Question about cooling

[ArakTaiRoth]

So, I'm looking at putting a new rig together. My current one is starting to fall behind, even though it is still a fairly decent system.

Anyways, these are the parts I am looking at getting (I will take suggestions on other parts if they fit in my budget). I'll explain my question after.

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
Motherboard: Elitegroup PA1 MVP Extreme
RAM: Mushkin XP PC2-5300 2 x 1GB CL 3-3-3-10 (can only go this high with the motherboard I have)
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracude 7200.10 320GB SATA2 16MB cache
Video Card: Radeon X1900XTX
and a Liteon DVD burner and reader


Now, I had a couple questions to throw into here:
1. I need a case, want a full-tower case (not quite as big as a full-fledged server case, but definitely has to be big, like most Thermaltake's). But I would like it have some kinda sound dampening.
2. Need a cooling solution. Currently I am using around 8 or 9 fans in my computer and it sounds like the thing runs on a diesel engine (exaggeration). Anyways, I wanted something quiet for this build, but that can still handle me overclocking the stuff. I was interested in water cooling but don't know where to start and the cost scares me.
3. Need a Power Supply, something quiet and has a min. 600watt and is modular (required).

Now, for the parts I am getting that were listed, I am hitting around $1160 (Canadian btw). With the addition of cooling, a case, and a power supply, I don't want to go over $1800 (I can give a little leeway though if absolutely necessary). If I can have money left over, then all the better, then I could possibly upgrade the Mobo or save for a new monitor.

Quiet is important, but not over performance, performance means way more to me then my machine being quiet, I was just hoping for something that I didn't have to try to drown out everytime I play a game.

If anyone has any recommendations, please post em, but if you can, please explain why as well, just so I can understand where you are coming from with your decision. Thanks for the help in advance.

 

[Giraffe]

8 or 9 fans? u seem 2 be obsessed with cooling.

the 640$ u left 4 case/psu/cooling is plenty enough.

600watt isnt necessery. 500watt is easily enough.

also the c2d's dont run very hot. even with the stock fan. even after o/c it shouldnt be too hot.

 

[Il_palazzo]

What about the Antec P180 it would be quite, 4x 120mm fans and still have good ventilation. Only issue could be using large heatsinks due to motherboard placement.
Antec P180 NCIX
Newegg link

 

[ArakTaiRoth]

Well, yea, I am prolly a little obsessed with cooling, more then likely overdoing it a little in my current computer, but oh well. 600 watts is necessary, as I will be adding quite a few lights and other mods to my case later on, just didn't feel that was necessary for me to include that.

I had been looking at the Antec P180 case for quite some time, and I have built a couple systems inside that case as well, and indeed it has decent quiet properties and is a nice case, but 2 problems. Little small for what I want, I wanted to stay around the size of a full-size Thermaltake case, and it doesn't have a see-through window (sorry, forgot to state that I want that).

 

[ArakTaiRoth]

anyone able to help?

 

[Doughbuy]

Case wise, I recommend the TT Shark, very nice case. The NZXT Lexa is also a nice case, good airflow, nice curves. You might also want to look at the Apevia/Aspire X-Pleasure, decent case, good airflow also. If you want quiet, Antec Sonata II is quiet. Gigabyte Aurora is also a good case, though pricey... Sunbeamtech Transformer is a good solid case, pretty cheap, a bit loud, but nothing some fan controllers won't solve...

PSU wise... get a GameXStream. 600W is around $130. Very solid PSU.
Ugh, just saw your modular comment... okay, then get the Corsair CMPSU-620HS, very nice modular power supply, but pricey... pretty pricey.

Liquid cooling will cost you around $220 (These are all U.S. Dollars) so it will be very pricey. If you want a good one, get the Swiftech H20-220 Apex. Very nice watercooling kit. Or you could buy all the parts yourself.

Waterblock - Danger Den, Swiftech, or Alphacool are all fine.
Radiator - Again Danger Den Black Ice Xtreme, Swiftech QuietPower, or Alphacool Nexxos Xtreme.
Pump - Laing D5, DD and Swiftech all have their own versions, but the same thing.
Resevoir - anything that you can fit where you want, up to you
Tygon tubing, AS5, cpolant solution, and whatever else you want to wrap it all up.

But either way, a good watercooling setup will cost around 200 US or so. You could go with the Corsair 500, its external, and offers decent cooling, but nowhere as good performers as the above.

One last question... why that mobo? Why not a GA-965-DS3?, or a P5W-DH?

Get a NEC ND-3550A, one of the better DVD burners.

 

[ArakTaiRoth]

I'll take a look at your recommendations and let you know what I'm thinking after. Thanks for giving them, gives me something to look at.

Oh, and I am going with that mobo mainly for the reason because I won it and it's free. Not a bad mobo I don't think for being free and all.

 

[Doughbuy]

Hmmm, does that mobo support Conroe? I'm going on their website and checking...

I don't see them saying it supports Conroe, might want to drop them a email and see...

 

[ArakTaiRoth]

hmmm, didn't realize it had to say they support Conroe, just thought it would be fine if it says it supports dual-core and is LGA775.

Oh, and I decided on the NZXT Lexa case, it fits for me. Quiet, good airflow, looks nice, window side panel, screwless insertion, thanks for the heads up about it.

EDIT: And did I mention the carrying strap :roll:

EDIT 2: And apparently it doesn't support the Conroe, well crap.

 

[ArakTaiRoth]

Found the power supply I think I am going to go with. The AeroCool Zerodba Extreme Silent 620W. Fairly cheap at $130, reviews all state it runs super quiet, looks fairly decent, and a good modular cabling system with only a few minor annoyances (2 ends on a cable, prolly a necessary evil). As well in the reviews I read of it, it kept it's voltage ratings very nicely under peak loads.

 

[ArakTaiRoth]

Well, I believe I am just going to go fan cooling again this time around. With the fact that I have to purchase the mobo, I don't have the cash to spend on a good water cooling system.

Going with this mobo btw, ASUS P5W DH.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[bigsby]

I'd go with an Antec P180B. You can chose between the silver version (which is the first revision or the black version, which has some upgrades to it). I've got one sitting here right next to me, and it is t3h s3x. When you knock on the side panels, you hear a very quiet, dull thud, unlike more of a ting with metal cases. It's a very solid case, and you wont have any problems putting in a big cpu heatsink or anything, it is very spatious and has lots of cool, neat things you can do with it (like the top hard drive bay can have 2 fans on it, and it has a little box to hold screws/twist ties/mary jane, ect. The cooling on this case is excellent, it has 3 120mm fans in it when you buy it, in really great places. The bottom third, where the psu and one set of hard drives can go can be completely separated thermally from the top part, so it's kind of like a wind tunnel for your hard drives and PSU, which is good for cooling. The top and back case fans are in a nice spot where they suck hot air from your cpu right out of the case, espeically if you're using a big heatsink like a zalman cnps9500 or one of those other giant ones. A good PSU for this case is the Antec TruePower II 550W. It's not modular, but it's still good, and it's cheap.

 

[babbler]

I have a very similar system, E6600 and X1900XTX. ATI recommends a PSU with 30A on one 12V rail. You can check their website to see the supported PSU's. I'm using an Enermax Liberty 620, which is modular and very quiet. It's not on the supported list but I've had no problems.

As for a case, I'm using a Silverstone TJ-07B; it's a very nice full tower case that comes with 6 fans, 4 x 120mm & 2 x 92mm. The 120mm fans are very quiet but I have the 92mm fans regulated to 60%. The E6600 runs very cool; it idles at only 38C and goes up to 42C after playing BF2 for hours. I have a watercooling system to cool my HDD, CPU and GPU, and I wouldn't recommend trying to do a budget watercooling system. I tried to do it before and I ended up unsatisfied and spending a lot more money.

 

[zeuson]

I use Gigabyte 3D Aurora and Thermaltake Toughpower 750W. Case has 3 120mm quite fan and PSU has one 140mm quite fan. Runs pretty quite. I am very satisfied.