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CASE selection question

Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
2
hello!

I am getting an EGVA (or BFG) nVidia 680i MOBO with an NVidia 8800GTS GPU and Core 2 Dual E6400 CPU. I plan to use either a Zalman CNPS9500 AT or ZALMAN 9700 LED CPU cooling fan.

I cannot decide which case would be better for this configuration in terms of:
a)available room for the Zalman and video card
b)location of cables/connectors for board and PSU
c)overall quality of the case.

The two case choices are:
1. Cooler Master Mystique 631 (black)
2. Antec 900

If anybody has a similar configuration and experience with one of the cases, please let me know your experience. THANKS!
 
Let me first say that I don't have any personal experience with the two cases you mentioned, but...

a) As far as available space for the GFX card and the Zalman Cooler go you should be fine with either. The 8800 GTS is 9" IIRC, so it will fit in any ATX case (ATX mobo is 9.6" wide) and the Cooler Master case looks atleast as wide as the Antec 900, so the Zalman 9500/9700 shouldn't be a problem either.

b) Well, the Antec 900 have the PSU in the bottom, so that might give you a little work with cable management, however if you get a good quality modular PSU like the Corsair 520HX/620HX that should solve it.

c) For what it's worth I resently helped my brother build a system in the Antec P180 case, if the quality of the 900 case is like this one it's great, don't know if that can be said for the Cooler Master case as I have never seen one in real life.

On an intirely different note: If you plan on aircooling the intire PC, then I think that the airflow will be better in the Antec case, as it looks to be less restrictive airflow-wise. Other than that I can only propose the shallow approach and advice you to choose based on looks.
 
Thanks for the good advise and experience, esp the cabling. I hope it won't too big a deal. As far as the PSU goes, I was considering either the Antec True Power Trio TP3-550 550W or the Cooler Master RS-550-ACLY ATX12V / EPS12V 550W, both SLI-certified (should I ever get a chance to go that way).

It's rather difficult figuring this out, since I do not have access to the hardware. However, if I stick with an Antec PSU in an Antec case, I would hope that the PSU, at least, would work out hooking up to the motherboard.
 
A big NO on the PSU, as I have heard many negative things on the new Antec PSUs.

Spend the money on the Corsair 520HX or 620HX. That's what I am getting when I upgrade.
 
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