Need to pick new case ASAP(planned one out of stock)

[gamefreakgcb]

Originally posted by: Zepper
The Thermalright is 6" tall why is there a clearance problem? I can see where there might be due to the latch on the Smilodon, but maybe not on the CoolView. IAC, I gues you should try find out beforehand.

I suppose a good rule of thumb to promulgate from this is to only buy an oversized HSF after assembling the other parts and measuring. Would save a lot of measuring. We should kick this yen for ePeePees... There are plenty of HSFs out there of reasonable size that would work as well.

.bh.

Yeah, believe it or not, I always get a small HSF for my build and comtemplate on which HSF to get after I am done building, although after I insalled my ninja in the Centurion, I was schocked to see how tal it was with the fan attached and I immediately made sure the side panel fit before putting in the other components. A mid-size case can take most all HSF's unless there are other things on the side panel (the Xaser III has that fan-door, many cases have Vents, Fans)

 

[Caldenfor]

"We installed the Ultra-120 into our Ultra Aluminus case. When installed, we had to remove the Aluminus? CPU fan duct. The top Thermalright cooler stood only about 10mm away from the Plexiglas window." -3dGameman.com

Ultra Aluminus case is 8.7" wide, so therefore I came to the conclusion that it most likely will not fit unless a case is at least 8.5' wide. I suppose it is a heatsink made for full towers and more beastly machines than what I am looking for. Heatsinkfactory.com is where I purchased it from so I will see what their return policy is if not I guess I have a $50 beast hiding in my computer toy box. Zepper, sorry for all the hastle, heatsink being out of the discussion now I need to just pick a case that fits my other needs and move from there. Man... I just wanted to have the best! Thanks for the help guys and sorry about the trouble.

Dave

*Edit*
Can't get refunds unless defective, ah well.. wasted $57.00 (including shipping). Guess I will have to use stock heatsink for my stupidity. Shame its just going to sit around in a box.

*Edit 2* This just in from Baked, AT forum member....
"Just a FYI, you'll need a case that's at least 8 wide to fit the Ultra-120. I have an Antec SLK3000B and the Ultra-120 fits perfectly w/ an inch to spare. I did take out the side fan and tunnel thingy. Good luck w/ your Ultra-120 and case."

Guess I will have to do a bit more research before I give up like the baby I truely am. The Antec SLK3000B is 8.3" wide so maybe 3dgameman had a different motherboard/processor he was cooling. So many variables. 3dgameman was putting it on an AM2 board, waiting for Baked's response about his mobo/processor.

 

[Caldenfor]

The COOLER MASTER STC-T01 has plenty of space. The Coolview and iStar Nitro are knocked off the list measuring just over 8". The Smilodon is gone, most Lian-Lis are 8.3", the Temjin 5 was 8.4". Least I have another way to knock down my selections. Thermaltake Armor Series is 8.5" if I remember correctly. I am taking notes/eliminating cases from discussion is all, sorry if you are annoyed by this. Most of the Temjins appear to be wider than the average mid tower. Lian-Li 60AplusII is 8.3".

Dave

 

[scrawnypaleguy]

Another vote for the LL PC-7B

 

[Zepper]

Should be able to sell the Ultra 120 on eBay easily, as long as you send them a copy of the receipt so they can enforce any warranty. Gift from Uncle Dave doncha know...

.bh.

 

[Caldenfor]

Okay, the PC-7B from Lian-LI is basically the same as the PC60APLUSII except the PC60A has a window and is silver? Maybe some other slight things and the $50.00 price difference? They both seem to have the same dimensions, the 60APLUS has a slideable mobo tray, which could be good or bad for some and the 60APLUS has more 3.5 drive slots; 1 external 2 internal more according to specs. Well the 60APLUS is 129.99 no sales and the PC-7B is 109.99 with $30.00 sale right now.

Dave

 

[Caldenfor]

LOL, I have a friend from high school that apparently has his own computer business running, but I highly doubt he builds anything with that quality of parts. There is another shop nearby, but the guy is even more a pain in the ass than I am. He is very... egotistical, so I stopped shopping there. Once I hear back from Baked I should know whether or not I have any chance of fitting it. The Lian-Li PC-60APLUSII is looking pretty nice right about now or I could swing up $20.00 for the Thermaltake Armor Series that is 149.99 with a $25.00 rebate or I could go for the Cooler Master STC-TO1 or there is also the Silverstone Temjin models to look at. Still looking into the options while I contemplate how funny Zepper is in his own way. I bet VinDSL is about as annoying as I am, and thats saying something.

Dave

 

[Zepper]

Info I just got from Thermalright

Hi,

You could ask, why do case manufacturers make cases so narrow?? The Ultra-120 is a high-end performance CPU cooler and as such we have compatibility lists for motherboards. It would be impossible to have a compatibility list for the 1,000's of cases on the market.

A general rule of thumb to use is, if a case uses 120 mm fans for intake and or exhaust, they will be wide enough to use the Ultra-120.

For Thermalright,

Bob
----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Hill" <zepper0@verizon.net>
To: <support@thermalright.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 07, 2006 7:15 PM
Subject: Ultra 120


> I was wondering if you have a case compatibility list for the Ultra-120? I will add that the Raidmax Smilodon doesn't seem to fit. The next one I was going to try is the Aerocool Coolview but it isn't any wider than the Smilodon. Of course, that doesn't tell you how much room you would have for clearance - it depends on a lot of factors.
>
> Why did you make such a tall heatsink anyway? I guess I'll have to send it back and get something else...
>
> .bh.
>
>

Enjoy,

.bh.

 

[Caldenfor]

Man Zepper you are a crafty crafty man. I wouldn't have thought of just asking Thermalright, I was going to pick my case and try and contact the case maker. Ultra 120 in Antec SLK3000B case using Gigabyte DS3 board is a picture linked from Baked with the Ultra 120 in his Antec SLK3000B case. Shows the space between the PSU more than the sides though. He is using the Gigabyte DS3 motherboard so it should be a similar fit, if only that Coolview was a little bit wider. It does have 120mm fans so maybe it will fit as Thermalright says. Worst case scenario the case I settle on will be too small for the Ultra 120 and I have to get another heatsink.
Dave

 

[gamefreakgcb]

Dude, you're getting way too paranoid.

 

[Caldenfor]

LOL, just so many nice cases, not worried about the heatsink issue, just picking the right case. I always find a fault in every case I look at, except for maybe the Lian-Lis, but I will get over it just gotta pull the trigger and live with it. It took me quite a bit of time to put enough cash aside for a computer and I just want to do it right. Soon as I am done with this, the extra income goes to another car.

Dave

 

[gamefreakgcb]

Go for a Liam Li than, since you like them most. Dont worry so much bro, just make a calm decision, unlike mine atleast .

 

[gamefreakgcb]

Originally posted by: Caldenfor
"We installed the Ultra-120 into our Ultra Aluminus case. When installed, we had to remove the Aluminus? CPU fan duct. The top Thermalright cooler stood only about 10mm away from the Plexiglas window." -3dGameman.com

Ultra Aluminus case is 8.7" wide, so therefore I came to the conclusion that it most likely will not fit unless a case is at least 8.5' wide. I suppose it is a heatsink made for full towers and more beastly machines than what I am looking for. Heatsinkfactory.com is where I purchased it from so I will see what their return policy is if not I guess I have a $50 beast hiding in my computer toy box. Zepper, sorry for all the hastle, heatsink being out of the discussion now I need to just pick a case that fits my other needs and move from there. Man... I just wanted to have the best! Thanks for the help guys and sorry about the trouble.

Dave

*Edit*
Can't get refunds unless defective, ah well.. wasted $57.00 (including shipping). Guess I will have to use stock heatsink for my stupidity. Shame its just going to sit around in a box.

*Edit 2* This just in from Baked, AT forum member....
"Just a FYI, you'll need a case that's at least 8 wide to fit the Ultra-120. I have an Antec SLK3000B and the Ultra-120 fits perfectly w/ an inch to spare. I did take out the side fan and tunnel thingy. Good luck w/ your Ultra-120 and case."

Guess I will have to do a bit more research before I give up like the baby I truely am. The Antec SLK3000B is 8.3" wide so maybe 3dgameman had a different motherboard/processor he was cooling. So many variables. 3dgameman was putting it on an AM2 board, waiting for Baked's response about his mobo/processor.

The AM2 will be taller since they are using the plactic retention clip, LGA 775 is straight in the mobo so its less in height. Thats my thinking anyway.

 

[Caldenfor]

Over the past few weeks I have taken advice from a ton of people and I just don't want to disappoint lol. I like the styles of the Coolview, but in the end I think I should go with the LIAN LI PC-60APLUSII the safe and secure bet. I still have the window, but I also do away with plastic which is very fragile. It may be a little more costly than other cases, but it does away with plastic, gives a lighter weight case and some nice sleek fashion. I am going to find the cons of the case before ordering just so I know what I am getting myself into. Zepper and Gamefreak, thanks for your time yet again.

Dave

P.S. I would have deleted many of my other posts, but once I post something I try to keep it up in its entirety.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

Dont ever buy a case for someone else man, they never gonna look at it, YOU will use it, YOU will appreciate it. All things considered, you will always feel you could've done better. Believe me man, its just how it is, since this is your first build all I can tell you is Good Luck and happy OC'ing.

 

[Caldenfor]

Pfft, not if its a piece of ******... my first car was a Jetta, I thought it rocked... it was a rusty piece of ****** =0 Wait... can I use those words here? SORRY ADMIN! Just really like to research my stuff so I don't mess up... again =0.

Dave

 

[gamefreakgcb]

Originally posted by: Caldenfor
Pfft, not if its a piece of ******... my first car was a Jetta, I thought it rocked... it was a rusty piece of ****** =0 Wait... can I use those words here? SORRY ADMIN! Just really like to research my stuff so I don't mess up... again =0.

Dave

Yeah well, you will know a POS case when you see one. I know I do now. Get the Lian Li, atleast you will have "spent" money on a quality case. The one you linked looks sweet, but make sure you have drives to match it, else you'll have a weird looking front because this is all silver. If it was silver/anyshade of black, a black drive won't have mattered.

ON second thought, do you have a Microcenter near you too?

 

[Caldenfor]

LOL... Best Buy is about all I have near here.. an hour away too. I am pretty sure I can buy plates to change the fronts out if all else fails. Might explain my clear lack of up to date knowledge with computers. I thought Geforce 4s were still good till like 5 months ago lol.

Dave

 

[gamefreakgcb]

Silver "BEZELS" aren't readily available, the ones that are, use 3M tape so its pretty much a permanent solution, but with the prices of the drives, you can just buy a new drive.

 

[Caldenfor]

Fortunetly I haven't purchased any yet, when I do they will most likely be Seagates. Though I do have this Lightscribe DVD Burner, think it came with black and off white though.

Dave

 

[gamefreakgcb]

Seagate doesn't make optical drives which is what I was referring to when I said "drives", those are the ones exposed and have "bezels". Oh and that CM you linked back there, top case, lots of space. My desk doesn't permit me to get one.

 

[Caldenfor]

Oh lol, my bad, yea I only have a DVD burner I picked up made by umm... LiteOn, Super All Write and has lightscribe technology. Yea I will be sure to get those in the proper fashions, I am thinking of getting a Rheobus that Zepper mentioned to run my 120mms, I could get four all together; front, rear, side and heatsink.

Dave

 

[gamefreakgcb]

what case you deciding? make sure that if it has a door, than the rheobus can fit (the knobs will mess with the door, this I learned the hard way when I tried to fit one in my Xaser III.)

 

[coolingoff]

what about the armor? plenty of room in there .....

 

[gamefreakgcb]

If he can go for the Armor, than he might as well go with the CM Stacker for $80, since the Armor is a stacker rip-off in the first place, also the "doors" on the Armor begin to squeak after a while. Plus native WaterCooling support (pre-cut for RAD's on the base)