CM HAF Stacker 935 - Mini Review & Build Log

I've been fancying a new case for a while now, as my current Stacker MK 1 from 2005 is starting to show its age, and because I like new toys. I wanted to upgrade the watercooling from my bodged H80 with 360 Rad to a twin 360 combination, partly for noise, but mostly because I want to watercool the GPU at some stage.

So, to that end in my possession are:
EK L360 Kit (CPU Block/360 Rad& DC2.2 pump/res combo)
HAF Stacker 935.
Odds and ends of fittings (45deg bends etc.)

First impressions of the case are excellent, the thing is mahooosive, but built like a tank. I've been hemming and hawing whether to grab this or the Enthoo Primo, but price, and a bit of brand loyalty (my old stacker has served me pretty well) swung me to the HAF and to be honest I'm glad of it. At this stage I've only dry fit one rad and the pump, but its going to be incredibly easy to do a very neat build with this as effectively all you'll have is hoses coming out of the top of the case.

If anyone has a need for 2 systems its also pretty neat the 915 section (small top box) isn't tiny as cases go (although the frontal area isn't huge) but I think its probably the only minitx case you could get a system, full size PSU and either a pair of 240 radiators or 6 HDDs in. If I was confined for space it would be a great nas enclosure.

Photos at some stage tomorrow, I just wanted to play with it when I got in so didn't take any.

Got all the WC gear in this afternoon. Only a couple of minor hiccups.
Pump was originally supposed to mount on the fan mount here:
http://i.imgur.com/qZySkvfl.jpg

But that went out the window when the second rad was mounted:
http://i.imgur.com/aJVklm8l.jpg

Unfortunately the older thermochill PA120.3 is on a wider spacing than modern rads, so the hoses don't match exactly, and its only got 6 bolts in. Was a right pain to get the sodding short hose into place.

http://i.imgur.com/BQtehkel.jpg

Radbox mounted on the case, yellow is the venom fans showing through.

http://i.imgur.com/szKXsXyl.jpg

Hoses in, the 10/16 stuff that EK supply is amazing to work with, I got a decent selection of 45/90 adaptors, but to be honest they probably weren't needed.

Close up of block, theres a kill coil in the resevoir, but I thought I'd stick the dye/antibac they provide in for novelty factor:
http://i.imgur.com/onefTZNl.jpg

Bleeding away, no leaks (yet).
http://i.imgur.com/t5K2tgpl.jpg

All up and running, its not really till I've got this back by my desk that I realised just how big it is. If anyones getting one for under a desk, check the thing will even fit.

So, putting the thing together, this was me testing for mounting pressure, honest:
http://i.imgur.com/YAo1Z84l.jpg
All installed:
http://i.imgur.com/4vdFg5pl.jpg
Pump is presently sat on bubble wrap till I'm sure it isn't going to need topping off, then it will be replaced with proper mount.

Cable management room round the back is ok, but not great. I could do without the front GPU mount and have a bit more room here to be honest, basically you just need to get it so nothing crossed the 24Pin cable.
http://i.imgur.com/NrglvWQl.jpg
Case next to desk for scale (its bigger than a normal desk as well, as its a desktop on two expedit 2*2s.

All in all I'm pretty impressed. The shear size of the thing makes the build nice and easy. and being able to keep all the WC stuff out of the way is great. In the long the plan is to add a gpu waterblock, and possibly move the pump up into the top box with some quick release couplings to make the thing a bit more easily transportable. I could have fit it this time, but was worried about conserving hose (I didn't think to grab any extra when I ordered the kit, and scan were out of stock to get it in person).

Temps are pretty impressive. Idle delta is about 10 degrees, rising to about 25 under load with fans at low, or 20 ish at high. It was sat with prime running for 4 hours this morning and topped out at 49 degrees with the fans on silent. (6350 @4.8 2/1.5V)

That's really smart and good looking! I really enjoy an aesthetically pleasing build, as I'm sure many others do too. Sometimes, it even affects my purchase (by sometimes I mean all the time) :rolleyes:

Edit: Didn't see the temps. Awesome build!

Thanks,
Temps are going to go up though. This arrived this morning:
http://i.imgur.com/8xkbvB9l.jpg
That should address the poor airflow to the GPU, just need to come up with something for the VRMs now. 65 degrees should be fine, but feels a bit toasty for me.

Holy schnikes - the case alone weighs more than my entire rig!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fatguy666

Holy schnikes - the case alone weighs more than my entire rig!

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Try leak testing in the kitchen then carrying it up the stairs whilst its full of water!

I'm in the process of rebuilding this into something that would more properly be called a mod rather than just sticking a load of stuff in it.

Project log is over here:
http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=279037