P5B-E questions

[speedlever]

I'm putting together a component list for a Conroe build. I plan to use the Asus P5B-E mobo and would like to use the Scythe 1100P hsf and possibly the Gigabyte 7600GT Silentpipe II video card.

Has anyone built this particular combo? Are there any clearance issues with the above referenced hsf and/or the video card? I'm working on a quiet, not silent build.

This video card seems to offer the best performance in a silent, cool package for my usage (minimal games, some Photoshop, Google Earth, regular browsing, digital images, etc.). But I really don't like that it takes up two slots. However, I may be willing to compromise if there's nothing else out there with similar cool, quiet performance.

Antec Solo case
Corsair HX520w PSU
Asus P5B-E
e6600
Scythe Ninja 1100p hsf
Gigabyte 7600GT SPII hsf
or Gigabyte 7600GS SP, or?

Items to be determined:
2 Gb ram (tbd)
2x HD (tbd) probably Seagate 7200.10 or Samsung T series
Optical drive (tbd)

 

[speedlever]

Hmm. 40+ looks and nobody's built one or knows if there's a clearance issue?

 

[Phrantic]

I'll tell you this. Yesterday I put together a very similar system. That is: Antec Solo + Asus P5B + Scythe Ninja 1100p.

It is not easy to fit the cpu cooler itself, but it fits. However, I could not mount the supplied 120mm fan on the west side of the heatsink (facing the rear exhaust fan). The network components on your motherboard block this. I guess I could fit it there by modifying the fan, that's your call. Even if it can fit on that side, it will have VERY little clearance with the exhaust fan; you might not even want to put a fan there at all because it's so close to the exhaust fan anyway.

It didn't look very wise to me to place the fan on any other side, due to airflow. I don't want hot air blowing on my card. Or right back into my 5.25 bays. Mind you, I haven't got my system to work yet, so I can't tell what is the best option thermally speaking. But I do know that it's an impossible and impractical fit with the fan on the west side.

If I had known this I would have bought the Zalman CNPS9500. It's much more compact because it already has a fan in it and I can imagine there being more clearance between the cpu fan and the rear fan. Plus it looks prettier. Scythe Ninja shows better results in benchmarks yes, but the case and the motherboard layout don't allow for an easy setup.

 

[speedlever]

Phrantic,

Thanks for that report. The Zalman CNPS9500 seems to get sorta mixed reviews here: http://tinyurl.com/zyc9s

Maybe I'd better investigate this and see what other options I have for quiet, efficient cooling.

Here's another link to spcr recommended hsf.
http://tinyurl.com/tudcg


I'm not sure which way I want to go yet.

 

[speedlever]

Update, I'm strongly looking at the Noctua-NH-U12F hsf for the P5B-E board.