General cooling concerns with upcoming build

[angminas]

Hi folks! I'm laying out what for me is some serious cash, so I'm being rather careful. I want my setup to be cool, quiet, and durable. Here's the package I'm looking at purchasing (maybe later today):

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L

Video card: MSI 9600GT OC

RAM: Patriot 2GB DDR2 800

CPU: e2160

CPU HSF: Xigmatek HDT-S1283 (Backplate kit ordered separately, I want to try to run it on low, Frostytech shows it still has superior performance)

Intake fan: Silverstone FN82 80mm

Exhaust fan: Scythe SY1225SL12M 120mm "Slipstream"

Case: Ultra Wizard (I already have this)

PSU: Ultra V-Series 500W (I already have this, 28A on +12V, bottom mounted 120mm fan)

Of note:

1. I keep my house warm in the summer (80F+)
2. I plan to overclock the CPU, 3.0ghz perhaps. I do not plan to OC the video card.
3. I'm on a budget and shouldn't be spending even this much. Spending more would have to be well justified. Shipping is part of why I'm buying everything from Newegg.
4. I have moderate tech experience and I can learn anything, but I have never built a system from scratch. I have never installed a motherboard, cpu, or CPU HSF (I did install a VGA HSF once). I have never overclocked a CPU.
5. I have spent a lot of hours in the past few weeks doing research, so I almost have a clue, but I don't have any experience to back it up.

Questions:

1. Should I be worried about chipset temps? Should I get a couple of chipset fans like this Scythe 40mm?
2. How about RAM temps? Should I get a RAM fan? It looks to me like this might cut off air to the NB and CPU, since it will almost meet up with the video card. The RAM I'm looking at is 2.0V.
3. How do those intake and exhaust fans look?
4. My case has a CPU duct on the side panel. I'll need to remove it, as I'm sure it will run into the Xigmatek. What should I put over the hole? Mount an intake fan? Looks like it would take a 90mm. Seal it up? Just leave the screen on? The Xigmatek is 120mm tall, so I might not be able to mount a fan.
5. Has anyone here mounted this HSF? How did you apply the Arctic Silver 5?
6. Should I replace the stock fan on the Xigmatek with a Slipstream?
7. Anything else a cooling noob wouldn't think to ask?

Thanks very much for your input! :thumbsup:

Edit: I want it quiet, but it doesn't have to be silent. I'm used to an X850XT and a room fan pointed at the side of my computer, so even moderate noise will probably seem like heaven to me. As long as it's not high pitched. :shocked:

 

[Tim]

Reguarding the MSI 9600GT OC, might I recommend save a few dollars and just getting the 9600GT non factory overclocked version? In almost all cases the stock card can be overclocked to the same if not similar level, and in general keeping the card at its stock speeds will give you the durability that you're looking for. Any overclocking can shorten the lifespan of components reguardless of it being factory overclocked or experimenting with your own overclocking.

Also, Probably wouldn't worry about getting a fan for the ram IMO.

 

[jdkick]

Skip the active chipset cooler - those small fans tend to produce noise and fail quickly. There are passive solutions (Thermalright) should you find the chipset temps too high.

Skip the RAM cooler - with the tower-style cooler like the Xigmatek in a front-to-back orientation it should provide all the airflow you need around the memory.

Too bad you have to run an 80mm intake. Any chance the case can be modified to accept a 120mm up front?

Remove the side duct and leave the filter in place.

If you're applying your own TIM to the Ximgatek put some on the base first to fill the voids between the heatpipes.

Stick with the stock fan on the Xigmatek and see how it works for you. You can always replace the fan later if it's not up to par for your needs.

Other then that, take your time assembling everything and route your cabling cleanly so that airflow is not obstructed.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Ok, first a small system critique. I would recommend picking up the Abit IP35-E, cost out the door is the same but, you're getting a $30MIR and it's a very good overclocking board. You can then put that $30 towards a 4GB ram kit that is quite a bit more than what you've got but, thats about $5 more than the cheapest 4GB kit they've got and it's good stuff, again AMIR. I would Pick up the EVGA 9600GT for it's lifetime warranty and it's $5 less.

On to the cooling. I H8 all but one silverstone fan but, that aside, that fan you have linked is a 90mm fan with 80m mounting holes so it more than likely won't work with your case, I would reccomend this arctic cooling fan instead. Good choice on the 120mm just remember to cut out the grill on the rear of your case to optimize airflow. Another good choice on the cpu cooler! keep in mind it's not 120mm tall though, it's about 160m tall from the base so, from the top of the processor. I would reccomend blocking off the top side vent with some black construction paper or cardboard or something of that nature, you want to directionalize the aiflow and bring it in next to your videocard or through the front fan. I would leave the stock fan on the xigmatek, it's quite good enough, save the couple bucks. Don't bother spending any extra money on AS5, the stuff that comes with the xigmatek is ok, you might see 1C difference between it and AS5 and AS5 is conductive so you have to be a little extra careful.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: DerwenArtos12
Ok, first a small system critique. I would recommend picking up the Abit IP35-E, cost out the door is the same but, you're getting a $30MIR and it's a very good overclocking board.

nuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu~

gigabyte boards i feel are built more solid then abit. I had one and it died. Stick with the gigabyte, the ip35-e is not a board im fond of anymore.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: aigomorla

Originally posted by: DerwenArtos12
Ok, first a small system critique. I would recommend picking up the Abit IP35-E, cost out the door is the same but, you're getting a $30MIR and it's a very good overclocking board.

nuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu~

gigabyte boards i feel are built more solid then abit. I had one and it died. Stick with the gigabyte, the ip35-e is not a board im fond of anymore.

yeah but, how many boards have you killed in the last 6 months alone? How many 8400's for that matter since they came out about 4(?) months ago? You push boards quite a bit harder than most people, myself not included :evil:, and probably harder than the OP is going to. I am however just basing that suggestion on the findings of others.

Let me add a disclaimer to my motherboard opinions: I own an NF4 system, i haven't personally owned another enthusiast board since. I don't have longevity numbers for any P35 boards. The last gigabyte board I owned was an NF3 and it was CRAP; I still own it cause I hated it so much I used it for three weeks, pulled it and it's been in it's box on a shelf since then. I picked up a DFI NF3 board and loved it, then a DFI NF4 board and I'm still running it at 3ghz after about 3 years, so I do have longevity numbers on that board. The last abit board I owned was a NF7S rev.2 that my barton did 2.9ghz on air with until it burned up and I got a DFI NF2 revA that it did 3ghz on modified air cooling with for about a year and half till the cooler failed and the processor went up in smoke, literally. I've built customer system on TONS of Gigabyte, MSI, Abit, ASUS and DFI and few evga more recently. I will not warranty a system with an MSI motherboard so I sell very few, I'm probably biased but, I had three of their NF3 boards and two of their NF4 boards go out in system that I had to warranty replace inside 6 months a while back so I just pulled support on MSI boards. In order to warranty a system I lock the BIOS, I'll "factory" OC for people but, if they want to modify the BIOS they have to call me for the password and that voids their warranty. That being said, I've not seen any of the systems I've built within the last year and half or so come back with a bad motherboard, that includes all 4 major brands I warranty.

 

[aigomorla]

the company is actually much better now.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: aigomorla
the company is actually much better now.

so I've heard, quite a bit actually, and I've not had a return from them in quite a while but, I'm still only going to use DFI for my personal machines. I'm an elitist snob, I'm ok with that, I think I've earned it, then again, what elitist snob doesn't?