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Case size, heatsink and side fan question

S

Shilohen

Member
Hi all,

I'm currently in the process of choosing pieces for a new rig and the case and heatsink choice are proving to be the most difficult. I prefer mid tower, but I'm not adamant about it and I really like the military/industrial look of the Coolermaster Scout and the HAF X. However, since I want to place the case on my desk to reduce dust and never accidentally kick it, I kind of prefer the former as I don't fancy the idea of using a ladder to reach the USB connector at the top 😛. Anyway, here are my concerns:

1. I want to use a Toxic 5850 or 5870, so the air exhaust is inside the case, but the scout does not have a side fan, would that be bad for the air flow? If yes, is there a workaround? I guess I could put a fan between the PSU And the GPU, either oriented to the side or back, but the later would take all my other PCI slots.

2. I kind of like the Venomous X look and performance, but would it fit in the scout? From the specification, I think there would be about 2'' left of space, but that's not counting the MB, CPU or anything else that could reduce the effective space available.

3. For those who saw the HAF X first hand, how big does it really look? If really huge, do you have another case suggestion having similar look? Note that I really like the black interior look, which is the only thing I have against the other HAF models and I'd rather not do much modeling or painting by myself, I'm not there yet.

4. Finally, if using the HAF X, is there a risk that the PSU cables get too short to reach all the components? I guess the SUV tire like comment on newegg really had me freaked out.


Thank!
 
I think you will want side fans, and should get the HAF and fill it with 120mm Yate Loon fans. The fans it comes with are ok for a while but nothing special. Mount the PSU on the bottom and let it draw its own air supply from below. The cables are fine but some PSUs will need an extension for the 12v CPU power cable as it will usually be near the top. Sorry haven't tried it in the top of the case. The HAF is big but quite managable with its castor wheels.

I have the HAF 932 which appears to be almost identical to the HAF X apart from the side panel. The side panel on the 932 will fit 4 120mm fans as intakes, which can be useful.

[Edit]: "Other Thoughts: Came with an 8 pin power extension cable. Around 8 inches long. Nice little surprise that saved me 5 bucks." http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-225-_-Product
 
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Thanks for the information, it's very useful. I might have to reconsider the desk part and give special precaution against dust.

Thanks for the fan suggestion as well. If replacing them, however, wouldn't Scythe GT be a better choice? From the way everyone speak of them, they sound pretty much like the second coming... But they don't have LED... I never thought I would care about bling before... dunno what happened to me...
 
Please don't start caring about bling now! The LED fans are nearly always made of a lower quality plastic and I have had more LED fans break than anything else...

The Scythe GTs probably are very good fans, however I can only find them for ~£11.60
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?W...source=froogle

These Yate Loons are nice, and only £5.50:http://www.overclock.co.uk/product/Yate-Loon-D12SL-12D-1350rpm-120mm--Strong-Version_19733.html

Buy twice as many Yate Loons for the price of the Scythe GTs?

I think you will want one of these anyway http://www.overclock.co.uk/product/...Plus-6-Channel-Multi-Fan-Controller_7760.html
 
Alright, I'll try to control myself. Money for that build is really not really an issue so I'll see about the fan choice. Thanks for the fan controller suggestion, I've been looking for one of these.
 
The HAF X will dwarf the Scout.

Believe it or not, side fans can impair airflow and cause an increase in case temperatures. I've experimented with the Storm Sniper and that was the case.
 
Have a look at the HAF 922, it's a mid-tower version of the HAF 932.
Yes, side fans can impede airflow, but the cool air directed at the motherboard and graphics cards can't be a bad thing. I am using H20 but I found the only way to reduce air-cooled grapics card temperatures was turning the side fans up; turning the exhausts up didn't achieve anything but 1C lower radiator temps.

The only fan I haven't replaced in the HAF 932 is the front one, and I must say that although it easily supplies the minute level of cooling most hard drives need (and these are spaced apart from each other anyway), it doesn't actually shift a great deal of air. It is silent though, for all intents and purposes.

A friend's 4870X2 with stock HSF overheated with the side fans off (+105C), but was fine with them on (about 65C), although that HSF exhausts out the back of the case so benefits from the positive air pressure than say, an Accelero 4870X2.

Given the power savings between the 5XXX and 4XXX, I think you won't have any substantial problems anyway for gaming.
 
Intel&


Intel980XBuild009.jpg


I have mine setting on a book shelf beside my desk. I would guess the Haf X is about 4 inches above my 24" monitor. Its big, but not that big. My Antec 900 comes up to about the top of the side window. I have a pair of GT 1450's on an H50 and at stock speeds it keeps my 980X down to 59C of an hour of P95. I keep the house at 70F.

As you can see, the 5870's come pretty far back in the case. But it leaves you plent of room to work.

If you get that case, make sure you check to see if the back plate hole lines up with processor. On the RE3, it does not, and I had to take my mobo back out to get the back plate on.

The HAF X comes with an 8 pin extension cable, so it will not be too short. If you have a mobo that has the 24 pin at the top, I think it will be close, but it should make it unless you have a really generic power supply with a very short cable.

Also, the HAF X does come with a USB 3.0 converter cable so if you get a board with USB 3.0 headers, you can take out the nasty blue cables, and just do a header to the board for the extra 3.0 ports on the front.
 
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Thanks, that's pretty much everything I can hope for!

Of course I could hope for a 980X as well, but that's a completely different issue 😛.
 
The only real gripes I had with this case is the cpu cutout, and the width, and only including one fan on top. I wish it was a half inch wider is all.

One cool thing the most reviews don't talk about is the swinging doors. Instead of the side doors sliding back to be removed, they work on a hinge, and open side ways and then come off. It does make it easier for plugging in the side fan, and getting all wires tucked in right.

Also, its the only case I have ever had that even has thumb screws on all the pci slots instead of phillips head screws. Its a good quality case that a lot of thought went into. I like it, but the look of the HAF series cases are not for everyone.
 
I would not buy a case now without a side fan. It really is the best way to get fresh air into the case to the fans on video cards and cpu. Bringing it in through the front usually crosses other components making it warm air.

I'm a fan of the antec 900. I have one that sits right on my desk and it is almost totally silent and I never have heat problems.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129058

I use one fan on the front for the HD, one on the side, the cpu fan and the top case fan and it runs cool.
 
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Modelworks said:
LOL
Notice it is CM not MM
Click to expand...

Ya, hehe. One nice thing about it is that it appears not to intrude into the Case. So clearance with CPU HS/Fan shouldn't be an issue. One bad thing is if it dies, replacing it could be a difficult task due to the odd size.
 
Shilohen said:
Thanks, that's pretty much everything I can hope for!

Of course I could hope for a 980X as well, but that's a completely different issue 😛.
Click to expand...

lol.. if u were getting a 980X this case wouldnt be something you would be looking at, unless you had a very small knowledge in cases.

😛

Meaning there are a lot of better cases for a guy whose budget encompasses a 980X,
 
aigomorla said:
lol.. if u were getting a 980X this case wouldnt be something you would be looking at, unless you had a very small knowledge in cases.

😛

Meaning there are a lot of better cases for a guy whose budget encompasses a 980X,
Click to expand...

Which else do you have to propose? I don't, indeed, have so much knowledge in cases. I assume Lian Li? I know it's blasphemy, but I find them quite generic. Or maybe the WiNDy? After being actively working on starting to ship cases in March during February and March, then actively working to start in April for April and the following 2 months, they're now actively working to start shipping in July... I kind of like the Coolermaster cases' aggressive look too anyway. That Antec one is also nice I must say.

As for the 980X, I'm already in an outrageous budget zone, so I would be able to afford it, just not willing. Must I give back my enthusiast-wannabe card? If Intel reduces it to $750, I'll buy. That being said, I wouldn't mind a sponsored one, I just need to figure whom to bribe I guess.
 
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