best air cooling solution

[ability]

Hi, I'm looking to build a new computer in the next couple weeks and i travel to LANs a lot and think that a water cooled case would not be the best option lugging it around all the time, so I'd like to know what the best options for air cooling would be, mainly the case, and heatsink, and money is not an issue, thanks if you can help

 

[mrscintilla]

heard good things about thermalright xp-120 heatsink. As far as cases, go with an aluminum case. no specific brand recommendation. I have an old Lian-li, but it doesn't have a lot of holes for ventilation.

 

[ability]

will alluminum stay cooler, or did you just recommend that because of it's weight?

 

[akira34]

Originally posted by: ability
will alluminum stay cooler, or did you just recommend that because of it's weight?

Both... Have decent fans inside the case as well as on the processor and you should be fine. Before you start lugging the thing around, make sure everything is bolted down and has no chance of moving.

Lian-Li has a small case the PC-402 that can handle up to a flex-ATX mobo and has two optical drive bays as well as a front floppy and room for two hard drives. If you can locate a mobo that has the functions you need, and will fit, that would be a good case for LAN party hopping... They also offer it up in black if you prefer (I would)... With that, you might not use it for your day to day computing, but it should do fine for games... Besides a kicking video card, you don't NEED much else as far as PCI cards go. Especially with what comes on mobo's these days AND the fact that most of the time at LAN parties, you use headphones for sound.

 

[ability]

what about heatsinks, with money not being an object, i'm getting an intel cpu, great price, i can't pass it up, what do you recommend?

 

[akira34]

Get the largest heatsink that will fit on the mobo and inside the case. Probably the Thermalright XP-120 with a quality 120mm fan on it. Just make sure you don't bang the system around (or swing it around) since that isn't exactly a feather weight cooler). I'm happy, so far, with my Thermalright cooler, even though it's one of the older models...

 

[imported_Computer MAn]

Originally posted by: akira34
Get the largest heatsink that will fit on the mobo and inside the case. Probably the Thermalright XP-120 with a quality 120mm fan on it. Just make sure you don't bang the system around (or swing it around) since that isn't exactly a feather weight cooler). I'm happy, so far, with my Thermalright cooler, even though it's one of the older models...

THe XP-120 is the best but also consider the Zalman CNPS-7000 it's very effective and is smaller than the XP-120.

 

[drpootums]

for a case i'd get the TT Tsunami. I got it and i love it. It looks nice, great to show off at lans, and the 2 120mm fans (1 intake, 1 exhaust) with the extra 92mm side intake help keep it cool.

And no matter what other people say about how loud the fans are on here, dont believe them. It's quiet with my Leadtek GT and Zalman 7000a cooler.

 

[ability]

drpootums: with the 2 120mm fans and the 1 92mm, would i be able to OC with the XP-120 they are talking about? is that going to be enough fans or is there any place to add more?

 

[ability]

and another quick question: does the brand of a 120mm or 92mm fan matter, or are they all the same?

 

[drpootums]

Originally posted by: ability
drpootums: with the 2 120mm fans and the 1 92mm, would i be able to OC with the XP-120 they are talking about? is that going to be enough fans or is there any place to add more?

I think that will be enough. There are no places to add more however.

And as for brands, i would go for whatever pushes the most air without being loud (i'd wanna keep it under 28db's or so)

 

[Operandi]

Originally posted by: ability
and another quick question: does the brand of a 120mm or 92mm fan matter, or are they all the same?

Yes the brand matters all fans are not created equal. Panaflows are some of the best you can get and are pretty easy to come by at a good price.

As for Case I'd take the CM WaveMaster over the Tsunami; everyone I know that?s seen both side by side says the Tsunami is a cheap knock off of the Wavemaster.

 

[drpootums]

i have to disagree about the Wavemaster/Tsunami issue. I've seen both in person and would definatily go with the Tsunami over the WM. The window is nice, but the paintjob is fantastic. It's cool to see my christmas tree lights in detail when i look at my case (it's like a mirror, my tree's on the other side of my room!). Also, the noise level is quite good for me, and i have it about 2 1/2 feet away from my head on a desk! It was a simple install (just need 1 screwdriver) and will grace my desktop for a long time!

 

[lrmat]

i have the Tsunami and just installed a zalman 7700 hsf.... here's a pic.

 

[ability]

thanks for all the help, i am much farther in the process of deciding what to order, ill post some pics when i get it all up and running

 

[ability]

would the tsunami or the chenbro gaming bomb II be a better go getter?

http://www.anandtech.com/casec...ng/showdoc.aspx?i=2298

 

[Mrvile]

Well the Gamingbomb is loud, not too cool, and very expensive. I'd say no.

Tsunami is a nice case but for some reason it looks really fragile. I'd have to get something that is not only tough but LOOKS tough The Lian-Li V1000/V1100 has some of the best air cooling you can find in a case, but tends to be somewhat loud and kinda hard to carry (no handles or anything, but this can be solved easily). Built to last, 2mm thick aluminum sides, easy on the eyes, and is quality stuff.

Otherwise for major LANing I'd get Antec's Lanboy or some SFF case.

 

[Spike]

Originally posted by: Mrvile
Well the Gamingbomb is loud, not too cool, and very expensive. I'd say no.

Tsunami is a nice case but for some reason it looks really fragile. I'd have to get something that is not only tough but LOOKS tough The Lian-Li V1000/V1100 has some of the best air cooling you can find in a case, but tends to be somewhat loud and kinda hard to carry (no handles or anything, but this can be solved easily). Built to last, 2mm thick aluminum sides, easy on the eyes, and is quality stuff.

Otherwise for major LANing I'd get Antec's Lanboy or some SFF case.

I have the Antec Superlanboy and have carried it to many lan parties... man, what a breeze! It is sooo light and comes with a cheesy, but effective, carrying strap. The case is a smaller one, but like the smaller Lian-Li, you just have to know what mobo/HSF combinations will fit. I have a GIANT alpha HSF (really tall, but not very wide) on my Abit NF7-S and it all fits fine. Combine that with a cold-cathode and my LED's (which I can turn off) and it looks pretty cool.

I isntalled a Enermax 120mm in front and a Panaflo 120mm in back along with a fan controller. Now my case is fairly silent (not quite as much as with the stock 120mm fans) but now I have the option of cranking up my airflow during a very long LAN session or in the middle of summer.

-spike

 

[lrmat]

the tsunami is light, therfore thin. i don't think it would be a good choice unless your the type of person who is careful transporting theor hardware.

 

[drpootums]

Lian Li cases look way too plain for me. I like the look of the Tsunami a lot, but i only wish it was just a bit taller.

It's sturdy too, not flimsey like u guys say it is. I guess if u like throwing your case around on the way to a LAN the Tsunami might get damaged, but if u do that then u shouldnt even be going to LAN parties...

 

[akira34]

What some call plain others call classy...

I do like the engineering that went into the Lian-Li case I have... All the way down to making it wide enough so that you can have [side mounted] SATA drives in it and not bend the connections on them (you don't want to bend SATA connections much).

I've already done through the 'flash' stage as far as cases go. Back when windows were new/fresh and not many people were doing it, I did. I've since done away with the desire to be able to look inside my case without opening up the side panel. Maybe that's becuase I'm using more reliable parts these days. I'm also more into stealth or 'sleeper' systems. That goes for my vehicle as well as my computers...

For customer's I'll use whatever case they want. Provided it's not a cheap piece of crap. If they want a window and such, fine, I'll do it. You just won't find that in any of my own system builds.