High Performance Gaming Box: Discussion Thread

Apps Lab · #1 10-10-2005, 04:41 PM

We value your input, and we're enthusiasts just like you guys are, so this thread is for questions and comments about the High Performance Gaming Machine thread, System Build Volume 1.

Feel free to ask any questions related to that thread in here, and make any related comment you w********

I would, however, appreciate being civil. There are many ways to say something, so please keep all constructive criticism to being polite.

Examples:
Bad - "Hey, Apps Lab, your pictures are terrible, did you take them all at midnight without a flash during a huge earthquake?"

Good - "Hey Apps Lab, the picture of the I/O shield with the motherboard installed is kind of blurry, think you could get me a better one?"

Commence the discussion!

Wired · #2 10-10-2005, 04:52 PM

Would it be safe to assume that The Cool wasn't used in this system build because this build blog is more of an introduction to system building 101? If so, will it be used in future builds?

Apps Lab · #3 10-10-2005, 06:58 PM

Correct, we're going to be doing one with water cooling separately.

Wired · #4 10-12-2005, 12:14 AM

1 + 1 = 2. Gotcha :)

Henkea · #5 10-13-2005, 02:57 PM

Why is your powersupply so far romoved from the rest of the computer, it has its own little substation almost. Can I put my power supply and my processor close together at the bottom of my machine? I have an additional fan to keep things cool but are there other reasons than heat to seal off the power supply?

RAM GUY · #6 10-13-2005, 06:46 PM

The location of the PSU is by the case you use. And if you are asking if you can install the PSU inside the case I would not suggest it as it would generate heat that would need to be vented out side the case.

Wired · #7 10-13-2005, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAM GUY

The location of the PSU is by the case you use. And if you are asking if you can install the PSU inside the case I would not suggest it as it would generate heat that would need to be vented out side the case.

What I think Ram Guy means is that unless your case is designed where your PSU is at the bottom, don't hack your own case to do it.

CandyKid · #8 10-13-2005, 10:32 PM

Right... cases are designed to have the PSU mounted in a way that will vent it to the outside...

However, with a bit of ingenuity and a dremmel... but that's a bit more advanced than just building your system.

PLUR
CK

Apps Lab · #9 10-14-2005, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henkea

Why is your powersupply so far romoved from the rest of the computer, it has its own little substation almost. Can I put my power supply and my processor close together at the bottom of my machine? I have an additional fan to keep things cool but are there other reasons than heat to seal off the power supply?

Our power supply has its own little compartment in this case. The V-1000B is uniquely designed. So far, the only two full-sized cases I've seen with similar designs are this one and the ******** P180 (another great case for the silence enthusiast!)

The reason the power supply is sealed off in this case is simply manufacturer design. The theory being that the PSU can contribute heat to the case as well as remove heat from the case. Since this case has "cooling zones" designed by the manufacturer, you can easily determine that the CPU and Video Cards are separated from the hard drives which are separated from the PSU. Therefore, all the main heat-producing components are in their own areas with their own ventilation.

The PSU shouldn't produce immense amounts of heat, though, provided that the fan provides sufficient airflow and the internal design is well laid out.

Henkea · #10 10-14-2005, 07:18 PM

I have been hacking into my case(god I love my dremmel), but I did not want the PSU where the case had it beacause I cut off the top of the case and made it a really hard mesh. Now there is nothing to attach the psu to anymore so I was wondering if where I put it would have much of an effect on the other heat generating components in the machine. I just noticed that the AppsLab PSU was on the bottom, I have never seen that done.

oh and I have no problem cutting into the case to vent the PSU but I want to makesure it is the right spot before I start cutting.

CMC_SAVAGE · #11 10-14-2005, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Now there is nothing to attach the psu to

Quote:

I just noticed that the AppsLab PSU was on the bottom, I have never seen that done.

You posted yesterday regarding the orientation of the PSU.
It was explained that this is a "case design" and not a case mod.
I think you should put your Dremmel away and go buy a new case........

Wired · #12 10-15-2005, 01:08 AM

As Apps Lab said, the PSU is separated from the rest of the system. In a normal PC if you just slapped the PSU down there, residual heat would float up and increase the heat of the video card, CPU, etc.

OTOH (on the other hand), BTX (which is close to this case's backwards ATX style) systems are oriented almost the same way.

Yellowbeard · #13 10-15-2005, 01:03 PM

I've never liked the ATX PSU position. The PSU fans suck hot air from the other components into the PSU which is already hot enough. A cool PSU is a happy PSU.

Mike.

Apps Lab · #14 10-19-2005, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by specmike

I've never liked the ATX PSU position. The PSU fans suck hot air from the other components into the PSU which is already hot enough. A cool PSU is a happy PSU.

Mike.

Indeed. In the ATX spec they designed it so that the PSU is a point of exhaust for the heat from the CPU, but this spec was designed in the Pentium/Pentium 2 days when a CPU was putting out what, 40-50W of heat max? Now some of the Pentium D processors can put out 110-130W of heat.

The other thing I suggest is looking at a PSU with high efficiency. 80%+ efficient PSUs should be cooler and run quieter than cheap PSUs. The efficiency rating just rates how efficiently a PSU converts power from AC to DC, effectively. The less efficient a PSU, the more heat produced during the conversion process.

So your PSU being cool is a function of A) Heatsinks and internal design, B) Airflow from fans, and C) Efficiency.

The location in the case can help the airflow and assure that all heat going into the PSU is not much hotter than ambient.

LeeAbe · #15 10-19-2005, 08:34 PM

One thing I noticed: I am using a Li Lian case (65b) and an Asus A8N-SLI Premium and I hooked up my power switch, spearker, etc, cables opposite of how it is done in the pictures. I read somewhere else that the black or white wire is usually the return or ground so when hooking them up I did not put the lead with the arrow on it on the + pin (the exact opposite of the article). Everything still works though.