High end case for watercooling?

Hades

Hades

Hades

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I'm thinking of moving to watercooling. One option is to fit a kit to my CM 111 (external rad, etc). Or another is to consider a different case and try to fit it all inside. It needs to be something similar in quality to the 111.


Radiators

I'll be cooling a dual core opty, chipset and gfx... all overclocked of course. So a single rad won't be sufficient. It needs to be able to take a dual 120 rad or possibly two single 120's.


Size

I'd prefer it similar in size to my 111 as it's sitting under a small desk at the moment. I've got about 50cm clearance in height although if the right case demanded it then I'd just buy a new desk too :) (or rip this silly drawer off!)


Price

Not really an issue for the right case.


Can anyone recommend anything?
 
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Youve limited yourself to a Lian Li v2000 or S80.

Better off keeping the ATCs, nothing bar the high end Lian Li cases matches the quality. :(

You get an ATCs 500 to use as a rad box though! :p
 
Thanks. I thought as much. One of the problems I have with the 111 is I need an external rad hanging off the back and spoiling its looks... and to cut two holes in it for the tubes. That's almost heresy to cut up an old ATC :)

Good lord I just looked at the current CM range and they are all damn fugly :eek: How the mighty have fallen :(

I take it you're not a fan of the Tt Tai Chi which seems to get decent reviews?
 
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HAHA!

Tai Cheap, its a load of rubbish, full of features that are useless and break, once you remove the features your left with a £40 case. :o

Nothing will touch your 111 bar a Lian Li V series or S80, the TJ07 will come close however.

I seriously recommend you avoid the Tai Chi at all costs, especially the one with built in 'kettle/water cooling'. :p
 
How about this, criminal to cut up a ATC200-MX1



It's not mine just something i came across one day and kept.

You could as yewen said get the small ATC 500 and maybe run them side by side. or get a ATC 201 (going pretty cheap lately on that auction site) and chop that down to put under, will mean removing the desk draw or getting a new desk
 
Ignoring height, the best watercooling cases available pop up.

Akasa Eclipse, Lian Li G70.

The TJ07 is an option, but its air cooling is noisey, I have never used one with a water loop so can not really comment.

The G70 however is THE case for watercooling. Easily internally mount a 120.3 and a 120.2.
 
The 500 would be my personal route, especially with how much they cost new at the moment.

Stick the rads into that, and run it next to the case, maybe have slightly longer tubing to stick the 500 away somewhere, could run a LCD in it to report water temperature aswell, be like your own Vapo unit but water. :p
 
Yewen said:
HAHA!
I seriously recommend you avoid the Tai Chi at all costs, especially the one with built in 'kettle/water cooling'. :p
Click to expand...

I missed this the first time through...

Read, understood, and acted upon (won't buy one!) Thanks.
 
They are not bad, my post may have come across a little on the super negative side.

Only thing is you have a ATCs, are after a high end case, and have mentioned a Thermaltake.

They just do not go in the same sentance, differences are huge between them. :)
 
I considered a radbox but the 500 idea is very interesting. I'd probably still have to cut a pair of holes in the 111 for the tubes though. I've found a place selling one for £57 (not looked long). Is this a fair price or are they cheaper now? Obviously don't tell me where, just roughly how much would be considered expensive for this discontinued item.

Doesn't the 500 only have 80mm fans though? Ideally I'd like 120mm rads so I'm assuming you mean cut it up? Wouldn't that be just as criminal as cutting the 111? It's an old skool ATCS after all. Even if it is a pint sized one?
 
Thats the only place that has them, new still!

And yes I am suggesting cutting it up, BUT, its not a 111. :p

The idea if done well, with temperature monitor in the case would look very smart indeed.

Its less of a cutting up the cases, more a how they will look once cut up.

(the 500 is 60mm and 80mm I think, mine has not arrived yet.)
 
This is tempting. Time is the problem for me. I don't have that much apart from evenings so it would take years to make it :) But very tempting nonetheless.

Wouldn't the Silverstone SG-01 be a better candidate as it's smaller? Or another alternative similar in size to the 500 could be the TJ08. More money though. But I like the size of the SG-01.

I had a quick look at the TJ07. It's a pity I don't like the front styling as otherwise that looks a superb case for watercooling. The two side 120mm fans look perfect.
 
The SG01 would most cetainly be a good option.

If you remove the drive bays there should be enough room for a 120.3 on the top.

(goes of to place 3 120mm fans on sugo)

EDIT: It will be tight, you may have to cut out the back of the case for the rad to fit, depending on rad.
 
Just noticed the TJ08 has two 120mm fans already so customising it would be easier than the 500.

ANother thougth crossed my mind - with the Silverstones there are USB ports and audio ports on the front. It would be fairly simply to connect them up from the main PC and use them as a breakout box. So that would make the mini PC not only a radbox but an LCD display, a USB hub and an audio breakout box.

I like this idea. I like it a lot :)
 
USB cables are limited to 10m though remember, if your planning on hooking your loop up to the plumbing keep that in mind. ;)

The fully functional second pc would be super cool.

One thing I would personally do however, link both power buttons up together, so you can use either one. Make it truely unique.

Your not the only one liking this idea, its something I have never seen anyone do yet its quite simple, and has the potential to be fantastic!
 
USB should be fine. The 111 is on the floor and the 500 could sit on the desk above it. I like the power button idea.

I may give it a go. I was thinking about making a radbox anyway and this is a good starting point. I think the SG-01 is out. I'd need a pair of 120's.

Would you suggest a seperate power supply in the small PC? I was thinking more along the lines of running a cable from the 111. And what about the res and pump? In the 500 or the 111?

This is probably all a pipe dream. I really don't have the time and I've never modded a case or setup watercooling :)

I assume you're not planning to cut up your 500 when it arrives? Or are you planning this project?
 
I was not planning this project!

Would take a day roughly to do, and I would run a set of cables between the cases with some braiding on, unless you run a cheapy PSU in the rad case.

Would mount all the water gear in the 500, and probably mount the pump on rubber feet.

Would be a killer rig if ever you put it into practice.
 
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