fan on the Armor+ is a little smaller (23cm), but I'm sure it's just as effective if not more so. It has a higher RPM, anyway. I'm guessing TT addressed the issue w/ the TRU120E, so that there is no longer a clearance issue, but I don't know for sure. The fan might be thinner.

The Armor+ also has a slide-out MoBo tray, and it looks like they have put a lot of thought in it. It looks to be very customizable. Is it better?...not sure, but I have the Armor w/ the 25cm side fan, and i want the Armor+!

The one fan in the front may be enough. The Armor I have only came w/ 1 fan upfront. I opted to go w/ an additional HDD module in my case that comes w/ a 12cm fan. It was about $25 shipped iirc. You might be able to do something similar in the Armor+, or it may be equipped to allow an additional 12 or 14cm to mount w/o the module.

I would definitely put a fan on the U120E, and possibly put another one up front. But, I'd probably put a fan anywhere the case that would fit one, and it looks like there are quite a few possible locations if you follow this link.

Monty_Python · 02-19-08, 06:59 PM

Offspring,

I modded my antec900 to mount the psu in normal fan down orientation. I dremmeled an area out to allow the psu fan to draw cool air from outside the case and this also placed my power wires close to the back of the case ading in wire management.

Here a pic

Offspring2099 · 02-19-08, 10:08 PM

Jason, Thanks for the info.

Monthy,

Do you mind sharing some pics of the dremmel job. I'm a little confused. Did you turn the PSU and cut the side. Or flip it and cut the bottom?
Thanks.

Also, did you have to cut into the side panel to get 120-E to fit?

jason4207 · 02-19-08, 11:05 PM

He cut a hole in the bottom of his case. Some PSU's don't have that big side fan on them and you don't have to worry about this, though.

You won't have any issues w/ the side panel on the 900 and the TRU120E...unless you install a fan in the side window (it has a mount for one, but doesn't come w/ one there). Then you have clearance issues.

BTW...I have my old rig in an Antec 900 now.

Offspring2099 · 02-20-08, 04:32 PM

Thanks for everyone's help. I think I'm ready to buy.
case = Antec 900
cpu = e8400
mobo = ASUS MAXIMUS FORMULA
cpu cooling = TRU120E with one fan, will put another one on if I need it.
3d card = XFX PVT88PYDE4 8800gt
ram = OCZ Platinum 2GB, 2gigs now, 2 next paycheck.
hd = seag 500 ST3500320AS, might add another 500 next paycheck
psu = Corsair 750TX

What are some quite 120mm fans out there?
I'm totaling at just over $1200. I'm looking at newegg, buy and amazon. Any other sites that you guys use to find a better prices?

Thanks again.

Offspring2099 · 03-01-08, 10:20 PM

Here are the goods.

There is a nice crack on the upper left corner of the case. I was so excited that I didn't even see it. It's a little murky in my room, the first time I saw it was in this photo, because the flash eliminated it nicely. Just called amazon they are sending a new case.

When I run prime95, it looks like the core0 stays at 45C(idle and stressed) and core1 goes form 42C to about 47C.
CPU temp goes form about 32 to 36/37C.
I don't know how much I can trust these. I guess I'll wait till new bios comes out to overclock.
(pic below is idle)

Monty_Python · 03-01-08, 11:01 PM

Offspring,

Nice setup, glad to see you have everything up and running

Offspring2099 · 03-03-08, 11:00 AM

Thanks man, I just wish that I could trust the temps more, but I guess I'll just wait till better bios comes out. Right now I'm maxing out the settings on all games I want and it runs great, so no need to over clock yet anyways.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monty_Python

Offspring,

Nice setup, glad to see you have everything up and running

02-18-08, 04:34 PM	Thread Starter #1
Offspring2099 Registered Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kalifornia	Need help building a new rig Hello, I haven’t built a system for myself in a few years. I’m running an Athlon 3200 right now, pretty embarrassing. One of the things I want from the new setup is for it to be quite. Not dead silence, but not a noisy one either. Here are some of my future specs so far. Please feel free to comment, I would much rather be told that I’m doing something wrong then pay for it later. CPU: e6850 or e8400 - I really want the e8400, but are there any boards out there now that will work, with stock bios? I don’t have an older CPU to flash it myself. MOBO: ASUS MAXIMUS FORMULA LGA 775 Intel X38 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131227 - If this board will support e8400 out of the box, I want to get it. CASE: Thermaltake Armor Series VA8003BWS Black Full Tower Case w/ 25CM Fan - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811133021 - I’m pretty much set on this case, I know its pretty big, but I’m willing to trade that off for quite and better cooling. RAM: OCZ Platinum 2GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227178 - Not sure about ram, would 4gigs make a big difference? PSU: I need help here. I’ll be honest, I haven’t done much research on psu for this rig, if you have a suggestion…. CPU COOLING: Thermalright Ultra-120 - Do I even need to “rig” a 120mm fan to it, using the unconventional methods? I’ve seen ppl slap a fan on it, using wires to secure it in place. If that works well, I guess I’ll do it too. 3D CARD: Not sure yet, probably 8800 series HD: Not sure yet, probably Seagate 750gig. Thanks in advance.
	QUOTE Thanks

02-18-08, 07:10 PM	#2
Monty_Python Member Join Date: Jun 2006	Offspring, Nice setup, of course I like it since its very similiar to my setup, you'll love the Maximus Formula board. As for the fans on the 120-E...no, have an Antec 900 case and just have the 120-E mounted with no fans, in my case the top 200mm and back 120 provide plenty of air flow. You can always add the fans if temps are not to your liking. __________________ CPU:Sandy Bridge I7-2600K(3.4GHz) @ 4.10 Ghz(41x100) 1.264 Vc TEMPS: Ambient temp 25C Idle temp 30C Max temp 65C under 8x Prime load HyperPi: 1M 9.2 sec @ 4.1GHz HSF: Thermalright Venomous X-RT RAM: Mushkin Enhanced Redline 8GB 7-9-8-24 MB: MSI P67A-GD65(B3) GPU:EVGA GTX 580 Classified Ultra 3GB stock 900mhz Monitors: dual displays primay Samsung SyncMaster 2443(24in) Secondary 2333(23inch) HDD/SSD: OCZ Agility-EX Boot/ 2x WD1.5TB Blacks OS: Win7-64 PSU:Cosair Pro AX-1200 1200W CASE:Cosair 700D replaced stock fans 4x Scythe S-flex fans
	QUOTE Thanks

02-18-08, 07:29 PM	#3
Evilsizer Senior Fourm Spammer Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Austin,Texas	8800GT or if you need to spend less the 9600GT when it hits in a few weeks. psu: corsair HX520/HX620 or the TX650 or TX750. __________________ i7 920@3.6ghz \| Asus R2G \| GK F3-12800CL7D-4GBRH \| Galaxy GTX660 GC \| C650TX \| OCZ VERTEX EX 120GB, VERTEX 250GB i3 330m \| Jetway NF98 \| 2x2gig DDR3-1066 \| pico 120WI i5 2450 \| Jetway JNF9G-QM77 \| 2x2gig DDR3-1333 \| WIP "I Love To Camp!" "Commensing Shock Therapy!" I'm jonnyGURU of jonnyGURU.com and we don't overload PSU's - JonnyGURU HeatWare
	QUOTE Thanks

02-18-08, 08:14 PM	#4
Shiggity Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Chicago, IL	- How important is gaming / good graphics to you, which games do you play atm? (For video card suggestions) - For hard-drives, how much space do you need? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148288 is a solid one for storage. - The Asus Maximus supports the E8400 right out of the box, but the problem with the E8400 CPU's is that they are flaky sometimes on reporting correct temperatures. A bios update in the future will probably fix this, I suggest getting a floppy drive and some blank floppies. Flashing a bios yourself isn't that bad. - The ram you picked out is good, but it's optimal running voltage is 2.3V (very high for ram). I suggest getting some improved cooling for this ram if you plan on overclocking. - PSU - I support Evilsizer's suggestion of the HX520 / HX620. They are really awesome powersupplies and they are modular. - Fans - You'll want to pickup ~3-4 quality 120mm fans for your heatsink and just for general use / modding. (you'll be glad you bought a couple extra fans later) - Thermal Compound - MX2 and AS5 are the most popular / best atm. Then peripherals are up to you (sound, keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, etc) __________________ CPU - E6750 @ 3.4GHz \| 425x8 \| 1.41V \| Zalman CNPS9500 \| Lapped Mobo - Abit P35 Pro \| Bios v14 Ram - 2x1GB G.Skill F2-6400CL5D-2GBNQ \| 850 \| 5-5-5-15 \| 1.85V GPU - PNY 8800GT \| 700c, 1850s, 900m \| HR-03GT HD - 150GB raptor ADFD \| Seagate 7200.7 160GB \| 2x WD 640GB PSU - OCZ GameXSteam 700W Heat
	QUOTE Thanks

02-18-08, 08:29 PM	#5
poMONKey Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: mass	Sounds good all around ... I'm in the process of getting my sht together after 6 years to build a new rig ( as you can see by my fully outdated sig ). Have you thought about water cooling that bad larry? Its surly quiet and more than efficient. You can just stop at cooling the cpu and forget about the gpu and nb if you want. Air just isnt controllable like water ... and after 6 years of water cooling my cpu and gpu, I have had no problems or leaks ( even after dropping my rig off the front of my car onto the road whilst reaching for my coffee on the roof ... dur! ) Just my 2 cents ... that nasty lil cpu deserves some TLC ;] __________________ ~ P5Q ~ E8400 ~ XFX HD4890 ~ 4GB G.SKILL DDR2 1066 ~ Corsair CMPSU-750TX ~ Freezer 7 Pro Last edited by poMONKey; 02-18-08 at 08:39 PM.*
	QUOTE Thanks

Need help building a new rig

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02-18-08, 08:31 PM	#6
Shiggity Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Chicago, IL	Arg made a mistake post, if a mod sees this delete pls __________________ CPU - E6750 @ 3.4GHz \| 425x8 \| 1.41V \| Zalman CNPS9500 \| Lapped Mobo - Abit P35 Pro \| Bios v14 Ram - 2x1GB G.Skill F2-6400CL5D-2GBNQ \| 850 \| 5-5-5-15 \| 1.85V GPU - PNY 8800GT \| 700c, 1850s, 900m \| HR-03GT HD - 150GB raptor ADFD \| Seagate 7200.7 160GB \| 2x WD 640GB PSU - OCZ GameXSteam 700W Heat
	QUOTE Thanks

02-18-08, 10:04 PM	#7
jason4207 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Concord, NC	CPU: e6850 or e8400 - I really want the e8400, but are there any boards out there now that will work, with stock bios? I don’t have an older CPU to flash it myself. *e8400. The e6850 is overpriced, but the e8400 is hard to find now and prices are jacked up. I'd wait till the demand slows down a bit. If unable to wait, I'd go for the Q6600, but that's just me.* MOBO: ASUS MAXIMUS FORMULA LGA 775 Intel X38 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131227 - If this board will support e8400 out of the box, I want to get it. *Personally, I'd go w/ the P35 Foxconn MARS, and maybe wait for the Foxconn Black OPs.* CASE: Thermaltake Armor Series VA8003BWS Black Full Tower Case w/ 25CM Fan - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811133021 - I’m pretty much set on this case, I know its pretty big, but I’m willing to trade that off for quite and better cooling. Check out the Armor+! I have the Armor w/ the 25cm fan, and you're going to have to move the fan to the outside, or take a dremel to it to get it to fit w/ the TRU120E. I don't think the Armor+ has this problem. The Armor+ looks to answer all my issues w/ the Armor. RAM: OCZ Platinum 2GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227178 - Not sure about ram, would 4gigs make a big difference? If I were you I'd just start out w/ 2GB. Add 2GB later on if you like. It'll be easier to adapt your system after you've played w/ it for a while. If you jump right in w/ 4GB that can complicate things a bit. 4GB won't make anything faster unless you're using more than 2GB at any given time...hard to do. VISTA can take advantage of additional RAM, though, w/ it's pre-fetch feature. I still like D9's, and I think the Team Extreme (non-dark) are a good bet. PSU: I need help here. I’ll be honest, I haven’t done much research on psu for this rig, if you have a suggestion…. *Corsair 520/620 or something from here.* CPU COOLING: Thermalright Ultra-120 - Do I even need to “rig” a 120mm fan to it, using the unconventional methods? I’ve seen ppl slap a fan on it, using wires to secure it in place. If that works well, I guess I’ll do it too. No need to 'rig' anything. The HS comes w/ fan clips...yes they look like wires. I like the 115CFM 120x38 Panaflo, but it can be loud w/o a fan controller. A Sunbeam Rheobus (I think they have a new one out too) can quiet the fan(s) nicely. This way you can run it quiet, but still crank it up for benchmarks and stressing. 3D CARD: Not sure yet, probably 8800 series *8800GTS-512* HD: Not sure yet, probably Seagate 750gig. *If you can do it I'd say go w/ (2) 500GB 32MB cache Seagates instead. You'll have more options as far as RAID, and still have lots of storage w/ excellent performance.* That's what I'd get, anyway. __________________ MAIN RIG: 3570K @ 4.5GHz 1.272v H100i Extreme4-Z77 8GB-G.Skill @ 2200MHz 9-11-11-28 1.60v CM_430-Elite GTX670_DCuII_TOP @ 1358/7244 1.212v Xplosion-DTS 256GB-Samsung_830 1TB-Black Seasonic_X-750 27.5"-1200P-LCD Z5500-5.1 \|\| PLV-Z4_720P_Projector_95" Paradigm_6.1_DTS-ES G9_Mouse Logitech_Illuminated_KB Logitech_G27_Wheel+Microsim_Racing_Pod *HEAT* GAMING HTPC: i3-550 @ 4.5GHz 1.35v H70 MSI_H55M-ED55 4GB-G.Skill @ 1875MHz 7-9-7-23 1T GTS450 @ 970/1940/2100 240GB_Sandisk_Extreme 640GB_Blue Corsair_CX430 Panny 42S2 1080P Plasma unRAID FILE SERVER: E5200-M0 @ 2GHz 0.856v MSIP43Neo3-F 4GB-Corsair @ 800MHz CM590 Antec550W 19TB-Parity_Protected_Storage / 1TB-Cache / 2TB-Parity / 10x2TB 2x1TB
	QUOTE Thanks

02-18-08, 10:18 PM	#8
forceman Member Join Date: Nov 2001	RAM is so cheap now I'd pick up 4GB of RAM right off the bat, 2 x 2 sticks will run just fine in either a P35 or an X38 board. __________________ Gigabyte P67A-UD4 i7-2600k @ 4.5 @ 1.3V Thermalright Venomous-X w/GT @ 1450 8 GB (2 x 4) G.Skill Ripjaws DDR3-1600 9-9-9-24 Gigabyte GTX 480 Corsair 750HX
	QUOTE Thanks

02-18-08, 10:57 PM	Thread Starter #9
Offspring2099 Registered Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kalifornia	Thanks for the reply fellas. Monty_Python, How are you liking the PSU at the bottom of the case in Antec 900. This is actually another case I was looking at. Shiggity, Gaming is important. I want a terabyte, so maybe 2 500s? I'm already at 250 gigs on my current system that I will need to carry over. poMONKey, I've been mulling over water cooling, but I'm already hitting $1300. I'll think about it. How much do you think would it cost to cool her? jason4207, Thanks for the heads up on the Armor side fan with 120-E install. I really appreciate everyone's input. I'll be looking over it, checking the prices and will try to make a better decision. Last edited by Offspring2099; 02-19-08 at 11:51 AM.
	QUOTE Thanks

02-19-08, 02:46 PM	#12
jason4207 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Concord, NC	The fan on the Armor+ is a little smaller (23cm), but I'm sure it's just as effective if not more so. It has a higher RPM, anyway. I'm guessing TT addressed the issue w/ the TRU120E, so that there is no longer a clearance issue, but I don't know for sure. The fan might be thinner. The Armor+ also has a slide-out MoBo tray, and it looks like they have put a lot of thought in it. It looks to be very customizable. Is it better?...not sure, but I have the Armor w/ the 25cm side fan, and i want the Armor+! The one fan in the front may be enough. The Armor I have only came w/ 1 fan upfront. I opted to go w/ an additional HDD module in my case that comes w/ a 12cm fan. It was about $25 shipped iirc. You might be able to do something similar in the Armor+, or it may be equipped to allow an additional 12 or 14cm to mount w/o the module. I would definitely put a fan on the U120E, and possibly put another one up front. But, I'd probably put a fan anywhere the case that would fit one, and it looks like there are quite a few possible locations if you follow this link. __________________ MAIN RIG: 3570K @ 4.5GHz 1.272v H100i Extreme4-Z77 8GB-G.Skill @ 2200MHz 9-11-11-28 1.60v CM_430-Elite GTX670_DCuII_TOP @ 1358/7244 1.212v Xplosion-DTS 256GB-Samsung_830 1TB-Black Seasonic_X-750 27.5"-1200P-LCD Z5500-5.1 \|\| PLV-Z4_720P_Projector_95" Paradigm_6.1_DTS-ES G9_Mouse Logitech_Illuminated_KB Logitech_G27_Wheel+Microsim_Racing_Pod *HEAT* GAMING HTPC: i3-550 @ 4.5GHz 1.35v H70 MSI_H55M-ED55 4GB-G.Skill @ 1875MHz 7-9-7-23 1T GTS450 @ 970/1940/2100 240GB_Sandisk_Extreme 640GB_Blue Corsair_CX430 Panny 42S2 1080P Plasma unRAID FILE SERVER: E5200-M0 @ 2GHz 0.856v MSIP43Neo3-F 4GB-Corsair @ 800MHz CM590 Antec550W 19TB-Parity_Protected_Storage / 1TB-Cache / 2TB-Parity / 10x2TB 2x1TB
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02-19-08, 06:59 PM	#13
Monty_Python Member Join Date: Jun 2006	Offspring, I modded my antec900 to mount the psu in normal fan down orientation. I dremmeled an area out to allow the psu fan to draw cool air from outside the case and this also placed my power wires close to the back of the case ading in wire management. Here a pic __________________ CPU:Sandy Bridge I7-2600K(3.4GHz) @ 4.10 Ghz(41x100) 1.264 Vc TEMPS: Ambient temp 25C Idle temp 30C Max temp 65C under 8x Prime load HyperPi: 1M 9.2 sec @ 4.1GHz HSF: Thermalright Venomous X-RT RAM: Mushkin Enhanced Redline 8GB 7-9-8-24 MB: MSI P67A-GD65(B3) GPU:EVGA GTX 580 Classified Ultra 3GB stock 900mhz Monitors: dual displays primay Samsung SyncMaster 2443(24in) Secondary 2333(23inch) HDD/SSD: OCZ Agility-EX Boot/ 2x WD1.5TB Blacks OS: Win7-64 PSU:Cosair Pro AX-1200 1200W CASE:Cosair 700D replaced stock fans 4x Scythe S-flex fans
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02-19-08, 10:08 PM	Thread Starter #14
Offspring2099 Registered Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kalifornia	Jason, Thanks for the info. Monthy, Do you mind sharing some pics of the dremmel job. I'm a little confused. Did you turn the PSU and cut the side. Or flip it and cut the bottom? Thanks. Also, did you have to cut into the side panel to get 120-E to fit?
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02-19-08, 11:05 PM	#15
jason4207 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Concord, NC	He cut a hole in the bottom of his case. Some PSU's don't have that big side fan on them and you don't have to worry about this, though. You won't have any issues w/ the side panel on the 900 and the TRU120E...unless you install a fan in the side window (it has a mount for one, but doesn't come w/ one there). Then you have clearance issues. BTW...I have my old rig in an Antec 900 now. __________________ MAIN RIG: 3570K @ 4.5GHz 1.272v H100i Extreme4-Z77 8GB-G.Skill @ 2200MHz 9-11-11-28 1.60v CM_430-Elite GTX670_DCuII_TOP @ 1358/7244 1.212v Xplosion-DTS 256GB-Samsung_830 1TB-Black Seasonic_X-750 27.5"-1200P-LCD Z5500-5.1 \|\| PLV-Z4_720P_Projector_95" Paradigm_6.1_DTS-ES G9_Mouse Logitech_Illuminated_KB Logitech_G27_Wheel+Microsim_Racing_Pod *HEAT* GAMING HTPC: i3-550 @ 4.5GHz 1.35v H70 MSI_H55M-ED55 4GB-G.Skill @ 1875MHz 7-9-7-23 1T GTS450 @ 970/1940/2100 240GB_Sandisk_Extreme 640GB_Blue Corsair_CX430 Panny 42S2 1080P Plasma unRAID FILE SERVER: E5200-M0 @ 2GHz 0.856v MSIP43Neo3-F 4GB-Corsair @ 800MHz CM590 Antec550W 19TB-Parity_Protected_Storage / 1TB-Cache / 2TB-Parity / 10x2TB 2x1TB
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02-20-08, 04:32 PM	Thread Starter #16
Offspring2099 Registered Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kalifornia	Thanks for everyone's help. I think I'm ready to buy. case = Antec 900 cpu = e8400 mobo = ASUS MAXIMUS FORMULA cpu cooling = TRU120E with one fan, will put another one on if I need it. 3d card = XFX PVT88PYDE4 8800gt ram = OCZ Platinum 2GB, 2gigs now, 2 next paycheck. hd = seag 500 ST3500320AS, might add another 500 next paycheck psu = Corsair 750TX What are some quite 120mm fans out there? I'm totaling at just over $1200. I'm looking at newegg, buy and amazon. Any other sites that you guys use to find a better prices? Thanks again.
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03-01-08, 10:20 PM	Thread Starter #17
Offspring2099 Registered Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kalifornia	Here are the goods. There is a nice crack on the upper left corner of the case. I was so excited that I didn't even see it. It's a little murky in my room, the first time I saw it was in this photo, because the flash eliminated it nicely. Just called amazon they are sending a new case. When I run prime95, it looks like the core0 stays at 45C(idle and stressed) and core1 goes form 42C to about 47C. CPU temp goes form about 32 to 36/37C. I don't know how much I can trust these. I guess I'll wait till new bios comes out to overclock. (pic below is idle) __________________ CPU: e8400@3.8 - 1.38125v (bios) (batch: Q747) Mobo: Asus Maximus Formula (bios: v1207) GPU: XFX 8800GT 512MB g92 Mem: OCZ Platinum (4x1GB) - DDR2 1066 HDD: Seagate 7200.11 500GB PSU: Corsair 750TX CASE: Antec 900 OS: Windows XP Pro 32bit CPU Cooling: TRUE120 with Scythe S-FLEX 1200rpm
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03-01-08, 11:01 PM	#18
Monty_Python Member Join Date: Jun 2006	Offspring, Nice setup, glad to see you have everything up and running __________________ CPU:Sandy Bridge I7-2600K(3.4GHz) @ 4.10 Ghz(41x100) 1.264 Vc TEMPS: Ambient temp 25C Idle temp 30C Max temp 65C under 8x Prime load HyperPi: 1M 9.2 sec @ 4.1GHz HSF: Thermalright Venomous X-RT RAM: Mushkin Enhanced Redline 8GB 7-9-8-24 MB: MSI P67A-GD65(B3) GPU:EVGA GTX 580 Classified Ultra 3GB stock 900mhz Monitors: dual displays primay Samsung SyncMaster 2443(24in) Secondary 2333(23inch) HDD/SSD: OCZ Agility-EX Boot/ 2x WD1.5TB Blacks OS: Win7-64 PSU:Cosair Pro AX-1200 1200W CASE:Cosair 700D replaced stock fans 4x Scythe S-flex fans
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