Worth getting a bigger case for my new specs?

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daws0n

Weaksauce
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
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111
I've recently upgraded to an Intel I5 Platform, with a GTX 260 GPU. At the moment, I'm using a midi-tower Lian-Li case. It does the job, but has gotten quite cramped with the new graphics card. I'm using 2 Zalman case fans and everything is running as it should - temps are reasonable for CPU and GPU.

I've been offered an old server-sized Enermax CS-718 case for cheap... Given that my current case is *just* about adequate, is it worth the effort to change over to a larger case? I don't need the extra capacity, am I likely to see a big improvement in airflow/temps?
 
So so to be honest... With 2 HDs and optical drives there's not a lot of room to hide the excess cable, and the PSU isn't modular.
 
If its cramped, you might get better air flow with a bigger case (I''m suffering a similar situation with the Antec 900 with 8800GT and 4 HDs and 2 optical drives.)

Like others will probably recommend, see what you can do to mod your current case to better route cables, to provide better air flow. If you're not into modding, look into expanding into a bigger case.
 
I've had a look inside, and it's not very cable tidy friendly.... No room above the PSU and behind the motherboard tray (it's flush against the side panel). Still, I've used some spare cable ties to get is as best I can:

pc1r.jpg


pc2r.jpg


What do you reckon? Worth going for the larger case?
 
Well, personally I think that Enermax case is pretty damn ugly. I wouldn't upgrade just to get into THAT case. Also, after using a Lian-Li are you going to be happier with an inferior (and almost everything else is) quality case? The way I see it is your wiring is the problem and there are many solutions to that from going modular to doing a major rewire job. Lots of threads on people doing some fantastic wiring in there cases here.

Also, as long as your temps are ok and you don't mind the mess, its not really hurting anything right? :D
 
Compared to the A05 that I have, your case is HUGE. Work on the wiring. Bundle your cables so they drop downwards in a "trunk", not a bunch of separate branches. If you have a DVD drive, place it in the 2nd bay from the top so you have extra space to put unnecessary cables above the drive. Try to keep the airflow front to back as well, if you can.
 
yea, from your pic, its all about wiring issues.

IMO, I'd move your drives out of the bottom drive cage and move them to the top 3.5 cage. That way all your data wires are moving in 1 direction.

Start routing some power cables behind the mobo tray if you can.
 
crazjayz said:
Compared to the A05 that I have, your case is HUGE. Work on the wiring. Bundle your cables so they drop downwards in a "trunk", not a bunch of separate branches. If you have a DVD drive, place it in the 2nd bay from the top so you have extra space to put unnecessary cables above the drive. Try to keep the airflow front to back as well, if you can.
Click to expand...


+1

Work on the cables.
 
Few other (random) thoughts:
1) Swap out that IDE optical drive(s) for a sata.
2) Get a modular PSU.
 
Also, you need to change the orientation of your heatsink so that it points to the back exhaust. Your case doesn't have a top fan, but rather a PSU. So right now, your HSF is just blowing hot air into the top, where the fan of the PSU is sucking it in.
 
Thanks for the info guys, some decent points to take on board :) Swapping the PSU is a no-go however. It's a really decent Seasonic S12, so I'm not likely to get anything better... Plus, for some reason the damn 3 pin molex is stuck in the D2X soundcard above my GPU :mad: I can't for the life of me get it off, I had to build this rig with it still plugged in. Anyone got any tips on stuck molex connectors?

@crazjayz

I like your suggestion of "trunking" the cable together, i'll give that a go. Also, it makes sense to move the optical drives down a bay or two - at the moment I have all the spare wires underneath... It'll be tidier they're on top instead. As for "major" re-wiring, I am out of ideas as to what else to do... The Enermax case is not pretty, but it'll only cost me 10 bucks :) Just not sure if it's worth the effort/stress of switching everything over.

@djgizmo

Hardly a cm behind the motherboard tray, so that's no go I'm afraid.... Moving the HDDs up to the elevated 3.5inch bays is a bad idea IMO - they won't get cooled by the intake fan. Although, shorter SATA cables (like 2-3 inches long) could be an idea in my current situation.
 
It's not that bad looking. It's defiantly not the best, but for 10 bucks, and increase space for components and air...

pukiwiki.php
1333enermax-cs-718total1s.jpg


Is it the black or silver one? The black one looks better imo. ;)
 
Kudos about the CPU fan direction btw... I hadn't really noticed that before, I've always had horiztonal mounted fans on my previous AMD rigs (exhaust from RAM side to rear case fan) so the vertical mounting threw me a bit. I doubt it can get sufficient airflow since it's so close to the (hot gpu). I'll point it the other way. Still, the i5 is hold very decent temps regardless.... 30c idle and stays cool under stress.
 
I've also found some tiny (4 inch) sata cables on eBay, bought a couple :cool:
 
As for my suggestion for moving the drives up to the upper cage... if you only have 2 drives... move them up to the 5 1/4" slots then with a front side of those bays perforated.

If you run a negatively pressure system, you'll pull plenty of air across the drives.

Just some suggestions. Bottom line, you have some cable routing issues and they need to be addressed. If you think they can be better resolved via a new case go that route, if you think you'd like to try to mod your case... go that route.

I'd highly recommend that you make a custom Sata power connector for your harddrives as well.
 
djgizmo said:
As for my suggestion for moving the drives up to the upper cage... if you only have 2 drives... move them up to the 5 1/4" slots then with a front side of those bays perforated.

I'd highly recommend that you make a custom Sata power connector for your harddrives as well.
Click to expand...

Well I have some caddie brackets, so mounting them in the 5.25 inch bays is no problem. You mentioned making custom sata power connectors... Can you explain this a bit more please?

I got the case for 10 bucks (eBay auction, local pick up), but I'm going to see what I can do with this case first before swapping everything over, hopefully I can work something out. For 10 bucks I can't loose either way, if anything i'll keep it in storage for my next build.
 
Actually, thinking about it more are the socket 1156's mounting holes square or rectangular? I'll see if I can remount it 90 degrees counter clockwise, will work a lot better that way.
 
Anwser = Yes :)

Can't believe see that first time around! To be honest I've found the push-pull peg system mighty annoying on the whole, I much prefer AMD's retention clip approach. Airflow should see a big improvement now that the CPU air is being exhausted directly towards the exhaust fan, rather than aiming at the PSU.

I'll work on the wiring some more when the SATA cables get here.
 
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