Antec NSK2480 PSU question

[Rifter]

Will this case accept all ATX PSU's or is is some smaller custom crap that i will only be able to buy from antec, not that antec are crap PSU's but 380W is not going to cut it for this build.

I want to put a corsair HX series psu in it, is that going to be a problem?

 

[frostedflakes]

It's a proprietary form factor, you won't be able to swap in a standard ATX unit.

 

[Zap]

It's a proprietary form factor, you won't be able to swap in a standard ATX unit.

Uh. Fail. You are thinking of the Antec NSK1380 (little cube box). The NSK2480 is a "desktop" form factor and is the same chassis used in some of the Antec Veris Fusion HTPC models. It uses standard mATX motherboards and standard ATX power supplies. You are somewhat limited in the length of the power supply if you use optical drives, but it isn't too severe like the X-Qpack. Just forget about putting in that spare Antec Quattro 1000W PSU and you'll be fine.

Rifterut, what are you putting in the case? The included PSU is the Earthwatts EA380 (now probably EA380D or whatever latest revision is). It is a decent enough unit with around 27A +12v on a single rail (the original unit, newer may be dual rail). It is decent enough quality and sufficient to run any graphics card that only requires a single 6-pin PCIe power plug.

Note that you are somewhat limited in what graphics card you can install in this chassis. For instance forget about using a card that has the PCIe plugs on "top" of it (same side as SLI/Crossfire bridges) because there is insufficient clearance with the top cover. Also, the length is limited to around 9.5-10" so 10.5" cards like a GTX 260 need not apply (for both length and PCIe plug placement).

I have used the NSK3480 for my HTPC for a while now, so I am pretty familiar with it.

 

[Rifter]

It a build for my girlfriends boss. He wants to use it as a HTPC as well as General computer, his son however games so i was going to put in a decent GPU if possible. The limit of 10" could be an issue but i guess a GTX 460 would fit in there, or a 5850 as they are both pretty small cards. Will be equipped with blu ray drive as well.

I know the 380W antec is not a bad unit, i have a 430w earthwatts in my HTPC. The issue is noise, he wants it small and VERY VERY quiet. This is the largest case i could talk him into and at least it has 120mm fans so i can swap in some quiet ones and still get decent cooling(i hope).

I want a PSU that also has a 120mm fan for this reason, my 430w earthwatts 80mm fan can get loud when you push 300w+ through the PSU, trust me i know i ran a 4890 on one for a few weeks.

So i figured with a 650w PSU with a 120mm fan it would always be under or around 50% load and the fan would hardly spin up and therefore be quiet(like my super overkill 850w TX is in my system).

So I was looking at the Corsair 650HX as well as seasonic Gold 650.

On a side note what are the chances ill fit the H50 rad on the inside of one of those 120mm fan mounts in this case without it hitting the mobo?

Specs of system will be socket 1156 i7, 4GB ram, 2TB WD black. And probably the fastest GPU i can physically fit in the case.

 

[Zap]

I think if you keep the PSU below 7" or so, it should be fine. Stock EA380 is 5.5" deep. The 120mm PSU fan will be on top, sucking in air from the inside. Shouldn't be much of a problem due to Antec making compartments for cooling so you aren't sucking hot air in.

I don't think an H50 would fit. I use a Scythe Mini Ninja in mine. When I had a low voltage Athlon x2 I just ran it passive. I stuck a fan on it when I upgraded to a Core 2 Duo, but really it doesn't need it since it is near the 120mm fans. I run the stock Antec Tri Cool fans on low, and I can't hear it when sitting on the couch even if the sound is on mute. If I am closer (swapping a disc or whatever), then I hear it if I'm thinking about it at the time.

The video card limitation is because the two HDD bays are in front. There is a tiny bit of room between the motherboard and the HDD bay wall (again, partitioned for cooling) so the card can just barely stick out beyond the motherboard (maybe 20mm???). The other limitation of course is where the PCIe power connector is positioned. A Radeon 5850 might work because the reference design is 9.5" and the connectors are at the end (might butt up against the HDD wall though). The GTX 460 is even shorter so it may be the better choice for that reason. Just avoid cards with the plugs on top. I put a GTS 250 in mine and there was so little clearance that I couldn't put the lid on the case. I had to cut the PCIe connector down and smash the cables a bit to make it fit.

If the guy had really wanted a smaller case and since you would be swapping out the PSU anyways, consider a Silverstone Grandia GD04/GD05. These are like the NSK2480 but besides (IMO) looking better, the optical drive is moved so it overlaps the motherboard RAM area (might conflict with tall HSF though). The HDDs get to hang out in the PSU area. There's still about the same amount of room for video cards that the Antec has, and it has the same two 120mm fans next to the CPU area. It also doesn't come with the PSU. If I were in the market for an HTPC again, these are the cases I'd get.

If you live nearby you can come over and do some measurements on a built NSK2480.

 

[bucd]

If you are not going to use the power supply that comes with the Antec, how about another case?

I think the Cooler Master Elite 360 will fit the bill for what you need.
This one here:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119195

I have both cases and if you are going to get a separate power supply, you can get the cooler master case and possibly a corsair 650w power supply for close to what you would pay for the antec w/380w psu.

I really like that case for a hybrid HTPC/PC. And you can fit a fulll atx mobo in it as well, comes out to about the same size. It's like 1 inch deaper but about 2 inch shorter.

-D

 

[jjmIII]

you can get the cooler master case and possibly a corsair 650w power supply for close to what you would pay for the antec w/380w psu.

It's a "girlfriends boss" build. He will probably keep the 380w for himself as a spare 🙂.
Spending other peoples money is fun 🙂.

 

[bucd]

It's a "girlfriends boss" build. He will probably keep the 380w for himself as a spare 🙂.
Spending other peoples money is fun 🙂.

In that case, i would like to second Zap's recommendation of the Silverstone GD05B.

I think it's better then the Antec in every way.

🙂

-D

 

[Rifter]

yeah i will be keeping the PSU for a spare, how did you guess 🙂

Im not charging him to build it so at least that way ill get somehting out of it.

Ill take a look at that silverstone case, the CM is out, needs to be a desktop/htpc case its going into a AV rack/shelf.

Zap quick question, im probably going with a 460, i was thinking the MSI cyclone because the cooler is very quiet, and i own one and can vouch for the quality of the card. however the heatpipes on that cyclone heatsink stick out the side of the card pretty far, its actually a wider card than my 4890 and most other Graphics cards i have seen. So do you think it would fit in the case? Im going to look into that mini ninja too, i just thought the H50 would be good for noise if i could use one of the fans thats already there for the rad but i guess thats not an option.

 

[Vincent]

I am also planning to build a similar system and have considered the nMedia PC 6000B

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811204037

 

[frostedflakes]

Uh. Fail. You are thinking of the Antec NSK1380 (little cube box). The NSK2480 is a "desktop" form factor and is the same chassis used in some of the Antec Veris Fusion HTPC models. It uses standard mATX motherboards and standard ATX power supplies. You are somewhat limited in the length of the power supply if you use optical drives, but it isn't too severe like the X-Qpack. Just forget about putting in that spare Antec Quattro 1000W PSU and you'll be fine.

Rifterut, what are you putting in the case? The included PSU is the Earthwatts EA380 (now probably EA380D or whatever latest revision is). It is a decent enough unit with around 27A +12v on a single rail (the original unit, newer may be dual rail). It is decent enough quality and sufficient to run any graphics card that only requires a single 6-pin PCIe power plug.

Note that you are somewhat limited in what graphics card you can install in this chassis. For instance forget about using a card that has the PCIe plugs on "top" of it (same side as SLI/Crossfire bridges) because there is insufficient clearance with the top cover. Also, the length is limited to around 9.5-10" so 10.5" cards like a GTX 260 need not apply (for both length and PCIe plug placement).

I have used the NSK3480 for my HTPC for a while now, so I am pretty familiar with it.

Actually I was thinking of the NSK-1480 (their low profile desktop/HTPC case), but either way, you're right. My bad OP. 😳