SPCR

Hi,

I am putting together a quiet high performace spec system based on the ft02 and having problems with choice of video card. Seems as if it is not that easy.

What is the best performance passive GPU for the fortress ft02? I am guessing the Gigabyte 5770 silentcell which has vertical fins in this case, and heat pipes with the "U" along the side. Will the upcoming Powercolor 6850 passive be suitable (fins running horizontal in this case with the "U" at the bottom)?

What is the best non-passive performance GPU and aftermarket cooler for the ft02 ?

Does anyone have experiences to share?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help.

Porky Pig wrote:Will the upcoming Powercolor 6850 passive be suitable (fins running horizontal in this case with the "U" at the bottom)?

Likely it would be somehow less suitable.

Porky Pig wrote:What is the best performance GPU and aftermarket cooler for the ft02?

If we take into account seriously the heatpipe issue (some doubts remain), I guess something like the AC Accelero Twin Turbo Pro or the venerable AC S1 Rev. 2 (but even fanned, over a 100W TDP): even the TR Spitfire would work very well - I think - but does it fit? If it fits, it should be the best option for a passive setup.

Porky Pig wrote:Does anyone have experiences to share?

The MSI 2-heatpipe Cyclone cooler works very well (I have two in a Raven 2), but it's fanned.

The general question is: does fanless really worth? There are a lots of doubts about.

Stock passive cards are not worth it. I had a passive 5750 and it was constantly too hot for me (with bottom fans on ~540rpm). The temps were 40-45C on idle and up to 80ies while gaming.

Accelero S1 works really well in the case. Put it and AC Turbo module, undervolt all your fans until you cannot hear them and have fun. I have them on 6850 and even when I game the rig stays just as silent. The temps are ~60C on load. Plus, it will be most likely cheaper than getting any card with decent custom cooling.

I would be interested to know what type (manufacturer, model) of 5750 you had.

I don't like the idea of the "turbo module" because of the fans. If I am going to add fans to the video card I I think I would probably go for a high end card.

Anyone tried the silentcell 5770 in this case?

Porky Pig wrote:Hi,
What is the best performance passive GPU for the fortress ft02?

that's an oxymoron, sort of like "government intelligence"

the only truly quiet fan setting on the ft02 is when the big fans are so undervolted that they tick for a couple of minutes on startup, and you've replaced and undervolted the top fan... anything beyond that is very audible, and the noise comes right out the top of the case.

bottom line, don't try to cool a video card or a cpu cooler with case fans, it's way too inefficient.

tie-wrap a quiet fan to that video card, and you'll be miles ahead.

danimal wrote:the only truly quiet fan setting on the ft02 is when the big fans are so undervolted that they tick for a couple of minutes on startup, and you've replaced and undervolted the top fan... anything beyond that is very audible, and the noise comes right out the top of the case.

Not really. The Air Penetrators sound like a jet at 800 rpm and up, but on lower RPM's they are fine. I have mine constantly at 450 RPM and I cannot feel any difference in noise when I turn on/off my PC. I don't know what voltage that is (my guess 4-5V), but they start properly too. Of course, one needs a decent fan controller for that. The top fan is crap though and must be changed anyway - I replaced mine with Scythe SlipStream and it dropped my CPU temps by 2C while nearly silent. But adding even a slowest, quietest fan to a VGA will yield good benefits.

Porky Pig wrote:I would be interested to know what type (manufacturer, model) of 5750 you had.

It was a Club3D 5750 which was the same as normal PowerColor 5750 passive (NOT the green edition!). Just google it, it is everywhere.

Porky Pig wrote:I don't like the idea of the "turbo module" because of the fans. If I am going to add fans to the video card I I think I would probably go for a high end card.

Do that. And don't worry about Turbo Module, those things are practically inaudible. They have a 3-pin connector, so you can undervolt them with a fan controller if you need to. Basically, any fan that you attach to your VGA can be connected to a fan controller and undervolted to the level you feel comfortable. Even better would be 2xSlipStreams or 2xSlim Kaze Jyu (each 100mmx100mm - fit Accelero S1 perfectly), whatever you want. And those fans at 5V will provide more airflow than any of the factory coolers. I mean, there is just no factory VGA with a heatsink as big as Accelero and fans that big. Unless you have your PC <0.5 meter from your head, you will struggle to hear a thing from it with all fans on 5V.

Anatorax wrote: Not really. The Air Penetrators sound like a jet at 800 rpm and up, but on lower RPM's they are fine. I have mine constantly at 450 RPM and I cannot feel any difference in noise when I turn on/off my PC. I don't know what voltage that is (my guess 4-5V), but they start properly too. Of course, one needs a decent fan controller for that. The top fan is crap though and must be changed anyway - I replaced mine with Scythe SlipStream and it dropped my CPU temps by 2C while nearly silent. But adding even a slowest, quietest fan to a VGA will yield good benefits.

Is it easy enough to replace the topfan and undervolt the bottom fans (can you control them like any other fan)?

Shadout wrote:Is it easy enough to replace the topfan and undervolt the bottom fans (can you control them like any other fan)?

You just have to unscrew 4 screws and then screw them back. As simple as it can be.

The bottom fans have two connectors each: one is with the switch near the top fan for speeds 700/1200 RPM (just read any review of the case, they mention it) and the second is standard 3-pin that you can connect to a fan controller and undervolt just as any other normal fan.

Shadout wrote: Is it easy enough to replace the topfan and undervolt the bottom fans (can you control them like any other fan)?

one option is to replace the top fan with a pwm fan, and tie it into the cpu fans, using pwm-compatible splitter cables... that way, it's only noisy when you need cpu power.

i use an old silverstone fp33 fan controller for the air penetrators, but i'm not running the vent cage over the top, which would block access to fan speed dials.

you can use the fan switches that came with the case, hooked up with the fp33, and achieve the quietest possible fan noise.

I`s rather put a fan on anything more powerful than a hd5750 mostly to cool the mosfets properly. It`s very unlikely that a slow fan buried deep inside a case like the ft02 will be audible.

They say that the stock cooler of the 560 ti is very quiet, maybe it would be a good option, if your budget allows it.

Anatorax wrote:

danimal wrote:the only truly quiet fan setting on the ft02 is when the big fans are so undervolted that they tick for a couple of minutes on startup, and you've replaced and undervolted the top fan... anything beyond that is very audible, and the noise comes right out the top of the case.

Not really. The Air Penetrators sound like a jet at 800 rpm and up, but on lower RPM's they are fine. I have mine constantly at 450 RPM and I cannot feel any difference in noise when I turn on/off my PC. I don't know what voltage that is (my guess 4-5V), but they start properly too. Of course, one needs a decent fan controller for that. The top fan is crap though and must be changed anyway - I replaced mine with Scythe SlipStream and it dropped my CPU temps by 2C while nearly silent. But adding even a slowest, quietest fan to a VGA will yield good benefits.

You certainly didn't exaggerate here. The noise they make at 800 RPM ("low") is quite insane. Running them at ~500 helped a lot though - not silent but pretty close.
Only using Asus fan header control and Fanmates currently, and it seems they have no issues bringing the fans to that voltage level.

I had a gtx 285 with a thermalright hr-03 gtx cooler on it for a long time in an FT02, and it worked pretty well. I had a 120 mm fan attached to it though, but it was really ridiculously cool, so I suppose it could have been cooled just by the case fans. Not sure I would trust it, and slapping a Noctua on there was more than enough for it. I've always thought that the FT02 would be a good case for passive gpus, the airflow in those things is great. Maybe one of these days I'll pick up one of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... -_-Product