Christmas Cooling :)

[jamiesalter]

Was thinking about adding a few bits and bobs to the computer (see bottom of this message for specs) and had a few questions/wanted some ideas...

Firstly, was scanning around the online stores and found things like Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK - a northbridge heatsink. By cooling the northbridge, will i see a significant increase in anything? I presume it will increase overclocking but is it worth it?

Other interesting things such as Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK also seemed interesting - are there any performance benefits to be had?

Have you any cheap ideas for christmas that will boost a system/improve its functionality?

Current rig:
Q6600 OC'd to 3.0GHz
Abit IP-35 Pro
Western Digital AAKS 500GB
4x1GB Corsair PC6400
Coolermaster CM690 with 7 fans
XFX 8800GTS 320MB (have ordered hr-03 heatsink)
Corsair HX620W

[Dreaming]

How do you find the CM690?

I have an identical rig to you really except for the PSU and 4 extra hard drives, currently have a p180 but cable management is just too difficult for frequent upgrades.

Your system is pretty balanced and capable for the minute though. If I was forced to spend extra cash I would invest in some nice peripherals - keyboard / mice / monitor are always underated yet arguably some of the most important components!

[LuckyNV]

Do you really need that HDD cooler? The CM690 trays minimise vibrations already and the cooling is perfect, I have 4 drives mounted and are just under 40C with a 5V fan.

Dreaming, the CM690 can be very neat with cabling and at the same time be very accessible if you have to switch out components. Granted it can't be ultra tidy compared to some P182 builds I've seen, but its tidy enough in the CM690 that you do not disrupt airflow.

There is also more fiddle space as there isn't a partition.

[Pob255]

Well I've got a friend who's halfway through a build with the cm690, it's not bad, a bit smaller than the p180 and simplier in design

The main down side so far have been, the cable management things being a bit too close to the motherboard.
And the motherboard being a bit close to the top of the case.
Once we'd got the top fans on and the Scythe mine cooler fitted to an ABit IP-35 there's only 10mm between the cooler and top fans, it was rather tricky getting the 8pin motherboard power connector pulged in.
Ended up haveing to remove the motherboard to unplug it. (had to rma the corsair PSU due to a fault )


As for added bit's, as the ip-35pro uses a heat pipe to link the northbridge, southbridge and mofets So if you replaced one you probably need to replace all 3.

Don't know what fans you're useing on the cm690 but a Fancontroller and some anti-vibration fan mounts might be nice.
What CPU cooler are you useing? I'd replace an intell stock cooler before the ip-35pro NorthBridge cooler.

How about some PAX mate sound profing?

[Sprite]

Agree with Pob255 with the NB/SB/Mosfet situation.

Maybe have a look on the web to see how good the stock cooling is to, say, a NC-U6 on the SB and NB and some ramsinks on the mosfets.

However that's £35ish on what may be not worth the hassle, I personally wouldn't bother and would do what Dreaming said - go for a nice mouse/peripherals/PC games/beer