Bitfenix Prodigy - Do I need extra fans? Special coolants?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
F

fiori

Honorable
Feb 13, 2014
13
0
10,510
After abandoning my propose fractal r4 build because of space and size issues I decided a bitfenix prodigy would be perfect for my first build.

The components are all finally chosen and i think i can get everything in comfortably (i hope) However I dont know if i will have problems will cooling. Everyone seems to get watercooling systems, cpu coolant gels, touch screen fan controllers and extra fans in the top of the case etc so it's making me worried to think that my evo212 isnt enough. I dont plan to overclock (i chose the z87 as opposed to the h87 as its cheaper for some reason) As this is my first build I am learning as i go and i dont want to set fire to my pc a day after i build it, so if anyone has any advice I would really appreciate it.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VVLB


CPU: Intel Core i7-4770 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($300.98 @ Best Buy)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z87N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($131.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($162.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($145.99 @ Best Buy)
Storage: Western Digital WD Green 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card ($338.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: BitFenix Prodigy (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case ($79.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($54.99 @ Microcenter)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - OEM (64-bit) ($99.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1450.82
 
Solution
Rammy
Few points

1) You don't specify usage, but given the pretty hefty graphics budget I'm assuming it has a significant bias towards gaming. If it's solely a gaming machine, then you are spending quite a lot of money on things which don't improve gaming performance, and for a $1500 gaming machine it's relatively weak. If you have other usages then things like the i7, 16GB of memory and large SSD start to earn their place more.

2) Get the K-series i7. You might as well. The price difference is small, and if you have a Z87 motherboard anyway, then it gives you some future potential. At $5, it's worth a punt.

3) Hyper 212 Evo is compatible with the case, but not with that motherboard. If you aren't overclocking, then you can just use the...
Sort by date Sort by votes
getochkn

getochkn

Polypheme
Jul 2, 2006
12,407
54
65,040
You don't need to overclock if you don't want to, and if you're not, you don't need to worry about liquid cooling. You are getting a non "K" processor so you can't overclock so make that decision now. That CPU without overclocking will do fine on the Evo 212 though and the case has a ton of room.

My case came with 2 fans and there is room for 6 total, so you can get some decent cooling with lots of fans and the Evo.

IF you want to overclock, get the K processor and maybe a smaller water cooling loop instead.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Rammy

Rammy

Honorable
Sep 3, 2012
2,492
0
12,960
Few points

1) You don't specify usage, but given the pretty hefty graphics budget I'm assuming it has a significant bias towards gaming. If it's solely a gaming machine, then you are spending quite a lot of money on things which don't improve gaming performance, and for a $1500 gaming machine it's relatively weak. If you have other usages then things like the i7, 16GB of memory and large SSD start to earn their place more.

2) Get the K-series i7. You might as well. The price difference is small, and if you have a Z87 motherboard anyway, then it gives you some future potential. At $5, it's worth a punt.

3) Hyper 212 Evo is compatible with the case, but not with that motherboard. If you aren't overclocking, then you can just use the stock cooler, or use a smaller tower cooler (anything with 90-93mm fans will work, think Hyper TX3 or similar). If you want to keep the cooler, then you'll need to look at alternative motherboards.

4) Your build isn't cheap, so I'd suggest upgrading the PSU. The wattage is fine, but it's a fairly low end unit. If you want to keep the costs down, get an XFX Core 550 for a similar price, or if you want something with modular cables then the Antec HCG-620M, Seasonic M12-II-620 and Seasonic G-550/650 would be good to consider.

5) Prodigy cooling - don't get a lot of fans or anything fancy, it's just going to make a load of noise and do very little for your temps. As you aren't overclocking, you shouldn't need to worry about this too much, but if you want to maximise the airflow then you only need to buy two fans really - a quality 140mm for the rear exhaust, and a 230/200mm for the front (if you have availability issues, a 140mm for the front will suffice too). These two fans can easily be run off motherboard headers (the Gigabyte only has two, but you can use a splitter to run the two fans off the motherboard, removing the need for a fan controller).
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
F

fiori

Honorable
Feb 13, 2014
13
0
10,510


Thanks for the help. I will mainly be using the system for photoshop painting/editing, 3D modelling and still allow me to game comfortably for the next few years, which is why i went for the i7 instead of the i5. As i am buying the parts in japan the 4770k is at least around $30-40 more which is why i decided against it, also i will now be going for the h87 board as all the z87 are out of stock :(

I didnt realise that the 212evo wasnt compatible so thanks for letting me know and ill try and change the psu to something more suitable.

I recently got the 770 as it was on sale and wasnt such a big price difference from the 760 model, but maybe as im not using the system primarily for gaming then maybe i should downgrade.

Anyway thanks for all the info, it really helps
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom