Search found 812 matches

by ntavlas
Wed May 04, 2016 8:58 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: [250D vs Node 304] airflow in a small, quiet workstation
Replies: 29
Views: 21931

Re: [250D vs Node 304] airflow in a small, quiet workstation

At top exhaust fan could be helpful, especially if a gpu is added later. I wonder if it would be worth it going for a more compact cpu heatsink (like in the second picture posted) to make room for a case fan. Working with a huge cooler in a small case can be a pain which is also something to conside...
by ntavlas
Sat Mar 26, 2016 4:40 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Silent mATX build?
Replies: 38
Views: 27194

Re: Silent mATX build?

The Corsair and NXZT have a very similar design, and while the Corsair is slightly larger and more expensive it does offer two more fan mounts and has less restrictive vents at the front. The NXZT still has mounts for two 120mm exhaust fans which should be ok for the hardware you want to put inside ...
by ntavlas
Thu Mar 24, 2016 4:44 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Silent mATX build?
Replies: 38
Views: 27194

Re: Silent mATX build?

As far as cases are concerned, how about the NXZT S340? It full atx but at about 30 liters it is still smaller than many matx cases. Of the cases already mentioned I like Silverstone's TJ 08 the best. As others have said though you should perhaps consider going mini itx. Cases like the Lian Li PC-Q1...
by ntavlas
Tue Sep 03, 2013 3:17 pm
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Scythe Mugen 4 CPU Cooler: Scythe Strikes Back
Replies: 14
Views: 14925

Re: Scythe Mugen 4 CPU Cooler: Scythe Strikes Back

This cooler is an overachiever. Equipped with a single 12 cm fan it manages to almost match the performance of the top dual towers.
by ntavlas
Sun Jun 23, 2013 4:36 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Replacement for 9600 GT
Replies: 16
Views: 13146

Re: Replacement for 9600 GT

My personal experience with nvidia drivers has been somehow better: there have been slightly fewer bugs, slightly better compatibility with older games and better linux support (if that`s relevant to you). Until recently nvidia had better frame latencies as well, something I have experienced in a fe...
by ntavlas
Sun Jun 23, 2013 7:23 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Replacement for 9600 GT
Replies: 16
Views: 13146

Re: Replacement for 9600 GT

I don`t think I would invest in a cooler for such an old card, especially one that begins to show signs of failure. Saphire and Club3d make passive versions of the hd7750 which should be a decent upgrade over the 9600gt. There`s also the Powercolor 7850 though I would avoid such a powerful passive c...
by ntavlas
Wed Jun 20, 2012 11:50 pm
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Lian-Li A-55 - Looks really nice, but...
Replies: 4
Views: 3324

Re: Lian-Li A-55 - Looks really nice, but...

The a-55 is a bit of a niche product and not their best one. Positioning the psu at the front does mess with airflow a little and I think most people would just opt for a μatx case and motherboard instead
by ntavlas
Tue Jun 12, 2012 4:47 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: SSD, readyboost, win 7 and an old, loud HDD
Replies: 18
Views: 6739

Re: SSD, readyboost, win 7 and an old, loud HDD

A 120 sgb ssd boot drive would be nice but 64 gb is also viable. Using the ssd as a boot drive will give you the best improvement in performance but also the opportunity to reduce noise: with the os installed on the ssd you can get windows power management to turn off the mechanical drive.
by ntavlas
Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:13 am
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: WD VelociRaptor 1TB and Scorpio Blue 500GB
Replies: 8
Views: 13219

Re: WD VelociRaptor 1TB and Scorpio Blue 500GB

Our only complaint is its automatic shutoff feature that puts the drive in standby mode after 20 seconds of idle operation. Operating systems can put hard drives to sleep on their own so this seems like a completely unnecessary addition, epecially as the time period is so short. This is something t...
by ntavlas
Sun Jun 10, 2012 7:14 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Can't get CPU fan below 1000 rpm on Asus P7H61-M LE
Replies: 17
Views: 12821

Re: Can't get CPU fan below 1000 rpm on Asus P7H61-M LE

I think that 1000rpm is indeed the lowest the fan will go. A thousand rpm may sound like a lot but it`s a fairly low speed for a fan of this size. A good 92mm fan at this speed should be comparable to a 120mm fan at ~600rpm when it comes to noise.
by ntavlas
Fri Jun 01, 2012 11:26 am
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Ecco 250 Micro ATX Case with sound proofing installed
Replies: 24
Views: 18755

Re: Ecco 250 Micro ATX Case with sound proofing installed

Many of these cases are likely built by the same OEM. You can tell by looking at details like how the different metal sheets are joined together or how the corners are reinforced. Sharkoon also seems to have a couple of cases based on the same design. Anyway, like the others mentioned, it`s a decent...
by ntavlas
Wed May 23, 2012 11:54 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: change PWM fan on GPU?
Replies: 4
Views: 4934

Re: change PWM fan on GPU?

Fan headers on video cards are smaller than normal so an adapter like the one Tzeb posted would make it easier to plug the replacement fan. It might be possible to fit the fan without an adapter if you remove the plastic bit surrounding the pins. I've only tried this with 3 pin headers though so I c...
by ntavlas
Wed May 16, 2012 1:55 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Geforce 560 or Radeon 6850/6870
Replies: 23
Views: 19301

Re: Geforce 560 or Radeon 6850/6870

the RMAs were due to faulty fans: they started rattling and eventually stopped. I`ve had a similar problem with an Asus 240gts. Some of these cheaper fans just age a bit too quickly with their starting voltage increasing to the point where it`s impossible to run them quietly. Virtually any aftermar...
by ntavlas
Fri May 04, 2012 12:49 pm
Forum: CPU Cooling
Topic: Thermalright HR-01 Plus on i5 2500K?
Replies: 5
Views: 4466

Re: Thermalright HR-01 Plus on i5 2500K?

From Thermalright's site:
Venomous BTK For Intel Socket 1366 / 1156 / 775 Compatible with Ultra120 Series / HR-01 / True Spirit
http://www.thermalright.com/products/in ... =20#id=128
by ntavlas
Fri May 04, 2012 3:33 am
Forum: Fans and Control
Topic: nexus pwm fan too loud
Replies: 11
Views: 6653

Re: nexus pwm fan too loud

edit: sorry, wrong thread
by ntavlas
Fri May 04, 2012 3:27 am
Forum: CPU Cooling
Topic: Coolers for Mini-ITX Intel build
Replies: 10
Views: 8438

Re: Coolers for Mini-ITX Intel build

Does it work with the Intel backplate? Do you happen to have the model # of the fan? I have only found 25mm tall so far @ NewEgg The first question should be best answered by someone who has used this cooler on a similar board, what I do know is that on mini itx boards it`s possible to encounter co...
by ntavlas
Thu May 03, 2012 2:45 pm
Forum: CPU Cooling
Topic: Coolers for Mini-ITX Intel build
Replies: 10
Views: 8438

Re: Coolers for Mini-ITX Intel build

The Prolimatech Samuel 17 could be a solution. It`s not the best value but it`s design allows it to clear the pci-e slot in most mini itx boards.
by ntavlas
Sun Apr 29, 2012 6:38 pm
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: new low power motherboard
Replies: 13
Views: 7947

Re: new low power motherboard

In general it may be that more electricity is likely to be used to produce the board than is saved. But some details have been provided and most email servers are on 24/7. The existing board is also pretty wasteful. Considering this, your statement is highly implausible. If producing a low-power bo...
by ntavlas
Sat Apr 28, 2012 4:10 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: new low power motherboard
Replies: 13
Views: 7947

Re: new low power motherboard

Wouldn`t a Sandy Bridge cpu be overkill for this application? I think an atom N2600 or Zacate board would be better suited for the job. The Jetway NF9C - 2600 reviewed here seems to be pretty frugal: http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1247-page4.html Still, replacing a motherboard to reduce power ...
by ntavlas
Thu Apr 26, 2012 4:35 pm
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Zalman Z9 Plus ATX Tower Case
Replies: 20
Views: 13802

Re: Zalman Z9 Plus ATX Tower Case

I forgot to mention that there are indeed 4 pin molex to 3 pin adapters. They`re not so easy to find but a store like performance pcs will most likely have them. On the other hand, the mod is so easy to do that ordering the part will likely take more effort.. As for the fan layout: positive pressure...
by ntavlas
Thu Apr 26, 2012 7:06 am
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Zalman Z9 Plus ATX Tower Case
Replies: 20
Views: 13802

Re: Zalman Z9 Plus ATX Tower Case

How could I make that fan slow, being forced to connect that to a molex, directly to the PSU??
If you cut the chamfered corners of the connector on the fan you`ll be able to plug it in the "wrong" way. What this achieves is feeding 5 volts to the fan instead of 12, considerably slowing it down.
by ntavlas
Thu Apr 26, 2012 1:37 am
Forum: Power Supplies
Topic: Modern "cross-blow" PSUs for antec 300 case?
Replies: 3
Views: 3182

Re: Modern "cross-blow" PSUs for antec 300 case?

I haven`t seen any higher end cross-flow power supplies for a while though some budget models like the FSP 350GLC or Antec Earthwatts 380D have used 80mm fans until recently. You might be able to find something like that in stock. Such units are usually rated for no more than 400 watts and efficienc...
by ntavlas
Sat Apr 21, 2012 12:13 pm
Forum: Fans and Control
Topic: Best HORIZONTAL mount CPU fan? Benefit of PWM if available?
Replies: 16
Views: 17705

Re: Best HORIZONTAL mount CPU fan? Benefit of PWM if availab

The Kama PWM (don`t confuse with the kama flex pwm) seems to be more widely available. An excellent fan, as smooth as a Nexus at low speeds but unfortunately it seems to be coming with a conventional sleeve bearing. The conventional wisdom is that sleeve bearing fans, have a short life with mounted ...
by ntavlas
Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:21 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Highest TDP nVidia GPU be cooled silently with a Accelero TW
Replies: 13
Views: 8537

Re: Highest TDP nVidia GPU be cooled silently with a Acceler

The Palit Jetstream's heatsink looks pretty flat to me: Large Pic, Review in googlenglish Yes, somehow I had the impression that the fans in the jetstream were embedded but I stand corrected, it`s pretty clear from the pictures that the H/S is flat, making it a good candidate for a fan swap. On the...
by ntavlas
Sun Apr 15, 2012 1:50 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Highest TDP nVidia GPU be cooled silently with a Accelero TW
Replies: 13
Views: 8537

Re: Highest TDP nVidia GPU be cooled silently with a Acceler

I wonder if it’s possible to swap out the fan on the Phantom with a regular fan or would you need to remove the frame? After looking at the card more carefully I think that swapping the stock fans would require taking the card apart since they`re sandwiched between the card and heatsink. So I was p...
by ntavlas
Fri Apr 13, 2012 1:13 am
Forum: General Gallery
Topic: array of custom mini itx cases
Replies: 45
Views: 109666

Re: array of custom mini itx cases

Thanks :)
by ntavlas
Fri Apr 13, 2012 1:12 am
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Simple mod for all Lian Li owners
Replies: 3
Views: 3650

Re: Simple mod for all Lian Li owners

Opaque tape works too, but I think the OP`s solution is the most elegant :)
by ntavlas
Fri Apr 13, 2012 1:04 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Any Intel 7-series mITX boards w/DC in?
Replies: 17
Views: 20135

Re: Any Intel 7-series mITX boards w/DC in?

Yes, I would do that, but in my case the m/b tray is plastic. You might remember the white nettop I did, it`s a variation of this. I could build a new tray out of aluminium though.
by ntavlas
Thu Apr 12, 2012 2:01 pm
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Any Intel 7-series mITX boards w/DC in?
Replies: 17
Views: 20135

Re: Any Intel 7-series mITX boards w/DC in?

Oh yes, those copper screws! I still have them in a box somewhere.. I`m really fond of the Pioneer HTPC build but I think it`s time for a replacement (though in reality I`m just looking for an excuse to put one of my mini itx cases to good use). It seems our planned builds are quite similar, I`ve be...
by ntavlas
Thu Apr 12, 2012 1:13 pm
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Any Intel 7-series mITX boards w/DC in?
Replies: 17
Views: 20135

Re: Any Intel 7-series mITX boards w/DC in?

Apart from the missing CIR header there`s another thing I don`t like about the DQ77KB: some of the voltage regulating transistors are located on the underside of the pcb. Granted, this will be a non issue for many but it`s a regression nevertheless. With temperatures over here exceeding 35 c in summ...