Show Us Your Rig [2]

[DocBrown]

This is my very new to me Computer, (not had it 24 hours yet) with its side off the case is black

Nice neat clean layout

 

[neeraj]

This is my very new to me Computer, (not had it 24 hours yet) with its side off the case is black

neat and clean set up.

 

[Ciara]

Thanks DocBrown and neeraj , just wondering why do Graphic Cards fit in a Computer Case (what looks like upside down) ?

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Ciara,
Not sure if my logic is correct. Most higher end GPU's have a fan which draws cool air in from the bottom back of card and exhausts it over the cooling fins inside the card and out the back of the computer.

 

[Ciara]

Hi linnemeyerhere , Yes makes sense as the air lower in the case would be cooler

 

[LiquidSnak]

A lot of it has to do with the original design of the cards. When I started building computers, probably most, if not all, circuit boards were green, and all the PCI and ISA slots had the bracket mount on the same side of the card they do now. To put it on the other side would require the motherboard be re-positioned, or a different pattern of expansion slots be cut into the back of the case. I believe it became standard, and now would be difficult to change.

 

[Ciara]

I see, thanks LiquidSnak

 

[linnemeyerhere]

A quick question: When you run SLI or Crossfire rigs doesn't the card on the bottom rob the card or cards above it of a clean cool airflow ? I would suspect that the bottom card would run much lower temps to it's cards above it?

 

[xarden]

A quick question: When you run SLI or Crossfire rigs doesn't the card on the bottom rob the card or cards above it of a clean cool airflow ? I would suspect that the bottom card would run much lower temps to it's cards above it?

That makes sense.
Its why I dont have any additional PCI cards in my machine, as you can see earlier in this thread. (Link, 6th pic down)
I took the purple/orange fans off last night to clean them of dust, and the GPU temp shot up from 37oC to 49oC over 30 seconds.

There needs to really be a way to draw air in from the centre of the case, over the graphics card then exhaust out the back. That way, depending on your other fan's setup, it would be inhaling from the bottom into the center, then distributing over each card through to the back. Or, inhaling from the front, passing straight over the mother board, through the cards, out the back.

Its like fon shui for air.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

OK ladies and gentlemen I've found a creative solution to the SLI cooling question. Use a riser in one of the PCI-E slots. Check this out and yes a new problem is how to secure the taller card, but I'm sure the work around is easy enough. The added space under this raised card would help provide ample air flow and if you run a Tri-SLI the riser would be used for the middle card or two risers could be used for the outer cards want ever worked best !
ARC1-08X16
or
http://www.logicsupply.com/products/pcie_100_16

 

[LiquidSnak]

I am planning an SLI setup in the future, and I bought my motherboard with adequately spaced PCIe slots to avoid that exact issue

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Good to know as I thought that spacing was standardized?

 

[ZaLiTH]

A quick question: When you run SLI or Crossfire rigs doesn't the card on the bottom rob the card or cards above it of a clean cool airflow ? I would suspect that the bottom card would run much lower temps to it's cards above it?

Yup... It makes a big difference. Before I got my current 8800GTS 512mb, I was running two 320mb cards in SLI. Keep in mind I had overclocked them as well, but after a few hours of gaming the top card would hit about 82 degrees while the bottom only got to about 76 or 77.

I ended up modding my side panel and putting two 12cm fans directly over the cards to blast air onto them from outside the case, which did help quite a lot.

I am planning an SLI setup in the future, and I bought my motherboard with adequately spaced PCIe slots to avoid that exact issue

Spacing is important, but it won't make as much of a difference as you'd think... My XFX 750a-SLI board has pretty decent spacing for the slots, I still had about 1.5cm-2cm between my cards and each were the standard double slot thickness that's become so common.

In all honesty, unless you have some sort of setup to push air into your case specifically for the graphics cards, I can promise you, your top card will get a fair amount warmer.

 

[LiquidSnak]

I see a lot of motherboards with the PCIex16 slots one away from eachother, i.e. with a single slot between them, and I made sure to buy one with two between them

 

[ZaLiTH]

I see a lot of motherboards with the PCIex16 slots one away from eachother, i.e. with a single slot between them, and I made sure to buy one with two between them
View attachment 113030

I know exactly what you mean... I did the same when I was researching the components for my current setup. My board also has decent space between the two slots...

 

[tw33k]

NEW: CM Storm Sniper, Lamptron FC-5 v2 fan controller, 140mm Noise Blocker bottom fan, replaced rear fan with a 120mm Scythe Kaze Ultra (3000 rpm), have a 200mm Antec Big Boy ready (if needed). Upgrading PSU next week so I'll try to get the cable management a bit tidier if I can (it's hard to get it better than it is due to the ASUS U3S6 pci-e card for my SSD) but it's pretty good. I'm very happy but I didn't realise the case was so big. Had to rearrange everything so it'd fit.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

NEW: CM Storm Sniper, Lamptron FC-5 fan controller, 140mm Noise Blocker bottom fan, replaced rear fan with a 120mm Scythe Kaze Ultra (3000 rpm), have a 200mm Antec Big Boy ready (if needed). Upgrading PSU next week so I'll try to get the cable management a bit tidier if I can (it's hard to get it better than it is due to needed the ASUS U3S6 pci-e card for my SSD) but it's pretty good. I'm very happy but I didn't realise the case was so big. Had to rearrange everything so it'd fit.

View attachment 113080 View attachment 113081

View attachment 113082 View attachment 113083

View attachment 113084

Looks good!

 

[tw33k]

Thanks. Still messier than I'd like (cable management is a bi+ch!)

 

[Dave76]

That's a great looking case, good job

What PSU are you getting?

Make sure it has long cables, for that big case.

 

[tw33k]

Thanks. Need to finish it but i was at for like 4 hours and couldn't cope any more.
I'm getting a Corsair AX750 Gold.