TechSpot - PC Technology News and Analysis

Arris · #1 02-19-2003

Components:

GA-7VAXP Rev 1.1 KT400 motherboard (ATX)
Athlon XP 2100+ Thoroughbred B (AIUHB) @ 2.171Ghz (13x167) (2700+)
512mb OCZ EL-DDR PC3500 @ Max timings 333DDR
Coolermaster HHC-L61 Heatsink with YS-Tech 4800rpm fan
Sapphire Radeon 9700 Pro 128mb
Hercules Fortissimo II soundcard
2 x Seagate Barracuda IV ATA100 40gb 7200rpm
350w Enermax Dualfan PSU

CPU installed with ArticSilver III.
Idle temp 38C, load 46C on average
CPU is the only thing overclocked at the moment.

Arris · #2 02-19-2003

View of whole case

Arris · #3 02-19-2003

Closeup of PSU over the CPU and HSF (and the nice shiny OCZ ram)

MrGaribaldi · #4 02-19-2003

Cool...
But just a stupid Q...
Isn't it a bit of a problem having the cpu stuck under the PSU? Both heat wise and accessibility....?

Mictlantecuhtli · #5 02-19-2003

My thoughts exactly. I've installed my PSUs on top of the case, outside it (the case doesn't have any sides). No airflow prevention and easy access to components if/when needed.

Arris · #6 02-20-2003

Well they recommend a dual fan PSU. So the Enermax over the CPU actually works in conjunction with the heatsink fan. I was a little apprehensive at first but read about the case and the sideway mounting of the PSU and found reviews to report everything working ok. I thought perhaps the two fans so close together would cause problems with one fan being affected by the action of the other but it all seems ok.

The only thing I am a little disappointed with is the lack of a motherboard tray in this case, some reviews said it had one and others said it didn't. I guess its possible I got the original revision of the case and that later ones had the motherboard try. Anyway, the PSU is attached via a mounting plate on the back of the case which is attached with thumbscrews, so its pretty easy to move that out of the way and work on the board. Quite happy with my purchase, since I plan on making this into a semi HTPC it will look a lot nicer than a big beige box sitting in my living room. Considering whether to tray and spray paint the facia of the DVD drive or to simply replace it with a black drive. If/when I get round to that I'll post the resulting pictures.

You can just make out the PSU plate and thumbscrews on the image above

Arris · #7 03-13-2003

Now replaced Fortissimo 2 with Audigy2 and the HHC-L61 is being replaced with a SLK-800 with an 80mm 20dBA fan...

Phantasm66 · #8 03-13-2003

I just built a machine with that motherboard 2 weeks ago. I found that if you snipped the ties on the cables for USB2 and Firewire, I could get the connector plates onto some slots that would never be used (i.e. above agp slot, etc). I used a much bigger case.

Arris · #9 03-13-2003

Quote:

Originally posted by Phantasm66
I found that if you snipped the ties on the cables for USB2 and Firewire, I could get the connector plates onto some slots that would never be used (i.e. above agp slot, etc). I used a much bigger case.

Might just do that since I have traded my Fortissimo II for a pinnacle PCTV rare PCI card and need to free some space for that to be installed. Thanks for the tip.
Bit worried this SLK-800 is going to be a very tight fit under the PSU though...

Happy enough with the VAXP Phant?

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