Decision on case + PS for loaded Thunderbird 1Ghz?

[realon]

Hi all,

I'm putting together a pretty heavy duty Thunderbird setup. I'd like advice on a proper case and power supply. It'll have:
Thunderbird 1Ghz
MSI K7T Pro MB
384MB PC133 RAM
(2) Ultra 2 LVD SCSI harddrives-- Quantum Atlas IV, Seagate X15
SCSI DVD
Plextor SCSI CD-RW
GeForce 2 GTS Ultra
etc...

Most of all, I want to make sure I have enough STABLE power to all of the devices, and obviously, I need ample cooling options too. I was leaning toward the SuperMicro 750A, but I can't seem to tell if any of the power supplies that it comes with are Athlon approved or not. I don't know if 300W will be enough or if I should go with 400W either. Other ideas? I'll definitely be putting the Seagate behind an external bay with some type of bay cooler in front of it, along with the CD and DVD drives, plus I'd like to have room enough to leave bays open between them for better airflow. Finally, I don't want something that's going to be so loud to use that I have to turn up my speakers to drown it out or something. Okay, so maybe I'm asking for an ideal solution that just does everything that I want it to for a low cost. I'm open to all feedback. Thanks.

Realon

 

[moolman]

Very inexpensive and good for midtower is antec ks282 with 300 watt, full tower ks188 with 300 watt, 300 watt is all you need most likely. If you want a better PS, I just got a 330 watt enermax whisper, has a huge fan on the bottom over the cpu and cools the case and cpu better, plus more power and not as expensive as a 400 watt. Maybe a bit louder than the antec 300 watt but not much. Get the cases from onvia.com, enermax from phamcomputer.com. Best prices I've found for both, sometimes fry's has some crazy sale for those cases if you live near one too.

Alex

 

[robinhung]

Supermicro 760A is better, it has a fan blows directly to the CPU. 300W of PSU is fair enough and the one comes with it is AMD approved. Unless you want to add more case fan to it, than I would like to change the PSU to Whisper Enermax 330W PSU. It is a beautiful babe with dual fans!
Once you touched it, you have to have it.

 

[mechBgon]

I'd also suggest getting hold of jfh, who is setting up www.coolcases.com, because he can set up an Addtronics case just for you with your choice of power supplies and fan layouts, blowholes and whatnot. He stocks different types of fans and is really knowledgeable. For the moment it sounds like he's still doing biz via email. Addtronics makes the Supermicro for SM, btw.

 

[Useful0ne]

I agree with moolman on the antec case, but go with the SX1030. I replaced the 2 stock fans with 4 - 80mm panaflows (purrs like a kitten). I was running with the case open a couple of days after setting up my system. I put the covers back on & the temps (mb & processor) didn't raise not 1 degree. I couldn't believe it. Beside the Pans the only mod i did was to cut out the front sheet metal grills. Unbelieveable case!!!

U-1

 

[Valvoline6]

The Antec 830sx is good too, same as the 1030 but "only" has 3 internal 3.5" bays (2 3.5" external, 3 5" external). If you don't need the extra drive bays I'd get the 830...

 

[frank828]

YGPM(you got private message) on a Seventeam 400watt

 

[andygold]

PC Power and Cooling has one of the best (if not the best) reputations in the business. No, I have no connection to them.
PC Power and Cooling

 

[realon]

Thanks, all. You've given me some good links and advice. I haven't made a decision yet, but I've narrowed my options a bit. I'm leaning toward purchasing the case and PS separately, probably the 330W Enermax Whisper w/ one of the addtronics cases, not sure which yet. See, I need at least 4-5 5.25" external bays, so it makes things more complicated...

Realon

 

[Garyrom]

Text
I am in the same mode as your are. I'm in the process of building the same setup. Thunderbird 1 ghz. Curious as to what type of pricing you have found on the cpu and mother board. Out here it looks like the CPU prices are dropping fast and the last one I saw this morning was a retail boxed version at $279.00. What type of board are you using with it. I have been looking at the Asus A7v. $136.00 is the best I have seen so far. The PC133 Ram is running about $80 for 128mb.

Let me know how you are doing.

Gary

 

[Odin30]

If you want top of the line and at least 5 5.25inch bays you should get the addtronics 7896A
It comes with 120mm front fan (standard) and excellent 300 watt power supply.
Its huge, easy to work in, removeable mb tray and is just very polished and ready to go.
If you get ahold of jhanson@coolcases.com he can set you up he is fast and reliable.
No one here who knows what there talkin about will tell you to not get the 7896.
Its an awesome case for around 175 bucks i think.
Expensive but good.
You did say a power rig!

 

[joeryu]

agree, addtronics makes the best cases. get their 7890a rather than the 7896a, it has an extra 5.25 bay for a total of 7. kick ass case, VERY moddable (is it a word??), and cooling is simply unmatched. you can do what i did, just get the case bare from them, and get like 2 250 watt PSU's and go dually with them. i currently have this case with one 250 enlight and one 300 watt premier working together. 2 hard drives, cpu/mobo on the enlight, and one dvd, one cdrw, floppy, and over 20 fans on the 300 watter. case has PLENTY of room to mod for another power supply in the back. my case idle is around 19-20 degress celcius, and 1.1 gig tbird is idle around 25 degrees celcius. great case, same as the 7896 but has one more external bay. no matter what though, get a addtronics or supermicro (addtronics oem brand).

 

[moolman]

$175 bucks, ouch, might as well get one of those fancy, clear see-through cases, I know they are quality but $175. If you need the 5-5.25 bays, I'd go for good but cheap, like I said before I have the antec ks188 w/ enermax 330 whisper. This is a full tower, even the standard antec 300 watt kicks but and it costs about $90 at onvia, for case and PS. I don't think they sell the case by itself, but I don't think you'd have problems getting rid of the PS on the forsale fourm.

Alex