Budget mATX capable case?

[cookybiscuit]

After getting a new GPU I realize I'm a moron pairing it with an office PC case and stock CPU cooler since the CPU cooks
in CPU intensive games and it a thousand times louder than the GPU.

So I'm after a new case (and if this section is appropriate, didn't want to put it in OC'ing since I

 

[cookybiscuit]

(Pressed tab enter by accident, cant edit posts for some reason, sorry for mess up)

After getting a new GPU I realize I'm a moron pairing it with an office PC case and stock CPU cooler since the CPU cooks in CPU intensive games and it a thousand times louder than the GPU.

So I'm after a new case (and if this section is appropriate, didn't want to put it in OC'ing since I'm not, a CPU cooler). My main focus is noise, I really hate PC's being loud, its pretty much my second priority under performance. Need something with quiet case fans and good airflow to keep fan %'s on components down. I also cant stand any form of lighting.

My current case is about 370mm tall and fits where it goes with about 15mm clearance at the top, I'm worried this will limit me to crappy cases? Another concern for the CPU cooler is since I'm on a mATX mobo and my graphics card has a backplate I don't know if I have much room for a good CPU cooler? (socket type is LGA 1155).

http://i.imgur.com/ZPeeK.jpg

I'm not overclocking the CPU at all, its a non-K i5 and cheap motherboard so I cant. Is something like a Corsair H60 a waste of time? Was thinking about it since supposedly water cooling is super quiet.

Budget of about £50 for each.

Appreciate help with this since I have no idea what I'm doing. Thanks.

 

[arnoldlouie]

try this or fracal core 1000.. its very cheap..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352011

water cooling is not super quiet... and a waste if your not oc'ing

look for a fanless cpu cooler if you want quiet...

something like this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185122

 

[arnoldlouie]

Also check your cpu temps and fan.. The stock cpu cooler for i5 should be more than adequate for stock and even a little overclocking...

 

[cookybiscuit]

Thanks for the reply.

I set the target temperature in the BIOS to 55C, its not the Intel cooler (probably worse) but was running 65C after playing Skyrim for about 10mins, and hugely drowning out the fans on the Asus 670 I had in it in terms of noise.

I don't think an entirely passive cooler will work for me, I was looking at things like the Nofan coolers but they are quite expensive and wont be enough space for it because of where the GPU is.

 

[arnoldlouie]

Thats loud..louder than gtx 670? You should really get another cpu cooler.. i'm not sure how you can buy a cpu cooler in your situation since you have a small board and a big gpu.. buy and try is not an option lol!.. You could measure the clearance though... to make sure... You don't really need a performance type of cooler.. just the quiet type..

try this..

http://www.quietpc.com/cnps9900-max-blue

 

[cookybiscuit]

Thanks. Are any of the BeQuiet coolers any good?

 

[arnoldlouie]

see review below

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4751/be_quiet_dark_rock_2_cpu_cooler_review/index9.html

 

[InvalidError]

I set the target temperature in the BIOS to 55C, its not the Intel cooler (probably worse) but was running 65C after playing Skyrim for about 10mins

I use the stock Intel HSF on my i5-3470 and it is nearly silent even with Prime95 at 70-75C. In my thermal profile though, the fan does not hit 100% PWM output until cores hit 80C. Under normal use, my cores stay in the 58-65C range.

The hotter you let the CPU/HSF get, the less airflow you need to get the heat out of the heatsink so if you want quiet, you might want to bump your temperature target to 70C.

 

[cookybiscuit]

Thankyou both.

The thing I'm worried about with bumping up the temperature target is that I'll shorten the life of it, also since I set the target as 55C before and it still goes to 65C. Is 70C a normal temperature for a i5 at stock speeds?

I think I'll be going for the BeQuiet Dark Rock 2 then, even though its probably massive overkill for what I want. I'm not sure about it but can't CPU fans be oriented differently? Because I'm not sure if my RAM or GPU will intrude into it. The motherboard is a MSI H61M P31 G3 if anyone can make a guess as to if it will fit.

Anymore recommendations for cases? Kind of want one with intake and top exhaust, or at-least the capability to have that, if there are even any at that height.

 

[bigcyco1]

http://pcpartpicker.com/mr/scancouk/fractal-design-case-fdcaarcbl
http://pcpartpicker.com/mr/scancouk/cooler-master-case-rc912pkkn1

 

[cookybiscuit]

Both too tall unfortunetly, I can only go upto about 385mm

But thanks. I'll have to look for other Fractal cases since they seem pretty decent.

 

[bigcyco1]

Your welcome!Yeah sorry your looking for to small a case i have no idea where to find a good one that size

 

[cookybiscuit]

Anyone got any input on the Silverstone TJ08? Keeping sound in mind.

A bit skeptical on the odd layout. But I might have to go for that and cut back on the CPU cooler.

 

[InvalidError]

The thing I'm worried about with bumping up the temperature target is that I'll shorten the life of it, also since I set the target as 55C before and it still goes to 65C. Is 70C a normal temperature for a i5 at stock speeds?

70C is merely the limit of most people's comfort zone. Even 80C should have little to no effect on lifespan and unless you run Prime95 24/7, core temperatures should rarely get anywhere near there. There probably isn't much of a danger unless you push things beyond 90C with overclocking and over-volting.

Intel has a 3-year warranty on the CPU when using it as per instructions. If Intel perceived operation at 105C as being a significant warranty service liability, they could have easily set the throttle or shutdown temperatures to 100C or 95C.

 

[cookybiscuit]

Thanks for that. I really thought processors were meant to run alot cooler than that, odd.