Need a case for my custom computer please!

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Funjando

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Dec 9, 2013
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Hi all,
So I've trying to build a custom computer and i got a list of components together but now that i'm trying to track them all down i can't find the case so i was wondering if anyone could pull together a few good cases which my parts would fit in?

My current case is the NZXT H440
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3iYjU

Thanks!
 
Solution
JackNaylorPE
Nothing there that causes any concern fit wise for a case though dampening the extreme sound output from the H100i should be your primary concern. You could get an H110 which is pretty decent soundwise but then again, why spend all that money for an H110 if it doesn't do any better than any of the premium air coolers (Phanteks PH-TC14-PE, Noctua DH-14) ?

From about the 55% CPU load mark (1:15 in the video below), I find the H100i unbearable. The 100i tops out well over 2600 rpm....the H110 is much quieter being down at 1500ish rpm

http://martinsliquidlab.org/2013/03/12/swiftech-h220-vs-corsair-h100i-noise-testing/

As ya can see here, the H110 and Noctua Dh14 offer about the same sound (39 vs 40 dBA) and thermals (both 72C) under...
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JackNaylorPE

JackNaylorPE

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Nothing there that causes any concern fit wise for a case though dampening the extreme sound output from the H100i should be your primary concern. You could get an H110 which is pretty decent soundwise but then again, why spend all that money for an H110 if it doesn't do any better than any of the premium air coolers (Phanteks PH-TC14-PE, Noctua DH-14) ?

From about the 55% CPU load mark (1:15 in the video below), I find the H100i unbearable. The 100i tops out well over 2600 rpm....the H110 is much quieter being down at 1500ish rpm

http://martinsliquidlab.org/2013/03/12/swiftech-h220-vs-corsair-h100i-noise-testing/

As ya can see here, the H110 and Noctua Dh14 offer about the same sound (39 vs 40 dBA) and thermals (both 72C) under load

http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/corsair_h110_review,11.html
http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/corsair_h110_review,13.html


The 500R has twin 140mm fan rad mounts so the H110 should fit just fine..... watch newegg for specials, one of the two models (black / white) is usually on a special discount every other week. I have bought it for as low as $69 (MIRs, Coupons and specials) and it goes as high as $119. It is also usually combined with PSU combo deals which can net ya as much as another $25. I tend to buy 1 or 2 when they are on deep discount as it's a popular model and I let sit here until someone needs a build.

$89 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139009
$119 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139010

The 750D is another option for a bit more money .... however, it's noticeably larger and what you are putting in it, to my mind, doesn't warrant the size increase unless you plan a full custom water loop at some point in the future. The Phanteka Luxe is another great case worth considering

http://phanteks.com/#&panel1-1&panel2-1

As for the rest ...... some things ya might consider before pulling the trigger ....

Your PSU is oversized for one GFX card, undersized for two.

http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-780-ti/specifications

Thermal and Power Specs:
95 C = Maximum GPU Tempurature (in C)
250 W = Graphics Card Power (W)
600 W = Minimum System Power Requirement (W)
One 8-pin and one 6-pin = Supplementary Power Connectors
Click to expand...

Another opinion.

http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/geforce_gtx_780_ti_review,8.html

Here is Guru3D's power supply recommendation:

GeForce GTX 780 Ti - On your average system the card requires you to have a 550 Watt power supply unit.
GeForce GTX 780 Ti 2-way SLI - On your average system the cards require you to have a 800 Watt power supply unit as minimum.
GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3-way SLI - On your average system the cards require you to have a 1200 Watt power supply unit as minimum.

If you are going to overclock your GPU or processor, then we do recommend you purchase something with some more stamina.
Click to expand...

The old Black Edition 850 was a great PSU with 10.0 jonnyguru performance rating. I dunno much about the new version....the last two Black's reviewed in 2011 and 2012 garnered 9.5's

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story5&reid=165

The Gigabyte is a very decent board, but it pales next to the MSI GD-65

http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/msi_z87_gd65_gaming/12.htm

MSI has been using components that meet or exceed MIL-STD-810G for some time as part of its Military Class build philosophy. Parts such as Super Ferrite Chokes that run at up to 35 degree Celsius lower temperatures, have a 30% higher current handling capacity, and a 20% improvement in power efficiency; Tantalum filled Hi-C Caps that are are up to 93% efficient; and "Dark Capacitors" that feature Lower ESR and a ten-year lifespan all tied into a PCB with improved temperature and humidity protections as part of the "Military Essentials" package......In the end MSI's Z87-GD65 is a board that comes with an expansive feature set that includes all your basics and the extras that set them apart such as the V-Check points, upper end audio, Dual BIOS ROMs, KIller Network package, Military Class IV package, and a three-year warranty. Couple that with good looks that carry the dragon theme through the board, and you have a winning combination at $189.
Click to expand...

http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cpu_mainboard/msi_z87_gd65_gaming_review/15

Now and again a motherboard appears that is so obviously brilliant, and so affordable, that we wonder if anything will be able to top it. For a while that crown was held by the ASUS Sabertooth, both in X58 and then P67 variants. Then MSI stole the crown with the Z77 MPower. Looking at the Z87 GD65 Gaming we think it's going to take something extraordinary to top it, such is the perfect storm of price, performance, features and looks.

The switch to Military Class 4 has given us an extremely ready overclocker too. You're always thermally limited when overclocking and the i7-4770K is one of the most demanding around. Considering the amount of cooling we're using we think that although the GD65 is capable of bringing 5GHz from our i7-4770K you'd need a proper water loop to make the most of it.

Performance is outstanding. The stock results were a particular highlight. We know a lot of people still just like to put their CPU in and go, without overclocking it first. Despite how easy it is these days we know that the fear factor still exists. So you'll be glad to know that the MSI Z87 GD65 Gaming really rocks hard even at stock settings. Naturally the overclocking is blistering too, with some OC3D records broken.

MSI have laid the gauntlet down to all the other manufacturers. Gorgeous to look at, blistering performance and all at a very affordable price, the MSI Z87 GD65 Gaming is not only the new benchmark for Z87 motherboards, but probably for all motherboards.
Click to expand...

As for which 780 Ti, I gotta agree with Techpowerup's designation of the MSI as the best of the bunch and at $40 cheaper than the Giga, it should be the proverbial "no brainer".

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/GTX_780_Ti_Gaming/29.html
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127770

Memory is a bit hard to figure these days as stock and pricing are all over the place. I find 8 GB a bit light on a $1900 build. If ya decide to move up, these are currently a decent buy

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233536

The WD Blue is a slow drive and 1 TB a bit small these days.....these are about 30% faster then the WD Blacks and have lower cost per GB ....

$60 WB Blue = $0.060
$110 7200.14 = $0.037 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148844
$90 Barracuda = $0.045 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148834
 
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vagrantsoul

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Jack, how is their reliability though? I've honestly NEVER had good experiences with drive life/reliability with seagate.. i have about 16 dead ones piled up in a box in my garage awaiting some kind of art project.. whereas only about 1 dead WD (of about 22 in circulation in builds i've done). Not baiting, just honestly curious due to price/performance...

i also honestly miss the real samsung spinpoint f3 drives (before seagate bought that division out)
 
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Funjando

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First off, just damn dude.
Seriously though, thank you so much for this incredibly in depth and detailed response. I'm going to go through this bit by bit.

About the CPU Cooler I can completely understand the sound issue and i thank you for pointing it out (would've been hell otherwise), you gave me 3 choices, the H110, Phanteks PH-TC14-PE and the Noctua DH-14. I noticed that the ladder two have an odd shape (clustered together in a box instead of in a row) compared to the H110 and other coolers I've seen. Will this be a problem for me to set up or is it the same, only one is more expensive with little benefits?

About the cases I can't get my hands on the Phanteka Luxe where i live, so i can immediately cross that off the list. Between the 500R and the 750D i'm rather undecided, my understanding is that both are great, can hold my parts and are spacious(?). The main difference being that 750D is much larger than needed with the price following suit, so my question is, is there any point in getting 750D for "futureproofing" or will it just be wasted money and a bulkier computer.You mentioned a full custom water loop which I didn't even know what it was until i googled it but it seems to be something only needed for much higher end computers, so no, i don't exactly see it in the near future.

Regarding the PSU issue I don't know much about these things nor how to check them but it seems to my, admittedly newbie eyes that the PSU you recommended is even more powerfull. Is the idea that it will be able to support dual GPUs or am I just misunderstanding? Also, about that PSU I couldn't find that exact one will this one suffice or something completely different?

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-power-supply-p1850bbefx

If it doesn't work, could you recommend another PSU I could use please.


As for the GPU, near as i can tell, my original Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB Video Card is cheaper than your recommended MSI GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB Video Card by a couple of dollars and for me due to shipping costs it's about a 100 dollar difference in the Gigabyte's favor, so i'm thinking not worth it but feel free to enlighten me.

Concerning the memory i've heard that 8gigs is enough, but i'm a huge fan of multitalking and having multiple screens connected each jam packed with internet tabs and word documents (+the likes). So assuming my budget isn't already destroyed by all the revisions i've gone through (thanks to you and a number of other people) I will most likely get the Corsair Vengeance as recommended.

Finally on the note of HDDs, same story as the memory, if i have the money i'll do it.

Just to make sure i'm looking at the same parts as you i've modified my rig build with your recommended parts are they correct (excluding the PSU because i know i cant get it anyway. Also for now it has the 750D as a case simply because it's more expensive and i like to look at the expensive side of things.)
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3kbGG

Seriously thanks for all the effort and help in this post.
 
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JackNaylorPE

JackNaylorPE

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Going by brand name, like PSUs is a fools errand. If ya look at storagereview.com seagate has the bast and the worse HD model ever..... near the top of the dead list is the the "venerable" Raptor.

The 7200.10 was a fine drive as was the 7200.12 and 7200.14..... the 7200.11 was a bomb.

The Barracuda XT was one of the best drives I have ever owned .... has similar experiences with the WD Blacks .... had same warranty but the XTs were a lot faster.

I have used about 1 dozen of the little 750 GB hybrids and they all work well. Have two hybrids in my main box and they snappy snappy.



 
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JackNaylorPE

JackNaylorPE

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My pleasure..... this budget build is very common and I have lotat teh stuff available from previous posts

About the CPU Cooler I can completely understand the sound issue and i thank you for pointing it out (would've been hell otherwise), you gave me 3 choices, the H110, Phanteks PH-TC14-PE and the Noctua DH-14. I noticed that the ladder two have an odd shape (clustered together in a box instead of in a row) compared to the H110 and other coolers I've seen. Will this be a problem for me to set up or is it the same, only one is more expensive with little benefits?
Click to expand...

I am not a fan of CLC / AIO water coolers..... The Phanteks fits just fine in the 500R and the white Phanteks in the white 500R looks just beastly. To my mind, to put water in a your $2k build, there is an undeniable risk associated therewith and I say this typing from a rigid acrylic build with "push on" fittings. So if ya take that risk, ya better damn well get something for it and I just don't see it. No AIO / CLC can match the better air coolers at equivalent sound and cost levels. The H110 and the Kraken can match the sound but lose badly on cost. OTOH, you do get to brag to your friends that ya system is water cooled :)

About the cases I can't get my hands on the Phanteka Luxe where i live, so i can immediately cross that off the list. Between the 500R and the 750D i'm rather undecided, my understanding is that both are great, can hold my parts and are spacious(?). The main difference being that 750D is much larger than needed with the price following suit, so my question is, is there any point in getting 750D for "futureproofing" or will it just be wasted money and a bulkier computer.You mentioned a full custom water loop which I didn't even know what it was until i googled it but it seems to be something only needed for much higher end computers, so no, i don't exactly see it in the near future.
Click to expand...

The Luxe isn't officially released yet so if ya gotta buy now, cross it off ya list....expected before end of April. As for the 750D it's a fine case, but unless ya thinking of expanding to a full blown custom water loop, I think it's more than ya can make use of.

Look at my siggie in the post here for an example of a custom loop:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1418637/phanteks-enthoo-primo-owners-club/3500#post_22043295

With a CLC / AIO aka "all in one" somebody has assembled a bunch of moderately priced components into a "kit" that is easy to install .... In a custom loop, you choose how many and what kind of radiators, assemble and mount water blocks of your choice on the CPUs and GPUs, choose your own fans for the rads, pick the number and type of pumps you want, the reservoirs, coolant, tubing and fittings and put it all together yaself. So if ya not thinking of 'going there" someday with this buikd, I really don't see anything bigger or pricier than the 500R as being of any benefit. I prolly have done a dozen or more 500R builds for my son's friends and my business associates in the last 6 months. Each time I do one, I appreciate the case more.

Regarding the PSU issue I don't know much about these things nor how to check them but it seems to my, admittedly newbie eyes that the PSU you recommended is even more powerfull. Is the idea that it will be able to support dual GPUs or am I just misunderstanding? Also, about that PSU I couldn't find that exact one will this one suffice or something completely different?
Click to expand...

Yes, idea was the one you picked was too big for a single GFX card and just $20 short of being able to support two. Yiou could easily get away with a TX850 but teh HX850 on newegg is a 10.0 performanc erated PSU and right now is very inexpensive. At $119, it's $30 cheaper than the one you picked and is one of the best PSU's ever made (10.0 performance rating).

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story5&reid=153
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139011
$189 MSRP - $40 newegg discount - $20 MIR - $10 coupon ( w/ promo code EMCPFPW42, ends 4/7) = $119

As for the GPU, near as i can tell, my original Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB Video Card is cheaper than your recommended MSI GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB Video Card by a couple of dollars and for me due to shipping costs it's about a 100 dollar difference in the Gigabyte's favor, so i'm thinking not worth it but feel free to enlighten me.
Click to expand...

Prices change every day.... yesterday the MSI was $659.... Gigabyte was was $699..... keep ya eye out for what ya want and jump when the specials hit .... I have gotten the 500R for as little as $69 (normally $119) ....watch the case as white is on sale one week and then next week it's black.

Read the reviews to decide which one is best

MSI 9.9 rating - http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/GTX_780_Ti_Gaming/29.html
EVGA 9.5 - http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/EVGA/GTX_780_Ti_SC_ACX_Cooler/31.html
Asus - 9.4 - http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/GTX_780_Ti_Direct_Cu_II_OC/29.html
Giga - http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/gigabyte_geforce_gtx_780_ti_windforce_3x_review,28.html

Concerning the memory I've heard that 8gigs is enough, but i'm a huge fan of multitalking and having multiple screens connected each jam packed with internet tabs and word documents (+the likes). So assuming my budget isn't already destroyed by all the revisions I've gone through (thanks to you and a number of other people) I will most likely get the Corsair Vengeance as recommended.
Click to expand...

If you can find it..... the Mushkins Redline's are **the** set to get but demand on them is so dang high since Anandtech and THG gave them Editor's Choice, they sell out as soon as they hit the shelves. Corsair Vengeance Pro switched from Hynix modules....to ...ahh crap I forgot .... but they still do good, just generally can't match Mushkin's (Hynix) modiules timings .... for example at DDr3-2400.... Mushkin is 10-12-12-28 and the Vengeance pros are 10-12-12-31

Finally on the note of HDDs, same story as the memory, if i have the money i'll do it.

Just to make sure i'm looking at the same parts as you i've modified my rig build with your recommended parts are they correct (excluding the PSU because i know i cant get it anyway. Also for now it has the 750D as a case simply because it's more expensive and i like to look at the expensive side of things.)
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3kbGG
Click to expand...

Ok, as indicated above .... I'd save the $10 and get the more compact 500R, the 750D is a great case for a custom water cooling build but is a bit bulky for what your plans are. The white 500R and white Phanteks air cooler is a great looking combination and puts $20 in ya pocket.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835709001
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139010

Save the $30 on the PSU, I dunno how good the new XFX is as I haven't seen it reviewed as yet, but it can't be better than the much cheaper HX850

With that $50 ya just saved .... I'd really suggest ya upgrade to a 144 Hz G-Sync capable monitor..... ya can opt to go to G-Sync later with an upgrade card but ya can still use Lightboost which rocks.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236313
 
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Funjando

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Hello,
Once again i'm just gonna to through this step by step.

You make a fine point about the risks of water cooling especially with no apparent gain. My only concern about the Phanteka is that according to pcpartpicker.com it is incompatible with the 500R. Here's my build at the moment perhaps I've listed the wrong part?
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3kTZt

So I've settled on the 500R as I find the custom water loop extremely confusing and probably not something i'm going to meddle with for quite a while, if ever. I am curious though, with my current components would there be any advantage to it or does it mainly apply for later when one has epic components all overclocked as hell?

Unfortunately I can't find that PSU here, do you have any others? (Sorry about the trouble)
I would like to know though, just a double check, this (850W) will allow me to hook up another GPU or multiple HDDs right?

Yeah, about this, I'm currently going with the EVGA one simply because, near as i can tell, the EVGA and MSI GPUs are very close, perhaps the MSI one is better (for reasons i don't entirely understand) but in Sweden (where is live, sorry should probably have mentioned that earlier) it cost significantly more. Also the EVGA on my build has a crazy name so please tell me if it's the wrong thing.

The Mushkins Redline don't seem to exist here and any other Mushkins products are out of stock, so i don't see that happening. Also for 16gigs there are usually two options 2x8 or 4x4, can my motherboard handle 4x4 and is there any advantage to it?

Wow I had no idea this whole G-Sync thing existed but it looks awesome, quite expensive so i'll have to contemplate that one.

Thanks for the help and sorry about being so all over the place!
 
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