$1700 (or so) small form factor gaming PC: First build

[stateofjermaine]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Aug 09 - Oct 09
BUDGET RANGE: $1700 (or so)
SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Adobe Creative Suite, Crysis, Blu-ray, minimal MIDI recording, web surfing, school work

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Speakers, subwoofer
PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com, ncix.com, amazon.com

PARTS PREFERENCES:
Case?
Intel Core i7 920 Processor Here
EVGA Intel X58 MicroATX SLI Motherboard Here
6GB OCZ DDR 1600mhz RAM Here
Sapphire Radeon HD4890 Vapor-X 1GB Here
Silverstone ST70F 700W Modular PSU Here
Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB 7200 RPM Drive Here
Case Fans?
LG Black 8X BD-ROM Internal Drive Here
CPU Cooler?
Samsung 2333SW 23" Widescreen LCD Monitor Here
Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders (OEM) Here

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe, but probably not.
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe, but probably not yet.

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1080
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: (1) I would prefer a quieter PC, but I am not overly concerned about it. (2) It will need to fit in a 14" x 14" cubby, open in the front and back. (3) Aesthetics are a concern. (4) My main gaming objective is Crysis; 1650x1080; Enthusiast; 30 FPS.

Any suggestions or concerns? Please grace me with your infinite wisdom.

 

[engiNURD]

Get a better PSU. Corsair comes to mind, or the Strider series 600W ST60F w/ PP05 short cable kit.

Since you can't see the inside, you might want to switch to the MSI X58M to save a few bucks.

 

[Phuey]

Good build.

+1.

But keep in mind that in August or October, prices may go down on some parts so you may be able to get something better for the same price with the items you're looking to buy now.

 

[stateofjermaine]

Get a better PSU. Corsair comes to mind, or the Strider series 600W ST60F w/ PP05 short cable kit.

Since you can't see the inside, you might want to switch to the MSI X58M to save a few bucks.

Thanks, enginurd! Yeah, I was a little iffy on that PSU, but people kept telling me it was fine. Two issues that have come up in my search for an appropriate PSU: (1) Modular is big when it comes to airflow and cord management in such a small space. (2) In this particular case, the length of the PSU + optical drive cannot exceed 355mm, and many 600W+ modular units seem to be 7"+ for some reason. How's that for a fun puzzle!? But thanks to you I've been back into the trenches, and I think I've really struck gold this time.

Re: the EVGA motherboard, the MSI has been brought to my attention before, but I'm not convinced it's a better product than the EVGA (price aside). Reviews have been spotty at best, several reviewers mentioning issues with overheating. Has your impression/experience been very different?

 

[stateofjermaine]

Good build.

+1.

But keep in mind that in August or October, prices may go down on some parts so you may be able to get something better for the same price with the items you're looking to buy now.

Thanks very much, Phuey! It means a lot to have a more experienced builder sign off. Yes, it has been brought to my attention that with DX11 and the i5, things may be shaken up a bit. But does that mean I should wait on this build, or hurry up with it!?

 

[engiNURD]

Thanks, enginurd! Yeah, I was a little iffy on that PSU, but people kept telling me it was fine. Two issues that have come up in my search for an appropriate PSU: (1) Modular is big when it comes to airflow and cord management in such a small space. (2) In this particular case, the length of the PSU + optical drive cannot exceed 355mm, and many 600W+ modular units seem to be 7"+ for some reason. How's that for a fun puzzle!? But thanks to you I've been back into the trenches, and I think I've really struck gold this time.

Re: the EVGA motherboard, the MSI has been brought to my attention before, but I'm not convinced it's a better product than the EVGA (price aside). Reviews have been spotty at best, several reviewers mentioning issues with overheating. Has your impression/experience been very different?

Hm... you don't even need 700W, let alone 850W, unless you plan on going SLI/CF. The deal with the OCZ is, you can do better for your money. The Seasonic is a great unit, but the cables are long for an SG02. This is the combo I was speaking of:
$120 - SilverStone SST-ST60F 600W 80+ Bronze Modular APFC PSU
$20 - SilverStone PP05 Short Cable For PSU Set

The Strider series are completely modular (including the main 24-pin ATX connector), and the 600W/700W/750W are all standard size units around 6" long; the 850W is 7" long.

Regarding the X58M, as with the eVGA, you should upgrade the NB cooling. I'm waiting for tiraides opinions on the board, though. He has one but hasn't finished his build yet.

 

[stateofjermaine]

Hm... you don't even need 700W, let alone 850W, unless you plan on going SLI/CF. The deal with the OCZ is, you can do better for your money. The Seasonic is a great unit, but the cables are long for an SG02. This is the combo I was speaking of:
$120 - SilverStone SST-ST60F 600W 80+ Bronze Modular APFC PSU
$20 - SilverStone PP05 Short Cable For PSU Set

The Strider series are completely modular (including the main 24-pin ATX connector), and the 600W/700W/750W are all standard size units around 6" long; the 850W is 7" long.

Regarding the X58M, as with the eVGA, you should upgrade the NB cooling. I'm waiting for tiraides opinions on the board, though. He has one but hasn't finished his build yet.

Thanks for coming back, enginurd. It is very nice to hear that I am pushing way too much power for once. I kept reading posts and reviews saying that high-end cards were a real drain. Lots of gloom and doom about needing 700W, etc. So this is a nice change of pace.

That said, part of my not-so-brilliant scheme is to upgrade to CF in the near future. I am trying to keep it simple at first, and I figure the upgrade can be its own adventure. One of the reasons I chose the HD4890 over the GTX275, actually, was that two 4890's could fit in my case CF, while the GTX275's were a bit too long. I am hoping to keep my upgrade options open. So, given that, I felt like I should get the best power supply I could afford, and make upgrading a little simpler later. I really hope I'm making sense!

Re: the MSI board, I will go back to the drawing board on that. I guess reviews can be skewed by builders using hyper-hot cards (GTX285, etc.) and poor cooling. But the EVGA is so pretty!

Thanks, again. I have to say your help has been priceless.

 

[tiraides]

Heat is going to be your #1 issue. I've owned two of the SUGO series cases (SG01 and SG03) and I've switched them out because I didn't like how warm (and how tight) everything was inside. With the SG02, a multi-card setup is a bad idea. You'll only have three 80mm case fans for cooling the entire case, and the PSU fan will be "fighting" with the CPU cooler (assuming that you use the stock HSF) to draw the hot air out of the case. If it weren't for your requirement to fit a 14"x14" area, I'd recommend a different case.

While a good aftermarket chipset cooler is recommended for your northbridge, your case selection makes that a bit difficult to manage. I'm using the Thermalright HR-05 IFX for my board, but it may not be able to fit inside the SG02 with everything else in place.

A good PSU (ideally, one that's 80 Plus certified) of at least 500 watts with at least 40A of power can run any single-GPU video card that's out now. That said, I second enginurd's recommendation of the ST60F with the PP05 short cable kit -- I've also used that in the past (however, I upgraded mine simply because I wanted something different for my new build).

Check out the review for the MSI X58M from hardware reviews sites, like us or AnandTech. Don't rely on reviews from NewEgg and other retailers as many reviewers don't give you enough details to work with.

 

[King Icewind]

Decent build, but that case is going to be soo cramped.

Also go to microcenter.com, the i7 920 processor is 199.99 compared to the 279.99 on newegg.

I have a similiar build, except with the Antec Twelve Hundred case <---One sweet case.
And the Gtx 260 video card.

~*King Icewind*~

 

[stateofjermaine]

Heat is going to be your #1 issue. I've owned two of the SUGO series cases (SG01 and SG03) and I've switched them out because I didn't like how warm (and how tight) everything was inside. With the SG02, a multi-card setup is a bad idea. You'll only have three 80mm case fans for cooling the entire case, and the PSU fan will be "fighting" with the CPU cooler (assuming that you use the stock HSF) to draw the hot air out of the case. If it weren't for your requirement to fit a 14"x14" area, I'd recommend a different case.

Thanks, tiraides! I have been looking for someone with personal experience. Yeah, I figured heat would be a major concern. I have tried to be very careful about choosing components, and I wouldn't dream of using the stock HSF. Re: graphics cards, the Sapphire 4890 Toxic has reviewed very well for temperatures. Oh, and what do you make of the Silverstone crossflow fan? I have read that it can make a noticeable difference in case temperature. The one piece I'm not at all satisfied with is my CPU cooler. I think I can do much better, even considering the height restraints.

While a good aftermarket chipset cooler is recommended for your northbridge, your case selection makes that a bit difficult to manage. I'm using the Thermalright HR-05 IFX for my board, but it may not be able to fit inside the SG02 with everything else in place.

Finding a cooling solution will certainly be a challenge, but that is part of the fun! I am currently researching the CoolJag Falcon II, as it has begun to receive some glowing reviews, and stands a diminutive 70mm.

A good PSU (ideally, one that's 80 Plus certified) of at least 500 watts with at least 40A of power can run any single-GPU video card that's out now. That said, I second enginurd's recommendation of the ST60F with the PP05 short cable kit -- I've also used that in the past (however, I upgraded mine simply because I wanted something different for my new build).

That PSU looks very good! It is a hard choice to make these days, as I have researched seemingly dozens of great options (Corsair HX620, Seasonic, Silverstone), so I appreciate the recommendation. But in the horribly-ill-advised event I do try CF on day, will it provide enough power?

Check out the review for the MSI X58M from hardware reviews sites, like us or AnandTech. Don't rely on reviews from NewEgg and other retailers as many reviewers don't give you enough details to work with.

I will do that. Thanks for the help!

 

[stateofjermaine]

Decent build, but that case is going to be soo cramped.

Also go to microcenter.com, the i7 920 processor is 199.99 compared to the 279.99 on newegg.

I have a similiar build, except with the Antec Twelve Hundred case <---One sweet case.
And the Gtx 260 video card.

~*King Icewind*~

Very kind of you to bring that to my attention, King Icewind!

Yes, the case is small ("cramped", as you put it), and many techies have a distaste for this form factor. But I guess I am just cursed with a distaste for tremendous towers. Also, given the space requirements in our room (indeed, in our apartment), I feel this will best suit our needs. Besides, isn't the challenge part of the fun!?

 

[lowteckh]

Cooling 2 cards in a SG01/02 isn't really that bad - you get the top fan which blows air directly into your video card fan and you can also direct the "exhaust" fan to blow air IN since the 4890 has its own exhaust. The problem with the SUGOs is CPU cooling (and not GPU cooling) because there is NO active intake, and your exhaust is just done by the PSU (which can put immense strain on it since you're throwing an i7 into it).

The PP03 short cables have been discontinued for a while and you won't even need it. The ST60F may have trouble powering 2 4890s. A ST70F may be able to.

The Crossflow fan will probably do nothing... and most likely restrict a HSF.

But 2 4890s and i7 in a SG02 is just asking for trouble. A 4890 runs hot already, and with pretty much zero exhaust for the CPU, NB, VRMs, etc., the residual heat is going to blow the shit out of your system.

 

[engiNURD]

The NT06 Lite, pictured in lowteckh's post, is also a good choice for CPU cooling.

Oh, another good thing about the newer Strider series PSUs is that they have 135mm fans instead of 120mm.

 

[stateofjermaine]

Cooling 2 cards in a SG01/02 isn't really that bad - you get the top fan which blows air directly into your video card fan and you can also direct the "exhaust" fan to blow air IN since the 4890 has its own exhaust. The problem with the SUGOs is CPU cooling (and not GPU cooling) because there is NO active intake, and your exhaust is just done by the PSU (which can put immense strain on it since you're throwing an i7 into it).

The PP03 short cables have been discontinued for a while and you won't even need it. The ST60F may have trouble powering 2 4890s. A ST70F may be able to.

The Crossflow fan will probably do nothing... and most likely restrict a HSF.

But 2 4890s and i7 in a SG02 is just asking for trouble. A 4890 runs hot already, and with pretty much zero exhaust for the CPU, NB, VRMs, etc., the residual heat is going to blow the shit out of your system.

Thank you, lowteckh! That is some valuable info. Also, I have a question for you. Early in your post, you mentioned that card cooling should not be a problem in an SG02, but toward the end you said that "2 4890s and an i7 in an SG02 is just asking for trouble," and went on to note how hot the 4890 runs. I am not trying to be difficult, but is card cooling an issue or not?

I do realize that my main issue right now is CPU cooling, and it will probably make or break this build. And while I feel like this could be a dumb question, I've got to ask. Having worked directly with the case, do you think something like Corsair's H50 would have any shot at all?

Thanks for all your help.

 

[stateofjermaine]

The ST60F may have trouble powering 2 4890s. A ST70F may be able to.

That's the one I had just decided on! Thanks, again.

 

[stateofjermaine]

The NT06 Lite, pictured in lowteckh's post, is also a good choice for CPU cooling.

Oh, another good thing about the newer Strider series PSUs is that they have 135mm fans instead of 120mm.

That is a huge plus! Thanks for the recommendation. The 100% modular layout (as opposed to some "modular" units which still hardwire certain components) is a great asset, also. I think I've decided on the 700W version, as my stupid self is still hoping CF might work.

Bytheway, have you ever heard of anyone attempting to install an H50 in an SG02?

 

[engiNURD]

... Bytheway, have you ever heard of anyone attempting to install an H50 in an SG02?

I'm wondering where you'd mount the rad/fan?

The H50 would work great in a shuttle, though, lol.

 

[stateofjermaine]

I'm wondering where you'd mount the rad/fan?

The H50 would work great in a shuttle, though, lol.

Ha, well that is great news for someone else!

What do you think about mounting it on the side-panel vents? Or even under the PSU fan? This may be complete foolishness, of course.

 

[lowteckh]

Thank you, lowteckh! That is some valuable info. Also, I have a question for you. Early in your post, you mentioned that card cooling should not be a problem in an SG02, but toward the end you said that "2 4890s and an i7 in an SG02 is just asking for trouble," and went on to note how hot the 4890 runs. I am not trying to be difficult, but is card cooling an issue or not?

I do realize that my main issue right now is CPU cooling, and it will probably make or break this build. And while I feel like this could be a dumb question, I've got to ask. Having worked directly with the case, do you think something like Corsair's H50 would have any shot at all?

Thanks for all your help.

The residual heat from the 4890 would blow your MOBO and CPU temps out of the water. They may have their own exhaust but there is still a ton of heat that get dispersed inside the case, and like I said, the only thing keeping it alive is your PSU alone.

You're not gonna be able to fit a H50 in it.

My PSU gets uber fucking hot (kudos to my ST70F for holding up so damn well) even with no overclocking, it really puts a strain on it. I was able to cool a E8400 at 4GHz at and above temperature limits (70+c), but the P45 runs much cooler than the X58 which is notorious for pushing temps. So.... you may need to seat it in front of an A/C.

 

[stateofjermaine]

Some low-profile i7 coolers I'm considering:

ThermalRight AXP-140
CoolJag Falcon II
Corsair H50
Scythe Ninja Mini

Anyone found anything else or have any experience with these coolers?

 

[stateofjermaine]

The residual heat from the 4890 would blow your MOBO and CPU temps out of the water. They may have their own exhaust but there is still a ton of heat that get dispersed inside the case, and like I said, the only thing keeping it alive is your PSU alone.

You're not gonna be able to fit a H50 in it.

My PSU gets uber fucking hot (kudos to my ST70F for holding up so damn well) even with no overclocking, it really puts a strain on it. I was able to cool a E8400 at 4GHz at and above temperature limits (70+c), but the P45 runs much cooler than the X58 which is notorious for pushing temps. So.... you may need to seat it in front of an A/C.

Yeah, I figured the H50 wouldn't fit. The moderator at the Corsair forums suggested it might be possible, but I am not holding my breath. I know this build will not be easy, but I am going to keep looking and asking around for a while. Maybe it's hopeless, but a guy can dream can't he?

 

[lowteckh]

Dreaming won't make a system build work. Don't know what other assurance and questions you need to keep asking, more words isn't going to make a case any different or cooler.

GL.

 

[DTN107]

I would change case to SUGO SG01-BF.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163116

I have both SG01 and SG02 and I really regret buying the SG02. It is a major dust magnet and only two front USB ports is kinda weak. The flipping front panel part is kinda too plastic as well. Do yourself a favor and go for the SG01.

Also I would change hard-drive to either 640GB or 1TB WD black drives. The 750GB has 3x250GB platters and the 640GB has 2x333GB and the 1TB has 3x333GB platters. From my own experience recently I find that the 333GB platters runs a bit more smoother and quieter than my 750GB WD black drive.

 

[stateofjermaine]

Dreaming won't make a system build work. Don't know what other assurance and questions you need to keep asking, more words isn't going to make a case any different or cooler.

GL.

Thanks for your matter-of-fact and very informative responses. You have been very helpful. But honestly, I don't understand what concern it is of yours how many questions I ask, or if I wander the earth carrying an SG02 (or 01) for the next 20 years. I will try different cooling methods, cases, processors and cards until I find a build that satisfies me. No biggie. Honestly, there is no need to be so rude.

 

[stateofjermaine]

I would change case to SUGO SG01-BF.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163116

I have both SG01 and SG02 and I really regret buying the SG02. It is a major dust magnet and only two front USB ports is kinda weak. The flipping front panel part is kinda too plastic as well. Do yourself a favor and go for the SG01.

Also I would change hard-drive to either 640GB or 1TB WD black drives. The 750GB has 3x250GB platters and the 640GB has 2x333GB and the 1TB has 3x333GB platters. From my own experience recently I find that the 333GB platters runs a bit more smoother and quieter than my 750GB WD black drive.

Wow, thanks! I did look at the SG01, as a matter of fact. It was actually a very nice unit, and I only chose the SG02 for the additional 5.25" bay, which I no longer need. I will make the switch, then. Thanks for the heads up. Re: the 750GB hard drive, it's funny you mention the 640GB, because that is the one I initially chose. Again, very good to hear from someone with hands-on experience.

Also, do you prefer the SG01 over the SG01 Evolution? I don't recall what the difference is.

 

[volt01]

I noticed you said for school work. Are you going away to college in the fall? If it's a bigger school you can probably get XP/Vista for free, would save you about 100 bucks. Until than use windows 7 rc.

 

[DTN107]

As far as I know the two SG01 are very different.

The one I linked has a steel structure inside and has an aluminum case body and front. The steel structure helps sound deafen the case and the hdd cage is located away from the videocards. This allows you to install a full size videocard.

The other SG01 Evolution which usually comes with a window now is made of entirely aluminium. Extremely light weight when I pull it out of the box. However the location of the hdd cage is in the videocard area and this will prevent you from install a full size videocard. Not only that but generally this case usually cost a good chuck more.

My family is using the SG01 Evolution and it does barely fits the GTS 250 card. Just a bit of a pain to plug in the 6 pin wire in. If you do try to cram a full size videocard in there be sure it has the 6-pin or 8-pin on top of the card rather than on the side. For example here.

And just like lowteckh be sure you install an extra 80mm fan above the videocards.

 

[stateofjermaine]

I noticed you said for school work. Are you going away to college in the fall? If it's a bigger school you can probably get XP/Vista for free, would save you about 100 bucks. Until than use windows 7 rc.

Thanks, volt01. That's an interesting idea. I attend the University of Phoenix at the moment, so I'm not sure it will apply. But my wife is attending Maryland. That could work, right?

 

[lowteckh]

SG01-F is steel and the latest version with support for longer cards.
The others don't and are aluminum.
The F is also much heavier and the innards aren't as nice and polished as the Aluminums. Why they didn't just make the F version the same nice aluminum is beyond me.

SG01-F and SG02 are completely the same inside, just different faceplates.

Not saying you can't try this case, but I've already said this case is most likely not going to be suitable for an i7 + 2x4890 setup. You can try, but as I've said it's pretty futile. Sugar-coating ain't my forte. Why not a case like the V350 that's MUCH more flexible?

 

[stateofjermaine]

SG01-F is steel and the latest version with support for longer cards.
The others don't and are aluminum.
The F is also much heavier and the innards aren't as nice and polished as the Aluminums. Why they didn't just make the F version the same nice aluminum is beyond me.

SG01-F and SG02 are completely the same inside, just different faceplates.

Not saying you can't try this case, but I've already said this case is most likely not going to be suitable for an i7 + 2x4890 setup. You can try, but as I've said it's pretty futile. Sugar-coating ain't my forte. Why not a case like the V350 that's MUCH more flexible?

Aw, lowteckh, I knew you had it in ya! I wasn't hoping for sugar-coating, I was hoping for ideas. And this is a very good one, I think! The Lian Li looks like a very nice choice to me . . . how does it compare to something like the ThermalTake LANBOX Lite? And what benefits does it bring to the table?

Thanks!

 

[jonsy2k]

I have a feeling that university of phoenix would definitely have access to some free copies of windows operating systems. I currently attend school at UCLA and couldnt be happier that they provide the engineering students with free copies of vista business and xp professional and home.

Just ask around the computer lab or such I think.

 

[Phuey]

Thanks very much, Phuey! It means a lot to have a more experienced builder sign off. Yes, it has been brought to my attention that with DX11 and the i5, things may be shaken up a bit. But does that mean I should wait on this build, or hurry up with it!?

It really depends on what you want. If you can wait and you don't really need a gaming/etc PC, then wait. The worst thing is having buyer's remorse.

 

[stateofjermaine]

I have a feeling that university of phoenix would definitely have access to some free copies of windows operating systems. I currently attend school at UCLA and couldnt be happier that they provide the engineering students with free copies of vista business and xp professional and home.

Just ask around the computer lab or such I think.

I will definitely look into it. Thanks!

 

[lowteckh]

SG01 vs Lanbox Lite vs V350?

Size wise:

Specs wise:
Since I've covered the limitations of the SG01 already... The Lanbox is a steel case with a very plastic front. Of all the layouts, I think it has the worse of them all - if you want to use the HD cage, there's pretty much no active intake since the front fan is blocked by the cage. And if you want to install 2 long cards, you're gonna have to do some cutting and modding. The CPU cooling performance of the Lanbox is better than the SG01 (since there's at least some intake air from the front, and you can throw 2 60mm fans at the rear), but lacks in video card cooling.

The V350.. cable management is much more of a pain than either the Lanbox or SG01 (for me at least...) but in terms of cooling it trumps the rest because.... it can fit up to 130mm-135mm coolers where the SG01 is limited to 80mm? and the Lanbox is 100mm. It does have exhaust problems, since the only thing exhausting is the PSU and 80mm fan in the HD cage. It's also bigger than the rest.

 

[stateofjermaine]

SG01 vs Lanbox Lite vs V350?

Size wise:

Specs wise:
Since I've covered the limitations of the SG01 already... The Lanbox is a steel case with a very plastic front. Of all the layouts, I think it has the worse of them all - if you want to use the HD cage, there's pretty much no active intake since the front fan is blocked by the cage. And if you want to install 2 long cards, you're gonna have to do some cutting and modding. The CPU cooling performance of the Lanbox is better than the SG01 (since there's at least some intake air from the front, and you can throw 2 60mm fans at the rear), but lacks in video card cooling.

The V350.. cable management is much more of a pain than either the Lanbox or SG01 (for me at least...) but in terms of cooling it trumps the rest because.... it can fit up to 130mm-135mm coolers where the SG01 is limited to 80mm? and the Lanbox is 100mm. It does have exhaust problems, since the only thing exhausting is the PSU and 80mm fan in the HD cage. It's also bigger than the rest.

Awesome stuff, man. I really appreciate it. I think I will go with your recommendation and try the Lian Li. After reading mountains of reviews for CPU coolers, it will be nice to be able to actually consider a few of the good ones. Can you recommend something to get me started?

Also, pardon the fixation, but with the large 120mm fans, I can't help but wonder if the H50 would fit this case!

Bytheway, I believe the height restriction on the SG02 is technically 82mm.

 

[stateofjermaine]

The V350.. cable management is much more of a pain than either the Lanbox or SG01 (for me at least...)

Would you mind elaborating on this? What in particular was the trouble with the case?

 

[lowteckh]

You'll have to mod the fan cage for the V350 to stick a radiator in there. The V351 (browse through SFF section) may be able to without modding, dunno.

Most people use a Noctua C12P for the V350/V351, I just like the look of tower coolers.

Would you mind elaborating on this? What in particular was the trouble with the case?

Just harder to make things disappear and look flush. Your cabling skills may be l33ter than mine.

 

[stateofjermaine]

You'll have to mod the fan cage for the V350 to stick a radiator in there. The V351 (browse through SFF section) may be able to without modding, dunno.

This is in regards to the H50? Sorry, I'm a little slow sometimes. Well, it's off to do some more homework!

 

[lowteckh]

Uh huh. You can't screw in the H50 into a V350, and probably not for the V351.

 

[stateofjermaine]

Uh huh. You can't screw in the H50 into a V350, and probably not for the V351.

I've been looking for some possible replacement case fans and a heatsink for this build, as the i7 920 is apparently going to try to give my poor Lian Li rig a heart condition. Performance (cfm/load temperatures) is first and foremost. This will be a design/gaming rig, so it will not be sitting next to a vase of lilacs in the formal dining room or anything. That said, let's try not to get TOO ridiculous.

RE: the heatsink, according to the best info I could find, I will have roughly 128mm of clearance between the PSU and the MB. Looking into these at the moment:

ThermalRight AXP-140 Here
CoolJag Falcon II Here
Zalman CNPS-9500 Here
Enzotech Extreme-X Here
Noctua NH-C12P Here
Scythe Ninja Mini Here

The case (Lian Li V350) comes equipped with 2x120mm intake fans up front, and 1x80mm exhaust fan in the rear, near the top. I've been looking at these:

120mm:
Scythe S-Flex SFF21-G Here
Yate Loon D12SM-12 Here
Silverstone FM-121 Here
Noctua NFP-12 Here
Scythe Ultra Kaze 2000 Here
Nanoxia FX-12 Here

80mm:
Vantech Tornado Here
Thermaltake A1214 Smart Case Fan Here

As always, thanks for your input!