Case - AIO size compatibility

First, I apologize if this has been asked or covered before but I've searched these threads until I'm dizzy and cannot find the information. I'm putting together a new build and looking for a Corsair case. I still prefer to have a couple 5.25 bays for BR/DVD and card reader and want to use at least an H110i (prefer H150i) AIO. When I look at all the cases at Corsairs website, even the largest super tower only says the H100 is the largest compatible AIO. Are these simply not up to date? If so, Is there a link someone can provide or point me to that has a compatibility list/thread that is current? At this point I'm leaning towards the 500R or 450D/650D/750D cases, prefer as small as possible that will fit the H150i, but don't wish to pop on one and then find I cannot fit the AIO.

Thanks

First, I apologize if this has been asked or covered before but I've searched these threads until I'm dizzy and cannot find the information. I'm putting together a new build and looking for a Corsair case. I still prefer to have a couple 5.25 bays for BR/DVD and card reader and want to use at least an H110i (prefer H150i) AIO. When I look at all the cases at Corsairs website, even the largest super tower only says the H100 is the largest compatible AIO. Are these simply not up to date? If so, Is there a link someone can provide or point me to that has a compatibility list/thread that is current? At this point I'm leaning towards the 500R or 450D/650D/750D cases, prefer as small as possible that will fit the H150i, but don't wish to pop on one and then find I cannot fit the AIO.

 

Thanks

I asked me neighbor's kid if he knew what a phone booth was, he had no idea. In a few more years, kids won't know what CD/DVDs are. My father also wanted a DVD Burner when we both did identical builds. It was much easier to get an external drive, than to find a case that was the size we wanted it, that could take a 360mm radiator. I would highly suggest this as he doesn't use it that often and throws it into a a drawer. I connect my phone more to my case to upload photos or videos. You can also get a USB card reader as well.

The other option is going with something like a 240mm AIO or go huge with a case. The 650D might work, though you will need to see if you have any clearance issues. IMHO go USB for these legacy devices and get the case and cooler you want. Think about the children!

No, none of the case product pages have been updated in some time. It's perfectly fine (and advisable) to ask.

The 5.25 drives are the big wrinkle. There are several cases that can handle the new 360mm radiator, but usually at the expense of the drives.

Here is the one I remember from the 750D. Front mount is out. I think the top will let keep 1-2 drives. It's hard to tell. Might be worth asking the OP in the thread.

http://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=176079&highlight=750D

I think the 750D is the only one from the Obsidian line (aside from the 900 & 1000) that has a shot. A 780T can do it up top as well, but again at the expense of drives.

Perhaps the better solution is to assess the cooling needs. I would certainly prefer a 360 to a 240mm, but depending on what CPU is going to mated with this, the differences between a 280mm and 360 may be irrelevant. Both my X99 and Z370 systems use 280mm radiators and are extremely efficient. The lower TDP 8700K has a laughable +4C coolant delta even at 5.0GHz and I keep my fans low. I could use a 720mm radiator and still only reduce the CPU temp another 2C. The bulkier 5930K pulls about 215W at full tilt and it is still about +6C on the coolant with sub 800 rpm fan speeds. That is very livable. Going 280mm like the H110i or H115i PRO would open up a lot more options without really giving up much.

8086k, which is basically your 8700k...and will be very conservatively overclocked.

Yea, I've read that the H150i does not really cool a great deal more than the H110i but I figured if I could fit the 150, great, but I probably will be going with the 110i because like you said, finding a case with 5.25 and room for the 150 is difficult without going super tower. I should have just left the 150 out of my original post. My confusion\concern still is that I cannot find any "reliable" confirmation that even the 110i will fit in the cases I mentioned (Carbide 500r and Obsidian 450 to 750). My local Fry's electronics did not have any of these on the floor to take measurements. Actually, they had a very small selection of cases, rather disappointing. If I cannot figure this out I will end up going with the ThermalTake Suppressor F31, Fry's did have that in stock, it will accept any of the coolers but the quality just wasn't there imho.

The H110i or the H115i PRO will both fit in the 750D. No doubt about that and a huge number of 750D owner have a 280 top mounted. It is a logical combination. Search the case thread with "750D" and either "radiator" or "top" and you will get a good selection of things. Popular case. Popular combination. At absolute dead spin low fan levels, a 360mm uses its slight surface advantage and the generally better airflow of 3x120 vs 2x140 to gain an advantage. As you bump the fans speeds up slightly, the difference starts to shrink. Again, I don't run my H115i Pro fans much more than 800 rpm ever and the coolant change is nominal. I would not score better with a 360. I think that is an easy trade to make to get what you want.

If there is something in particular you like about the CoolIT based H110i GT, then go for it. Otherwise, the H115i PRO is an improvement on its predecessor with the similar name. It does have the same "ring" LED around the pump as the H150i PRO. It's relatively subtle, but not as subtle as the H110i.

Thanks for the responses...

I have looked at the radiator size that all these chassis's say they can accept but the "280mm AIO's" aren't quite the same size. I believe the H110i\H115i Pro are longer and wider than the H110 280mm cooler and certainly larger than the H100's. I can only go by what models Corsair states each case will accept and they don't list ANY cooler above the H100. All I can then go by is hearsay from other threads and second hand accounts and often they are conflictive. It seems so simple that Corsair should be able to update their descriptions or release a PDF with a compatibility sheet.

The only reason I have been leaning towards the CoolIt over there Asutek(?) H115i is from all the bad reviews etc that is out there. No need for me to get into it all here but there have been (was?) some issues with the Asutek firmware\software regarding fan and pump control from what I've read. Granted, maybe it's all straightened out now and the playing field is leveled but I really don't know. RGB\LED really is no concern to me and not anything at all I think about in regards to a cooler, I actually wish they had a plain Jane unit without the light connections. What I do know is that this ridiculous confusion as to the simple question of which Corsair model or exact size fan\radiator cooler will fit inside which Corsair case may cost them a customer, for both case and cooler. All I wanted to do was purchase a 500r and get on with my build then all the confusion started...maybe it's me?

I would make the counter argument the threads full of the people with the actual case and the actual cooler are a better source of information than the specification sheet. The most recent cooler on the 750D list came out in 2013, so I would not put too much weight into that data. If you look at the newer cases, the information is presented in a much more usable way. It seems the conversion is slow going.

Yes, the PRO coolers are Asetek. If minimal is a design criteria, you may be very happy with the H110i.

I would make the counter argument the threads full of the people with the actual case and the actual cooler are a better source of information than the specification sheet. The most recent cooler on the 750D list came out in 2013, so I would not put too much weight into that data. If you look at the newer cases, the information is presented in a much more usable way. It seems the conversion is slow going.

 

Yes, the PRO coolers are Asetek. If minimal is a design criteria, you may be very happy with the H110i.

I'm not making things any easier on myself now by wanting the 5.25 bays. Virtually every newer case does not have them. But having the bays will definitely make my life easier in the future. I use a ton of cards for my cameras including CF cards. Right now I have two bays just with card readers. I also plan to create one bay with two USB gen 2 female A ports if I cannot find someplace else near the included front panel USB ports to install them. Like I said before, I had originally planned on going with the carbon 500r then I went to the Corsair website and it wasn't clear whether the H110i will fit. So then I did the normal searches to see if anyone had mated them and for every one that said it can be done there was another that said it can't. I suppose I could just go the 750d route and be done with it but it really is a larger case than I wanted. I'm trying to keep the height to a certain limit so it will fit in the spot I use now. That ThermalTake case really is nice in features and size, wider but not so tall, but it just looks and feels so junky.

This thread is one I found...

Is the H110i the GT or GTX or are those different animals? I believe I read somewhere before that GT is CoolIt and GTX is Asutek?

http://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=137733

And I don't know how much of all this below is true.

https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/537195-corsair-h110i-vs-h115i-vs-h110i-gt-vs-h110i-gtx-whats-the-difference/

I am a little worried about the 500R. It had that weird "top tray" to set the radiator in. Fans go underneath. Not a lot of top room if you have a huge VRM sink on your board. That said, the H110i is only a few millimeters more and it looks like there is room around the sides.

HaHa...Another issue I've been worried about when researching this case\cooler thing. I believe that will be an issue when trying to squueeeze everything together. Maximus X Hero and it arrives tomorrow.

That’s correct the H110i was previously the H110i GT. There was no physical change to that cooler. It was simply renamed. The Asetek v2 models and H115i (formerly H110i GTX) received a minor firmware upgrade. However, while GT and H110i are identical, I would not be overly easer to pick it up in GT form. That would mean it’s been in the box for 2-3 years. Make sure you are seeing a square pump block and side attached hoses.

No, I wasn't planning on buying the older versions, I've just trying to determine which coolers have been successfully mounted in the case(s) then looking at the measurements of each one I'm interested in and a lot of the builds are older threads. Although, I'm not sure why the H110 wouldn't be enough for my cooling needs and save me some worry about case fitment, but not case/mobo fitment @ 29mm or age.

https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categories/Products/Liquid-Cooling/Hydro-Series%E2%84%A2-H110-280mm-Extreme-Performance-Liquid-CPU-Cooler/p/CW-9060014-WW

I went back and looked at more Corsair cases and it almost seems to me that the newer cases do list the newer AIO's as compatible but the older cases have never been updated as new AIO's change in name or come along. For many of the Carbide and Obsidian cases they only go up to H110. So then when I go look at the specs for all the AIO's and compare.

H105 Extreme 240mm 120x272.5x38 73cfm 38dba

H110 Extreme 280mm 140x312x29 94cfm 35dba

H110i Extreme 280mm 140x322x27 113cfm 43dba

H115iv2 Extreme 280mm 140x312x26 105cfm 40dba

H115i Pro RGB 280mm 140x315x29 55cfm 20dba

The only specs I cannot seem to easily get my hands on, which to me would be an important spec but apparently not released, is the cooling capacity.

But according to this if the case I want says it will accept an H110 I should be able to make the H115v2 fit. My only concern about this cooler is what you brought up, how old is it? How long has it been sitting on a shelf? How old is the firmware etc? It's odd because if I search them I can find Corsair links for them and it takes me to Corsairs site and I can purchase, but when I click on Corsairs products/coolers they do not show up in the lists.

The only issues that I can think of are different mounting holes which really should not be too difficult to overcome or the headroom due to newer mobos being thicker with larger components, which would be far more difficult or impossible to overcome.

Sooooo...this is where I'm leaning for either the Carbide 500r or Obsidian 550d/650d.

https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categories/Products/Liquid-Cooling/Dual-Radiator-Liquid-Coolers/Hydro-Series%E2%84%A2-H115i-280mm-Extreme-Performance-Liquid-CPU-Cooler/p/CW-9060027-WW

When searching cases and you click the filter for cases that accept 360mm coolers the Obsidian 450d appears in the list and the picture diagrams say it can accept them but the compatibility below says only the H110 as max....sigh

https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categories/Products/Cases/Obsidian-Series%E2%84%A2-450D-Mid-Tower-PC-Case/p/CC-9011049-WW

Well, after all this I ended up going with the Phantek Enthoo Luxe chassis and the Corsair H115 Extreme aio. Case is a little larger(couple inches) than I wanted but at least I have somewhat peace of mind all my crap will fit and still have my ODD's for card readers and front USB 3.1 gen 2 C\A ports. I'll post how well\where that cooler fits that chassis for anyone else that may be having trouble deciding on a case\cooler combo and stumbles upon this thread.

Thank You for the information and input folks.