Just looking before I leap...new PC final thoughts.

[Dave76]

GeneO, if you can wait a month or two, the prices should start coming down.

That and keep your eyes open for a sale.
Newegg has had it for $285 a couple of times already.

 

[GeneO]

Thanks Dave,

Yeah I saw it at Newegg this weekend and was tempted! I need the write speed for Photoshop scratch space. Well, my wife would say I don't actually need it. LOL.

 

[Dave76]

They're funny that way

 

[GARoss]

Dave76, I purchased this graphic card, GIGABYTE GV-R567OC-1GI Rev2.0 Radeon HD 5670 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16, 6-7 months ago when I 1st upgraded to Win 7. My old one had weird issues with Win 7.

Ignatzatsonic, the kit I selected comes with a wrist strap. I'm not sure about OC but I figure the MB is designed to do so & the "K"-less i5 Intel is only $15 less. A small investment SHOULD I decide to go-for-it (OC, that is).

I am concerned if the Scythe Big Shuriken will interfere with the neighboring RAM. It has a 120mm diameter & looks to be close.

The Solo comes with screws & MB standoffs. Needs 2) 92mm fans.

Now, about the Artic Silver 5 thermal paste. As I've never installed a CPU before I watched some videos on U-Tube. I didn't notice any of the installers using it or mentioning it. I take it it's a must? It just applies on the bottom of the CPU or between the CPU & fan or both?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I am concerned if the Scythe Big Shuriken will interfere with the neighboring RAM. It has a 120mm diameter & looks to be close.

The Solo comes with screws & MB standoffs. Needs 2) 92mm fans.

Now, about the Artic Silver 5 thermal paste. As I've never installed a CPU before I watched some videos on U-Tube. I didn't notice any of the installers using it or mentioning it. I take it it's a must? It just applies on the bottom of the CPU or between the CPU & fan or both?

The thermal paste goes on the back of the processor and you then sit the heatsink down on top of it. Thermal paste IS a must, but the CPU will come with some and the Shuriken will come with some. In a little tear-open pack, rather than a tube. Every time you remove the heatsink, you should clean it and reapply more paste. So you will have enough for 2 installations. But I would nonetheless get a tube of Arctic Silver now---it keeps virtually forever and you may need it a year from now.

Go to Arctic Silver.com and search for your processor to see where to apply it---a thin stripe down the middle in your case as I recall.

Re 92 mm fans: the Solo has them already??? It should. I don't know their quietness levels.

Re RAM clearance on Big Shuriken. You shouldn't have any problems UNLESS your RAM has heat spreaders. If your RAM does have heat spreaders, you might be forced into putting your RAM in the outside pair of slots rather than in the pair nearer the heatsink. I can't give you my personal experience for a few days yet.

The clearance issue is on overhang, not on sheer left to right distance. There is roughly an inch clearance between the base of the Shuriken heatsink and the bottom of the heatsink overhang. I have heard of NO clearance issues unless the RAM has heat spreaders.

 

[Dave76]

Just between the CPU and Cooler, top of CPU only.

Search and read up on appling it, too much is bad, thin is good.

If there is too much or too little the CPU can run hot, which can lead to damage. More so if you start OC'ing.

Artic Silver 5, is recommended by many.
A not so good thermal paste won't conduct heat very well.

 

[GARoss]

How's this one?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I see you have a 92 mm fan on that list.

Do you mean that the Solo does NOT have fans already?

If it does, I would not order more at this time. Evaluate the stock fans for noise and cooling power for a month and then possibly order fans separately.

If you insist on ordering fans now, I would look at Scythe Slipstreams. I know they come in 120 size, but should be in 92 mm also?? They come in various RPM. I'd go with 800 or 1200 rpm fixed speed, rather than PWM.

The Slipstreams are known for being very quiet yet still move a reasonable amount of air.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I just looked around and find that maybe Scythe does not make a 92mm Slipstream.

I looked at the 92mm stock at New Egg.

If buying today, I would get this one. Nexus is highly regarded. Only issue is that it is fairly high RPM and may not be quieter than Solo stock fan.

Newegg.com - Nexus DF1209SL-3 92mm Case Fan

 

[GARoss]

I see you have a 92 mm fan on that list.

Do you mean that the Solo does NOT have fans already?

The Slipstreams are known for being very quiet yet still move a reasonable amount of air.

According to Antec, no front 92mm's are included. I don't see Slipstream's in 92mm @ Newegg.

www.antec.com -Solo Specsheet

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Yeah, there may be no 92mm Slipstream.

A front intake fan is an option. I use one. Most people don't. It typically helps to cool HDDs and generally provide a little front to rear help.

I'd get the Nexus. I just looked at the New Egg reviews and everyone says it is very quiet.

I see you have an Antec Tri-cool in the back. Not sure how quiet those are, but they have a low speed, which should be OK.

I've never run 2 front fans and probably wouldn't. But you might order two and install 1 and check how well it cools and noise levels. And keep the other for a spare.

 

[GeneO]

I hadn't looked at your new choice of case. The Seasonic (and most other modern power supplies) have a large horizontal fan that sucks cool air in, and a vertical fan that blows it out the back of the case. Usually the best case config for that is the power supply mounted at the botom of the case with a grill at the bottom for it to draw in air (or mounted at the top of the case with a grill on the top of the case to allow it to suck in air. I don't know how this case is meant to be configured. One of Antec's recommended supplies for the case has a front/back push pull fan that seems to fit the power supply enclosure geometry.

 

[GARoss]

I hadn't looked at your new choice of case. The Seasonic (and most other modern power supplies) have a large horizontal fan that sucks cool air in, and a vertical fan that blows it out the back of the case. Usually the best case config for that is the power supply mounted at the botom of the case with a grill at the bottom for it to draw in air (or mounted at the top of the case with a grill on the top of the case to allow it to suck in air. I don't know how this case is meant to be configured. One of Antec's recommended supplies for the case has a front/back push pull fan that seems to fit the power supply enclosure geometry.

Thanks. I better take another look. I wanted to order today but there's no need to hurry.

 

[sandman]

Roswell 90 piece tool kit is down to 29.00 I just picked one up and it is very nice carrying case, has wrist strap soldering iron and just about the works, tri-cool are pretty quite on low speed. I have all Antec cases 180 - 182 and an older SLK3000B use a lot of Noctua and Scythe a little more money but i have fan running in cases 24-7 from 2006 in the 30000B case and 2009 in others and not had to replace one to this day. Antec power supplies modular are quiet and have 2 and 3 l rails 12 volt not one over 550 watts, well good luck with build looks very good.

 

[Dave76]

How's this one?

Looks good, with the fan changes recommended.

Let us know when you pull the trigger and when you start the build.

That is going to be a really nice system.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Your chosen RAM has heat spreaders.

According to your manual, you can use the blue RAM slots or the white RAM slots. The Shuriken cooler is wide and will slightly overhang the nearest blue slot. No problem for RAM without heat spreaders.

But the heat spreaders on your RAM add to the height of the RAM module compared to standard RAM and would lack clearance for the Shuriken.

Therefore you would have to use the outside pair of slots---the white pair---in order for the RAM to not be under the cooler overhang and lack clearance.

Alternatives if you want to use the blue slots:

Use different RAM without heat spreaders

Use another cooler

There are lots of RAM modules without heat spreaders.

There are lots of other coolers, but they will likely be noisier, taller (rather than wide like the Shuriken), heavier, and may use higher speed fans.

This is not an issue if you stick with the white slots.

 

[GARoss]

I see other RAM mods without heatspreaders but none that are P67, i3-7 certified. Add to the fact that there's nice price drop on the selected G-Skill RAM. We'll use the outer slots as I don't think I'll ever need an additional 8Gb of RAM in the future. And, I will change to your suggested front fan.

GeneO made a point that the Seasonic PSU is better suited for a bottom mount case where the fan would draw from outside of the case, not inside with a top mount. If the SOLO had a top vent this wouldn't present an issue but it doesn't. I'm wondering if this is a concern at all as the review I read on the Seasonic said the fan was hardly on & only under stressed conditions like gaming (I suppose video rendering, too).

It seems many of the recommended quiet cases get into 1.5-2x the cost of the Solo or they have been discontinued. One that is the same price looks more like a gaming case with lots of fans for ventalation but maybe not so quiet. It's made by Thermaltake... Newegg.com - Thermaltake Armor A90 Gaming Mid-Tower Chassis With Cable Management Water Cooling SSD Support And Tool-Less Installation VL90001W2Z

Of course, I could go back to Antec PSUs but then the heavy duty, hard to work with wiring come in play; that is similar priced ones.

Getting flustered, here. So, should this be a concern or go with the Solo?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

GeneO made a point that the Seasonic PSU is better suited for a bottom mount case where the fan would draw from outside of the case, not inside with a top mount. If the SOLO had a top vent this wouldn't present an issue but it doesn't. I'm wondering if this is a concern at all as the review I read on the Seasonic said the fan was hardly on & only under stressed conditions like gaming (I suppose video rendering, too).

Getting flustered, here. So, should this be a concern or go with the Solo?

In my opinion, it is not a concern worth worrying about. The reviews you have read speak for themselves.

You can second guess any list of build components and chase your tail endlessly and never buy anything.

You have done more planning than 99% of first time builders.

I say pull the trigger. Your call and your ultimate responsibility of course. It's a very strong and quiet PC for under $1000.

 

[GARoss]

Music to my ears. Here's the final order. I don't expect it until early next week so I have time to do a back-up & maybe a render test to compare before/after speeds. Sorry to get freaked out at times but better safe than sorry. I intened to take photos as thing are getting built so I'll put forth my best Photoshop efforts!
My thanks to everyone here at Windows 7 Forums!

 

[Dave76]

Agree with ignatzatsonic, time to pull the trigger.
You've done good planning, and have a solid build list.

Don't worry, you can do an upgrade in the next couple of months if you don't like it