Motherboard/CPU cooler/RAM/case compatibility check, please

Danny75

Danny75

Danny75

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Joined
26 Aug 2013
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Hi guys and girls,

Wonder if anyone could help me out with this.

I know someone interested in having the following parts in their new rig:

YOUR BASKET
1 x Kingston HyperX 16GB (2x8GB) PC3-19200C11 2400MHz Dual Channel Kit - Black/Red (HX24C11BRK2/16-OC) £125.99
1 x Asus Z97I-Plus Intel Z97 (Socket 1150) DDR3 Mini ITX Motherboard £110.99
1 x BitFenix Prodigy 'Ashes' Mini-ITX Cube Case - Black/Red £69.95
1 x Noctua NH-D14 Dual Radiator CPU Cooler £65.99
Total : £382.51 (includes shipping : £8.00).




As I understand it, from videos I've watched etc, the big cooler should have no problem fitting in the Prodigy mini-ITX case.

But what about the motherboard/RAM? Think it will be fine?
 
That will fit.

Q: What is the maximum clearance for CPU coolers on Prodigy?
Prodigy maximum CPU cooler height = 175mm
Click to expand...

But why not get a red+black themed board+cooler,

YOUR BASKET
1 x Kingston HyperX 16GB (2x8GB) PC3-19200C11 2400MHz Dual Channel Kit - Black/Red (HX24C11BRK2/16-OC) £125.99
1 x Gigabyte Z97N-Gaming 5 Intel Z97 (Socket 1150) DDR3 Mini ITX Motherboard £122.99
1 x BitFenix Prodigy 'Ashes' Mini-ITX Cube Case - Black/Red £69.95
1 x Raijintek Nemesis Dual Element Extreme CPU Cooler £49.99
Total : £378.52 (includes shipping : £8.00).



Lastly why 16GB of RAM?
 
Thank you, Stu. All excellent points, sir. :)

I recommended 8GB as it is mostly for gaming, with only a bit of video editing now and then. But he apparently wants to be covered for any increase in the latter, in future. So up to him. Good shout, though.

And funnily enough, I did also recommend a black/red mobo, but he kept "insisting" on the Asus. Think I'll insist a bit more though, to get more things matching. :)

The cooler - he asked which air cooler would be best. I told him if money is no object then the NH-D14 or D15, but that he didn't need to spend so much and there were cheaper options that will do the job. The colour-matching on the cooler hasn't been discussed yet. I will mention that to him. Having said that, he's going to add a 230mm BitFenix Spectre Pro at the front, with a red LED, which should make the Noctua look a bit red too.

One more thing perhaps - it will have a GPU. The CPU sockets on the Asus and Gigabyte are high up, which will help clearance, but I better ask for your opinion on that kind of clearance too, with either the NH-D14, or the Nemesis. I've heard some Noctuas come very close, or even touch, some GPU's, depending on the motherboard. Noctua's website does have the NH-D14 as officially compatible with the Asus Z97i-Plus, so I would imagine that means it won't touch the GPU.
 
Ah,

itx and cooler and GFX clearances.

Jump ship :p


But seriously, as you point out there is a huge space between the cpu socket and PCI-E slot on that giga board.
 
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