Very decent, I would say! At least for someone who has a large, roomy and well-ventilated case like yours. I will stick with the stock coolers for now I think, because my tiny box just couldn't handle the heat. I'm also still downclocking the cards to 500MHz, fan noise is much reduced at that level and performance is still much, much better than my old cards.
Got my 6970s today - Mixed bag so far...
- Thread starter Grall
- Start date
You should get the next model up if you have the cash. The CoolerMaster HAF-X is just the cat's meow IMHO:
But anyway, my case (the 932 before they stopped including the side 230 mm fan) has:
5.25" Drive Bay 6 (without the use of exposed 3.5 inch drive bay)
3.5" Drive Bay 5 Hidden
1 Exposed (converted from one 5.25 inch drive bay)
I used to have a Lian Li "silent" case with water cooling but it wasn't cool enough and my pump died so I went back to air
But anyway, my case (the 932 before they stopped including the side 230 mm fan) has:
5.25" Drive Bay 6 (without the use of exposed 3.5 inch drive bay)
3.5" Drive Bay 5 Hidden
1 Exposed (converted from one 5.25 inch drive bay)
I used to have a Lian Li "silent" case with water cooling but it wasn't cool enough and my pump died so I went back to air
If you're going small you could go with a directed intake and sound insulated side panels to keep the noise down.
...or WATERCOOLING!
LOL. Compared to some cases (Cosmos, that rotated MB Silverstone, etc.) HAFs are downright conservative.
I think it's the 932 (same as I have). Can't remember how many bays it has off the top of my head, but it's a pretty big case - comes well above my knee with the wheels on the bottom.
You should get the next model up if you have the cash. The CoolerMaster HAF-X is just the cat's meow IMHO:
But anyway, my case (the 932 before they stopped including the side 230 mm fan) has:
5.25" Drive Bay 6 (without the use of exposed 3.5 inch drive bay)
3.5" Drive Bay 5 Hidden
1 Exposed (converted from one 5.25 inch drive bay)
I used to have a Lian Li "silent" case with water cooling but it wasn't cool enough and my pump died so I went back to air
That HAF-X is so overpriced, Cooler Master Cosmos S is a much better case for the money.
Higher quality materials, Bigger then the Haf, Better air flow......it's just better in every way.
Uh...Cosmos S has ok airflow, but it doesn't touch 3x 230 mm...
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83679
Then again, everything you own is always better than whatever anyone else owns
so you must be right.Newegg reviews:
Cosmos S: 294 reviews average to 4/5
HAF X: 429 reviews average to 5/5
Cosmos S maxes out at E-ATX whereas HAF X can take XL-ATX
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I dunno, I have a hard time with PC cases that are more vents and fan grilles than sheet metal, they typically are way too busy in their design. Like that fat, chunky plastic tray thing tacked on top of that case of yours?
Looks crap, IMO.My style's much more in the vein of Antec Performance One series and similar. Swedish designhouse Fractal Design is very much in the same vein. Some Lian-Li cases look alright too, but I'm a real stickler with the little details, everything's gotta be just right, and L-L often fails there with me.
That new Silverstone Fortress whatsitscalled, the new uATX casing, looks so friggin' sweet, but it too fails when it comes to the little details. The topside USB plugs don't feature mobo header connectors, but rather standard USB plugs, the L-connector on the internal power patch cable physically interferes with the on/off switch on many PSUs, and the shrinkwrap on the metal pins don't go all the way to the plastic housing, leaving slivers of live conductors exposed, ugh.
You also probably can't fit long, wide graphics boards like the 6900 series in both PEG slots because an internal fan interferes with the lower cardslot... Small shit like that, you add a couple niggles on top of each other and suddenly an ace-looking case turns into a total dud. Bummer.
I gave up on trying for good case looks years ago. For whatever reason everyone has to make them butt-ugly. Take the Silverstonen Raven - great layout, great function, insanely ugly. Maingear private labels the same case but makes it pretty but they don't sell just the case.
Anyway, my HAF 932 sits under a desk (I mean shit, it's a full tower) so looks don't mean much. I do wish it had a slide-out mobo tray like the Lian Lis in my closet, but it's big, airy and stays cool which is what I want in a gaming system.
My server in an Antec media-PC case sits up top and looks nice, but it doesn't need cooling like a gaming rig.
Anyway, my HAF 932 sits under a desk (I mean shit, it's a full tower) so looks don't mean much. I do wish it had a slide-out mobo tray like the Lian Lis in my closet, but it's big, airy and stays cool which is what I want in a gaming system.
My server in an Antec media-PC case sits up top and looks nice, but it doesn't need cooling like a gaming rig.
It's not (only) about being conservative or not. For instance, I really really like the Level10 (GT or not). The only issue with it would just be the discrepancy between its futuristic looks and the rather plain room furniture (or lack of it) I have.
I am currently looking for a new case since all the fans for my old (and hideous) XaserV started making extremely loud and annoying noises. I don't want to start buying quiet 80mm fans no so i figured a case replacement would be in place (as it can also last me for future builds as well).
The only one that seems acceptable for me in these conditions would be the Lian Li pc77f. I'm annoyed by the emergence of this futuristic-gamer style that's been employed too often in case designs.
@ Grall: you seem to make a similar point
.
TBH, I spend more time looking at my PC screen than the PC case
If it does the job well it doesn't matter *too* much what it looks like
EFFIN BOSS.
Damn, that's a bad looking case! (In a good way, heh.) I gotta check that out, I'd love to get a bigger case. I'd have to invest in a new mobo too then, but...hell. That case looks so super sweet.
...Checking out their site... They only sell complete systems? Damn. What a shame!
Tell me about it! That's the tragedy.
I first saw that in the Fermi preview vids that NV did. The Silverstone is the same chasis...but fugly.
This:
http://www.silverstonetek.com/raven/products/r-photo.php?model=RV02-E&area=usa
is as close as you get to the maingear version with minimized fugliness.
http://www.silverstonetek.com/raven/products/r-photo.php?model=RV02-E&area=usa
is as close as you get to the maingear version with minimized fugliness.
DuckThor Evil
Legend
Silverstone Fortress 2 should fit your bill. You won't be getting any better cooling with air cooling solutions than that, and it looks conservative. I have Silverstone Raven 2, which is essentially the same apart from the looks, and it's very good. The newer models that have the air penetrator fans are brilliant. The rotated MB is great too for usability and performance.
edit: http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cases/2010/08/12/silverstone-ft02r-w-review/1
There's a good review of the Fortress 2. Note that's a special edition with weird colours and at that time the regular model didn't have air penetrator fans, but now they do. They perform very well even with low speed setting. HAF X seem to edge 1 celcius in GPU temps though. You can get the case without the window too if you prefer.
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DuckThor Evil
Legend
Heh that is pretty steep. Any reason for the high price?
Uh...Cosmos S has ok airflow, but it doesn't touch 3x 230 mm...
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83679
Then again, everything you own is always better than whatever anyone else owns
Newegg reviews:
Cosmos S: 294 reviews average to 4/5
HAF X: 429 reviews average to 5/5
Cosmos S maxes out at E-ATX whereas HAF X can take XL-ATX
Dude I have 8x 120mm fans and a single 200m fan in my Cosmos S, Trust me the Haf can't compete with air flow.
The Cosmos is an extra £13 over the HAF X in the UK.....what does that extra £13 get you...
HAF is steel, Cosmos is aluminium.
HAF uses cheap plastic, Cosmos uses much higher quality plastics.
HAF is ugly, Cosmos is much better looking
Haf is small internally, Cosmos can fit a lot more stuff inside.
HAF has lots of gimmicks ( plastic cover for the PSU cables? lol ) Cosmos is a no frill enthusiast case.
HAF is pita to water cool in, Cosmos was built for water cooling.
In fact the only things the HAF has the Cosmos beat on are factory finished black internals and the extra PCI card slots...
Apart from that the Cosmos hammers it...
Good look getting all this in a HAF series case..
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