I have a 14 year old case, it may be time to upgrade.. "well get a new case"

[Cnaydmancangt]

I have a 14 year old case, it may be time to upgrade.. "well get a new case"

I currently own this case.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811144089

It was a great case back in 2004, and it has housed my Athlon 64, Athlon 64x2 and Opteron, as well as an E8400wolfdale and my current 4790k. I've also been watercooling with every cpu ive had since the Athlon XP days but this case i could never fit anything watercooling in it, its a Fulltower but it seems fulltower for today is like 26 inches tall and long and so forth which dwarfs what i have. So i always routed the tubing down out the pci slots and thats where my pump and radiator are.

I managed to go decently on hiding cables as i was able to shove 90% of them behind the case like you do current cases but with the CD bays and HDD bays facing towards the CPU i do need to have alot of wires still exposed but it isnt too bad. All the HDD bays are removable so for long video cards i never had an issue it even fits my 1080TI Strix. Cooling on it works good still, 2 80mm fans in front, 2 in rear, 1 on top and a 120mm fan on the window. I have since upgraded the window to 2 more 120mm fans, so duel fans side by side and 1 on top. The window you cant really see in the case anymore but then my PC is on the floor to the left of me sideways so i can look down and see inside. Ive never been one to put a case on my desk. Those LEDS and stuff would bug me when gaming and it seems retarded to take up so much room on a desk top for that.

Anyway, with the side door fans my 1080TI gets to maybe 70c max when on full load. I turned the fans off to see and sure enough temps rose 10c. Its a proven fact not just from this but from real world tests that side door fans provide the best cooling for a GPU/memory chipset and so forth. I am unsure why so many cases today though are glass and so large with glass being the entire door and the top of the case, which eliminate top fans and side door fans.. Seems current cases all have large fans in the front and 1 large fan in the back and the front fans are blocked with tiny vents and thats it.

I've looked at cooling comparisons between these cases and a $40 case with a side fan cools better then a $200 fancy RGB styled case. So for cooling my current case is probably better then most of the junk out today and yes id challenge any RGB'd case with my ancient pile. specially with 3 120mm side fans. I looked on newegg for cases and honestly i flipped through 27 pages of cases leaving all options unchecked and NONE of them look any good function wise...

The only ones i thought looked decent with actual function were the Apevia cases like this one. However it looks too small to house my water cooling system but fan functionality wise with a 120mm front rear and 2 120mm on top, with the 200mm on the side it looks like one of the best cases for air flow.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811144291&cm_re=apevia-_-11-144-291-_-Product

I also came accross this case the coolermaster HAF X which came out like 10 years ago. But damn its so expensive (althought i did pay 177$ for mine in 2004) and it also seems TOO large at 26 inchs tall long and 11 wide its 3 inches wider 10 inches longer and 5 inches taller then my case.. Thats massive.. but it does have the massive fans in the right spots, dust filtration, and room on top for what looks like a very long tripple fan radiator or maybe double ? The only thing i dont like about the case is the window is small and you cant really see inside except look at hard drive trays.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1UH3YS9901&cm_re=haf_x-_-11-119-225-_-Product


Another thing i liked about my current case is it has a door handle to open and close the door, no having to reach back for thumb screws to open a door you just grab the handle pull and it opens.. seems there are 0 cases with handles that have any good cooling.. Why are cases today so crappy ?? I mean this RGB thing isnt new, im 32 years old and i remember using cold cathods and leds on fans 20 years ago.. And door side panels were still plenty big even with a side door fan so why have cases gone backwords.. im confused.


Could anyone help me in a case ? Never thought itd be so complicated, its turning me off and im almost thinking of keeping what i have for another 14 years because it works

 

[EarthDog]

Remember, your results of the side fan are for that specific setup/case only. Logic dictates it should translate, but, many modern cases have improved airflow design than a 14 y.o case so side fans are typically not needed in the first place. But if you are, for some reason, chasing after every last degree C, they can help. The case you mention is a cheapo brand (Apevia) and likely hinging on old style. Fans in the side do tarnish a good looking internal setup.

With a huge push on PC aesthetics over the past 5+ years, many have been making them prettier. POower use has, in general, gone down (or stayed the same for a lot more performance) so cooling like that isn't generally a worry for most.

Im a bit confused though........your sig says 1070Ti and you mention a 1080Ti........That is a HUGE difference in wattage to cool (250W vs 180W).

 

[bigtallanddopey]

Can you list the components you are using and the water cooling parts.

I say this as you can fit a water cooling loop into a mid tower case costing $60-100 that looks good as well. I have a phanteks p400s which I have fitted a 360mm rad into and pump etc. Plus an ssd and two hard drives. It’s a tight squeeze but it’s all in there and all the cables that can be hidden are hidden.

If you are wanting to still use two dvd drives, 4 hard drives, fan controller and to water cool the graphics card, then yes you will need a bigger case.

 

[Cnaydmancangt]

Remember, your results of the side fan are for that specific setup/case only. Logic dictates it should translate, but, many modern cases have improved airflow design than a 14 y.o case so side fans are typically not needed in the first place. But if you are, for some reason, chasing after every last degree C, they can help. The case you mention is a cheapo brand (Apevia) and likely hinging on old style. Fans in the side do tarnish a good looking internal setup.

With a huge push on PC aesthetics over the past 5+ years, many have been making them prettier. POower use has, in general, gone down (or stayed the same for a lot more performance) so cooling like that isn't generally a worry for most.

Im a bit confused though........your sig says 1070Ti and you mention a 1080Ti........That is a HUGE difference in wattage to cool (250W vs 180W).

I had a 1070ti and a vega 64 and rma'd both and bought a 1080ti i just didnt update my sig.

And no i 100% dissagree with you on cooling.. I know im pakcing 80mms in this thing, but i bet even on modern cases with 200mm fans in front and 1 in rear, if you put a side fan in itll cool the gpu better then any frontal fan combo will. In fact it does.. read this article and watch this video.. The guy revists a HAF X in 2018 and look at the cooling differences.. 10c cooler gpu then 90% of the cases he tested and 10c isnt just 1 or 2c like you mentioned.. Look at the HAF X compared to that modern 500HP.. With the 500P stock its over 10c cooler.. with the front panel off its only 4c cooler.. but you gatta take the glass cover off for that .., and no CPU's and GPU's are hotter now then 15 years ago. Athlon Xp's never got to the 70-80c range and a 9700 pro never got to 80c like a 1080ti or Vega 64 will. Look at the size of coolers today compared to back then and tell me otherwise lol

https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Side-Panel-Fans-Are-They-Worth-It-102/

 

[Cnaydmancangt]

Can you list the components you are using and the water cooling parts.

I say this as you can fit a water cooling loop into a mid tower case costing $60-100 that looks good as well. I have a phanteks p400s which I have fitted a 360mm rad into and pump etc. Plus an ssd and two hard drives. It’s a tight squeeze but it’s all in there and all the cables that can be hidden are hidden.

If you are wanting to still use two dvd drives, 4 hard drives, fan controller and to water cool the graphics card, then yes you will need a bigger case.

My water cooling i want to update as well, im using an old Dangerden maze 3 block i modded like 14 years ago as well, and well it just plain works lol. My 4790k is at 4700mhz 1.25v 24.7 and it never gets above 55c when gaming. So the setup is a maze 3, a single 120mm radiator, and my eheim 1060 pump. But i want to update the system to something modern, with a duel radiator you know the longer ones, a new block/pump ect. Maybe im tossing my money since mine works fine but yea.

I have only 1 DVD drive, but TBH i havent used it in maybe 6 years but its nice to have in case, And the rest of the parts in my system are whats in my sig. 2x SSD's soon to be 3 maybe, and 1 standard HDD (pic shows 2 HDDs but im retiring that 10 year old 640gb drive). Money isnt an issue honestly.. So if you can come up with a nice water cooling setup and a case thatd be awsome. I might even want to water cool the gpu too. Not sure yet

 

[Cnaydmancangt]

I know im side door fan anal, but what do you guys think of the Thermaltake View 71, with a Thermaltake Water 3.0 Ring RGB 360mm

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16811133359

Ive seen Gamer nexus's reviews of the cases and gpu temps, this one with 3 front fans, is still 10c warmer on the gpu then says the HAF X, but it does look nice, and it would solve my dilema needing a new water cooling setup and case while looking better.. But im still kinda anal on the gpu temps being higher.. bleh lol

 

[EarthDog]

You keep comparing things like they are like situations. Too many other variables involved to do that.

I get that it can, and mostly does, improve temps of the GPU, but aren't you watercooling it anyway or is it just the CPU you want to update and watercool? So long as one has enough intake, side fans are not needed. I haven't run a side fan ever and all my GPUs ran without issue. All I am saying is it isn't NECESSARY to buy a case this way, but if its your preference and you want to hang on to that old school styling (detracts from the build aesthetic IMO), that's of course OK too. I just don't want anyone thinking its really needed and basing decisions off a need.

 

[Cnaydmancangt]

10c is a big diff on a gpu when you overclock but yes i hear you on variables, but consider this my Vega 64 got to 83c when i had it and thermal throttled to 1400mhz vs 1600 boost clock.. a 10c drop in temp when i turn on my side fans allowed the clocks to go to 1500mhz still lower then what advertised but yea.. The 1070ti experienced the same thing. And the guy in the reivew i showed you isnt one to lie hes pretty legit, and clearly the side fan case is better then no side fans when cooling a GPU can you at least agree to that ? It may no be NEED like you said but it helps

Thats the case with say the HAFX compared to this Thermaletake view 71, the temps are nearly 10c cooler on the HAF X and that could mean the diff between 100more core on the gpu or less.

I dont water cool my GPU, i havent done that since like 2001 on a 9700pro, but I would consider it, and with thermaletakes pre-setup kits it would be easier to accomplish this and then yes i can 1000% agree side fan would be mute. With then with a 1080ti 100mhz more or less means nothing as im already maxing out games with 120fps "general number" or more on 1440p.

So what do you think of my idea ? Do you like the Thermaktake view 71 and the thermaltake 3.0 360 rad or no ? Id also add one more fan to the front for tripple fans. This case has enough room for... it seems 3 large radiators, with the drive bays removed the SSDs and HDD can i guess go on the back side right ? And TBH i dont need my DVD drive anymore i could put that away and always pull it out if i need it on a blue moon.

Here is what im thinking of getting, microcenter has them at the same price. "well the water cooler is 25$ more) but with amazon charging taxes i might as well get it local at micro center

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074ZN21M8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07537Q8LV/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

 

[EarthDog]

What i think doesn't matter.

What I know is that cooler will be able to easily cool your CPU and the case is pretty (and costly). If you would like to know how much rad the case can fit, the website will tell you exactly what it can handle (I don't know off the top of my head, sorry).

Your idea is sound, though ANY water cooled setup can leak (you were worried about that in this thread or the water cooling thread).

 

[Cnaydmancangt]

Leaks and Pump reliability. my Pump is 17 years old and its an eheim, german made that will last forever. I have their pumps for my 135g aquarium too and they do last forever, So besides leaks another main concern is the internal pump being reliable and i mean 5+ years reliable. My guess is it probably isnt...

And i made the thread to ask what you think. Yeay or nay ?

 

[EarthDog]

Reliability, nobody can really tell. It isn't an Eheim though, I can tell you that much. That said, the systems today have integrated protections in them to throttle and shut down if the pump stops working and temperatures get too high.

Want to know what I think? Go custom and get over the fear of leaking...all water systems can leak. I am personally not a fan of having multiple units in there for the CPU and GPU if you eventually go that route.

 

[(G{in}[AK)TION]]

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139054&ignorebbr=1

This case and water cool cpu and gpu. does not make sense to me why you would want to water cool the cpu only and cool the gpu with a side fan. Either go big or go home is what it would really come down to.

 

[don256us]

I really like Fractal Design myself. However, looking at your choices, I'd say you probably won't like what I like.
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352029

Fractal are heavy @$$ cases. I mean they are thick gauge steel. Models that do have windows are actual glass not plexi.

 

[Cnaydmancangt]

Well I opted to get the Thermaltake View 7 and the thermaltake 360mm RIING water cooler. The radiator seems to have a little air in it, but mounted on the top of the case i hear no air bubbles, only when i was shaking it. Cpu is 7c cooler from my Maze 3 i was using when using cinebench. Not much of a difference considering that block was 17 years old, but im sure on longer load period that the larger radiator will help with those load temps as my tubing previously was always warm with the old setup.

I did get the wrong RGB fans, i didnt realize thermaltake has TWO types of RGB fans, some premium version with 16.8 million colors and a regular 256 color RGB, so the 3 fans i put in the front all they do is change from greens to blues to reds.. Nothing flashy and rainbow like colors that the watercooler i got has. So i have to return those fans, micro center aparently doesnt sell the premium one. Have to order those on amazon.

God this $480 i spent was the best investment ive made in years... I didnt realize how nasty, old and unorganized my old case was.. On top of that the thing is SILENT... I turned it on and i was like what.. is it working ? I had to look to see if the fans were moving. My old PC was like a vacuum cleaner with those 80mm fans on full blast. The mechanical hdd i have is actually the loudest thing now lol.

Happy happy ! I thought id put it on my desk to enjoy it, but the monitor glare on the glass is annoying and i cant see inside.. So i probably have to put it on the floor or something.. my desk doesnt go very far out so i cant move the case much further away from the monitor.

 

[EarthDog]

That's awesome! Glad to hear it worked out for you!

 

[don256us]

Maze 3?! That's old Danger Den stuff isn't it? I loved my Danger Den block back in my AMD 1 GHz days. They were king.

I'm happy to hear that you got what you were looking for. To me, the flashing lights and window into my dusty hell of a machine are a distraction but like I said earlier, we have different tastes. I have no doubt that your new setup will last just as long as your last one. However, perhaps don't wait so long to upgrade.

 

[Cnaydmancangt]

Maze 3?! That's old Danger Den stuff isn't it? I loved my Danger Den block back in my AMD 1 GHz days. They were king.

I'm happy to hear that you got what you were looking for. To me, the flashing lights and window into my dusty hell of a machine are a distraction but like I said earlier, we have different tastes. I have no doubt that your new setup will last just as long as your last one. However, perhaps don't wait so long to upgrade.

Yeap, my eheim 1060 "i think its 1060 or maybe 1080 i forgot" maze 3 and the black ice extreme was the radiator i used for 17 years man lol since 2001. I have a maze 2 block i used as well but opted to mod the maze 3 for my Athlon 64, opteronx2, E8400, 4790k. Here is a few pics of the block how i modded it, a dremel worked great lol. And compared to this Thermaltake riing 360 i got, its only 7c warmer. I know 7c can be considered alot, but TBH not 17 years worth of savings alot.

It was just time to finally retire it. Im going back to micro center ina minute the 3 fans in the front are the 3 120mm fans i spent $70 on there, i thought they were like the flashy ones the water cooling kit had that i keep seeing online, but they are sucky leds that just change between like 4 main colors. I found the right ones on amazon and ordered a pack of 5.. friggin 130 lol for fans... but i want 3 in the front, and ima mount two intake on the bottom by the PSU the way the system is setup now i have only 3 in 4 out so with the open panel thing this case does ill have negative air pressure so thatll defeat the point of dust management. Plus the bottom of this case is like BLACK dark i cant see see the bottom. And more flashy lights are good right lol.

THE ONLY real dislike i have about this setup is again the closed loop watercooler has air in the radiator. I dont hear it when its running because the rad is higher up then the block so its probly trapped ina pocket, but they could have done better at the bleed down. I think ima look into getting a reservoir maybe. For air bubbles like that we used to use reservoirs or T line fittings on the hose so the air would escape up the t line while the water still flows. Im not sure if this watercooler can be disconnected at the fittings though. Have to do some research

Side note looking at the block it seems the luscent top has a crack in it, hmmm wasnt like that last i saw.. perhaps it was a good time to get off it before it leaked lol. Also just realized I spent $500 on a case water cooler and fans... I could have gotten a new cpu mobo and ram for that almost lol but the 4790k is fine the 8700 isnt much diff in gaming, the 1080ti over my r9-290 was more important. Oh and my monitor i had was 12 years old too btw lol, i would upgrade my main pc parts but the cooling,case, monitor ect i stayed with forever.. Between the damn 1080ti, this stuff, and my monitor ive spent like $2,000 in the last 2 months.. Thats 2x what ive ever spent on a pc in 20 years. Geesh i feel insaine.

 

[don256us]

Nice. I can't recall which DD block I had but I used a 1974 Ford Vega heater core for my radiator. I used a 1 gallon cool-aid jug from Wal-Mart as my resivior and an aquarium pump. After several stiches having used a poor cutting technique and a leak or two later it ran like a champ.

 

[Cnaydmancangt]

Nice. I can't recall which DD block I had but I used a 1974 Ford Vega heater core for my radiator. I used a 1 gallon cool-aid jug from Wal-Mart as my resivior and an aquarium pump. After several stiches having used a poor cutting technique and a leak or two later it ran like a champ.

Wanna know something else ive been rocking ? Look at my keyboard.. Yea just look at the name in the pic... and guess how old that is.. cough PS/2 port.. (1996) IT WORKS okay lol and i like mechanical keyboards im not into the whole cheap *** feel keyboards have today and the sift mushy keys.. .. With the 70$ im getting back at micro center today i MIGHT get the thermaltake RGB mechanical keyboard.. Its suppose to sync with the lights i got now, and maybe i should finally retire this 24 year old keyboard too ? Not sure yet.

Yea that was the thing everyone using old heatercores i just bought the prebuilt black ice radiator was a single 120mm fan rad, but i did push pull. My reservoir was a coffee container i sealed up but that was back then i found reservoirs to be useless other then bleeding, and a T line does that job.

Maze 3 didnt come out back in the 1ghz days, it came out in 2001 or so so when the athlon xp's were out i used it on a Athlon xp 2000+ and a Athlon XP 1800+ and a Athlon xp 2500+ Barton core

 

[EarthDog]

Sheesh, with a case like that with nearly zero intake on the front, its no wonder why THREE side fans makes the GPU cooler, LOL!

Don't hesitate to keep your PC clean either...