OC i3 bundle?

HappyPunter

HappyPunter

HappyPunter

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Joined
17 Sep 2010
Posts
39
Looking to upgrade my old system. No laughing please :)


Operating System
MS Windows XP Professional 32-bit SP3

CPU
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ 36°C
Toledo 90nm Technology


RAM
2.0GB Dual-Channel DDR @ 200MHz (3-3-3-8)


Motherboard
ASUSTeK Computer INC. A8N32-SLI-Deluxe (SOCKET 939)


Graphics
SyncMaster @ 1680x1050
512MB Radeon X1950xtx Series (ATI)


Hard Drives
488GB Western Digital WDC WD5001AALS-00L3B2 (IDE) 34 °C


Optical Drives
SONY CD-RW CRX320EE


Audio
Sound Cards
Creative X-Fi Audio Processor (WDM)


Case Cooler Master Praetorian 731
http://www.trustedreviews.com/perip...05/Cooler-Master-Praetorian-731-Tower-Case/p1


So I got temps in the list above (CPU + HD) and also showing a review to my case as I want to make sure that everything I get will fit inside the same case and not get overheated.

I dont think I need a new case unless someone can convince me otherwise. Now when I tell you my stock amd fan could do with a little dusting thats a big understatment and
the same can be said with all the fans in the case. I havent cleaned the filters in 8 months or so.

I think the stock cooler had temps of the cpu at 28-30 idle when I first put it all together almost 4 years ago. Point Im trying to make is I think temps should be ok in this case.

Be good if somone can correct me if my thinking is wrong.

Now I understand that Sandy bridge will be around soon and AMD will have one next year at some point. Im not prepared to wait for these fellas I will be spending some pennys now.
Ill be light gaming and working with netframework software for the exchanges. My computer will be on most of the time.

The best deal I can see is to buy the ocuk i3 OCuk overclocked bundle with windows 7 and maybe a gpu for 150 quid or so. So thats around 500 quid for the bundle/windows/460or5770.
That seems reasonable I think.

Now the one major concern I have with this and I would really appriciate some advice is on the cooling of the i3 with my case. The Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro Rev 2 seems better than stock cooling
but im not convinced with some reviews I have seen and its a 92 mm fan compared to say the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus which has 120 and is also only one quid more.

Akasa AK-CCX-4002HP Venom,Titan Fenrir I would consider if it brings temps down even more and fits everything ok...or any other suggestions up to £40.

So the case Cooler Master Praetorian 731 http://www.trustedreviews.com/perip...05/Cooler-Master-Praetorian-731-Tower-Case/p1
I would want the heat being pushed towards the back of the case??

Gigabyte GA-H55M-UD2H Intel H55 http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-233-GI
So the cooler would have to be suitable for this MB and have room for my gpu and sound card (Not even sure if my sound card will work now with a new windows because of drivers?)

Would really appriaciate any views on the setup I am thinking of getting, and more importantly advice on a decent suitable cooler for the i3 that blows to the back of my case.
 
Looking at that case, I think you will have issues fitting a large cooler with a 120mm fan in that case - especially when you consider that the two rear fans are only 80mm ones.

It would be worth getting a tape measure out and see what the maximum height of cooler you can get is.

As for the motherboard, if you want to use a dual-slot graphics card and sound card, I would strongly suggest you go for a full ATX motherboard.

Finally, have you considered selling your old components (CPU, mobo, RAM) on a popular auction site? s939 kit goes down a storm there.
 
Thanks for the reply Andi. I think I can get 160mm in there but it will be tight. The case is 190 width. Ill double check tomorrow and get inside the case to see if its big enough. The plastic tunnel (not sure what to call it) thats ment to take room temp air into the case near the cpu can be taken off easily if that gets in the way.

I noticed somone posted some pics of a completed auction for a 939 cpu and mb on this forum a while ago, ( Think they might have been the same as mine actually) and I was shocked at what prices they went for. Thanks for mentioning it.

Im not sure what you mean by the x2 80m fans being a problem though.

And my sound card is pci not pci-e will this make any difference or will having both in on the mini mb cause a bottleneck of some sorts? Apologise Im not much of an expert on these things.
 
My pleasure - happy to help :)

160mm would be great (I believe the Titan Evo is 156mm), but definitely double check. Also, as these coolers use backplates you will want to check the clearence of the motherboard tray (for when you slide the mobo tray into the case), as installing the cooler while it is within the main PC case is not possible with some of these large coolers.

My point with the 80mm fans was that it shows the case is not as wide as most modern cases with 120mm exhaust fans - so it indicates space for the CPU cooler may be an issue.

The sound card will not cause a bottleneck, but on that small micro-ATX board you linked to the sound card would need to be located directly next to the graphics card. A graphics card like the GTX 460 is a very hot beast with an impressive cooling system. Putting a sound card right next to it will impede its cooling ability and cause higher GPU temperatures. The best way of getting round this is to use a full-ATX board, (which your case can accommodate) and place the sound card further from the GPU.
 
Which board are you looking at?

Also, if you are considering spending £50 on a low-profile CPU cooler - you may want to consider upgrading the case as a whole. The Antec 300 is a favourite and will fit pretty much any cooler you can think of. The Xigmatek Asgard and Antec 200 also have plenty of space and are even cheaper.
 
Is the soundcard PCI-E or PCI? I'm assuming it's PCI.
I assume this is the bundle you're looking at: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=BU-035-OB&groupid=43&catid=339&subcat=
Honestly I would say forget about the soundcard. That Artic cooler will fit and I have it in my brother's case which also has an 80mm exhuast, with about a few centimetres left to spare. In fact your current case looks like it's a tad bit roomier.
EDIT: Your case is ATX, you can shove the 460 or 5770 into the bottom PCI-E slot and use the souncard if you can find the drivers for it. That should stop it from overheating.
 
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Gigabyte GA-H55M-UD2H Intel H55
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...odid=MB-233-GI

Thats the MB and yes [http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=BU-035-OB&groupid=43&catid=339&subcat=
is pretty much what I want but I really do not want a freezer pro.

I got inside my case this morning and 160 is too tight to call. So Its a no go I definatly need a low profile cooler unless I buy another case as you suggest.

Noctua NH-C12P is a little over 30 quid more than a freezer pro but I rekon I could recoup most of that difference back when or if I sell it. Also and total guess work now but wont sandy bridge also be the same size as the i3 clarkdale? I may be able to keep the case and the cooler even for that if it cools it just as well.


Review of the noctua on a I3
http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/noctua_nh-c12p_se14_review/4
 
Will replace my 4 case fans with Sharkoon 2000s and connect them all up to a Scythe Server fan controler.

Not convinced by the controller but im not sure what other controllers are good. Was one with a touch screen but thats not for me.

MB only has 2 fan headers so with 5 in total including the cpu fan it seems the best thing to do.

Has anyone got any advice on cutting out a space in my MB tray to help with backplates? Think its alluminium like the rest of the case.
 
Everything just about fits if anyone was thinking of getting a Noctua with this board. But the sound card is almost touching the gpu, so I will try and sell it on and get a pci-e sound card. Ill post some pics if I can another time. Was surprised that first time in bios the cpu was reading 17C so very happy so far.
 
I sold my 939 3800+ with 4Gb DDR3200 + ABIT uguru mobo + HD3650 AGP for over £130 total in several lots.
 
Yeah thanks nkata have noticed they will sell well and hopefully will fund a new gpu in a few weeks or so.

14C idle is the lowest my cpu has been and 33C tops with Prime95. I cant recommend the noctua enough for this i3 530.
 
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Well as I said, first time I got into bios it said 17C. So no... I did not believe they where fake. This is all new to me so apologise for my lack of knowledge on temp readings and the like.

Now I downloaded true temp and realised that at around 10% load it throttles the speed down by reducing the multi or whatever its called these days, so I guess this explains for the very low temps.

Got some pics up on Imageshack ill try to link them now with temp readings.

http://img825.imageshack.us/i/temps1.jpg/

http://img541.imageshack.us/i/temps2.jpg/

http://img444.imageshack.us/i/temps3.jpg/

http://img339.imageshack.us/i/temps4.jpg/
 
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