• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Seeking New Case for Gamer on a budget

A

avatardfuse

Junior Member
Hey folks,
I'm an amateur when it come's to putting all the parts together. I've only built 1 rig in the past.
I'm on the market for building a new rig from the ground up and can't find the right case. My primary concern is keeping everything cool, parts going inside include:

-X4 Phenom 9850
-650W Antec PSU
-2X2GB G-skill 800mhz Ram
-Visiontek HD 4870 card (is there a better brand HD4870 for keeping cool?)

Considering those parts (especially the HD 4870) and that I'm on a budget, this has been challenging. I would rather not go over $ 100. I've been specifically looking out for big and strategically placed fans as well as ensuring there is enough room inside for air to circulate. I do plan on OCing a bit.

Possible Choices:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811156208

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811103011

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811144197

I'm considering stretching it out for the Antec 900 as well. Please leave suggestions.
Thank you!
 
Here's that 900 for $79.99 AR w/free shipping.
Just as cheap as the 2nd two you have listed (a little cheaper than 1) & probably a better case than the 1st you had listed.
Be advised, however, to read the rebate carefully & follow it to the "T" & make copies & be prepared to try & get screwed over & be prepared for a long wait!
 
Thanks for the heads up Tullphan. Rebates generally frustrate me to a point where it's almost not worth it, I don't take them very seriously. I forgot to mention this, which is why I said "stretching it" for the A 900; while I would definitely pursue the rebate to the end I have a strong preference of getting instant discounts instead.

I will still probably go for the Antec 900 because it has much better circulation.

Case aside, does anyone have any pointers for keeping the hardware cool other than using water cooling systems and frequent cleaning?
 
Why get a Phenom?
Why the insane amount of LED lights and windowed cases? IMO you stick with something simple and clean...I'd say you get a Cooler Master Centurion 590 or 690.
 
I went Phenom because I'm hardcore penny-pinching. Newegg has a sweet combo right now with Phenom and G-skill RAM that I couldn't turn down.
I couldnt agree more with something simple and clean. I think all the LED lights and flashy looks have gotten gaudy now days and I've been looking for an excuse not to go with the A-900. Air flow is more important to me than looks though and no case in the same price range has been able to sell me on that better than that Antec model. I don't know anyone using any of these cases though (everyone uses laptops) so I'm relying on what I see here. Do you own one of the Centurions Rally?
 
Yes, I own the CM 590 as well as a Centurion 534. Spacious case until you throw third party passive cooling into it. Then it doesn't look so big 😀

IMO you can get a better performing computer by going with a Q6600. I'm also thrifty but I would definitely go for the better choice right now considering the Q6600 holds its own against every single Phenom out there and squashes all Phenoms like a god among insects once it's overclocked.
 
Hey Rally, I don't know how I missed it but after reading your post I double checked and the Centurion 590 sold me. I appreciate your help on this, it's a lot more attractive and I like the space / air flow.

Regarding the Q6600, I've tried to work that sucker in my list instead of the Phenom in so many ways but can't seem to close the price gap enough to commit. I'll keep trying but the G-Skill / Phenom deal at Newegg is pretty sweet:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...d=0&PageSize=10&page=1

This Phenom / G-skill saves 45 bucks, for example.
 
Glad I could help. You might want to try searching for some combo deals with the HD4870s whether it comes with a mobo or memory depends on what Newegg or whatever retailer is running at the time and still be able to go with the Q6600.
 
If you can find any locally, check out the ROCKETFISH full tower in a giant red box at your local Best Buy.
They've been on clearance sale for months and if you are able to find one at all, it'll be around $49 which is the
best deal out there for a roomy case with excellent cooling IMHO. No PSU is included.

It is a somewhat lightweight Aluminium case, so it is a bit "fragile" compared to some of the steel cases out there,
so you wouldn't want to kick it, use it as a step-ladder, drop it three feet onto a hard floor, et.al. but in practice it is quite
fine for the job; it just has a different "feel" to it but it is in no way insufficient or low quality. I've got a couple.

The only "bad" thing is that it is a full tower, so if you have some 19" mid-tower sized space you want to use it in, it may
not fit since it is maybe six inches higher in its long dimension than a typical mid-tower, and maybe 3" deeper from front
to back.

Look for the old thread on the case deal here at AT Hot Deals forum and other similar forums on the internet for
pictures etc.

The last one I bought was just like 1 month ago, so there are definitely still some around in various stores sitting there
in single, dual, or triple quantities scattered around the country.
 
Could anyone provide some good pics of the CM590?

Im interested in the cooling fan points and would be overjoyed if someone had an HD4870 in one and could show that off.
 
Originally posted by: Elcs
Could anyone provide some good pics of the CM590?

Im interested in the cooling fan points and would be overjoyed if someone had an HD4870 in one and could show that off.
Click to expand...
I've already post plenty of pictures of my 4870 inside my CM590...in the same threads I've seen you post 😛. Alrighty, here we go again since you weren't paying attention the first time:

Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3

Plenty of clearance for a 4870, with several inches to spare as far as card length. The depth of the case is a bit longer than it's height - it's not a particularly tall case.

I don't have a picture of the front of the case, but there's a 120mm mounted at the front of the hard drive bay. There are two additional fan mounts on the side panel, which I haven't shown - I can't use them because of the height of my CPU and GPU heatsinks.

Other features:
- vent holes beneath the PSU mount
- cable management area underneath the motherboard tray for hiding cables.
 
Originally posted by: AmberClad
Originally posted by: Elcs
Could anyone provide some good pics of the CM590?

Im interested in the cooling fan points and would be overjoyed if someone had an HD4870 in one and could show that off.
Click to expand...
I've already post plenty of pictures of my 4870 inside my CM590...in the same threads I've seen you post 😛. Alrighty, here we go again since you weren't paying attention the first time:

Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3

Plenty of clearance for a 4870, with several inches to spare as far as card length. The depth of the case is a bit longer than it's height - it's not a particularly tall case.

I don't have a picture of the front of the case, but there's a 120mm mounted at the front of the hard drive bay. There are two additional fan mounts on the side panel, which I haven't shown - I can't use them because of the height of my CPU and GPU heatsinks.

Other features:
- vent holes beneath the PSU mount
- cable management area underneath the motherboard tray for hiding cables.
Click to expand...

😛 You get to show off your PC in another thread 🙂

Not having a side fan on would concern me. The way Id plan to set this up is use the 120 intake at the front, one intake on the side, one exhaust on the back and one top mounted exhaust to try and keep things balanced..... However my Ultima 90 and HR-03 GT may not make this possible.

This might make a nice upgrade from my Antec SLK3000B. The top mounted exhausts should line up nicely with my Ultima 90 on AM2 mount instead of all of that hot air driving into the PSU.

For the equivilent of approx $60... would this be a nice upgrade?
 
Originally posted by: Elcs
Not having a side fan on would concern me. The way Id plan to set this up is use the 120 intake at the front, one intake on the side, one exhaust on the back and one top mounted exhaust to try and keep things balanced..... However my Ultima 90 and HR-03 GT may not make this possible.
Click to expand...
If you really wanted to do that, I imagine you could mount the fans on the outside of the side panel and stick the power cables for the fans through the water-cooling holes in the back of the case. That's really a jury-rig, but it's workable if you care more about cooling than awkward looks 😀.

I wonder if a CPU cooler would do better rotated 90 degrees so it exhausts out the top instead of the back. Someone should try that. I can't, because of my northbridge heatsink.

Originally posted by: Elcs
This might make a nice upgrade from my Antec SLK3000B. The top mounted exhausts should line up nicely with my Ultima 90 on AM2 mount instead of all of that hot air driving into the PSU.

For the equivilent of approx $60... would this be a nice upgrade?
Click to expand...
I like the case personally - it's great for air-coolers and also people who obsess over clean cabling. It's not really tailored toward silent computing enthusiasts like Antec's offerings are, though. If you use slow fans (I'm using the low speed Yates), it's fairly quiet and it's mostly the sound of moving air, but if you use anything faster, it's probably going to be quite noisy because the whole case, including the mesh front is so full of holes. For all its holes, it's surprisingly heavy too, fully loaded (even empty, it's not all that light). So fans of aluminum cases are going to be in for a shock. You can see how I had to prop it up on some books to be able to slide it out of my desk without dropping it.
 
Originally posted by: AmberClad
Originally posted by: Elcs
Not having a side fan on would concern me. The way Id plan to set this up is use the 120 intake at the front, one intake on the side, one exhaust on the back and one top mounted exhaust to try and keep things balanced..... However my Ultima 90 and HR-03 GT may not make this possible.
Click to expand...
If you really wanted to do that, I imagine you could mount the fans on the outside of the side panel and stick the power cables for the fans through the water-cooling holes in the back of the case. That's really a jury-rig, but it's workable if you care more about cooling than awkward looks 😀.

I wonder if a CPU cooler would do better rotated 90 degrees so it exhausts out the top instead of the back. Someone should try that. I can't, because of my northbridge heatsink.

Originally posted by: Elcs
This might make a nice upgrade from my Antec SLK3000B. The top mounted exhausts should line up nicely with my Ultima 90 on AM2 mount instead of all of that hot air driving into the PSU.

For the equivilent of approx $60... would this be a nice upgrade?
Click to expand...
I like the case personally - it's great for air-coolers and also people who obsess over clean cabling. It's not really tailored toward silent computing enthusiasts like Antec's offerings are, though. If you use slow fans (I'm using the low speed Yates), it's fairly quiet and it's mostly the sound of moving air, but if you use anything faster, it's probably going to be quite noisy because the whole case, including the mesh front is so full of holes. For all its holes, it's surprisingly heavy too, fully loaded (even empty, it's not all that light). So fans of aluminum cases are going to be in for a shock. You can see how I had to prop it up on some books to be able to slide it out of my desk without dropping it.
Click to expand...

Im using 1,600rpm Slipstreams @ 900rpm which have just a hint of just enough airflow but produce enough noise to make me wish I could drop them down a slight touch.

The curiousity I have with the CM590 is probably threefold:

1) Extra fan slots. Means I can purchase a few 1,200rpm Slipstreams and dial them down even lower. Two 1,200's dialled down must be quieter and move more air than one 1,600 at 900.

2) Bottom Mounted PSU
and
3) Top mounted exhausts

My CPU fan blows upwards. It can either blow up into my PSU and out the back or it can blow down at my graphics card creating turbulance with my intake at the front.

The CM590 would allow me to directly exhaust my CPU heat out of the case, leaving me to deal with my HD4870 which is rather cramped in the SLK3000B.

PSU drawing fresh air from underneath and exhausting it directly out of the back is a master stroke imo. Would reduce overall case heat too.

What do you think? Am I living in a dreamland?
 
Originally posted by: Elcs
What do you think? Am I living in a dreamland?
Click to expand...
Er, which part of that post was dreamland 😛? All seems pretty reasonable, except the part about turning your CPU HSF so that it blows downward instead of upward. If I put my hand over the top of my case, I can feel hot air pumping out the two holes -- I'm not sure what'll happen if you have the CPU blowing down...might mess up the bottom to top airflow.

But then again, with an aftermarket video card cooler, it does raise your CPU temperature a few degrees because the hot air is blowing towards your CPU area instead of out of the back of the case. In my case, I don't really care because I'm running a dually, and even with the additional heat from the GPU, it still doesn't get above the low 50s.

I've found that adding additional fans does not raise the noise signature by a large amount. So 6 Yates isn't 6 times as loud as 1 Yate - it's somewhat louder, but not by a huge amount. In the summer, I have room fans on and the windows open, so the computer isn't audible above that. During the winter, I have all my fans dialed down, so isn't an issue.
 
Originally posted by: AmberClad
Originally posted by: Elcs
What do you think? Am I living in a dreamland?
Click to expand...
Er, which part of that post was dreamland 😛? All seems pretty reasonable, except the part about turning your CPU HSF so that it blows downward instead of upward. If I put my hand over the top of my case, I can feel hot air pumping out the two holes -- I'm not sure what'll happen if you have the CPU blowing down...might mess up the bottom to top airflow.

But then again, with an aftermarket video card cooler, it does raise your CPU temperature a few degrees because the hot air is blowing towards your CPU area instead of out of the back of the case. In my case, I don't really care because I'm running a dually, and even with the additional heat from the GPU, it still doesn't get above the low 50s.

I've found that adding additional fans does not raise the noise signature by a large amount. So 6 Yates isn't 6 times as loud as 1 Yate - it's somewhat louder, but not by a huge amount. In the summer, I have room fans on and the windows open, so the computer isn't audible above that. During the winter, I have all my fans dialed down, so isn't an issue.
Click to expand...

I was highlighting the two options I had. I should have stated that pointing it down was a bad idea.

The beauty of the TR HR-03 GT is that it can be mounted above the GPU or below the GPU. To mount it below, I would have to forgoe a fan. It is sitting just blow my CPU.... not ideal but the CPU and GPU temps arent that bad... just not the right level of noise output for the cooling required. When my CPU hits 55C at stock speed and at 1.325V as opposed to 1.4v stock, its a little frustrating.

The negative about this transition would be the loss of my AcoustiPack Deluxe which is firmly stuck to my SLK3000B. At least I could rig up an HTPC with it and keep it silent 🙂

Its 3pm here and Im on a break at work. I dont fancy laying down the cash today as I can wait until tomorrow before deciding what to do. I mean.... my PSU is still with the RMA company so until I get that back, Im twiddling my thumbs.

EDIT: How are the stock fans?
 
Originally posted by: AmberClad
I've already post plenty of pictures of my 4870 inside my CM590...in the same threads I've seen you post 😛. Alrighty, here we go again since you weren't paying attention the first time:
Click to expand...

everytime i see your rigs,

i get a shutter at the tiny space you work with.
And i keep thinkn, Dayam i wish i had small hands. 😛
 
I have decided that once I know what is happening with my PSU, I will be purchasing the Centurion 590 🙂 along with some 1,200 rpm slipstreams for my case.

The final decision I need to make is what fan for my CPU? Some people say that the Slipstream is a good case fan and not a good CPU fan, and that the S-Flexes are superior due to static pressure. Comparing SPCR's reviews of the Slipstream and S-Flex, the Slipstream has the CFM advantage. Id be going for the 1,200 rpm Slipstream or the 1,200 rpm S-Flex.

What do the experts here say?
 
Originally posted by: RallyMaster
Why get a Phenom?
Why the insane amount of LED lights and windowed cases? IMO you stick with something simple and clean...I'd say you get a Cooler Master Centurion 590 or 690.
Click to expand...

I have a CM 590, and it's a real bargain box, with 140 mm fan mounts in profusion, great depth for long cards, etc. So it lacks the cutesy little tray on top .. big deal! I paid $80, with shipping, when I got it, but I've had mine since they first came out, so you ought to be able to beat that by now.
 
Rather than start a new topic....

I got my CM Centurion 590... and I can prove some naysayers wrong (sort of). I had some people not too happy that I chose to pay more for my Thermalright HR-03 GT over the Accelero S1 Rev2. With a standard board, HD4870.... AmberClad was unable to fit a standard 120mm fan on the side panel blowing onto his HD4870 because of the size of the Accelero S1 Rev 2. I managed to fit one in that spot blowing directly onto my HR-03 GT. The Accelero is great if you have the space, superb performance for relatively cheap. 🙂

My Antec SLK3000B was my first non-generic case and I loved it.... the Centurion 590 is so far better than my Antec case its unreal and comparing prices at time of purchase, the CM 590 was probably only $5-10 more than what I paid for the SLK3000B.

My biggest problem at the moment is my side case fan. Its just a ton noisier than than my intake, exhaust and CPU fan... yet they are all Slipstream 1600's dialled to startup voltage. I do remember one of the screws being a bit awkward so I will try and mount it again.

Happy with the case, fantastic airflow opportunities although there arent that many good 140mm fans out there to make use of it.... not sure on the stability and sturdyness of the 5 1/4" mounting systems but Im not going to be moving it so thats pretty moot.
 
For what it's worth, I have a HD4870 and E8400 (neither oc'd, YET) in an Antec 900. I upped the stock cooler on the 4870 to 35%, set all the fans to M, except for the bottom intake in front (which feeds air onto my 4870) which is set to H.

The HD4870 idle's at 32C and the CPU with stock cooler at 41C.

If I loved my case any more, I'd be arrested.

I have to admit though, ambient temp is 15C... (",)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top