Cooler Master HAF Stacker 935 build suggestions

[Maverickbcp]

(more pics and link to website below)

Hey guys I've heavily followed this site for over 12 years but haven't posted since 2001. I forgot my password and made the mistake of using an old work email address when I signed up so am unable to reset my password. My email's to the mods have gone unanswered but that's not the point of this post.

I have the Cooler Master Stacker STC-101 and have loved it. However when I saw pictures of this new case online with all it's possibilities I got the itch to get creative. So this will be a two part question.

1. What would you do with a case like this? One large system? One ATX build alongside a Mini ITX build and if so what would the Mini ITX be used for? Maybe the ITX used for gaming while the ATX used for server purposes or vice versa?

CM throws out several ideas but I'm not quite sure which to go with. One obvious choice would be to have my main system in the 925 part but what to do with the 915r? I could do something like a file/media server but my main system does just fine in that department streaming to my TV either through one of my consoles or via wireless. Now making the 915r an HTPC has it's merits as well. I'm currently thinking of using both cases in one nicely organized water cooled setup with either the 915r housing the water cooling kit or displaying the kit in the main system and using the 915r for all my storage needs. if your ideas require the additional purchase of the 915f by all means include it.

2. Should you decide to use the whole shebang in one nicely organized water cooled setup what parts would use?

I'm going to be ordering at least a main system build here shortly that will encompass an i7 4770k, Asus Maximus Formula VI, 2x 8 gigs of ram, and 1 or 2 AMD r9 290's. By these choices it's apparent I'll be overclocking this system. Don't necessarily need to squeeze every last drop out of these pieces so may even take advantage of the Maximus's extra fan headers and load up the case fan slots with a simple air cooled setup. Possibly toss in some separate lighting or fans with led's. This would obviously be the more cost efficient method vs a luxurious custom water cooled setup. I have a Corsair CMPSU-850TX 850w PS, Blu-Ray burner, HD-DVD drive(ya from 2009 so may not transfer to the new system), 1 SSD and about 5 SATA drives with more inevitably coming down the road. I'm running this all to a QNIX 2560 x 1440 screen. I've flirted with the idea of picking up two more for an eyefinity setup. I really play all types of games. FPS like COD/Far Cry/BF, RPG's like The Witcher/Bioshock, most Blizzard games like Diablo III/WoW/Starcraft II, etc.

Any links you can provide would be most appreciated.

TLDR: Sweet case. What would you do with it?

http://www.coolermaster.com/product/Detail/case/full-tower-haf-series/haf935.html

 

[SamMaster]

Notice there are holes in the top and botom of the modules so you can pass cables from one to the other. It looks like something one would use for using 2 power supplies, or prehaps a home NAS with HDD expandability using a second 915 module on top of an exisiting lone one, or someone mentioned before a game box with a mITX game server on top, or perhaps one the 915 module for a dedicated water-cooling compartment (945 has the 915 modules one on top one on the bottom, so one could place a reservoir on the bottom 915, tube to the components in the middle, then use the side of the top 915 for a 280/360mm radiator then loop back down directly to the reservoir).

 

[Maverickbcp]

So no one else has any opinions regarding this case? I'd think the sheer amount of possibilities would be enticing enough. Set it up with a couple 915's in "Rad box mode" or as a file server. Sounds sweet.

 

[Aikouka]

It could be interesting if you could stuff a ton of hard drive cages into the smaller one. If only Mini-ITX boards had an option for lots of SATA ports -- then you could use two small ones to create a small yet capable file server! Most people would probably just take the one larger case for it, but I'm picky on my hard drives having an empty space between each for cooling purposes. I've had hard drives get rather warm when sandwiched together!

 

[QueBert]

It could be interesting if you could stuff a ton of hard drive cages into the smaller one. If only Mini-ITX boards had an option for lots of SATA ports -- then you could use two small ones to create a small yet capable file server! Most people would probably just take the one larger case for it, but I'm picky on my hard drives having an empty space between each for cooling purposes. I've had hard drives get rather warm when sandwiched together!

ITX MB + SATA PCI-E Card?

 

[Maverickbcp]

Just add a couple PCI-E cards to your main system's ATX board and place a 915 on top/bottom of the 925. Just run cables to each. 18+ hard drives in the 915's alone not counting your main system. I'm prob going to put two 360mm rad's in one 915 for the 2 gpu's and fill the other with hard drives. The 925 will host my main system parts along with a reservoir and another 240mm rad for the cpu.

 

[Maverickbcp]

A question for you more experienced water coolers. At the top of the 925 is space for a 240mm radiator. Technically there's space for a 280mm but apparently it sits too close to the motherboard ram slots. If I were to place a 915 on top of the 925 filled with either two 360mm radiator's or hard drive cages, would placing a 240mm radiator in the top of the 925 in either push/pull configuration would that be problematic or have an impact on it's effectiveness? I can fit another thick 240mm in the front of the 925 but if I'm able to place it up top then I'll be able to keep one or two of the hard drive cages inside the 925 to go with one 915 filled with cages.

 

[QueBert]

I'm sure the demand would be too low, but would be killer if they released a 915 like case with nothing but HD racks in it. Something like 16 HD's for BluRay rips in an uber media center would be pretty damn sweet.

 

[Maverickbcp]

I'm sure the demand would be too low, but would be killer if they released a 915 like case with nothing but HD racks in it. Something like 16 HD's for BluRay rips in an uber media center would be pretty damn sweet.

Ya this one holds 9 hd's if you purchase 2 more hd module's. I plan on buying a 935 + 915f so will fill up one with hd's while housing two 360mm rad's in the other. If I can get away with tossing a 240mm rad at the top of the 925 I'll then be able to keep the two hd modules in the 925 allowing for more storage space. Otherwise I'll have to remove the two in order to fit a 240mm rad in the front of the case. Stupid i7 4770k and especially the 2 r9 290's cooling requirements lol.

 

[aigomorla]

The Top case stack i believe is the HAF915

I like this concept due to the flexibility it will bring in a stack.
Seems the price on that stack is also 70 dollars.
I can see value in this type of case, as u can use it for a NAS or a external....

A koolance alternative would could cost upwards of 200 dollars just for the shell:

And MM pedistool versions cost 150 dollars.

So if pricing is good on it, i can see them being viable.

If your asking me on my thoughts on the 2 cases overall...
well i dont really like how it looks.
If i originally required a large case, i would of gotten one which doesnt require me to stack.
I would only stack if i needed to, so if ur buying this case to use the stack portion as well, why not just buy a larger case to begin with?

And if ur thinking of expanding in the future, well, again... why not just buy a larger case to begin with?

The only time i would see this as an option is if i needed 2 PC's near each other, or if i had location problems in the height which was going to be fixed at a later date.

 

[Aikouka]

ITX MB + SATA PCI-E Card?

I used one once in the past, but I didn't care for it as much. Maybe I just didn't get a very good one, but I always found the speed to be lacking. Although, the components that make up the SATA PCI-E expansion cards are pretty much the same thing you get with those extra ports on a motherboard, and I've never had qualms about those.

I actually went with a Gigabyte Z87X-UD5H for my file server rebuild (10 SATA ports), which given that I'm only using 6 ports right now, it's probably a bit of overkill. It was interesting going back to an air cooler for the first time in a while. I fond the Cooler Master 212-EVO to be rather awkward to put on too; it made me miss the simplicity in Zalman's coolers. Although, the 212 is really quiet, which is nice.

 

[Maverickbcp]

The Top case stack i believe is the HAF915

I like this concept due to the flexibility it will bring in a stack.
Seems the price on that stack is also 70 dollars.
I can see value in this type of case, as u can use it for a NAS or a external....

A koolance alternative would could cost upwards of 200 dollars just for the shell:

And MM pedistool versions cost 150 dollars.

So if pricing is good on it, i can see them being viable.

If your asking me on my thoughts on the 2 cases overall...
well i dont really like how it looks.
If i originally required a large case, i would of gotten one which doesnt require me to stack.
I would only stack if i needed to, so if ur buying this case to use the stack portion as well, why not just buy a larger case to begin with?

And if ur thinking of expanding in the future, well, again... why not just buy a larger case to begin with?

The only time i would see this as an option is if i needed 2 PC's near each other, or if i had location problems in the height which was going to be fixed at a later date.

I was hoping you'd join in on the discussion. I was looking at some of the bigger cases but I just love all the various possibilities this case offers. I can buy a 935 & 915 for $240 and will have more cooling/storage options than more expensive 900D/Cosmos II options. It will of course be taller than both as once you start stacking it can get pretty huge. It just seems to be a great value for all that you get. I was thinking about turning one of my systems into just a storage server but with this case I wouldn't need two builds. I could have my gaming & storage server all in one.

So what do you think on my cooling idea's I mentioned above? What would you do with this case to water cool a similar system?

 

[aigomorla]

I was hoping you'd join in on the discussion. I was looking at some of the bigger cases but I just love all the various possibilities this case offers. I can buy a 935 & 915 for $240 and will have more cooling/storage options than more expensive 900D/Cosmos II options. It will of course be taller than both as once you start stacking it can get pretty huge. It just seems to be a great value for all that you get. I was thinking about turning one of my systems into just a storage server but with this case I wouldn't need two builds. I could have my gaming & storage server all in one.

So what do you think on my cooling idea's I mentioned above? What would you do with this case to water cool a similar system?

Well if ur meshing 2 systems into one platform floor, then i can see it as a viable solution.

However, again, thats all up to how you want to setup your systems.

However my 2 cents.. my storage server is nowhere near my main desktop.
Infact my NAS and Wannabe SAN's are located next to my DHCP/DNS server which sits near the router and switchs.
Did u want your NAS with near you all the time?
NAS's are kinda setup and forget things which run headless... the only time u know something is wrong is when you cant access your map'd drive.

lol...

Did you really want to combine them?
Personally wouldnt you want to hide a NAS away somewhere else on a completely different electric circuit incase something was to happen.

 

[Maverickbcp]

Well if ur meshing 2 systems into one platform floor, then i can see it as a viable solution.

However, again, thats all up to how you want to setup your systems.

However my 2 cents.. my storage server is nowhere near my main desktop.
Infact my NAS and Wannabe SAN's are located next to my DHCP/DNS server which sits near the router and switchs.
Did u want your NAS with near you all the time?
NAS's are kinda setup and forget things which run headless... the only time u know something is wrong is when you cant access your map'd drive.

lol...

Did you really want to combine them?
Personally wouldnt you want to hide a NAS away somewhere else on a completely different electric circuit incase something was to happen.

Maybe I shouldn't use the term "Storage server" as there's no raid/NAS/Plex/etc going on. It's just a bunch of 4 terabyte drives that get backed up to external drives/Bitcasa. I have two CM Stacker STC-101 cases that would work nicely for a file server but after thinking about it, didn't really want the hassle/cost of setting up the server. I do have the necessary spare parts and have thought about setting one up say in the closet and forgetting about it but I dunno. It would be an additional electricity cost and wouldn't work much differently than my current setup is now. It's something I'm repeatedly going back and forth on but for now Windows homegroup's does fine sharing between the other PC's in my house while streaming thru my Xbox/PS fills the other need.

I was going to go for a server + shuttle sized gaming setup as having a smaller case just sitting on my desk vs my beast seems appealing. It's just once this HAF Stacker came out I realized I could combine both in ways even the bigger cases like the 900D couldn't while be way cheaper.

 

[_Rick_]

I'm sure the demand would be too low, but would be killer if they released a 915 like case with nothing but HD racks in it. Something like 16 HD's for BluRay rips in an uber media center would be pretty damn sweet.

If you remove the front panel and optical from the original Stacker, and put in 4 4-in-3 enclosures, you get the 16 disks.
Sadly, this case is nowhere near as practical as the original Stacker.
Sure sideways mounted HDDs are quite nice, but the fully 5.25 open front of the original stacker is so much more versatile...

 

[lehtv]

Almost no one will buy it, it's just too ridiculous of a design IMO.

 

[Maverickbcp]

Ya my STC-101 stacker is filled with modules and works good as solely a server. This is a case where people will either love it or hate it. It has a ton of possibilities to the modder/tweaker. You really are limited only by your imagination. People looking to do creative water cooling setups, wanting to combine multiple builds into one, or wanting alot of case for a good price will find it appealing. I fit in all three categories.

 

[_Rick_]

Ya my STC-101 stacker is filled with modules and works good as solely a server.

These http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1033766539&postcount=29 aren't yours, are they?

That post is always a bit of an inspiration for me...
The next iteration of my build in that machine is going to see 15 SATA devices, and probably add a card reader to the front.

 

[Zxian]

http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=65546

My version of the Stacker 810 (same as the STC-101).

If it were me getting the 935, I'd make the 915 my general purpose file server (with whatever server functionality you needed) and use the larger case for my primary system. I can only see the real benefit of this particular case configuration where space is limited, such as a dorm room or a very small apartment.

 

[Maverickbcp]

These http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1033766539&postcount=29 aren't yours, are they?

That post is always a bit of an inspiration for me...
The next iteration of my build in that machine is going to see 15 SATA devices, and probably add a card reader to the front.

I have those cases but no someone else made that post.

 

[Maverickbcp]

http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=65546

My version of the Stacker 810 (same as the STC-101).

If it were me getting the 935, I'd make the 915 my general purpose file server (with whatever server functionality you needed) and use the larger case for my primary system. I can only see the real benefit of this particular case configuration where space is limited, such as a dorm room or a very small apartment.

Ya I am doing the same but adding another 915 to house 2 360mm rad's. I just like the idea of having all one inclusive build without needed two separate units. If I wasn't thinking about venturing into a water cooling + 3x 2560 x 1440 monitor setup I wouldn't necessarily need all the extra space. Plus it'll give me more options, look cleaner, and cost less than other super tower cases. Should I ever decide to add a third or fourth gpu I can turn the storage box 915 into another rad box with 2 360mm radiator's resulting in a very clean look and all this in what amounts to a $240 case. Albeit a very tall case. I then of course at that point would need to turn one of my old Stacker's into a file server but it's unlikely I'd go that extreme of a setup.

 

[aigomorla]

my stacker server...

:X

i really wanted a LCD screen like a Dell's server... i always thought those were so cool.

I cut out the bottom so i could floor mount a radiator when i was doing an older build:

she is retired tho....

I cant think of how you could fit another 360... a 480 wont fit at all.
I used to love stackers, however a Corsair Air 540 would be a much better approach if you were interested in watercooling.

Or a case which can handle a 480 class radiator.

 

[Maverickbcp]

my stacker server...

I used to love stackers, however a Corsair Air 540 would be a much better approach if you were interested in watercooling.

Or a case which can handle a 480 class radiator.

Ya only issue with the Corsair is lack of hard drive bays. It's definitely a case I'd consider if I decided on having two split builds. a 480mm option would be nice but I think a 915 filled with 2 360mm rad's and one 240mm in the main case should do just fine.

 

[Maverickbcp]

Double post

 

[Maverickbcp]

my stacker server...

I used to love stackers, however a Corsair Air 540 would be a much better approach if you were interested in watercooling.

Or a case which can handle a 480 class radiator.

Something like the Phanteks Enthoo Primo? http://www.phanteks.com/#&panel1-1&panel2-1