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Best Midtower for 3x120?

O

osk.ocelot

Weaksauce
Joined
Dec 14, 2004
Messages
85
Im trying to find the best mid tower case that will house a 3x120 rad water cooling loop. I want everything to go inside the case. Any suggestions?
 
P180, although that is pretty large for a midtower. You can get a mid tower server case which is deeper and allows you to put a 3x120 in the middle somewhere.
 
How many optical/hard drives you plan on using? A mid tower is going to be a very tight fit, and airflow inside the case will be at a premium then. A 3x120 rad is about 15" high, the p180 is 21.3" high according to newegg, thats gonna leave you the top three 5.25 bays I think (may only get part of the lowest bay). So if you don't plan on having too many hdd and optical devices you can do it, pump placement might be a bit of a challenge. There isnt that much of a cooling benefit going 2x120 to 3x120, but if silence is your goal, then it is understood. A larger case would help, but I would second the suggestion on the p180 if you must, and you'll probably have to do some modding with the front bays to get the rad in there.
 
arnemetis said:
How many optical/hard drives you plan on using? A mid tower is going to be a very tight fit, and airflow inside the case will be at a premium then. A 3x120 rad is about 15" high, the p180 is 21.3" high according to newegg, thats gonna leave you the top three 5.25 bays I think (may only get part of the lowest bay). So if you don't plan on having too many hdd and optical devices you can do it, pump placement might be a bit of a challenge. There isnt that much of a cooling benefit going 2x120 to 3x120, but if silence is your goal, then it is understood. A larger case would help, but I would second the suggestion on the p180 if you must, and you'll probably have to do some modding with the front bays to get the rad in there.
Click to expand...

Whoever said you have to stand the radiator up? In fact if you were to put a 3x120 in the P180 the best place to put it is across the top and take up 2 drive bays on the top.
 
Erasmus354 said:
Whoever said you have to stand the radiator up? In fact if you were to put a 3x120 in the P180 the best place to put it is across the top and take up 2 drive bays on the top.
Click to expand...
Or do what I did... mount the radiator on the top of the case :)
 
One option is to look for a case designed to accommodate eatx boards. When you install an atx board in an eatx case, it leaves a space, seveal inches wide, where you can place the rad.

This "amidships" or towards the middle positioning is the approach I took in fitting a triple inside a 16" high mid tower.

The challenge with applying triples into mids of course is preserving bays since they have fewer to begin with. Using the mid positioning approach the mid tower I have features an internal triple with all bays still functional, meeting my needs for compact size, functionality, and quiet operation.

Edit:

Link to pics: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1084697
 
OP: Perhaps you should be a little more specific about where you want to mount your rad and what you want to cool with your loop. If you don't mind having the rad outside the case, I would agree with the suggestion of putting it on top. If you want it inside, my .02 would be to mount in to the top of the case or stick in on the bottom of the door (going to long way) if it'll fit.
 
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