Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced

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mohbana
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Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced

Post by mohbana » Mon Sep 16, 2013 3:00 am

Setting a small PC for work (Software Dev.) and occasional gaming.
I might end up installing a separate GFX card in there at some point.

Thinking of buying these parts:

Gigabyte F2A85XN-WIFI Motherboard - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00D ... ROKL5A1OLE
Patriot 8GB (2x 4GB) 2133MHz Dual Channel DDR3 - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008 ... ROKL5A1OLE
AMD APU A10 6800K - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00C ... ROKL5A1OLE
Cooler Master GeminII M4 Downblow Cooler for CPU - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005 ... ROKL5A1OLE
Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced USB 3.0 Mini ITX Case - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008 ... ROKL5A1OLE
Samsung 840 Series 250GB 2.5 inch SATA Solid State Drive - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009 ... ROKL5A1OLE

Questions:

1. Which PSU should I get? I don't need something powerful as the max amount of components are:
  • a. Four storage devices, 2xSSD, 1xHDD, 1xDisk-Drive. I will most probably just have 2xSSD.
  • b. Additional GFX card.
2. How is the stock CPU cooler supplied with the A10-6800k? If I decide to install the default cooler, is it easy to remove if I decide to install another one? (I've never done this before).
3. If I overclock it, could the CPU cooler above deal with it for sustained periods of time?
4. How is the noise like on the Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced? Is it something to worry about?

I am up for recommendations, but I am pretty set on the A10-6700 or 6800k.

---

Any good keyboards you fellas use?

mkk
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by mkk » Mon Sep 16, 2013 4:56 am

1) I'd go with a Seasonic G-360. It's a short PSU which is nice for ITX builds and it's reasonably quiet.

2) The stock cooler is terrible, don't even bother trying it.

3) I wouldn't overclock as this is a fairly hot running APU when loading both CPU and GPU parts at the same time. For what I've seen they don't usually go very far up either.

4) I'd seriously consider a Node 304 chassis instead. Much cleaner looking and less perforated. Comes in white as an option. Costs a tad bit more.
Would let you use a more normal cooler like a CM TX3 Evo, which would line up with the rear exhaust. Personally I can't fathom why they make cases with the power supply sitting on top of the CPU area anymore.

mohbana
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by mohbana » Mon Sep 16, 2013 6:27 am

Thanks.

OK, based on that, I think:

I should get the A10-6700 with the Cooler Master GeminII M4. Question is: would the system allow the Patriot 8GB (2x 4GB) 2133MHz Dual Channel DDR3 if the CPU does not support it — the A10-6700 CPU only supports 1866MHz.
or
The A10-6800k, Fractal Design NODE 304, and CM TX3 Evo.

Can you recommend another PSU? The supplier does not stock that.

mkk
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by mkk » Mon Sep 16, 2013 11:36 am

1866 does indeed seem to be the limit, though just maybe the motherboard has some "overclock" setting that allows you to at least try 2133 and see if it happens to be stable. Using just two sticks has helped in the past with such things, but it's at best a luck draw. RAM prices are going up as we speak so you might want to look around for differences at the time of order. Maybe some 1866 pair will simply have to do.

Basically any power supply with an official 80Plus Gold rating will be good, though I don't have any recommendation on another that I know to be relatively quiet. Mind the length of a PSU for this size of system, preferably 140mm though most 150mm will also fit. Modular connectors can vary in the space that they demand and are often not included in their listed specs.

CA_Steve
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by CA_Steve » Mon Sep 16, 2013 3:09 pm

You might want to figure out what class (power level) of gfx card you are thinking of maybe adding later. Just to be sure the PSU has the connectors you need and the capacity to drive the card without being the primary noise component.

mohbana
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by mohbana » Tue Sep 17, 2013 2:39 am

Thanks.

If I decide to pair it, I will get a Radeon HD 6670 because this supports the "CrossFiring" or "Dual Graphics" feature which the AMD APU CPU supports. See: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevange ... rd-part-1/ or http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevange ... -graphics/. No external power connection is required.

PSU:

Corsair Builder Series CXM 430W Modular 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX/EPS PSU
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-Builder ... 80Plus+psu

or

Corsair Builder Series CX 430 Watt ATX/EPS 80 PLUS Bronze Power Supply Unit
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009 ... ROKL5A1OLE

The Fractal Node 304 supports both, so I guess I will just buy the cheapest one???

---

Still confused about which CPU cooler I should buy. Would the original one - Cooler Master GeminII M4 - be fine if I decide to overclock the A10-6800K? Or CM TX3 Evo.
Is the paste that comes with the CM TX3 Evo good enough?

Hopefully put in the order today so I can assemble over the weekend.

Pappnaas
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by Pappnaas » Tue Sep 17, 2013 8:53 am

I'd advise against CrossFire with a 6670. If you add a 7750 or GT630 it will run cirlces around the marketing hype AND consume less power.

So if you add, plan on adding something halfway decent.

The Gemin cooler is bad. Nearly on par with stock cooler, not worth any money imho. You might be forced to buy whats best for your money and ears, not what some certain shop has at stock.

Edit: Most cases when buying what's available you'll buy twice.

CA_Steve
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by CA_Steve » Tue Sep 17, 2013 9:07 am

With the 6670, your max, stressed load would be about 180W (with the 65W CPU).

The Corsair Builder series will work. Go with the M if you want modular cables/less clutter. If you want a wider selection of PSUs, there's always scan.uk. Two lower cost possibilities I see there are the Seasonic G-360 for £40.36 Ex-VAT and the Be Quiet! L8 300W for £29.30 Ex-VAT. Both should be quieter than the Corsair. The Seasonic provides Gold efficiency.

mohbana
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by mohbana » Tue Sep 17, 2013 12:57 pm

Thanks again.
Final spec:

AMD A10 6800K
Gigabyte F2A85XN-WIFI Motherboard
Patriot 8GB (2x 4GB) 2133MHz Dual Channel DDR3
Cooler Master Hyper TX3 Evo
Fractal Design Node 304 Case
Samsung 840 Series 250GB 2.5 inch SATA Solid State Drive
Corsair Builder Series CXM 430W Modular 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX/EPS PSU

mohbana
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by mohbana » Thu Sep 26, 2013 1:57 pm

Temperatures:

Core1-4: ~44
CPU: ~61
System: ~54

CPU fan is spinning at 2220 rpm.
This is before upping the clock from 1866MHz to 2133MHz on the RAM sticks.

Temp outside is 13 degrees here in London.

Reported from the BIOS after leaving it on the BIOS screen for around an hour.
Is this something to worry about?

I only have the fan that came with the Cooler Master Hyper TX3 Evo turned on.
I am considering turning on the system fan that came with the case. Not to bothered unless someone says the temps are high - I do not really want to because the default supplied fan on the CM Hyper TX3 Evo is quite audible as it is.

mkk
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by mkk » Thu Sep 26, 2013 2:23 pm

The exhaust fan in the rear of the case is definitely best to have running, yes. If hooked to the case fan controller it will be pretty quiet at the low setting.
Also check the motherboard BIOS for CPU fan regulating settings, so that it slows down the fan whenever the CPU runs cooler. A system can often run hotter when left at the BIOS screen than when it's idling in Windows, due to drivers fully enabling power saving features that the BIOS itself may not fully trigger.
Raising the RAM speed will not affect temperatures much.

mohbana
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by mohbana » Mon Sep 30, 2013 11:43 am

I've turned all three system fans on the Fractal Node 304 to medium.
I am getting the values below under normal load.

Cores 1-4: ~32
CPU: ~51
System: ~43

So it looks like turning on the fans helped.
What do you folks think?

CA_Steve
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by CA_Steve » Mon Sep 30, 2013 12:11 pm

Temps are fine. Chances are you can put the fans on low.

porkchop
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by porkchop » Mon Sep 30, 2013 5:02 pm

are you still taking temps within bios?

a lot of fm2 users have found that power consumption while in bios is abnormally high (myself included), an a10 user in another forum reported 100+ watts!

mohbana
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by mohbana » Tue Oct 01, 2013 1:38 am

Yes, I am posting the temps reported from the bios.
I do not use Windows so I cannot use the apps most people use. I have tried "lm-sensors" but it's reporting a abnormally low value for the CPU temp. I will post them when I get home.

thierry.
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by thierry. » Tue Nov 26, 2013 12:24 am

Hi Mohbana,
Do you have some pictures of your internal setup?
Still happy with your Node 304?

mohbana
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by mohbana » Sun Dec 01, 2013 4:17 pm

thierry. wrote:Hi Mohbana,
Do you have some pictures of your internal setup?
Still happy with your Node 304?
Will do at the middle of this month - I am very busy with work at the moment.

mohbana
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by mohbana » Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:51 pm

Just a quick update: I decided to check if using 2133mhz will work.

I have these sticks: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005 ... UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005 ... UTF8&psc=1

It didn't boot. I didn't increase the voltage or anything.

JL5
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Re: Silent AMD A10-6800K PC - Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanc

Post by JL5 » Thu Dec 05, 2013 1:34 am

I had trouble getting RAM to work on my Gigabyte motherboard. The MB needed to have RAM values manually inputted instead of the automatic setting.
I was unable to search my way to the specific values of your RAM(apart from 11-11-11-30-2N), but the solution might be to track those down, CAS, RAS-CAS etc.).

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