[New build] Kindly requesting advice :-)

[fuzzyboy]

I'm doing a new build. The goal is to end up with a aesthetic, quiet, powerful gaming rig. The "aesthetic"-part is of course pretty subjective, but I like cases to be simple, one/two colored without too many flashing LED's. The look of the Fractal Design Define series is very much "me". So I'm hoping that is a viable option, though there are some issues (see below).

Base setup

- Case: Fractal Design Define R3 (white) / Fractal Design Define Mini
- CPU: Intel Core I7 2600K/2700K (depending on whats available when I buy in a few weeks)
- CPU cooler: Noctua NH-D14 (also considering the C14)
- GFX: ASUS GeForce GTX 580 DirectCU II
- MB: ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z Z68 M-ATX
- PSU: Corsair AX 850W
- RAM: 2 x Kingston HyperX Genesis Grey 8GB
- SSD: Samsung 830 256GB

Graphics

The graphics card only barely fits the R3 case (max length appr. 290mm) and I'm considering removing the shroud and built-in 100mm fans and replacing them with some noctua / scythe 120mm fans. The heatsink design seems to be pretty much perfect for that, although the mounting of the fans would look very "DIY".

I already own the graphics card, so that's not part of the purchase. The card is the loudest part of my current system, but I'm not sure modding the fans or replacing them with an aftermarket cooler (assuming I can find one that fits the custom PCB) will make an audible difference? Does anyone here have experience with this card?

Motherboard + heatsink

The motherboard is m-atx and I'm considering getting the C14 instead of the D14, which will allow me a bit more freedom should I want to switch to an m-atx case (I do quite a bit of case swapping). The Define Mini _will_ fit the D14, so this may not be an issue. Since I'm not really OC'ing (at least not significantly), the lower performance of the C14 might be a good swap for some extra height clearance. Still, I worry about the direction of the C14 and the airflow in the cabinet. Is there a significant difference performance wise between the C14 and the D14 in my situation?

The case

I really like the look of the R3 case, but I've read a lot of reviews - some are very sceptical, while others are on the opposite side of the scale. I am also considering the Define Mini, which actually has more room for the graphics card (with the removable HD tray), but I worry that my current 3-slot graphics card won't fit height wise because of the lower HD-tray. That's another part of the reason I'm considering modding the graphics card.

Feedback

That's it - any feedback and/or advice is highly appreciated!

[Deucal]

GFX: I'd first do the fan modding and see how it goes, you'd need the fans anyway for any aftermarket cooler. As for a DIY look, Just make it clutter free .
What I would be concerned about is the hot air dumping your card does, since it will dump most of it inside the case. So you will have to make sure that the hot air balloon around it is pushed somehow outside the case.

The CPU cooling: The D-14 is a good one and runs pretty quiet, the thermal envelope of the HS is very nice so takes quite a bit to ramp up the fans. The C-14 dumps the heat into the case. Not a straight airflow like the D-14.

Case: I like the R3 slightly more (I always prefer a little more space), anyway I would definitely put a extra fan in the side panel above the gfx card to blow out hot hair. I'd not put a fan at the bottom just use it as a passive intake (unless you need one to prevent a hot air pocket).

All in all I think you've made some nice choices, just have to make sure the airflow is right so you don't create hot air pockets .

Have fun putting it all together.

[Abula]

The Gene Z is a really nice Micro ATX mobo, crosscheck heatsinks to be sure it will fit. Here is a pic of it on Define Mini, in case it helps,




As you can see from the pics, the first fan will be over the memory so try to get not so tall memory heatsinks, the pics your seeing he is using G.Skill DDR3 ECO 's 16GB.

Crosscheck it fits with the DCII, i believe comes with BP, so it will add some mm (in my case was 5mm, check sig), in case it helps here is pic with the Gene Z + HR02 + Asus GTX570 DCII

Here some pics of C14 on a Gene Z, as you can see also very close, i read somwhere that the fan mounting clips are very close to gpu, now with BP like the DCII has (i think it does, not sure), the touching shouldn't be a a problem, but in my case it did add 5mm so might be really close.



I would probably go with M4 over Samsung, as its already a proven drive with more mature firmware, but its just a personal preference, im sure samsung PM830 will be good also.

Good luck,

[fuzzyboy]

The CPU cooling: The D-14 is a good one and runs pretty quiet, the thermal envelope of the HS is very nice so takes quite a bit to ramp up the fans. The C-14 dumps the heat into the case. Not a straight airflow like the D-14.

Good point

Case: I like the R3 slightly more (I always prefer a little more space), anyway I would definitely put a extra fan in the side panel above the gfx card to blow out hot hair. I'd not put a fan at the bottom just use it as a passive intake (unless you need one to prevent a hot air pocket).

I tend to agree, if nothing else, then because the difference between the two cabinets is only like 5cm in height, so it's not a room-breaker (so to speak) - and the R3 comes in white, which is a bit more subtle in the living room

Thanks for your input.

[fuzzyboy]

The Gene Z is a really nice Micro ATX mobo, crosscheck heatsinks to be sure it will fit. Here is a pic of it on Define Mini, in case it helps,

Thanks much for the pictures, they've been very helpful!

I was going with the hyperx in part because the have a low profile, so I'm not too worried about that.

The DC2 does have a backplate - I'm guessing 3-4mm, so I guess I need to factor that in. I might consider going with an ATX motherboard (P8Z68-V) just to be on the safe side if I decide to go with the R3 enclosure anyway, though judging from your pictures, the mATX might work as well, though with a tighter fit.

I would probably go with M4 over Samsung, as its already a proven drive with more mature firmware, but its just a personal preference, im sure samsung PM830 will be good also.

I would too, but I'm limited to a specific retailer (it's a work-thing), and they don't stock the M4, so it's either Intel, OCZ or the Samsung.

[fuzzyboy]

I've decided to go with the white R3 - I'm still not sure if I'll go m-atx or atx for the mobo, but I think both should be OK.

For the hot air around the graphics card (assuming a custom mod with 2 x SFF21F fans mounted on the heatsink with removed cover and original fans), I'm thinking about what fan configuration would work better:

1: Mount fan on side of cabinet in pull config + mount gfx fans in push config
2: Side fan: push, gfx fans push
3: Side fan: pull, gfx fans pull
4: side fan push, gfx fans push + pull (one side push, other side pull)

Perhaps even skip the side cabinet fan and mount an extra fan in the middle of the front of the case?

[fuzzyboy]

As for the mod of the GTX 580, I'm facing a choice of going with 120mm fans or 92mm fans. The ASUS fans are 100mm (the heatsink is about 102-104mm wide), so I'm a bit worried about mounting 120mm fans and getting too big a "dead area" cooling wise.

The layout of the heatsink can be seen here: http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/graphi ... ectcu-ii/2 (first picture).

Would 92mm or 120mm fans be the better choice? For the 120mm I'm considering the Scythe S-Flex SFF21F with a fan mate, for the 92mm I'm considering Noctua NF-B9 - also with a fan mate.

[Deucal]

gfx fan definitely push, better cooling on the rest of the gfx card. As for the 120mm vs 92mm, can't quite make up my mind. But the 92mm might have to run faster than the 120mm for similar cooling, just not definitely sure in this situation.

As for the side push or pull, nothing beats testing. But I think that the pull (out of case) is better since it tends to affect circulation better in a pc case.
pulling out hot air, you know you are pulling it out.
pushing in cold air, you have to make sure the hot air can escape somewhere else.

Yes white, me like. Can't get it locally myself . All black here and most with garish LEDs.

[CA_Steve]

I'd save $100 and go with the i5-2500k. Very few games make use of the i7's hyperthreading. You might want to check that out for your targeted games.

[fuzzyboy]

gfx fan definitely push, better cooling on the rest of the gfx card. As for the 120mm vs 92mm, can't quite make up my mind. But the 92mm might have to run faster than the 120mm for similar cooling, just not definitely sure in this situation.

As for the side push or pull, nothing beats testing. But I think that the pull (out of case) is better since it tends to affect circulation better in a pc case.
pulling out hot air, you know you are pulling it out.
pushing in cold air, you have to make sure the hot air can escape somewhere else.

Yes white, me like. Can't get it locally myself . All black here and most with garish LEDs.

Thanks for the input. I tend to agree with you on pull config, since there's nothing pushing the air behind the card and up into the exhaust. I suppose you're right - testing is the way to go Though, ss always when ordering a new setup, I can't help but try and figure out everything in advance.

[fuzzyboy]

I'd save $100 and go with the i5-2500k. Very few games make use of the i7's hyperthreading. You might want to check that out for your targeted games.

Money isn't a major concern since I'll paying half price on all components (though on a $3750 budget, before discount) - it's a work thing Thanks for the input though!

[fuzzyboy]

Fans

GFX: 2 x Noctua NF-B9 - 92mm OR 2 x NB Multiframe MF12-S3HS

Case: 1 x side exhaust, 1 x top back exhaust, 1 x front bottom intake, 1 x front middle intake (all NB Multiframe MF12-S3HS)

Will adding the last fan (front middle intake) yield any significant advantage in terms of noise? I'm thinking that adding another will allow me to run both front fans at lower speed and spread the air intake over a larger area.

[Deucal]

If you live in an area that gets hot in the summer the extra front fan can help keep the system cooler for less noise.

This is my old computer back home in Iceland, got a newer one here in Japan (also customized for quiet by me).

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=58961

All very quiet, expect after a full day gaming those old 8800GTX ramped up a little but not much.

[fuzzyboy]

(almost) final build - advice or warnings before I hit "buy" will be appreciated

CPU: Intel Core i7 2600K
CPU heatsink: Thermalright Silver Arrow
CPU heatsink fans: 2 x Nexus Real Silent 120mm (+ fanmate, will possibly be using just one fan, depending on temperatures)
GPU: Nvidia GTX 580 (Asus)
GPU heatsink: Prolimatech MK-13
GPU heatsink fans: 2 x Noiseblocker BlackSilent Pro Fan PE-1 - 92mm (mounted directly on the HS) OR 2 x Scythe S-Flex SFF21F 120mm (mounted with bracket) - also depending on temperatures
Case: Fractal Design Define R3 (white)
Case fans: 3-4 x Nexus Real Silent 120mm (@1000 RPM)
System SSD: Samsung 830 256GB
Storage HDDs: 2 x WD Caviar Green 2TB
RAM: 4 x HyperX Genesis Grey 4 GB (XMS)
Monitor: DELL U2711 Ultrasharp
Keyboard: Logitech K800
Mouse: Logitech Performance MX

[quest_for_silence]

advice or warnings before I hit "buy" will be appreciated

Really? Let's go.

CPU heatsink: Thermalright Silver Arrow

You should check the manual, as you might need the new additional mounting bracket released by TR (I'm not sure, check).

CPU heatsink fans: 2 x Nexus Real Silent 120mm (+ fanmate, will possibly be using just one fan, depending on temperatures)

The Gene-Z is the board? However, is it an ASUS one? You do need PWM fans, IMO/IME.

GPU heatsink: Prolimatech MK-13
GPU heatsink fans: 2 x Noiseblocker BlackSilent Pro Fan PE-1 - 92mm (mounted directly on the HS) OR 2 x Scythe S-Flex SFF21F 120mm (mounted with bracket) - also depending on temperatures

I'm not a big fan of the MK-13 (as it's expensive but it's just a bit better than the AC Twin Turbo I at the lower sound levels): why don't you go for a more proven AC Xtreme (I or II)? Check the relevant SPCR test, if in case.

Case fans: 3-4 x Nexus Real Silent 120mm (@1000 RPM)

If the board is the Gene-Z, check the manual: you don't have 6 controllable headers and PWM fans should be preferred.

RAM: 4 x HyperX Genesis Grey 4 GB (XMS)

I would rather the HyperX LoVo, but maybe you prefer the highest frequency Genesis (I mean the 2133: if you're going for the Grey 1600, the 1,35V LoVo are simply better).

[markanini]

What's your chosen mobo? I'd make sure to get a 2 oz copper PCB board for the Silver Arrow. I think Luca is right about using low voltage ram. Otherwise it looks like a sweet build.

EDIT:Saw you were going with Asus Maximus IV now. Probably the best choice for what you want.

[kuzzia]

The Samsung 830 hasn't had enough time to truely mature yet. Though Samsung hasn't had any SSD issues according to my knowledge but one can never be too sure, especially when it comes to SSD's. You might be better or with a Crucial M4 256 GB just for the sake of reliability.

[Abula]

Here is a pic of GeneZ + Silver Arrow + Gskill Ram, but not GPU on it. Silver Arrow is among the best air coolers, but Gene Z all is tight, specially the first PCIe, my HR02 bearly fits and its 10mm less wide than silver arrow, not saying it wont fit but if it does it will be tight, specially thinking you want to go with after market gpu cooler (sometimes they have big screws on back). Personally i would just go with HR02 Macho $39.95 (check thermalright pdf, apprently you need an alternative bracket) or Scythe Mugen 3 $43, both come with good pwm fans, or if you dont like either, maybe Prolimatech Super Mega $67, neither will have the performance of the Silver Arrow or D14, but wont be as tight to fit all stuff.

Personally i would avoid upgrading the GPU if you can get one with a decent one like Galaxy 58NLH5HS3PXZ GeForce GTX 580, even comes with a nice Backplate in case it touches your Silver Arrow.

On the fans i agree with quest_for_silence, go with PWM fans, the GeneZ has 5 pwm fan connectors, that you should be able to control with PWM fans, Scythe SLIPSTREAM PWM SY1225SL12LM-P $9.99 (200-1300rpm) is a good option if you dont want to spend that much on fans, you should be able to set them via BIOS / AISuite / FanXpert, and they should ramp up according to the conditions on your PC without needing a fanmate or a fancontroller.

Carefull with the Define R3 over the Define Mini, the last i remember on the Mini you can remove the top hdd cage to fit longer video cards, so in case you need it later could be better, also you can remove it and have the fan blow straight to the gpu without having the cage obstructing the flow.... im not sure the R3 you can remove hdds cages. And since you are planning and ssd and 2x 3.5 hdds, the bottom cage should be enough. Now on the case fans its up to you to test what impact will have more fans in temps/noise, but the most i would try is 3 case fans, 2 in and one out, the less fans you have the less noisy the computer will be, but its best to test and see works better for each.

SSD, i think M4 is better choice with more mature firmware out, Samsung PM830 just came out, so no way of knowing how it will be. But its not a bad choice either. Also amazon has the Crucial 256GB m4 SSD 2.5" SATA III CT256M4SSD2 $349, not in stock, but you can order it at that price and they will ship it as soon as the new batch arrives, at $349 for 256gb ssd sata III i think its better offer than Samsung PM830.

Mouse, i would recommend wired, like G400, but if you like wireless go with the best wireless for playing games Logitech Wireless Gaming Mouse G700.

[Deucal]

(almost) final build - advice or warnings before I hit "buy" will be appreciated

CPU: Intel Core i7 2600K
CPU heatsink: Thermalright Silver Arrow
CPU heatsink fans: 2 x Nexus Real Silent 120mm (+ fanmate, will possibly be using just one fan, depending on temperatures)
GPU: Nvidia GTX 580 (Asus)
GPU heatsink: Prolimatech MK-13
GPU heatsink fans: 2 x Noiseblocker BlackSilent Pro Fan PE-1 - 92mm (mounted directly on the HS) OR 2 x Scythe S-Flex SFF21F 120mm (mounted with bracket) - also depending on temperatures
Case: Fractal Design Define R3 (white)
Case fans: 3-4 x Nexus Real Silent 120mm (@1000 RPM)
System SSD: Samsung 830 256GB
Storage HDDs: 2 x WD Caviar Green 2TB
RAM: 4 x HyperX Genesis Grey 4 GB (XMS)
Monitor: DELL U2711 Ultrasharp
Keyboard: Logitech K800
Mouse: Logitech Performance MX

I'd go with the 120mm fans on the gpu (why not Nexus ones as well?) and 2 on the cpu cooler. Adding the 2nd one on the cpu HS doesn't add much noise (1 db I think) and you have the peace of mind of knowing you can cool the hell out of it if necessary.
What I did to control all 6 of my Nexus fans in my rig back home in Iceland was to buy a good front bezel fan controller that has a 1 Amp rating per channel (the Nexus fan is rated 0.3 Amp).
Then I serialized the 2 HSF and the back fan (since they are in a direct line of airflow) to one knob, and the other 3 case fans to another knob.
So when I need more cooling on the cpu I just ramp that one up, or if I need more ambient airflow I ramp up the other knob .

With your build I would put the back fan+2 CPU fans on one channel and 2 GPU fans +side panel push out on the other channel.
The fans will suck in air into the case from the least resistance, the front. And keep those 2 top vents covered, I'd only open them up if you're in a sauna and the CPU needs more airflow.

While the Dell Ultrasharp is not strictly a gaming monitor, it is a beauty (my friend has one).

I agree with quest_for_silence on the memory, but as you said you are buying through a specific retailer so what is available is good . And with low profile heat sinks it will fit underneath the silver arrow.

Are you used to wireless Mouse and keyboard? If you have and liked it then all is good. I how ever have had bad experience with it. Even ended up breaking my Microsoft wireless keyboard in frustration . But the Logitech one I have in Iceland is still good, just hate it when the battery is low.
Both the mouse and the keyboard get good reviews though.

Hard drives, Samsung is the biggest producer of internal flash memory in the world and they have a rep for quality. Enjoy the SSD speed.
2x WD caviar g 2TB for storage all good.

With all you have here you have a blazing fast machine, and can make it even faster (OC cpu & gpu) very easily and quietly with the cooling you have selected.
Enjoy it to the max

Edit: Typo

[fuzzyboy]

CPU heatsink: Thermalright Silver Arrow

You should check the manual, as you might need the new additional mounting bracket released by TR (I'm not sure, check).

The cooler comes with a 1155 mounting bracket (at least where I'm getting it).

CPU heatsink fans: 2 x Nexus Real Silent 120mm (+ fanmate, will possibly be using just one fan, depending on temperatures)

The Gene-Z is the board? However, is it an ASUS one? You do need PWM fans, IMO/IME.

I'm not 100% on the board yet, I had decided on the P8Z68-V Pro / GEN3, which looks good, though I'm missing a high-res display output on the mobo.

GPU heatsink: Prolimatech MK-13
GPU heatsink fans: 2 x Noiseblocker BlackSilent Pro Fan PE-1 - 92mm (mounted directly on the HS) OR 2 x Scythe S-Flex SFF21F 120mm (mounted with bracket) - also depending on temperatures

I'm not a big fan of the MK-13 (as it's expensive but it's just a bit better than the AC Twin Turbo I at the lower sound levels): why don't you go for a more proven AC Xtreme (I or II)? Check the relevant SPCR test, if in case.

No room for the accelero in the R3 (at least not the extreme plus II), and the TR Shaman has gone out of production.

Case fans: 3-4 x Nexus Real Silent 120mm (@1000 RPM)

If the board is the Gene-Z, check the manual: you don't have 6 controllable headers and PWM fans should be preferred.

I prefer using manual fan controls, but your input is appreciated (I have pwm fans around in case I change my mind).

RAM: 4 x HyperX Genesis Grey 4 GB (XMS)

I would rather the HyperX LoVo, but maybe you prefer the highest frequency Genesis (I mean the 2133: if you're going for the Grey 1600, the 1,35V LoVo are simply better).

[/quote]
I'll check it out - I'm limited to one retailer so I may not have that option, but I'll definately check to see if they have the low voltage edition

[fuzzyboy]

The Samsung 830 hasn't had enough time to truely mature yet. Though Samsung hasn't had any SSD issues according to my knowledge but one can never be too sure, especially when it comes to SSD's. You might be better or with a Crucial M4 256 GB just for the sake of reliability.

Like I wrote in another post above, the m4 is not an option. It's either the Samsung, an OCZ or an Intel.

[fuzzyboy]

I'd go with the 120mm fans on the gpu (why not Nexus ones as well?) and 2 on the cpu cooler. Adding the 2nd one on the cpu HS doesn't add much noise (1 db I think) and you have the peace of mind of knowing you can cool the hell out of it if necessary.

Mostly because of the horizontal mounting - and because I have some SFF21F I can use already. I ordered 8 nexus fans in total, just in case there are QC issues, so I might try it out. Sleeve bearing fans will have shortened life from horizontal mounting, won't they?

What I did to control all 6 of my Nexus fans in my rig back home in Iceland was to buy a good front bezel fan controller that has a 1 Amp rating per channel (the Nexus fan is rated 0.3 Amp).
Then I serialized the 2 HSF and the back fan (since they are in a direct line of airflow) to one knob, and the other 3 case fans to another knob.
So when I need more cooling on the cpu I just ramp that one up, or if I need more ambient airflow I ramp up the other knob .

Yeah, I did something similar in my prior build, except I had 1 knob for the cpu, 1 for the GPU and one for the case fan. Worked really well. I plan on doing something similar with the fanmates, though I'll probably double-tape them to the back of the cabinet (the R3 doesn't have room for a knob fan controller). If I tire of it, I might get a good digital fan controller - any suggestions?

While the Dell Ultrasharp is not strictly a gaming monitor, it is a beauty (my friend has one).

Yeah, I'm using one at work and I really like it. I do some gaming, but not really FPS shooters (mostly indie games, WoW, SC2 and Diablo III when it releases), so it's OK that it's not a gaming monitor. The video card is major overkill for my use, but I'm getting a really good deal on it

Are you used to wireless Mouse and keyboard? If you have and liked it then all is good. I how ever have had bad experience with it. Even ended up breaking my Microsoft wireless keyboard in frustration . But the Logitech one I have in Iceland is still good, just hate it when the battery is low.
Both the mouse and the keyboard get good reviews though.

I'm using a cordless mouse at home, and corded at work. Keyboards I've always done with cord, but I liked the look of the K800, so I figured I'd give it a shot. If I don't like it, I'll just go back to my spill-proof HP keyboard, hehe

Enjoy it to the max

Thanks

[fuzzyboy]

Here is a pic of GeneZ + Silver Arrow + Gskill Ram, but not GPU on it. Silver Arrow is among the best air coolers, but Gene Z all is tight, specially the first PCIe, my HR02 bearly fits and its 10mm less wide than silver arrow, not saying it wont fit but if it does it will be tight, specially thinking you want to go with after market gpu cooler (sometimes they have big screws on back). Personally i would just go with HR02 Macho $39.95 (check thermalright pdf, apprently you need an alternative bracket) or Scythe Mugen 3 $43, both come with good pwm fans, or if you dont like either, maybe Prolimatech Super Mega $67, neither will have the performance of the Silver Arrow or D14, but wont be as tight to fit all stuff.

I'm still not 100% on the mobo. After deciding on the R3, I figured I'd go with a full size mobo because of the issues with GPU backplate and had my choices down to the Z68 editions of Gigabyte and Asus. Since Gigabyte had the bootloop issues, I decided on ASUS, but found out that the iGPU on the ASUS don't support the high resolution of the DELL monitor. It's relevant mostly for power saving - I think both motherboards have a feature to support using the iGPU when there's not heavy GPU load, thus saving a good deal of power. So the conclusion is that I'm still not sure

Personally i would avoid upgrading the GPU if you can get one with a decent one like Galaxy 58NLH5HS3PXZ GeForce GTX 580, even comes with a nice Backplate in case it touches your Silver Arrow.

I completely agree. Unfortunately the retailer used don't have a GTX 580 with a pre-fitted accelero (or similar)

On the fans i agree with quest_for_silence, go with PWM fans, the GeneZ has 5 pwm fan connectors, that you should be able to control with PWM fans, Scythe SLIPSTREAM PWM SY1225SL12LM-P $9.99 (200-1300rpm) is a good option if you dont want to spend that much on fans, you should be able to set them via BIOS / AISuite / FanXpert, and they should ramp up according to the conditions on your PC without needing a fanmate or a fancontroller.

I'd agree if not for the problem that good PWM fans seem hard to come by. The Thermalright 140mm PWM fan that came with the HS have an annoying ticking sound (both of them, so I don't think it's a QC issues). I'm really critical when it comes to fan noise, and I have yet to hear a PWM fan that fits the bill. Thus, I tend to go with fans that I know I like, which is a lot cheaper than buying 10 different PWM fans to decide which one has a bearable signature noise

Carefull with the Define R3 over the Define Mini, the last i remember on the Mini you can remove the top hdd cage to fit longer video cards, so in case you need it later could be better, also you can remove it and have the fan blow straight to the gpu without having the cage obstructing the flow.... im not sure the R3 you can remove hdds cages. And since you are planning and ssd and 2x 3.5 hdds, the bottom cage should be enough. Now on the case fans its up to you to test what impact will have more fans in temps/noise, but the most i would try is 3 case fans, 2 in and one out, the less fans you have the less noisy the computer will be, but its best to test and see works better for each.

You can't remove the cage from the R3 in the same way that you can in the Define Mini. I read a few posts about how the R3 doesn't acommodate a GTX 580 + accelero extreme plus II and I seriously considered doing some modding and cutting the cage, but ended up just going for the R3 with the MK-13. The reason is mostly aesthetics - I like the white color, and since I decided to go ATX instead of mATX (less worrying about CPU HS and GFX clashing) and since the R3 is only like 5 cm taller than the mini I caved

SSD, i think M4 is better choice with more mature firmware out, Samsung PM830 just came out, so no way of knowing how it will be. But its not a bad choice either. Also amazon has the Crucial 256GB m4 SSD 2.5" SATA III CT256M4SSD2 $349, not in stock, but you can order it at that price and they will ship it as soon as the new batch arrives, at $349 for 256gb ssd sata III i think its better offer than Samsung PM830.

I would prefer the M4, but the reseller only stocks OCZ (and a few other SF-disks), Intel and Samsung. No Crucial unfortunately.

[fuzzyboy]

What's your chosen mobo? I'd make sure to get a 2 oz copper PCB board for the Silver Arrow. I think Luca is right about using low voltage ram. Otherwise it looks like a sweet build.

EDIT:Saw you were going with Asus Maximus IV now. Probably the best choice for what you want.

Actually I'm still debating the motherboard. I'm now going ATX, but I don't know which one.

The GIGABYTE GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3 has a displayport out, so it'll support the power saving features of the motherboard on a high-res display (using the iGPU for casual use and the discrete graphics when gaming etc.). On the other hand, Gigabyte has the bootloop issues and I intently dislike all of the Gigabyte software (my previous 3 builds have had Gigabyte motherboards and/or graphics cards).

ASUS P8Z68-V (PRO) has no bootloop issues that I'm aware of and I'm mostly hearing good things about it. The software can't possibly be worse that Gigabytes, but going ASUS would mean no iGPU power saving.

[quest_for_silence]

The cooler comes with a 1155 mounting bracket (at least where I'm getting it).

The standard Thermalright 1155 mounting plate (supplied with all their 1155 coolers) turned out to be not compatible with lots of ASUS 1155 boards (as well as several others): so TR have released an additional mounting backplate for ASUS with a larger hole.
Currently I think you could need it: so check the TR website, as they supply a comprehensive list of compatible boards.

I'm not 100% on the board yet, I had decided on the P8Z68-V Pro / GEN3, which looks good, though I'm missing a high-res display output on the mobo.

AFAIK if you plan to drive the CPU fans with an ASUS mobo headers you would do better to use PWM fans, in order to avoid a probable disappointment, noise-wise.

No room for the accelero in the R3 (at least not the extreme plus II), and the TR Shaman has gone out of production.

You're right, it's 30.6cm (against 29.0cm available).
Well, the Defini Mini would work, but as you're going with the R3 I think that's all.

I prefer using manual fan controls, but your input is appreciated (I have pwm fans around in case I change my mind).

AFAIK you haven't pointed out any fan controller, while the standard FD one shouldn't be able to drive 3 Nexus 120mm safely, electrically-wise (not to mention 5 or 6). Moreover this included fan controller has a voltage range of about 6.4V to 11.4V, according to SPCR findings: not such a wide range, IMVHO, but I think it might suffice using a couple of Nexus.

[quest_for_silence]

The Thermalright 140mm PWM fan that came with the HS have an annoying ticking sound (both of them, so I don't think it's a QC issues).

Hm, it's a bit odd.
I have a couple of TY-140, one running on an AXP-140, another on a Spitfire: both running clik-free (and now with a proper mobo, an AMD-based MSI, down to 390 rpm!).
Right now I'm waiting for a couple of 140mm Slipstream PWM for my Armageddon, but if they run like my voltage-controlled Slipstream 140 they would be more than fine, noise wise.

About the SSD, IMVHO currently OCZ and Intel are a safer bet than the 830: but, you know, your mileage may vary.

[fuzzyboy]

The cooler comes with a 1155 mounting bracket (at least where I'm getting it).

The standard Thermalright 1155 mounting plate (supplied with all their 1155 coolers) turned out to be not compatible with lots of ASUS 1155 boards (as well as several others): so TR have released an additional mounting backplate for ASUS with a larger hole.
Currently I think you could need it: so check the TR website, as they supply a comprehensive list of compatible boards.

Ok, thanks for the info - I'll check it out. I guess that's another reason to get the gigabyte board - though I'm rather worried about the bootloop.

AFAIK if you plan to drive the CPU fans with an ASUS mobo headers you would do better to use PWM fans, in order to avoid a probable disappointment, noise-wise.

AFAIK you haven't pointed out any fan controller, while the standard FD one shouldn't be able to drive 3 Nexus 120mm safely, electrically-wise (not to mention 5 or 6). Moreover this included fan controller has a voltage range of about 6.4V to 11.4V, according to SPCR findings: not such a wide range, IMVHO, but I think it might suffice using a couple of Nexus.

I'll be using fanmates - not that they have a very wide range, but I think the nexus fans runs at 1000 RPM @ 12v, so I think I wont be needing to undervolt very much?

[fuzzyboy]

About the SSD, IMVHO currently OCZ and Intel are a safer bet than the 830: but, you know, your mileage may vary.

I can understand the Intel argument, though it's a lot more expensive and a bit slower overall than the 830. As for the OCZ, there's no way I'm getting at SF-2281 based drive with the whole instability/bsod mess. I know they claim to have fixed it, but I still see a lot of posts on the OCZ and various forums about people still having problems.

[quest_for_silence]

As for the OCZ, there's no way I'm getting at SF-2281 based drive with the whole instability/bsod mess. I know they claim to have fixed it, but I still see a lot of posts on the OCZ and various forums about people still having problems.

I was thinking that they have fixed it with FW 2.15 but now I see it isn't so. Well, Samsung *might* be better, then.

[quest_for_silence]

I'll be using fanmates - not that they have a very wide range, but I think the nexus fans runs at 1000 RPM @ 12v, so I think I wont be needing to undervolt very much?

The Zalman FanMate may go as low as 5V, quite enough for the Nexus.

At anyway, 5 or 6 Zalman FanMates look like to me at least an unpractical solution: couldn't you go for a Scythe Kaze Server?