Picking a Mid size Case

[belltollsforthee]

Well, im looking to spend under 100
my first choice was a CM storm scout but im open for anything
looking for good airflow, nice looking, big enough for my components, support for 160mm CPU heatsink

if you got any sugguestion please provid a link, and some reasons why you would buy this case


here are some specs of what i plan to put in this case

-ASUS M4A89TD PRO/USB3
-ASUS EAH5830 DIRECTCU/2DIS/1GD5 Radeon HD 5830 1GB
-CORSAIR HX Series PSU 750W
-AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz
-Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600


Thank you for your time

**suggestions about the case please, but components are still welcomed**

 

[Lmeow]

The HAF 922 is a nice case with very good airflow.

 

[belltollsforthee]

Yeah, that was my original choice, but im moving into a dorm, and i'd like some thing just a bit smaller

 

[Lmeow]

Well really all ATX cases are similarly sized as mid towers... something smaller would really just be µATX. Sorry, can't really help you much more lol, the smallest ATX case I can think of is the SilverStone Fortress FT01, it is twice your budget though lol.

 

[belltollsforthee]

Ok so this is my top picks
i need some help deciding, but what is really important to me is that it fit 160mm CPU heatsink, and have great airflow

-CM Storm Scout
-CM 690 II Advanced Case
-NZXT Hades Case

 

[Lmeow]

Out of those three, the CM 690 II Advanced.

 

[guanyu210379]

If you think CM690 is still a little too big then Antec 300 could be the solution for you.
But please keep in mind that all mid tower ATX cases have about the same size.

 

[Deleted member 217926]

If you are in the US or Canada and can order from newegg the Antec 300 Illusion is hard to beat. Very high quality, has great cooling and is almost silent with the 3 speed fans on low.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066&Tpk=antec%20300%20illusion

I have to add that the HD 5830 is a bad choice since Nvidia released the GTX 460. A GTX 460 1GB model basically destroys the 5830 and can be overclocked to best a stock HD5850 and come close to a 5870 in some cases all a little over $200. Just get the 1GB model.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3810/nvidias-geforce-gtx-460-part-2-the-vendor-cards

 

[belltollsforthee]

If you are in the US or Canada and can order from newegg the Antec 300 Illusion is hard to beat. Very high quality, has great cooling and is almost silent with the 3 speed fans on low.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066&Tpk=antec%20300%20illusion

I have to add that the HD 5830 is a bad choice since Nvidia released the GTX 460. A GTX 460 1GB model basically destroys the 5830 and can be overclocked to best a stock HD5850 and come close to a 5870 in some cases all a little over $200. Just get the 1GB model.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3810/nvidias-geforce-gtx-460-part-2-the-vendor-cards

Really? well im really new to all of this, but MAN! really? nVidia? ok, kool! but seriously beat a 5850?! and cheaper! man, well, will it work well with my AMD?

 

[Deleted member 217926]

Yep it will work just fine The only bad news is the 1GB models are still a bit hard to find as people are buying them as fast as they can be produced! It is the first Nvidia card in quite a while to get such amazing reviews. I am getting an Evga 1GB model as soon as newegg gets them in stock.......says Monday on the website.

 

[Deleted member 217926]

Not sure of the price or cas latency on that RAM you have listed but this is about the best "bang for your buck" RAM right now as well.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231303

The 7-8-7-24 cas latency is very low ( faster) for the price. It works great with Intel or AMD. I have used it in both.

 

[Lmeow]

I really wouldn't say it beats an HD 5850 - remember that you can overclock an HD 5850 quite easily too, and overclocked it would surpass a GTX 460 overclocked. However the GTX 460 does come relatively close to the HD 5850, both at stock speeds.

It is a good card (especially for it's price) and shouldn't have any issues, however you will not be able to run GTX 460 SLI later on, as the motherboard does not support SLI.

 

[Deleted member 217926]

I really wouldn't say it beats an HD 5850 - remember that you can overclock an HD 5850 quite easily too, and overclocked it would surpass a GTX 460 overclocked. However the GTX 460 does come relatively close to the HD 5850, both at stock speeds.

It is a good card and wouldn't conflict with anything, however you will not be able to run GTX 460 SLI later on, as the motherboard does not support SLI.

I did say a stock HD5850 Hell check out those anandtech charts....overclocked it actually beats a stock HD5870 in some cases.

 

[belltollsforthee]

Not sure of the price or cas latency on that RAM you have listed but this is about the best "bang for your buck" RAM right now as well.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231303

The 7-8-7-24 cas latency is very low ( faster) for the price. It works great with Intel or AMD. I have used it in both.

well heres the link
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226122

it has lower voltages for the same latency, so i think its a bit better for OCing later on, no?

also heat spreaders are lower i think, which makes easier to fit a CPU heatsink

 

[Lmeow]

The heatspreaders are probably the same height, the Mushkins slightly shorter by a few mm I guess. It does have lower voltages (1.35V is pretty extreme for 1600 MHz 7-8-7-24), and the same latencies, and I guess it would be better for overclocking although it wouldn't be much more helpful. It's good if you don't mind paying $10 extra or so.

 

[belltollsforthee]

Yeah, i dont mind, i guess i really like the fact the company is employee owned and is "real" American, in Colorado

 

[Deleted member 217926]

Yep you are right. Even if it is not better at overclocking it will run cooler and that is always better. GSkill also makes a low voltage kit identical to that. In fact that is the first time I have seen anything identical to the GSkill low voltage kit......I wonder who copied whom? lol

GSkill is $8 cheaper though

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231321

 

[Deleted member 217926]

I guess I should have mentioned this as well but that power supply is overkill. A 500-550w PSU can run just about any single graphics card out there. The Corsair HX is a great unit don't get me wrong but you could get the 550TX or the 620HX if you want to stay modular and you will still be FINE. The HD5xxx series and the GTX460 are both pretty low power cards. GTX460 only recommends a 450w PSU and that would be an average unit not a Corsair. A 400CX from Corsair would run one fine.

 

[belltollsforthee]

I guess I should have mentioned this as well but that power supply is overkill. A 500-550w PSU can run just about any single graphics card out there. The Corsair HX is a great unit don't get me wrong but you could get the 550TX or the 620HX if you want to stay modular and you will still be FINE. The HD5xxx series and the GTX460 are both pretty low power cards. GTX460 only recommends a 450w PSU and that would be an average unit not a Corsair. A 400CX from Corsair would run one fine.

Well, yeah, but i want to tun two 5830s and i want a really reliable PSU, something that will last me, into my next build, thats much more hardcore, and one that is very efficient since i plan having the computer running almost 24/7. Im now actually going with http://www.newegg.com/Product/NewProduct.aspx?Item=N82E16817171057
over kill? yes

 

[belltollsforthee]

hey
whats up with 2N in the latency?
7-8-7-24-2N

 

[Deleted member 217926]

Lol, It's your $100 to waste. Even 2 x 5850s only need 550 watts.

 

[belltollsforthee]

so can you explain the 2N latency in 7-8-7-24-2N

 

[Lmeow]

2N is also known as 2T, and 1N is also known as 1T, which is command rate. Generally nowadays everyone runs it at 2N/2T, 1N/1T is slightly faster but can cause stability problems if you're running the speed too high.

 

[Deleted member 217926]

^ +1

 

[belltollsforthee]

Best answer selected by BellTollsForThee.