Studios XPS,buy bigger case or upgrade power supply?

arkarkwin

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Feb 8, 2009
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Hi
I had recently brought a Dell XPS studios with i7 core 920, 6 GB of ram and a ATI HD 4850. Although I am very happy with the dell small case size because I don't plan to upgrade much of it hardware in coming year, I notice that some of the temperature are running pretty high even in idle mode. The chip set is running at 67 to 69 C in idle. And the CPU all cores run around 40 C in idle ,and I manage to rise them to nearly 70C with a video encoding. The graphic card rise up to 85 to 87C in full load playing Company of Hero at full setting.
So I decide to install some internal fans , possible an PCI slots exhausted fan. But when I open up the computer . I saw that it didn't even have any 4 pins molex connector. And two of the 3 pin fans connector were used by CPU cooler and case fan cooler. I though about buying converter cable from 3 pins to two 3 pins or SATA to 4 pins connector and so on. Then I though , I should just buy new power supply because Dell supply me with only 350 W one. I plan to upgrade a CPU cooler in the summer too. All in all, I decided that even though I won't upgrade any of my major internal hard ware components, I might need to buy a new PC tower. Because it might be better.
Before I buy this dell Studio XPS, I was gonna buy XPS 730x. That the proper gaming desktop with bigger space for upgrading. But since I am not much into gaming and I got this one for 1500 that include 3 more GB of ram and a 24 inches monitors. I decided to take this one instead.
I would like to know options form people in here about whether getting a new PC case or just buying a new power supply will be better for me. Buying a new case might involve a lot of trouble and I want to know whether it will void my warranty?
 

rexter

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Review here ( http://www.desktopreview.com/default.asp?newsID=537 ) said max power is close to 300W.

So, there's really no need to spent more cash if your problem isn't the lack of power or the size. You might need a fan controller for those fans you've added. Beside if you move that system to new case you might lose your warranty.

What you need to know is airflow; Hot air is lighter than cold air. So position your air intake at the bottom exhaust at the top. Dell usually has weird designs on cooling their systems especially CPUs. Equal amount of fan/s intake and exhaust doesn’t mean equal air flow in and out; unless nothing is blocking the air to move freely. More likely that 2 fans in 3 to 4 fan out when used on a working system.

The easiest way to decrease heat build-up on the system is to open the case if you don't mind it opened.
However your system uses SATA Molex connector for power.
 

arkarkwin

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Feb 8, 2009
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Thanks for your reply
So if I buy a chipset fan or any other fan , I would have to looking for something that has SATA molex connector or buy a connector that connected SATA molex to 3 pins or whatever it uses. I got this clear now.
I just update my ATI catalyst driver and now I could manually control my GPU fan. I set at to run 55% manually and my GPU run at 45 to 48 C idle,now. Sometime less , depend on the room temperature and amount of time my centralize heater blow heat to my room though the vent. I wish I could shut off that thing and wear a blanket in my house.
Although my GPU is running cooler, my chipset temperature just rise to 72 to 74C as opposed to 67 to 69C in average before setting up the GPC fan. But my over all case temperature is running at 36 to 38C in idle now. Sometime less. However, my CPU has risen to 1 to 2 degree C now.
I will post my motherboard model after I ask the Dell support but I am at work now
and I don't know it's service tag. So support won't even talk to me .
Anyway, I will look for the fan and it's connector in local microcenter in coming weekend. I just canceled because now I know I don't need motherboard 3 pin connectors.
Thanks