Power supply for 25.00. Sketchy, much?

RE: my above post, cancelled and replaced my order to included the 5 fan cable you suggested :)

EDIT: And I will definitely watch the cable management video ^^

thanks so much!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JillyBean

Any hints as to which corsair case plugs will go into which FP1 header on the Dell mobo?

---

I'm afraid not ; ;, looked it up but couldnt find much info. Based on what i did find, i drew up a diagram on what might be the method. Start with the power switch and see if it turns on before you try the others, if power switch works then try the reset and eventually the LEDs. If it does not work, then just try inserting power switch into different pins one by one; trial and error is the only other way to do this it seems ; ;. Also did your old case have a reset switch? If it did not, what i labeled as reset might actually be one of the LEDs.

http://oi47.tinypic.com/2du0dx3.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shura

Sorry i took awhile to reply, was doing some research on your CPU and the Phantom. Lets start with the case, The Phantom 820 is really really big, even for a full tower its huge and i don't think its worth it honestly for the price it goes for. Also its important to note that the Phantom 820 and 630 are designed with watercooling in mind and come with options to install multiple radiators. If price is not an issue it comes down to personal aesthetic preference; a lot of high end cases are on par with each other so really depends on what design you like. If you like the Phantom design then i would recommend the 630 over the 820; Its a bit smaller in size but comes with the same options, same design and based on reviews it cools better then the 820.

Phantom 630 Test results

Here are some other High quality Cases that are a bit cheaper in price.

Rosewill Thor V2 some claim this is one of the coolest(temp) case on the market. It goes for about $129; $120 cheaper then the 820 and $50 cheaper then the 630
http://media.bestofmicro.com/4/6/315...2_finished.jpg

Another great case is the Antec 1100, this is a Mid-Tower but is large and supports up to XL-ATX boards. I personally love the simple design of the case and the cooling options it has but the downside is its a case designed for Air cooling. If you think you might go with liquid in the future, this is NOT the case for you, it has next to no native radiator mounting options. Sells for $99
http://store.antec.com/Libraries/MISC/1100.sflb.ashx

For CPU cooler; personally i would suggest a closed loop liquid cooler this is different from full water cooling, no maintenance at all, install and be done with it These liquid coolers preform better then most high end Air coolers and has a much much smaller psychical footprint.

Something like this:
http://tpucdn.com/reviews/Corsair/H9...led2_small.jpg

Produces the same temps as something like this:
http://www.arrowcomputers.com.au/wp-...UASSASSIN2.jpg

Now some people are just to afraid to go with anything with the word Liquid in it and that's understandable. If you really want to go with Air then you have a few options based on your price range and how big of a cooler your willing to accept, let me know and i'll link you to a few of them.

For your PSU, what model do you have? and also what kind of GPU do you have?

---

I have a Thermaltake TR2 600 Watt. I had to replace my old one on my old rig 2 years ago, so I made the mistake of going to bestbuy and buying one. Its been reliable so far, but I really want a higher quality built one. as for GPU. I have a EVGA Nvidia GTX 550 Ti. I'm also wanting to upgrade my video card at some point in time, but its not that important at the moment. Whenever I think of Mid-towers all I can think of is mine lol. Its tiny. I know Mid's come in bigger dimensions, but I dont know they just dont seem to have a lot of room. Thats why I want to go Full, I figure the more room, the more fans the better it cools. I'll have to research more. Which coolers did you provide the pictures of? I see a lot of stuff for AM3, but next to nothing for AM3+. I dont know if an AM3 cooler would work on an AM3+.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shura

I'm afraid not ; ;, looked it up but couldnt find much info. Based on what i did find, i drew up a diagram on what might be the method. Start with the power switch and see if it turns on before you try the others, if power switch works then try the reset and eventually the LEDs. If it does not work, then just try inserting power switch into different pins one by one; trial and error is the only other way to do this it seems ; ;. Also did your old case have a reset switch? If it did not, what i labeled as reset might actually be one of the LEDs.

http://oi47.tinypic.com/2du0dx3.jpg

---

Good morning!

The Dell case does not have a Reset Button.

In addition, the only "light(s)" I see emit from the Power Button itself (top of case), and a tiny flicker on top/front of the case directly to the right of a slot labeled mini/MMC SD/RS. So I'm not sure I would even have 3 LED light "outlets" on this Dell FP1 header at all?

There are two USBs on top along with the two small headset/mic holes; and two USB in the front under the 2 CD/DVD drive bays Here are some pics~

Top of Dell case:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...ph/Delltop.jpg

Front (at top) of Dell case:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...lltopfront.jpg

Fuller front view of Dell case:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...lfullfront.jpg

Does any of this info/these pics give you any more information as to the wiring of the FP1 plug?

Another question: My PSU (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817171052) is currently mounted in my Dell at the top of the case with the fan pointing down~

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...PCOpencase.jpg

I assume the PSU can be flipped and mounted with the fan pointing upward to be placed at the bottom in the new corsair case? The corsair case itself does have ventilated screen on the bottom, and I do not place it directly on carpet.

The newegg 360 display of the PSU actually shows it upside down, but I wanted to make sure to pass this by you guys :confused:

Jilly My current case has the PSU up to as well, its turned upside down. I want to get a case that has the PSU port at the bottom.

Also, so the five 4-pin PWM connectors (and the one 4-pin which goes to the motherboard) on this product http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812311001 will work with my 3 pin case fan "socket" (header?) on my mobo as well as the 3pin case fan cords (Plugs?) on the actual fans?

So many questions today, sorry! :o

EDIT: Upon further closeup inspection of this product pic on the website, the ends look wider than 3pin but appear to only have 3 pins, although the product description says 4-pin PWM fan connectors. And it looks like there is a spot for a 4th pin but its missing. I guess I will see when it arrives. ^^

PS: LOVE that cable management video! This is quite and education I am getting. Really exciting! :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kirei

Jilly My current case has the PSU up to as well, its turned upside down. I want to get a case that has the PSU port at the bottom.

---

Ahh good to know yours is already flipped and works ^^

When I was case shopping, I don't even think I saw one case where the PSU was mounted at the top. The bottom just seems to be the norm. /shrug

Well, this case is about 6 years old. Its basically a Glorified Dell Case. I say that as in its small, tight, and no air flow. I think it was about $50-60 back then. Most Dell's, Gateway's, E-Machines, HP's. etc. Have the PSU up top. thats what I mean xD. My case is an Antec, I couldnt tell you the model, cause I dont even know lol.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JillyBean

the only "light(s)" I see emit from the Power Button itself (top of case), and a tiny flicker on top/front of the case directly to the right of a slot labeled mini/MMC SD/RS. So I'm not sure I would even have 3 LED light "outlets" on this Dell FP1 header at all?

---

Thats fine, the Corsair only has 2 LEDs too, one for power and the other for HDD, use the diagram above but this time ignore the reset switch, instead plug in the power LED there. Unfortunately you may have to forgo the reset switch function since there might be a chance the dell board does not support it. Insert the power switch as labeled in the diagram and see if it turns on, you can work on the LEDs after that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JillyBean

I assume the PSU can be flipped and mounted with the fan pointing upward to be placed at the bottom in the new corsair case? The corsair case itself does have ventilated screen on the bottom, and I do not place it directly on carpet.

The newegg 360 display of the PSU actually shows it upside down, but I wanted to make sure to pass this by you guys :confused:

---

You want the PSU mounted the same way as it is now just at the bottom in the corsair case; so the Fan on the PSU would be facing down at the dust filter.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JillyBean

Also, so the five 4-pin PWM connectors (and the one 4-pin which goes to the motherboard) on this product http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812311001 will work with my 3 pin case fan "socket" (header?) on my mobo as well as the 3pin case fan cords (Plugs?) on the actual fans?

---

The PWN connector is used to help control your fans through the motherboard or software but not even sure if this motherboard supports that since it only has 1 case fan header. Just connect your fans to the splinter and power it using the Molex connector. You can try going into your bios to see if there is any option to control your fans but i don't think that motherboard has any. Without having the PWN connected, your fans will run at default speeds.

Also Don't worry about asking questions, if there is anything your not clear on or would like information on, don't hold back and feel free to ask. No matter how small the issue or concern is, its better to ask questions rather then go in blind.

Wow I am really surprised to hear I should have the PSU in the same position at the bottom with fan facing the floor. The corsair demo video you linked showed that PSU fan facing up. at the newegg page it shows my PSU upside down in every pic.

Thanks again, im sure I'll have more questions!

Most of the newer cases got the PSUs at the bottom. That's what I found out when I was looking for a new one last year. My old case had it on top too, that's why at first it seemed pretty strange to me to put it elsewhere.
Before I put it in, I asked friends and colleagues if it would be okay to let the PSU's fan point at the bottom. They said it would be fine.

The case I bought got a detachable dust filter too and to add some extra space between the case itself and the carpet (the feet of the case are already pretty 'high'), I 'borrowed' four felt patches from my Mom which she uses on chairs and the like to go easy on our wooden floor in the living room. Works pretty well ^^
I clean the filter every now and then but if you own pets (especially cats), I'd recommend to clean it more often than I do °.°

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kirei

I have a Thermaltake TR2 600 Watt. I had to replace my old one on my old rig 2 years ago, so I made the mistake of going to bestbuy and buying one. Its been reliable so far, but I really want a higher quality built one. as for GPU. I have a EVGA Nvidia GTX 550 Ti. I'm also wanting to upgrade my video card at some point in time, but its not that important at the moment.

---

Ok so lets start with the power supply; Since you asked for a high quality PSU, i'll link to some good 80+ gold and Platinum ones; of course the 80+ Bronze and Silver are good too so if you find the ones below to be expansive then let me know and i'll refer you to some Bronze and Silver models.

80+ Platinum
Seasonic SS-760XP2 ATX, This is a Platinum PSU and comes with 7 Year warranty and sells for $179
Corsair AX760, Everything on this is identical to the one above, in fact its the same PSU built by Seasonic for Corsair. Also comes with a 7 Year warranty and and sells for the same price of $179

I did not link any 600W+ versions since there seems to be an issue with the platinum models.

80+ Gold
Seasonic X650, 80+ gold, Modular and sells for $119
Corsair HX650, Modular, 7 year warranty and sells for $119, $99 after rebate.
Seasonic X750, Same features as the 650 but is on sale so is also $119
Corsair AX750, same features as the others, sells for $149, the HX model is also Gold but is $10 cheaper.
Corsair AX850, 850W, same features and sells for $169 this is a sale price so its the same price as the HX version.
Seasonic X850, This too is also on sale for $159 and comes with a $20 rebate.

I personally don't think you need Platinum, Gold is pretty high end as it is. I suggest you go with 750W and up, this will future proof you when you upgrade GPU or if you decide to sli/crossfire. Also note that there are other PSU manufactures but i don't have much personal experience with other brands. If these prices are to expansive, we can go with 80+ Silver or Bronze.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kirei

Whenever I think of Mid-towers all I can think of is mine lol. Its tiny. I know Mid's come in bigger dimensions, but I dont know they just dont seem to have a lot of room. Thats why I want to go Full, I figure the more room, the more fans the better it cools. I'll have to research more.

---

Thats fine, If you like the Phantom design then i suggest the 630 over 820, both are full towers and the test review i posted earlier shows that the 630 preforms better then the 820. Other options include Thor V2, or the Full Tower HAF cases. Another case thats been getting good reviews is the Thermaltake Chaser MK-I, this is a full Tower case and supports new hydro coolers like the H110 by corsair.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kirei

Which coolers did you provide the pictures of? I see a lot of stuff for AM3, but next to nothing for AM3+. I dont know if an AM3 cooler would work on an AM3+.

---

Closed Loop Liquid Coolers:
Corsair H60 2013 Edition - $79
Corsair H90 - On sale for $89. If you get a case that has a rear 140mm fan, then i recommend going with the H90 over the H60.
Corsair H100i - $124
Corsair H110 - arguably the top closed loop liquid cooler on the market. Sells for $129 but due to the design, most old cases will not support this. If your interested, then let me know after you pick a case and i'll find out if its supported. The Phantom 630 is Supported.
Nzxt Kraken X40 - Similar to the H90 by Corsair, uses a 140mm fan and mounts on the rear. Current price is $99 and tests show it tends to be louder then the H90. I would recommend the H90 over this model since its cheaper.
Nzxt Kraken X60 - Currently competes with the H110 for the top spot, like the X40 the fans on these are louder then the Corsair models. Currently on sale for $99 and this one does fit in a Phantom 630.

These are it for air coolers, since your going full tower i would recommend something like the H110 or H100 over the smaller models.

AIR:

Xigmatek Dark Knight II Night Hawk Edition - This is a good Air Cooler for its size, its not really small but not insanely huge like some of the other ones. It won't proform as well as the really huge air coolers or the liquid but it does in the same range. Sells for $49
Noctua NH-D14 - In the top 5 air cooler range, comes in a push/pull setup with Noctua fans so tends to the quiet. Is on sale for $79
Deepcool Assassin - This is the one with the green fans in the above pic, also one of the top 5 air coolers. Unfortunately these are not on newegg so i don't have a price for you.

I'm heading out but i'll look up a few more Air coolers if thats what you choose and want more options. Also the AM3 and AM3+ use the same design so anything that supports AM3 will fit AM3+.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shura

Ok so lets start with the power supply; Since you asked for a high quality PSU, i'll link to some good 80+ gold and Platinum ones; of course the 80+ Bronze and Silver are good too so if you find the ones below to be expansive then let me know and i'll refer you to some Bronze and Silver models.

80+ Platinum
Seasonic SS-760XP2 ATX, This is a Platinum PSU and comes with 7 Year warranty and sells for $179
Corsair AX760, Everything on this is identical to the one above, in fact its the same PSU built by Seasonic for Corsair. Also comes with a 7 Year warranty and and sells for the same price of $179

I did not link any 600W+ versions since there seems to be an issue with the platinum models.

80+ Gold
Seasonic X650, 80+ gold, Modular and sells for $119
Corsair HX650, Modular, 7 year warranty and sells for $119, $99 after rebate.
Seasonic X750, Same features as the 650 but is on sale so is also $119
Corsair AX750, same features as the others, sells for $149, the HX model is also Gold but is $10 cheaper.
Corsair AX850, 850W, same features and sells for $169 this is a sale price so its the same price as the HX version.
Seasonic X850, This too is also on sale for $159 and comes with a $20 rebate.

I personally don't think you need Platinum, Gold is pretty high end as it is. I suggest you go with 750W and up, this will future proof you when you upgrade GPU or if you decide to sli/crossfire. Also note that there are other PSU manufactures but i don't have much personal experience with other brands. If these prices are to expansive, we can go with 80+ Silver or Bronze.



Thats fine, If you like the Phantom design then i suggest the 630 over 820, both are full towers and the test review i posted earlier shows that the 630 preforms better then the 820. Other options include Thor V2, or the Full Tower HAF cases. Another case thats been getting good reviews is the Thermaltake Chaser MK-I, this is a full Tower case and supports new hydro coolers like the H110 by corsair.



Closed Loop Liquid Coolers:
Corsair H60 2013 Edition - $79
Corsair H90 - On sale for $89. If you get a case that has a rear 140mm fan, then i recommend going with the H90 over the H60.
Corsair H100i - $124
Corsair H110 - arguably the top closed loop liquid cooler on the market. Sells for $129 but due to the design, most old cases will not support this. If your interested, then let me know after you pick a case and i'll find out if its supported. The Phantom 630 is Supported.
Nzxt Kraken X40 - Similar to the H90 by Corsair, uses a 140mm fan and mounts on the rear. Current price is $99 and tests show it tends to be louder then the H90. I would recommend the H90 over this model since its cheaper.
Nzxt Kraken X60 - Currently competes with the H110 for the top spot, like the X40 the fans on these are louder then the Corsair models. Currently on sale for $99 and this one does fit in a Phantom 630.

These are it for air coolers, since your going full tower i would recommend something like the H110 or H100 over the smaller models.

AIR:

Xigmatek Dark Knight II Night Hawk Edition - This is a good Air Cooler for its size, its not really small but not insanely huge like some of the other ones. It won't proform as well as the really huge air coolers or the liquid but it does in the same range. Sells for $49
Noctua NH-D14 - In the top 5 air cooler range, comes in a push/pull setup with Noctua fans so tends to the quiet. Is on sale for $79
Deepcool Assassin - This is the one with the green fans in the above pic, also one of the top 5 air coolers. Unfortunately these are not on newegg so i don't have a price for you.

I'm heading out but i'll look up a few more Air coolers if thats what you choose and want more options. Also the AM3 and AM3+ use the same design so anything that supports AM3 will fit AM3+.

---

You forgot the Swiftech H220, the best water AIO considering what you can do with it.
http://www.swiftech.com/h220.aspx

Thank you for the information. I have noticed that my voltages arent what they should be. I have CPUID HW Montior running and the ASUS suite II up usually all the time. (Asus is always giving me warnings but I've read the program isn't all that great.) But here is my SS of what CPUID says all the time.

http://static2.finalfantasyxiv.com/a...XyGc-W-wCA.jpg

If I am reading it right, none of the voltages are reading 12, 5, 3.3 etc. They are all lower. I'm not sure if thats normal or not.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kirei

Thank you for the information. I have noticed that my voltages arent what they should be. I have CPUID HW Montior running and the ASUS suite II up usually all the time. (Asus is always giving me warnings but I've read the program isn't all that great.) But here is my SS of what CPUID says all the time.

http://static2.finalfantasyxiv.com/a...XyGc-W-wCA.jpg

If I am reading it right, none of the voltages are reading 12, 5, 3.3 etc. They are all lower. I'm not sure if thats normal or not.

---

Software voltage measurements are never accurate, and it's normal for it to be slightly below or above the rated rail voltage.

Oh I noticed some mod moved this to the Technical Support board yet it's on GD. Strange

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dhalmel

You forgot the Swiftech H220, the best water AIO considering what you can do with it.
http://www.swiftech.com/h220.aspx

---

It does have a few advantages that the other AIO liquid coolers lack but i didn't recommend it for a few reasons; value to performance wise, i don't think its worth it. It sells for around $140+ but falls behind the X60 which is $99(sale price) and the Corsair H110 which goes for $129. Though some tests do suggest that if you replace the fans to Noctua then it performances on par or a bit better then the X60 and H110. Also reviews have suggested compared to other coolers, the pump on this one can be really loud. Finally because Kirei is reluctant as it is to consider Liquid cooling; Its a great cooler no doubt bu the H220 is really a bridge for people who want to go from closed loop to full out water cooling.

AnandTech Tests
Overclock3D Tests
Linus Video Review - This one shows it preforming better then the others but only after switching to Noctua(2x$30). He says before he switched fans, it fell behind some air coolers.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kirei

Thank you for the information. I have noticed that my voltages arent what they should be. I have CPUID HW Montior running and the ASUS suite II up usually all the time. (Asus is always giving me warnings but I've read the program isn't all that great.) But here is my SS of what CPUID says all the time.

If I am reading it right, none of the voltages are reading 12, 5, 3.3 etc. They are all lower. I'm not sure if thats normal or not.

---

Kirei i apologize but i'm having a hard time reading your image, would it be possible to post a bigger version and also; one during idle and another during load? Thank You.

I'll have to do it later tomorrow. I have to get some sleep and work tomorrow, but I'll keep you posted.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JillyBean

Wow I am really surprised to hear I should have the PSU in the same position at the bottom with fan facing the floor. The corsair demo video you linked showed that PSU fan facing up. at the newegg page it shows my PSU upside down in every pic.

Thanks again, im sure I'll have more questions!

---

Intake fans should always try to get the coolest air available, its one of the main reasons newer cases have the PSU mount at the bottom with hole for air flow. Facing your PSU towards the bottom will give you access to air from the outside as opposed to facing it up where you get warm air from inside the case. Though in a well vented case, it won't make much of a difference if the temp inside the case is the same as outside; since the 400R is a Mid-tower and you have access to a bottom mount, might as well use it.

I'm in the middle of updating Far Cry 3 to do a "gaming load" reading but here is my idle at the moment. My room is cooler today. This is just room temperature with my big fan blowing inside. I'd say its the room is in the high 50s *F.

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...Cupid_Idle.png

Here is the direct link if you cant see it. Here

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kirei

I'm in the middle of updating Far Cry 3 to do a "gaming load" reading but here is my idle at the moment. My room is cooler today. This is just room temperature with my big fan blowing inside. I'd say its the room is in the high 50s *F.

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...Cupid_Idle.png

Here is the direct link if you cant see it. Here

---

Your voltage and cpu temps look fine. As Dhalmel pointed out, its normal for the temps to be slightly higher or lower then the rated temp.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shura

http://oi47.tinypic.com/2du0dx3.jpg

---

Shura, and others~ Well, I am here to report! :D I would first like to let you know that your diagram was spot on! The red Power Switch area worked, and then just put the other LED's in after that (watching my - and + ) I didn't plug anything into your yellow area, there was no reason.

Did the transfer today, it was hell getting everything out of that Dell case, but here is is, beautifully installed into the Corsair 400R

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...rcasesetup.jpg

The little Rosewill cooler is also in there, as you can see, also used Pro-PK1 paste, and with all of these upgrades, I've gotten significant improvement on my temps. My idle temps are down at least 5c, more really, maybe even 7+. Running the ARR benchmark for over an hour for my personal test, I have temps minimum of 10c cooler, really closer to 15c cooler both on the active temps (which fluctuated from 40-50, 52 tops) to the max spike temp of 59. Those temps used to be in the 60s, with max spike 73c.

I did have one follow up question - I now have 4 intake fans (2 140's at the top, 2 120's in the front) and 1 exit fan (120 in the back). Wouldn't I maybe want to put at least one more, maybe 2 exit fans? I was thinking maybe one on the bottom, next to the Power supply. The other possible locations are on the side.

I can't thank you enough for all your help in putting these improvements into action! I could not have had the confidence to do this without you guys :D

Your top fans are configured wrong. Heat rises so the top fans should be configured to be an outlet. When you're using a air heat sink it should always be an outlet, even more so if the video card is the type that expels heat inside the case. Only in some water cooling solutions should the top fans be an intake.

Front: Intake
Side: Intake
Bottom: Intake ( I don't recommend using this if the bottom fan location doesn't have a dust filter)
Rear: Outlet
Top: Outlet

Remember that the more fans that you add more noise there will be and the more dust can be accumulated in a given time. I'm a noise sensitive person so I typically lower the case fan speed when there are more

Honestly for what you have you really wouldn't benefit any more from adding more fans.

Also I see you have the CPU 4pin power plug routed in a odd way. There should be a hole above that location to route it through the rear to the top.

I flipped the fans on top, they are now in exhaust position, blowing up and out, but oddly, the temps are 2-4c warmer than before the flip. :confused:

I can fiddle/test a bit more tomorrow, but what do you make of this?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JillyBean

I flipped the fans on top, they are now in exhaust position, blowing up and out, but oddly, the temps are 2-4c warmer than before the flip. :confused:

I can fiddle/test a bit more tomorrow, but what do you make of this?

---

The build looks absolutely amazing; the cable management looks superb, better then the state most so called "professional" builds come in. This next part here is just me nitpicking so feel free to ignore it completely if you like; this is just for aesthetic purpose and won't affect your PC performance in any real way.

http://oi48.tinypic.com/2qv8rrl.jpg

Anyway now on to more real matters. The reason why your temp went up is because before you had air blowing right on your heatsink but now that you made the top fans exhaust, you lost that air. Don't get me wrong though, the top fans are usually meant to be exhaust so the real issue is with the overall airflow in the case atm. You now have more exhaust fans in your case then intake and not to mention the only intake fans you have are further away from the CPU heatsink. Also your 2 140mm aftermarket fans on top are probably better quality then the 2 120mm stock fans on the front; this situation is creating an uneven airflow and since the heatsink is not high end, the overall cooling suffers. This is partially my fault, at the time i recommend that specific cpu cooler, it was under the assumption that it was to be used in your old dell case. I apologize for that, i would of recommended something else all together if i knew we would be using a better case.

The best option now is to probably get 2 more 140mm fans and attach it to the side panel as intake fans; this will blow cool air on both your cpu heatsink and gpu. If your using the molex connector to power your front 2 fans, then you should still have 2 more 3/4pin inputs left on the spliter. If you don't then try to buy fans that come with the adapter cable, Nzxt fans tend to come with the 3pin to molex with each fan. You can also attach one at the bottom beside the PSU but i think you will benefit more by attaching to the side panels.

Also for the FP1 input, good to hear the power switch works; for the LED i figured those were for LEDs but i was guessing as to which is which LED. Make sure the power LED on the case is always solid and not blinking, if its blinking then you probably have it in the HDD LED input. If both LEDs are working then all good but if only one is, then the 2nd is probably the pins labeled as "Reset Switch". Feel free to play around with it a bit "If" its not working as intended, no harm long as you know where + and - are.

Congratz on getting your build up and running, it really looks amazing^^, makes me want to do upgrades on my own build lol.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shura

The build looks absolutely amazing; the cable management looks superb, better then the state most so called "professional" builds come in. This next part here is just me nitpicking so feel free to ignore it completely if you like; this is just for aesthetic purpose and won't affect your PC performance in any real way.

http://oi48.tinypic.com/2qv8rrl.jpg

Anyway now on to more real matters. The reason why your temp went up is because before you had air blowing right on your heatsink but now that you made the top fans exhaust, you lost that air. Don't get me wrong though, the top fans are usually meant to be exhaust so the real issue is with the overall airflow in the case atm. You now have more exhaust fans in your case then intake and not to mention the only intake fans you have are further away from the CPU heatsink. Also your 2 140mm aftermarket fans on top are probably better quality then the 2 120mm stock fans on the front; this situation is creating an uneven airflow and since the heatsink is not high end, the overall cooling suffers. This is partially my fault, at the time i recommend that specific cpu cooler, it was under the assumption that it was to be used in your old dell case. I apologize for that, i would of recommended something else all together if i knew we would be using a better case.

The best option now is to probably get 2 more 140mm fans and attach it to the side panel as intake fans; this will blow cool air on both your cpu heatsink and gpu. If your using the molex connector to power your front 2 fans, then you should still have 2 more 3/4pin inputs left on the spliter. If you don't then try to buy fans that come with the adapter cable, Nzxt fans tend to come with the 3pin to molex with each fan. You can also attach one at the bottom beside the PSU but i think you will benefit more by attaching to the side panels.

Also for the FP1 input, good to hear the power switch works; for the LED i figured those were for LEDs but i was guessing as to which is which LED. Make sure the power LED on the case is always solid and not blinking, if its blinking then you probably have it in the HDD LED input. If both LEDs are working then all good but if only one is, then the 2nd is probably the pins labeled as "Reset Switch". Feel free to play around with it a bit "If" its not working as intended, no harm long as you know where + and - are.

Congratz on getting your build up and running, it really looks amazing^^, makes me want to do upgrades on my own build lol.

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Thanks ^^ Next time I open it up I'll have a look at your areas of suggestions. I do know there was no other way I could see to deal with the CPU fan cable as Dhalmel had mentioned.

The part I bolded in your post makes perfect sense. I have ordered two more of the quiet Corsair 140mm fans and two of these http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811999226 to avoid fast dust accumulation. I'm loving the idea of two of these fantastic corsair fans blasting outside air on the CPU and GPU. This makes great sense to me.

Please no worries about any of your suggestions. Who knew the trip this quest for lower temps would take me on lol! Maybe one day I will move on to your favorite liquid cooler but for now (after putting in the side fans) I think I'll be quite content. I have learned SO MUCH, it has been really awesome experience. :)

In the meantime, my temps are still minimum of 10c cooler than before these changes. By changing the top fans to exhaust, I've just temporarly lost the "10 to 15+c" part. The active fluctuating temps during benchmark are still 15c improvement over the dell situation, they were close to 20c before I flipped the fans. Once I get two fans blowing in from the side, there will be more improvement.

I will say one negative thing about the case, and I may even write my first review at Newegg about it.... the power button cable very easily comes unplugged at the top of the case, and it's extremely annoying and difficult to get to to plug it back in. I installed my 2 CD/DVD drives in the lower 2 bays (leaving the top two open) just because of this ~ so hands can fit in there to access that plug area when/if it comes out. It happens just about every time you get back in the case to do something. This definitely counts for at least an egg!

Again thanks guys! And please feel free to post any additional advice that may come from this post! :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JillyBean

Thanks ^^ Next time I open it up I'll have a look at your areas of suggestions. I do know there was no other way I could see to deal with the CPU fan cable as Dhalmel had mentioned.

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Think he was referring to the same cable i was in my diagram, the one with the red lines and not the fan cable coming from the CPU cooler. I referred to it as the 8pin cable, since most new boards use 8pin but just noticed on yours its only using 4pins so that maybe where the confusion happened.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JillyBean

In the meantime, my temps are still minimum of 10c cooler than before these changes. By changing the top fans to exhaust, I've just temporarly lost the "10 to 15+c" part. The active fluctuating temps during benchmark are still 15c improvement over the dell situation, they were close to 20c before I flipped the fans. Once I get two fans blowing in from the side, there will be more improvement.

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Indeed, this case will probably last you for 2 more builds unless you decide to go full tower or with a E-ATX board in the future. Other things you can upgrade in the future is the CPU cooler(something like the H60 or H90) and the stock fans that came with your case(2 front and 1 rear) These are not really that important at the moment though, probably best to change them when you upgrade the entire system.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JillyBean

I will say one negative thing about the case, and I may even write my first review at Newegg about it.... the power button cable very easily comes unplugged at the top of the case, and it's extremely annoying and difficult to get to to plug it back in. I installed my 2 CD/DVD drives in the lower 2 bays (leaving the top two open) just because of this ~ so hands can fit in there to access that plug area when/if it comes out. It happens just about every time you get back in the case to do something. This definitely counts for at least an egg!

Again thanks guys! And please feel free to post any additional advice that may come from this post! :D

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http://oi46.tinypic.com/11rf53d.jpg

You can play around with different routing methods till you find one that works, switches don't have a ground so + and - don't matter, you can flip it around if it helps. Since cases and motherboard come in different designs there tends to be hiccups like these.

This is a personal request but if its not to much trouble, would love to see pics of the inside and outside of your build once your done.

Wow! Looks super-tidy! Wish mine would look like that!
Tried my best with zipping and sorting the cables, but the opportunities in my case seem to be not that good as in your case. I'd have trouble changing it on my own since my ATX plug is acting nasty. Wasn't able to pull it out again or push it in any further -.-
Also, I don't have a mATX board and my new graphics card is even longer than my mobo (old card had same length) xD'

Wishing you lots of long and awesome gaming sessions with your pimped PC!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shura

http://oi46.tinypic.com/11rf53d.jpg

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Yes, that cable, but the other end of it ... up top in the front of the case at the front panel that it comes unplugged ("their end" basically). It doesn't come unplugged from the motherboard.

Wayyy wayy up inside behind the power button area. Top right of the pic. Unseen by this camera angle.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Coris

Wow! Looks super-tidy! Wish mine would look like that!
Tried my best with zipping and sorting the cables, but the opportunities in my case seem to be not that good as in your case. I'd have trouble changing it on my own since my ATX plug is acting nasty. Wasn't able to pull it out again or push it in any further -.-
Also, I don't have a mATX board and my new graphics card is even longer than my mobo (old card had same length) xD'

Wishing you lots of long and awesome gaming sessions with your pimped PC!

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Thanks :) Well, I swear I can't take a ton of credit here. It's like moving a studio apartment into a mansion! I don't have a lot of furniture, so the place looks empty ^^

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JillyBean

Yes, that cable, but the other end of it ... up top in the front of the case at the front panel that it comes unplugged ("their end" basically). It doesn't come unplugged from the motherboard.

Wayyy wayy up inside behind the power button area. Top right of the pic. Unseen by this camera angle.

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Ah, ya that's on their end. If possible, see if you can post a close up pick of the power button and the plug, maybe there might be a solution.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shura

Ah, ya that's on their end. If possible, see if you can post a close up pick of the power button and the plug, maybe there might be a solution.

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Probably get a chance to do that Wednesday evening when my 2 additional fans should arrive and I'll be installing them. Also, should get a chance to take & post pics of the (hopefully,at least for now!!!) finished product, as you requested in a previous post. ^^

I did put a question ticket in with Corsair about the issue. No response as of yet.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JillyBean

Probably get a chance to do that Wednesday evening when my 2 additional fans should arrive and I'll be installing them. Also, should get a chance to take & post pics of the (hopefully,at least for now!!!) finished product, as you requested in a previous post. ^^

I did put a question ticket in with Corsair about the issue. No response as of yet.

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Cool, Thank You. You could also RMA the case back to Newegg if corsair takes to long to reply. While i don't have any personal experience interacting with Corsair, from what i here, Corsair's customer service is not that bad.

By the way Eagle(Dhalmel), what case and cooling do you use in your build? thinking of upgrading to a H110 but having a hard time finding a case that supports it. Don't want to go with something insanely big like the Corsair 900D or Azzatek Genesis 9000.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shura

You could also RMA the case back to Newegg if corsair takes to long to reply. While i don't have any personal experience interacting with Corsair, from what i here, Corsair's customer service is not that bad.

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Ohmygosh I wouldn't want to RMA it and have to re-do my case-move all over - I would like to hear from Corsair though. Hopefully they have some advice or some information that will help.

This is the reply from Corsair: "It sounds like the power plug is loose at the front I/O panel, this should not happen. We will need to get you a replacement front I/O with cables. I will forward your case to our parts dept and they will take care of it for you. Please let us know if you have any other questions. Thank you."

I haven't heard yet from the parts dept. Does their answer sound like a solution to the issue I had described to you guys about it coming unplugged behind the front panel (power cable)? What is front I/O? Is this something I will be able to change? /panic

EDIT: Found this ... http://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=103389

oi, another project in my future ;;

another EDIT: Decided not to even open the case til the new I/O panel thingie comes so I can do everything at once (install new fans, move cables around, etc.). Now that it seems clear that the I/O panel is defective, I don't want to risk disturbing it and not being able to get it plugged back in.

I've heard of people having to power up their computer by a switch/button on the motherboard when their power button wouldn't work. Is there such a switch on my mobo that I could temporarily use to power up the PC with in the event I do run into a problem with this power button?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JillyBean

This is the reply from Corsair: "It sounds like the power plug is loose at the front I/O panel, this should not happen. We will need to get you a replacement front I/O with cables. I will forward your case to our parts dept and they will take care of it for you. Please let us know if you have any other questions. Thank you."

I haven't heard yet from the parts dept. Does their answer sound like a solution to the issue I had described to you guys about it coming unplugged behind the front panel (power cable)? What is front I/O? Is this something I will be able to change? /panic

EDIT: Found this ... http://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=103389

oi, another project in my future ;;

another EDIT: Decided not to even open the case til the new I/O panel thingie comes so I can do everything at once (install new fans, move cables around, etc.). Now that it seems clear that the I/O panel is defective, I don't want to risk disturbing it and not being able to get it plugged back in.

I've heard of people having to power up their computer by a switch/button on the motherboard when their power button wouldn't work. Is there such a switch on my mobo that I could temporarily use to power up the PC with in the event I do run into a problem with this power button?

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I/O refers to Input and Output so I/O panel is where your power switches and usb/audio input is. In the link you posted, pictures 4-6 are I/O panel replacement. Its not that hard, just unplug the cables from the I/O that you have connected, unscrew the 2 screws and pull it out; do the steps in reverse to install the new one.

I'm afraid your motherboard does not have a on board power switch. Usually this is a feature for custom PC builders so they can test out their board and parts before they put it into a case, looks something like this.

http://www.pcstats.com/articleimages...P67Aud7_d2.jpg

Unfortunately since Dell is cheap and the PC is pre-built, they take away any feature that they think is unnecessary, like the reset switch input. If your afraid to use the power button, what you can do is put your PC into sleep or hibernate mode and wake it up with your Keyboard.

I'm back - sorry it's been so long... busy busy busy... but now that Phase 2 is behind us... and it looks like we've got another month until the next phase, it's time to think about a better CPU cooler.

Here's the pictures I promised, although they certainly are not exciting. I never did move the wires, they weren't long enough. The replacement I/O panel came and been replaced and so far/so good with the new case. Added the side fans and their filters. That's about it. I wouldn't post them, not much to look at, except you asked and I said I would ^^.

Inside:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...410_205630.jpg

Front:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...10_2058541.jpg

Side:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...410_205906.jpg


Really tempted to get the Corsair H60 since it's so small, easy to install, and has the best results for cooling. (Even though it terrifies me.) I did have one question, Shura, since you have a lot of experience with this exact cooler and you use it in your machines and builds. Is there any maintenance involved with it other than would be with an air cooler? Like special maintenance required for the "liquid system"? I've heard that water cooling systems must be meticulously maintained. I don't really want to deal with that. You said this is "liquid" (not "water"). (What liquid?)

So it's between that and the Dark Knight. Then hopefully I'm DONE for a while...

The little Rosewill is a nice improvement over the previous cooler Dell had in there but I would definitely like better temps in the long run.

UPDATE ~

I think my harddrive is dying
>. < it's started randomly making some crazy clicking sounds today so running a checkdisk which is taking forEVER (posting from phone) but placed an order for new HDD anyway it can't hurt ... its almost 4 yrs old...and I can clone/make backup. Rather deal with this now during beta-downtime!

Checked out the manufacturer website page for the H60 and although it did say no maintenance, I was just too scared of liquid to order so ordered the Dark Knight.

How y'all doin'? :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JillyBean

UPDATE ~

I think my harddrive is dying
>. < it's started randomly making some crazy clicking sounds today so running a checkdisk which is taking forEVER (posting from phone) but placed an order for new HDD anyway it can't hurt ... its almost 4 yrs old...and I can clone/make backup. Rather deal with this now during beta-downtime!

Checked out the manufacturer website page for the H60 and although it did say no maintenance, I was just too scared of liquid to order so ordered the Dark Knight.

How y'all doin'? :)

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ya it's dying i remember one of my HDD making noise then day few weeks later just stop working.